any attempt to limit our conceptions of the exceeding greatness of the power of Christ to save. "Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly, above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us; unto Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." How inspiring to know that God is able to do all we ask. But St. Paul adds, "or think." Thought can go far beyond language, but even all our thinking does not come up to the measure of God's power and bountifulness, as expressed in this passage. Dr. Clarke says the idea is "superabundantly-above the greatest abundance." No words can express what God is able and willing to do for the soul that commits itself fully to Him. But how we have limited the Holy One of Israel. We have done as Martha and her sister Mary did when they came to Jesus in their trouble about their departed brother. mistake they made was to limit the Master's power. First, they limited Him as to place-"Lord, if Thou hadst been here." Then they limited Him as to time. He had been "buried four days." And lastly they limited Him as to degree. They believed that he would be raised at the last day, but they did not believe that Jesus could do it now. Do not let us fall into this same error. Let us think less of the weakness of our broken-down humanity, and more of "the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe." Surely our faith need not stagger when the God who created the universe and who upholds it by the word of His power undertakes to immediately cleanse our hearts from inbred sin by the putting forth

The great

of His omnipotent power. Did not our Lord while on earth make men perfectly whole? His healing work on the body was immediate and complete. That was a type of His work on the soul. When we learn to estimate aright the exceeding riches of His grace we shall not hesitate to say:

"I, even I, shall see His face;

I shall be holy here."

To this confidence that God is able and willing to cleanse our souls from all sin now, there needs to be added one thing more-a Divine evidence and conviction that He doeth it. That even now, as I venture myself upon Him, the very God of Peace sanctifies me wholly, and Christ's most precious blood cleanses me from all sin. If our consecration be real and thorough, and we are willing to forsake all, to live a life of self-surrender, of self-nothingness, to lose ourselves in God, appropriating faith is the one thing lacking. We must determine that we will believe, come what will. "Likewise, reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." The word "reckon" is only another word for faith. We obtain full salvation by reckoning or believing at God's bidding that we are “dead indeed unto sin." "As when you reckon with your creditor or with your host," says Mr. Fletcher,

and as when you have paid all, you reckon yourself free, so now reckon with God. Jesus has paid all, and He hath paid for thee-hath purchased thy pardon and holiness. Therefore, it is now God's command, "Reckon thyself dead unto sin, and thou art alive unto God from this hour." The very com

mand is in itself a pledge that in the moment of our faith God will work in us what He bids us believe. Our duty is just to obey, not to question. God will make the reckoning good, or His word is a deception.

It may be in direct contradiction to all our past and present experience to say, "I am dead to sin; henceforth I live only for God," but God commands it and we must not hesitate. We cannot be wrong in obeying the command and venturing to believe or reckon that God does now, by the power of His spirit, fulfil in us the work of faith with power. It is not more prayer that is needed. The time has come when

prayer must give place to faith. The command now is not "ask," but "take." Have you made room for Christ by a thorough consecration to Him? If so, reckon He does come to His temple, that He does fully possess you, and because He fills you with His life you are now dead unto sin and alive unto God." Oh, begin, begin to reckon now; fear not, believe, believe, believe, and continue to believe every moment. So shalt thou continue free, for it is retained, as it is received, by faith alone."

"Tis done, Thou dost this moment save,

With full salvation bless;

Redemption through Thy blood I have,

And spotless love and peace."

Our chapter on this subject would not be complete if mention were not made of the fact that it is possible to seek the blessing of holiness from unworthy motives. Murray McCheyne saw the peril of seeking a higher experience for notoriety-to establish a reputation for sanctity-he mentions how he felt

the necessity of watching against this. Of all unholy things there is surely nothing more loathsome in the sight of God than a desire to be reputed saintly for the credit of the thing. A second danger is the desire for prominence among those who are eminently useful. Some seek a higher life in the hope of becoming the Moodys and Spurgeons of their day and generation. They seek fame and popularity to augment their own importance. Others have in view the delicious ecstasy which it will bring. Their desire is to be happy-the exhilaration, the rapture of the life is the object of their quest. They seek the gift, not the Giver. These are all subtle forms of self-seeking. The desire for a fuller life must rise from a loftier motive. It must centre in God. He must be sought for His own worthiness. The attraction must be the incomparable beauty of His character, not any mere gift at His disposal. To glorify Him must be our aim, perfect identity of interest with Christ, not personal enjoyment or reputation. Thus saith the Lord God, "I do not this for your sakes, O House of Israel, but for My Holy Name's sake" (Ezekiel xxxvi. 22).

Τ'

CHAPTER XXIII.

How to Retain the Blessing

If

HERE is no step in Christian life that God and man do not take together. From beginning to end in the work of salvation there must be both Divine and human action. The words preserve and persevere are so much alike that the one can be spelt from the other. we are to be preserved we must persevere. It is true that salvation in one sense is all of God, but it is also true that the gifts and graces of the Spirit are only ours when certain conditions are complied with. Peter declares that in Christian life "we are kept by the power of God," but St. James teaches that the godly man must "keep himself unspotted from the world." The Bible does not contradict itself. To careful readers it explains itself, and the explanation is, that while grace is altogether the gift of God we ourselves have an important part to play. We are to "work out" the salvation which God works within. To grow in grace we must avail ourselves of the means of grace. Christ's promise to keep us involves the condition that we do not go needlessly into the way of temptation. We are only on covenant ground when