the Sanctifier, while Peter and John prayed with them, and laid hands upon them."*

But if we would soon prevail, we must acquire a habit of prayer that overcomes all difficulties and bends to no circumstances. We must pray without ceasing. When we so deeply feel the need of full redemption in the blood of Christ, that whether we walk in the way, or toil in the field, or do business at the counter, or are in company, our souls breathe out every moment the prayer of David, "Give me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me," we are upon the very threshold of the inner sanctuary. A little more holding on upon the horns of the altar-a little more faith-one single venture of the whole upon "the everlasting arms," and the work is done.

But let it not be forgotten that the offering up of our prayers for entire sanctification must be characterized by the mental states which I have previously described. We must fix our attention upon this one object. This must be every thing to us. For the time the hell we would be delivered from, must be the hell of inbred sin; and the heaven we would obtain, the heaven of loving God alone. We must desire it above any thing beside. We must come to God with a broken and a contrite heart. We must believe that God is able, and that he is willing to do the work for us, and to do it now. With these feelings and views, in this condition of the mind, we must come to God in prayer, and as sure as God is, he will give us the desire of our hearts.

This, then, is the way in which we are to go on to perfection, or to secure that entire sanctification which God, who is faithful, has promised, and which we may have, thank God, even now.

*Last Check, sec. xix.

I will conclude this lecture with several cautions. 1. Do not be frightened from your purpose by the heat of the conflict.

A great object is to be gained, and if great difficulties are to be overcome, and great sacrifices to be made, what is this more than should be expected? Indeed, it should little concern us how God shall see proper to bring us to our desired haven, only so that we are safely brought there in due time. And what if, to mortify our pride, he drag us through the mire? What if, to melt our stony hearts, he bring us through the fire? What if, in bringing us into the land of Canaan, he makes us contend with the swellings of Jordan? Yea, what if he bring us through the wildernessthrough an enemy's land? What if we are called to encounter fierce opposition, and to hear the noise of war and of the battle, and to take the land at the point of the sword? What of all this? The Captain of our salvation goes out before us, and promises to lead us safely through. He never lost a battle. He has vanquished death-conquered the powers of hell-and procured for us eternal redemption. All we have to do is to trust our cause with him and follow his heavenly guidance. And though he bring us through the fire, or through the water, he will see that we come in safety and in triumph to the mount of holiness, even to our spiritual Jerusalem. But this is a blessing not reserved for the cowardly and the faint-hearted, or for those who lust for the flesh-pots of Egypt. They will die in the wilderness-fall by the hand of the destroyer, and perish miserably for ever and ever.

2. Be not in too great haste to enjoy the comforts of this blessed state. Make the victory your object, and you will in due time be enabled to enjoy the spoils Scek, principally, that the work should be deep and

thorough that your heart should be fully circumcised: that all the enemies of the Lord should be slain, not doubting but when this is done, God will set up the empire of peace in your soul.

3. Be not impatient with apparent delays. If God does not come at once, it is because you are not ready to receive him. And if your unbelief has delayed the application of the sovereign remedy, why should you find fault with God? Should you throw yourself still further out at sea because you have not been permitted to enter the harbour by an impracticable passage? No, no! Make your observations anew. Improve by your former errors. Ah! abandon your former pilot, worldly prudence, and put yourself under the direction of the one infallible, unerring Guide, who will in due time bring you into the port of peace.

LECTURE XIX.

THE MOTIVES AND REASONS FOR SEEKING ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION,

"Without holiness no man shall see the Lord," Heb. xii, 14.

THE interest of the subject heightens as we proceed -the point next to be considered is in advance of any thing heretofore presented. It is indeed important to have right views of the subject. I have accordingly endeavoured to present it in as clear a light as possible. But after all, the great object is to feel properly impressed with the importance of a personal experience of the great work in our own hearts Our knowledge upon the subject will be of comparatively small importance, if we remain unaffected by its

great motives. The great object of all doctrinal discussion should be to prepare the way for action-to give birth to practical movements.

There is an impressiveness in truth itself which awakens and stirs the mind not armed against it. But there are certain great sanctions whose office especially is to produce the right impressions, and to call the powers of the soul into action. The human mind is so constituted that it will be influenced by motives. And the kingdom of Christ is suited to this feature of man's rational and moral nature. Motives high, vast, glorious, and terrible, are brought to bear upon the requirements of God, to give them their due importance, and make them practically influential. The great arguments of the gospel must take so deep a hold upon the moral feelings as that the will of God becomes the paramount principle of action. To bring out some of the leading reasons which enforce the duty of seeking entire sanctification-of going on to perfection-shall be the purpose of this lecture.

1. It is the will of God.

This the apostle expressly asserts. "It is the will of God, even your sanctification," 1 Thess. iv, 3. Again: "The God of peace sanctify you wholly. Faithful is he who calleth you, who also will do it." 1 Thess. v, 23, 21. There are two senses in which the will of God may be understood, in both of which it is predicated of our entire sanctification. The first is the permissive scnse. This implies that God is willing that we should be sanctified wholly; it is in perfect accordance with his good pleasure. He has no plan, or purpose, or desire in opposition to our entire conformity to his image. This, considering the evil nature and the ruinous effects of sin, is a development of his goodness, and should of itself be a sufficient reason for our

availing ourselves of the privilege so graciously vouchsafed. The case is just this: we have about us the remains of a deadly malady, and our good Physician is willing to put forth his skill and effect in us a perfect cure. We have in our hearts remaining roots of bitterness, which ever and anon spring up and trouble us, and our grand Restorer is willing to extract them. Now why should there be any hesitating on our part in relation to the matter? If the sovereign cure is desirable, and God is willing to effect it, why delay a moment in applying for the remedy?

But secondly, it is the will of God in the authoritative sense-he requires us to seek this entire holiness. The length and breadth of the evangelical law is this: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength" and what is this but a state of entire sanctification?—and what less could God require? There is no disagreement among Christians here: all admit that God requires entire holiness. But the point in which we differ from others is, that we not only logically conclude the attainableness of this state, but urge the duty of seeking it now, from the fact of its being required. And who can show the argument illogical, or the exhortation baseless.

The will of God is paramount law. If we resist or neglect it, we are guilty of disobedience-we contract guilt, and come into condemnation. What then is the condition of those Christians who do not seek at all the entire sanctification which God requires? Are they doing the will of God? Let all concerned lay their hand upon their heart and decide this question accord ing to truth and evidence. I must not be understood to say that all who are not entirely sanctified are in a state of damning sin: this sentiment I have explicitly