Thus, the Christian, being purified within, and obedient without, feels himself introduced into the Sabbath of rest, and sits with Christ in heavenly places.

"And while we do his blessed will,

We bear our heaven about us still."

You may be a long while in getting thus far, if not sufficiently in earnest. You may on the other hand get up to the mark very soon, by setting your whole soul on the matter, and going to Christ as an All-sufficient Saviour. If earnestly seeking to be made perfect, the work may be done Now. Believe this moment that Christ is made unto you SANCTIFICATION, and you are cleansed! The blood of Christ now cleanseth from all sin.-CLEANSETH ME! Believe believe !! believe !!!

CHAPTER VII.

BE PERFECT.

THE reason why many truly sincere persons stumble at the word "Perfection," is, they take too high views of the subject meant, really supposing it to be what it is not. It is said that, "All right religion is founded upon proper ideas of God." Certainly so; and the proper enjoyment of that religion depends upon clear perceptions of our privileges. We must be clear here. Were we to pray to be

made perfect according to some persons' notions of " perfection," we should erroneously pray for things contrary to the will of God; and consequently be sent away without an answer. If we obtain our ideas of the great blessing from the plain word of God, and have our petitions regulated by its divine teachings, we shall surely succeed in obtaining our suit.

Were a man to pray, "Lord, make me so perfect that I shall never hunger, thirst, become weary, faint, afflicted, nor feel in common with others the natural propensities of my physical constitution,"-such a prayer would be unlicensed both by reason and scripture. He has no warrant from the word of God to expect any one of these things, much less all of them. Many of God's most devoted followers have had, and will still have, to suffer hunger and thirst ; but let them believe in him who hath said, "Thy

F

bread shall be given, and thy water shall be sure." Many of them have to toil very hard for the bread that perisheth, and must do so if they would continue honest: and for the best of human beings to expect the necessary things of this life without using the proper and common means of obtaining them, would be the height of folly and presumption.

As to afflictions, they are inseparably connected with our present state of mortality, and are very often the means of improving greatly our religious experience. The holiest of Christians frequently suffer the most severely in this life. God appoints this in infinite wisdom, and chooses us in the furnace of affliction for the purpose of exhibiting us to the church as encouraging examples of patience and resignation. These also awaken in the suffering saint some humbling recollections of his own past sins, as well as to awaken within him sentiments and expressions of gratitude to the God of love and mercy, and qualify him for preaching to others from personal experience. "My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom his father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness unto them who are exercised thereby."-Heb. xii. 5—11. The following passage should rather send us to the throne of grace to pray for affliction, than to pray against it: "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things

which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”2 Cor. iv. 18, 19.

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As to the natural propensities of our physical constitution, these are indispensably necessary in the present world, and will remain unchangeable while the world stands. These in themselves are as innocent as reason, instinct, or sympathy. These must be duly regulated, properly controlled, never gratified unlawfully, and must be brought into subjection to the sanctified soul. The apostle Paul tells 66 us, Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." Let no sincere person stumble where he ought not. These very principles of our physical constitution are implanted within us by the infinitely wise God of nature, as the springs and bond of social and domestic enjoyment. The state of those few who are exceptions to the general rule, is but seldom envied by those who can properly estimate humanity. The wisdom and benevolence of God are evidenced by all his works. Those prostituted wretches who abuse God's natural gifts, and rebel against heaven with the Bible before their eyes, must prepare to answer for their conduct before the judgment-seat of Christ. To expect that God should save us from the essential parts of humanity, evinces great ignorance of our present state of being.

It is unscriptural to expect to be free from temptation in this life. The distressed penitent sinner is powerfully tempted by the devil and his agents to resist and quench the Spirit of God, and withhold his heart from the Saviour. The justified believer is often powerfully tempted by the same to call into question the reality of his conversion, and to give up his faith in Christ. And it also frequently happens that the wholly sanctified believer is much harrassed by the old serpent about his full redemption. In his work

of temptation he will suggest proud, worldly, unclean, lustful, unbelieving thoughts, for the purpose of deceiving us and getting us to throw away our faith. But resist him always by renewing your determination to be a perfect Christian, and by praying and believing more earnestly. Hold no communion with the devil. When he comes, point to the all-conquering blood of the Redeemer, and his power is destroyed. "Resist the devil and he will fly from you." Never forget that you will be often powerfully tempted.

The Bible informs us of the temptation of Adam and Eve, notwithstanding their perfect holiness. Holy Job was extremely tempted, although he was "a perfect and upright man, one that feared God and refrained from evil.” David, the man after God's own heart, was thrust at by the enemy: he gave way once, on record as a warning to us. him, as at other times, he would is recorded for our admonition.

and that awful fact stands Had he set the Lord before not have fallen.

The fact

upon the

The enemy went so far as to make his attacks Son of God. No wonder then at his attacking us, with whom he knows he is infinitely more likely to succeed. He powerfully withstood St. Paul, and the thorn in the flesh was the buffetting messenger of Satan. To take away our trials would be to put an end to our probationary career; this is what we cannot reasonably expect; the whole Bible is against it and who are we that we should not have our share of discipline, however unwelcome to flesh and blood, or antagonistic to mental quiet. Our state of probation runs parallel with our earthly existence. Trials from the world, the flesh, and the devil, will follow us to the brink of the river; yes, into the middle of Jordan. But there they for ever cease! "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." "The Lord God is a sun