the sun, or of sweetness in a rose. Greater degrees of holiness will distinguish the more advanced believer; like as the higher the traveller rises in the mountain, the clearer and broader will his prospect be. True: the most advanced believer will count himself not to have attained his full salvation until he stands in resurrection-life : but, the sense of deficiency will propel his energy, and he will still be reaching forth unto that which is before him. True also: the more experienced and gracious he becomes, the less gracious and holy will he deem himself to be as the corn, ripening for the sickle, bows lowest to the soil, the nearer the time approaches for its gathering into the barn. Well might Paul beseech the converts at Rome by the Spirit's love, and upon this sure ground entreat their prayers for himself and his brotherapostles! Rom. xv. 30. This, only this, is the prevailing unction of the Christian church, and where this is not applied, there can be no true or beneficial union of hearts and interests. O Holy Ghost, send down thy heavenly light into our minds, and by that anointing we derive from thee, enable us to discern the things which differ; teach us to view our adoption into God's dear family as the result of our election in grace; lead us to seek our souls' salvation, and to anticipate our bodies' resurrection, and thence to anticipate farther the presentation of both our bodies and souls before the celestial throne, justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God.

2. All imitations of the anointing oil were strictly forbidden. Excision from the congregation of the people was threatened upon any violation of this solemn rule. Surely, we may herein discover, that the hypocrisy which

counterfeits, and the profanity which ridicules, serious godliness, are alike hateful unto God. For personal aggrandizement and for worldly fame, would Simon possess the Holy Ghost. Here was, as it were, an attempted imitation of the holy unguent: how fearfully was this man rebuked by the true apostle of the Lamb: Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter; for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Acts viii. 19-21. The same law applies spiritually unto all at this hour; and yet, we fear, the fault of Simon is by no means singular or alone in its commission. Multiplied pretences to religious knowledge and to Christian character are made, that are based upon no saving acquaintance with the glorious gospel of the blessed God whatsoever. Witness the prevailing notions entertained upon the simple verity of a sinner's justification from condemning guilt by faith, and not by deeds of law. How few per

ceive that Abraham himself was justified-not in his circumcised, but in his uncircumcised condition; and that afterwards he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness which he previously enjoyed by faith. Alas! they do not see that righteousness without works must be imputed unto us also, in order to our becoming the children of faithful Abraham, and by blessed consequence partakers of the benefit. Rom. iv. 10-12. The obvious reason is, there is no anointing of the Spirit upon the understanding or the heart. All remains, therefore, a region of sterility; or if the prospect be fair and pleasant, there is no capacity to appreciate its worth. And what shall we say to such as mock the ordinances of heaven, or ridicule the experiences of a soul in earnest for its peace?

-Nothing will we say more than to repeat the exclamation of St. Paul, Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you. Acts xiii. 41. The very subject treated upon in connexion with this solemn warning, is justification by Jesus Christ from all things from which none can be justified by the law of Moses. Oh then, seek the anointing grace of the Spirit, whereby you may become of like mind with God; be enabled first to believe unto your pardon, and then to cultivate all holy principle and character, and so be prepared to share the final emancipation of God's faithful people out of all their distresses. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the Son of man, whom thou madest strong for thyself. So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name. Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved. Ps. lxxx. 17-19.

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Rom. xv. 13.

It is not by the flood or fire,

It is not by Jehovah's ire,

That hearts are melted now;

The still small voice of sovereign grace,
The love that beams in Jesu's face,
Makes man's proud spirit bow.

It is not by the legal strife
Of Sinai's thunders that the life

Is consecrate to good;

The gospel in the Spirit's hand
Alone fulfils the high command,
Thro' Jesu's precious blood.

It is not 'neath cathedral domes,
With music's soft enchanting tones,
True worship must be found;
God is a Spirit, and must be
Worshipp'd with lowly reverency—
And there is hallowed ground.

It is not in the measur'd song,
Or prayers repeated oft and long,
Our souls can rise to heaven;
'Tis in the sweet simplicity
Of Jesu's true humility,

By grace, thro' heart-faith, given.

We stand not in our bridal dress, Arrayed in self-wrought righteousness,

But in a garment pure;

So pure, so bright, so beautiful,
And for the Feast so suitable,
That GOD can it endure.

O therefore melt and bless my heart,
Thine own lov'd character impart,
Jesus, my Lord and God;
Save me by grace, and let me be
A trophied monument to thee,-
A sinner saved by blood!

CHAPTER XIII.

The Tables of Testimony.

1. GENERAL CIRCUMSTANCES: 2: PARTICULAR USES. THE QUESTION, WHEREFORE THEN SERVETH THE LAW? ANSWERED IN FIVE WAYS.

EXODUS Xxxi. 18.

And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon Mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

AMONG the holy things enumerated by St. Paul, as placed within the vail, were the tables of the covenant which God made with Israel. Heb. ix. 4. These were deposited in the sacred ark or chest, and encompassed on every side by the outspread wings of the cherubim of glory. They differ from the book of the law in its fulness of ceremonial requirement, named by the same apostle in Heb. ix. 19; inasmuch as the two tables contained simply the ten words or commandments of the moral law written by the finger of the Lord himself, and recording therein that rule of judgment and of government applicable alike unto all times and unto all circumstances of mankind. Both the moral and the ceremonial law, however, were parts of one grand revelation unto Israel; and although unto the rest of mankind, the observances of the cere