every side, declaring the Godhead, and enables us to learn by the secret impartation of grace to the new creature within, the power, mercy, presence, and very indwelling in the heart, of him who filleth all things. Wonderful mystery, I exclaimed, that the worm man, should thus be brought into fellowship with the Lord! Wonderful mystery!

66

My own words seemed to awaken the recollection of the subject which was specially our meditation, and I instantly connected it with the portion which had so recently preceded, Though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge and though I have all faith that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing."

It is well, when the soul is uplifted in spiritual communion, that this salutary lesson should be given; and though, like the favoured apostles, we might desire to remain uninterruptedly in the enjoyment of the raptures of the Mount, we should be reminded that we have need to descend, and learn more experimentally how unfitted flesh and blood is to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Though we be rapt to the third heaven, unconscious whether in the body or out of the body, we have still a necessity to know ourselves, and feel that this corruptible tabernacle is nothing.

I was sensibly roused to the truth of this necessity, by the kind and valued voice of my friend Henry.

' And what engages your attention 'so deeply, that you perceive not your old friend, and offer not your wonted welcome?'

Truly,' I replied,' you are always welcome, dear friend; and just now, perhaps, particularly, for

C

here is another mystery, the communion of spirit with spirit. I firmly believe in the communion of saints.'

'They that are joined to the Lord are one spirit, one spirit with him; and, consequently, one with the other. It is the same Spirit, one Spirit diffused from the Living Head throughout the living members. But you said another mystery; are you still engaged in meditation on the chapter to which we seemed, as it were, pledged to give our attention?'

'I am; though this branch has come unexpectedly to my mind in the train of thought which led me to perceive a spiritual influence, drawing out my soul into the contemplation of Jesus.'

'Then you behold in him all mystery unfolded. Nothing is hidden, nothing is perplexing, nothing is dark to him who looketh unto Jesus. In Him all mystery is developed, and the precious word of the gospel reveals him to us.'

'But what appears to me as mysterious, above all other things is, that He should reveal himself to us,

nful, continually offending creatures,—so unworthy such a glorious manifestation; and should follow us by the overpowering Spirit that shall move the affections of our soul, and draw them up to himself.'

It is a wonderful operation of love, not to be comprehended, unless we have first been taught the mystery of sin, which separated between God and his creatures, and produced that alienation which made the whole creation groan together, being in bondage.'

'May we not, then, go further still, and look back, in the eternal perspective, to that love which fixed itself on its creatures, and predetermining their

salvation, laid the foundation of their safety in the Lamb of God!'

6

Surely, surely; we must begin and end our contemplation in him, nor can we ever know the depth of our ruin, nor the height of our redemption, but by seeing the whole as revealed in him. Help was laid for us on one that was mighty, and the cross of Jesus was the power of God unto salvation, when he, taking our sin, bowed his head, for us ; drank the cup of wrath, for us; and yielded up the ghost, for us!'

Who, then, shall understand or fathom that mysterious fulness of love, from which we are assured that neither death nor life, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us. In this infinity we are lost!' No,' he replied, with animation; the scattered thoughts that range in astonished wonder over the separate parts of this mighty work of almighty power, may rest in satisfaction, when concentred on the one great object of faith and love, in whom all fulness dwells, and who alone, as God-man, could fulfil the requirement of God, and secure the eternal interest of men. In Jesus, and Him crucified-we behold the nature of our fall, and the way of our redemption-and learn how he led captivity captive, and made us free from sin to become servants of righteousness.'

But the wonder is, that we can receive the Spirit.'

'The mystery is solved in the knowledge of the union of believers with Jesus as their head, being made one with Him, which was a special object of

His great undertaking. And the Spirit must needs flow from the head down to the skirt of his garment. It was the gift for us which be panted to obtain, the gift for which it was expedient for Him to suffer and depart from earth, for he was straightened in the application of his purposes until he was glorified. Neither the Father nor the Spirit could, according to covenant arrangement, grant the token of reconciliation until Jesus had made the satisfaction, and been raised by the Father and justified in the Spirit. Then were they for whom he travailed entitled, through virtue of his finished work, to receive from Him that which he ascended to claim, as the promise of the Father, and the reward of his work. Thus we see how the engagement to him is fulfilled. "I will divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong." This division is marked not only with the blood of sprinkling, but by the gift and indwelling of the Spirit, who sanctifies those who are justified from all things by the blood of Jesus.

It is a mystery still, I said, though such a mystery as, exhibited by Christ, and declared by the Gospel, is fully revealed so that we may understand it.

'Yes, clearly, for as the Apostle says, it "hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints, to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery-which is Christ in you the hope of glory."

It is pleasant to understand this mystery,the master key to all others. It unlocks what the carnal, or unenlightened, mind can neither understand nor believe. Then is the mystery of sin, the mystery of iniquity, the mystery of antichrist, the mystery of Babylon, all explained to him who looketh unto

Jesus, and detected at once in the opposition to him, who is the Mystery of godliness.'

'It is a great preservative, and when all men are wondering after the things which assume a predominancy over their passions, to be able calmly to read their origin, and perceive their tendency and end, is a gift for which we ought to be thankful, remembering whence it is derived. Unto you, the Lord says, it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom. That same Spirit of whom we spake, reveals them to his people under the "dark sayings" of parables, whilst others go away without an inquiry: they should however, be sought and enquired for, with the same desire which led the disciples to say, "Lord! show us what these things mean?" The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, he will shew them his covenant. I remember the words of an old divine, which though curious are full of point. "He, (the Spirit) only, hid the treasures of knowledge in the field; and he only knows where they lie! What an advantage then is it by prayer to unlock God's breast, to obtain the key of knowledge there that unlocks God's study, and can direct to all his notes and papers.""

This reminds me of the animating declaration which the Lord made "I have called you friends, for all that I have heard of my Father I have made known to you."

6

Should we not then esteem it a wonderful gift, the fruit of that gift of the Spirit thus expressed by St. Paul," Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things which are freely given to us of God."