to Christ. And purity from sin, inward, outward, absolute purity from it, purity from it in particular in the worst form in which it ever appears, the form of impenitence, is the proof that we are sons of God. For thus does the sacred writer lay

down the true distinction between sons of God and children of the devil. "Every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself even as he is pure." "Whosoever abideth in him, sinneth not." "Little children, let no man deceive you; he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous." And on the other hand, it is as plainly declared, that "he that committeth sin is of the devil," and that "whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law, for sin is the transgression of the law." "Whosoever sinneth hath not seen God, neither known him." We thus ascertain, what it is to be sons of God; and may readily gather what must be done by those who would know, whether as yet they are sons of God, or no.

Do we desire to know this? Let us make the inquiry by asking ourselves, first, whether we have a well-grounded hope? whether we purify ourselves? whether we aim at the highest perfection of purity? whether we abide in Christ and sin not? whether we do righteousness and are righteous, even as Christ is righteous? And then, let us ask ourselves, if the answers that we can furnish to these questions are not satisfactory, whether we commit sin? whether we transgress what is written in the law? whether we sin to such a degree, that we must certainly be of the number of those that see and know not God? And most probably, conscience will assure us, that we have most of these signs of sin about us, and are alienated from a loving Father by reason of wicked works.

And what must be our encouragement and incentive, what our manner of life and conversation, if we really can prove ourselves to be, in the scriptural and practical sense, sons of God? We must look steadily onward to the hope set before us, and make it our high inducement, our single motive, our glorious obligation, to abide in our Father's house for ever. We must often think of his great love-gratefully muse on his precious promises-never heeding the world's disregard, never sorrowing over present difficulties-but counting endurance a privilege, glorying in chastisement as love, long earnestly for the time when the children shall be like their Father, and see him as he is. And shall they not be obedient children? Shall they not be loving children? Shall not their obedience be continually on the

increase, their love continually grow in intensity, their faith put forth its leaves, its branches, its blossoms, its fruits, their humility, their patience, their continence, their charity, their knowledge, have daily, under the guidance of the Spirit, their more and more perfect work? Yea, they will read and think, yea, they will watch and pray, and with all these means and appliances, beyond a doubt their end will be glory.

But what shall they do, on the contrary, who have convinced themselves, after faithful inquiry, that, at present, they are not sons of God, but workers of the works of the devil? They have a fearful task before them; but it is a task that must be done, if they would ever see God as he is. "The Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." Those works of the devil then, those transgressions of the law, those commissions of sin, to which at present they are prone, in which at present they indulge, by which at present they make of none effect the Son of God's mission, must be repented of and done away, and repented of and done away in earnest. "He who was manifested to take away our sins" is waiting to be gracious, if we will only thus repent and believe. He will wash away our sins with his own precious blood. He will cleanse our hearts and hands with his Spirit's purifying influences. Like the father waiting for the prodigal son, he is preparing to meet us on our return-to receive us into his bosom to restore us to our long-lost home.

Shall we hesitate? Shall we linger? Shall we be obstinate? Shall we avert our eyes? Shall we harden our hearts? Nay, but we may wait too long, we may harden our hearts irretrievably, we may trust to uncovenanted mercy; and then-we shall be cast off for ever.

THE SUNDAY CALLED SEPTUAGESIMA, OR THE THIRD SUNDAY BEFORE LENT.

THE EPISTLE.

24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

1 Cor. ix., 24 to 27.

26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

What a cheering account is this of the faith of our fathers! It is not a dark gloomy faith, encircled with austerities, clouded over with judgments. It is not a sluggish, inactive faith, sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. It is not a faith that grasps at a shadow, and dreams away its hours in visions of happiness not to be realized. It is not, in fact, a faith which speculates too much to be sufficiently practical; thinking of the prize, but not striving to win it; approving of temperance in all things, but not making the least effort to "keep under the body and bring it into subjection." No! Our faith, the faith of our fathers, the faith, it is to be hoped, of ourselves and our children, the faith, we may feel assured, that will prevail to the end of time, prevail in the hearts of all, prevail over every thing opposed to it, is a hopeful, happy, active, well-grounded, selfdenying faith; a faith that has an object to reach, a work to finish, a record on high. The storms of life may rage, the clouds of woe may gather, the troubles of nations may be great and very terrible; but the faith which has cheered our fathers in times of old, still brightens the path of their children, and having surmounted all former perils, will be mighty through God for

ever.

