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deep sealing of the Spirit. Resting satisfied with the faint impression in conversion,-with the dim views they then had of Christ, and the feeble ap prehension of their acceptance and adoption, is it any marvel that, all their life-time they should be in bondage, through slavish doubts and fears? That they should never attain to the stature of perfect men in Christ Jesus'-that they should never rise to the humble boldness, the unwavering confidence, the blest assurance, and the holy dignity of the sons of God? O no! They rest short of this blessing. They hang upon the door of the ark-they remain upon the border of the goodly land, and not entering fully in, the effects are, as we have described. But, beloved reader, the richest ore lies buried the deepest,—the sweetest fruit is on the higher branches,-the strongest light is near the sun. In other words, if we desire more knowledge of Christ-of our full pardon, and complete acceptance,-if we desire the earnest of our inheritance, and even now would taste the "grapes of Eschol," we must be "reaching forth unto those things that are before," we must press towards the mark," and rest not until that rest is found in a clear, unclouded, immoveable, and holy assurance of our being in Christ,and this is only experienced in the sealing of the Spirit. Again, we say, with all the earnestness

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which a growing sense of the vastness of the blessing inspires, seek to be sealed of the Spirit. Seek the "earnest of the Spirit"-seek to be "filled with the Spirit"-seek the "anointing of the Spirit"-seek the "Spirit of Adoption." Say not, it is too immense a blessing-too high an attainment for one so small, so feeble, so obscure, so unworthy as you. O impeach not thus the grace of God. All his blessings are the bestowments of grace-and grace means, free favour to the most unworthy. There is not one lowly, weeping eye that falls on this page, but may, under the blessed sealing of the Spirit, look up through Jesus to God as a Father. Low views of self, deep consciousness of vileness-poverty of state or of spirit, are no objections with God, but rather strong arguments that prevail with him, wherefore you should have the blessing. Only ask-only believe -only persevere, and you shall attain unto it. It is in the heart of the Spirit to seal unto the day of redemption' all that believe in Jesus. May it be in the heart of the reader to desire the blessing, seeing it is so freely and richly offered.

Reader, whose superscription do you bear? It may be your reply is-"I want Christ-I secretly long for him-I desire him above all beside." Is it so? Then take courage, and go to Jesus. Go to him simply, go to him unhesitatingly, go to

him immediately. That desire is from him, let it lead you to him. That secret longing is the work of his Spirit, and having begotten it there, think you that he will not honour it, and welcome you when you come? Try him. Bring him to the touch-stone of his own truth. "Prove me now herewith," is his gracious invitation. Take his promise" Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out," and plead it in wrestlings at the mercy-seat, and see if he will not " open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." Go to him just as you are,-if you cannot take to him a pure heart, take an impure one-if you cannot take to him a broken heart, take a whole one- -if you cannot take to him a soft heart, take a hard one-only go to him. The very act of going will be blessed to you. And O, such is the strength of his love, such his yearning compassion and melting tenderness of heart for poor sinners, such his ability and willingness to save, that he will no more cast you out, than deny his own existence. Precious Jesus! set us as a seal upon thine heart, and, by thy Spirit, seal thyself upon our hearts, and give us, unworthy though we are, a place among 'them which are sealed.'

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JESUS, THE TRUE GOD, AND HIS WORK ALL-SUFFICIENT.

"He that believeth on the Son of God, hath the witness in himself." John v. 10.

WE have now regarded the work of the Spirit in some of its solemn and important aspects. We have considered his quickening, indwelling, sanctifying, and sealing offices; and the spiritual eye will not have failed to discover the intimate and beautiful relation of each of these separate parts of his work to the other, and of all of them to the perfection and symmetry of his work as a whole. One important point at least must have been established in the mind, and that is,-the equality of the personal glory of the Spirit with the first and second persons of the adorable Trinity. The work ascribed to him in the preceding pages, and proved from scripture especially to belong to him, can only be predicated of a divine being. On this

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essential doctrine of divine truth, we cannot too ~ frequently, nor too strongly insist. And, with regard to our real belief in it, we cannot institute. too rigid an examination. It is to be feared that, the principles of many professing Christians touching this point need sifting. We profess a belief in his distinct personality in the Godhead,—do we worship him as such? We acknowledge his supreme divinity,-do we render to him divine honour, by reposing in him our faith, hope, and love? We admit, as an article of our creed, that he sustains an equal part in our salvation with the Father and the Son,-do we render to him equal praise and glory? Touching these important points, may there not exist a painful want of harmony between our professed belief and its corresponding practice? And we would, with all lowliness, suggest the consideration,-may not the small measure of the anointing, sanctifying, and sealing influence of the Spirit, which many professors appear to possess, be mainly attributed, as a cause, to the low views they entertain of the personal dignity of the Spirit? Can any believer expect a growth of spirituality, an increase of vital godliness in his soul, while he secretly, and it may be unsuspectingly, cherishes opinions derogatory of the personal glory of the Holy Ghost? Never! His gracious and all-important work is inseparably connected

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