Nothing is more beautiful than the communications of God with Abraham: he knew the Lord when He visited him at Mature; but in the presence of others, while showing Him special respect, he leaves Him in His incognito. When once the two angels have departed, and Abraham is alone with the Lord, he opens out his heart to Him, with perfect intimacy and entire confidence. This whole chapter [Gen. 18.] is perfectly beautiful. The spiritual man ought to maintain propriety. He lets himself out in blessed confidence when he is alone with God.
The important thing, and one that is often wanting is, that Christ should be all; it is to know that we are of the new creation which is in Him, and even that we are the first-fruits of His creatures; that we have to live as being of the new, in this world which is not the new, but the old creation, long ago put to the proof, and judged. And what blessedness to be of the new, where all is of God, where all is perfect, and in the unchangeable freshness of the purity of its source! It is infinite blessedness, and ours according to our very nature, only we must have objects. The more I go on, the more the deliverance of souls from this old creation, from this world which passeth away, is the desire of my heart, and that the devotedness of the love of Christ should govern the hearts of brethren. 302