by Hugh Binning
in ePub, .mobi & .pdf formats
1 Pet. 4:7—But the end of all things is at hand; be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer
If ye would ask what ye should do till Christ come again, or what should be your exercise and employment in this old age of the world, here ye have it in a word, "be sober, and watch unto prayer." When Christ was to go away to his Father, and leave his disciples in this world, as he left them not orphans, or comfortless, without the Comforter, so neither left he them without counsel and direction; the word he left to them was, "take heed, watch and pray," Mark 13:33. In this chapter Peter is mindful of his Lord's direction, as Paul also was, 1 Thess. 5:6. The substance of this chapter is to exhort Christians to a holy conversation, suitable to their high calling. He presses mortifications in general, from that which should be of greatest force with a believer's heart,—the strongest and most convincing reason in the world,—union with Christ crucified, even as Paul does Rom. 6; and then in the 3d and 4th verses, he argues from their former conversation: Ye have sinned enough already,—all the rest of your time is over little to consecrate to God; according then as ye have advanced Satan's kingdom while under it, so advance Christ's kingdom when it comes to you, and take that noble revenge upon yourselves and sins, so as to bring them both captive to the obedience of Christ. And although the world may think it strange ye walk not with them, yet so much the rather ought ye to aspire after a disconformity to the world. Be then ambitious of being singular in the world. Ye would lay down such a conclusion as this, I am a stranger, and will walk as a stranger; and ye need not think yourselves miserable to be out of so much company, and to be alone; no, if ye knew what were to come upon them, ye would get you out from among them, lest ye be partakers of their plagues. The day of the Lord is coming, and the world must give an account to the Judge of all flesh: ye may endure their mockings, and all the hard measure which ye get here, for it shall be recompensed unto them. And your lot is the same that other saints had, who now sleep in the Lord; the gospel was preached unto them, and they had the same fruit of it before God, and got everlasting life by it; yet they were judged in this world as well as you, and were counted base and contemptible.
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Table of Contents
The End of All things is At Hand
Watch Unto Prayer
Be Sober