sous; here was no endeavour to liberate the prisoner by an arbitrary act of sovereignty or power, nor was any denial or palliation of crime attempted. The law found ample contentment in Jesus' obedience. The church has been honourably redeemed; and behold, her Redeemer lives to say to every charge adduced against his beloved'See, my obedience and blood! What has it not purchased? From what sin can it not cleanse? What claims has it left unsatisfied ? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of my redeemed?'

Thus are we favoured to dwell securely in our Christ, amid the crafty insinuations and powerful assaults of a raging devil; and thus we are confidently assured of ultimate victory.

Jesus has settled all demands,

And thus untied those steelly bands
Which justice fix'd on guilty men,
And then reserv'd for hellish den;
Mercy has shewn her mildest face,

And found the church in heaven a place.

Regeneration is a further testification of the assertion, "God is love." Divine friendship is not only beheld in the removal of sin, through its imputation to the Son of God, but likewise in the implantation of sanctity by the Spirit of God, from which principle outgrows a whole train of reflection, conversation, and deportment, well-pleasing to God; and by which, they who merited endless punishment are qualified to live in the desirable presence of their merciful Father.

Original sin continues to evidence its existence in a variety of actions offensive to the infinitely holy Lord of Hosts, until unoriginating sanctity being imparted, powerfully subdues its unhallowed attempts. When the Holy Spirit is pleased to commence the work which is to him assigned in the covenant of grace, he creates that internal principle which is the source from whence springs all holy desire, and makes himself known as the author of supernatural life in the soul, as the spiritual Husbandman, by sowing the seeds of righteousness and sanctity; so that the children of God may not only be considered holy in their Saviour, but in a sense holy in themselves; not merely lovely through the imputation of a righteousness wrought out by the Son of God, but also through the implantation of that sanctimonious principle, of which the Holy Spirit is the author. It is this latter which capacitates the sinner to love his heavenly Father that which is unlovely cannot love.

"The devils know and tremble too,

But Satan cannot love."

For the sinner to be taken to glory without being previously made a partaker of holiness, and without sincere attachment being inculcated for his heavenly Father, would be incompatible with the perfections of God, and productive of no enjoyment to himself. Hence appears the necessity of the performance of that work which devolves upon the Spirit of God, through his having engaged himself in official

character in the everlasting covenant. Where there is no fulness there can be no supply; and in the absence of a disposition to love, no true affection can be practically exemplified; for as divine grace is absolutely necessary to the performance of deeds truly spiritual, so the whole church must be made lovely anterior to any existing desire sincerely to love God. This is sufficiently demonstrated in the conduct of the unredeemed, who being unlovely both by nature and by practice, entertain no affection for any but those who are of the same ugly-featured clan. Scripture declares, "we love God, because he first loved us." He is the fountain from whence all our love is derived; and his uncreated love creates the affections of those upon whom it has been ever and unchangeably fixed. When he makes the church to know the love which he has eternally entertained for her, by the regenerating operations of the Comforter, when he points out that bliss to which she is predestinated through her mystical union to himself in the person of his Son, then, and not till then, does she value his friendship, or regard his goodness. This unexpected information being conveyed, she is drawn to a renunciation of self, to an admiration of her Lord, and aims to evidence the reality of her attachment to his person in a zealous attendance to the ordinances he has enjoined. When the eye of faith is put out, in an actual perception of a Saviour's unfading glory-when hope shall have terminated in an endless enjoyment-when patience shall dissolve itself into possession love shall continue to exhibit her beauteous charms. Angels through their loveliness are happy in the presence of God, and deriving from the fulness of Jesus, the head of all principality and power, shine illustriously in the exhibition of that which they receive, joyful in hallelujahs to the King of kingshappy in the execution of his commands, and pleased as the ransomed of the Lord are gathering one by one from the militant to the triumphant church-" which things angels desire to look into." And so, when the whole election of grace shall be in glory assembled, when no mansion shall be found untenanted, when none of the redeemed shall be absent, then shall each love himself last and least, and love his Jesus most. Jealousy and envy shall have no entrance; nor shall the minds of any of the inhabitants of that city be again perplexed.

