and those who have this faith approve of the Author of it. He approves of them; they of Him. Our fallen nature, flesh and blood, carnal reason and common sense, are notorious enemies to spiritual faith. The former form a great mountain, the latter is like "a grain of mustard seed." This precious seed has for its enemies many a bitter weed. Still the mountain will not crush the mustard seed, but that will overturn the mountain. When this is done, the believer can then say "Victory!"

A person with divine faith in exercise in his heart walks with God, as Enoch; fears Him, as Noah; loves the Lord Jesus Christ, and approaches God by Him, as Abel; is separated from his own kin and country, as Abraham; meditates, as Isaac; wrestles with God in prayer, as Jacob; is friendly towards God's people, as Moses; confesses sin, prays for pardon, and waits upon the Lord, as David. Faith believes what God saith. It works by love to Him that gives it. It will travel a rough road, if it sees it was marked out by God. It is long-sighted, seeing what is "far off" -the promises. It sees what is unseeable to anything else. It approves of righteous acts and Bible facts. It will venture and enter where nothing else can or will.

Tetbury.

ENCOURAGEMENT.

F. F.

EVERY truly regenerated child of God has two distinct hearts; he knows, to his daily, yea, hourly, grief and sorrow, he has a pure heart, and a vile, filthy heart. He has an understanding heart, and a heart as full of vanity and folly as it well can be. He has an honest and good heart, and a heart set to do evil-full of evil—an evil heart of unbelief. It is quite true-yes, and the child of God can bless his God often for His dear promise-that the Lord has said He will take away the heart of stone. But, with Mr. Hart, I would ask the question—

"O when will God our joy complete,

And make an end of sin?

When shall we walk the land and meet
No Canaanite therein ?

"Will this precede the day of death?
Or must we wait till then?

Ye struggling souls, be strong in faith,
And quit yourselves like men.

"Our dear Deliverer's love is such

He cannot long delay;

Meantime that foe can't boast of much
Who makes us watch and pray."

No, my brother; the heart of stone will not be taken away until the
waves of the Jordan of death roll over thy devoted head. But the pre-
sence of the vile heart, as it is set over against the new heart, by its
adverse working, is ever producing in thee a warfare which knows no
cessation. This proves, beyond a question, that the Lord has given thee
a new heart.
I must observe, for the encouragement of some ever-
fearful Little-faith, that, although the great work is done by the Lord in
an instant, yet its effects are often long before they are so clearly mani-
fest as to bring out the contrast distinctly and fully. It is by growth in
grace and in knowledge that the living child of God learns these lessons.

In most cases the work is gradual; more like the gentle opening of the twilight, and then the brightening of the morning, until the clear day enables the observer to see things as they are. But the conflict and the contrast prove the presence of the new heart, "the pure heart." The Gospel Cottage Lecturer.

Dear, struggling Little-faiths, "the Lord comfort your heart by these words."

FAITH IN ITS DEGREES.

(Continued from page 652, last Vol.)

To the Lord's people I would say, be not satisfied with a small degree of faith, but press forward after a full assurance. How many people deceive themselves, and, under the pretence of little faith, have no faith at all! And how many under the colour of weak believers are found infidels in the sight of God! Therefore, wait upon God for an undoubted evidence of His love to you, call upon the Lord Jesus to give His witnessing spirit to bear witness with your spirit that you are a child of God (Rom. viii. 16), then you will be rooted, settled, and established in Christ; then you will be quiet, easy, and comfortable in your soul, and never till then. For this reason it is I have so frequently insisted upon this doctrine, and so earnestly inculcated it in these hymns; because I know when souls experience the truth, life, power, and efficacy of it, they are indeed truly happy; they then fear not death, they fear not the world, they fear not men, they fear not devils-they fear nothing. The love of Jesus shed abroad in their hearts comforts them under all tribulations, carries them through all temptations, and gives them victory over all enemies.

I had thoughts, indeed, of leaving out several of these hymns relating to souls in distress; but, when I considered the exhortation of the Apostle "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep" -I was determined to insert them. Indeed, I have been in great bondage and captivity myself (it is now about five years since the Lord set my soul. at liberty), and, therefore, I can sympathize with those who are in that miserable condition. The hymns of this kind were mostly written from my own experience, and I hope the reader will not mistake the design of them, which is not to bring any faithful souls into distress and trouble who are not in it already, but to condole with those who are in the valley of darkness and affliction, and to encourage them in the belief that God can bring them out of the land of banishment and servitude, by faith in the blood of the Lamb.

or

or

As the Lord Jesus is made unto us of God "wisdom and righteousness," so He is also made our sanctification (1 Cor. i. 30). Christ in Himself is infinitely holy, and admits of no degrees, more less; so that our sanctification, considered as subsisting in Christ, as Christ is made to us of God sanctification, is perfect and instantaneous; so that the moment we believe in Christ, and possess Him by faith for our justification, that moment we possess a perfect and complete sanctification in Him. Yet our Lord saith (John xvii. 19), "For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified." Not only is our Saviour sanctified, but we also must be sanctified; and we are sanctified in Him and by Him; for, if the first-fruit be holy, so also is the

D

whole heap, pupapa, and if the root be holy, so also are the branches (Rom. xi. 16); and if the head is holy, so are all the members.

