heads one paper implies, that their peculiarities will lead them "to be mocked of their neighbours, and to be despised in the thoughts of those who are at ease." We will proceed to notice, I. Scriptural evidence of the fact that God's family are "a peculiar people." II. How it is that they are so. III. Being thus "a peculiar people" they must expect to be mocked of their neighbours, and to be as lamps despised by those that are at ease. Dear Lord, we again crave the privilege of communicating a message of love and comfort to Thy scattered ones, that shall cheer them in a world of tribulation, causing them to feel that "there hath no temptation taken them but such as is common to man; but God, who is faithful, will not suffer them to be tempted above that they are able, but will, with the temptation, make a way of escape, that they may be able to bear it." And now we will, beloved, reflect upon I. SCRIPTURAL EVIDENCE OF THE FACT THAT GOD'S FAMILY ARE PECULIAR PEOPLE." "A When Moses went up unto God on Mount Sinai, the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, "Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel." Upon which declaration of the Lord Jehovah, Moses could (in afterwards giving them the law) address them, "For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto Himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth;" but it is said that this had only reference to literal Israel, an especially-favoured nation. We reply that while the Books of Samuel, the Psalms of David, and other Old Testament writings are the fulfilment of the prophecies of Israel after the flesh, the words of our dear Redeemer Himself, as given us by His evangelists and the writings of the apostles, are full of deep and precious things concerning Israel after the Spirit; and every member of the family of God is brought by experience to discern that Israel after the flesh in all their leadings through the wilderness, and of God's conduct towards them, is but a type of Israel after the Spirit in all their wilderness journey, and of the Lord's goodness and mercy to them; so that if the former is described as a peculiar people," so is the latter. And then their distinction will be seen in the titles given them, and in the figures used in Scripture to describe them; for instance they are called children of the living God (9 Rom. xxvi.), holy brethren (1 Thess. v. 27), peculiar people (Deut. xiv. 2; Titus ii. 14), vessels of mercy (Rom. ix. 23), the salt of the earth (Matt. v. 13), a city set upon a hill (Matt. v. 13), the light of the world (Matt. v. 14), fellow-heirs with Christ (Eph. iii. 6), lively stones in a spiritual temple (1 Peter ii. 5), the Lord's freemen (1 Cor. vii. 22), and a multitude of other titles that will occur to every reader of the Bible. Thus have we pointed out enough to show the fact that God's people are "a peculiar people," having distinct characteristics from the world. We inquire, 66 II. HOW IS IT THAT GOD'S FAMILY MUST BE A PECULIAR PEOPLE ? Why can they not appear as worldlings, and do as they do? We will endeavour to show the reason why they cannot. They are 66 a peculiar people 1. By election. The love of the Father was always centered on the Church as in Christ from before the foundation of the world. "Thou hast loved them as Thou hast loved me, for thou lovedst them before the foundation of the world," are the words of our dear Redeemer. Christ cannot be separated from His Church at any time. He was set up from everlasting, and "from everlasting to everlasting He is God." So also was the Church set up in Him, everlastingly chosen. Now, the very nature of God must be changed ere He could hate, or cast away His people. And, as the former is an impossibility, so is the latter. Herein is the believer's security-resting upon the unalterable determination of a God who cannot change. Now, those who assert that this is presumptuous standing and a dangerous doctrine, know little of the mind and will of God. All else is uncertain; our frames and feelings fluctuate, our prayers decay, and our love waxes cold, but, on the part of electing love, all is fixed and unalterable. As dear Hart says— "But we build upon a base That nothing can remove; Again, the Lord's people must be "a peculiar people" 2. By separation.