an attendant conviction of the marvellous act by which this blessing has been realized; the glory of which will be ascribed to God alone. Hence an experimental understanding of election will follow, and it will be felt and confessed, that these are mercies which can only be proved through God's good pleasure, who purposed in Himself the wonderful plan of life, and without any consideration of merit in the favoured soul, dispenses his loving-kindness. There is to such an one an unspeakable excellency in the testimony, that according to his own purpose and grace he saved us; and bringing this testimony to individual experience, there will be no room left for any thing but glorying in the Lord, and ascribing it to his sovereignty that the soul has life in Christ. Eph. i. 4--6.

In the same disposition, the doctrine of redemption will be understood, not only in its freeness respecting the provision of the redemption price, but in respect of the individual application of the blessing, now the subject of grateful joy to the soul. He closely connects this privilege with that of electing love, knows that he could not have been chosen consistently with God's glory, but in Christ the Beloved, and lifts up his grateful expression of praise, saying, "Who loved me, and gave himself for me." The propitiation is contemplated with its value before God, and its availableness in behalf of his own guilty soul; and with a tenderness combined with transport

he can exclaim, "I know that my Redeemer liveth.":

The consciousness of having holy affections now operating in his heart, leads out his spirit into enlarged views of the blessedness of an applied salvation he looks upon the effects of redeeming love as thus exhibited with a holy joy in the omnipotence by which such fruits in such a heart have been produced; and he blesses the eternal Spirit, believing also that since He is the Author of this inward life he will also be the Finisher. He unites his view of sanctification with perseverance, and is assured of the faithfulness of that Lord who has begun the good work in him. Thus he rests in the pure doctrines of an everlasting covenant, and is able to rejoice in believing that his own name is graven upon the hands of the Lord, that he bears it likewise on his shoulder— and so will minister to him in all things that are good, by his own covenant government. The sacred scriptures assure him that such are the privileges of those who are one with Christ. And now that he lays claim to this inheritance, he must believe that all things are his. 1 Cor. iii. 21-23. The spiritual delights of faith are not limited to expectations respecting present pilgrimage. This heavenly grace penetrates the clouds, and rises into the invisible world, realizing an inheritance beyond all the transitory things of time, and in which all the weariness of probation will be closed for ever. Along with the

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assurance of union with Christ, is assurance of heirship with him. And those wonderful possessions which he has hitherto contemplated abstractedly, as interesting in themselves and for those who might claim them, he now believes to be his own, so that he can testify, "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown which God the righteous Judge will give me in that day.” 2 Tim. iv. 8. This sure expectation is founded upon an experimental acquaintance with the grace of justification; he is united with Christ, he therefore has put on Christ, and is arrayed in his righteousness as a meritorious plea for the kingdom; and according to the covenant promise contained in Rev. ii. 17, he feeds on the hidden manna, and has “the white stone !”

These are accompaniments of the blessing of conscious union with Christ: they powerfully nurture the soul in peace, and are instrumental in keeping it consistent in its character. The believer who in this disposition apprehends his acceptance in the Lord, has motives of the most constraining and persuasive kind towards visible devotion, and habitual correspondence of spirit with his high relationship.

If such be the blessed portion of those who are espoused to the Lord, should we not be increasingly stimulated to seek the conscious possession for ourselves, repeating the fervent supplication of love and desire, saying, “Draw me!" Cant. i. 4. Should we not long to expe

rience the constraining force of divine grace thus operative in the heart, and ask for that omnipotent effect of redeeming love which brings the soul into this high fellowship? No doubt if we have spiritual affections or discernment such will be our ardent desire. Not to have it is an affecting demonstration that there is some serious evil unmortified in the heart. It is evident that the children of God are universally described as manifesting their new birth, either by breathings after, or rejoicings in this union; and to differ from them herein argues that we are as yet unacquainted with their peculiar desires and delights. We have the church pressing her suit and intreating, Seal me upon thine heart, Cant. viii. 6, 7; and testifying that in her heart, Jealousy was cruel as the grave, and the coals thereof were as coals of fire. She is importunate therefore to be kept from every thing which might cast a suspicion upon her state. And in the possession of all which fervent love demands, and in the history of individual experience, the same affections will ever be developed by the saints, for they have no desire equal to that of being able to say, " My beloved is mine, and I am his." How is it then that we can differ from these, and yet indulge the hope of inheriting their distinctions at last? Let us not be deceived: it is but too palpably evident, that in such a case, we are either in a state of native alienation, or are living in an awfully inconsistent course as

Christians. Let us not wickedly take refuge in the idea that so much earnestness may be dispensed with, and yet the soul be safe. There are indeed amongst professors some who, like the daughters of Jerusalem, are ready to reply, "What is thy beloved more than another beloved that thou dost so charge us," Cant. v. 9. why urge us to so much devotedness, such scrupulous care, such unceasing thoughts of things that are heavenly! But observations such as these would cease for ever, were we quickened by the eternal Spirit, and, as we have seen, would give place to the most devoted language of estimation of Christ, and of the decision of saints. Some there are indeed amongst the true disciples who exhibit a course that gives countenance to the reasonings of the ignorant; and if we are amongst these the subject before us should be full of condemnation and distress to the heart. Already possibly distress is lodged there, consequently upon the life of indolence, earthliness or sensual indulgence, which grieves the Holy Spirit, and so destroys the hope of assurance. This is a melancholy condition, ill becoming the bride of Christ, and quite disgraceful to such as by a profession of discipleship have pretensions to such an appellation; and it is the duty of every such Christian seriously and determinately to seek deliverance from this inward and outward depression, that God may be glorified, and their consolations answer to the promise. Eph. iv. 30.