realizing acts, "Comfort me with apples, for I am sick of love," Cant. ii. 5. It is not enough that the rose and the lily adorn the garden, we must gather them and apply their sweetness. It is by drawing closely to our crucified Lord, by investigation of his innocency and bleeding love, by intense contemplation of his grace, and by holding him firmly and nearly to our breast, that we experience that rich impregnating sweetness which imparts a joyous persuasion of Christ's love. By similar acts of faith we must appropriate the blissful truths contained in the relation which Jesus bears to the soul as the tree of life. We must not only contemplate the blessings with admiration, but we must call forth a lively sense of their value as displayed by the spiritual Eden he has produced within the heart, and in glowing anticipation of the paradise that is above. There the fulness of the redeemed inheritance is laid up for the ransomed of the Lord, and these are privileged to rejoice in the promise, "to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God." Rev. ii. 7.

Thus we perceive that there is a high and peculiar state of spiritual bliss into which advanced Christians are introduced even on this side eternity. It is manifestly a desirable possession, and it is evident it is attained through special acts of faith. Our own responsibility therefore stands conspicuously before us, for as we perceive that

enjoyment is in a sober, rational, and believing state of soul, maintained by lively acceptance of revelation, we become chargeable with great and reprehensible negligence of privilege if we are not resolutely seeking it. We should therefore look into the present state of our hearts with holy solicitude, to urge them upon activity, and to determine whether we are in possession of the blessedness described.

If we have this spiritual enjoyment our attention must be given to cherish it diligently, and to seek the continuance of spiritual simplicity; so that we may not lower the standard of our own experience, nor in any measure admit into our feelings a corrupt and selfish mixture. Let us remember at all times, that although we may derive comfort from the plants of the new creation, rejoicing to behold our hearts made the garden of the Lord, we must consider these but evidences of his work, who is in himself the true, pure, and unmixed source of holy joy; and in every sweet excitement of bliss we feel, it should be our earnest endeavour to ascertain that we possess it as drawn out of the broken and loving heart of him, who gives us all our joys through his pains. If we are destitute of this joy, it is our duty to inquire wherefore we are not so privileged as others are? It may be that there is some evil in us, that we do not sufficiently mortify and resist: if so, we should at once encounter it, and offer it as a sacrifice to the Lord. If our sadness originates from such a cause,

remove the cause, and the sadness will also depart. But possibly it may proceed from the Lord's vigilant care to prevent an evil to which we are disposed. Some persons whilst abhorring their guilty self, are inclined to fall in love with their sanctification; and are so determined upon ascribing their enjoyment to the plants which belong to their own state of grace, that they turn not aside to contemplate the more excellent "Plant of renown." If this be the case, it would be unsuitable to allow the soul to find gratification, and therefore it is sad. Turn then for a while even from the work of grace, that Jesus Christ alone may be beheld; and endeavour to take him in the blessed characters he fulfils for his people freely and simply as he is given to the soul. Whilst delighting in the life and labour of love, we must advance in spiritual discernment into the revelation of Jesus, that it may be our joy to be complete in him. This is what belongs to an advanced state of experience belonging to a renewed heart; it consists with increased sense of personal demerit, and is instrumental to promote real excellence.

THE HEART'S CHARITY.

JOHN XVII. 20—23.

A SOUL advanced into the possession of those spiritual enjoyments, which we last investigated, is prepared for the exercise of many dispositions which are of a relative kind, and which can only be demonstrated by such as are in the intimate fellowship of the spirit; they are the peculiar affections of the faithful towards their fellow members and their fellow men, and are in action proportionably to the individual influence of the mind of Jesus, which they experience in their own souls. The Lord has great designs also in rendering his people relatively a blessing; he hereby exhibits the lovely productions of holiness and peace, so as to justify his own work; and he puts his redeemed upon the manifestation of disinterested and liberal feeling, so that their new life is called forth into vigorous exertion. Were it not thus, the evil of selfishness might still hide itself even under the appearance of that which is lovely; or might act as a canker worm to the fruits which we produce. There is no reproach which we have greater reason to deprecate, than that which was spoken against Ephraim, "He is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto him

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self." Hosea 1. And when we are in the possession of conscious personal interest in the Lord, we shall do well to be upon our guard, lest we should in any degree evince indifference to the interests and enjoyment of others. Wherever the work of the Holy Ghost exists, there will be the precious productions which furnish the believer for the display of every part of the christian life, and zeal and love will have the conspicuous place in the regenerate heart. These will produce their own genuine effects, and by this means there will be a beautiful agreement between the character of Jesus, as considered in the preceding subject, and that of the souls embued with his spirit: so that what we have seen of our Lord as condescending to become our brother, and as such to be to us a fruitbearing, overshadowing, fragrant, sustaining blessing, will in measure be answered in the life of the saint.

In the condescension of Jesus, there was indeed, and is, an unspeakable grace, never to be fully comprehended, or exhibited by the creature. His was the stooping of godhead to miserable man, and this by a voluntary assumption of our nature under circumstances of deep humiliation. He "being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God," yet he made himself of no reputation, and humbled himself, taking the form of a servant, and being obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Phil. ii. 6. This was an act which must ever remain unfathomable in