to detach devout minds from the study of the Divine Word under the plausible pretence, that the inward teachings of the Spirit are of more value, than the outward letter. An artifice, which he, who desires a close walk with God, will carefully guard against; remembering that God cannot consistently, and will not, neglect and dishonor his own divine communications; that the Holy Spirit operates in a peculiar manner, in connection with the written Word; and that he, who deserts the Word of God, may reasonably expect to be deserted by the Spirit.

(2.)-Perfect love will exhibit a trait of permanency and perseverance under the most trying circumstances. Our fears and hopes vary; our joys and sorrows vary; but we may reasonably expect that perfect love will continue the same. There is no reason why it should change, since the object at which it aims is the same with the immutable will of God. The will of God is its true life. Accordingly, when in the providence of God we are afflicted, our joys will be less, but there will be no diminution of love. Joy flourishes in the sunshine, but love grows and flourishes in the storm also. God may hide his face from us, but hearts of love still look in that direction where his face is. The Savior, on a certain occasion, was greatly afflicted. His language was, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." His joy was taken from him, but his love remained. He could still say, while he prayed that the cup might, if possible,

pass from him, "Nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt."

(3.)-We remark, in conclusion, that those, in whom the love of God is perfected, will love the children of God with peculiar strength. Perfect love is the image of Christ in the soul; and wherever we see that image, in whatever denomination of Christians, and in whatever persons, our hearts will recognize the divine relationship, and rejoice in it. Without this strong love to those who bear the divine image, we may be sure that our love is not perfect. It is God's great work, and highest delight, to create this image in the hearts of men; and if our will is swallowed up in his will, we shall rejoice in it in some degree as he does, and shall know the delightful meaning of those numerous passages of Scripture which speak of the love of Christians to each other.

"Tis Love unites what sin divides;
The centre, where all bliss resides;

To which the soul once brought,

Reclining on the first Great Cause,
From his abounding sweetness draws
Peace, passing human thought."

CHAPTER ELEVENTH.

On the Act or Covenant of Religious Consecration.

THE two great and inspiring elements of the religious life are faith and love. And in the case of those who are experiencing all that it is our privilege to experience in the present state of being, they are perfect faith and perfect love. Hence it became necessary, at an early stage of our inquiries, to enter into some explanations of these two great principles. Principles so important, that they ought to be fully understood both in their nature and relations. Principles so nearly affiliated, that if one exists, the other exists, and whether they are contemplated in their combined or separate action, are so effective and ascendant over the mental operations, that their existence in the highest degree necessarily involves the renovation of the whole moral nature.

We are now prepared to return to a topic, which was briefly noticed in the third chapter, and to consider it a little more at large. We refer to the important subject of personal Consecration. And we call it important, because it seems to us that it is closely connected with, and is, indeed, a sort of

antecedent condition to whatever is most valuable in the experience of faith and love. We do not propose, however, in the present chapter, to enter into an examination of the necessity of the dedicating or consecrating Act, and of the benefits connected with it, which we cannot doubt are generally conceded; but to limit our remarks to the MANNER, in which the act or covenant of consecration ought to be made.

(1.)—And the first remark, which we have to make on this subject, is, that the consecration of ourselves to God should be made DELIBERATELY. A consecration, made in this manner, viz. with calmness and deliberation, is due to our own characters, as rational and reflecting beings. As God has made us perceptive and rational, he desires and expects us, especially in important transactions, to act in accordance with the principles he has given us. It is not reasonable to suppose, that God would be pleased with a consecration, made thoughtlessly and by blind impulse, rather than by deliberate reflection. Man has deliberately rebelled and gone astray, and it is due to himself and his Maker, it is due to truth and to holiness, that he should deliberately and reflectingly submit and return; that his repentance of sin should be accompanied with a clear perception of his sinfulness; that his determination to do God's will should be attended with some suitable apprehensions of what He requires; and that his fixed purpose of future obedience should be sustained by the united strength of all appropriate considerations.

(2.)—We observe, in the second place, that the consecration must be made for ALL COMING TIME. It is true, that there may be specific consecrations of a modified character, restricted to particular objects and occasions, and limited also to definite periods. A person, for instance, may devote himself exclusively, for a limited time, to the one important object of erecting a place of public worship. And regarding him as giving to this one object all his powers of body and of mind, we may properly speak of him, in an imperfect or modified sense of the term, as coNSECRATED to this particular work. But it is quite obvious, that such instances of consecration are exceedingly different from the one under consideration; which is fundamental and universal in its character, and which would be inconsistent with itself, if it were applied to one object to the exclusion of others; which takes into view the very being and nature of the soul; which considers the principles of man's departure from God and also the principles involved in his restoration; which recognises the full amount of God's immutable and infinite claims; and which, therefore, on the grounds of truth and rectitude, as well as of safety and of happiness, cannot be made for a less period than all time and eternity.

(3.) It may be remarked again, that the consecration, including our bodies as well as our spirits, and our possessions as well as our persons, all we are and all we have, all we can do and all we can suffer, should be made without any reserve. There are many professors of religion, who are willing