greatest importance to consider into whose fostering care they are delivered, immediately after their conversion. How many there are who sicken and languish all their days by the consequences of the perverted guidance that has fallen to their lot. Also, amongst the saints of the Lord, there are to be found cripples through education. by a thousand high-minded thoughts and hopes. spiritual children of the present time. It is of the Elijah's legacy to him will serve to remind us of the inheritance which is bequeathed to all of us who are disciples of Christ; and, behold! there is still more left than Elisha's inheritance! The mantle that is left us is the robe of the Heavenly Solomon; the holiness and beauty of "the Priest after the order of Melchisedec;" fallen upon us, as it were, from the clouds; for "the clouds," says the proThere exists amongst us a sect of Christians phet, "shall rain righteousness;" no finite body-who, because they do not, nor will not, receive the garment, but a winged raiment, a moving festal doctrine of sin and atonement in the apostolic robe! Yea, this garment is all that we in every sense, have no share in the blessed privilege of situation of life could wish it to be; it is an armour serving the Lord, as instruments in gathering in battle, a priest's robe on entering into the holy together his sheep. No icy heart is melted by of holies, a cooling scarf in the sun's heat, a pano- their teaching; no resurrection of dead-bones is ply of steel when the arrows of death fly abroad, produced by their preaching; nevertheless, this a mantle of honour at the day of judgment, and community is animated by the most jealous zeal the wedding garment at the marriage festival. to extend and increase itself. But in what other The God whom we call ours is a Lord who car-way can it do so than by the method of that odd ries the lambs in his bosom; who only seems to live that He may live for them; who considers the archangels and the seraphs before his throne not too exalted to assign them as our attendants and body guard, and who combines his own glory and our happiness in one and the selfsame love. The Spirit of which we are made partakers, though it does not divide the waves of the sea, yet does it quiet the unruly conscience; and, even if it does not unveil the future to our view, yet bears testimony with our spirit that we are the children of God. If it does not teach us to call down fire from heaven, it yet instructs us to exclaim, "Abba, Father!" and, though it does not make us workers of miracles, it yet makes us temples of the living God. And the office that is committed to our charge, how far does it outshine in splendour even the office of Elisha; for our office is that which preaches reconciliation, and calls out to sinners, "Ye are made whole in Him!" to transgressors, "therefore there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus!" to the bruised reeds, "the Lord will not break you." We are messengers not merely of Christ, but in Christ's stead; we are sent by him, even as he was sent by the Father. We act in the name of the Son of God, and carry in our hands, not only the standard, but also, according to John, the keys of the kingdom of heaven. and curious bird whose practice it is, through not building her nest herself, to deposit her eggs in that of another. The awakening and conversion it leaves to others. It commences its work, not among the withered bones, but only where the stream of new life already flows; wanting the exculpatory character, as expressed by St. Paul.* Its activity must be confined to imitation only; it can produce nothing original. But fly from the influence of a sect under whose poisonous treatment many a young and hopeful tree has been so miserably dwarfed and mutilated. There is, who can deny it, much of spiritual crippling still to be found in our vineyard; the taste for spiritual things is in many crippled, more especially, the faculty of apprehension and conception. A religious anecdote may be to them acceptable; but, to the comprehension of the grand, universal history of facts, presented in the pages of the divine chronicles, the reasoning powers of their mind are wholly unequal. A sermon upon some subject of the usual and every-day experience of Christianity may, perchance, receive a share of their interest; but such a sermon then serves, as it were, to mark the point of their spiritual sympathy, which it is in vain to claim for new elucidations upon the grand tenets of the Gospel, or the important and mysterious passages contained in the sacred Scriptures. In others, again, disease has spread through the whole spiritual life, once so young and fresh, so creatively active. It no longer flows on in a free and fructifying stream, through the various scenes and relations of this transitory existence; but, restrained and confined within the firmly-walled banks of certain forms of expression and conduct, it resembles more the sluggish noisome, off-lying ditch, which, by the monotonous clacking alone of the mills and hammers, by which its waters are set in motion, gives sign of its existence, rather than by an unfettered stream that, like a young charger, bursts forth WE are aware how much depends upon what kind from its native rocks, submitting to no restraint. of hands a new-born infant is placed into; the Another class, but where shall we end, if we young, pliant limbs easily yield to any treatment, attempt to enumerate separately all the spiritual and as, in general, only a gentle pressure is suffi- deformity, distortion, infirmity, and disease, that cient to restore