divine power shall accompany the word-My that goeth forth out of my mouth, shall not return me void. The word of man, or of angels, has no power. Certainly, though men by persuasion can euce many important changes of sentiment, no voice ord of men can by its native energy impart divine

and regenerate and convert the soul. John i, 12, James i, 18. True Christian faith will not spring, «row under mere human doctrine. Thus saith the Ed, is the only foundation for that faith which overnes the world, and gives peace to the troubled congence. St. Paul restricts the gift of faith in ordinary ses to the hearing of the word, as is evident from the ole passage. Rom. x, 8-17. All systems of ethics,

mere human philosophy, all the wisdom of this orld, are utterly insufficient. In Jeremiah (xxiii, 28, 9.) it is asked, with amazing emphasis and force of ontrast, What is the chaff to the wheat, saith the Lord? s not my word like as a fire, and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? The Holy Scriptures were written for the very purpose of producing faith in those who received them. These things, says St. John,

God's word and true preachers,) therefore accustom yourselves even from your tender age to hear the word of God, that he by this Holy Spirit may move and stir up your hearts to true faith and knowledge of him." Tindal also, in his Exposition of 1 John i, 3-4, says, "To bring unto the fellowship of God and Christ, and of them that believe in Christ, is the final intent of all the Scripture, why it was given of God unto man, and the only thing which all true preachers seek, and whereby ye shall ever know and discern the true word of God from all false and counterfeited doctrine of vain traditions, and the true preacher from the wily bypocrite. We preach unto you, says John, that everlasting life which we have heard, and in hearing received through faith, and are sure of it, to draw you to us out of that fellowship which we have with the damned Devils in sinful lusts and ignorance of God."

are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have lije through his name. John xx, 21.

Hereby OUR JUSTIFICATION IS CONFIRMED. is true that we are justified freely by the grace of God through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Rom. iii, 24. But how do I receive the blessing? by faith. What is the warrant of that faith? the word of God. How are we to obtain that faith? by hearing. How is that faith proved to be genuine? by its conforming the soul to the word, and producing correspondias fruits in the life. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. John x, 27. When we hear Christ's voice and follow him, then we may be sure tha he knows us, and we are his sheep, and among his justified people. Whom he called, them he also justified. Rom. viii, 30.

Hereby OUR ADOPTION IS CERTIFIED. God give to his people the spirit of adoption; the power (εkovσias, the right or privilege, to become the sons of God. John i, 12. This is given to those that believe on the nam of his Son. When Christ is preached, and I hear, and, hrough the Holy Spirit, accept the offer of mercy in Christ, I become a child of God, and am reckoned in that family of which it is said, As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage, again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. Rom. viii, 14-17. By nature meu are the servants of sin and under its tyrannical bondage; but the receiving of the truth breaks the chains and admit

them to the glorious liberty of the children of God. Rom. viii, 21. Our Lords says, ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John viii, 32. Who can tell the blessedness of looking up to God with filial confidence and love as our Father? Surely, no tongue can express the delightful bliss of seeing the love of a Heavenly Parent in our own paternal feelings, and discovering in our care and tenderness towards our children, day by day, fresh traces and emblems of his parental care, and love, and tenderness towards us his children, elevating the heart to him, and filling it with joy and gladness. O what fulness of joy is it to have such a father, so wise and so mighty, so rich and so bountiful, so kind and so tender, so holy and so unspeakably excellent, our reconciled Father in Jesus Christ!

Hereby OUR ELECTION

IS SECURED.

We are charged, Give diligence to make your calling and election sure. 2 Pet. i, 10. By diligently attending the meaus of grace, we obtain divine strength enabling us to be holy and to glorify God, and thus have a sweet assurance given that we are chosen in Christ. Eph. i, 4. And what love is here! that God should, from his own good pleasure, before time began, have planned salvation, and purposed, to the glory of his own grace and the praise of his name, to save us from sin, make us holy, and bring us to his kingdom: I say, this is such a display of divine mercy and love, as, if once reasonably made out from the word of God and the work of his Spirit on the heart, cannot but fill us with love, and gratitude, and assured hope, and the most joyful anticipations of future glory, and deeply humble our souls in the conviction that all we are and have is of sovereign grace and love. Latimer says, "Whosoever heareth

the word of God and followeth it, the same is elect by him. And again, whosoever refuseth to hear the word of God and follow the same, is damned. So that our election is sure if we follow the word of God."*

Hereby GOD CARRIES ON OUR SANCTIFICATION. All Christian graces are nourished and strengthened by a due regard to Christ's word. We have seen, that regeneration and faith are thus given, and all holiness is thus advanced in us. Our Lord prays to his Father for his disciples-Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth. John xvii, 17. They whe are most eminent for holiness, are among those who are at the same time the most constant and diligent in attending the ministry of the Gospel. Christian reader! we appeal to you, how often has your heart, when dull and lifeless, hereby been stirred up and quickened! How often have holy resolutions been thus first excited in your mind! How certainly all your religion would, humanly speaking, have died, had it not been for the afresh-quickening and new-reviving power of the Gospel. It is called, and it is found to be a savour of life unto life. Every sinful disposition and affection is checked and curbed, every holy and heavenly desire and feeling is nourished and strengthened, while we are humbly waiting for divine instruction in the way of God's appointment. The manifestation of the Spirit (whether it be the word of wisdom, or the word of knowledge, or any other gift) is given to every man to profit withal, (1 Cor. xii, 7, 8.) both for himself and for others. Every part of the word is designed for our good; let none, then, of the precious seed be lost.

* See Latimer's Sermons, vol. ii, p.425.

THE SPIRITUAL COMFORT OF THE BELIEVER IS MAINTAINED AND ADVANCED. The Gospel is the dispensation of the Holy Ghost, the Comforter. It is good tidings of great joy. The office of ministers is to comfort the people of Christ, as well as to awaken the careless. And O what full and abounding comfort there is to the tried, afflicted, and burdened Christian in the rich promises of a free pardon, a full and gratuitous justification by Christ, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the new covenant well ordered in all things and sure! Christian reader! have you never gone to the house of God weary, disquieted, and sorrowful, and there heard a word in season, and returned calm, and peaceful, and happy? Have you never there experienced some of the cheering consolations which flow from the divine love shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Spirit, and the blessedness and excellence of that peace of God which passeth all understanding? This has been the happy experience of the servants of God. David says, Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound; they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance. To taste the love of Christ to us, and to feel emotions of strongest love to Him, this is heaven begun below. O how the hearts of the hearers of the Lord must have been comforted when he asked the question, Who is my father, and who are my brethren? and he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother, and my brethren! And he said unto them, My mother and brethren are these which hear the word of God and do it. The very assurance that in duly regarding that word we are fulfilling a plain duty, and attending to our highest interest, may well comfort us; and the doctrines of the Gospel truly received are an unfailing spring of happiness.