it follows, that we are to be fanctified by Chrift, as he is the meritorious cause of our being fanctified. He having, by his fufferings and death, procured that grace for us whereby we can be fanctified. Here then, we build all our hopes upon Christ. We come unto God the Father in his Name. We plead the merit of his death, which hath procured for us the illuminating grace of God, whereby our understanding is enlightened; we are made wife unto falvation, and are brought acquainted with the things belonging to our present and everlasting peace: And we likewife experience the purifying grace of God, whereby our will is fubdued, and our affections are regulated and placed upon proper objects, i. e. upon fpiritual and eternal things.

But are we not fanctified by the truth and power of Chrift dwelling in our hearts, setting up his kingdom there, and putting down all rule, authority, and power, and bringing us into a ftate of entire conformity to his will? I anfwer, Moft affuredly we are fanctified by Chrift, confidered as taking poffeffion of the foul; as it is written, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them.' And the Apostle prays for believers, that Chrift might dwell in their hearts by faith; and that they might be fan&tified, by him, throughout, body, foul, and spirit.

But by the truth, we fometimes understand the Word of God. So our Lord fpeaks in this very chapter. "Sanctify them thro' the truth; thy word is truth." And we must in this sense be fanctified by the truth; that is to fay, by the Word of God, as the inftrumental caufe of our fanctification. The Word of God, confidered as being attended by the power of the divine Spirit, has a most happy influence upon our fan&tification, yea, of our entire fanctification, in a great variety of ways. When we first come to God, we do not generally think fo much of being fanctified, as of being juftified;-of being holy, as of having our fins pardoned. Yet when the Lord juftifies us freely, through the redemption that is in Chrift Jefus; He alfo fanctifies us by the power of his Holy Spirit, fo that we are then delivered from the reigning power of fin. If we ftand faft in this liberty, we fhall foon be convinced that the Lord calls us to come up higher, to be wholly fanctified. The Word of God difcovers what is his will concerning us in this refpect, "Without holiness no man fhall fee the Lord." And again, "No unclean thing fhall enter within the gates of the new Jerufalem." Now, let either of these Scriptures be clearly understood, and firmly believed by any one, who reads or who hears them, and the happy confequence will be, that he will fee the neceffity of being fanctified.

2. By the Word of God we are stirred up to feek that grace which fully fanctifies the foul. "Give all diligence, that you may be found of God in peace, without fpot, and blameless.” And again, "Let us go on to perfection." Now let either of thefe or any fuch like exhortations, be attended by the power of the divine Spirit, and our fouls are quickened in the purfuit of this falvation.

3. In

3. In the Word of God an open door is set before us, and we are moft kindly and graciously invited to come and receive all that grace which we ftand in need of in order to our entire fanc tification." All things are now ready, come ye to the marriage.' "Look unto me, and be ye faved; yea, faved to the uttermoft. "Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. Afk that ye may receive that your joy may be full." Here then we are emboldened to come to the Fountain of Mercy and Love, in order that this grace may be communicated unto us.

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4. We fhall be sanctified by the Word of God, as therein this grace is freely offered unto us. "I will circumcife thine heart, that thou mayeft love the Lord thy God with all thy heart." Again, I will fprinkle clean water upon you, and ye fhall be clean; from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you.' Now, let the light of God only shine upon the mind, and we fee at once that these promises hold forth unto us a full, and a prefent falvation. We fee that our gracious God is willing to accomplish his Word, and to fanctify us wholly. But how fhall we be made witnesses of the truth of these promises? The Word of God informs us, 68 According to thy faith fo fhall it be done unto thee." "All things are poffible to him that believeth." As it was faid of the ancient faints of God, that "by faith they obtained promifes," fo we alfo are called to obtain the promises of entire fanctification, by faith, in our bleffed Redeemer. By faith we see the promise, and through faith we lay hold upon and embrace it, and are enabled to witnefs this good confeffion, "That the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all fin;" and his Spirit purifies from all unrighteousness. Through faith we enter into the holiest of all, by that new and living way which our Redeemer has confecrated for us.

