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divinity, that the righteousness which justifies the sinner, must necessarily comprize a sacrifice for sin, and so the apostle reasons; Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past." In this righteousness is involved the believer's triumph; in this righteousness he perceives there is more glory involved than if Adam and his posterity had been preserved in their original innocence.

Again by faith in the justifying righteousness of Christ, the believer's sins are eternally cancelled by God. He is forgiven and justified by the righteousness of Christ, while it is equally true the blessing is received by faith. Jesus died as fully to sanctify, as to justify his people. An infinite price was paid down by God for this righteousness: "who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works; "2 hence faith is said to sanctify as well as justify the believer. The gift of the Holy Spirit is one of the fruits of the Saviour's purchase, and one of the most glorious, to quicken those who are " predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Son." Faith, then, justifies, sanctifies, and saves.

1 Rom. iii. 25.

And now,

2 Titus ii. 14.

what is salvation? Perfect conformity to God, and in perfect conformity with the law and with the gospel. It is the glory of the gospel that it makes a provision for bringing man into conformity with the law. I boldly assert that the obedience of the saints involves in it a far higher degree of glory than the obedience of angels.

Again the believer condemns himself as fully as God condemns him. Faith justifies the law of God in its commandment and in its curse. The believer says-Thou wouldest have been just, O my God, hadst thou consigned me to the lowest pit of hell.' In this we do not find him quarrelling with the law, but here is a perfect admission of its justice.

III. IN BELIEVING IN JESUS CHRIST, THE LAW OF GOD IS HONOURED IN ITS COMMAND AND IN ITS CURSE. The righteousness that justifies connects the glory of both. Faith is so excellent a principle that it comprises heaven itself. The heaven of the elect, in the presence of God, is the full developement of that which was once the subject of faith in the human bosom here below. Faith does justice to the law, which is a transcript of the divine nature : the believer says, I am determined to be like it there is a provision made in the covenant of grace that I should be like it.

IV. THE EYE OF FAITH FIXES UPON THE SAVIOUR AS A SOVEREIGN AND A LEGISLATOR. Faith honours the commanding power of the law. Angels do this also, but the believer honours also its condemning power. Angels cannot do this: faith involves in it a principle of love what can I do for him who hath done

so much for me? The eleventh chapter of Hebrews unfolds faith in its principle and in its effects. Faith has in it a principle of action which nothing else could impart. Angels have no enemies to forgive-no torments to undergo -no conflicts with sin: but faith has enabled the believer to triumph over every difficulty and every evil, which the malice and hatred of the enemy of souls could devise.

FAITH.

by love.

And lastly-TO SHEW THE EXCELLENCE OF We find in the believer, faith working We behold in the midst of our Lord's agony, his faith and his love triumphant. "My God! My God! why hast thou forsaken me." And again, Father, forgive them, they know not what they do." Here is love triumphing over every suffering, over every enemy. The principle which enabled him to triumph, is destined to enable his people to triumph likewise.

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May 30, Whitsunday morning, 1830.

SERMON XL.

ON THE HOLY SPIRIT, HIS NATURE AND OFFICES.

Take not thy Holy Spirit from me.-PSALM LI. 11.

OH! may we individually utter these words, in the spirit in which David uttered them. Learn a lesson from everything around you; look abroad in the world, see the mischief which sin is doing in London. The Holy Spirit appears to be wholly absent, while evil prevails. Are there here any professors of religion in whom the Spirit of Christ is wanting? The Holy Spirit is the author of all the good that is to be found on earth, and all the good that ever will be found in heaven. The worship of the church here below emanates from this source. Its life is bestowed in fulfilment of the covenant work of the Spirit; the worship of the church above emanates from the same source, and will for ever be preserved thereby. David knew not what it was to grieve the Spirit, until he had travelled the greatest dis

tance from God; until sin had stupified him; until he had no consciousness of it. Do not infer anything erroneous from what I have said. Do not suppose, that in the absence of the Holy Spirit there is any excuse for sin. No moral agent is, properly speaking, under the necessity of sinning. The Holy Spirit, as I have frequently told you before, is not necessary to render man an accountable being. The Holy Spirit is the sovereign gift of God, to insure the salvation of his people. To suppose that the Holy Spirit is due to man to render him accountable, is to make God the author of every sin that has ever been committed. In this consists the error of those who tell us, in our preaching, to address none but the elect. But David was better taught. If any here are in a backsliding state, like David, may the Spirit revive them, and may they pray in the language of the text, "Take not thy Holy Spirit from me." I am thankful for these commemorative days, which our church has appointed; we are reminded of the birth, the death, and the resurrection of Christ; but by a strange anomaly, there is no day set apart to commemorate the ascension, which is the glorious consummation of the work of Christ on earth; in this triumphant conclusion all the rest are involved. Whitsuntide, or the descent of the Holy Spirit, is commemo