the night cometh when no man can work. We are now called upon to walk in the world, and yet not be of it. We are to walk as those who have no abiding citizenship here2-as those whom the angels of the Lord ever watch over and attend, as those whose steps are marked and ordered by the Lord-whose spirits are already risen and whose bodies but wait for their clothing from above. It is not at a future time that all the glory is to be revealed. We receive even now the foretaste-the earnest

of the kingdom. Truly we are now come unto Mount Zion and unto the city of the Living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels. We are now come unto the general assembly and church of the first-born which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect. We receive now a kingdom which cannot be moved; we wait but the final act of God which shall pass upon our bodies.

The joy is in our spirits-our bodies still suffer, and we must accept our position now as a preparation for that which is to follow. We have not yet passed out of the valley of humiliation. The path of suffering is not yet left for the Celestial city. But we are called upon to endure all for the glory set before. The martyrs of old could submit to bonds and imprisonment, to torture and to death, for they looked for the life of the world to come. Take away their everlasting life, would they not have been of all men most miserable?

Most truly, if we would follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth, we must follow in humility; must taste of His sorrows, be despised as He was despised, be rejected of men as He was, that we may, through suffering, be prepared for the eternal joys to follow and to which the Lord will yet raise His suffering children. If in this life only we have hope we are of all men most miserable, for we wander through the world, having no certain habitation, no abiding place, our life is passed in journeyings, in perils, in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and cold and nakedness. All these things are the lot of many of God's Elect people, but their assurance in God remains unshaken. They rest in His promise, "Every man that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for My name's sake shall receive a hundred fold and shall inherit everlasting life."

The sacrifice of Christ-His self-dedication must be seen in measure in each of the members of His body mystical. The Lord looketh that the elect tread in the path of suffering which He trod, that their feet being shod with the gospel of peace they may go forth in His power, carrying His Word, His offer of mercy and peace to those sheep of His who have wandered on every hill of

Christendom, and still eat of the husks of human knowledge and vanity. Elect warriors, yea, valiant men reduced in number by the testing of the Lord like the followers of Gideon,' strong in the power of the spirit, whose love to God shall have wrought out in them love to His suffering creation, and who, with devoted lives, will yield themselves to Him that He may use them in His service.

Let us ever remember that if we are elect, we are chosen to the service of God. Our election is for the purpose of being special instruments in the hands of the Lord for blessing others. We may not be able to see the exact mode in which God would use us, neither shall we ever see our way distinctly in our present condition, for we walk by faith and not by sight. The light of the seven golden candlesticks now sheds its rays over our path, and prepares us for the greater light yet to be revealed when we shall be able to walk by sight. But it is only as we walk in the light of the lesser light now that we shall be able to see in that all resplendent day when the "Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings."

"2

It is hope within which makes us joyful, and bears us onward in the narrow way. The most joyous of God's creation should be those who know most of His mind, feel most of His love, learn most of His unfathomable purposes. Are not these His Elect? Who stand more in the light of His glory than His Elect? Who have received the earnest of the future joy as they have? Then should their hearts beat with joy-their faces shine like Moses. "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice." Have we not been brought in Spirit into that promised kingdom-our Father's house? Yes, indeed, and have already tasted of that joy-that joy abiding which no man taketh from us. As we abide in Him, the world touches us not; it dares not enter into the Sanctuary of God's presence with its trivial cares, anxieties, and worries.

Our hope the hope of the Elect-is in Him, the Risen One. It is part of our life, that life which is hid with Christ in God-that same life-resurrection life-with which our spirits are quickened in baptism and made alive unto God by the mighty energy of the Holy Ghost. Our hope is in Christ. He in us is our hope of glory. There is no glory apart from Him. The glory of the Father resteth on Him. He, the Christ of God, prayed that the Father would glorify Him with Himself with the glory which He had with the Father before the world was. His prayer was heard. And this glory He has given unto His Elect that they might be one, even as the Father and the Son are one. It is the indwelling of God which is the hope of glory.

The Elect of God should walk through the dreary paths of this life all aglow within. Like the men of Gideon who surrounded Mal. iv. 2. ⚫ Phil. iv. 4. * John xvii. 15.

1 Judges vii.

Jericho of old, the light should burn brightly within the earthen pitchers, so that when the last trump shall sound the mortal pitcher may be broken and the light of glory within shine brilliantly forth. Ah, this is the manifestation of the sons of Godthe revealing of His Elect, the glorious revelation of the hidden brightness of the anointing within bursting forth! Shall not the dark places of the earth be enlightened thereby?

