that " eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive such things as God has prepared for them that love him."

One reflection grows out of these words. Heaven is represented as the scene and abode of righteousness. In proportion, therefore, as we cultivate righteousness here, we anticipate the happiness of heaven. Heaven cannot be perfected here, because righteousness cannot be here perfect. But the nearer we approach to righteousness, the nearer we approach to that new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.

LECTURE LII.

PREPARATION FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD.

2 PETER iii. 14.

14. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

St. Peter had said, We know that the world shall be dissolved; but we look for something beyond. "We look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein

dwelleth righteousness." And thus he naturally comes to the end, the consequence, of such a belief and such an expectation. He who has prepared

for his people a kingdom of righteousness, is coming to receive into it as many as are found meet and ready. Take heed that ye be ready: not in a state of enmity with God into whose presence you are to enter, but at peace with him.

And surely, great as God is, "the High and Holy One, who inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy:" it is a blessing to be thus informed, that, mean and unworthy as we are, we may yet be at peace with Him. And the way we know. "Being justified by faith,"-having received as true, and embraced for ourselves "the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,"" we have peace with God:" and may say with the aged Simeon in the temple, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word." Paul trusted to this reconciliation, when he wrote, "I desire to be found, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but the righteousness which is of God by faith." I look for peace with God, not to anything in myself, but to the merits of the great Peacemaker.

It had not been always so with him. It was not so, when he set out from Jerusalem for Damascus, breathing enmity against Christ and the christian name. Had he then been summoned before God, he would not have been found in peace : for the only way of peace he was then refusing. But now he had obtained mercy, as the disciple of the Lord whom once he persecuted, the preacher of the faith which once he destroyed. And this may be the case with others also: who perhaps may

2 Phil. iii. 9.

once-if not have opposed the truth-have neglected or despised it. They may "have been some time. darkness," who are now "light in the Lord: " who have now seen the suitableness of the way of salvation through Jesus Christ, as meeting the case of sinful, sinning creatures like themselves: who have laid hold of the eternal life it offers, and fled for refuge to the shelter it affords: and therefore are at peace with God, whom they had offended, through Him who was delivered for their offences: who "died for their sins, and rose again for their justification."

Thus you may be found of him in peace. But St. Peter adds, without spot. How without spot ? with a nature of which Job asks, "What is man that he should be clean: or he that is born of woman, that he should be righteous ?” 2 A nature of which Paul says-" I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing."

Without spot, only because the Christian, baptized in the faith of Christ, has "washed his robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." "He is purged," as St. Peter expresses it," from his old sins:" and his duty is, the business of his life, to keep himself pure. "He that is born of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. When Peter desired that washing, without which, the Lord assured him, no one had any part in Him: the answer was-" Ye are clean.' Ye have embraced the faith that is in me with sincerity and truth and " ye are clean: ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified."

2 Job xv. 14. Rom. vii. 18.

"3

3 John xiii. 10.

U

But this white robe may be stained and sullied. Any sin committed is a stain upon the white robe wherewith Christ clothes the Christian, when he presents him before the Father as a child of the covenant, as one who has obtained mercy by virtue of his atonement. Peter himself, for instance, had been pronounced clean by his Lord; but, when a few days after, in the high priest's palace, he fell under temptation and denied that Lord,-a spot was cast upon him. His unfaithfulness, his fear of man prevailing over his fear of God, stained him with a stain which will never be effaced from his history, though soon blotted out from the book of God's remembrance. Without such spot of sin no one ever passed through the corruption of the world: save only He, of whom it was declared, that " tempted in all points like as we are, he was yet without sin," like the Lamb which prefigured him, without spot or blemish. And therefore it is, that we do not presume to come before God trusting in our own righteousness, but in his manifold and great mercies: and that all our devotions begin with humiliation and confession. And yet we are exhorted to be diligent, that we be found without spot of sin. St. Peter here speaks of wilful, unforsaken, unforgiven sins: sins which do despite unto the Spirit wherewith the Christian is sealed, and tempt Him to forsake us: sins which St. Paul describes as "the works of the flesh,” i. e. of our original unrenewed nature, and of which he distinctly affirms, that they who do them have no inheritance in the kingdom of righteousness. know of no spot of sinfulness so dark, that the blood

We

of Christ applied by faith may not wash it out, and leave the conscience pure: but we also know, that no sin is washed out which is not repented of and forsaken and the soul can only be judged of, as being without spot in God's sight, as far as it has been freed from unrepented, unforsaken sin.

!

What constant need for watchfulness and prayer, that no stain be suffered to rest upon that heart which Christ has redeemed, "not to uncleanness, but to holiness;" that it might be pure as he is pure For without such "holiness no man shall see the Lord." There stands on record the awful example of him to whom the words were spoken, " How camest thou in hither, not having the wedding garment?" Not being found of God in peace, and without spot! Who will not say with the psalmist, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and examine my ways, and see if there be any way of wickedness in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." 5

There is a further exhortation, that we be found blameless. Blameless, if the Lord were "to mark iniquities," no child of Adam could ever be. And yet God has promised that some shall be blameless. Their "sin and their iniquities he will remember no more." "For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Yet here, again, what need of watchfulness! How many beacons do the Scriptures set before us, showing where others have made shipwreck of their faith! The foolish virgins were not found blameless, who had neglected to trim their