"and the voice of our own consciences loudly remonstrating against our conduct." "Let us break his bands asunder. Go thy way for this time: I pray thee have me excused: We will not have this man to reign over us," is the uniform ianguage of the unrenewed heart. While our consciences testify to the excellence and purity of the Law, and to the grace and glory of the Gospel, we still gird ourselves for the conflict. God calls, by the voice of justice and mercy, and yet we will not hear. What folly, then, to rely upon the simple agency of truth, whether that truth be peculiar to the Law, or the Gospel, to stay the tide of unholy feeling, and to fix the affections, in supreme delight, upon invisible and eternal things? As well might you attempt to calm the agitated ocean, by the mere repetition of some scriptural truth. None but God can say, with a prevailing voice, "Hitherto shalt thou come, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed." He who relies upon truth, as an effectual means of sanctification, whether that truth be found in the Law or the Gospel, is, to all intents and purposes, a legalist.

(3.) No proof in favor of the Gospel can be derived from the consideration, that Christians are not under " the law as an efficacious means of deliverance from sin." They are not, in this sense, under the Gospel. It is indeed written, "Sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the law, but under grace." But does the word grace here mean nothing more than a system of truth peculiar to a dispensation of mercy? While God has distinctly taught that we ought to obey the law, and accept the provisions of the Gospel, he has never intimated that the publication of truth is all that he will do for the recovery of man from the ruins of the fall. Had his interposition on our behalf, been limited to this, we can see no necessity for the incarnation, death and resurrection of Jesus. Was an atonement necessary, in order that man should be taught his duty? Has this atonement altered the nature of truth, by clothing it with an inherent efficacy? We do indeed pray, that truth may have an effect; but in this prayer, we do not believe nor feel, that the agency which makes truth effectual, is in the truth itself. God has not placed us exclusively under the power of moral suasion, to break the bonds of sin; nor has he taught us to rely on this as the only, or the prominent source of encouragement and aid. This is not the constitution of the Gospel. Were it so, our hopes for sanctification would be vain. In this respect, the ministration of righteousness does not and cannot exceed in glory the ministration of condemnation. Who that contemplates the moral condition of a single individual, or of a single church, does not feel that a higher and mightier influence is necessary to growth in grace? And is not this the influence for which the believer prays, in the enjoyment of which he triumphs over

sin, and rejoices in the assurance that he shall finally take his seat among the ransomed of the Lord?

(4.) No proof of the superior influence of the Gospel, in the work of sanctification, can be derived from the fact, that sinners "always abuse the Law," and become more guilty under it. That the Law would be the occasion of aggravating our sins, might naturally have been expected. This necessarily follows from the abuse of increased light. "If ye were blind, ye should have no sin; but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth." But if the Law, instead of delivering us from sin, is the occasion of our plunging deeper into it, we may certainly inquire, Why is it thus? Does this result necessarily follow? that is, is the nature of the Law such, that men cannot help multiplying their crimes under its influence? Does it produce sin, as naturally as poison produces death? Such an idea would impeach the wisdom and goodness of God. He certainly commanded Moses, and all who lived under the legal dispensation, to be holy; he blamed them for not being holy. But if the Law was naturally defective, how were sinners to blame for not being sanctified? Suppose that their powers were adequate to the task, under appropriate means; yet why withhold the means, aud still require the tale of brick? Is there any wisdom, any goodness, any justice here? But "the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, and just, and good. Is then that which is good, made death unto" the sinner? "God forbid." The Law is never the direct and legitimate cause of sin. It was designed, and is adapted to lead men to holiness and happiness. It was ordained to life." How plain, then, that its abuse and perversion is the cause of the sinner's increasing wickedness and guilt? It is an inadequate means of sanctification, because the fallen creature abuses it; and being abused, its thunders of wrath roll onward with increasing majesty and terror, waxing louder and longer.

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But if the fact that the Law is the occasion of aggravating our guilt, "shows its insufficiency as a means of sanctification," the same mode of reasoning will prove that the Gospel also is inadequate to this important work. The facts are the same in both cases. Indeed, as the Gospel contains a fuller and richer exhibition of truth than the Law, the guilt of abusing the former is far more aggravated, than that of abusing the latter. "He that despised Moses' law, died without mercy under two or three witnesses; of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite to the spirit of grace." Our Saviour teaches the same affecting truth. "If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin; but now have they no cloak for their sin. Whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words

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 commands 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,

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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. 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