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Spirit as its interpreter to the soul-The Scripture is a dead letter till that Spirit breathe upon it: "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; neither can he know them, for they are spiritually discerned." Implore the Holy Ghost to decipher and apply his own book ; to "guide you into all truth;" to take of the things of Christ, and shew them" to the soul.

But, my brethren, I must hasten to state, in conclusion, some of the practical consequences which follow from the preceding observations. 1. In the first place, you may perhaps learn from the text the cause of that slow progress in religion which you yourselves are so often disposed to lament.-Is it not, that, whereas the sanctification and salvation of the soul are ascribed, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, to the "engrafted word," you are not making that "word" the grand instrument of your own improvement and progress? What portion, for instance, of your time, your thoughts, your prayers, do you dedicate to the study of the Sacred Volume?"Farewell!" says Bishop Ridley, with much pathos and beauty, to the place of his education: "farewell! in thine orchard, the walls, the butts, and the trees, if they could speak, would bear me witness I learned without book almost all St. Paul's Epistles, and I ween all the Canonical Epistles....of which study, although a great part did depart from me, yet the sweet smell thereof I trust 1 shall carry with me to heaven; for the profit thereof I think I have felt in all my lifetime ever after."-"Looking," says the martyr Bilney, "into the New Testament, by God's special providence I met with these words, This is a true saying, and worthy of all accep

tation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, whereof I am chief.' O most sweet and comfortable sentence to my soul! This one sentence, through God's instruction and inward working, did so exhilarate my heart, which before was wounded with the guilt of my sins,....that immediately I found comfort and quietness in my soul, so that my bruised bones leaped for joy.". "I can find no rest," says Chillingworth, speaking of the Scriptures, "for the soul of my foot, but upon this rock only."-I quote these sentiments, my Christian brethren, to prove that not merely in the days of the Prophets, or first disciples of the Saviour, was the word of God precious to the believer; but that in every age and climate it has been found, through God, pregnant with comfort, and mighty to save. Fold it, then, if you would be wise, or safe, or holy, or happy -fold it to your bosom, and say, "Thy testimonies have I claimed as my hermitage for ever: and why? they are the very joy of my heart."

2. A second lesson conveyed by the text is that of satisfying ourselves with no effect of the word of God short of the "salvation of our souls.”—Such is the power ascribed to the sacred volume in the text. And remember, that if some read it without attention, others are no less apt to read it without faith. If such be your own case, let me recommend you, as a remedy for this evil, often to employ yourselves in contemplating the actual effects of this word on the souls of those who have devoutly used it. David was at once brought back to God by the word of the Prophet Nathan: Manasseh, by "the word of the seers. The treasurer of Queen Candace was changed, not by a miraculous influence, but, under God.

by the very same passage of Scripture to which Lord Rochester, at the distance of many centuries, ascribes his own conversion. The Angel sent to Cornelius only directs him where to apply for a preacher of the word; and it is said, "while Peter spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on him." In fact, no barrier is too strong for this word of the Most High. But, my brethren, if this be true, then endeavour to exercise faith in hearing or reading the Volume of Truth. Expect much from its sacred instruction. Regard it, not as the mere echo of empty sounds, but as that "voice of the Lord" which "shaketh the heavens;" which shall finally summon the sea and the grave to give up their dead; and which can now call you from the abyss of misery and guilt, and proclaim you to be the child of God, and the heir of eternal life. "If you believe, all things are possible," and this among the rest ;that you, guilty and ignorant as you may feel yourself, guided by this blessed book, may have your sins washed by the blood of a Saviour, and your hearts renewed, sanctified, and comforted by the Holy Ghost; "Whosoever will, let him drink of the water of life freely."

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3. Finally, remember to whom we are said in Scripture to owe all the benefits of the word of God. "I saw," says St. John, in the figurative language of the Revelations," a strong angel, proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man, in heaven, or in earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book: and I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open the book. And one of the elders said

unto me, Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book." And this language may be applied to the case before us. Every part of Scripture teaches us that we owe the Book, and its mysterious influence on the soul, to the intercession and the sacrifice of Christ. Approach it, therefore, resting upon the compassion and wisdom of the Son of God. Come to Him, as to the Living Word, by which life is to be imparted to the soul. Thank him for the past; trust him for the future. Endeavour "to live a life of faith" upon him. Call upon him to unfold the truths of the heavenly volume to your own soul-to reveal Himself to you-to fill you with his own mind, stamp you with his own image, "guide you with his counsels," and at length "receive you up into glory;"-and may God, from heaven his dwelling-place, hear and answer your prayer, and take you to the bosom of his mercies for ever!

SERMON III.

THE NECESSITY OF DIVINE INFLUENCE IN THE STUDY AND USE OF HOLY SCRIPTURE.

1 COR. xii. 3.

No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost.

EXCESS in any one point of religion is almost sure to lead to excess in a precisely opposite direction. An alarm at enthusiasm, for instance, has assisted in driving many to indifference. The excessive devotion of one body of men to the ceremonials of religion, has encouraged others in a rash and mischievous contempt of them. The exaggerated statements of some reasoners on "the slavery of the will," has assisted to beget in others an undue assertion of its independence. And thus it is, also, in the case of that subject to which the text more particularly directs our attention. Some well-intentioned individuals have pushed to such an extent the doctrine of Divine influence, as to attribute every event in life, every quality in man, and even sin itself, to the appointment and influence of God. Others, on the contrary, alarmed at such extravagance, have excluded the Holy Spirit from the offices clearly ascribed to him in Scripture. As either of these errors is, in the highest degree mischierG

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