as it runs, like a golden thread, through every part of God's word. We see its commencement in the Old Testament. Levit. xi. 44, 45. "For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy. I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God; ye shall be holy, for I am holy." xix. 2. "Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy."

And that these commandments and this standard may not seem to belong exclusively to the Old Testament saints, the apostle Peter imbodies them, as of equal force and solemnity, in his writings to the saints of the New Testament. 1 Pet. i. 15, 16. "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." If this motive to sanctification came clothed with such solemnity and power, and was so felt by the Jewish church, what should be its authority and influence with the church as it now exists. The increased power and solemnity of this motive is drawn from the more resplendent exhibition of God's holiness in the cross of Christ. With no such development of the divine purity, as an argument to sanctification, were the saints of the Old Testament favoured.

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But we possess it, so that, if we continue in sin, after we have believed, we are "without excuse," and God is "clear when he judgeth." Here, in the cross, is God's grand demonstration of his holiness. Here, has he, as it were, unveiled his great perfections, and shown what a sin-hating, holiness-loving God he is. What! Could he not pass by his dear Son,-did he give him up to the "shame and the spitting,"-did he not withhold his darling from the power of the dogs,"-did justice sheath its sword in the heart of Jesus,did it smite the Shepherd? And why all this! The answer comes from Calvary, "I, the Lord, am a holy God." And then follows the preceptO how touching!-"Be ye holy, for I am holy." See how the justice of God (and what is the justice of God but his holiness in exercise?) revealed itself as a "consuming fire" on Calvary. Our dear Lord was a "whole burnt-offering" for his people,—and the fire that descended and consumed the sacrifice, was the holiness of God in active and fearful exercise. Here, then, springs the solemn necessity for sanctification in the believer. The God he loves is holy,—his Father is holy, and he has written out that holiness, in awful letters, in the cross of his well-beloved Son, "Be ye holy, for I am holy." We must study God in Christ. There we see his Holiness, Justice, Wisdom,

Grace, Truth, Love, and Mercy, all unfolded in their richest glory and most benevolent exercise.

The necessity for sanctification also springs from the work of Christ. The Lord Jesus became incarnate, and died as much for the sanctification, as for the pardon and justification of his church;— as much for her deliverance from the indwelling power of sin, as from the condemnatory power of sin. His work had been but partial and incomplete, had no provision been made for the holiness of the believer. But he came not only to blot out sin, but to rend asunder its chain,-not only to remove its curse, but to break its sceptre. The believer in Jesus may be but imperfectly aware how closely associated his sanctification is with the obedience and death of Christ. Yea, that the very death of Christ for sin out of him, is the death of sin in him;-that, no inroads are made upon the dominion of indwelling sin,-no conquests obtained, no flesh crucified, no easy-besetting sin laid aside, save only as the believer hangs daily upon the cross. Observe how the Holy Ghost connects the two-the death of Christ and the holiness of the believer: thus in John xvii. 19. "And for their sake," says Jesus, "I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth." As their High Priest to atone and purify, he set himself apart as a holy sacrifice to

the Lord God for the church's sake. "For their sakes I sanctify myself”—or, set apart myself. Oh what a motive to holiness is this, saint of God! Can you resist it? Yet again the connexion is unfolded. Tit. ii. 14. "Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Eph. v. 25, 26. "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word." Thus clearly does the Holy Spirit unfold the close and beautiful relation between the death of Christ, and the death of sin.

The covenant of grace enforces the sanctification of the believer. "It is the eternal and immutable purpose of God," observes Dr. Owen, "that all who are his in a peculiar manner, all whom he designs to bring unto blessedness in the everlasting enjoyment of himself, shall, antecedently thereunto, be made holy." And, for the security and attainment of this, all provision has been made in the everlasting covenant of grace. The very election of the believer to eternal life, provides for, and secures his holiness. There could possibly be no holiness without election, because election provides the means of its attainment. Thus clearly does the Spirit of truth unfold it.

2 Thess. ii. 13. "We are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved in the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth." Again, Eph. i. 4. “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love." Let us be clearly understood. On the ground of no foreseen holiness in the creature, did God thus purpose to save him,—but, seeing the indispensable necessity of sanctification in order to eternal glory,the impossibility of the one without the other,he chose us in Christ "that we should be holy."

Let not the Christian reader turn away from, or treat lightly, this precious revealed truth of God's word, an election of a people unto holiness here, and glory hereafter. The prejudice of education, -early modes of thought--a pre-conceived system -and more than all besides, the neglect of a close and prayerful investigation of God's word for himself, may lead to the rejection of the doctrine. But, he who first cavils, and then renounces it, without a thorough and prayerful sifting of its scriptural claims to belief, stands on solemn ground, and assumes a fearful attitude. What God hath revealed, "that call not thou common." What he has commanded, that turn not from, lest