another harm, or give one another pain. We ought to "love as brethren, and be pitiful and courteous, not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; but contrariwise, blessing1." We ought to pray for one another's spiritual welfare,-sanctification, -edification,-redemption. We ought continually to do our best to "comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak," exercise patience toward all around us, as we have opportunity, and occasion is given.

This will it really be to dwell in love; and then "God," as the Apostle speaks, will "dwell in us;" be with us, in us, amongst us. He will make us his habitation, because we make ours his. He will make us a united family, giving us of his Spirit, imparting unto us his righteousness, and making us, although many, yet one body in Christ.

THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.
John iii., 13 to the end.

THE EPISTLE. 1 St.

13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

19 And hereby we know that we

are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

The subject of love, as on the last Lord's day, is again presented to us, and in the hands of the beloved disciple, with increased attraction. In the Epistle for the last Lord's day, there was an enumeration of the many and powerful motives 21 Thess. v., 14.

1 1 Pet. iii., 8. 9.

which should constrain Christian people, and especially Christian families, to love one another. Here we have the same love brought to bear upon us in the shape of a test of the doctrine of assurance, and as a method whereby we may ascertain the true character of our spiritual position; the sincerity or insincerity of our professions; the accuracy or inaccuracy of our feelings as signs of growth in grace; the truth or falsehood of our declarations of faith in Christ; the practical tendency or otherwise of our knowledge of the Gospel of Christ.

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The

And before we proceed to examine the Apostle's doctrine with reference to this subject, let us comprehend why we should examine it. The truth is, that man, even believing and rightminded man, is too prone to rest upon that kind of religion which gives him the least trouble, and in his zeal to make a fair appearance, is too readily betrayed into spiritual indolence. Now, as experience proves that a religion of words and names does sometimes gain the ascendancy, in the soul, over a religion of deeds and affections, as "zeal not according to knowledge"" does sometimes take the place of zeal of the right sort, and spiritual indolence is known to be spiritually dangerous, this portion of Scripture may tend greatly to our edification, if we will regard it as furnishing a good test of assurance. only way of "knowing that we have passed from death unto life," it states, is, "because we love the brethren;" and it is a sure sign that we are abiding in death," if we "love not our brother." Do we regard our brother, be he of high or of low degree, with a feeling that amounts to love? Are we ready, on the principle of faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God, to do him any good we can, yea, even to lay down our lives for him? Are his interests preferred to ours in transactions with the world? Are we ready to go the same length for him, according to our measure and opportunity, that Christ went for the whole world, ready to serve him at a sacrifice, ready to advise him for his good, even at the risk of offending him, to come to his assistance at a season when every other friend has deserted him? These are questions of moment, and we should not decide them hastily, as self-love may perchance prompt us. The fact most carefully to be borne in mind is, that upon the answer to these questions positively depends, whether the soul is at present in a state of reconciliation with God, or at enmity with him.

Further, a still more specific test is supplied, by which it

1 Rom. x., 2.

may easily and at any time be known, whether we "love in word and in tongue, or in deed and in truth?" "Whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" This must be a sure method of ascertaining how far we are in reality "of the truth, and can assure our hearts" before God, for it brings us to the final point to which any investigation of this kind can be carried, the judgment which the soul passes upon its own conduct. A man may seem to love his brother; he may even give very strong outward proof of it in an act of well-timed charity; but, perchance, all the while the principle of love may not be within his heart, and although he may give liberally and speak kindly, he may both give and speak in the spirit of ostentation. In order to do away with the possibility of self-deception in so grave a matter, appeal is here made to the heart; and the heart, unless very hardened, will generally give judgment with impartiality, and according to evidence. If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things." "And if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God," and a most true foundation for assurance in his sight.

