more imperatively the duty of GOD's Ministers to describe the mightier and lovelier attractions of the Gospel, and to point out the means by which they may be made

our own.

"To be filled," then, "with the SPIRIT," is not, merely to abide in the presence of the Eternal GOD; nor, again, to be partakers of His miraculous gifts; for all this may be the lot of unholy men. "To be filled with the SPIRIT," is not, again, to be partakers of such influences of His grace as descend upon the Baptismal font, and mark the earlier stages of the babe in CHRIST, who happily pursues his course according to that beginning. To "be filled with the SPIRIT," is to hold that position among the sons of light, which the man, deeply stained in pollution, holds among the children of darkness. It is to have passed the first stages of the divine life, and to be far onward in the path, which ends in everlasting joy and felicity. To "be filled with the SPIRIT," is to have grown in grace and in knowledge: to build up ourselves in our most holy faith, praying in the HOLY GHOST, keeping ourselves in the love of GoD, looking for the mercy of our LORD JESUS CHRIST unto eternal life. To "be filled with the SPIRIT," is, just in proportion as we realize that blessed state, to have sold all we have, the treasure in the field, all the goodly pearls which once we sought, and to have bought the one pearl, which to find is everlasting life. It is to possess a tranquillity of heart, a permanent and abiding calm, a joy passing understanding in the inmost soul, compared with which the mirth of the worldly man, or even the transient gleams which visit some who hear the Word, and anon with joy receive it, are like the fitful shining of the moon on dark tempestuous

nights, compared with the calm, bright, settled lustre of the summer's sun. It is this which enables a man when he awakes in the morning, to feel, The LORD is my Shepherd, HE is my SAVIOUR, my atoning High Priest, my daily Companion, my Brother, and my Friend. He will be about my path this livelong day, as He has been about my bed this livelong night. I have a work to do which fills up my hours with cheerfulness. With me With me "no melancholy void, no moment lingers unemployed." My soul has found, and yet pants after, the living GOD; after nearer approaches to His Presence, and after more entire conformity to His blessed image. I have been led beside the still fountain of life, and it is the blissful occupation of my days, to try and drink deeper and deeper of its pure and satisfying water.

But it is, further, the bounden duty of faithful ministers, to point out the means whereby this blessed end is to be attained. The means are obvious. Every one can name them. Devout reading of God's Word, and meditation therein day and night; the perusal of the works of holy men; and the earnest endeavour, by God's grace, to follow their good example. Private prayer, not hastily and infrequently, but calmly, soberly, and constantly offered up. These, and above all, the faithful, oft-repeated reception of the Holy Eucharist, will be found certain means of attaining to the blessed consummation noticed in my text. These means, I say, are obvious, and will, of necessity, be more or less made use of by every serious Christian. But these are, as it were, great outlines, and on the mode in which they are filled up, depends our backwardness or advancement in divine things: or, in other words, the degree to which we shall be "filled

"with the SPIRIT." It may not therefore be amiss just to name in conclusion, a few particulars, in the right use of which much spiritual profit, and spiritual joy, may be experienced.

1. I mention then, in the first place, the Daily Service daily attendance, when practicable, at the House of GOD.

It

That such a godly practice is in accordance with Holy Scripture, and with the laws of the universal Church, we stop not to prove: and that it is observed among several bodies of Christians, is certain. would appear, indeed, as though no prejudice existed against the custom of meeting in GoD's House for daily prayer, except amongst some professed members of the Church of England. But it is one marked and blessed feature of the day in which we live, that such prejudice is fast disappearing before common sense, and enlightened piety. And it is matter for devout thanksgiving, that instances are to be found, in which, where other means have failed, daily prayer in the Temple of the LORD, has been found to soothe the depressions of an anxious, and a burdened heart; has led to a peace unknown before, and to a joy passing understanding.

2. Self-denial is another means, which must infallibly be resorted to by all who would be "filled with the SPIRIT." The flesh lusteth against the SPIRIT, and the SPIRIT against the flesh"; and if we are to be filled with the SPIRIT, the flesh must be overcome. To this end, stated seasons of abstinence will, doubtless, be found of use. But self-denial must not be confined to stated seasons. We must, by the grace of GOD, acquire an habitual power over our flesh with its affections and lusts. Nor can the mode and degree

of needful self-denial be better, or more practically presented to the mind, than by a reference to the con

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stant saying of a holy man, departed this life in GOD's faith and fear," who was wont to declare that every meal should tend to fit us for the exercises of devotion, and that, whenever it were otherwise, there must have been excess.

3. Almsgiving, finally, is a Christian duty, on which much depends. Many persons have often wondered why their spiritual comfort was so small; and they have found the remedy in deeds of mercy and lovingkindness performed, for CHRIST's sake, in behalf of the suffering and the poor. Nothing is clearer in the Word of God, than that the result of the last judgment is largely connected with the mode in which this duty is performed: and it is no less clear that, in few instances, if any, are many high professors of religion, who seem to entertain not a doubt of their salvation, so deficient, as in this. But instead of dwelling on this melancholy fact, let us conclude with a few words from Holy Scripture, in which the blessings which accompany the performance of this duty, are described. "Blessed is he that considereth the poor, the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble." "He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given, will HE pay him again."

"If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy GOD giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thy hand from thy poor brother; thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy GOD shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.”

Come, ye blessed of My FATHER, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungred, and ye gave Me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took Me in; naked, and ye clothed ME; I was sick, and ye visited ME; I was in prison, and ye came unto ME." "Verily I say unto, inasmuch as ye have done it to unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto ME."

J. H. W.