shall perceive as we consult the scriptures that men must be brought by a gracious and special intervention into a safe, amicable and happy relation to God before his glory will be sought as the governing motive of conduct and character. "Likewise reckon ye yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but ALIVE UNTO GOD through Jesus Christ our Lord..... Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but YIELD YOURSELVES. UNTO GOD, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness UNTO GOD. For sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law but under grace.' "But ye are a chosen generation, a ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, AN HOLY NATION, A PECULIAR PEOPLE; that ye should SHEW FORTH THE PRAISES OF HIM, WHO hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.Ӡ To these plain and sufficient testimonies may be appropriately added the oft repeated phrase of being reconciled UNTO GOD. What does it mean? Is it not to be reconciled to him as God-as Supreme-as rightful Lord over us-as possessed of inalienable and eternal claims upon our subjection and our service-as haying infinite excellence and, therefore worthy of our love as the source of our being and of our wellbeing, and therefore deserving the grateful and entire consecration of ourselves to his glory? It is upon this that the controversy turned. Upon this the re

* Rom. vi, 11, 13, 14.

+ 1 Pet. ii. 9, 10.

conciliation must turn. Thus we find a life of glorifying God flowing from that great reconciliation which the Son of God died to effect, which the doctrine of the cross instrumentally accomplishes, but which the vital agency of the Holy Spirit is necessary to bring to pass. When this work is achieved, the pure and consecrated life begins. No sooner is this great change wrought than the soul is in a new position-one favourable to the free and generous aim to do all to the glory of God. The hindrances to such a purpose and such a course are displaced, and a sluice is opened for the flow, the rush, the overwhelming roll of a fresh and mighty order of motives-those astonishing, unrivalled and overpowering inducements, presented in the gospel of grace. The light which before offended the diseased eye, and from which the disaffected heart sullenly recoiled and shrunk into darkness, is now lambent, refreshing and attractive. How inviting, how pleasant, how glorious the path, which once appeared all-forbidding and impassable! The tender, lofty and adoring strain in which Paul speaks of his conversion, furnishes a vivid and faithful specimen of the change of views and feelings in reference to the ever blessed God, which takes place when a sinner becomes reconciled to his Maker. "And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant with 'faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on

him to life everlasting.

Now UNTO THE KING

ETERNAL, IMMORTAL, INVISIBLE, THE ONLY WISE GOD, BE HONOUR AND GLORY FOR EVER AND EVER.

AMEN."* How touching is this! And as a mirror how true to the affections and aspirings of the newly reconciled, as well as of those long since reconciled when looking back upon the memorable and glorious event! And these sentiments are not mere transient emotions; they become embodied in the more substantial forms of godly dispositions, holy character, and habitual dedication. This is indeed a peculiar and distinctive mark of a state of reconciliation. We consent that the Lord shall be God. The heart is rescued from its practical atheism. We no longer say in our hearts "no God;" nor can it any more be said of us, "God is not in all their thoughts.". A new end attracts us. Motives unknown, unfelt before-motives which draw their character and force from God-now sway our hearts. We become "godly in Christ Jesus." "We live unto God." We are reconciled to all his claims, and respond to all his will. We are "called to his eternal glory." We are won to his interests and purposes. "Our life is

hid with Christ IN GOD." +

One conclusion from these representations, is, that we must be believers in Christ, before we shall be concerned for the divine honour. We have seen that reconciliation is necessary in this case. And the only reconciliation we know of, is that which is brought about by Christ, and the only way of its being wrought in us is by our embracing and trusting him.

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature old things are passed away; behold all things are become new. And all things are of God, who HATH RECONCILED US TO HIMSELF by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, RECONCILING THE WORLD UNTO HIMSELF, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we

are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."* "And you that were sometime alienated and enemies in your minds by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled, in the body of his flesh, through death, TO PRESENT YOU

HOLY AND UNBLAMEABLE AND UNREPROVEABLE IN

HIS SIGHT."+ "These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, BEING THe first fruits UNTO GOD AND TO THE LAMB." Our way then to this exalted state of mind is by the cross. We shall in vain seek it elsewhere. We must honour the Father by honouring the Son. We must give glory to God by honouring all the divine perfections as they harmonize and shine in the work of Jesus Christ. This is indeed our initiation into the mysteries of this glorious life. It is our solemn introduction to the "peculiar people." It is the anointing of our consecration to the "royal priesthood." It is then we

• 2 Cor, v. 18-21.

+ Col, i. 21, 22,

Rev. xiv. 4.

are baptized with "the spirit of glory and of God.” The divine excellencies are thus brought with so attractive a power, with so concentrated and focal a force, upon the heart, as to fix for ever its tendencies God-ward. Imbued with the transforming and assimilating element, it rises in pure flames towards its congenial and eternal source.

of

A transition so important as that from self-seeking to seeking the divine honour, will not be without its date. It is an era in existence, the greatest and most memorable; and usually its circumstances will be traced, and its season known. But we ask if any thing is more observable in this great transformation, than the fact that this new and hallowed life commences with affecting views of Christ as the way peace and reconciliation ? So that experimental facts, and tender and lively remembrances go to confirm the scripture truth that in this, as well as in other important respects, "Christ is the way," and that "no man cometh to the Father but by him." He who would start in this race, "for this mark of the prize," without at the same time desiring" to win Christ, and be found in him," stumbles at the first step, and falls to his deep injury.

III. A change in the moral taste is necessary to insure this devotedness to the glory of God. There must of necessity be a correspondency between the mind and the end to which it surrenders itself. When men give themselves to an object, and make every thing to bend and serve it, there will be found some deep and real agreement between the mind and its object. So if we devote ourselves to any person,