sincerity and truth, there is ground to hope for "an answer of peace" from Him who hath said, by the Son of his love, "If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him." And let those who profess to have received this renewal, give the evidence of its reality. The claim, unsupported by the vouchers of the life, nay, disproved by the conduct, refutes itself, and brings shame and contempt to him by whom it is advanced, and discredit upon the Gospel cause. Assertions, especially the assertions of our own lips, cannot be evidence to others. They ask for facts. Worth a thousand arguments, is a changed life. This is an irrefragable proof. It is DEMONSTRA

TION.

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CHAPTER VII.

THE NEW MAN MATURING FOR
HEAVEN.

They go from strength to strength."

“The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day."

“But though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day."

"But we all, with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."

THE believer has now fairly entered upon his course. As a new man, with a new heart, and a lightened spirit, he begins a better and a spiritual life. Truly can he now say, "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Now commences his progressive sanctification; a sanctification, which, if he fall not from grace, will be more and more complete until it is merged in the glorification of a better world. It has already been briefly hinted, that this sanctification was

not to be confounded with that one great change by which he became a new creature. The distinction between them is obvious and marked; and may here, perhaps, with propriety be more fully illustrated.

The

There is a loose and extended sense, in which Sanctification may be said to commence with the first convictions of sin, with the first breathings of better thought and purpose. But in strictness and propriety of speech, it cannot be predicated of man while he is yet in his sins, under their full guilt and dominion. He must have ceased from sin before he can be sanctified in holiness. The change of heart, of affections, then, is the beginning of the divine life; progressive sanctification is the growth and advancement in that life. first, marks his spiritual birth, his entrance into the spiritual world as "a babe in Christ;" by the other, he is " nourished up" through successive stages, to the strength and "stature of a perfect man" in Christ. The preparatory stages of early conviction, of incipient faith, being fitly compared to the day spring from on high visiting him," and "the day star arising in his heart," conversion is the rising of the Sun of Righteousness upon his soul; while the progress of that Sun towards its meridian, causes the subsequently increasing illumination of his mind and brightening of his character; making his path to be, indeed, "like the shining light, which skineth more and

more unto the perfect day." Conversion first places him on the Christian course, as a competitor for the prize of the high calling of God, in Christ Jesus the Lord." Sanctification is the actual " running of the race set before him, with patience;" "forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those which are before." St. Paul was 66 a new creature," " a new man," from the period of his conversion. Still, he had many things to learn both doctrinally and practically; both by the ordinary grace, and by the extraordinary influxes of the Spirit; and therefore"he counted not himself to have apprehended; but he followed after, if so be that he might apprehend that, for which also he was apprehended of Christ Jesus;" and it was this subsequent effort and discipline which made him "in labours more abundant," eminent in gifts and graces, "not a whit behind the chiefest apostles;" "a burning and a shining light to the Church of God." A single manifestation on his way to Damascus, with its effects upon his mind, changed him from a furious persecutor, into an humble follower and zealous preacher of Christ; and the entire change was brought about within a definite and brief period; but his sanctification occupied the whole remainder of his life, and was only terminated when he won and wore the martyr's crown of blood, preparatory to his reception of the " crown of life, laid up for him in heaven,"

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to which he had long aspired, and which he knew that "the Lord, the righteous Judge, himself would give him in the last day."

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This distinction between the one great influence, or course of influences, which changes principle, changes the heart, and thus makes men new creatures," and that gradual renovation of the Spirit which gives the brightening lustrous finish to practice, making the believer more and more "conformed to the image of Christ," and changing him "from glory to glory," is, to our apprehension, important. When observed, it gives definiteness to ideas, and precision to language; while, without it, there is the ambiguity of a supposed renewal always going on, and yet never amounting to what would constitute a new creature; no change being ascribed to him but such as is merely in progress; and consequently no recognition being made of his spiritual existence, his distinctive character, as a man of God, simply because he had not already fully attained, neither was already perfect."

On this, however, I would not too strongly insist. As long as the necessity of a spiritual change us admitted in theory, and the change itself exhibited in practice, it will not be of vital moment, whether sanctification is regarded as growing out of this change, or as a part of it, and its consummation. Rather, then, let us trace the Christian his brightening course towards the heavenly