the proper form in the ill-propor-exist among our believers! I will, therefore, protions of the delicate little creature; so, in an equal ceed to claim your attention to a few words upon degree, nothing more is required to distort, in the the subject of the genuine form and character of a same, what may be well-shaped and pleasing. This true Christian, and what alone merits to be denois, in most instances, equally the case with the minated a vigorous and healthy inward life. * Chap. xx. 23. Behold, my brethren in the Lord, thus are we provided for in the blood-sprinkled will of Him who hung upon the cross. What a glorious legacy is that! What an indescribably precious bequest! Let us be glad and rejoice in this divine treasure, and exult with one accord in David's song of triumph, "the lines are fallen to us in pleasant places, yea, that we have a goodly heritage." Amen. THE GROWTH OF SAINTS. * 2 Cor. x. 15. 2 KINGS, II. 16-18. "And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master; lest peradventure the Spirit of the Lord hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley." And he said, Ye shall not send.' And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, 'Send.' They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not. And when they came again to him (for he tarried at Jericho), he said unto them, 'Did I not say unto you, Go not?'" Our history of to-day does not appear either so full of interest or so fruitful as our previous narratives. Besides, it has many obscurities, the elucidation of which is, at least, difficult. Nevertheless, do we hope to form a green hedge with the staves of this apparently withered paling. We shall consider, firstly, the historical fact itself, and then take occasion to say a few words upon its application to the growth in grace. I. With the vision of the opened heavens deeply engraven upon his soul, Elisha had arrived from the wilderness on the other side of the Jordan. In spirit, carried up into heaven, his countenance beaming with the divine glory he had beheld, his heart overcome with adoring admiration of God's love unveiled to him in the elevation of his master, he appeared, amongst the sons of the prophets, as if sent to them from on high. As the herald of the benevolence of Jehovah, to an extent that Elijah never had experienced, and endowed too with a double portion of the Spirit which had rested upon him, Elisha might, and ought, to have been considered by the disciples in a superior light than his predecessor; but this does not appear to have been so immediately understood by the mourning sons of the prophets, however sincere might have been the reverence and love with which they submitted themselves to him as their new teacher. They did not consider the place of their departed master was so completely supplied by Elisha; and how much less could they have been persuaded that in the husbandman from Abel-meholah, an Elijah, even of the higher order, was presented to them by the Lord! That such was the case is certainly known now to us; but we should betray a very slight knowledge of the human heart if it appeared remarkable to us that the sons of the prophets were not capable immediately of convincing themselves of the fact. The splendid and dazzling appearance of an Elijah presented to the susceptible mind a far richer field for effect than the plainness of an unassuming and brotherly Elisha. The Nazarene gravity of the Tishbite was more in accordance with the natural conception of human greatness than the condescending affability of his humble successor. The truly royal and imposing dignity, repelling rather than exciting confidence, which was expressed in the whole appearance of the man with the lofty figure, and voice of thunder, must, at the first glance, at least, have had a more powerful influence on natural feeling than the affectionate manner and condescension, shown even to the very lowest in degree, of the son of Shaphat; and who, moreover, by the probable diminutiveness of his stature, and baldness of his head, presented, in a very inferior degree, that dignity and majesty which a herald and champion of Jehovah might be supposed to possess. Elijah appeared more as an example of the glory of man through divine endowment: the appearance of Elisha, on the contrary, was, apparently, more to the praise of the greatness of God's grace in human weakness. The operations of the Tishbite were more stirring, aiming at outward effect; such as the destruction of the altars of Baal, and loud, open confession of the name of Jehovah. Elisha's field of action was pre-eminently the retired sphere of the mind, and from a conviction of His love, a calm, entire resignation of the inward man to Jehovah was the great object which, above all, he was called upon to enforce. Well considering these circumstances, how can we wonder that the sons of the prophets did not immediately know how to appreciate duly the valuable substitute presented to them by God for their departed father, in the person of the affectionate evangelical Elisha. From exactly similar causes, it was once so difficult for the disciples of our Lord to perceive that Jesus was greater than the man clothed with camel's hair and a leather girdle, in the wilderness. The secluded and fasting John seemed to them to carry with him more the impression of an ambassador and interpreter from heaven than the condescending and gentle friend of sinners. And why? Because the grave and serious Baptist had something about him which struck upon the eye with commanding reverence. In the unusualness of his secluded life was something attractive to the imagination, and would commend itself to such whose minds were not as yet quite purified from a legal disposition to establish their own righteousness, as the most welcome and suitable form of piety for their necessities. 