parent has a religious child, that child may be, and indeed sometimes must be placed in the most difficult and perplexing of all possible relationships,—a relationship of which the result may be most disastrous to peace.

On the other hand, what and if the tide of grace rolls into the current of nature? What and if the omnipotence of a heavenly love wrap round and bind the human attachment? what and if relations are one in the unity of the mystical body of Christ? What and if we have our natural fathers spiritual fathers, and our natural children spiritual children, and our natural brothers and sisters brothers and sisters in Christ? How exceedingly, how eternally happy the bond!

Now, then, brethren, if it be so, what an argument there is here! Never voluntarily form any connection which is not "in the Lord!" And what an argument is here for continual, earnest prayer, and efforts for the conversion and salvation of those who are nearest and dearest to us. For then are they fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, children indeed when the one Christ in all hearts makes one body and one soul; and the ray from heaven meeting the ray from earth, they blend together, till they glow into a perfect flame of light and love.

But there is another relative duty which necessarily grows out of these words.

Let me conceive that you lived in the days of Christ's sojourn upon earth, and that with all your present feelings to Him, you were introduced one day to some one of whom you were at that moment informed, that that person was "the mother," or "the brother," or "the sister" of the Lord Jesus. With what interest, with what wonder, with what reverence, with what affection you would look on

that person! And supposing such a one stood poor and unhappy at your door, what a kind providence, and what a delightful privilege you would think it that had thrown in your way the opportunity to do them good. And would you not, from love to Christ, at once raise them, whatever they were, to the full level of your friendship and sympathy?

You

Now is not the thing real now, though invisible? meet a person of whom you believe that he is a true Christian. Perhaps he is a very poor person, perhaps he is a very mean person. At that moment, Christ is introducing you to that person, and He stretches out His hand,—the hand that never points so to the gay and the great of this false world,—and pointing to that poor, mean person, He says, "Behold my mother and my brethren; for whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother." And you ought to see that relation to Christ as the determining feature in that person, and love and honor him for Christ's sake. I ask you, Is your love to Christ worth much if you are not doing it?

But the subject bears still another interest. It is very comforting. Now suppose that any one of us is really at this moment so near to Christ, that we have reason to believe that that hand is now pointing to us, and that those blessed words are really being addressed to us. brethren, what a wonderful intimacy and confidence may the thought of those words inspire us with! Are you indeed "as a brother, or a sister, or a mother," to the Lord Jesus Christ? Then "brother," confide to Him? "a sister," lean on Him?

what may you not, as a Or in what may you not, as

Or, in what, I speak it

reverently, in what that is covenanted, may you not, as a "mother," command Him? There is a familiarity sometimes in the mention of the name and the person of Christ, that is abhorrent,―abhorrent to real love. Real love is always respectful. Never believe in a love that does not respect you. It is not love if it want it. But so you once really love the Lord Jesus Christ,—as a forgiven sinner loves His own dear Saviour,-from that time you may draw near to Him most confidentially, you may feel to Him most gushingly,—you may speak to Him most openly,— you cannot do it too much. It was not without reason that God wrote, "Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,"-He will be angry-for He is jealous-He will be angry if you do not love Him dearly and express it," Kiss the Son, lest He be angry." Therefore, do not be afraid to let Him hold you with a brother's hand, and to smile upon you with a sister's smile, and lay you upon a mother's bosom.

And now, God is gathering such a family around Him, and all the feelings and affections which He has planted in these hearts of ours, even the fondest, are only the dim types and shadows of that higher life, when before admiring hosts, He shall say, "Behold my mother and my brethren."

But who are they who are so very dear to Christ? Now mark everywhere Christ's jealousy for the Father's glory, "Whosoever shall do the will of my Father." That is the road to the heart of Christ,-do God's will. The determining question is,-What is the will of God? Am I doing it?

Now the will of the Father (I will mention three things), the will of the Father is the honor of Christ; therefore He says that "the will of God is that we should believe on the

name of His Son Jesus Christ." Next, the will of God is the honor of the Holy Ghost. Therefore He says, "This is the will of God, even your sanctification." And the will of God is His own glory, and His own glory is His own image, and His own image is unity and love. Therefore we arrive at three conclusions. Faith in Christ, making peace, a daily increase in personal holiness, and love, the walk of love, the spirit of love,-these three make the will of God. Am I doing the will of God?— have I peace? -do I grow in holiness?—am I walking in love? Do that will, and though it be ever so poorly and imperfectly, as it will be, still, if your conscience bear you testimony that you are doing that will, you may go on as if you heard the whisper which was saying to you all along,—“You are very near to me,—you are very dear to me; like a brother, -like a sister,-like a mother, -you are very near and very dear to me."

XXV.

An Exceeding Righteousness.

"For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."-MATTHEW V. 20.

THE

HE ministry of Christ, was, to a great extent, a transition from the law which He was fulfilling, and which was passing away, to the gospel, which could not be fully explained or understood till after His death. And part of this transition-character of our Lord's teaching lay in His leading on to the necessity of an atonement, i.e., for such a "righteousness" as He was going to bring in. And this He did very largely, by exalting the requirements of the moral law.

Many of the Jews,—especially the Scribes and Pharisees, knew and taught no other way of going to heaven, but by their own good works. Their doctrine was, "Do this, and thou shalt live;" "Obey, and be saved." It was a natural, and almost necessary consequence of this view that they took the commandments in their easiest, that is to say, in their literal acceptation; and consequently, their literal obedience was, as might be expected, nearly perfect. Therefore, Christ raised and expanded the nature and the obligation of the moral law; He unfolded the whole mind of God in it; He carried His hearers first to a higher interpretation of the letter of it, and then far beyond it, to