-The Holy Spirit has worked a mighty change of heart, the vessel of mercy has been set apart for the Master's use; consequently, there is a subdued quiet tone of character that makes Christians marked. Grace has taken out of them worldly boast and bravado, and they feel that merriment ill befits one who is living for eternity and who bears the dignified title of "an heir of glory." Now, we do not mean that by separation a Christian is not to attend diligently to the necessary duties of life, and carry out rigidly the requirements of his appointed place in society. Our opinion is, that if a Christian is a shoe-black, he should strive to be the best shoe-black of the bunch. But by separation we mean a clear stand for Christ at all times, a living above the pleasures and vanities of the world, a firm steering away from the dirty waters of worldly trickery, and an unflinching course of upright conduct. Christ in all the affairs of life was just and honourable, rendering unto Cæsar the things which were Cæsar's: "Go thou, and do likewise." Now in these particulars, and many more, God's people must be a separated people, carrying out the inspired prophet's command: "Depart ye, depart ye! Go ye out from thence; touch no unclean thing. Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord." Furthermore, the Lord's children are "a peculiar people " 3. By communication.-They hold daily intercourse with the throne of grace; their Head is in heaven; and they, as members of His mystical body, must draw from His fulness. And, oh, those sweet communications of Jesus' love, which revive us in the midst of so much that brings dearth unto the soul. The heart is often barren and dry, yet there is ever and anon a springing-up of joy, and, as the Psalmist says, the fear of the Lord is "a fountain of life;" and the Christian cannot live happily without these hallowed communications from on high. He puts one in mind of the lighthouse-man who from the rock is keeping a constant look-out; or, to use a more modern illustration, he is like one in a telegraph office, always sending and receiving messages, for the believer sends his messages of hope up to the court of heaven, and receives from the court of heaven messages of grace and love and mercy. Not that such communications are rained down from heaven, but they come through that inspired medium, the word of God applied by the Holy Spirit. Now these are things not understood, much less realized, by the world. The idea of a man holding converse with heaven is to them an absurdity. Nevertheless, it is a blessed reality to the Christian, and he would not be without such negotiation for ten thousand worlds. Again, the family of God are "a peculiar people" 4. By affliction. They have sorrows peculiar to their position; and a godly man's comfort and grievance is hid from the world: for instance, it grieves them to see the dishonour that is cast upon a precious Christ in the day in which we live, and the declension of vital religion around them causes them to feel with Jeremiah, "Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!" Again, if they look within, it grieves them to find their hearts so steeled, and the spirit of the world so much more manifest than the Spirit of Christ. It grieves them also to think, how with all that they have enjoyed and realized of a precious Christ, yet how susceptible they are, and easily led away by some temptation or besetting sin. So that in these ways and many more they have sorrow of heart peculiar to their separation from the world-sorrows which they can tell to none but Jesus. Lastly, the children of the Most High are "a peculiar people" 5. By preparation.-The Lord of glory is preparing a people to live with Him for ever; no wonder that the discipline is peculiar and the training of a very special order. It needs it to prepare the pilgrim for the summons, "Come up higher." One meets occasionally with the Christian whose conversation is peculiarly mellow, and there is a tenderness and humility of deportment that is enviable. We wonder how it is; but presently we hear that such an one has passed into eternity-then can we understand it. It was the tree casting forth its roots deeper in Lebanon ; it was the fruits of the Spirit heavy with ripeness; it was the corn getting yellow in the shock; it was the ship nearing the haven of rest; it was the child of grace becoming meetened for the inheritance with the saints in light. O blissful prospect! may the thought of our eternal destiny cheer us onwards. True, 'tis a rough and thorny way, and deep often calls unto deep in our experience; still, "When the shore is reached at last, Who will count the billows past ? Thus we have mentioned some of the distinctive marks of the children of God. They are peculiar-by election, separation, communication, affliction, and preparation. And now III. BEING THUS "A PECULIAR PEOPLE," THEY MUST EXPECT TO BE MOCKED OF THEIR NEIGHBOURS, AND TO BE AS LAMPS DESPISED IN THE THOUGHT OF THOSE WHO ARE AT EASE. Beloved, if the Lord has taken possession of your soul, let us honestly tell that will never get to heaven in satin slippers. you you Your reli gion, if it be the religion of Jesus, will bring you into trouble. Friends (so-called)-ah, and it may be relatives too!