None ought to sin while such grace abounds. Shall a Saviour come into a world, die for a world, proclaim salvation throughout a world, and any in that world not heed him, any in that world not heed him with impunity? Oh, never let any of us thus trifle with our precious souls, thus waste our days of grace, thus contend with him who died for us! Let us not so completely blast our own happiness, and render nugatory a Redeemer's work, but gladly take the hand of his ministering servant now stretched out to help us, hear his voice with meekness, follow his steps with readiness. That ministering servant, like his brother of old, is often blamed-often thwarted-often despised. Let it in future be the glory of those among whom he ministers to value, to honour, to love, to encourage him, to esteem him for his work's sake, and pray, above all, for a blessing on his labours. To many he may seem a deceiver, unknown, “miserable, poor, blind, naked." But be it our part, as his people, to show, by the profitable use we make of his ministry, that he preaches the truth, is well known amongst us, has ground of real rejoicing, enriches many souls, possesses all things worth the possession, and above all, ministers not the grace of God in vain.

THE SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT.
THE EPISTLE. 1 Thess. iv., 1 to 8.

WE beseech you, brethren, and

exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.

2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.

3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;

5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:

6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter ; because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.

7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

8 He therefore that despiseth despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit..

The Apostle here reminds his converts at Thessalonica of the obligation they were under to profit by his ministry. He tells them, that they had "received" of him and his brother Apostles, "how they ought to walk and to please God," that they

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"knew what commandments had been given them by the Lord Jesus," and that thus instructed and thoroughly furnished unto edification, they should not only "walk by the same rule and mind the same thing whereunto they had already attained,” but 66 press forward toward the mark," and "abound more and more." He then particularizes two propensities, to which, in all probability, they had evinced a predisposition; and to these he directs their especial attention. Having done this, and in the plainest manner, he enforces his exhortation, in conclusion, by arguments of a most constraining kind, which we will urge in their proper place.

First, then, "commandments have been given us by the Lord Jesus." Jesus Christ, in dying for us, did not permit us to be idle. He died indeed for the sinner, but the sinner was commanded to die unto sin. There is no salvation for any who obey not the commandments, believe only in name, and live as though there were no commandments, no obligations, no restraints, no excitements to action but the counsels of their own will. The same Gospel which publishes salvation, shows sinners "how they ought to walk and to please God." It is the end and aim of the whole system; and we can no more think of seeing the Lord without holiness, than expect to obtain any earthly privilege without the preparatory qualification. And the doctrine of the Gospel is, as the Apostle suggests, familiar to us. We "know what commandments have been given us by the Lord Jesus." There is no mystery, no difficulty. All is clear, plain, and straightforward; "he may run that readeth1.”

But it is to be observed further, that the same word which is clear in itself, practical in its tendency, spiritual in its source, accessible and intelligible to all, is unfolded in all its features by frequent exposition. What the Apostles once taught, other ministers continue to teach. It is their office to remove ignorance, prevent misconception, offer unwelcome counsel, train uninformed infancy, in things pertaining to the soul, in things pertaining to God. And it is their office to do this daily, periodically, unceasingly, in the name of Christ, with the word of truth, in the private house, in the great congregation.

And what do we say to these things? How do the truths of the Gospel find us? How do they generally leave us? Do we hear, or do we forbear? Do we remember, or do we forget? Do we believe, or do we not believe? Do we feel, or do we

1 Habak. ii., 2.

resist the force of truth? Do we turn to good account, or no account, the grace bestowed upon us? Some of the Lord's commandments have been set forth this day. Are they already forgotten? Or are they beginning to bring forth fruit? Let us ever take heed how we hear, and "the Lord give us understanding in all things'."

