them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." And once more we see it discovered and brought out, in the life of this wondrous man of God, not as that which occurred but once, but that which runs through his whole life. See that beautiful display of it in the eleventh chapter of the second epistle to the Corinthians, the twenty-ninth verse: "Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?" Is he not submitting himself to his brother here? But as the stars fade before the sun, so all in the apostle fades before the Lord Jesus Christ. If you turn to the thirteenth chapter of John's Gospel, there you see it. And when I consider who it was, when I consider what His glory was with the Father, when I consider Him as essential God, over all, blessed for ever;" when I see Him in my nature doing all this, as in the fourth verse" He riseth from supper, and laid aside His garments, and took a towel, and girded Himself; after that, He poureth water into a basin"-like a servant-" and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded:" oh! beauteous unfolding of this truth" submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God!"

But observe, why is it added, " in the fear of God." My dear bearers, many are the motives that ought to influence us on this point. They are our brethren; brethren to Christ, and brethren in Christ; poor and despised, yet Christ's brethren, part of His portion, His inheritance, His chosen treasure, for whom He lived, and for whom He died, and for whom He lives in heaven, and for whom He now pleads; borne on His heart, borne on His shoulder, dear to Him as the apple of His eye. Is not this a motive? Is not selfconsideration enough to give us a motive? This man has many infirmities, manifest infirmities; but how little do I know how much grace he receives from the Lord, hour by hour, minute by minute, and moment by moment? Perhaps I should take my place at his feet, instead of placing him at my feet. How little do I know how soon he may have to bear my infirmities? How soon may he have to take up my burden! "Bear ye one another's burthens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." Is not this a motive, too? How soon the time will come, when one shall look within the portal, and see the one happy family!—when we shall seek for Baptists in vain, and for

Independents in vain ; but all that are found there shall be Christians, elect of God, redeemed of God, the one family of God. When I consider how soon that moment will come, when all these things will be found to be as nothing, and less than nothing, is not this a motive?

My dear bearers, yet the great motive here is, submitting “in the fear of God." All these things are motives; yet this motive is especially remarked-" in the fear of God"—as under His eye; remembering, "Thou God seest me." Ah ! to remember Him, who "humbled Himself" to the dying for the sins of men! He "humbled Himself" to look down from heaven. It is indeed humiliation, when He looks on angels; what a humiliation, then, that He should look on a fallen world, and on His Church in that world! Oh! look at this greatest of wonders, that He should so have loved us as to "humble Himself" to look down on such poor sinners as you and I are! Should we not fear Him, who "humbled Himself" to our nature, who assumed our nature, who took on Him our nature; "who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God," who "made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant ?" Should we not "fear" Him, who came to dwell in our hearts, in the midst of so much evil, and so much corruption? And yet, still He maintains His own position in the souls of His people; and "never leaves them, and never forsakes them."

My dear hearers, this is a high principle that we have been brought up to "Submit yourselves one to another, in the fear of God." Not in that fear of Him that Adam had, when he ran and hid himself amongst the trees of the garden. Not that fear which springs from a spirit of bondage and fear. But in the true fear of a child; that "beginning of wisdom;" that true offspring of His love, and fruit of His Spirit.

A few remarks must conclude our observations.

We see that the Lord God Almighty is not satisfied that His saints should submit themselves merely to Himself, nor that they should submit themselves merely to His law, His holy law; that they should submit themselves to His grace in the Gospel of His Son, that they should submit themselves to His Son, that they should submit themselves to His Spirit, that they submit themselves to His will, that they submit themselves to His Word; but also He wills that they "submit themselves one to another." All those things are, in a sense, hidden, there is the hidden life of the Christian; but God

will have you manifest openly, and exhibit one toward another, the principle before us. And oh! how glorious is it, when we can see a man submitting himself to his brother! He has made advances in the Divine life that might make me ashamed; yet he comes and sits at my feet. I know of nothing that does so overcome me. It draws out graces in me, it draws out attainments in me; it is a blessing to my soul, it is a blessing to others, it is a blessing to the man's own soul, and to the glory of God. Therefore He would have His people show submission one to another, in the fear of His name.

