near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." Heb. x. 19-22.

Fifth, We would allude but to one other blessing growing out of the Atonement realized -the spring it gives to all holy evangelical obedience. The great impelling motive of all gospel obedience is, the love of Christ in the heart. David acknowledged this principle when he prayed, "I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart." Ps. cxix. 32. The Apostle admits it when he says, "the love of Christ constraineth us." In order to walk as an obedient child-to bear the daily cross-to honour the institution, and yield obedience to the law of Christ-to delight in the precepts as in the doctrines of God's truth, the atoning blood must be realized. How easy and how sweet will then become the commandments of the Lord. Duties will be viewed as privileges -and the yoke felt to be no yoke, and the cross to be no cross.

If these are the inestimable blessings connected with personal, and close realizing views

of the blood of atonement, surely the Christian reader will strive to live near the fountain. This is the only spot where his soul shall flourish. As the gentle flower which blooms unseen by the side of some veiled fountain, is, from the constant moisture it receives always beautiful and fragrant, so is that believing soul the most fruitful, holy, spiritual and devoted, who daily dwells by the side, yea, in the "fountain opened for sin and uncleanness." We see not how a child of God can be fruitful otherwise. A sweet and abiding consciousness of pardon and acceptance, is essential to spiritual fruitfulness. No believer can advance in the Divine life-wage a daily war with the innumerable foes that appose him-and be fruitful in every good work, who is perpetually in search of evidence of his adoption. We need all our time, all our energies, all our means in order to vanquish the spiritual philistines who obstruct our way to the heavenly Canaan. We have none to send in search of evidences, least while they have gone the bridegroom cometh! O then to know that all is right. The thick cloud blotted out-the soul wrapped in the robe of righteousness-ready to

enter into the marriage supper of the Lamb. To die, will be quite enough. To face, and grapple with the king of terrors will be sufficient employment for the spirit struggling to be free. No time, no strength, no energy then to search for evidences. Let not the professor of Christ leave the "sealing" of his pardon and acceptance to that fearful hour; but let him earnestly seek it now, that when he comes to die, he may have nothing to do, but to die. And that will be quite enough.

CHAPTER IV.

THE FREENESS OF THE ATONEMENT.

THE ANXIOUS SINNER VENTURING ON CHRIST.

"Being justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Rom. iii. 24.

WHEN speaking of the great unfolding of Divine mercy in the redemption by Christ, the Apostle employs language the most concise and expressive; he terms it, "The grace of God that bringeth salvation." Tit. ii. 2. In this short but emphatic sentence, he elevates his reader at once to the source and fountain head of all grace. He sets forth its author-its nature-and its end. It is the GRACE of GOD,-constituting as essential and substantial a part of the Divine existence, as the attributes of power, holiness, justice or goodness. With an eminent divine, we would pass to higher ground even than this. We would rather not call it an attribute, but the WILL of GOD which brings all other manifestations of the Divine character before the eye.

"It is not mercy; though mercy is to be seen in grace; it is not holiness, though holiness is to be seen in grace; it is a mere act of the Divine will, which manifests itself to all it pleases. It is necessary to go still higher it is not merely the second in a series of ascending steps; it is not a repairing of a breach; but an exalting of the handyworks of God into a higher region; in humanity to make the GODHEAD forever manifest and to lift man up, and make him the nearest link in that chain that hangs from the throne of GOD."

A less theological, and perhaps more simple definition of grace may be acceptable to the general reader. And as the great MANIFESTATION of this grace we are now to consider, is the Atonement of Christ, we prefer the phrase the 'freeness of the Atonement,' as expressing, "the grace of God that bringeth salvation." Should not even this be deemed sufficiently explicit, we mean then, the perfectly gratuitous and unconditional manner, in which the blessing of pardon and justification, flowing through the atonement of Christ, come to the vilest sinner, sensible of his lost state, and made willing to accept of Jesus