66 How much the hearts of the sons of the prophets hung upon their departed master appears evident already from the urgent request they made to their new teacher, immediately after their arrival at Jericho. Behold," said they to him, with animation, and perhaps not without tears, "there be thy servants, fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master; lest, peradventure, the Spirit of the Lord hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley!" There is in these words something ambiguous. What did these dear friends require? To seek really their master? Assuredly. But, then, did they not know, by a divine communication, that he would that day be taken from amongst them? Certainly they knew it; but the way and manner in which he would be taken away was not manifested to them—that appears now clearly evident. We must therefore conclude that they supposed either that God had preliminarily removed Elijah to some sequestered place, for the purpose taking him up to himself, or that they believed he was already received into Paradise, in some extraordinary manner, only, however, as it regarded his soul; but his earthly remains might still, therefore, be discovered in the wilderness. Probably, the death of Moses came before their mind, who, in the same region, on mount Pisgah, was taken away, in a mysterious, remarkable, and blissful manner, whose body, however, remained on earth, and was deposited in a valley by the Lord himself. Perhaps, they imagined, such might also have been the fate of the Tishbite, and they conjectured that what the fifty should seek was alone the dear corpse, which they supposed the Spirit of the Lord had conveyed to some quiet and solitary spot. Yet, whatever might be their thoughts, their in then tention, at any rate, manifested that ardent affection which, whilst standing round, as it were, the very coffin containing the dear remains of the object of our mourning, leads us to cling to the possibility that life may still return; but, hoping which in vain, we struggle to the last to retain the beloved shadow. It appears also perfectly clear, from the affecting and beseeching manner of their request, that they considered the loss of their master as irreparable, and, with all the reverence that they cherished for his successor, they, for the present, were far from believing that the great breach could be filled up by him. Easy would it have been for Elisha, from whom the thoughts of the children of the prophets could not be concealed, to have taught them differently. He might have said to them, "I come to you with messages and information such as you have never heard from the lips of Elijah. I have things to relate to you concerning the love of God to the children of men which never yet were told in the wide world, and which shall excite in you the most blissful wonder and admiration. I bear for you, in my bosom, mysteries which will disclose to you quite a new fountain of happiness, and would open to you views into the word of the Lord, into the kingdom of the invisible world, and into the heart of Jehovah, as profound and transporting as scarcely could ever have been granted to one of your fathers." But how far was Elisha from taking a single step towards ensuring for himself such high estimation! How infinitely high did he stand elevated above such little susceptibilities, which, commonly, the slightest appearance of neglect or disregard affects like the sting of a scorpion! It was only with the sincerest pleasure that he noticed the real affection and reverence with which the sons of the prophets clung to their departed father; and was not vain enough to wish to behold himself acknowledged, to sacrifice the wisdom that directed him still to remain silent with regard to what he had witnessed and experienced in the wilderness, and to wait for a more convenient period for his unheard of and heart-cheering communications. The reasons for which Elisha withheld from the children of the prophets the account of the miraculous ascension of Elijah do not admit of a full explanation; certain it is, however, that, in so doing, he was actuated by those of the most wise and important nature. A prudent steward is not only studious to distribute the property confided to his charge fairly and as perfectly as he has received it, but he considers, also, the capacities and wants of those to whom it is allotted, and deals out all in proper time and place with benefit and advantage. And thus might Elisha, also, have well considered that the mysteries which he carried within his breast for those friends would not only be far more comprehensive, but, also, have a much deeper and more salutary effect upon them when first the subject had been opened by the necessary preliminary reflections. Perhaps he meant, also, to point out first to the disciples generally the true and wonderful relation in which Jehovah stands towards his children, and then, in some solemn hour of consecration, to raise the veil from before the miracle of the ascension, and to impress it upon their minds as a confirmatory seal to his gospel. Enough; Elisha felt that for the communication of that most sublime and glorious event which he had to make to the disciples the right hour had not yet arrived, and, therefore, he reserved it for a more proper occasion, and was silent. Accordingly, although they