eeds no proof that it is of infinite importance to know aright what
God has called us to. A misunderstanding here may have fatal results.
You may have heard that God calls you to salvation or to happiness, to
receive pardon or to obtain heaven, and never noticed that all these
were subordinate. It was to 'salvation _in sanctification_,' it was to
Holiness in the first place, as the element in which salvation and
heaven are to be found. The complaints of many Christians as to lack of
joy and strength, as to failure and want of growth, are simply owing to
this--the place God gave Holiness in His call they have not given it in
their response. God and they have never yet come to an agreement on
this.

No wonder that Paul, in the chapter in which he had spoken to the
Ephesians of their being 'chosen to be holy' prays for the spirit of
wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God to be given to believers,
that they might know 'the hope of their _calling_' (i. 17, 18). Let all
of us, who feel that we have too little realized that we are called to
Holiness, pray this prayer. It is just what we need. Let us ask God to
show us how, as He who hath called us is Himself holy, so we are to be
holy too; our calling is a holy calling, a calling before and above
everything, to Holiness. Let us ask Him to show us what Holiness is, His
Holiness first, and then our Holiness; to show us how He has set His
heart upon it as the one thing He wants to see in us, as being His own
image and likeness; to show us too the unutterable blessedness and glory
of sharing with Christ in His Holiness. Oh! that God by His Spirit would
teach us what it means that we are called to be holy as He is holy. We
can easily conceive what a mighty influence it would exert.

'Like as He which called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy'. How
this call of God shows us the true _motive_ to Holiness. 'Be ye holy,
for I am holy.' It is as if God said, Holiness is my blessedness and my
glory: without this you cannot, in the very nature of things, see me or
enjoy me. Holiness is my blessedness and my glory: there is nothing
higher to be conceived; I invite you to share with me in it, I invite
you to likeness to myself: 'Be ye holy, for I am holy.' Is it not
enough, has it no attraction, does it not move and draw you mightily,
the hope of being with me, partakers of my Holiness? I have nothing
better to offer--I offer you myself: 'Be holy, for I am holy.' Shall we
not c