What a high and holy principle is that principle that springs from the Gospel, In the world, one principle marks mankind, every one striving to be the highest; when I can have the highest place, how 1 can exalt myself before my neighbour, and how I shall lift myself up above him.' Here the strife is, who shall be the least, and who shall be the lowest. How frequently have we seen, as a man rises in wealth, as he rises in distinction, as he rises in the thoughts of his fellow men, he sinks into earth, and sinks in himself, and sinks in the sight of God! Yet here a man rises by sinking. And what is so exalting, as when a man in faith, and love, and hope, and in true prostration of soul before God, rises by sinking, yielding himself up to God! Ah! beloved, the world is a poor showy world; well may it be called "a vain show." Oh! then, that we did see (if I might use that line of argument,) the true dignity of our nature, which is to come poor and empty, and be filled with the love of God.

Yet beloved, this is a great attainment in one respect, for it is, in one point of view, easier to submit to God, than to submit to man. Oftimes there is so much to provoke us, so much that is untoward, so unkind, so selfish; and we discover in the intercourse with even our fellow saints, there is something that tries us, that does so draw out the flesh, something that so exacerbates us, (if I may use the word, not knowing a better for the time,) that sometimes in our intercourse with our fellow-men draws out our weaknesses, and tries our spirits. Oh! to see the man of high intellect, willing to take a lesson from the man of foolish mind. Oh! to see the man of much grace willing to sit at the feet of one of much grace, though in other things weak and feeble; sitting at his feet for Christ's sake. My dear hearers, how does this follow? what does it follow? "be ye filled with the Spirit,"—"giving thanks unto God always for all things"-now" submit yourselves." I believe we

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must sit much at the feet of Jesus, before we can sit at each other's feet. I believe, the more we walk closely with Christ, the more we walk tenderly with Christ, in His own Spirit before Him, the more willing shall we be be to count ourselves to be nothing, and Jesus to be everything.

Shall I not say one word here, as to the benignant character of the Gospel? Ah! see how it comes into our families. How many wives has it caused to say, 'Blessed Gospel! my husband has now learned the secret of overcoming me by love!' How many servants can say, 'Blessed Gospel! my master once was hard and harsh and severe, now he is kind and tender; he overcomes me, and he has been the means of making me a good servant!' How many children can say, 'Ah! my father! how do I feel the power of this precious Gospel! now thy tenderness overcomes me!' It may be, he was once sharp and harsh; I now see my fault in his tenderness towards my spirit, and it has overcome me. Ah! who shall say how many trophies that Gospel has gained, even in the circle of domestic relationship?

Shall I say one word to those that never yet have had this subjecting power of the Spirit put forth in them? I cannot close my sermon without addressing them. My brother, remember the passage that I read from the fourth chapter of the epistle of St. James. You have a Bible. Have ye not? Why then, be ashamed that ye have not; go and borrow thy neighbour's Bible, and read the passage. May God give thee grace to read it, and may He write it on thy heart. It is in the fourth chapter of James, and the sixth verse. "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up." This is God's Word; and "heaven and earth shall pass away, bnt His Word shall never pass away, till all be fulfilled."

A SERMON,

BY THE REV. J. H. EVANS, M.A.

PREACHED AT JOHN STREET CHAPEL, KING'S ROAD, BEDFORD ROW, ON SUNDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 24, 1844.

"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church; and He is the Saviour of the body. Therefore as the Church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing."—Eph. v. 22—24.

We have considered, beloved, the principle of mutual submission.* That high and holy principle, of which we might say that the importance of it is felt by you in proportion to your spirituality of mind. That which does not merely mean submission to those above us; but a mutual subjection, which ought to exist amongst the family of God one toward another. And now we enter upon the detail-wives to husbands, husbands to wives; children to parents, parents to children; servants to masters, and masters to servants. The Gospel, like the sun, casts its light upon every object in its turn; it is a blessing wherever it goes; and it is a greater blessing wherever it is received.

You remark, that the apostle 'ascends from wives to husbands; he does not begin with husbands, but he begins with the wives. Then from children to parents; he does not begin with parents. Then from masters to servants; he does not begin with masters. Because, it is in these-wives, children, and servants, that the principle of subjection is most obviously needful. And then remark too, he begins with the highest, the most exalted of all earthly unions; that of a wife with her husband, and of the husband with his wife. Which is not only the most important of all, but it sets forth in the way of figure, that great mystery spoken of in the thirty-second

See ante, No 361.

VOL. XI.-No. 362.-December 5, 1844.

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