under circumstances of heavy trial. Tell me not of your in- ward experiences before God : I must judge by your spirit and conduct toivards man : and, if I find you not endued with the graces of the Spirit, I can account you no better than others ; yea, rather, I must account you worse ; since, with all your high professions, you are no better than hypocrites and deceivers.']
3. Consistency requires it —
[This is the peculiar force of my text. When we call ourselves " the elect of God," we profess to have been " re- newed in the spirit of our mind :" for, if we do not profess this, the most abandoned reprobate in the universe has as much right to call himself " elect," as we. " Are you, then, destitute of compassion ? How dwelleth the love of God in youm ? " Are you proud, passionate, intolerant, unforgiving ? " Lie not against the truth11:" ye are " children of darkness, and not of light ;" " not children of God, but children of the devil0." To " call Christ, Lord, Lord," without walking in his steps, is only to deceive and ruin your own souls.]
Behold then, brethren,
1. The excellence of Christian principles —
[Christianity requires us to refer all good to God ; and to say, after all that we have attained, " By the grace of God I am what I amp." But will this tend to encourage us in sin? No ; " the grace of God, which bringeth salvation, teaches us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world*1:" and " the hope that we have in Christ will, of necessity, lead us to purify ourselves, even as He is pureV]
2. The beauty of the Christian character —
[Look at a man habited, as my text describes, in all those lovely graces ; and " so clothed with them," as never to be seen without them : and then tell me, whether he be not a lovely character. Is there a man in the universe that does not ad- mire " bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meek- ness, long-suffering, forbearance, and forgiveness," and all under the direction and government of " love ? " I grant, that, from envy and jealousy, the world may be filled with rage against a person possessing all these graces : for so were they incensed against our blessed Lord himself, in whom these virtues existed in their utmost possible perfection : but this was on other grounds than on account of his virtues : he
m 1 John iii. 17. " Jam. iii. 14. ° I John iii. 7 — 10.
p 1 Cor. xv. 10. (i Tit. ii. 11, 12. r 1 John iii. 3.