God has justified thee. Let him sanctify
thee likewise. God's spirit is with thee to guide thee, to inspire
thee, and make thee holy. Serve thy Father and thy Master, the
Living God, sure that he is satisfied with thee for Christ's sake;
that thou art in thy right state henceforward; in thy right place in
this world; and that he blesses all thy efforts to live a right life,
and to do thy duty.
But how to serve him, and where? By doing something strange and
fantastic? By giving up thy business, money, time? Going to the
ends of the earth? Making what some will call some great sacrifice
for God?
Not so. All that may be, and generally is, the fruit of mere self-
will and self-conceit. God has made a sacrifice for thee. Let that
be enough. If he wants thee to make a sacrifice to him in return, he
will compel thee to make it, doubt it not. But meanwhile abide in
the calling wherein thou art called. Do the duty which lies nearest
thee. Whether thou art squire or labourer, rich or poor; whether thy
duty is to see after thy children, or to mind thy shop, do thy duty.
For that is thy vocation and calling; that is the ministry in which
thou canst serve God, by serving thy fellow-creatures for whom Christ
died.
This day the grand prayer has gone up throughout Christ's Church--and
thou hast joined in it--for all estates of men in his holy Church;
for all estates, from kings and statesmen governing the nations, down
to labouring men tilling in the field, and poor women washing and
dressing their children at home, that each and all of them may do
their work well, whatever it is, and thereby serve the Living God.
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