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for the church, that he might sanctify and cleanse it, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish," Eph. v. 25-27. See, then, the close and beautiful connexion between the death of Christ and the death of sin. All true sanctification comes through the cross. Reader, seek it there. The cross brought into thy soul by the Eternal Spirit, will be the death of thy sins. Go to the cross- -Oh go to the cross of Jesus. In simplicity of faith, go,-with the strong corruption, go, with the burthen of guilt, go, go to the cross. Thou wilt find nothing but love, there, -nothing but welcome, there,-nothing but purity, there. The precious blood of Jesus, "cleanseth from all sin." And while thou art kept low beneath the cross, thine enemy dares not approach thee, sin shall not have dominion over thee, nor shall Satan thine accuser condemn thee.

Deal much and closely with the fulness of grace that is in Jesus. All this grace in Christ is for the sanctification of the believer. "It pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell in him," for the necessities of his people—and what necessities so great and urgent as those which spring from indwelling sin? Take the corruption-whatever be its nature-directly and simply to Jesus,-the

very act of taking it to him weakens its power, yea, it is half its victory. The blessed state of mind, the holy impulse that leads thee to thy closet, there to fall prostrate before the Lord in lowliness of spirit - brokenness of heart-and humble confession of sin, with the hand of faith on the head of Jesus, the atoning sacrifice, is a mighty achievement of the indwelling Spirit, over the power of indwelling sin. Learn to take the guilt as it comes, and the corruption as it rises, directly and simply to Jesus. Suffer not the guilt of sin to remain long upon the conscience. The moment there is the slightest consciousness of a wound received, take it to the blood of Christ. The moment a mist dims the eye of faith, so that thou canst not see clearly the smile of thy Father's countenance, take it that instant to the blood of atonement. Let there be no distance between God and thy soul. Sin separates. But, sin immediately confessed, mourned over, and forsaken, brings God and the soul together in sweet, close, and holy fellowship. Oh the oneness of God and the believer in a sin-pardoning Christ! Who can know it?—He only who has experienced it. To cherish, then, the abiding sense of this holy, loving oneness, the believer must build his house in the fountain. He must wash daily in the brazen laver that is without-then, entering in

within the veil, he may "draw near" the mercyseat, and ask what he will of him that dwelleth between the cherubims. "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water," Heb. x. 19—22.

Thank God for the smallest victory gained. Praise him for any evidence that sin has not entire dominion. Every fresh triumph achieved over some strong and easy-besetting infirmity, is a glorious battle won. No victory that ever flushed the cheek of an Alexander or a Cæsar, may once be compared with his, who, in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, overcomes a single corruption. If "he that ruleth his spirit is better than he that taketh a city," then, he who masters one corruption of his nature, has more real glory than the greatest earthly conqueror that ever lived. O how God is glorified-how Jesus is honoured-how the Spirit is magnified, in the slaying of one spiritual enemy at the foot of the cross. Cheer up, precious soul! You have every encouragement to persevere in the great business of sanctification. True, it is a hard

fight,—true, it is a severe and painful contest, but -the victory is yours! the "Captain of your salvation" has fought and conquered for you-and now sits upon his throne of glory, cheering you on, and supplying you with all needed strength for the warfare in which you are engaged. Then, "fight the good fight of faith"-" quit you like men". 'be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus"-for you shall at length "overcome through the blood of the Lamb," and be " more than conquerors [triumphant] through him that hath loved us." Here, beneath the cross, would I breathe for you the desire and the prayer once offered by the apostle of the Gentiles in behalf of the church of the Thessalonians, "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Amen and amen.

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"Ye are our epistle." 2 Cor. iii. 2.

"In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise." Eph. i. 13.

WHAT an inestimable gift, and how vast the work of God the Holy Ghost! Each successive step we take in its development, does but more deeply convince the mind of this. New rays of light are reflected, new aspects of importance present themselves,—and new features of interest and beauty are brought to view, as we pursue our research into this essential and important department of divine truth. The more thoroughly and prayerfully we are led to investigate the operations of the Spirit upon the soul, especially if we watch narrowly his work in our own hearts, the more powerfully will the conviction press itself upon the mind, that, all real advance in divine knowledge, in righteousness, joy, and peace, is inseparably connected with his indwelling and sanctifying power. In the former chapter, we endeavoured to

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