A. This follows as a necessary consequence of the glorification above spoken of, for until JESUS CHRIST be acknowledged in His divine operation as the alone source of all heavenly life, that is to say, of all heavenly love, heavenly wisdom, and heavenly joy in His church, and until man thus makes confession from the heart that his life is not properly his own, but derived perpetually from another, thus that neither good nor evil are properly his own, only so far as he makes them so, by ascribing them to himself, it is impossible that he can either be purified, reformed, or regenerated, since all purification, reformation and rege neration imply the acknowledgment of divine agency, and particularly of the operation which JESUS CHRIST exercises in human minds by His HOLY SPIRIT. But no sooner is this acknowledgment made in the humility and sincerity of a penitent bosom, than all the blessings and graces of purification, of reformation, and of regeneration presently follow, because then man begins to acknowledge a DIVINE POWER Continually present and operative in the centre of his own life, and his religion, in such case, consists in bringing every affection, thought, word, and work, into subjection to that power, that so he may be an instrument in its hands of effecting divine purposes, claiming nothing to himself but a feeling sense of his own infirmities and defilements, and ascribing the kingdom, the power and the glory to Him to whom it properly belongs. The great evil therefore of all

evils, to which the human mind is exposed, is the inclination to yield to the delusive suggestion of the tempter of old, Ye shall be as gods, (Gen. iii. 5;) in other words, ye shall have an independent life of your own, subject to no control from another, and acknowledging no source but itself. For in whatever mind this suggestion prevails, sin, and death, and misery must inevitably attend it. On the other hand, the good of all goods, or that which conducts to the acquisition and enjoyment of every good, is the inclination to admit and to act upon the sacred and edifying truth contained in those words of the GREAT REDEEMER, I am the vine, ye are the branches, (John xv. 5;) by the humble grateful acknowledgment, that the life of man is at all times a derived life, and that thus the connexion between him and his MAKER is like that which subsists between a tree and its branches; in other words, it is a connexion wrought by the perpetual communication of a vital principle, so that as a tree constantly supplies its branches with renewed life and vigour, without which the branches could not subsist, in like manner the FATHER OF MERCIES constantly supplies His children with HIS VITAL SPIRIT, and if His children are deprived of this supply, they then are cast forth as branches, and withered, and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned, (John xv. 6.)

Q. What then is the general instruction which derive from the above miracle? A. From the remarkable signs and symbols

you

manifested on this occasion, such as the sound as of arushing mighty wind, and the cloven tongues like as of fire which sat upon each of them, I am instructed in the language of representatives, which is a heavenly language, expressing spiritual realities under the most significant natural images, and inculcating thus the important lesson, that between spiritual things and natural there is an exact agreement established at creation, by virtue of which agreement the latter are expressive of the former, and are applied accordingly throughout the sacred Scriptures. I learn further, from the descent of the HOLY GHOST announced by this miracle, to adore with unfeigned thankfulness the mercy and goodness of my HEAVENLY FATHER, who, when He had glorified the HUMANITY which He assumed here upon earth made that HUMANITY the medium of communication with His children here below. In that DIVINE HUMANITY therefore I behold, and rejoice in beholding, the blessed source of all spiritual life, love, holiness, and benediction, which God can communicate, and man can receive. I will no longer therefore doubt respecting the divine operation, still less will I be of the number of those who mock on the interesting occasion, but I will rather regard the miraculous descent of the DIVINE SPIRIT as the completion of the counsels of the ETERNAL, the accomplishment of the sure word of prophecy, and a security to the true believer, that he is never for a moment forsaken by his HEAVENLY FATHER, but is ever attended by His divine pre

sence, power and operation in the inmost centre of his own bosom. Above all, I am resolved to take heed to myself, that this holy guest may be ever pleased with His internal residence in my heart and life, for which blessed purpose I will pray and labour earnestly, through His divine aid, that all inordinate and defiled love may be ever removed from me, and that in its place may be implanted the pure love of GOD and of my neighbour. Thus may I humbly hope, that the BLESSED JESUS will perform in me the same circle of benediction which He performed for His church when here upon earth; and that therefore after instructing, purifying, reforming, and raising me up to Himself in His resurrection and ascension-glory, He may finally descend, and by His divine operation fill and sanctify all my purposes, affections, thoughts, words and works, that so I, like the apostles of old, may be filled with the HOLY GHOST. AMEN.

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CONCLUSION.

Q. JESUS CHRIST says to His disciples before His death, "Verily, verily I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do, because I go to my Father, (John xiv. 12;) and again, He says after His resurrection, These signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover, (Mark xvi. 17, 18.). -how do you understand these words, and what is the lesson which they inculcate ?

A. I understand these words as inculcating. on every true believer the absolute necessity of co-operating with JESUS CHRIST in the great general work of his salvation, which general work includes in it several particular works, called by JESUS CHRIST greater works than what He Himself did, and distinguished by the several striking characters of casting out devils, speaking with new tongues, taking up serpents, escaping hurt from drinking any deadly thing, and laying hands on the sick, so as to restore them to health.

Q. Do you conceive then that man is called