cover every feeling of lurking hostility to his saints, but is itself so sensitive of any injustice done them, that by an instinct of sympathy, as it were, as well as by the scrutiny of divine intelligence, it is conscious of every offence committed against them. 12. I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake. 13. I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known Him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. 14. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known Him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. By these verses, which contain particular addresses to believers, in different states of the life of faith, we are instructed, that this life consists in a gradual advance from spiritual infancy to a fulness of manhood and maturity of stature in Christ Jesus. The same truth is set before us in other parts of Scripture, but here with a peculiar exactness, believers being addressed by those appellations, which are in common use to distinguish the natural and progressive periods of the life of man. It is evident that by the epithet, "little children," our apostle marks out the same class of believers, who are designated new born babes" by a brother apostle, and by the Saviour himself. And from 66 lambs " the circumstance of their being first addressed, we may infer that the comparative weakness of their spiritual condition, made them objects of peculiar interest to the beloved disciple. His thoughts are first directed to them, and they are first named as those to whom he writes. Nor can we omit observing here, that the Apostle's example affords a model for all Christian pastors, who should imitate John in their care for believers of tender growth; and above all should keep in view the example of that chief Shepherd, who "carries the lambs in his bosom," and who requires of the overseers of his flock a like tender solicitude for the objects of their pastoral care. Let us enquire, what is the encouragement afforded to the babes in Christ, by the apostle's words. It may be replied generally, that John would not have the little children ignorant of the fact that they were as truly in Christ, as believers of a more advanced growth. Whatever he wrote for the consolation of the young men and fathers, he wrote also for them. All the privileges of the Gospel were for them, as well as for the strongest believers. By reason of their tender age, and because their senses were not as yet duly exercised in discerning spiritual things, they might be still very ignorant of the true nature of their state of grace. But he would at once remind them, of one glorious truth a truth so precious and important, that if received in faith, none could question, whether the little children were not necessarily and properly as much the objects of apostolic care, as the apparently more important members of the Lord's mystical body. The apostle reminds the little children that their sins are forgiven them, for the name's sake of Jesus. Then, however low their estimate might be of themselves, how : ever much they might doubt whether they were worthy to be addressed in common with disciples of higher attainments, the fact that they had already obtained the remission of their sins, must for ever set at rest, the question of their supposed inferiority, and imagined unworthiness. The distinguishing blessing of the Gospel is this: "redemption through Christ's blood; even the forgiveness of sins." In speaking of the salvation of sinners, the Scripture very often reminds us briefly, that it consists in one point; the forgiveness of their iniquities, and the covering of their sins: “and where sin is forgiven," says the Apostle Paul, " righteousness is imputed." Therefore the forgiveness of sin implies and secures the imputation of righteousness, and the little children are righteous, even as the young men and fathers are righteous. They have been invested with the same heavenly gift; for truly this righteousness is a gift, and is dispensed to believers irrespective of their growth in the divine life. But how few amongst us appear to rejoice duly in the knowledge of sin forgiven, and of righteousness imputed. Those who from their apparent standing in the Church of Christ, we must suppose to be young men, or even fathers, are deficient here. They do not testify of sin forgiven for his name's sake. This matter of absorbing interest, does not appear to affect their hearts. It may be, they have never yet felt the pressure of their sins to be so heavy, as to compel them to seek deliverance from the intolerable load. It must be so, in every case, where the incomparable worth of the doctrine of the forgiveness of sin is not felt and appreciated. Those who are born of the Spirit, are most surely convinced of sin, for most certainly the Holy Ghost enlightens the minds of the faithful as to the nature and demerit of sin; and where there is not only an apparent but an actual indifference as to the fact of the forgiveness of sin, it may fairly be inferred, that the heart has never known its own bitterness and its own plague. And Those who are really partakers of that birth which is from above, are truly convinced of sin, and this in a way peculiar to the regenerate. Peculiar, it may be said, to the regenerate, because there are convictions of sin from natural conscience, which are of a kind distinct from those which mark the enlightening operations of the Holy Ghost, The natural man has a law written in his heart which may give judgment against sin, and condemn him for his acts of disobedience. The internal monitor may reprove him for his transgressions, and even inflict in his heart the pang of remorse. although in some cases, especially when the persons thus affected, are afterwards the subjects of regenerating grace, it may be considered doubtful whether this work of conviction be not a preparatory work of the Spirit, thus much may be affirmed without fear of error; that the convictions which unequivocally attend a work of divine illumination, not only give warning of sin, but of the wrath of God revealed from heaven against that sin. For we may observe, (and it is important to mark the distinction) that the unregenerate when convinced of sin, are not also alive to the awful truth, that because of their sin, the curse of a broken law is suspended over their guilty heads. They are indeed convinced of sin, for natural conscience testifies against them, informing them of their misdeeds. But what more does it tell them? If any thing it is this. To repent, and amend their doings, and in this way to obtain that inward peace, which is interrupted by their consciousness of transgression. Hence the truth of that saying, that conviction and conversion are not necessarily united. There may be conviction of sin, and it may be a merely natural conviction. There may be amendment of life, and this may also be the result of conviction of sin, and yet without the operation of special grace. But where there is an influence of special grace, and a sound work of conversion going on in the sinner's mind, he is directed by the agency of the Spirit, to seek peace of conscience, not in his own repentance or amendment of life, but by the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus. Indeed no repentance however deep or agonizing, and no consciousness of amendment of life, however sincere or exemplary, can by any possibility give peace to that soul which is awakened to a sense of its condition as one of the "children of wrath." It is this wrath of God which alarms the really convinced soul. The broken law with its penalty of death, not only threatens him, but has laid hold on his trembling spirit. "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." These terrific words ring in his ears, and sound within his heart. The avenger of blood is at hand, and the terrors of the Lord are about to be revealed. And then it is that the soul cries out, "what shall I do to be saved?" It may be that the way of pacifying conscience, with repentance and amendment of life, has been tried and found unsuccessful. The wound is too deep to admit of any cure save one: the blood of Jesus is the only balm for the conscience slain by the sentence of the broken law. The new covenant sealed in the blood of God, and without conditions on the sinner's part, except that of faith, which faith is also a gift and a part of the covenant; this new covenant of grace is the only refuge of that consciencestricken soul, which finds the sentence of death in it |