Roused then by the Apostle's stirring argument, excited by his glowing picture, moved by his lively example, let us, with the help of God's grace, quicken anew our flagging powers, awaken ourselves to the consideration of this animating appeal, and no longer "sleep as do others, but watch and be sober'." And what is the Apostle's illustration of the Christian's pathway to heaven? He compares it to a race, in which competitors run for a prize; even to the race of ancient Greece, in which the chosen youth contended, and the swiftest gained the prize. In that race, however, he that would win the prize must strive for the mastery, and he that would strive for the mastery, must be "temperate in all things." And these conditions were gladly complied with, for the sake of the end in view. The discipline was cheerfully undergone, the contest with spirit sustained, and the crown that encircled the brows of the conqueror, although but a wreath of laurel, received and worn in triumph as his most glorious earthly recompense.

To this picture of earnest competition for a corruptible crown, in all its lights and shadows of character, does the Apostle here liken the struggle for that which is incorruptible.

1 1 Thess. v., 6.

And, first, it is implied, that there is a point to be reached; a triumph to be achieved; a crown to be won. And what is it? It is something incorruptible, something inconceivably glorious, something infinitely superior to any earthly distinction; even the assured attainment of eternal life and immortality in heaven. And who bestows the crown, that the redeemed, as kings and priests, shall wear for ever and ever? Even the everlasting Father, by the hands of his prevailing Son. He, with whom they had been at enmity, will wash away their sins, give them an imputed righteousness, and receive them as beloved children. Having blotted out all enmity, having done away all mortality, he will clothe them in white, crown them with immortality, put the palm in their hands, and make them more than conquerors. And this he will do when all earthly glories shall have vanished away, when the kingdoms of the world shall have become inalienably his own, and time shall have been swallowed up in eternity, and defeat in victory.

Secondly, it is implied, that this reward or crown must be sought, desired, contended for. Although the Redeemer of the world confers it of his own free mercy, and it is not earned by merit, but given of infinite grace-yet has there been a way marked out, by which they who would win and wear it must strive to obtain it, and that is, by striving for the mastery. The conqueror in the games of Greece contended in order to win. He had the crown in view, and he knew that to obtain he must run. It must be thus with the spiritual aspirant for a crown. He must strive lawfully, that is, according to the rules laid down in the Gospel, and then, if he strives to the utmost of his power, and according to the measure of grace bestowed upon him, he will obtain the crown, but not like the conqueror in the games, because he has made every requisite preparation, and done all that has been commanded him; but because the Rewarder has enabled him to conquer, and removed all impediments out of his way. Oh, the riches of the length, breadth, depth, height of the love of Christ! How infinitely does he serve us in redeeming us-giving, first, the atonement for sin, then, the rule of faith, further, the ability to follow the rules, and finally, the crown of the conqueror.

But again it, is implied, that the Christian cannot strive for the mastery, cannot even enter the lists as a candidate, unless he puts himself through a course of discipline, and practising temperance in all things, qualifies himself thus for the contest

that ensues. It was thus that the candidate for a perishable crown prepared for the strife; and thus must he who strives for salvation"keep under his body and bring it into subjection." But there must be this difference between him who strives for the praise of God, and him who strove for the praise of man. In the one case, the preparation, the discipline, the abstinence, though severe, was but of short duration. The race was soon concluded, the conqueror soon proclaimed; and then, until another celebration of the games took place, but not unless it pleased the ambitious to contend again, there was not any farther necessity for temperance in all things.

But how does the case stand with the Christian? He can only once gain the prize; and the contention for it must be always going on. Life can be the only limit to his self-denials. Self-denials must alike extend to spirit, soul, and body. And all will depend on those self-denials. The natural body of man opposes the strongest possible obstacles to a successful mastery of passion. And until that natural body has, by the grace of God and prayer, been enabled sufficiently to overcome those obstacles, it will be wholly unequal to the contest. And the grace of God must be sought in faith, carried out in practice, and brought to bear upon all the affections; disciplining the soul, mastering the will, keeping under the body, bringing the understanding into subjection, and subduing unto Christ every thought, sense, emotion, desire, that cannot bear his cross; and the Christian must run not as uncertainly, contend not as one that beateth the air, but press onward in quick and glorious ambition "toward the mark, the prize of his high calling in Christ Jesus1."

Is any persuasion necessary to urge us to the contest, to move us to win the crown, to prompt us to go through the discipline, and run the holy race with patience? Is the crown itself insufficient? Is the prize valueless? Is the help weak? Is the incentive contemptible? If it is, (but surely it cannot be,) turn to the Apostle's stirring picture, and obtain from the zeal for an earthly crown an emulation for that which is eternal. Think of the comparatively poor, few, small motives that could have actuated the candidate for this world's glories! How little had he to win, the fading chaplet, the transitory applause, the present honour, the pride of a brief moment! And see what he underwent for that comparatively insignificant prize, what mor1 Philip. iii., 14.

1