neighbor us. The Christian
apparel is of two kinds--faith and love. Christ wore two manner of
garments--one whole and typical of faith, the other divided and
typical of love.

Paul here has reference to the latter garment, love. He would teach us
Christians the manner of ornaments and apparel we are to wear in the
world; not silk or precious gold. To women these are forbidden of
Peter (1 Pet 3, 3), and of Paul (1 Tim 2, 9). Love for our neighbor is
a garment well befitting us--that love which leads us to concern
ourselves about the neighbor and his misfortunes. Such love is called
the ornament of a Christian character--an ornament in the eyes of men.

3. Observe the tender and sacred style of the apostle's admonition, a
style he is wont to use toward us. He does not drive us with laws, but
persuades by reminding us of the ineffable grace of God; for he terms
us the "elect of God," and "holy" and "beloved." He would call forth
the fruits of faith, desiring them to be yielded in a willing,
cheerful and happy spirit. The individual who sincerely believes and
trusts that before God he is beloved, holy and elect, will consider
how to sustain his honors and titles, how to conduct himself worthily
of them; more, he will love God with a fervor enabling him to do or
omit, or to suffer, all things cheerfully, and will never know how to
do enough. But he who doubts such attitude of God toward himself will
not recognize the force of these words. He will not feel the power of
the statement that we are holy, beloved, elect, in the sight of God.

4. Let us disregard, therefore, the saints who elect and love
themselves; who adorn themselves with the works of the Law; who
observe fasts and discipline; who regard raiment and position, for
they are unwilling to be sinners before God. Our ornaments are unlike
these, and not associated with such mockeries. They are honesty,
sincerity, good works, service to our neighbor. We are unfettered by
laws regarding food, raiment, times, etc. We are holy in the sight of
God, before whom none can be holy until he sees himself a sinner and
rejects his own righteousness. But the class mentioned are holy in
their own estimation; therefore, they ever remain wicked--sinners in
the sight of God. We are beloved of God because we despise ourselves,
we judge and condemn ourselves and reject our self-love. The others,
because they love and esteem themselves, are despicable and
unacceptable in the sight of G