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and unless we fulfil them, must forfeit the hopes, the privileges, the promises, of our holy election; must lose the rights of discipleship, must sink down to the level of the heathen.

So great necessity, then, existing of being in truth, as well as in appearance, "the elect of God," let us take advantage of this portion of Scripture, to note some of the signs of the election of God, and to ascertain thereby how far we do what we say, in a word, are at present God's elect or no. And, first, what is it to be, with reference to God, an elect person? It is, in a lower sense, to be called or chosen to a possession of the knowledge of the Gospel, to be, in fact, a professing, or, as it is sometimes more plainly called, a nominal Christian. A person thus situated is, so far as a knowledge of the Gospel goes, a person most highly favoured, and placed in his high position by God, but abuses his glorious privileges, and counts that blood of the covenant wherewith he has been sanctified, an unholy thing. On the contrary, he is, in the higher and the better sense, an elect person, who has been called or chosen by the special love and grace of God to a practical acquaintance with his will, and a faithful obedience to his Gospel, not indeed arbitrarily or unconditionally, but because he has shown a willingness to heed the truth.

Let us suppose that there are amongst us, on the present occasion, those who come under both these descriptions of an elect person; how shall we best adapt to their respective cases the truths contained in this portion of Scripture? Let us humbly attempt the task, and trust that God will be with us. First, "the elect of God" are exhorted to "put on bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye." Here is a portraiture of real, evangelical holiness, not that flimsy, shallow semblance of it, which shoots out its arrows, even bitter words, at all who do not belong to a particular sect, but that pure principle of faith unfeigned, which, without pre-tence or semblance of any kind, believes, obeys, forbears, and suffers, as the Gospel requires.

Are any of us in the situation of knowing God, but in works (these more especially) denying him? The Apostle warns us, whosoever we are, to know God in reality, to know him in pretence no more. We must "crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts" "learn the will of God herein, as taught in his word1 Gal. V., 24.

and see how completely the Son of God, our great example and atonement, kept under his body, and brought it into subjection. At present cold-hearted, selfish, vain, contentious, revengeful, implacable, like the unchristian heathen, we must put on for the future the mild, the passive, the gracious virtues of the suffering Christ, and remembering all that he bore for us, bear and forbear much less for him.

And what must be the course taken by those who, like the Colossians, know the Lord in a still nearer manner? They must be especially watchful against a fall-show themselves true disciples of a suffering Saviour by constancy under trial-and rejoice in every opportunity afforded them of taking up their cross, and sacrificing some propensity not yet mortified. And how shall they carry on this fight with sin? By frequent prayer; by heedful self-control; never desisting from mortifications of self, never departing from principles laid down, never despising opportunities, as the Apostle most expressively describes it, of "putting on Christ." Thus will self-love disappear, and grace obtain the victory.

"Above all these things," says the Apostle further, "put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness." What a delightful virtue is charity! And what an inducement to put it on, that it is the bond of perfectness! And what a just pre-eminence is assigned to it, in being ordained to be put on above all things. And will it not, if put on, be like the amplest and warmest clothing, defend us from all the blasts that blow, and enable us to encircle even others in its folds of protection and kindness? Yes, whether it be the virtue not yet attained by the worldlyminded, or not yet perfected even in the confirmed believer, it is indeed the virtue which groups together in one all the bright features of the Gospel, and hushes jarring passions into peace.

Let it not be supposed for a moment, that the Apostle meant to commend almsgiving only, especially ostentatious almsgiving, when he thus commended charity. No; charity includes almsgiving within its range, but its range, as has been stated, is very wide. And how very difficult to feel all therein comprised, nay, how very difficult to practise it? May we be moved to love thus by him who is love itself—to love all, even our enemies-to love much, even without requital-to love unto the end, even if the end be not nigh!

Again, "the peace of God should rule in the hearts" of "the elect of God." Does it rule in ours, or is the ruling power in

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ours like " a troubled sea that cannot rest'," tossed to and fro with passion, tempest-driven with remorse, overshadowed with clouds and darkness that threaten an impending judgment. Oh! if our hearts be at present as the hearts of those who are elect only in word and in tongue, but not in deed and in truth, let us make haste to be reconciled to him who "preaches peace to them that are far off and to them that are nigh"," and then, even if the heavens above should crumble into ruins, and the earth beneath be removed like a cottage, we shall have that peace of God which will "keep our hearts and minds" tranquil and even happy "in Christ Jesus3." The Apostle appears, in the exhortation that next follows, to recommend the practice of psalmody as an exercise highly edifying to "the elect of God.” ~ And, in truth, it must be, if grace be in the heart; if the heart is really thankful for the love of the Saviour, and is desirous of obtaining every opportunity of recording its thankfulness. Much time might be taken up whenever this is the case, and that profitably, in the composition of spiritual songs, the adaptation of them to music, and frequent rehearsals, both in public and private, of the praises of Jesus the Saviour. Indeed these, and all other expressions of thankfulness, cannot be too abundant or too devout, abundant as are, in truth, the blessings we receive-inexhaustible the treasures of grace-inconceivable the glories to come.

