our spirit" the Holy Ghost witnesses, it is necessary that, in order to perfect agreement and harmony, he who has the witness within himself should first be a repenting and believing sinner. He who saith that he has this witness, but who still remains 'dead in sins'—a stranger to faith in the Lord Jesus, to the renewings of the Holy Ghost,-in a word, who is not born of God, is wrapping himself up in an awful deception. The witness we plead for, is, the holy testimony, in concurrence with a holy gospel, by a Holy Spirit, to a holy man, and concerning a holy truth. There can be no discrepancy, no want of harmony between the witness of the Spirit and the word of God. He witnesses according to, and in agreement with, the truth. Vague and fanciful impressions, visions, and voices received and rested upon as evidences of salvation, are fearful delusions. Nothing is to be viewed as an evidence of our divine sonship which does not square and harmonize with the revealed word of God. We must have a 'thus saith the Lord,' for every step we take in believing that we are the children of God. Let it be remembered, then, that the Spirit bears his testimony to believers. His first step is, to work repentance and faith in the heart, then follows the sealing and witnessing operation. We shall

be pardoned for again quoting the words, "In whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise."

The last particular is, the great truth to which he testifies, "that we are the children of God." The Spirit is emphatically spoken of as a Spirit of adoption. "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received. the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father," Rom. viii. 15. And again, “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father," Gal. iv. 6. Now, it is the peculiar office of the Spirit to witness to the adoption of the believer. Look at the blessed fact to which he testifies -not that we are the enemies, the aliens, the strangers, the slaves, but, "that we are the CHILDREN of God." High and holy privilege! "The children of God!" Chosen from all eternity,"having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,"-all their iniquities. laid on Jesus their blessed Surety,-justified by the "Lord our Righteousness,"-called by the effectual operation of the Eternal Spirit,-inhabited, sanctified, sealed by God the Holy Ghost, -O exalted state! O holy privilege! O happy people! Pressing on, it may be, through strong

corruptions, deep trials, clinging infirmities, fiery temptations, sore discouragements, dark providences, and often the hidings of a Father's countenance, and yet, "the children of God" now, and soon to be glorified hereafter.

My reader, in closing, suffer me to enquirehave you the witness of the Spirit? Has he convinced you of sin by the law? Has he made you acquainted with your guilt and pollution? Is it written upon your conscience as solemnly and as undoubtedly as it is written in the Bible, that you are guilty and condemned, lost and undone, and must finally and awfully perish without Christ? Have you sought a secret place for humiliation, and confession, and supplication before God, the Eternal and holy God, the Sovereign of all worlds, the Judge of the quick and the dead, at whose tribunal you soon must stand? Ah! solemn, searching questions. You may evade them,-you may frame some vain excuse, you may wait for a more 'convenient season,'-you may even seek to stifle the seriousness and the thoughtfulness which these interrogatories have occasioned, by another and a deeper plunge into the world, but, they will follow you there, and will be heard amid the din of business, and the loud laugh of pleasure,—and they will follow you to your dying bed, and they will be heard there, amid the gloom and the silence

and the terror of that hour,-and they will follow you up to the judgement-seat, and will be heard there, amid the gatherings, and the tremendous disclosures of that scene,-and, they will follow you down to the abode of the lost, and will be heard there, amid the 'weeping, and the wailing, and the gnashing of teeth.' Sinner! from an enlightened, but guilty and accusing conscience, you can never escape. It will be the worm that never dies!' -from the wrath of God, once lost, you can find no shelter-it will be the fire that never shall be quenched.' Again, we earnestly enquire,-Have you the witness of the Spirit? Has he testified to you of Jesus,-of his renewing grace, pardoning love, sin-cleansing blood, justifying righteousness, full redemption? Have you joy and peace in believing?

may

To the child of God, we would say, covet earnestly the witness of the Spirit. Be not cast down, nor cherish rash and hasty conclusions as to your adoption, if you possess it not so fully and clearly as others. The holiest believer walk for many days without the Sun. Read the record of the experiences of David and of Job and of Jeremiah, and the last moments of our dear and adorable Immanuel, and mark, what shadows at times fell upon their souls, how sensible comforts failed them, how joys fled, and they mourned an absent

God. But, were they the less dear to the heart of Jehovah,-were they the less his beloved children because thus tried? No! God forbid! Still, we plead for the full enjoyment of the witness of the Spirit. It is the high privilege of the children of God-let no one rob them of it-to-look up to God and humbly, yet unceasingly cry, “Abba, Father!"