Did the Lord Jefus fanctify himself, that we alfo might be wholly fanctified? Surely he did. Then ought not his minifters enquire, in the very firft place, Whether his defign is fulfilled in them? Ought not we to be witneffes of the bleffed truths which we preach unto the people? And ought we not to be examples of folid piety and ferious godlinefs? A carnal unconverted minifter is a moft defpicable character. Such men are a plague and curfe to mankind; murderers of the fouls for whom Chrift died. But in reality, Chrift never had, nor never will have, any such to be his minifters. Such perfons may intrude themselves into his church, but he difowns them, and fo does his people alfo; "For a ftranger will they not follow." Have we then, my dear and highly efteemed brethren, entered in by the door into the fheepfold ? Have we been truly converted to God, and called by him to this blessed work? I fay called by him; "For the Lord gave the word, and great was the company of preachers." Not the Lord Bishop, but the Lord Jefus Chrift, who has referved to himself the power of fending labourers into his vineyard; and he always did, and always will fend, by whom he will fend." But

if we have been called and fent of God, then do we retain the life and power of religion? Do we take care to maintain the Chriftian fpirit and temper? Do we confider of what amazing importance it is for us to burn and thine in the light and in the love of God? To be always ferious and watchful, lively and zealous, fpiritual and heavenly, meek and lowly, in all things following the example of our blessed Mafter? Do we confider how odious it must be in the fight of God for any of us to be light and trifling, foolish and vain, proud and paffionate, unteachable and headftrong? In one word; if we are not already, yet are we all feeking to be wholly fanctified? If fo, our own fouls will profper, and we fhall be made a bleffing in our gene

ration.

But it was the defign of our Lord in fanctifying himself, that the people, as well as the preachers, fhould be fanctified. Is this bleffed end anfwered in you? Or are not fome of you as ignorant of God, and as great ftrangers to the riches of his grace, as you would have been if Christ had never appeared in this world? O how extremely dreadful is this! and yet it is the case with thousands: They are neither wifer nor better for Christ, but are living without God in the world: O confider whether this is not your cafe. Have you taken that first flep in religion, are you come out from among the ungodly? You must begin here. Say not, "We are all Chriftians, and this being a Chriftian country, there is no need to feparate ourselves from our neighbours. Are all your neighbours then real Christians? Surely you live in a happy place! But are there no curfing, fwear ing Chriftians among them? No drunken, fabbath-breaking Chriftians? No Devil-Chriftians among them? You know very well that there are. Therefore you must come out from among them, if you intend to fave your fouls.

If you have taken this step, then have you joined hand and heart with the people of God? The Chriftians of old con tinued in holy fellowship, as well as in the Apostles doctrine. With what religious body of people are you joined in fellow. fhip? Do you again begin to make excufe, and fay, "What need of this? We hear the gospel, and we like it very well, we esteem the preachers, and with them great fuccefs in their labours, we with the people very well; we believe there are many worthy perfons among them, but we do not choose to be of their So ciety; we think that is going too far." But do you not defire to go to heaven with them? Why then will you not join with them here upon earth? Is it not because you are afhamed of them? Then remember, if you are afhamed of the people of God, you are ashamed of their Mafter, and he will be afhamed of you before his Father, and before his holy angels. You do not' choose to join the Society? Is it then left entirely to your own choice? I doubt that very much; I am inclined to think that God has chofen this for you. Does not your own reafon tel

you

you fo? Has he not formed you for Society? And do not you plainly fee that you want all the fpiritual help you can ob tain, whether from God, or man: Befides, the caufe of God in every place has many enemies, and but few friends: All therefore who believe it to be the cause of God, fhould be as the heart of one man; they fhould all fet their fhoulder to the work, and endeavour to fupport and maintain it to the uttermoft of their power. Every one fhould encourage his neighbour, and strengthen the hands of his brother, and fo provoke one another to love and good works. But in reality the people of God do not want you half fo much as you want them. You want their prayers, their counfel and advice on a thousand occafions. You want to be quickened, comforted, and encouraged by them.

