and evil speaking; more mild and meek, more master of his passions and his tongue?

In proportion as this is the case with any man, he is purifying himself: and in proportion as he is purifying himself, he has a right to that hope, that blessed hope, which belongs to the believers in Christ and the children of God.

LECTURE LXIV.

DELIVERANCE FROM SIN THE PURPOSE OF CHRIST'S COMING.

1 JOHN iii. 4—6.

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

The plan of life which befits the Christian, and distinguishes him from others, as St. John had before stated, is to be habitually cleansing the heart from all that is displeasing to God, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Those who act thus, give a proof that they have a knowledge of God, whom they are constantly desiring to please and serve. To fail in this, is distressing to them: and as far as they are enabled to walk in this path, they enjoy "the comfort of the Holy Ghost." No such comfort, no reasonable hope, belongs to those who continue in sin. Whosoever committeth sin,

transgresseth also the law; not only shows himself unworthy of that to which he is invited by the Gospel, but is accountable to God for breaking his commandments: for sin is the transgression of the law: of that law which God has enacted to govern the creatures whom he has made. All, indeed, had broken this law; and because they had broken it, because their corrupt nature made them unable to fulfil it, they were lying under the wrath and condemnation of God. This miserable state of man brought Jesus Christ down from heaven. Pity for this state clothed him in our flesh, and caused him to submit to death, even the death of the cross. Ye know, St. John proceeds,

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

He was manifested; he came in the flesh to take away our sins; to take away, first, that record of them, which was laid up against us; to blot them out, as it were, "from the book of God's remembrance." Such is the virtue of his blood, shed upon the cross: a sacrifice which it pleased God to accept in the stead of those who had no sacrifice to bring: a "full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the whole world." But he was also manifested to take away our sins, by cleansing us from the love of sin; by renewing our nature after the image of God, which had been lost through Adam's disobedience, and creating us again in righteousness and true holiness. As he himself declares, "Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." 1 "That which is born of the flesh, is flesh:"

1 John iii. 3—6

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that which man inherits as the nature received from his parents, is corrupt and sinful: but "that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit:" that which he receives as a member of Christ's flock, and a child of God, is designed to do away his corruption, and gradually overcome the evil propensities of the flesh. So St. Peter taught his Jewish brethren; "God sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.'

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It follows from this, as St. John goes on to say,

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

Whosoever abideth in him. The invitation is, that we come to him: take refuge in him, as it were, as Noah did in the ark, from the wrath of God, the power of sin, and the assaults of Satan. Faith in this invitation, a belief that it can save us, leads us to him: and then we are said to dwell with him, and he with us; to abide in him, and he in us. So we read, (John xv. 4,) "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered." Such is the promise. And then follow the effect and proof of the promise being received. Whosoever abideth in him, sinneth not: whosoever sinneth, hath not seen

2 Acts iii. 26.

him, neither known him: hath not, with the eye of faith, discovered the Saviour; hath not known him, with an understanding enlightened by the Spirit of God.

any

But what, you will inquire, is this that we have read? Whosoever abideth in him, sinneth not? Is there man who lives, and is never betrayed into sin? Any man whose hand never does, whose tongue never speaks, whose heart never conceives, anything contrary to the perfect and holy law of God?

We know there is not; our own consciences, and our own experience, assure us so; what we see in others, and what we feel in ourselves, convinces us that "by the works of the law," i. e. by perfect. obedience to the righteous will of God, "no man shall be justified." And if we did not perceive this, St. John himself would set us right: for he tells us, (i. 8,) that if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. What then is this, Whosoever abideth in him, sinneth not?

It is this; that whoever abides in the faith of Christ, has inwardly renounced all known and wilful sin he has declared war against it: he is fighting and labouring against it; he may feel sin as an enemy, but he does not court it as a friend: he is the servant of Christ, and has ceased to be the slave of Satan. And Christ, whom he serves, will not permit him to be brought under the power of the tyrant whom he has left. The words of our Lord to the apostle Peter may instruct us here. (Luke xxii. 31.) Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat; but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not."

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Peter had chosen.

Christ as his portion, in safety or in danger, in life or in death. And Christ, who knew him to be sincere, took him under his care. Yet this did not prevent his falling into a grievous transgression, that of denying his Lord thrice in the hour of trial.

But did he allow himself in this sin? Did he sit easy under it? Did he repeat it, or continue in it? Conscience-struck, "he went out, and wept bitterly ;" and devoted the remainder of his days to the active, zealous duty of an apostle.

And thus it is with all: the proof of their abiding in Christ is, that they do not abide in sin. Whosoever sinneth wilfully and habitually, hath not seen him, neither known him.

To this sign, and this alone, we are taught to look, both to understand ourselves and others.

LECTURE LXV.

THE CHILDREN OF GOD ARE KNOWN BY THEIR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

1 JOHN iii. 7—12.

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