when ye depart out of that house, or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah, in the day of judgment, than for that city." Both the Law and the Gospel, being perverted by the unrenewed man, work wrath, and bring forth fruit unto death. In these circumstances, they are always a source of death unto death. The fact is certain. The fault and consequences are

ours.

(5.) It is difficult to conceive what sanctifying influence the Gospel can exert without the Law. The Law cominands us to be holy, teaches us that we ought to be holy, and declares that we may justly be condemned for not being holy. It urges this duty by motives drawn from the authority of God, the glories of heaven, and the misery of hell. It surrounds the creature with all that is grand, awful and subduing, in the character of Jehovah, and the retributions of eternity. True, it says nothing of pardon. Its appeals to the understanding, the conscience and the heart, are founded upon the immutable principles of righteousness. And is not man so constituted as to feel the influence of these appeals? Is he not capable of being actuated by benevolent feelings? Though fallen, is he not still able to distinguish between good and evil; and can he not do right, for the pleasure of doing right? Or must he be urged to action by the additional hope of a gratuitous reward? Can he not admit that holiness is lovely, before he has any evidence of forgiveness? If not, then how can he be awakened and aroused by the influence of those motives which result from the offer of pardon? If there is nothing in man, upon which the demands of the Law can fasten, then it is certain that he will forever remain dead to the claims of the Gospel. The necessity and even desirabless of a dispensation of grace, is founded exclusively upon the equity, fitness and beauty of the legal dispensation. This the sinner must feel, before he can perceive any harmony between the legal and the mediatorial government of God. By the unrenewed man, the Law and the Gospel are regarded as in conflict with each other. He knows not, that here mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace kiss each other. But this glorious truth he must see and acknowledge. He must have some right affections towards the Law, before he can have any right feelings towards the Gospel. Where the former is hated, the latter is despised. The sinner cannot desire pardon, or be moved to action by the hope of forgiveness, till he admits that the demands and penalties of the Law are holy. When the ministration of condemnation appears glorious, then will the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. The Gospel without the Law, presents no motive to action, and is utterly incapable of influencing the feelings of the heart. A man must feel that he is dead in trespasses and sins and is justly condemned,

before he will seek spiritual life, or admit, even, that he needs forgiveness. Here, then, we perceive with what perfect harmony the Law and the Gospel act upon the heart; and how necessary it is to combine their influence in our efforts to save men. Their effect upon the moral character is the same. They both aim to make men holy; and when not resisted or perverted by the obstinate will of man, they always produce this effect. It is not, however, for us to say which is the most easily resisted. Being parts of one great and glorious system of moral administration, the man who attempts to break assunder the bonds of the one, will lightly esteem the grace of the other. With the Law for its foundation, the Gospel does indeed reflect most clearly the glory of God, "for it is the power of God unto salvation;" but without the Law, it is an unintelligible display of severity and compassion. When seen in their just and proper proportions, they reflect light and honor upon each other. As a whole, containing and illustrating the principles of a perfect moral government, they exhibit the infinite wisdom of the Godhead. The heart that will pervert the truths peculiar to the one, will pervert those which are peculiar to the other, and vice versa.

3. Does the Gospel exert any agencies not exerted by the law? That truth is adapted to produce an effect upon man, i. e., that man is so constituted, that he ought to be influenced by truth, it is unreasonable to doubt. God, who is infinitely wise, would not use means, which have no adaptation to the end. But he does propose the everlasting truths of his Word, as the means of influencing the conduct of sinners; and the implication is found on every page of this Word, that men are criminal for not yielding to this influence.

This is the instrumentality, or influence, which the Law exerts. It meets man as a rational creature, makes upon him its demands; and by the presentation of motives, shows the reasonableness of these demands, and the infinite importance of immediate and complete obedience. Here, however, its influence ends. It offers not the interposition and aid of any foreign agent. It asks for no such aid. It admits of no such aid. By its own excellency, it seeks to control man's heart. If this influence be resisted, an influence perfect in its kind, and consisting only in moral suasion, it only remains for it to vindicate the Divine government, by the infliction of merited punishment. In this respect, it differs materially from the economy of grace. The Gospel also seeks to win to obedience by the presentation of truth to the mind. In doing this, it urges all those moving considerations which are peculiar to the Law, and in addition, those peculiar to itself. Passing beyond the boundaries of a merely legal dispensation, and securing to itself the highest possible degree of per

suasive influence, with a weapon plucked from the armory of grace, it assaults the strongholds of sin. It speaks of sacrifices made for the ill-deserving, and of favors offered to them without money and without price. It points to a crucified, risen and reigning Saviour. It tells of a fountain, which purifies from sin and uncleanness. It offers rest to the weary; robes of finewrought linen, clean and white, to the naked; water to the thirsty; an inheritance to the poor; joy to the disconsolate; an exceeding and eternal weight of glory to the degraded and miserable. But exalted and affecting as are its themes, its hope of prevailing over the heart of sin is not in the truth itself, however wisely presented and fitted to secure such a result, but in that Divine Agent, who exerts an influence over and above that which arises from the truth, even the Holy Spirit of God.

