tells us the basis on which it rested. "He had lived the life of faith in the Son of God, who loved him, and gave himself for him." There is no uncertainty in the test. He that doeth righteousness is born of him. He that makes it the business of his life to resist "the desires of the flesh and of the mind," when they do not move in subjection to the divine law, and to bring every thought and word and work into obedience to the commands of Christ; he it is that doeth righteousness, and he, doing righteousness, does that which the Lord requires of him. "He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." And, "Blessed are those servants, whom their Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing." "Verily, I say unto you, He shall make them rulers over all that he hath."

LECTURE LXIII.

THE HIGH CALLING OF CHRISTIANS, AND THEIR CORRESPONDING OBLIGATIONS.

1 JOHN iii. 1-3.

1. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

Inspired by the subject of which his mind was full, the apostle here breaks forth in an expression

of wonder at the infinite mercy and goodness of God displayed in the Gospel. Behold, he begins; he calls on all to attend, and contemplate with him the mighty subject of redemption. Angels themselves, we are assured, take an interest in it; well may men. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us, that we should be called the sons of God! Whatever we consider, whether the majesty and holiness of God, or the guilt and unworthiness of men, we may be astonished at the degree of love displayed towards us. That they, who had behaved towards God like enemies, should be treated by him as sons; received into his favour, instructed by his grace, supported by his care, made heirs of an everlasting kingdom; such is the love which the Father hath bestowed upon us: such are the privileges to which the Christian is admitted, becoming a member of Christ, a child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven.

But this, says St. John, is not comprehended by all men. Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. The thoughtless world may not know the sincere Christian: may not understand him, because they understand not the God whom he serves may not acknowledge him, because his ways are different from their own. But God knows him; that is enough: to God he lives, and not to the world. He is satisfied that God has received him as his own son by adoption through Christ Jesus. As the apostle proceeds:

2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he

shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

It doth not yet appear what we shall be. The blessings prepared in heaven for the faithful disciple of Christ, cannot now be described to us. We cannot comprehend the nature of that future state of things, which shall begin when the present world is passed away. The Scripture does not attempt to explain it all we are told is, that " eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

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It doth not yet appear, it has not been clearly revealed, what we shall be: but this we know, this is revealed, that when he shall appear, when Christ shall come again in glory, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. He himself has said it. Where I am, there also shall my servant be.” 1 And St. Paul tells us to what he was looking forward. "Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." 2 And again, "The dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. Well may we repeat the sentence, if we seriously consider the nature of the promise, Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us! We talk familiarly of " the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come." But do we lead our minds to dwell on the 2 1 Cor. xiii. 12. 3 1 Cor. xv. 52.

1 John xii. 26.

meaning of these phrases? A soul "made perfect:" a "glorious body:" "made like to" the Lord Jesus, so as to see him as he is, "on the throne of his glory, "God over all, blessed for ever!" This is what we should set before our minds, as plainly as our faculties allow. This is what is offered ME: to this I shall actually come, if I now receive Christ Jesus as my Redeemer and my Lord for "as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God." Thus to meditate and reason with ourselves, is to realise the promises of Scripture; to make them our own: to act upon them: to live for them. And the next sentence shows the effect they will produce, if we do indeed bear them upon our hearts.

3. And every man that hath this hope, in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Whoever has the hope, the expectation, the desire, to become a "joint heir with Christ" in the heavenly kingdom, strives and labours to fit himself for so glorious a station. To take no such pains, would prove that he was indifferent to the honour. On this principle St. John says, Every one that hath this hope, purifieth himself. His conscience assents to the truth that "without holiness no man shall see the Lord:" that he must be holy, even as he who hath called him is holy:" that if his treasure is in heaven, his heart must be in heaven; and his "affections set on things above, not on things of the earth." His understanding concurs with Scripture in assuring him of this: his understanding goes

4 In Christ, επ' αντῳ.

along with Scripture when it declares that the malicious, the revengeful, the unmerciful, the covetous, the impure and sensual, the reveller," have no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God."5 From all such things then, from all the sinful lusts of the flesh, he purifies himself. Or rather, since he knows and feels that he cannot renew his own nature, he prays that gracious Saviour who has called him to holiness, to make him holy. Still he purifieth himself: that is, he takes as much pains to keep clear of sin, as if all depended on his own strength and exertion. He will not tamper with any sort of evil he refuses to listen to it; he will not place himself in the way of it; he will not be found where it is practised, or where he might be tempted to practise it. Thus in godly sincerity "he keepeth himself: and that wicked one toucheth him not."

This must be the proof, the main proof-for Scripture admits no other-of our spiritual state, of our reasonable hope in Christ. Is a man purifying himself? striving to be relieved from that corruption which belongs by nature to the flesh and spirit, and labouring to become more and more like that which Scripture requires him to be, and teaches him to be, and expects him to be? To become less open to temptation, more obedient to the motions of the Spirit of God? Less envious or uncharitable? More forgiving, kind, affectionate? Less selfish, or covetous, or peevish; more liberal and courteous? Less given to self-indulgence; more temperate and sober? Less prone to anger

5 Compare Gal. v. 19, 20; and Eph. v. 5.