Can a whole life of gratitude make even an approach to the repayment of so large a debt? But then we can offer our thanks in the name and merits of him who does every thing else for us, and we know that, in and through him, we have any petitions we desire; can even do that sufficiently which we could not under ordinary circumstances do at all. Thankfulness, then, and its due expression, peace and its fruits, charity and its power of perfecting, forgiveness, forbearance, long-suffering, humbleness, kindness, mercies, these are the robes of spirituality, which, if we are, without doubt, the elect of God," we shall, in due season, put on, and with which, "if we be clothed, we shall not be found naked." Be it our care forthwith to ascertain, with the help of God's grace, whether his Son has clothed us with these spiritual ornaments, and his Spirit enabled us to put them to their intended use, never forgetting, that unless we are in this sense "the elect of God," we cannot possibly inherit his heavenly kingdom.

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THE SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY.

THE EPISTLE. 1 St. John iii., 1 to 8.

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. 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.

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

4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

6 Whosoever abideth in him sin neth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

The privilege of being, in a true sense, a child of God, is here set forth by the Apostle with peculiar distinctness and earnestness. The blessedness, the honour, the obligations, the tokens of so glorious an adoption, are all in turn enlarged upon, and special instruction and encouragement is given to all to become faithful members of Christ's spiritual family. And here in the outset, how great must be our astonishment, that the high and holy Being who permits us to call him Father, should vouchsafe so far to humble himself, as to dwell in the contrite heart, condescend to call us children, and make us his own by adoption. We had "sinned with our fathers, we had gone astray, we had dealt wickedly'," and yet "the Lord loved us, yea, even with an everlasting love." "He loved us and gave himself for us." He loved us and " gave his life a ransom for many'." "Yea, even as a father pitieth his own children, even so hath the Lord pitied." He "remembered whereof we were made. He remembered that we were but dust.”

It is in this spirit that the Epistle opens. "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." Behold indeed, and behold with reverence, behold with thanksgiving, behold with astonishment, ye who are called the sons of God, that your avenging

1 Ps. cvi., 6.
Matt. xx., 28.

2 Jer. xxxi., 3.
5 Ps. ciii., 13.

3 Gal. ii., 20.
6 Ps. ciii., 14.

Judge has become your forgiving Father, that your forgiving Father has forgiven you through his only Son, and that thus you, who were before enemies of God, and exiles from his favour, have now become, through the satisfaction of an accepted atonement, his accepted sons and daughters. Lest, however, there should be any mistake amongst us on so important a subject, and all should seem included in an adoption to which few, it is to be feared, have been admitted, we must note further the restrictions with which the sacred writer carefully guards his doctrine from misinterpretation.

First, then, we ascertain, that adoption into God's spiritual family is a distinction not recognised by the world. "Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not." There is nothing in the condition or character of him who by faith has been made partaker of God's grace, to stamp him with any worldly token of pre-eminence. There is nothing in his condition or character calculated to attract the love, attention, or interest of the great mass of the community; nothing to receive commendation from the unthinking, wayward multitude. And it is thus with him, in this respect, as it was with Jesus before him. "Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? He is despised and rejected of men, and we hid, as it were, our faces from him'."

But further, we ascertain, that as at present we are sons of God by being conformed to his image, so hereafter we shall have the great distinction conferred upon us of being like him in every other respect, if we continue unto the end faithful. Notwithstanding, therefore, the world's ignorance of us, contempt of us, hatred of us, we have in this blessed experience of the Lord's present mercies, in this certain though somewhat mysterious outline of his future intentions of mercy, a glorious assurance of salvation, which more than counterbalances all seeming misgivings. "These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

Once more, we are fully informed, (so fully that there can be no mistake,) what the true tokens of spiritual adoption are. And it is of the utmost importance that we know what these are, because hereby we find out by the surest indications, whether we are true members of Christ's spiritual family or no. Sin, then, wilful, deliberate, habitual sin, is the proof that we do not belong 2 John xvi., 33.

1 Isai. Liii., 1, 3.

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