But there are one or two commandments in particular, which the Apostle specifies; and to these let us devote attention. There is a commandment to "abstain from fornication." And it is declared to be God's will and man's sanctification, that he should abstain from it. He must " possess his vessel in sanctification and honour." "God has not called him unto uncleanness, but unto holiness." And if he is unclean, he is "even as the Gentiles which know not God." These are cogent reasons for abstinence from fleshly lusts, and they should have weight with all. But is this at present the case with all? Does the will of God actually constrain all in this or in any thing? Do all regard it as authoritative? And even if they do according to its ordinance, is it not often from some worldly and secondary motive, and not from a due sense of its pre-eminent and paramount obligations? Yes, if the truth must be spoken (and wherefore should it not?) this is often the case. Men abstain from fleshly lusts because it is not respectable. Men follow fleshly lusts, although it is not respectable, because their hearts are hardened. But what saith the Scripture, that Scripture which professing Christians, even those who hold the truth in unrighteousness, in appearance follow? It teacheth that, "denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we must live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world," looking for him who "gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

Further, a fear to be made like unto the Gentiles should constrain us to be temperate in all things. In what do the Gentiles who know not God, and the disciples of Jesus who have been made intimately acquainted with him, so completely differ, as in a knowledge of right and wrong, of good and evil, of truth and error? And in what, consequently, ought they so completely to differ as in their practice, the practice that results from these opposite principles, and marks these opposite characters? Is this the case with us? Are we, as it were, shamed 2 Tit. ii., 12, 14.

1 2 Tim. ii., 7.

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into a right state of feeling in such matters by the sciousness of our position as disciples of Christ, by a regard to our high obligations; by a sense of our peculiar privileges? Or are we still, so far as regards the lust of concupiscence, or perchance some other lust, even as the Gentiles which know not God""-in no respect better than they-and in some things immeasurably worse? Let us take heed betimes to our spiritual condition, and trifle not too long with the grace of Christ, lest at length it leave us for ever.

The Apostle singles out another important duty, even the duty of justice, and enjoins us not to violate it. Let no man who has been admitted to Christian privileges, depart so far from his principles of "sanctification and honour," as to "go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter." And let him be deterred from so heinous a sin, if he cannot be deterred in any other way, by a recollection that the Lord, the God of justice, will visit it with vengeance; that concupiscence, a Gentile lust, is the parent of injustice; and that the contemner of him who proclaims this truth in the name of God, is a contemner of God himself.

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Who, then, amongst us pleads guilty to this charge? Who goes beyond and defrauds his brother in any matter?" Remember the words, “in any maller." It makes no difference what the thing is, if it be fraud, or an approach to fraud, or the appearance of fraud. Any kind of extortion or undue advantage, or endeavour to serve ourselves at the expense of another, is here prohibited, whatever it be. The Lord is the avenger of concupiscence of any kind, and will not overlook it in any shape, be it "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, or the pride of life"." Wheresoever it exists, it has been permitted to gain its position by a heart that has "done despite to the spirit of grace3," and refused to hear the voice of the Lord's appointed minister. And shall a disciple of Jesus go on for a length of time in a course of wilful disobedience, inexcusable even in a Gentile, and still find acceptance at last? No, indeed. The Lord, as we have seen, is an avenger. He has died to save, but he is appointed to punish. He is the sinner's friend, but the sinner's judge-the father, but the master-the advocate, but the God.

This day has his minister pleaded with us in his name. He has besought us by the Lord Jesus, bidden us in the name of an avenging God, warned us of his will, told us of his grace, re1 Thess. iv., 5. 2 1 John ii., 16. 3 Heb. x., 29.

minded us of the holy calling of a believer in Jesus Christ. Let us hesitate no longer, but at once accept the proffered help, and lay aside the besetting sin, taking shame to ourselves for ever having been as those that know not God, humbling ourselves at the foot of the cross for the uncleanness that has profaned a most holy vocation, and promising henceforth, with the help of God's grace, and with the assurance of his pardon, to walk in newness of life.

THE THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT.

THE EPISTLE. BE ye therefore followers of God,

as dear children;

Eph. v., 1 to 14.

7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord : walk as children of light :

9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee

6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. | light.

The relation of father is one of the most endearing in nature; and it is a relation in which God stands, in some sense, to all of us. He is the Father of all, as the sole supreme Creator of all, the Omnipotent, who brought all into being, brings all into being, and in every variety of condition in which man can exist, must ever be "the Lord and Giver of life."

But the Apostle does not here address his Ephesian brethren as in that general sense “dear children," although, in common with the rest of mankind, they participated in the relationship

ich all men bear to their common father, God. And why