1. His people, in all ages, and in all the earth, have suffered his reproach. The people of Israel have in this ever been a type of the "Israel of God;" for the faithful people have always been "a jest, and a proverb, and a by-word among the nations." Men of the world fancy that they are only making a mock of some peculiarity, weakness, and foible in God's people; but it is not so: it is religion-it is God whom they mock, and whom they hate. This was proved in the case of Christ himself: none of his people can be more hated, despised, or ridiculed, than he was; and was he "injudicious?" "did he carry things too far?" it were blasphemy to suppose it! In truth, his people are disliked by the world only in proportion as they resemble Him! If they are tolerated, or admired by the world, it is in spite of their religious views, or because they are in a measure faithless to them, and conformed to the world. "Woe be unto you when all men speak well of you." "If they have hated me, they will hate you; and if they have persecuted me, they will persecute you." (John xv. 18-25.) 2. But now this reproach shall be for ever removed. No longer shall the Church prophesy in sackcloth and ashes; no longer "shall the drunkards make songs upon her." "The first shall be last, and the last first." The proud and the great, if they have been profligate, shall lick the dust, while the pious "beggar shall be taken from his dunghill, and set among the princes of God's people." (1 Sam. ii. 8.) Figures are multiplied to shew the glory which awaits the feeble, tempted, but humble and holy followers of Jesus. "Crowns of gold," and "thrones," and "sceptres," and "robes of white," and "diadems," are painted in the imagery of inspiration as the emblems of the "exceeding weight of glory" which is in store for them that love God: not that these paltry baubles really are prepared for them; but because the brightest and most glorious things which charm the sons of men, are feeble emblems of the unutterable honour, glory, and joy, which is in store for the redeemed: when the last whisper of reproach shall be silenced, and a place is ready for them at God's right hand! IV. WELL MAY THE CHURCH MEET HER RETURNING LORD WITH SONGS OF PRAISE: "Lo! this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us : this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation." 1. Such a song can even now be sung in the house of our pilgrimage. When God comforts his people, "they sing for joy:" they can say, "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall be joyful in my God," &c. (Isaiah Ixi. 10.) "They have joys unspeakable and full of glory." (1 Peter i. 8.) They are not a gloomy, forlorn, and deserted people: "They have joy with which a stranger intermeddleth not." (Prov. xiv. 10.) 2. But their joys and songs are here broken and interrupted: -They sing, as it were, with a tremulous voice: sighs and sobs will mingle with their earthly melody; and they sing in strange places: "in the prison, at midnight;" at the martyr's stake, "glorifying God in the fires." They are not at home: "the desire of their eyes" is not come : they are waiting, expecting, looking: with the saints in paradise, they cry, "How long!" 3. But when this song shall be sung, it will be to hail the return of the Desire of all Nations! 66 Lo, this is our God!" Here is recognition: when Christ appears his people will know him-intuitively and by perception: they will see his brow, his hands, his feet; though glorious, the marks of his humiliation shall be on him: "a lamb, as it had been slain." How will their hearts welcome him! with what joy adore him! This is our Lord-our own Lord: we have waited for him a long time and sad; but now he is come, and all is joy! And their song shall be "SALVATION!" No theme but this for ever and ever: the song which angels cannot sing, for they never sinned, nor were ever saved! "Salvation unto God and the Lamb for ever and ever." Hallelujah. Amen! (Rev. vii. 10.) To all these glowing promises, the seal of eternal truth is affixed, the sign-manual of Him who cannot lie, (ver. 8,) "for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it!" Let believers confide in it. Our Lord will come to save, to bless, to redeem, to comfort, and to live and reign with his people eternally. And now, let all inquire, what hope and confidence they have that they shall partake of the future glories? It is pleasant to think of the end of all sorrow-of the commencement of eternal joy; and every promise in this glowing prophecy is delightful to the mind and imagination but let us remember that there is another side to this picture! That moment when God's people will cease to weep for ever, is exactly the moment when others will begin to weep eternally! The same hand which wipes away tears from off all the faces of his people, will drive away all others into that place where they never smile; where joy and hope never come; "where is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth" in hopeless despair! Oh, then, be not too secure! Make your calling and election sure. There is but one hope; see that it is yours: one salvation, oh secure it! Repent in deep and bitter sorrow: fly to Jesus, and bathe in his blood: wash you clean in his Holy Spirit; walk in newness of life: so shall you have hope towards God in 66 THAT DAY!" God grant that we may so weep with Christ and his people now, that hereafter we may joy with them: "Then shall we be satisfied when we awake with His likeness." (Psalm xvii. 15.) XLVII. HOLINESS IN CHRIST. Hebrews xii. 14. