In confirmation, word on word

Rose sweetly too from memory's store:
Truths which in other days I heard,

But never knew their worth before.
Lodged, by a pious mother's care,

In the young folds of thought and sense,
Like fire in flint, they slumbered there,

Till anguish struck them bright from thence.
The beacon-lights of Holy Writ,

They one by one upon me stole ;
Through winds and waves my pathway lit,
And chased the darkness from my soul.

Yes: the Holy Spirit seals the heirs of heaven, and "beareth witness with our Spirit, that we are the children of God;" assures us of eternal life, and invests us with the Beautiful Garments of Salvation.

High and wonderful mystery! that God should thus condescend to come down to the aid of man; but so it is, and it is so because it was necessary to our complete restoration to himself. He alone, by the power of his Spirit, could renovate our entire nature, and thus make us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.

Hence it is, that in the great system of redemption, the Holy Ghost occupies so conspicuous a place, and every believer is commanded to be bap

tized" in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

On reviewing this mighty scheme of Infinite Benevolence, how can we but adore and magnify the riches of the wisdom and the grace of God? His spotless Son atones for our sins, and ascending up on high, "gave gifts unto men," shedding on us abundantly the Holy Spirit to enlighten our minds, to exalt our affections, to renovate our heart, and prepare us for heaven! Well might the apostles Paul and Peter, with adoring gratitude, exclaim, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.' "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

CHAPTER VI.

"Jesus, thy blood and righteousness,
My beauty are, my glorious dress."

HOW THOSE MAY BE KNOWN WHO WEAR IT HONOURABLY.

NAMES, among the Hebrews, were often given to individuals in order to point out some peculiar circumstances of their birth, or the intentions of their parents respecting them, of which many instances may be noticed in Holy Scripture history.

When the heavenly messenger appeared to Joseph to announce the birth of the Messiah, he said, "Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." What a great salvation!

And The Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil," and recover, out of satan's snare, those who were "taken captive by him at his will." What a great deliverance!

It must, therefore, be expected that every man who names himself after Christ, and professes to be a follower of him, "ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." For Paul reminds Titus of "the great God and our Saviour Jesus

Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." And Peter tells the scattered saints in Pontus and other places," But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation." Hence it is evident that christians are not to have the honoured name of the Holy Saviour in vain, but are expected to imitate him in loving righteousness and hating iniquity.

Not that they are taught to trust on their own reformed conduct or "good works" for acceptance with God. No: but only and alone on the Lord Jesus, through the virtue of whose obedience unto death they have obtained "the garments of

salvation." "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us, wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." "And ye are complete in him."

Now all those who are "covered with the robe of righteousness" wrought out for them by the Redeemer's obedience unto death, with which they have been invested and adorned by the Holy Spirit, may be known and known well from the rest of mankind. There are certain unmistakeable characteristics about them by which they are soon distinguished; some of which I would now point

out.

KNOWLEDGE.

Ignorance is darknesss, and leads to death-Knowledge is light, and leads to life. God is light: when we leave him we wander into darkness-when we return to him we draw

near to light. One of the first things necessary to be done for man was to shed light upon his dark path. Hence it was that "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son." Jesus Christ was the light of the world. He shed a flood of light upon the pathway of mortals, "and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel." How much he has told of