-will hate you for your religion, the same as they did your Lord and Master before you. For, only let the Christian make a stand for the truth as he ought to do; let him maintain the unpopular doctrines of the Bible; let him not follow the multitude to do evil, but turn aside with the few who love Christ and desire to follow Him, and he is certain for his so-called peculiarities, "to be mocked of his neighbour," although in the long run he will yet be the one who is esteemed: for it is astonishing how God will overrule circumstances, as to cause the very ungodly to honour His saints. Then again, in the career of the Christian, if the Lord does suffer the lamp of his earthly prosperity to burn brightly (though this is most certainly seldom the case) see how he will be surrounded and caressed by the world; but let reverses come, and he will soon become as a lamp cast aside and despised, his former (so-called) friends will not know him then, and will pass him by on the other side. This was specially the case with poor Job; deprived of his earthly all, he had plenty to utter unkind things concerning him, misrepresent his case, and misconstrue God's dealings with him. Truly despised and cast aside, and, to use his own language, "I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and He answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn." Cross-bearing work this! Thus have we pointed out some of the distinguished characteristics of the children of God which must make them "marked." We are aware, reader, that if you belong to the great multitude of professors, that you will not have to bear the world's obloquy. No, you can have your bazaars for your chapels and parties of worldly friends with impunity, and they will think you a capital fellow, especially if you never name the name of Christ; but we are persuaded, if you are among those who are led by the Spirit of God to act in conformity with His will, and follow in the footsteps of their Saviour, you must be deemed "peculiar." "Ye are a city set upon a hill;" here all is distinct and clear from the surrounding level of things. "Ye are the salt of the earth;" here is the element of preservation while all else is in a state of decay. "Ye are the light of the world; " here is that which stands out clear of all-prevailing darkness of mind and soul. Blessed peculiarities, you need not be ashamed of them, and can well afford to be "a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease." And this reminds us of that striking expression, 66 those who are at ease"-at ease when the sentence of death is hanging over their heads!—at ease on the couch of carnal security, when the house is on fire, and the very flames, it may be, are encircling the tenement of clay! Well, at all events, beloved, you can say you are not at ease concerning eternity. It is a subject often on your mind, and you retain a constant desire to feel assured that you are right for eternity. God be praised. Who hath made you to differ? You might have been, as they are, "at ease," and were once caring for none of these things; but the Lord stripped you, killed you to make you alive. It is of His own sovereign will and mercy that He has called you by His grace, and given you those characteristics which show that you are put among His peculiar people, whom He will sanctify and glorify. In conclusion, beloved, however censorious we may be deemed, we must assert our belief that we live in a day of great declension and departure of heart from the Lord; and God's people in the midst of accumulated services are suffering from great leanness of soul; and those few who are kept to the truth, and to the good old divinity of the Bible, will have to bear the slur of being "peculiar people." Be it so. A few more years and we with others will be in our graves. During the brief period of the remainder of our days may the Lord keep us faithful; may He keep us upholding a precious Christ; may we dare to be singular for Him, bearing the name and title of " peculiar" for Christ's sake! "Mark'd with the Saviour's precious blood, Mark'd with the sanctity of God- "Mark'd as the tens of endless bliss, Mark'd with Jehovah's name as His, Brethren, 'tis no slight mercy to bear in your body the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ; may He sustain you unto the end. Peace be with you. Amen. G. C. Ilford. Anecdotes and Extracts. "The preacher sought to find out acceptable words."-EccL. xii. 10. UNOBSERVED CALVINISM. We have often been amused with the unconscious promulgation of Calvinism in quarters where the truth of the system is stoutly denied. It is latent in so many practical articles on religious subjects, that we fancy an opposer must have hard work to digest them. Sometimes it comes out squarely, even in books and papers of the most decided Arminian type. Here is a small piece of poetry, which we cut from the last issue of the Episcopal Methodist, of Baltimore: How that first verse chanced to escape the sharp eye of Dr. Bond is more than we can imagine. It is very good reading, however, and we would be glad to know that our old friend was addicting himself more |