There shall we dwell in undisturbed peace,
Exulting in our free yet bought release;
Purchas'd with Jesu's blood we'll loudly sing,
A sweet sonata to our Priest and King.

But in drawing to a close, let us remember the exhortation, "Little children love one another." "He that loveth not, knoweth not God." A christian expects to receive little but frowns from the unregenerate world. Darkness and light have ever been in direct opposition to each other: sin and sanctity the same; the devil, the author of the former; the devil's conqueror, the dispenser of the latter. "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God:"

But all true

and therefore, we marvel not to receive their censure. believers are alike in their privilege and prospects; a supernatural tie is that by which they are united; the blood of the God-man is that by which they receive remission, the righteousness of this illustrious personage is that by which they stand justified; and the kingdom of glory is that to which they are all travelling, for which they are all fitting, and in which they are assured of endless pleasure through the presence of the Son of God, the absence of iniquity, and the perfection of their sanctity.

With these views, who can for a moment wish to perplex his brother's mind, or to entertain feelings inimical to any part of the body of Christ? Who can be desirous to make his bosom a lodgment for bitter animosity? Shall we not rather, as trusting to the same all-sufficient, wrath-appeasing sacrifice, aim to "bear each other's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ ?" Shall we not anxiously watch opportunity to express our mutual attachment, and to evince a possession in some small degree of the spirit of the Lord, "who humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross;" and "who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame;" who, amid all the malevolence of Satan, and all the maledictions of men, maintained an evenness of temper, a christian-like spirit, and every feature wellpleasing to his righteous Father. Surrounded by an unfeeling multitude, stigmatized with unmerited appellations, branded as an infamous impostor, in what manner did he conduct himself, and what was his language?"Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."

Let us admire this incomparable, this unexampled love-let us aim to follow so renowned a leader, that the world may see his influence pervades his church-let us all speak the same thing, and take heed lest the worldling should be found loving his companions more than the saint his brother. And may the Spirit of all light, life, love, and liberty, rest abundantly upon us, that under his peculiar guidance, we may carry ourselves in a manner becoming our christian profession, being ornamented with a "meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price;" and learn to exercise towards each other that "charity which suffereth long and is kind; which envieth not, vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity,,but in the truth; and which beareth, hopeth, believeth, and endureth all things."

Marylebone.

Let us love in deed and truth,
With the spirit of a Ruth;
Let us in our actions prove,
We are mov'd by purest love,
And when down our glass has run,
When our work on earth is done;
Then may each in heaven prove,
"Christ is God," and " God is love."

J. M. D.

(For the Spiritual Magazine.)

ON THE PERSONALITY AND WORK OF THE HOLY

SPIRIT.

(Concluded from page 57.)

HAVING made a few brief remarks upon the personality of the Spirit, I proceed to notice his work.

I. He convinces of sin. Our Lord says, "when he (the Spirit) is come, he will reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment to come." When he begins to work, he opens the eyes of a poor sinner, and leads him to see sin in its true colours; a lawwork commences in the conscience; and in God's holy law, as in a glass, the convinced sinner sees the purity of the Divine Being, and has such a view of his own deformity, as causes him to loathe himself. While in a carnal state, he was secure, and felt no inward dread; but now he falls a victim to the killing letter of the law, as Paul did, Rom. vii. 9. Dear reader, was not this thy case, when thou wast convinced of the heinous nature of thy sins; and didst not thou go to work for salvation? Ah, sinner, thou didst tug and toil; but alas, alas! all thy works fell infinitely short of the requirements of God's holy law. In this state there is no peace; the arrows of God stick fast in the conscience; law and justice pursue, and the poor sinner fears that God will cut him off, and appoint him his portion with unbelievers. He wanders from place to place to hear this and that minister, but no comfort can he find; the watchmen wound him, the keepers take away his vail, so that he has a greater discovery of his vileness than before; he weeps, he prays, he reads, but all appears to be in vain; that which tends to augment his misery is, he is looking into self for goodness, which might as soon be found in the confines of hell," for in us, (that is, in our flesh,) dwelleth no good thing." Let the sensible sinner no longer attempt to draw water from such a broken cistern as self, no longer seek salvation by the deeds of the law, which speak nothing but condemnation, and shews no mercy, reveals no Saviour, yea, which cannot justify, Rom. iii. 20. May the Spirit whose work it is thus to convince, lead such poor trembling souls to Jesus, the fountain of peace, whose invitation is, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