The Author of our sanctification is God; yea, even the whole sacred Trinity. Therefore, sometimes we find this ascribed to God the Father. Thus (Ezekiel xxxi. 3), "I am the Lord that hath sanctified you; " and Jude (verse 1), Christians are said to be sanctified by God the Father. In other places in Scripture our sanctification is attributed to God the Son; so (Eph. v. 25, 26) "Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word." And again (Heb. ii. 11), "For both He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all one." Now, who are they that are sanctified but God's people? So that here we have personal holiness, or sanctification, in the life and walk, as in John xviii. 19; Thes. first epistle, v. 23; Heb. xiii. 12; Acts xxvi. 18. This is wrought in us by the Holy Ghost. So saith the Apostle (Rom. xv. 16), "That the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost;" and (1 Cor. vi. 11), "Ye are washed, ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." So that you see God the Father, the Lord Jesus, and the Holy Ghost are all concerned in our sanctification.

We may observe further, the blood of Christ is sometimes mentioned as the cause of our sanctification; thus (Heb. xiii. 12): "Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, dià Tov icíov aïμaros-suffered without the gate;" and chap. x. 29, "And hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith He was sanctified.” We are all by nature unholy and unsanctified, but we are sanctified by the blood of Christ. That very blood which Christ shed without the gates of Jerusalem is the ground and foundation of our sanctification. The preposition diù signifies causality, and shows plainly that the blood of Christ is the meritorious cause of our sanctification. It is therefore called precious blood (1 Peter i. 19). "For unto you which believe He is precious" (1 Peter ii. 7). If Christ had not shed His blood for us, we must have continued unholy and unsanctified for ever. But now when we see ourselves unsanctified and look to the blood of Christ, by faith it is applied to our own heart's joy. "The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin." Herein and hereby we are sanctified. We see in Christ all the sanctification we want, and by the gift of God through faith we possess it, and it is appropriated to us and made ours; and so we stand perfectly holy and perfectly sanctified before the face of our heavenly Father.

Every believer in Christ is sanctified; therefore the Apostle styles the Christians at Corinth, "them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus" (1 Cor. i. 2). In Christ dwells all fulness, and all our sanctification is in Him, and from Him. Hence our Lord calls himself the Fountain of living waters (Jer. ii. 13; xvii. 13). Christ is a Fountain of grace and holiness; and, as water from a fountain supplies or fills all the streams, so holiness or sanctification flows from Christ, and fills the hearts of all His people. The means whereby we see our sanctification is faith; therefore are the disciples of Jesus said to be sanctified by faith that is in Him (Acts xxvi 18). Faith is the eye of the soul whereby she looks to Christ. And, as the eye receives light into it by looking at the sun, so does the soul receive holiness or sanctification by looking to Jesus Christ by faith. And, as the sun of this world is always equally bright in himself, so is Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, always equally glorious in Himself. But souls

have greater or less degrees of peace according as they look near to or further from Christ.

