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God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." As, over all, God blessed for ever." As, "God manifest in the flesh." As stooping to the nature of man, becoming "bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh." As offering himself up, the "Propitiation for our sins." As dying, "the Just for the unjust." His righteousness is glorious, as “justifying from all things"-his blood is precious, as "cleansing from all sin"-His fulness of grace is valued as "supplying all need." Oh, how surpassingly glorious, inimitably lovely, and unutterably precious is Jesus to a renewed soul.

Truly he is a new Saviour. "Other lords," he has renounced; "refuges of lies," he has turned his back upon; "false Christs," he no longer follows. He has found another and a better Saviour Jesus, the Mighty God, the Redeemer of sinners: the "end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." All is new to his recovered sight: a new world of glory has floated before his mind. Jesus, the Lamb, is the light and glory thereof. Never did he suppose there was such beauty in his person, such love in his heart, such perfection in his work, such power, and such willingness to save. That blood that was trampled under foot is now so precious. That righteousness that was scorned, is now so glorious. That name that was reviled, is now as

music to the soul, yea, a name that is above

every name."

Jesus is his only Saviour. Not an allowed confidence has he out of Christ. The covenant of

"dead works" he has renounced. The Spirit having brought him out of and away from it, has led him into the covenant of grace, the substance and stability and glory of which, is Jesus. On the broad basis of Immanuel's finished, atoning, work, he rests his whole soul. And the more he presses the foundation, and the more he leans upon the " corner-stone," the stronger and the more able to sustain him, does he find it. True, a self-righteous principle he feels closely adhering to him all his journey through the wilderness. When he prays, it is there; when he speaks, it is there; when he labours, it is there; when he reflects, it is there: he detects it where suspicion of its existence would be most at rest. the sober moments of his judgement, when prostrate beneath the cross, and looking up to God through Jesus, this principle is searched out, abhorred, confessed, and mourned over: and, with the eye of faith upon a suffering Saviour, the language of his expanding heart is,

"Other refuge have I none,

Hangs my helpless soul on Thee."

But, in

Third,-New and enlarged views of the Holy Spirit, mark a regenerate mind. Having received the Holy Ghost as a Quickener, he feels the need of him now, as a Teacher, a Sanctifier, a Comforter, and a Sealer. As a Teacher, discovering to him more of the hidden evil of the heart, more knowledge of God, of his word, and of his Son. As a Sanctifier, carrying forward the work of grace in the soul, impressing more deeply on the heart the divine image, and bringing every thought and feeling and word into sweet, holy, and filial obedience to the law of Jesus. As a Comforter, leading him, in the hour of his deep trial, to Christ; comforting, by unfolding the sympathy and tenderness of Jesus, and the exceeding preciousness and peculiar fitness of the many promises with which the Word of truth abounds for the consolation of the Lord's afflicted. As a Sealer, impressing upon his heart the sense of pardon, acceptance, and adoption; and entering himself as the "earnest of the inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession." O, what exalted views does he now have of the blessed and eternal Spirit-of his personal glory, his work, his offices, his influences, his love, tenderness, and faithfulness. The ear is open to the softest whisper of his voice; the heart expands to the gentlest impression of his sealing, sanctifying

influence. Remembering that he is "a temple of the Holy Ghost," he desires so to walk-lowlily, softly, watchfully, and prayerfully. Avoiding everything that would "grieve the Spirit," resigning every known sin that would dishonour and cause him to withdraw; the one single aim of his life is, to walk so as to please God, that "God in all things may be glorified."

His

Fourth,-A new spring of action is a distinguished feature of the renewed man, which must not be overlooked. Every unconverted man has his rule of action; or, in other words, some great governing principle, which is his rule and standard in all that he does. The controlling principle of an unrenewed mind, is self. rule is, to adopt such a course, and to do such things as either gratify or elevate himself. Beyond this narrow circle, he never moves. Other and more spiritual motives he is a stranger to. But, quickened by the Spirit, "born of God," "created anew in Christ Jesus," the will of God is now his rule of action, the glory of God his aim, and the love of Christ his constraining motive.

"The expulsive power of a new affection," has found a home and a dwelling-place in his heart; and when his own will comes into competition with God's will, under the holy sway of this new affection"-the love of Christ,-self is

renounced, yea swallowed up in God, and God in Christ is all in all.

Fifth,—It would be an imperfect enumeration of some of the strong features of the new creature, did we omit to notice the growing nature and tendency of the vital principle of grace thus implanted in the heart of the regenerate. Nothing more strikingly and truly proves the reality, we would say the divinity, of the work within, than the growing energy and holy tendency that ever accompanies it. It is the property of that that hath life in itself, to increase: to multiply itself. The seed cast into the earth, will germinate. Presently will appear the tender sprout, this will advance to the young sapling, and this in time to the gigantic tree, with its overshadowing branches, and richly laden with fruit. Obeying the law of its nature, it aspires to that perfection which be

Nothing can prevent

longs to it. It must grow. it, but such a wound as will injure the vital principle, or by cutting it down entirely. The life of God in the soul of man, contains the principle of growth. He that is not advancing; adding grace to grace, strength to strength; fruitful in every good word and work; increasing in the knowledge of God, of his own heart, of the preciousness, and fulness, and all-sufficiency of Jesus; and in divine conformity, "growing up into Christ in all

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