And here is developed that peculiar glorious feature of the economy of grace, which warrants confidence in and secures efficiency to the instrumentality of truth. On the Spirit's influences we may rest in joyful hope, and unshaken confidence. As the coming of the Messiah was the great object of promise and expectation under the former dispensation,-so is the descent of the Spirit under the present. The death of Christ not only prepared the way for the offers of the Gospel, but rendered the advent of the Spirit, to carry into complete execution the designs of mercy, proper and certain. "It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." As the atonement of Christ is peculiar to the Gospel, so the agency of the Spirit, which is exerted in consequence of this atonement, also belongs to this dispensation. "Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?' The gift of the Spirit is as really an act of grace, as the pardon of sin. His work has special reference to salvation. For this purpose, he renews the heart, reconciles to God, illumines the mind, imparts the spirit of adoption, sanctifies and seals the believer. "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." Hence Christians are said to "wait for the hope of righteousness through the Spirit."

The agency of the Spirit is secured to the world by prophecy and by promise. "And it shall come to pass, in the last days, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh." "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost." Christ alluding to these prophetic promises just before his ascension, commanded the apostles not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father; which ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. Thus early did he fix the expectations of his people upon the ministra

tion of the Spirit. On the day of Pentecost, these promises began to be fulfilled in relation to the Jews. Their application to the Gentiles was made known, at a subsequent period. When Peter had been taught by a vision from heaven, "that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, partakers of God's promise in Christ by the gospel, then," says he, "remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost." To both Jews and Gentiles, then, the gospel secures the agency of the Spirit; an agency purely gracious, and, therefore, not contemplated in the Law. This is a marked and important feature of the dispensation of mercy; and it ought to awaken gratitude, and inspire hope. "When he, the spirit of truth is come, he shall guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak and he shall show you things to come. He shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.'

4. Is not the sanctification of men to be ascribed to the agency of the Spirit, which is unknown to the law, but peculiar to the Gospel? It is the Spirit that quickeneth." He shall convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment." "Except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God." I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes." But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." Now, the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." It were easy to multiply Scripture, in which regeneration, and all the steps of progressive sanctification are ascribed to the Spirit. But this is not necessary. Those already cited prove that it is his work to convince of sin, to restore to spiritual life, to beget hope and joy, and adorn the soul with the temper of heaven. Without his aid, all efforts and agencies, though wisely and efficiently put forth, will be ineffectual. Could you place the sinner in the focus of the universe, and concentrate upon him all the light which is reflected from its different parts, you might burn his conscience and inflame his heart, but you would fail to make him a new man, a holy being. So deeply sensible was the prophet of this, while standing over the dry bones, in the valley of vision. that the burden of his message, consisted in supplications for Divine aid. "Thus saith the Lord God, Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophecied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceeding great army." The coming of the

breath of heaven was connected with the prophecying of the man of God; but the living and moving of the dry bones were caused by the breath itself. It is not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of the living God, that sinners are quickened into life, and made fit subjects of heaven.

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Of this every renewed soul is conscious. He renounces all dependence upon mere truth as the effectual means of sanctification," and flies to the mediation of Jesus Christ. In this mediation is secured the efficacious agency of the eternal Spirit. Hence we see why "sanctification cannot be expected from the law; but only from a dispensation of grace." Did the Gospel only reveal the plan and proffers of mercy, without the doctrine of the agency of the Spirit, it would afford no securer ground of expectation than the Law. This expectation arises, not from the intrinsic power of truth, nor from the known laws of mind, but from the revealed and established fact, that the influences of the Spirit are secured to this fallen world. Observation, experience and revelation, all unite to prove that this is the only ground of hope. Though man is a complete moral agent, yet in his madness he refuses to yield to the claims of truth. While the Law pronounces condemnation, and leaves him to eat of the fruit of his own doings; the Gospel lifts the pall of death by introducing a mighty Agent, even the spirit of truth. Touched by his life-giving power, the indifferent are aroused, the sceptical convinced, the stubborn bowed in submission, the dead made alive.

5. Does the Spirit employ the Gospel more than the Law in the work of sanctification? Truth is the means of sanctification. There can be no holiness where there is no knowledge of God, or of his Son Jesus Christ. Remove all moral truth from the mind, and you render it incapable of holiness. Hence truth is the sword of the Spirit. It is an instrument, without which he never slays the carnal heart, and liberates the captive from the chains of death. "God has chosen us to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth." "Ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth." Here the agency of the Spirt and the instrumentality of truth are both asserted. But we are not told whether this truth is peculiar to the Law, or the Gospel. Nor is there anything in the Word of God which settles this point. The apostle says, "I have begotten you through the gospel." Again he declares, "The law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ." David also affirms, "The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul." And with his eye surveying the whole compass of revelation, the apostle again says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." From the Bible itself then we can gain no evidence,