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guished from all counterfeits of it, and possessing our souls by the operation of the Holy Spirit, the more evident is our meetness to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light."

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Well then might the Apostle say, "Let brotherly love continue." He knew the many hazards which this heavenly exotic has to encounter in our chilling and tempestuous world. He knew how often, even among the true servants of Christ, differences of opinion are apt to issue in alienation of heart; he knew how much of pride and selfishness mixes up with our most holy things; he knew how difficult it is, from the frailty of man even at his best estate, to prevent discussions becoming controversies, and controversies schisms; he knew how ready we are to contend fiercely for doctrines which produce too little effect upon our deportment, and to mistake our own proud and impetuous tempers for Christian zeal. Hence he said, Whatever doubts, difficulties, or persecutions, may arise," let brotherly love continue:" sacrifice not the substance of Christianity for the shadow; the spirit for the form; a resemblance to Christ, however imperfect, for a resemblance to Satan, who is called "the accuser of the brethren."

Let us then endeavour to profit by this apostolical precept, by applying it to our own circumstances. We form a portion of the

visible church of Christ militant here upon earth; we are surrounded by our fellow-worshippers, real and nominal, of many sentiments and many communions. Still there are the essential distinctions which have been mentioned; nor is it a sufficient reason for withdrawing from the fellowship of Christ's visible flock, that in his vineyard upon earth the wheat and the tares are suffered to grow together till the harvest. Faults and failings we must expect, and be prepared to bear. Worldliness, also, hypocrisy, and doubtful doctrine, may intrude-and would that they could be expelled! but we must not for this cause withdraw from the public communion of the professed Christian church, and become in bitterness of spirit accusers of the brethren, confounding in one indiscriminate censure the true and the false disciple; St. Peter who fell, with Judas who apostatized. There will ever be much to disapprove, and much to separate from; but even this must be done with meekness and humility, with forbearance towards others and suspicion of ourselves, "endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

But let us not deceive our hearts by any specious counterfeit of this heavenly virtue. The grace of love, like all other spiritual graces, must be grounded on true conversion of heart to God. It is not a natural amiableness, but a

Christian virtue. or his image upon earth, till we are reconciled. to him by faith in Christ Jesus, adopted into his family, and at peace with him through the blood of the atonement. While, then, we inquire Do we love the household of faith? there arises a previous question, Are we ourselves members of that household? do we belong to that holy brotherhood of which Christ is the Head? are we one with him, and he with us? In religion, as in other things, we may unite ourselves with a favourite sect or party; but this is not the love of Christ, of his Gospel, or his church. We must love him because he has first loved us; to know the benefits of which, we must have felt our need of him as a Saviour, have repaired to him in faith and humility for pardon and acceptance with God, and by his grace have resolved, his Holy Spirit strengthening us, to devote ourselves to his service, and to be his faithful soldiers and servants as long as we live.

We cannot love either God,

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SERMON X.

DOING THE WILL OF GOD.

ACTS ix. 6.

And he, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?

SUCH was the earnest inquiry of Saul of Tarsus, afterwards the great Apostle of the Gentiles, when, on his way to Damascus, breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the infant church of Christ, he was arrested by an Omnipotent arm, and accosted, in words which penetrated with conviction to his heart, by that Almighty Saviour whom, in the persons of his faithful followers, he had so bitterly persecuted. How altered that fierce aspect! how quelled that haughty self-conceit! how changed those cruel threatenings! He trembles, and is astonished; and, prostrate before his offended Creator, his hitherto unknown and slighted Saviour, he submissively inquires, "What wilt thou have me to do?" As the first sin of mankind, that which expelled our fallen race from

paradise, was an act of deliberate opposition to the will of God; so the first trace of a desire to return to our spiritual allegiance is the wish to know and to do his will. This was the turning point in the conversion of the Apostle. He was not yet enlightened with a clear knowledge of Christianity, but he was prepared by the Holy Spirit for its reception by a sincere desire to obey the will of God. The seed of the word, afterwards sown, did not fall upon stony ground, but in "an honest and good heart" the fallow ground had been ploughed up; penitence had softened the stubborn soil: so that, watered by the dews of God's blessing, and, fertilized by the genial rays of the Sun of Righteousness, the heavenly plant took deep root, and brought forth fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundred fold. According to our Lord's own declaration, wishing to "do the will of God," he had the promise that he should "know of the doctrine," and means were divinely provided for his instruction. The Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and there it shall be told thee what thou must do."

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Many of the circumstances connected with St. Paul's conversion were miraculous, and are recorded, not as illustrations of the usual process by which men are brought to the knowledge and obedience of the faith, but chiefly perhaps as connected with the remarkable his

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