The Gentile then, or the uncircumcision which you despise, if he fulfil the law, if he endeavour to do the will of God, shall judge thee, who with the letter of the law constantly on your lips, and with all the privileges and advantages of being admitted by circumcision into covenant with God, dost still notwithstanding transgress the law. Hear then the conclusion of this argument in the words of my text: He is not a Jew which is one outwardly;" it is not mere outward profession that constitutes us one of God's people; it is not a mere name, or descent, or privilege, that confers on us this blessing; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh. The mere outward ordinance of circumcision carries not with it the blessings of the covenant, unless the conditions of that covenant on the part of the circumcised person are complied with. But he is a Jew, he is indeed one of the descendants of Abraham, to whom the promise was made, who is one inwardly, who imitates the faith and practice of

Abraham; and the true circumcision is that of the heart-the cutting off from it all evil passions. This is seated in the spirit; it is an effort of the soul, a change there made by the operation of the Holy Spirit himself, and not merely an outward conformity to the letter of the law, of which the very worst men may be capable. Such a one, be he Jew or Gentile, whose praise is not of men-whether as an ingenious disputer or learned philosopher, or for whatever worldly advantage he may be held in esteem-but of God, who sees and knows the secrets of the heart, is indeed an Israelite and descendant of Abraham, with whom, and with Isaac and Jacob, shall many come from the east and the west, and be numbered as his children in the kingdom of heaven.

Let us pause and consider what may be learnt from this short passage, and what application may be made of it to ourselves the transition of the whole argument is easy. In the words of my text read for Jew, Christian, and for circum

cision, baptism, and you will then read thus, "He is not a Christian which is one outwardly; neither is that baptism which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Christian which is one inwardly, and baptism is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men but of God." Thus simply pointing out to us the manner in which the whole may be applied to ourselves, let us briefly reflect on those parts of the argument from which we may derive the most profitable lessons. The first great distinction that is pointed out to us, is that between outward profession, and inward or vital religion, with the folly of trusting to a mere name or privilege. This is an error into which we very commonly run; and were we to judge solely by the actions of men, we might be led to suppose this reliance on the promises of God made conditionally to our fathers, and the belief of the sufficiency of the mere name and title of Christian to our salvation, as general as was the expectation of the Jew.

C

It is needless to combat this: he who is sensible that his Christianity carries him no further, must stand self-convicted: there can be no charm in a name or a title. Christian, in his own meaning of that word, he certainly may be; but Christian in the meaning of the Scripture, to whom the offers of salvation are made, he is not, unless by faith and obedience he distinguishes his profession; unless in the spirit and in the heart he fulfils the conditions of the covenant of which his baptism is the sign and seal, looking for his praise and reward, not of men, but of God. Let us learn from this, that those distinguishing privileges we enjoy as Christians, were given us that we might advance ourselves in holiness; not that in opposition to others, whom we consider less righteous, we should rest in this knowledge or boast ourselves of God. However we may deceive ourselves or others, the judg ment of God we know will be according to truth. It will be vain there to plead our privileges, or pride ourselves on our

distinguishing knowledge; that can but increase our condemnation; while the folly of that course, I fear too often pursued, of blaming others, and pointing out their faults and failings, in the hope of excusing ourselves, or at least by this show of zeal for God's service, blinding others to our own transgressions, will be fearfully manifest. How delightful to the contemplation of the real Christian is the view of heaven here presented us, where not the Jew or the Christian only, but the good of every age and nation freely meet in blessedness; and even those who have not known the name of Christ, but whose consciences shall bear them witness, that according to the light vouchsafed to them, they have endeavoured to fulfil the law of God, shall have the merits of his all-sufficient sacrifice extended to them.

Again, let us consider how apt we are to claim the promises of God, while we forget the fulfilment of the conditions. Over the ignorant and benighted heathen we boast ourselves, as distinguished by a