importuned him for his consent to send out the fifty brethren in search of their departed master, yet all this did not move him to break his silence. At length, however, the narrative relates, he became ashamed of their urgency; so that he felt embarrassed, and knew not at last what to say to them. But he chose rather to yield to their unwise and foolish purpose, and let them go, than to disclose, before the right time, the glorious secret. In no case could it injure them, to convince themselves that neither their master himself, nor his mortal remains, were still to be found on earth. The information of his corporeal ascension would, by this means, become only the more credible to them. Thus, doubtless, thought Elisha, when at length, finding they obstinately refused to give ear to his advice, "Do not send!" he yielded to their pressing request, and told them to send. The fifty brethren then set out on their search, and remained three days seeking through the solitary woody country. But delusion only followed delusion; the whole journey proved to be but one continued chain of disappointed hopes and expectation, ending in needless trouble and fruitless toil. On the evening of the third day they returned to Jericho, dejected, faint, and weary; and the only advantage they gained by their trying and wearisome expedition through the wilderness was the apparently mild, but, nevertheless, deeply shaming reproof of their master, "Did I not say unto you, Go not?" It sometimes becomes quite unavoidable to yield and give consent to the wishes of beloved, but foolishly self-willed, children, in order that they may experience the effects of their folly, and become wise even by suffering. And thus it is in religious matters also. If, for instance, some will by no means believe our word, that the righteousness which justifies before God is to them at hand, namely, in Christ Jesus; and they persist, instead of embracing it here, to seek it in their hearts, or in the futurity of their days, and thus rely on it as the fruit of their own works; what then is left for us, at last, but to say with Elisha, "Well then, go to your own broken cisterns." They may then, for a while, harass themselves with a law which only produces wrath; they may then learn, by their own perception and experience, that they have entered upon a path surrounded with perilous dangers, bankruptcy, and destruction, where no life appears, no progress in reward for them. remains then quite certain that to-day or to-morrow they will again return to us, with trembling knees and accusing conscience, to be welcomed with the abashing question, "Did we not say unto you, Go not?" But by no means is the moral defeat they have suffered a misfortune for them, for thus Christ will become precious to them, and the Gospel, as it means, truly glad tidings. It II. It is manifest, my beloved, that Elisha did not yet, as our narrative of this day informs us, consider the sons of the prophets sufficiently prepared or ready to receive the glorious message he had to deliver to them. It is quite evident that, although they were the children of God, and already partakers of the benefits of divine grace, they yet appeared to their master, nevertheless, not : only as still capable, but also as still in want of whom he believed, and would exultingly exclaim, farther spiritual education and improvement. I "Who shall separate me from the love of Christ?" shall now take occasion, from this circumstance, to They are sent forth by the saint in whom Christ introduce a few words on a subject with which, as had gained a form as in no second after him, and it appears, but a small number of Christians con- who transgressed neither the limits of truth nor nect appropriate ideas, and which, for hat very modesty when he exclaimed, "Brethren, be folreason, might have been awaiting that elucidation lowers together of me, and mark them which walk which ought long since to have been given to it. so as ye have us for an example." The man The subject I allude to is "the growth of the chil-who, as one of the brightest stars of the heaven of dren of God," of which the Scriptures speak so the Church of Christ, freely and openly confesses frequently,—the progress of regeneration in the in- that he also had not yet attained, saying, “No, ward man. My object and desire is, to explain, in I am not already perfect," and afterwards repeating, a few words, what is meant to be conveyed thereby, with increased emphasis, "Brethren, I count not according to the Scriptures; and to show you what myself to have apprehended." Whilst ye start, my a healthy, evangelical life of faith is, and how it beloved, with wonder and amazement, be not misshows and manifests itself. I know of no passage taken. Paul speaks not here of what he is in point of Scripture in which the form of such a life is of justification before God; when treating of that, more clearly portrayed and accurately described he makes use of language assuredly different. He than the words of the great apostle: "Not as then can say, "Being justified by faith, we have though I had already attained, either were already peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. perfect but I follow after, if that I may apprehend It is God that justifieth: who is he that conthat for which also I am apprehended of Christ demneth? Christ by his one offering hath perJesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have ap- fected for ever them that are sanctified." The prehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting apostle is speaking, in the passages quoted, of the those