II. He glorifies the Saviour, by taking of his and shewing it to his people, John xvi. 14. He shews us the glorious person of Christ, as having divine and human beauties meeting in him, his ability to save, the suitability of his righteousness to justify, the merits of his death, the efficacious nature of his blood, the achievements of his cross, triumphs of his resurrection, and glories of his exaltation at the right hand of God. It is the Holy Spirit's province to lead the poor sinner to Christ for life and salvation; a faith's view of whose bloody sweat, agonizing pains, and ignominious death, brings out of

bondage into liberty, causes the tears of godly sorrow to flow; for when the Spirit of grace and supplication is poured into a poor sinner's heart, he looks on Him whom he has pierced, and weeps bitterly. The means, however excellent in themselves, must fail to convince of sin, and to reveal the Saviour; but the Holy Spirit by the use of means makes the sinner feel his famishing condition, and then leads him to the house of bread, where he feeds on that precious Christ, who is formed in his heart the hope of glory, whom he has received by that faith which is of the operation of the Holy Spirit.

III. He bears witness with the believer's spirit that he is born of God, Rom. viii. 16. This he does, by teaching to pray, communicating a sense of pardon, by unfolding the relationship, and helping the believer to cry, Abba, Father; for it is not to make us sons the Spirit is given, but to make our sonship known, Gal. iv. 6. He may be said to bear witness with unbiassed fidelity, and with unsullied clearness, when he testifies of the suitability of the promises to our case, when he testifies against that which is not consistent with our high vocation, and when he stirs up the mind to diligence in the performance of religious duties. Thus, "he that believeth hath the witness in himself," 1 John v. 10.

IV. He is the sealer, by whom believers are sealed, Eph. iv. 30. He seals the believer by impressing the word in its doctrines, promises, and precepts upon his heart. Sealing follows faith, in whom after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise," Eph. i. 13. It denotes the following particulars. I. Property. As the merchant sets his seal to his property, so the Lord seals his children as his portion or property. 2. It denotes distinction. The proprietor's seal distinguishes his property from that of others; so by the seal of grace, the Lord sets a mark of distinction on his own, by which they are distinguished from the men of the world. 3. It denotes protection. A seal is a protection to property, and grace protects its rightful heirs. When the Chaldeans went forth with their slaughter-weapons, they were commanded to spare the men on whom was the mark, Ezek. ix. 2-6. Although believers are tempted by the devil, and persecuted by his emissaries, yet being a fountain sealed and shut up in Christ, they are eternally secure, Sol. Song iv. 12. 4. It denotes secrecy. The seal on the letter bespeaks secrecy, which lies between two or more persons; so the great secret of covenant love lies between the Lord and his people, for David says, "the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his covenant,” Ps. xxv. 14. The seal applied to the heated wax leaves an impression; so the seal of grace applied to the heart warmed, and made susceptible of feeling by the fire of eternal love, leaves an impression never to be erased. The blessed Spirit is the earnest of joys to come. Dear reader, if thou hast the earnest, thy inheritance is sure, 1 Cor. i. 22. 2 Cor. v. 5. Eph. i. 14.

V. Another branch of his sacred work lies in comforting the VOL. VIII.-No. 91.]

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