"They who travel in one company": a Hackney Phalanx sermon for the Third Sunday after Easter

From A Course of Sermons, for the Lord's Day throughout the Year, Volume I (1817) by Joseph Holden Pott - associated with the Hackney Phalanx - an extract from a sermon for the Third Sunday after Easter, on the opening words of the Epistle of the day, "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims". Yet again, we see an example of Old High preaching - warm, meaningful, spiritually serious - that undermines the Tractarian 'High and Dry' allegation.

Let us briefly trace this grand resemblance, which is to be completed between the spiritual progress of sincere believers and the former travels of God's ancient servants and elected people. The course of pilgrimage, in the Christian sense, consists, then, in the daily advancement of the reasonable mind to better measures of improvement, and to more elevated heights of expectation: it consists in the constant progress which is to be made in good attainments: and in acquiring clearer views of future happiness and glory. The pilgrimage which we have to fulfil, consists in leaving those things which are less worthy of regard, and in reaching forward to those things which lie before. It consists, more especially, in taking care constantly to remove from the dangerous and doubtful ways of error, ignorance, and vice ..."

In order to touch some points in this similitude, let us, consider, that they who travel in one company, and are bound to one place of destination, are under obligation to exercise a mutual care and attention, and to be ready to supply such aids as any of the number may require, to enable them to pursue the way with their companions. Thus, also, in the Christian train, there should be that close union, and that brotherly regard. Our Lord's Apostle keeps to the figure of the common lot of travellers, when he says "bear ye one another's burdens": that is, when any man's burden becomes too heavy for him, give aid to lighten it or to bear it for him. As you may be able, be ready always to bring others forward, and to succour them where they want assistance. Again, we find that the joint pursuit of one path, is apt to make men social, and to unite them in a friendly intimacy and regard. They who have travelled long together, will be endeared to one another by the memory of many common gratifications, or of many common hazards, as well as by the sense and recollection of mutual aids. So also should we learn by the first principles of Christian goodwill, to cherish a sincere regard for those who partake one lot with us, and who journey to one heavenly inheritance.

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