ing principle of obedience to the truth. Similarly in the first epistle of Peter the life of holiness is inseparable from devout obedience to the word of truth. The "sanctification of the Spirit" operates "unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Christ" (i, 2). Christians are regarded "as children of obedience," who are to be "holy in all manner of living" (i, 14, 15). They are to "purify their souls in the obedience of the truth unto unfeigned brotherly love, loving one another from the heart fervently" (i, 22), and showing forth "the excellences (ȧperás, virtues, powers, perfections) of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" (ii, 9). It is blessed to "suffer for righteousness' sake," and to "have a good conscience" and a "good manner of life in Christ" (iii, 14, 16). Having died unto sin we should, after the example of Christ, live unto righteousness (ii, 24).

7. Doctrine of Christian Perfection. This doctrine of a loving obedience to the truth and a personal uprightness of life is common to all the New Testament writings, but may be further enforced and illustrated by the ideals of perfection in the excellencies of Christian character which meet us here and there. It almost startles us to find Jesus saying, "Ye shall be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matt. v, 48). But should it be more remarkable than the commandment, "Sanctify yourselves, and be ye holy, for I am holy"? (Lev. xi, 44; xix, 2; xx, 7, 26; xxi, 8; 1 Pet. i, 16.) We are admonished by Zophar that we cannot "find out the Almighty to perfection" (Job xi, 7), and it would be preposterous in a finite being to presume to equal the perfections of the Infinite. But we may feel assured that the saying of Jesus involves no such unreasonable presumption. There is a perfection predicable of the highest possible Christian life, and its noblest ideals are to be attained by an imitation of God. No defective model is offered by Christ, but rather that of the heavenly Father who is good, and true, and righteous altogether: "As you have a perfect heavenly Father, who sends rain on the just and the unjust, imitate him, love as he loves, that you may be true sons of your Father who is in heaven, perfect sons as he is a perfect Father." The young man who thought he had observed all the commandments lacked something yet. "Jesus said unto him, If thou wouldst be perfect (réλe05), go, sell thy possessions, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come follow me" (Matt. xix, 21). Here is the ideal of an attainable perfection, and it involves a perfect surrender of all things that would hinder the complete following of Christ. James employs similar language at the beginning of his epistle (i, 4): "Let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect

and entire, lacking in nothing." Every possible grace and virtue is to be acquired, and so a completeness of character, that is not wanting in any good thing, will follow as a blessed consummation. The fact that this ideal is not realized in numerous examples is no proof that the perfection contemplated is unattainable. This very practical "servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ" reveals no symptom of fanaticism, and has no liking for a religion or a faith that does not verify itself by works. "In many things," he says (iii, 2), "we all stumble." But he immediately adds, "If any stumbleth not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also." Paul does not scruple to speak of perfection as the goal of Christian life, although with him it is mainly a future consummation. He expresses his confidence "that he who began a good work in them would perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ." He prays that their "love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment," and that they may be "filled with the fruits of righteousness" (Phil. i, 6, 9, 11). He himself disclaims any assumption of having "already obtained" his highest ideal of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, and of conformity to his death, for that can be consummated only in the resurrection; but he says: "One thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." The goal (okorós, thing looked at) toward which he pressed on was an object in the distance on which his eye was steadily fixed, and upon reaching which he expected to obtain the reward of his heavenly calling in Christ. The imagery employed is substantially the same as that of 1 Cor. ix, 24-26, and the thought is that of running a race in the games in which only the successful runner receives the prize of a crown. The apostle conceived himself engaged in such a contest, and having "finished his course," he would in due time receive "the crown of righteousness" (2 Tim. iv, 7, 8). Nevertheless, though the goal be yet in the distance, he speaks in Phil. iii, 15 (the verse immediately following the statement of his "pressing on toward the goal") of himself and of those who share his feeling and opinion as being in some sense "perfect," and he exhorts the Philippian brethren to imitate him as an example of Christian conduct. He admonishes them that their citizenship (Toλírevua) is in heaven (iii, 20), and further on adds (iv, 8, 9): "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things; what things also

ye learned and received and heard and saw in me, these things do; and the God of peace shall be with you." Surely, the constant meditation and practice of such things must needs lead to a high state of Christian perfection. The apostle elsewhere calls those who are mature in power and penetration of mind perfect (réλelol, full-grown; 1 Cor. ii, 6; xiv, 20). It is his ambition and hope to "present every man perfect in Christ," and with that glorious end in view he labors and struggles with all the power which Christ supplies (Col. i, 28, 29). It is the prayer of all the Christian brotherhood that they "may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God" (Col. iv, 12). From these various statements it appears that with Paul the goal of Christian perfection is at the end of the Christian race. In that day the persevering saint receives his crown, "the prize of his high calling." Meantime we only know in part; we see in a mirror darkly; "but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away" (1 Cor. xiii, 10). Love, however, is "the bond of perfectness" (Col. iii, 14), the greatest of all virtues, and is a present and abiding possession of the Christian heart, and he who along with this priceless possession has its associate virtues, may be called perfect, complete, full-grown.