things which are behind, and reaching forth state of his heart. He speaks of his inward conunto those things which are before, I press toward dition towards the Lord of his life of faith, and the mark for the prize of the high calling of God only with regard to this he confesses at once that in Christ Jesus." Yes, my beloved, here you may he has not yet attained; that he is not already perbehold what it means to be fresh and healthy in the fect; or, as the words literally mean, he does not inward man. He who thus feels exclaims, first of yet find he has attained the mark. all, with Paul, "Not as though I had already at- And what other meaning can we give to his tained; secondly, he follows, with Paul, after the words? Are we to suppose that the author of the same mark; thirdly, he is, as the other, appre- letters to the Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews, hended of Christ; and, lastly, he presses, like the would speak of one who had not yet arrived at the apostle, toward the prize held before him. These mark, when the subject is, what he is before God are the real and essential characteristics of a Chris- in Christ? In his Surety and Representative he tian life of faith, untroubled in spirit and full of was perfect. This he well knew, and this knowstrength. Let us observe them a little more closely. ledge was the comfort of his life, and the only and Wherever there is life, my friends, real spiritual proper source of his joy, his heroic courage, and life, there is also growth, development, and improve- his tranquillity. How many there are, my brethren, ment. A plant which does not shoot or thrive is even amongst our Christians, who, in the view they dead or sickly; as well as the tree, which, having take of their own life of faith, suppose they have reached its full height, remains not as it is; for, al-" already attained.” But it is this supposition though it rise not higher, because its altitude and which proves to be an unequivocal symptom of extent are accomplished, yet it continually renews spiritual disease, inward mortification. In the first and varies its outward form. With each successive place, to speak of evangelical knowledge, how many spring, it displays itself to us in the fresh beauty of do I know among you who, for instance, are well its new foliage, and with re-awakened delight our acquainted with the truths of our catechism; to eyes rest upon the growing verdure of its re-de- whom also the most important proofs in argument veloped existence. And as thus it is in the kingdom thereupon, are quite familiar; and who, besides, of nature, so is it also in the kingdom of grace, in carry in their heart a little volume of various the divine garden of God's plantation. "Be ye, refreshing promises of Scripture, pious psalms and therefore, renewed in the spirit of your minds," is hymns, together with a rich store of proverbs and urged upon us by the Scriptures. Here is no un- other divine emanations. Thus supplied and gifted, developed and stagnated existence; that is to be we often meet such persons, and gratified are we found alone within the region of disease and death. to converse with them, and wish them a prosperous "Not as though I had already attained, either were voyage with their rich cargo. But, after the lapse already perfect." Hearken, my brethren, to these of a year, we meet them again, and find them just words! Whence do they come? From whose the same. Two years more pass away, and we come mouth do they proceed? One would imagine they into contact with them again, and still no change were the words of but a beginner in Christianity; is to be observed in them; until, at length, when or perhaps even one who had not, as yet, entered we see them, we are reminded of the tree procured the strait gate. But not such an one, my beloved, from a toy shop, instead of a living production of pronounced these words. They are the words of nature; for there are no new branches to be seen, one who had arrived at a height of spiritual growth nor any fresh foliage to be observed. We only hear such as probably not any of us has attained. They the same way of speaking, the same views and are spoken by the same apostle who said, also, judgment upon all points; still the same limited "I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." sphere of spiritual conception and forms of expresThey are uttered by the champion who knew in sion. No expansion of the inward horizon, not + Phil. iii. 17. *Phil. iii. 12-14. + Gal. ii. 20. * Rom. viii. 35. Was not one addition to the treasury of spiritual knowledge, assurance of it; and I know that the gifts and the acquaintanceship with the deep meaning of the calling of God are without repentance! Hencewords of Scripture not in the least increased. forth they lead a so-called Christian life; perform Were there discovered, perhaps, new sources of their daily devotions; and imagine they have done consolation in the holy word? Were fresh views every thing, and that they have reached their aim. of the salvation of Christ, perhaps, developed?" And have we not so?" you inquire. Ye may, Had they read new, blessed articles from his pre-perchance, before God in Christ. "But not in our cious testament? Have they perchance been struck life of faith, after we have received the assurance ? with any new light at a new passage presenting you farther ask. I doubt it, my beloved. itself here and there? Were they girding them- Paul fully conscious of his pardon and electio? selves with fresh armour for the holy crusade? Yet he says, "Not as though I had already atHad they found the