صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

is Heaven. It includes a complete deliverance from all evil, and the full possession of all good: it includes an entire freedom from sin and sorrow, and the constant enjoyment of spotless purity and perfect peace it includes an everlasting release from all that is painful and distressing, and the endless fruition of whatever can satisfy and exalt the immortal mind -the eternal fruition of God himself!

[ocr errors]

Such, then, is the final end of this choice. It is "to salvation." Believers, as is the treasure of your heavenly Benefactor, so is the largeness of his heart and the liberality of his hand. He designs for you great things; he secures them to you in Christ: he will certainly bring you, at length, to the complete possession of them. And "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." -Our next observation is,

II. True Christians are persons of a PECULIAR

CHARACTER.

Chosen to salvation, observe," through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth."-There is an evident distinction between what men are as the objects of a special choice, and what they are as persons of a peculiar character. Their being chosen to salvation is an act of God's mind, their character is real and personal. As chosen to salvation, they are entirely passive, but not so in what respects their character. The words," through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth," mark the way, the only way, by which eternal salvation can be enjoyed; and they teach that God's choice of his people, while it regards their exalted happiness as its final

end, regards no less faith and holiness as indispensable means. The people of God are predestinated.Why! To be conformed to the image of his Son." They are chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. To what purpose? "That they should be holy and without blame before him in love." More particularly,

1. God's chosen people are believers of the truth: they are chosen to salvation, "through belief of the truth."-Perhaps it is not possible to give a more just and concise definition of faith than is here stated. God's holy word, his revealed will, is emphatically "the truth." Hence our Lord said to some who attended his ministry, and gave pleasing evidence of a mind seriously impressed, "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Believing the truth is giving hearty credit to it, receiving it as the record of God, the testimony of the Most High, and in such a way as to feel affected and influenced by it according to the nature of the things which it regards.

Are you believers of the truth? If not, you have no scriptural evidence of your election of God to salvation: you are hitherto "deceiving your own selves." If you are believers of the truth, it has a personal and practical influence upon you; and its influence may be ascertained in this way: its warnings warn you; its cautions caution you; its encouragements encourage you: you stand in awe of God's judgments revealed; and you feel revived by the "exceeding great and precious promises" which he has given. Examine yourselves by these marks: they furnish an infallible test of the belief of Divine Truth.

2. God's chosen people are partakers of the Spirit. -This is clearly asserted in the text: and the Apostle elsewhere affirms ; "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Now we know that the possession of the Spirit, his dwelling in the heart, is essential to the being of a Christian. A man is not born again, but of the Spirit; and the new birth, or regeneration, is the commencement of the Christian life. When our blessed Lord was about to leave the world, he promised the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth; and this not only to comfort the hearts of his disconsolate disciples, but also "to reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." What rendered the Gospel so successful as preached by the Apostles? It was the energetic influence of the Spirit. It is this also, in all ages of the church, which secures any degree of success, and which produces any saving effects; it is this which works faith in the heart, for that faith which is to salvation is by "the operation of God." The Apostle says, writing to the Corinthians, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you! *" And it is not without just reason that we are admonished, "Quench not the Spirit;" and again, "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption †." Brethren, we must judge whether we be partakers of the Spirit by its fruit or effects in regard to ourselves; and "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law. And they

1 Cor. iii. 16.

+ 1 Thess. v. 19; Ephes. iv. 30.

that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts *."-Hence we remark,

3. God's chosen people are the subjects of sanctification.-The Holy Spirit given to them produces and gradually promotes it: they are chosen to salvation, "through sanctification of the Spirit." Sanctification is holiness; and observe, there is no way of attaining holiness but by "the Spirit of Holiness." The Lord gives the Holy Spirit to them who sincerely ask and diligently seek his influence, to renew the heart, to enlighten the mind, to subdue its evil passions, and to correct all its disordered powers; in short, to form a man for God, that he may shew forth his praise.

And faith, you will remember, bears a very close connection with holiness, and is greatly helpful to its preservation and improvement. Hence, when

and best pre-
And how ap-

Satan desired to have Peter, that he might sift him
as wheat, the Lord Jesus prayed that his faith might
not fail. This faith, operating as it ought, would
most effectually guard him from sin,
serve him in the path of holy duty.
propriate is that petition which he presents for all
his disciples; " Sanctify them through thy truth ;
thy word is truth! †"

Sanctification, therefore, is the best evidence of genuine faith it is also the best possible mark of election to salvation. We have proof that we are "of God" only so far as we are like God. Is he our Father? Are we his children? Where then is our resemblance to him? If multitudes of professors examine themselves by this test, it is to be feared they will have little hope left of their interest in ever.

* Gal. v. 22-24.

+ John xvii. 17.

lasting love. And, alas! what grievous imperfection cleaves to us all. No wonder at the prevalence of our doubts and fears: if we would rise above them, we must vanquish sin; we must breathe after holiness; we must seek more ardently the "sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth."

These, you observe, are included in salvation, as at present begun in the soul: they are an important part of it; and they necessarily lead to its final result, and full enjoyment in heaven. The leading traits of a Christian character are faith and holiness; and the way, the only scriptural way, to heavenly felicity is "through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth."—Our last observation is this,

III. True Christians furnish cause of LIVELY

THANKSGIVING.

The Apostle speaks in the text, not for himself only but in the name of the rest of the Apostles, who were acquainted with the state and character of the Christians at Thessalonica; for they were all of one heart, and felt the same bond of grateful obligation on their account. "We are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord." And why? How was it that these brethren were cause of such lively thanksgiving?

1. As true Christians, they were effectually secured from apostacy.-The Apostle dwells on the subject of apostacy in the foregoing verses in very strong and affecting language. He represents the danger and doom of such as wickedly turn aside, in terms that make one tremble. "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions, that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned," or suffer merited condemnation at the day of judgment, "who

« السابقةمتابعة »