curse

As children grow up to manhood, so do the children of God grow up till they become perfect men, till they arrive at the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ (Eph. iv. 13), or Gospel liberty and knowledge of this union with Christ. We are not to live upon the sanctification that is wrought in us, but upon the sanctification that is in Christ; otherwise we shall live upon the streams instead of the Fountain. True religion is not a burden, but a privilege. There is no curse to them that are in Christ Jesus, for Christ was made a curse for them (Gal. iii. 13). "There is, therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus (Rom. viii. 1). "And there shall be no more " in their experience when liberty is proclaimed (Rev. xxii. 3). Therefore happy are the people that are in such a case; yea, blessed are they who have the Lord Jesus for their God. They are truly happy who live by the faith of the Son of God. Blessed are they who see Christ their All in all, and who see nothing at all, yea, and desire to see nothing at all, but Christ only. While the eye of the soul is steadily fixed on Christ, in the full assurance of faith, that soul is happy, so happy that it cannot be happier, unless in the full fruition of Christ in glory. But the moment we take our eye off from Christ, and look after something else beside the Lord Christ, that moment our souls get unsettled, confused, darkened, and distressed. We then become uneasy and miserable; nor can we find any comfort or satisfaction till we return to our rest, that is to Christ, and get another discovery of His grace. This is agreeable to the experience of the Psalmist, who, after he had wandered from God, and was thoroughly restless and unhappy, says unto his soul, "Return unto thy rest, O my soul" (Psal. cxvi. 7). And the Lord Jesus, the Good Shepherd of the sheep, calls and invites and exhorts in the most loving and affectionate manner His stray sheep to return to Him again. Observe how He repeats the invitation, "Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return" (Cant. vi. 13); and (Jer. iii. 14, 22) "Return, ye backsliding children, for I am married unto you, and I will heal your backslidings.' Oh that all who have left their first love, and have forsaken Christ and turned aside unto some idol, would reply with the faithful souls in the text, "Behold we come unto Thee, for Thou art the Lord our God." God loves His children freely; therefore, He heals their backslidings. When your soul is healed, and your spiritual strength restored, sin no more, lest a worse evil come upon thee; never turn thy eye from Christ, but look to Him continually as the Author and Finisher of thy faith; look upon him as the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end of thy salvation (Heb. xii. 1; Rev. i. 8, 11). And look at nothing else, either within thee or without thee, but Christ; for in Him thou art complete (Col. i. 28), in Him thou art perfect, in Him thou art washed, in Him thou art sanctified, in Him thou art justified (1 Cor. vi. 11). He is made of God unto us, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Cor. i. 30). In Him we are perfect and entire, wanting nothing (James i. 4). And this is properly Christian perfection; and this perfection is not in us, but it subsists in Christ, and is ours only by virtue of our union with Christ. Every Christian, truly so called, is one with Christ (1 Cor. vi. 17); and therefore purifieth himself, even as He is pure, and his desire is to walk so as to please God.

BRIEF NOTES ON THREE TEXTS.

BY THE REV. R. CORNALL, PH.D., M.A., VICAR OF EMMANUEL CHURCH, BRISTOL. (PSA. LXII. 1.)

"Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from Him cometh my salvation." THIS Psalm is full of encouragement to God's people, and of discouragement to His enemies. This verse sets forth the expectation and salvation of David.

I. His expectation: "Truly my soul waiteth upon God." The cause of this expectation is stated at v. 5: "My expectation is from Him." Thus we receive from Him and then look to Him. As fire ascending seeks the sun, so grace dropt into the heart lifts the heart in loving expectation to God. Moreover, the word "waiteth" implies submission to God's will. Such is the meaning of the Hebrew is dumb, is silent: the gracious soul acquiesces, submits, waits. The Lord's will is best let that will be done.

The life of the believer is one of waiting. He waits in the use of appointed means. He waits until the Lord answers. He waits for his final change. He waits for Christ from heaven. He waits with a confidence not to be disappointed. How many wait for the death of rich relatives in the hope of being made rich themselves, but are often disappointed. No disappointment, however, in God! The believer's expectations shall be completely realized.

ÎI. His salvation: "From Him cometh my salvation: may be understood

1. Of temporal deliverance, as Exodus xiv. 13.

2. Of spiritual and eternal salvation.

All our salvation is of the Lord, its conception, execution, proclamation, application, and final consummation. Or the word salvation here may be understood concretely of Jesus Himself, for according to the Hebrew the verse might thus be rendered: "Truly my soul is silent upon God: from Him is MY JESUS."

(EPH. iii. 19.)

"That ye might be filled with all the fulness of God."

Human nature is so depraved that in it there dwelleth no good thing. But while the heart of the natural man contains no real good, it is yet full of evil (Matt. xv. 19; Rom. 1. 29). Hence the heart of man may be compared to

1. Bethlehem's inn, so full as to leave no room for Christ.

2. The temple made a den of thieves.

But however filled with evil, nothing but God and His salvation can truly satisfy. The prodigal son could not be satisfied, and especially after coming to himself, when he wonld fain have filled his belly with the husks of the swine. Yet there must be an emptying before we can be filled with all the fulness of God. Therefore when Christ apprehends a sinner, Satan and his forces, as so many thieves, are driven out of the soul. Then he fills the soul with light (Matt. vi. 22), with love (Rom. v. 5), joy and peace (John xv. 11; Rom. xv. 13), the Holy Spirit (Eph. v. 18). Examples: Peter, Stephen, &c. Filled :

1. As a vessel with liquid.

2. As a hungry man with food (Luke i. 53).

3. As the temple of Solomon with glory.