and solemnly do these words teach, that merely hearing the Lord "teach in our streets," that is, hearing His Word, weekly, in our places of worship, or even partaking of His holy sacrament, "eating and drinking in His presence,"—amounts to nothing in the Divine sight, unless joined with a good daily life, a life of obedience to His word and commandments. For by their disregard of His commands, men evince that they have no real love to the Lord in their hearts, however much they may profess Him with their lips. He Himself has given the test of true love to Him. "If ye love me," He says, "keep my commandments."—"He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me."—"He that loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings."[1] And says the apostle Paul strikingly, "Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing,—but keeping the commandments of God."[2]—"By their fruits;; said the Saviour, "ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me. Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."[3] How plainly is it here declared, that not merely saying "Lord, Lord,"—no mere acknowledgment, no mere profession of religion, will take one to heaven, but that profession must be accompanied by life—by doing the Lord's will; acknowledgment must be perfected by obedience. "If ye know these things," said the Saviour, "happy are ye if ye do them."[4]
In the picture which our Lord draws of the Judgment, what is it that is made the distinguishing test between the good and the evil—between those that are
