tate his glorious perfections; to strive to become like him; to" be merciful as he is merciful";" to be "perfect as he is perfecte;" to be "pure even as he is pure f." Knowledge, even the best of all knowledge, the knowledge of God is of no value, it only "puffeth up," as St. Paul speaks, unless it lead to godliness and therefore, when he reminds the Thessalonians of that superior information concerning the divine nature, which they as Christians possessed above the Heathens, from the number of whom they had been converted, it is for the purpose of pressing upon them the greater obligation to holiness, which was thereby imposed upon them. "This is the will of God," says he, "even your sanctification;" this is what God has intended, in admitting you to that clearer knowledge of himself, which you as Christians enjoy; even your continual improvement in holiness: “that ye should abstain from fornication; that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; f 1 John iii. S.

Luke vi. 36. 1 Cor. viii. 1.

Matt. v. 48.

not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God." And to the same effect, and following the same line of argument, he thus exhorts the Ephesians, contrasting their present advantages and obligations with the state of spiritual misery and blindness, from which they had been released by the Gospel: "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus; that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and

true holiness h." Such is the general purport of the declaration of the Apostle in the text, connected with its context; "this is the will of God" in bringing us to know him, "even our sanctification:" his "word" is designed to be "a lamp unto our feet and a light to our paths," and thus to conduct and guide us in the way of godliness: according to our knowledge so will our improvement be expected to be; so that if, under the day-spring of the Gospel, we live like Heathens, our sin will be more aggravated, in proportion as our light is greater, than theirs.

Having thus opened the meaning of the text, I would observe, that there are three considerations, brought forward by the Apostle in connection with it, which serve at the same time both as arguments, to prove that "the will of God is our sanctification;" and as motives, to stir up and animate our wills to a faithful obedience to the will of God. The first of these considerations is, that "the Lord is the a

h

Eph. iv. 17-24.

i Psalm cxix. 105.

venger of all such as do things" contrary to purity; the second, that by the Gospel "he hath called us not to uncleanness, but unto holiness ;" the third, that for the promotion of this end," he hath given unto us his Holy Spirit." Let us pray our heavenly Father for the sake of his well-beloved Son to bestow upon us the gracious help of his Holy Spirit, whilst we endeavour to give to these considerations that attention, which their importance deserves and demands.

I. First then, it appears that "this is the will of God, even our sanctification," because "the Lord is the avenger of all such as do things" contrary to that purity, which he enjoins.

Now the scriptures, which constantly denounce the most severe punishment upon those, who are guilty of works of uncleanness, do also concur in representing that punishment, as drawn down upon the sinner by his own impenitence and hardness of heart. "Thinkest thou this, O man," thinkest thou this, O sinner," that thou

shalt escape the judgment of God? and despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God?" Thus the scriptures in various passages, of which this is one of the most striking, represent the vengeance of God as drawn down upon the sinner by his own perverseness; whilst they concur also in representing almighty God as being willing that "every man should come to repentance" and be saved; as " unwilling that any should perish1;" as "waiting to be gracious";" as " rising up early and sending his messengers because he has compassion n' on the sinner; as "all day long stretching out his hands unto the rebellious and the gainsayers°;" as "causing grief" indeed, yet having compassion according to the multitude of his mercies;" as "not afflicting willingly, nor grieving the

5. 12 Pet. iii. 9.

2 Chron. xxxvi. 15.

D

• Rom. x. 21.