But have you taken this ftep alfo ? Are you now joined heart and hand with the people of God? Then are you fanctified? Have you found redemption through the blood of Chrift, and are you renewed in the fpirit of your mind by the power of his grace? If not, O be in earneft: Seek the Lord with your whole heart, and you fhall furely find him.

If you have obtained mercy and grace at his hand, then do you ftand faft in the gofpel liberty? Have you ftill the peace of God in your confcience, and his love in your heart, and has no evil temper, defire, or affection, any power over you; and are you looking to be wholly fan&tified, to be faved to the uttermoft? Then blefled are ye of the Lord, you shall abundantly profper. But if you are not looking for and longing after a full falvation, do you not find that your own fpirit and tempers have more power over you at this day, then they had years ago? I fear that this is the cafe with many. We talk of growing in grace, but alas we are not fo fpiritual and heavenly, fo meek and lowly, fo holy and happy, as we once were. Surely this is not growing in grace; but on the contrary, we are measuring our steps back to earth again. O let us at last be convinced, that the will of God is our entire fanctification; and let us fol low on to know the Lord, fo fhall we find that he will fill us. with all the fruits of righteousness which are by Chrift Jefus, to the honour and praise of his Name.

The CONVERSION of a DEIST.

[ Continued from page 134. ]

Had not as yet converfed familiarly with any of the people of God. I knew not the state and the experiences of others, and others were ignorant of mine. The will of God thus wifely ordered for me. I could hardly have endured those whofe feelings had not tallied with my own, nor would they have easily endured me, or received me into their communion.

Some

Some weeks after my converfion, I had a fair opportunity of advancement to a certain office in the univerfity; but with no he fitation I rejected the propofal made to me, declaring warmly, that I faw fo much pleasure and honour attending the work of the miniftry, that I preferred it infinitely to all other employments, and that nothing fhould move me to renounce it.

Soon after this, a heavy and most unexpected calamity befel our family. I had a prefage of it, though there appeared no reason to apprehend it. I humbly entreated the Lord that he would either avert the evil, or give me unfhaken fortitude and patience to bear it. I had promised a friend of mine to vifit and preach for him, and had begun a fermon on the neceffity of fanctification, though fuch a fermon as I fhould now, with juft caufe, in many respects difapprove. On the very day when I finished it, in my morning meditations and prayers to God, I found fingular delight and encouragement, and was favoured with an extraordinary prelibation of the joys above. In the evening, when having put the last hand to my fermon I was employed in reading it, the fatal mellenger arrived, who brought me news of fuch dreadful calamity, as threat ened all our houfe with poverty and difhonour. Now I perceived for what reafon it was that I had been this day indulged with fuch remarkable confolations. God wonderfully frengthened me, and I received the tidings with a mind calm and tranquil.

On the day following I went home, where I found the family. immerfed in the deepeft mifery and forrow. Each fhed tears abundantly; I alone was able to reftrain them. A few weeks before, it would have coft me all my fortitude to have fupported fuch an affliction, and all mine would have been perhaps too little. But a fenfe of God's prefence and love enabled me now, not only ta bear it quietly, but even to be thankful for it. The power of religion fo tempered my forrow, that I acquiefced gladly in the dif penfation, and even promised myself much benefit from it. Nei ther have I been difappointed. In the first place, this misfortune fmoothed for me the way in which I have been led to a greater distance from earthly things, and have been prompted to endea your mainly my own furtherance in the spiritual life, and the edification of others; fecondly, it prepared me for a manifestation of the glory and the offices of Jefus, of which to this moment I was ignorant; and thirdly, it tended to the execution of God's wonderful purpose, that I, who had never proposed to myself any fuch measure, should quit my country to dwell where I now dwell, that I fhould preach here the gofpel, and feed the flock of Jefus.

A friend offered me a houfe which for fome time I inhabited. I now intended to repair thither immediately for the purpose of ordination, that being admitted to the miniftry I might have fome employment, and be enabled to maintain myfelt and to affift my diftreffed relations. Not many days after, I received a letter from Dr.whom I hardly knew, in which he invited me to a

cure