keys to fresh cabinets of truth, tained!" In a spiritually healthy man, the inward rich in peace, and which, in the region of divine life is engaged in a continued progress of developrevelation, had been hitherto locked upon them? ment, the child of heaven, the new creature, enAh, what did they desire? But let not that be deavours to attain manhood, and strives to strengthen inquired into. Behold, there they remain sta- to full age. Faith in Christ, grown to maturity, tionary, fixed on the very same old spot, and the arrives to an abiding enjoyment of his inheritance, small, contracted circle, within which they moved and to a more free and ready realization of the around years since, has not widened even to spiritual privileges acknowledged unto him. The the extent of a hair's breadth. "But," say you, hold of confidence in the divine promises becomes "what need we know more than we do know?" more firm and secure. The life of the soul in Ah, there it is! You have completed the circle Christ, becomes more and more the fixed abode in of your knowledge, and in this respect, according Him, as in its element. The blessed art of not to your own opinion, are really perfect, and have viewing ourselves in our own condition, but in that already attained. But this is a sign of spiritual of our Mediator, is practised more frequently and disease, and inward crippleness. For, if you were with less constraint. Numerous mean-spirited in soul healthy and prosperous, then would you say conceptions, and lawful intentions and scruples, with Paul, "Not that I have already attained; gradually give way like so many chains from the you would then feel the imperfection of your know-word of grace and favour, and make room for more ledge; you would suspect that thousands of pre- enlarged and liberal ideas and feelings; and we cious things lay still hidden in the Scriptures; you behold the fresh and blooming foliage of his life would examine and investigate the holy writings almost daily renovated and made young again; and with increasing interest; you would continually himself we see rise, in Phoenix-like transformation, find fresh glories, whilst reading the testament of more spiritually free and simple, more joyful and your Mediator; and, when we might see you from more vigorous, from the narrowed sphere of his time to time, we should hear you say, with joyful former state. countenance, "Oh, what treasures I have discovered A spiritually healthy Christian, we will say faranew in my Bible! What a new, precious light ther, points with Paul towards the same mark. upon this or that subject has been given to me!"To which mark?" you ask. The apostle says, What glorious promises, which up to the present" I count all things but loss and dung, that I may moment I did not know of, have I there met with; win Christ, and be found in him; not having my and what new and heart-enrapturing views have I own righteousness, which is of the law, but that gained in the merit of my everlasting High-priest, which is by the faith of Christ, even the righteousin his office of redemption and glorious promises!" ness which is of God by faith." Now you know Behold, my beloved, thus we should meet you, the point of his endeavour. But," you ask, "did encircled as it were with fresh, rich foliage, and he not already possess this righteousness?" Beexclaim, "Yes, our brother grows in knowledge; hold, my brethren, by the astonishment and ignohow much more is he now acquainted with Holy rance you express, you are forced to betray yourScripture; how much deeper has he penetra- selves that you are not in harmony, not in the same ted into the mysteries of the Gospel; and how path with Paul. Learn, then, from him, that the much more clearly does he think of this or that righteousness of faith ought to be, not only in the subject than he thought heretofore." And the commencement of the Christian course of life, but more you thus grow and make progress in the continually, the aim and prize to which, as believers, knowledge of our Saviour, the more precious will we ought to "reach forth." For here it is the the Scriptures become to you, the more vividly point, not merely to possess a dogmatical conwill you feel convinced that you might remain ception of it, but to enjoy it, to appropriate it, here all your life digging in this mine, without ex- and to be invigorated by the belief thereof to active hausting it of even the half of its gold and diamonds; love for Christ; to remain, from one moment to and so much the more decidedly will you exclaim, the other, heartily conscious as one who, notwithwith Paul, "Not that I have already attained;" standing all his weakness, is already sanctified in but also so much the more zealous will you be to Christ, and standing before God perfected and search still farther into the rich treasures of the made meet, sharing with Christ equal love. Gospel, impelled by the hope of attaining yet many do you not know the thousand obstructions which a rich store, and making many a glorious and bar our way to this state of faith? Have you joyful discovery. never become conscious how reluctant our nature Worse than this self-complacency in Christian is to found our dignity and worth upon another's knowledge is that certain stagnation of spiritual merits? Have you never discovered the great tenlife which, alas! is still less seldom to be met dency of our hearts to fall back upon the old with among you. Some say, "My sins were for-track of the covenant of works? Have you re 66 Or, given me; at such and such a time I received the mained unacquainted with the power of so many |