The duty here enforced to cleanse ourselves from this filthiness implies the personal agency of Christians in the work of salvation. It is true that all purifying influence and all holiness proceeds from God; it is also true that the effect of all the influences of the Holy Spirit is to excite us to diligence in purifying our own hearts, and to urge us to make strenuous efforts to overcome sin. You can never expect to become pure without any effort of your own. Whilst "God worketh in us both to will and to do;" we must "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling." Work it out by prayer, by watchfulness, by persevering resistance to every temptation to do that which is wrong.

We observe

II. The manner in which the duty ought to be performed; perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

All the

Holiness here implies, first, a hearty consecration of ourselves, our strength, our talents, our property, our time, our all to the service of God; and, secondly, a constant endeavour to cultivate purity of thought, and purity of action. graces of the Gospel are to be exercised in their full vigour. In regeneration the soul is furnished with a new instinct which operates in every form that its position, its relationship, and its circumstances require. It manifests itself in repentance, in faith, in love to God and man, in obedience, in humility, in patience, in perseverance, and in every duty which may be necessary to promote the glory of God and the welfare of souls.

1. We are admonished to perfect holiness, or to carry it out to completion. St. Paul takes it for granted that holiness had been commenced, but not finished in the hearts of the Corinthians; and the exhortation is that they should make every effort in order that it might be completed in all its parts. What the apostle imposes upon them and others, he practised himself. In writing to the Philippians he says: "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect; but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for

which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus." In writing to the Hebrews he prays: "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ." St. Peter also joins in the same prayer: "But the God of all grace, who hath called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." All these and such. passages prove that no one's graces are perfect, or complete in this life, but every Christian's duty is to press forward towards perfection. He is to have no lower standard to go by than the holiness of God Himself,-no lower aim than to become perfect as He is perfect.

2. Our holiness is to be perfected in the fear of God. The fear of God signifies the high reverential thoughts which we should entertain of Him from the consciousness of His greatness, and the dread of offending Him by departing sinfully from Him. A deep impression of the omniscience, the omnipresence, the justice, the holiness, the goodness, and the authority of God should be the motive to keep us from the "filthiness of the flesh and spirit." We are always in the presence of God; we are professedly under His law; and we should be awed and restrained by the sense of His presence from the commission of sin and from indulgence in the pollutions of the flesh and spirit. There are many sins that the presence of a child would restrain a man from committing; and should not the presence of God keep us from sin? If the fear of man, or even of a child, will restrain us, and make us attempt to be at least apparently holy and pure, how should the fear of the all-present and the all-seeing God keep us, not only from outward sins, but also from polluted thoughts, and unholy desires? "Perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

III. We have encouraging inducements to perform this duty: "Having therefore these promises." The promises

referred to are recorded in the preceding chapter, and consist in three things.

1. That they being the temple of the living God, He would dwell in them, and walk in them, and He would be their God, and they should be His people.

God said to the Jewish Church: "And I will set my tabernacle amongst you, and my soul shall not abhor you, and I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people." This promise is extended to the New Testament Church, and to every member within her communion. He dwells especially in His Church and walks among His people. We acknowledge His presence everywhere; He fills heaven, earth, and hell; but He is in His Church as a covenant God, and by special operations He makes His dwelling in His people. He walks among them, as one observing their circumstances and their actions. He is there to teach, to enlighten, to sanctify, to rule, to watch over them, to commune with them as a friend, to hear their petitions, to supply their wants, to comfort them in trouble, and to give them manifestations of His love in the various circumstances of life.

2. He promises to receive them: "Wherefore come out from among them; and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you." He will recognise and receive His people as His peculiar friends and adopted children. To receive them in this sense is to engage to be unto them, and to do for them, all that they may want, and all that they may lawfully desire. He accepts them in Christ as His own; their prayers and all their services are acceptable to Him. Others may reject and despise them for their nonconformity with the world; they may be even persecuted by those who once called themselves their friends; but God will take them under His own wing: He will protect, and save, and honour them.

3. He promises to be their Father: "and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." A father is the protector, the coun

sellor, and the guide of his children; he instructs them, he provides for them, and he counsels them in times of perplexity. No relationship is nearer and more tender than this. No higher honour can be conferred upon mortals than to be adopted into the family of God, and to be entitled to call the Most High," Father." No rank is so elevated as that of being the sons and the daughters of the Lord Almighty. This is the common appellation in which God condescends to address His people. The most humble in rank-the poorest and most ignorant of His friends on earth-the most despised among men, may reflect with gratitude that they are the children of the living God, and have the Maker of the heavens and the earth for their Father, and eternal Friend. Can you name any honour upon earth so high as this? Positions in State may be regarded as marks of distinguished honour which are universally coveted. To be connected with royalty is desired above all earthly renown; but to be born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God, is royalty supreme, which may be, and ought to be, acknowledged with gratitude and love.

What stronger inducements could the apostle introduce to encourage the Corinthians to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit? and what stronger inducements can we have to practise the same virtues? If God has condescended to dwell in us, and to walk among us, how ardently should we endeavour to provide a suitable dwelling for so high and exalted a guest? If He be willing to receive us as His own into His favour and into His bosom, how anxiously should we strive to be worthy of such reception? If He mercifully consents to be our Father, and to treat us as His beloved children, how great should be our reverence of Him, and how implicit should be our obedience to His will? Let us therefore, dearly beloved brethren, exert all our powers to cleanse ourselves from "all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

182

The First Sunday in Lent.

MORNING SERVICE.-Second Lesson: Luke iii.

Verse 8.-" Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance."

JOHN THE BAPTIST had a special mission to perform. He was to be the harbinger, the forerunner of the Saviour of the world. When he came in the spirit and power of Elias, he came in compliance with the ancient prophecy of Isaiah, "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God;" and of that of Malachi, "Behold I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me." The Baptist was in every way fitted for his mission. He was a man to himself. No other man ever occupied so singular a position in the Church as he did. He stood alone, having neither a predecessor nor successor in his office. As his position in the Church was different from all others, so were the scenes of his ministry. His temple was the wildernesshis pulpit the banks of Jordan-and the substance of his preaching was the "baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." Like Samson, he was to be a Nazarite from his birth, drinking neither wines nor strong drink, that he might be accustomed to the ascetic self-denial which was required for the faithful discharge of his ministry. That he might be withdrawn from the haunts of temptation, he was to dwell in the wilderness. That he might abstain from the delicate luxuries of life, his food was to be locusts and wild honey. That he might avoid the artificial show of social habits, his raiment was to be of camel's air, and a leathern girdle about his loins. His character was earnest, straightforward, bold, and uncompromising. He was not a man of tinsel, not "a