(Gal. iv, 6, 7.) "For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." (2 Cor. i, 20-22.) "And hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us." (1 John iii, 24.) “Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit." (1 John iv, 13.)

These passages certainly teach that the witness of the Spirit is not only the privilege but the actual possession of every child of God. Just as the Spirit of God witnesses to conviction of sin in the penitent heart, so that same Spirit witnesses to salvation in the believing heart. Without this witness there could be no peace, no comfort, no joy. With this witness the saved soul has peace. 'Being justified by faith we have peace with God."

"The Bible," says Rev. Wilbur F. Tillett, "indicates several tokens whereby we may know that we are the children of God; and that Christian has indeed just cause for discouragement in regard to his state who can not consciously appropriate some of these to himself. From the stand-point of faith it is called the assurance of faith; and the faith-mark is: 'He that believeth on the Son hath the witness in himself,' and I know whom I have believed.' The love-mark is: Hereby we know that we have passed from darkness to light, because we love the brethren.' The obedience-mark is: 'Hereby we know that we know him if we keep his commandments.' It may be tested by the change that has taken place: 'One thing I know, that whereas I was blind now I see.' Again by practical benevolence: 'Love not in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth; and hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.' Again, by contrasting our state with that of the world: 'And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness;' 'We have peace with God;' The fruits of the Spirit are these,' etc. Now here are eight tests given whereby we may know that we are regenerate believers; nor are these all. If neither by his faith, nor by his love, nor obedience, nor benevolence, nor sense of reconciliation and peace, nor by the change that has taken place in himself or in his feelings for God and his people, nor by the purpose of his heart nor the fruits of his life; if by none of these marks he can prove himself to be a Christian; if his faith can take hold of none of these things and reach assurance of sonship, the professing Christian has indeed just ground for fearing that he has never been truly

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converted. But if any of these brings comfort to the discouraged believer, let him hold fast to that, and make much of it, and build up from that to the full assurance of faith. No man can know that he is a Christian except he be convinced thereof by the Holy Ghost."

The doctrine of the witness of the Spirit is very important, for, as Calvin observes, "if the Holy Spirit of God did not bear testimony to paternal love, our tongue would remain silent; for we could not in prayer call him Father, unless we were assured that he is really Our own mind of itself, independent of the preceding testimony of the Spirit, could not produce this persuasion that we are the sons of God."

So.

ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION OR HOLINESS.

WHAT IS HOLINESS?

A scientific definition of the term holiness will hardly answer our purpose in considering the question of Christian holiness, and yet we may give it. Webster says holiness is "the state of being holy; freedom from sin; sanctified affections; the state of any thing hallowed or set apart for God or his service." The last clause of this definition is much to the point, and so is his definition of the word "sanctify:" "In a general sense, to cleanse, purify, make holy; to separate, set apart, or appoint to a holy use; to make holy; to make the means of holiness; to make free from guilt; to secure from violation." As applied to the Christian, holiness represents that highest state of grace to which it is possible for a human being by the aid of the Holy Spirit to attain on earth. Views differ as to what that "highest state" may be, and we shall here make no attempt to settle the question. Theories on this subject are of less consequence than facts. Theories are man-made. We prefer to go directly to the Bible, the original source of all knowledge pertaining to this question, and from its teachings try to arrive at the essential truth.

Happily, the Book is very explicit. Bishop Foster says: "It breathes in the prophecy, thunders in the law, murmurs in the narrative, whispers in the promises, supplicates in the prayers, sparkles in the poetry, resounds in the songs, speaks in the types, glows in the imagery, voices in the language, and burns in the spirit of its whole scheme, from its Alpha to its Omega, from its beginning to its end. Holiness! holiness needed! holiness required! holiness offered! holiness attained! holiness a present duty, a present privilege, a present

enjoyment, is the progress and completeness of its wondrous theme! It is the truth glowing all over, webbing all through revelation; the glorious truth which sparkles and whispers and sings and shouts in all its history, and biography, and poetry, and prophecy, and precept, and promise, and prayer; the great central truth of the system."

But man can attain

We may say just here that the holiness possible to the Christian is not absolute holiness, like the holiness of God. Neither man nor angels can attain to the perfection of the Deity. to a condition of moral purity in which it is his delight to commune with God, to do his will, to guard against temptation, to resist sin, to overcome evil, to follow righteousness, to rejoice in worship and praise, to love God supremely and his neighbor as himself. To reach this state, as we shall show, is both his duty and privilege.

THE MOTIVE TO A HOLY LIFE.

Desire to be like Christ is the grand motive to holiness. Christ was holy, harmless, undefiled, made separate from sinners, and lived a life of complete consecration to God. In him was no sin. The moral image of God shone constantly upon his soul. It is the Christian's privilege to be like Christ, to have his mind, his moral character, to be transformed into his image, to manifest his spirit, and keep himself unspotted from the world. The true Christian desires this. He "pants to have no other will, but night and day to feast on thee." He is under a deep sense of obligation to his Lord, he admires the infinite loveliness of his character, and feels that to resemble him would be a realization of paradise restored.

