There is a beautiful passage, Hebrews i. 3. "Who being the brightness of his glory," &c. The word being gives a strong attestation of Christ's essential, underived godhead; it does not say, who was, or who is, or who is become, these phrases would all import antecedent, or subsequent union, but no, Christ being in reality the brightness of the father's glory, conveys to our mind the self-existence of the Son of God, and with it a certainty of his equality in Godhead from all eternity, and the display of that equality through the manhood.

The first cry of a soul awakened is for salvation, it is an utterance of infancy, but yet it is the sound of life. Supposing you could be assured of pardon, these is an immediate desire arises for acceptance; you want not to be simply forgiven, but to be received; the righteousness of Christ as well as his salvation. And yet, when arrived at this attainment in the divine life, we require a still increasing knowledge. All the creatures whom he has made, must submit to the sovereignty of God; for "who can resist his will," but the inhabitants of heaven and the heirs of glory, in unison with angelic hosts, rejoice in every instance of its display. When

we see, and appropriate the eternal love of Jehovah in each personal act; the Father choosing our persons in Christ before all worlds, as the primary cause of every effect which follows in time; of our redemption by the blood of Christ, our effectual calling, our walk in grace, our death in hope, our resurrection to glory. Now we are enabled to delight, as well as to acquiesce in the sovereignty of God.

"To consider Christ," is not merely to hear of him, nor to talk about him, but to reflect over and resolve in our minds, what the scriptures say of him. This is faith in real act, and exercise. The Bible contains every view of Jesus, some more splendid, some less, but still every separate light is from the Lord; these several shinings are reflected upon us. We have never seen the sun, except through the medium of air which conveys his rays: we see Christ by the medium of faith through the written word. Professors want to know Christ, but they seek to know him without the telescope of the scriptures; this is vain curiosity, for by natural means, we can know nothing savingly of him. We are told to search the scriptures, which implies diligent application;

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actuated by that spirit the Bereans possessed, frankness of confidence, They heard with all readiness of mind;" nothing doubting, but that their search would prove a testimonial to the assent of their understanding. Search more to be confirmed than to be convinced. Nothing is so valueless and profitless as knowledge about Christ, unless it is derived from the word of God, interpreted to our hearts and reason, by the Holy Ghost. Christ is a supernatural Saviour; the revelation of him must also be supernatural.

There is a prevailing fear lest faith should enervate our anxiety to walk worthy the gospel, as if the instrument whereby we know our salvation, could conduct us aside from its purposes. Notwithstanding every misapprehension on this subject, the Lord's regenerated people will affirm from personal certitude, that one spiritual sight of Christ will throw to the ground the most alluring, and the subtlest temptation, with which Satan can assault a child of God.

When we lament our sinfulness, it is not to be supposed that each person has run riot into every species of excess, but that all mankind are equally in their nature capable of evil, be

cause, as fallen creatures the corruption is inherent. I cannot look down to a soul in torments, and triumph that I have less in me to merit hell than that sufferer; but I can look to the Lord, with wonder and praise, at being withheld from similar temptation; at being restrained from the bias of my own will, when the indulgence of his propensities led the lost sinner to condemnation. On this marvellous subject, Paul gives the only elucidation, "by grace ye are saved."

Had it not been for the ministry of the Holy Ghost to the church, we should not have had a line of the Bible; none of our Lord's discourses, nor a single promise to peruse, for it was by the inspiration of the Almighty Spirit, that penmen were appointed to transmit these things in language so suited that every individual believer for himself, can feel that the record is true; because it exactly corresponds with the divine teaching to his own experience. When I read the soul conflicts of Old Testament saints I can find that sympathy of mind which corresponds between their case and my own, these men I say, speak my feelings.

I love to look at the falling of every leaf

in autumn; with a remembrance that it could neither blow off, or wither, but as a part of the eternal council of the Lord in ordering all things.

We read, that when the Levites bare the ark of the testimony to the edge of the waters of Jordan; the Lord permitted the soles of their feet to touch the river, they shall go to the utmost verge before divine power is manifested to dry the stream. Faith is, therefore, exercised to the very moment of utmost need, that the deliverance of his people may manifest the greater glory of the Lord.

The mercies of God to us in Christ Jesus, are like the undulating succession of ocean waves, they follow each other in endless continuance, so that we are constantly washed by mercy, which is always coming in fresh and fresh, like the tides of nature.

A regenerated child of God, is privileged to know the last words which have been spoken for him by Christ in heaven. The petition which his own soul earnestly solicits, is a reflection upon the mirror of his heart, of the will of Jehovah towards him. The communication from earth to heaven through our union to the