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. HOLINESS is one chief object of all religious ordinances, services, and sacred seasons: these are only as means to an end, and sanctification is that end. This is indeed the principal design of God's dealings with his people all his chastisements, so beautifully described in this chapter, are directed to this object, "that we might be partakers of his holiness," (ver. 10); and hence it is, that, while the Apostle in the text bids us follow peace and holiness, of the latter alone it is that he says, "without which no man shall see the Lord." Peace should be promoted, cultivated, desired; but without holiness no man shall see God. Directing our attention, therefore, to the more important subject of his exhortation, let us, in dependence on Divine teaching, consider I. THE NATURE OF HOLINESS. II. THE EXHORTATION RESPECTING IT. I. THE NATURE OF HOLINESS : -We speak not of virtue, morality, or the social kind nesses these may exist without a particle of holiness, which is altogether of a different nature. Holiness is the essential property of God. As He is the fountain and source of life and being, so is He the only origin of holiness. If angels and archangels are holy, their holiness is reflected as in a mirror from God: there is nothing holy in the universe, but as it is derived from him. Fallen man is devoid of holiness. I need not prove this. He once was holy, because he bore God's image; but it was effaced entirely: no trace of the Divine likeness remains; he bears only the image "of his father the devil!" The whole race is unholy, impure, corrupt, and at enmity with God. To restore holiness to man, God became man :— -He took the manhood into God; and so perfectly identified man with his own holiness: the first Adam was created in the image of God, but the second Adam "was God!" "Perfect God, and perfect man; of a reasonable soul and human flesh, subsisting." Now all communicable holiness was found in Christ. As far as man is concerned, he can find holiness, and supplies of it, only in Christ: He is the fountain, the reservoir of the Church's merits: He is to her "wisdom, righteousness, sanctification," &c. "It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell." (Col. i. 19.) Hence it is that all holiness in man must be derived from union with Christ. This does not interfere with the proper and independent offices of the Holy Ghost: He is the sanctifier, the purifier, and is the Lord and giver of life, "dividing to every man severally as he will." (1 Cor. xii. 11.) But it is his will, and the order of the covenant of grace, that he will sanctify none out of Christ, or separate from Christ. His first work is by conversion to graft the sinner into Christ: to unite him to Christ as the bough to the vine, the limb to the body: "Abide in me and I in you, so shall ye bring forth much fruit." (John xv. 4-8.) And by virtue of this union, sanctification is imparted to the sinner. We are said to be "sanctified in Christ Jesus," (1 Cor. i. 2); "The fruits of righteousness are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God," (Philipp. i. 11); “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature," &c. (Ephes. iv. 23, 24.) Holiness may therefore be defined as a new nature or principle infused into the soul by virtue of union with Christ: producing Instinctive hatred of all sin, in heart, thought, affection, desire, words, and life. Intuitive love for all holiness: delight in it for its own sake. II. THE EXHORTATION ness." RESPECTING IT: "follow holi 1. Much implied in this exhortation : That holiness is difficult of attainment, and must be pursued, followed after, and diligently and actively sought: that it is of no easy acquirement. That, nevertheless, it is attainable: the Apostle would not exhort us to a hopeless task, or one impossible; with God's help, in the use of the means which he has appointed, and relying on his blessing, the most eminent holiness can be attained. That in all cases holiness is progressive. The exhortation is to believers-to those who are already holy; but they are exhorted still to follow it: they never can be perfect; whatever degree they may have attained, they must still press on. There are babes, young men, and fathers in Christ, (1 John ii.); they are to add to their faith virtue, &c. (2 Peter i. 5, 6); and "to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of Christ," (ch. iii. 18); always pursuing, (Philipp. iii. 12-15.) 2. But how is holiness to be followed? how obtained? We must remember its nature, and where only it is to be found even in Christ! Where it is to be found, there it must be sought: He is the perfect standard of holiness, and the example of it: He is the fountain and source of it; where we seek pardon and justification, there we find holiness also; we must flee to Christ-look to him-believe in him-give ourselves to devout meditation on him-gaze on him, until we catch his image. (2 Cor. iii. 18.) Means are only blessed when they lead us to him: prayer, fasting, holy ordinances, have no holiness in themselves, only as they are channels of Christ's Spirit to our souls. 3. Hence we see why so many fail in attaining holi ness. Many mistake its nature: imagine that it consists in outward religious observances, not in the sanctification of the soul: they therefore fail, though they may toil hard in the pursuit of it. Many seek it from the Holy Spirit only, irrespective of union with Christ: thus Christ is dishonoured, his work and P |