There are many popular mistakes upon this subject, which require to be cleared up, for the sake of consistent, as well as of inconsistent, professors. The general opinion of both seems to be that communion with God consists chiefly in enjoyment at the sacrament, and during secret prayer. And by enjoyment they mean sweet thoughts and tender feelings, arising from clear views of the love of God, and of the glory of the Saviour. When these things touch their heart, so as to melt them, they rejoice in having fellowship with God. But when they do not feel thus, they say that they have had no communion with him.

Now, in the case of a consistent follower of the Saviour, the first conclusion is quite true; his delight at the sacrament and in the closet is real fellowship with God and the Lamb. But his second conclusion may be quite untrue. The want of such enjoyment is not, necessarily, the want of fellowship with God, or with the Saviour. It may even be a higher and holier degree of it than what we call enjoyment is. Oh, yes! when the soul is sunk in the dust of humility and self-abase

ment, and filled to overflowing with grief, and shame, and hatred, and loathing of sin; and so absorbed in feeling the necessity and desirableness of holiness, that it can think of nothing else at the time, then there is more real fellowship with God and the Lamb, than when the soul can hardly contain its joys for this deep hatred of sin, and this deep love of holiness, are more in harmony with the mind of God than any raptures are. For what is fellowship with God, but fellow principles and feelings to his own?

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Such being the sober facts of the case, it is self-evident that whatever an inconsistent professor enjoys at the sacrament, or in secret prayer, it is not fellowship with God and the Lamb. They hate sin. It is "the abominable thing" which their "soul hateth." ever, therefore, loves sin, so as to "walk" in it, is at open variance with God, instead of having fellowship with him; and at variance with God on a point which God never will yield nor alter. He will bear with weaknesses, and overlook infirmities, and even forgive, in answer to prayer, the sins of those

who hate sin, and are conscientiously trying to follow holiness; but with the man who loves sin, and lives in it, God will hold no fellowship. "What fellowship hath Christ with Belial?" None. And it is equally true that Belial (a wicked man) hath none with Christ, whatever he may think or pretend.

These hints prove that there are serious mistakes prevail upon this subject. Inconsistent professors call that-fellowship with God, which wants the very first and fundamental principle of all communion with him. That principle is love to what God loves mostHOLINESS; and hatred to what God hates most-SIN. Where this principle is not in the heart, there is not, there cannot be, any fellowship with God. There may be fits of prayer without it, and flashes of enjoyment without it, and occasional meltings of heart without it; but no fellowship. It is essential, in order to that, that we have some measure of fellow feeling with God on the points where he feels most. Were this well understood, and habitually remembered, by those who combine a profession of religion with loved

and allowed sin, they would soon become as much afraid of what they call their "sweet

seasons of enjoyment, as they are now of being detected in their secret sins. For, nothing is more ominous or alarming than a state of mind which can set off fits of devotion against habits of sensuality, intemperance, lying, or dishonesty. The man who can salve up the wounds of his conscience, under such habits, is really searing his conscience, with the hottest "iron" that Satan heats. "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie."

"But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have mutual fellowship with him." Walking in the light is both the rule and the condition of communion with God. It is itself practical fellowship with God, and leads to that devotional fellowship which consists in the sensible enjoyment of the Divine presence. But it may be said, "walking in the light as God is in the light," seems to be impossible: "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all!" how, then, can any one walk in the light as he is in the light? This objection is

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not so formidable as it appears at first sight. The apostle's object is, not to demand perfection, but to establish a perfect rule of conduct. The angels cannot walk in the light, to all the extent which God is in the light; but they act upon his principles, copy his example, and cultivate his spirit. They adopt no lower, nor any other, standard of holiness. Now, although we cannot equal angels in walking in the light, we can, like them, make God our example; and although we cannot come up to that example, we can avoid coming down to an inferior one. Perfection is, indeed, impossible in this world: but it is not impossible to make use of a perfect model or rule of conduct. Let us, therefore, consider how "God is in the light."

Now, in him, there is none of the darkness of insincerity. God never says one thing, and means another; never professes friendship, when he feels none; never employs fraud or flattery to gain his ends. All this, however, is common in the world; and, because it is common, God puts himself forward as the authoritative example of sincerity to all who desire fellowship with him. He will not allow us to