The mystery of the revelation of glory in the mystical bodyOh, the Elect of the Most High God, how would they leap for joy if they could but realise the glories set before them! No tongue can frame words expressive thereof. No eye hath seen, no ear hath heard, "neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him."1

Let us then, as the Elect of God, strive to realise what the Lord has done for us-strive to reach forward unto the prize which He holdeth out to us. If we could but realise our heavenly standing our glorious calling as the Elect of God, how lightly would the sorrows and troubles of this world rest upon us. should ride lightly over the troubled waves of life, and find shelter and protection under the shadow of the wings of the Almighty.

We

We should indeed be most miserable had we but hope in Christ in this life. Here we have but the beginning of our life-the beginning of our hope. It groweth day by day by that which the Lord ministers in His Church. His sacraments feed, His ministers sustain and strengthen the hope which cometh of and resteth in Him.

We have not, then, in this life only hope in Christ, and therefore are we, as the Elect of God, most happy! The Lord's portion is ever joyful. In the land of the living their heart is glad and their glory rejoiceth; in death their flesh shall rest in hope. Like the Psalmist they can say, "Thou wilt show me the path of life; in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." "

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CHAPTER X.

ON MAKING OUR CALLING AND ELECTION SURE.

"Give diligence to make your calling and election sure, for if ye do these things ye shall never fall."-2 Pet. i. 10.

These are the words of the Apostle Peter. The word sure here (BeBaíos) does not mean sure in point of knowledge, but sure in point of stability; that is, firm or steady. The Apostle is not calling on us to seek to ascertain that God has decreed our election; but he is desirous that we should be diligent to make it sure. And he shows, further, that if we are not diligent, and neglect the things whereof he writes, we may come short of our calling.

1

St. Paul uses a similar mode of expression with reference to salvation. In writing to the Philippians he says, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." These words we have already considered. They are evidently used in the sense of yield yourselves to and co-operate with Him who from the beginning of your being has been striving with you and working in you both to will and to do according to the mind of Christ. "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained (or prepared) that we should walk in them."

In the passage in St. Peter the result of Election is made to depend on man's diligence, just as in the passage quoted from the Philippians the ultimate salvation of the individual is made to depend on his working it out, or carrying it into effect, in submission to God's working in him. Indeed, one of the best MSS. and several versions insert "by means of your works," which gives the true sense, as Bishop Ellicott points out, though the words are wanting in authority. It is but a reasonable inference from these passages that the essence of Election is not a decree compelling man's choice in some particular way, or shutting some up to salvation and passing by others, but that it is the expression of God's fixed approbation of those who submit to His heavenly grace and to His desire to make them partakers of Christ's glory.

Jesus said, "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest;"1 and He also said, "Many are called, but few chosen." And why is this? Is it not because when called they will not come unto Him, that they may have life? Is it not that they place their wills in opposition to His desire, and refuse His gracious invitation?

We read in the Revelation, of those who are with the Lamb, that they are "called and chosen and faithful;" that is, they have been called and have obeyed, consequently they have been chosen, and having made their calling and election sure, are said to be faithful. This is the test of faithfulness—the making their calling and election sure.

The Lamb is the Elect one, and they have become Elect by being joined to Him. This way of becoming Elect and standing faithful is well described by the Apostle Peter in his first Epistle. "Wherefore," says he, "laying aside all malice and all guile, and hypocrisies and envies, and all evil speakings, as new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby. If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious; and he that believeth in Him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe He is precious; but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient; whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light."

Our course on earth here is justly compared by the Apostle Paul to a race in which we are engaged. All are engaged in this race, but one receiveth the prize. Many are called to take part in the race. Some heed not the call; others begin the race but soon retire. It is the act of God that has fitted us to take part in this race, not our own act. It is His electing love. Only as His dear children, as joint heirs with Him in whom only we can conquer, can we be fitted to take part in this race. We may not run as uncertainly-we know what is the course we have to take. It is the narrow way. The beginning is the baptismal font; the end the manifestation of the sons of God in the glory of the resurrection.

1 Matt. xi. 28. 2 Matt. xx. 16. 3 Rev. xvii. 14.

51 Cor. ix. 24.

1 Pet. ii. 1-9.