There are more

Desire to be holy leads to the use of means. means of grace than prayer-meetings, sermons, and communions. We seek counsel. We study the Word. We pray in secret. We implore the help of the Spirit. Our very aspirations quicken faith, and faith secures the blessing. "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 gospel is the mirror in which we behold that glory, and the Spirit of God working on the heart of the believer is the transforming power. It is but reasonable that all Christians should seek an experience so practical, and an inward transformation so beautiful. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, said: "I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind."

The "mercies of God" are a sufficient reason why we should consecrate ourselves, soul, body, and spirit, to the service of God. How great are those mercies! How boundless the infinite goodness! How speedily the very thought of God's benefactions should drive us to his bosom seeking his purity and fullness of love! Nothing should hinder us. The body of sin within us should be destroyed. The old man, with his affections and lusts, should be nailed to the tree. There is a sense in which the crucifixion of the flesh is our own work. "They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts." In accepting Christ they renounce the world, the flesh, and the devil. In the life and power of the Spirit they mortify their members which are upon the earth. By the reckoning of faith they realize with Paul: "I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me;" "I am crucified unto the world, and the world unto me." In such a state the believer is prepared to appropriate the truth as it is in Christ, to nourish and strengthen his spiritual life. His conception of religious privilege becomes clearer, his desire for full salvation grows stronger, and the resolve seizes him to know all the length and breadth and depth and height of the love of God which passeth knowledge, that he may be filled with all the fullness of God. Nor is he easily discouraged, or quickly moved from his purpose. His motive is enduring. He is ready to endure hardness, if need be, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Think what human beings can endure when they are firmly resolved. An American Indian will stand without flinching in the presence of his captors while they cut away his flesh with knives. He will not sue for mercy, nor will he sigh or groan. He has hardened his purpose to endure any thing. No torture can shake his fortitude or subdue his iron will. And this is all of pride. He will not dishonor his race, or gratify his foes by the slightest exhibition of softness or subjection. Now, if a feeling of natural pride can bring a person to such powers of endurance, how much more ought the power of Christian motive to lead us to pluck out the right eye of evil and sever the right hand of sin, that we may stand before God unblamable in holiness! Let us put away sin. It is no essential part of our life. It does not rightfully belong in our characters. It is an intrusion, a stain, a blot upon our natures. We are perfect just in proportion as we are pure, and we are pure in the measure that we become Christ-like. The plan is simple, and the way easy. Cease to do evil; learn to do well. Trust Christ for every thing. Do what he commands you, and realize his power to save to the uttermost.

HOLINESS-IDEAL AND REAL.

His grace is sufficient.

He never re

There is no dispute among Christians as to the fact that perfect holiness is the ideal of the Christian life. It is the standard at which we should all aim. Whether we can reach the heights of this blessed experience on this side of death, is the ground of stumbling. Those who claim that we can, and should, and do, set up a rock of offense before those who think to the contrary. Yet it is a little bit strange that those who believe in holiness as a good theory should be so disbeliev ing in holiness as a needed practice. Can God consistently set before our eyes a doctrinal scheme which is utterly impracticable? Can he justly tantalize us by exhibiting a blessed life and experience in ideal which we can never attain to in fact? Does God ever deal with his people in that way? No: and the lives and testimonies of thousands of credible witnesses prove that he has not done so in regard to this doctrine. When God commands us to be perfect in love he intends we should be perfect in love. quires an impossible thing. Our own experience as believers accords with God's promises that he will lead us on just as far as we consent to be led. Never has he failed. No man ever sought this blessing with a whole heart who did not find. And those who have sought and found have realized as never before that their souls had found the true shrine. Holiness is the felt want of the believing heart. Good men have ever yearned and struggled for it. Robert McCheyne says: "I am persuaded that I shall obtain the highest amount of present happiness; I shall do most for God's glory and the good of man, and I shall have the fullest reward in eternity by maintaining a conscience always washed in Christ's blood; by being filled with the Holy Spirit at all times, and by attaining the most entire likeness to Christ in mind, will, and heart, that it is possible for a redeemed sinner to attain in this world." Brainerd tells us how we should long and strive for it: "I had intense and passionate breathings of soul after holiness, and very clear manifestations of my utter inability to procure or work it in myself; it is wholly owing to the power of God. O, with what tenderness the love and desire of holiness fills the soul! I wanted to wring out myself to God, or rather to get a conformity to him; but, alas! I can not add to my stature in grace one cubit. However, my soul can never leave off striving for it, or at least groaning that it can not obtain more purity of heart."

This is the experience which ministers need. James Brainerd Taylor thought so: "Ministers, of all others, should be holy men;