8. Specific Christian Virtues. This relative perfection in Christian excellency is to be further considered in the light of those specific virtues which altogether make up the completeness of fullgrown Christian character. In Gal. v, 22, 23, we have a noteworthy list of these graces of character set over against an extensive enumeration of "the works of the flesh," and they are called "the fruit of the Spirit." We observe that the word fruit is in the singular (ỏ xaρпó), as if to suggest that all the virtues named are one combined and vitally inseparable product of the Holy Spirit, like one bunch or choice collection of fragrant flowers. "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control." The possession of all these holy and godlike qualities fills out the ideal of being perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect, and they are represented here as living fruit in contrast with dead works of the flesh. In Eph. v, 8-11, we have a conception of these Christian qualities as "the fruit of the light." The passage reads: "Ye were once darkness, but now light in the Lord: walk as children of light (for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth), proving what is well-pleasing unto the Lord; and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness." The fruit of the light must needs be what will bear close inspection without any fear of damaging exposure. In the epistle to the Philippians

sincerity and blamelessness of life are commended along with abounding love and knowledge, and a "being filled with fruit of righteousness" (i, 9-11); also steadfastness, and "progress and joy of the faith" (i, 25). The several excellences enumerated in iv, 8, are to be exhibited along with the mind which was in Christ Jesus, the loftiest possible example of brotherly love and unselfish humility (ii, 2-8). The true children of God are thus "blameless and harmless, without blemish, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom they appear as luminaries in the world" (ii, 15).

9. Love the Greatest of All. If we were to collect all the passages which mention and extol the graces of Christian character, we might transcribe a large portion of the New Testament. But of all the virtues love is by far the greatest. It is the root and fountain of all excellencies in personal life and character. It is "the bond of perfection" (Col. iii, 14), the heavenly girdle in which all other excellencies unite and are banded together unto perfection. It is the essential element and condition of all healthy development in spiritual life. The first and greatest of all the commandments, because it is the sum of all divine law and revelation, is this, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. And a second like unto it is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matt. xxii, 37; comp. Luke x, 27; Deut. vi, 5; x, 12; xi, 13; Lev. xix, 18). This is that "perfect love," which, according to 1 John iv, 16-19, gives boldness in the day of judgment, and casts out fear and tormenting punishment. For "God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God abideth in him." To him who thus abides, "Love your enemies" is not a hard commandment. Faith works through love (Gal. v, 6), and the love of God is perfected in him who keeps his word (1 John ii, 5). In Eph. iii, 14-19, we note the remarkable prayer that "the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, in love being rooted and grounded' that ye may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled with all the

The emphatically prefixed in love being rooted and grounded is quite in keeping with the Pauline doctrine of the faith working through love (Gal. v, 6; 1 Cor. xiii). Through the strengthening of their inner man by means of the Spirit, through the dwelling of Christ in their hearts, the readers are to become established in love, and, having been established in love, are able to comprehend the greatness of the love of Christ.-Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook, in loco.

fulness of God." Of all this perfection in Christian faith and power and knowledge love is the root and foundation and central bond, and herewith agrees the exhortation of v, 1, 2, "Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you." Such love begets and strengthens the love of neighbor and brethren. So far as inward feelings and outward acts may exhibit perfection of Christian character, we find perhaps the most magnificent portraiture of love in 1 Cor. xiii. All other gifts and powers are declared worthless apart from love. Faith and hope command high admiration, but love is greater still. "Love suffers long, and is kind; love envies not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil; rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth in the truth; covereth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Love never faileth" (vers. 4-8). In this forcible description the word love is obviously employed by way of synecdoche for the person in whom this heavenly grace abides, and no comment is needed to make the portrayal more impressive or more intelligible.

10. Continual Cultivation and Growth. The high and holy attainments in spiritual life thus far outlined are experiences that require continual cultivation. The "Power from on high" which originates the new life is indispensable in all the stages and forms: of its development, and we may here apply the words of the psalmist in their fullest possibility of meaning: "Jehovah God is a sun and a shield: Jehovah will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly" (Psa. lxxxiv, 11). His continuous coöperation may therefore be counted on as matter of course. But the Holy Spirit himself can do no perfect work in the heart of man unless there be deep in that heart a "hunger and thirst after righteousness," and a faithful use of every means available for discipline and "instruction in righteousness." Substantial progress can be made only in conscientious fidelity to the truth, and the pure and earnest heart will be on the constant search for truth. It will seek the wisdom which cometh from above and be not only willing but anxious to be taught. The apostle rejoiced in "the order and steadfastness of the faith in Christ" which the Colossians showed, and he wrote them these significant words of counsel: "As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and builded up in him, and established in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving" (Col. ii, 5-7). By such a steadfast course of life and training one comes to beautiful maturity and