gation and perish in the neglect of duty. “Inasmuch as

ye

did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment."

And from above the thunders answer still,
“Ye knew your duty, but ye did it not."

CHAPTER XI.

ON CHRISTIAN PERFECTION.

THE plea of inability is not confined to the unrenewed. It is alleged also by the Christian disciple, and operates as a preventive of high spiritual attainments. It must be of great practical importance, therefore, to understand the doctrine of perfection as taught in the Scriptures, and to remove the obstacles which error may have contributed to retard us in the heavenward

race.

The strength of moral obligation has obviously increased with the progress of light. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin : but now they have no cloak for their sin. (John 15. 22.) The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas, and behold a greater than Jonas is here. (Matt. 12. 41. with Acts 17. 30.) The same self-evident truth Christ exhibited in his sermon on the mount. He taught the disciples that many things, permitted by the dispensation of Moses, could not be tolerated under the purer light of the gospel. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill ;

say unto

and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy : But I

you,

love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matt. 5. 21-45.) The test of moral excellence given in these passages is of the most elevated kind. It requires conformity to the divine image, and therefore differs essentially from the standard with which unrenewed men compare themselves. If

ye

love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even publicans the same ? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others ? do not even the publicans so ? Be ye

therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (ver. 46–48.) I shall now inquire into the meaning and importance of this injunction.

I. Its meaning.

The force of the passage depends chiefly upon the word perfect. In the original it is derived from a noun signifying the end, or that which is finished. But the derivatives from the primitive word are used in various senses. The apostle Paul uses the same word which in Matt. 5. 48. is translated perfect, to signify maturity of understanding. Brethren, be not children in understanding : howbeit, in malice be ye children, but in understanding be (Teleco!) men; literally perfect. (1 Cor. 2. 6: 14. 20.) The word perfect also denotes simply the upright, or Christians. Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. (Gen. 6. 9.) Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. (Psa. 37. 37.) Christ says to the young man inquiring what good thing he should do to have eternal life, If thou wilt be ( redeloo) perfect, i. e. attain to the moral excellence and blessedness of my disciples, sell that thou hast, and give to the poor. (Matt. 19. 21.) The word signifies likewise to fulfil, (Luke 18. 31 : Rom. 2. 27.) to finish, (John 19. 30: 2 Tim. 4. 7.) to pay tribute, (Matt. 17. 24.) to refrain from evil and improper speaking. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man. (James 3. 2.) There is one more signification attached to the word perfection which it is important to notice.

The apostle John says, (1 4. 18.) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. In these passages, perfect means sincere or true, as is manifest from the preceding and following parts

a

of the chapter. He who sincerely loves God has that assurance of adoption which prevents the fear of being rejected; and he who is disquieted by this fear has not a sufficient degree of love. Such are the principal deviations from the literal sense of the word, which has been considered. In its common acceptation, perfect means complete, finished, faultless. We are now prepared to consider in what sense the Saviour required his disciples to be perfect; or how far Christians are under obligations to be conformed to the character of their heavenly Father.

It is evidently not their duty to attain to equal perfection with God in wisdom, knowledge, understanding, or in any natural attribute. These are impossible things, and we might as well attempt to tell the stars of heaven, or number the sands on the shore of the sea. Canst thou by searching find out God ? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection ? It is high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. (Job 11. 7.) We can approximate the divine image only in knowledge and moral excellence; and in the last alone can we ever be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect. The angels are holy as God is holy; so are the spirits of the just made perfect; and this consummation of moral beauty will be the ultimate and eternal inheritance of all the