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Thus do we obtain the general outline of a course of selfexamination on the important question, whether we have that love of one another which warrants assurance-that love of one another which is founded on faith in the Son of God-and is instilled into our hearts by his Spirit dwelling in us. By laying down our lives for the brethren, by not shutting up our bowels of compassion from needy brethren, by keeping all the commandments of God, by keeping them on a principle of faith, by experience, a rational well-grounded experience, of the Spirit dwelling in us, and, finally, by "our heart not condemning us," do we at last attain unto an assurance, humble indeed and self-distrustful, but still an assurance, that 66 we have passed from death unto life." But by hating our brother, by "shutting up our bowels of compassion from him," by loving him only in word and in tongue, and by our heart condemning us in all these particulars, we may rest satisfied that we have not eternal life abiding in us."

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Next to an entrance into heaven itself, there cannot be a more glorious privilege than the assurance of which we are speaking; but it is in reality most difficult to attain, and only to be known and proved by the marks here supplied by the

Apostle. What peace, here on earth, can be equal to that of him who has good reason to know, upon the best authority, that he has "passed from death unto life;" that he is "of the truth;" that he can receive of God whatever he asks; that the blessed Spirit of God actually does "abide in him!" Can any toil, or sacrifice, or self-abasement, be too great to work out so glorious a consummation? "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us." Gladly will the soul endure any thing, believe any thing, conquer any difficulty, if it can only by these means, in due time, walk by this rule,—mind this thing,—and eventually reach that measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ," which will justify assurance.

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Be this, then, the aim, the labour, the work, and finally, if possible, the achievement of every one of us-the desire of our whole hearts-the labour of our whole lives-the work of our whole day of grace. The modest confidence, that the soul, through grace, is in present safety, if the soul through grace will only persevere, will thus in the end be attained; and that mos! glorious of all spiritual eminence, after much trial and labour of love, will be fully secured, which, next to heaven itself and preparatory to heaven itself, should be the high and holy ambition of every child of God.

THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.
THE EPISTLE. 1 St. Peter v., 5 to 11.

5 All of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour :

9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

The spiritual gift to which the Apostle here gives most prominent place is humility, and, unfortunately, it is still so rare, even in these enlightened days of the Church, that few even of Christ's most advanced disciples are sufficiently imbued with its

spirit. Humility was so remarkably set forth by our Lord himself, both in his example and conversation, and afterwards so prominently taught by all his apostles, by all, I mean, whose writings remain to this present time, that it is rightly made to hold a very high rank among those fruits of faith and of the Spirit which "are in all goodness and righteousness and truth'." Humility, however, like every other principle of action, must be known by its fruits; and unless it is thus distinguished, it cannot possibly exist. It is very easy to talk of humility, as it is to talk of any thing without practising it. Indeed, the loveliness of complete perfection might be extolled in most eloquent language, but none could ever attain unto it. By its fruits, then, must humility be known; by practical proofs of it amongst ourselves; by lively exemplifications of it in all the relations of life in which we may be placed. It can be no real token of humility to recommend it; it can be no certain indication of humility to receive the recommendation with attention. But the true sign of humility is, to show it on some occasion wherein hitherto we have not shown it, and to pray at this present time, that the word now spoken in its praise may not be spoken in vain.

To all is the injunction addressed, "Be ye clothed with humility." There are some ranks of life, some conditions of men, that might seem exempt from the discharge of its obligations. Some men have few, others, scarcely any human superiors. But still, all must "be clothed with humility." Those who have scarcely any superiors in fortune, power, influence, station, may have many who are superiors in spirituality, faith, character, mind, discretion. And if there be any person (and there is but one in this country) who has no earthly superior, still is there a "King of kings, and Lord of lords" above, before whose heavenly foot-stool " every knee must bow, and every tongue confess that He alone is Lord, to the glory of God the Father3." But it is not on those alone who have few superiors that humility may be inculcated with benefit. The lowest, the poorest, the most ignorant, are sometimes, strange to say, the proudest. They easily take offence; they readily give offence. They soon forget a kindness; they never forgive a wrong. They love not him that rebuketh them; they would rather rebuke others. All this comes of pride. All this is contrary to humility. But although the Apostle is careful, and very justly

1

Eph. v., 9.

2 1 Tim. vi., 15.

8 Phil. ii., 11.