sanctify you." Ex. xxxi. 13. The Spirit of Christ and of God, is the Spirit of holiness; and he brings the soul, where he dwells, into a state of living union with Him who, "of God is made unto his people, sanctification." 4thly, They are said to be sanctified by the truth. Jesus Christ is the sum and substance of the truth; and it is the knowledge of the truth as it is in JESUS, the knowedge of Christ crucified, it is the revelation of the Holy One of God, which shews the evil of sin in all its turpitude; and it is the love of Christ which leads to the abhorrence of all sin, and the forsaking of all iniquity. Thus by the TRUTH, by the knowledge of HIM who is emphatically termed THE TRUTH, believers are sanctified. Hence, sanctification of the Spirit is joined with belief of the truth. 2 Thess. ii. 13. And the truth being apprehended by faith, they are, 5thly, said to be "sanctified by faith". faith in Christ Jesus. Acts xxvi. 18. It is the gracious office of the Spirit, to bear wit ness to Christ; to set before the eye of the mind a crucified, glorified Saviour. It is his, by the sanctifying power of the CROSS, to convince the understanding and to purify the conscience: he enlightens the mind, to see the beauty and the excellence of holiness; he wins the heart to love it, and inclines the will to choose it; and thus, beholding, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord Jesus," believers are changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord. 66 Thy glory shall array my soul In robes of light and joy; And praise, while endless ages roll, SEVENTH DAY. "JESUS CHRIST, WHO OF GOD IS MADE UNTO US REDEMPTION."-1 Cor. i. 30. Every man is born into this world, a slave nor is he in it long, ere some master passion begins to shew itself. As he advances towards manhood, sin, Satan, and the world will be found to exercise over him their combined and despotic power. There is also the spirit of bondage, to which he is subject from the law; which requires from him an obedience he has neither the power nor the will to render. Beside these, there is a bondage which, during the course of this life, lies heavily upon man-a bondage through fear of death. Let us ponder the weight of all these heavy fetters ;-heavy indeed, and painful beyond expression, would be the bondage of any one of them; but from one and all does Jesus Christ, O Christian believer, deliver thee! "O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is his mercy endureth for ever. deemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy!" Thy redemption is free-full-everlasting :— from sin, Tit. ii. 14; from Satan, Col. i. 12; from the world, Gal. i. 4; from the curse of good, and Let the re the law, Gal. iii. 13; from the fear of death, Heb. ii. 15; from all evil, and for ever! Rev. xiv. 5. Heb. ix. 12. Contemplate the greatness and glory of thy Redeemer, for his name is JEHOVAH of HOSTS. Contemplate the price of thy redemption-the "precious blood of CHRIST." Look forward, in hope, to the day, when all its benefits and blessings shall become thine own. Luke xxi. 28. Praise God for the earnest (Rom. viii. 23); and, knowing in whom you have believed, with faith, and love, and joy, and thankfulness, look up to him who hath purchased you for himself, saying, "Into thine hands I commend my spirit; for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth." From every bond, but that sweet bondage, free; Which binds my heart in gratitude to THEE. WEEK IX. FIRST DAY. "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD GOD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE THE LORD HATH ANOINTED ME TO PREACH GOOD TIDINGs to the meeK, HE HATH SENT ME TO BIND UP THE BROKEN HEARTED," &c.—Is. lxi. 1, 2, 3. Child of sorrow! raise thine eyes; JESUS, stooping from above, Speaks to thee, and speaks in love: Let it lead thee to rejoice; Hear him say, "Whate'er it be, Cast thy burden all on me.” Is thy load a load of guilt? Christ for thee his blood hath spilt; Many as thy sins have been, Wash in that, and thou art clean. |