The same thought underlies these words of Christ. The
world attempts to see the Spirit, that it may know and receive Him; the
child of God receives Him by an act of faith that he may know Him.

An illustration of this habit is given in the story of Naaman. The
spirit of the world whispered to him of the desirability of _knowing_
that the waters of Israel possessed curative properties, before he
committed himself absolutely to the prophet's directions; and if he had
waited to know before bathing in them, he would have remained a
helpless leper to the end of his days. His servants, however, had a
clearer perception of the way of faith, and persuaded him to dip seven
times in the Jordan. He acted on the suggestion, dipped seven times,
and his flesh came as that of a little child. Similarly we are called
to act upon grounds which the world would hold to be inadequate. We
hear the testimony of another; we recognize a suitability in the
promise of the Scripture to meet the deep yearnings of our soul; we
feel that the words and works of Jesus Christ constitute a unique claim
for Him, and we open our hearts toward Him. In absolute humility and
perfect obedience we yield to Him our whole nature. Though the night
be yet dark, we fling wide our windows to the warm southwest wind
coming over the sea. The result is that we begin to know, with an
intuitive knowledge that cannot be shaken by the pronouncements of the
higher criticism. We have received the Spirit, and our after life is
too short to unfold all that is involved in that unspeakable gift. We
know Him because He abideth with us, and is in us. No man knoweth the
things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him; and we can
only know the Spirit of God when He has taken up His residence within
us, and witnesses with our spirit, as One who is interwoven with the
very texture of the inner life.

Consecration is therefore the key to this higher knowledge, and if any
who read this page are yearning after a discernment of the things of
God on which they may build the house of their faith amid the swirl of
the storm and the beat of the wave of modern doubt, let them open their
entire nature, humbly to receive, diligently to obey that Spirit whom
Christ waits to give to all who seek.

II. THE CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS DISPENSATION.--"He shall be _in_ you."
It has been repeatedly said that creation is the work of the Father,
redemption of the Son, and regeneration