will, by the unchanging principles of his government, reward the evil according to his iniquities. If the language of Britons has any meaning, it is that you are conscious of much evil-doing-that you deplore it in your own personal case; and that you resolve to cease from doing it hereafter that you resolve to be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, which steadfastness and immovableness, and abounding in the work of the Lord, may justify your confessions here, and procure your acceptance in the day of final account. highest to the lowest, learn this precious truth from the book of God. Believe in Christ, and believe in him with the heart unto righteousness. This is the effectual way to be taken by every individual who wishes to obtain the diminution of the divine judgment now ravaging our land-by every individual who wishes to obtain for himself a ground of peace in the prospect of that death which its approach may bring to him, but which, at all events, must soon come to him. Let it be the business of all men to consider what faith is to beseech the grace of God to bestow it, and to enable them to follow after holiness, without which they can never please nor see God. are the means by which you may make yourselves, as I have said, instruments of good to the public, and by which you may make yourselves ready for the hour in which the Son of man shall come. Now, surely, never was there a louder call on Britons than there is this day, to adopt this language in the sanctuary, and in all their future conduct. Let all ranks My brethren, these are the means-the among us, therefore, as the best prepara-cherishings and actings of faith-these tion for stopping this calamity-as the best preparation for that death which, if not this calamity, some other cause will speedily bring upon us all-let men all repent and reform-let men of every rank consult this book of God, which explains Now, surely, any long detail or remark so clearly, and which alone can explain is unnecessary to convince you that for with authority, because it bears the stamp the hour of the Son of man coming, the of divine religion-let all consult this most important duty which a mortal has book, and learn what the terms are on to discharge, is in the command to make which God is willing to forgive the sin- himself ready. O, my brethren, how dener-what the terms are on which they lightful will it be to you-how delightful can receive the assurance in their minds will it be to the friends that may surround of their being heirs of that salvation which your dying couch, if you shall be one of the Redeemer came to accomplish. They those sainted men who, having been tried will find that there is only one way in with tribulation, tried to the end of your which the sinner can hope for forgive- earthly career by the world and seduction, ness. It was said to a person of high shall be ready, at the call of your God, to rank that there is no royal road to any resign its enjoyments, and, standing on particular science. So in the chair of the verge of eternity, shall be solaced with truth, the teacher of religion is called on a conscience void of offence, when reflectto tell the people that there is no privi- ing on the past, and refreshed with the leged road to heaven-that there is no prospect of an everlasting kingdom in the peculiar road by which the high may heavens! The ministers of religion are reach it to the exclusion of the poor-no called to furnish consolation to the dying, peculiar road by which the poor may reach and they see them in various conditions it to the exclusion of the high-"Strait of character and feeling. But they will is the gate, and narrow is the way, which tell you that eye cannot behold a more leadeth unto life;" but there is but one sublime, or more instructing, or edifying gate, and one way, through which every spectacle than the deathbed of a good living soul must rise to heaven-if to hea-man-full of humble confidence in Godven he rise at all—and that is through faith in Jesus Christ, and through that holiness which follows that faith-if that faith is genuine. Let all ranks, then, from the VOL. I.-38 rejoicing in the approbation of his own heart-triumphing over the fears of the grave and singing, when he thinks himself standing on its very verge, "I am 66 now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but to all them also that love his appearing." around us in quest of those whom but a few moments we saw with delight on the stage of life, the companions of our youth, the friends of our bosom, the children perhaps whom nature designed to be props of our declining years, whither have they gone? A voice from their grave pierces the heart of the thinking soul, and calls on us all to be ready to My dear friends, if this dignified termi- follow them. Listen, then, to this warnnation of our earthly trials be an object ing voice. It accords with the dictates we desire to gain-if the state of our souls of universal experience-every change at death shall decide our eternal fate-if in our condition reminds us of its truththe hour of our departure from time shall infirmities, as they draw upon us, tell be the hour of our passage to happiness that the hour of our departure cometh. or misery everlasting, I put it to your un- In this, the day of a merciful visitationderstanding, if you will reflect, how care- in this, our present escape from the dreadfully, how intensely, how incessantly, we ful malady, let us attend to the things that should prepare for its approach. Because belong to our peace-let us cherish the we do not see it, we are apt to flatter our- dispositions, and hopes, and habits, the selves that it is far distant. But need I remembrance of which may cheer our tell you, my mortal brethren, that you departed spirits-let us learn lessons of were born to die? If, at this solemn mo- righteousness from the judgments of God ment, a heavenly messenger should de--let us lay up for ourselves treasures in scend from the sky, and announce the time of your departure, as to an ancient was done thy sickness shall be unto death-this week shall be thy last week on earth-even this night thy soul shall be required of thee-who among you would be ready for this message of terror? Alas! what tears of affliction would run down our cheeks at the remembrance of our sins what prayers we would give for a short prolongation of our trials what thoughts would we have of those we left behind—what solicitude would be felt to finish our work of sanctification! | venly Father. But is an angel from heaven necessary to I only add, and let all join in the tell us that we are mortal-that our ap--Do thou, O God, to whom belong the pointed days are few? As for the days that are gone, and the ages that are past, what has become of the multitude that filled them? Let us look around in quest of those in our own time-let us look heaven, and then when our Lord comes, whether he come in the first watch or in the second-whether this day or to-morrow-whether in the hour of our worship or in the hour of business—whether when we are asleep or awake-he will find us ready. No painful retrospect will disquiet our consciences -no anxious forebodings terrify our souls. If we lead the life of the righteous, we shall die their death-we shall depart like them, and be with them; and our works shall follow us unto the habitation of our hea prayer issues of life-do thou stand by us in our dying moments-support our feeble limbs in their passage through the dark valley, and receive them into their everlasting rest, for Christ's sake. Amen. SERMON XXXII. THE TESTIMONY OF THE SPIRIT. BY THE LATE REV. RICHARD WATSON. "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."-Rom. viii. 15, 16. You are most of you familiar with the ❘ of persons exceedingly serious in their argument of the apostle in the preceding disposition, concerned as to their state, chapters of this epistle-an argument of the utmost importance, and which affects the great foundations of our faith-which carries all that there is of established and confirmed doctrine in the gospel into actual and personal experience. He proved that all the world were guilty before God -that Jew and Gentile, differing as they did in religious principles, in this respect stood on the same ground-that every mouth is stopped; there can be no justification, no palliation, no boasting; every mouth is stopped, and the whole world is guilty before God. And if guilty, then under condemnation, under the penalty of the law, under the penalty of death, liable to an eternal separation from God and happiness. making the strongest efforts to please God-what do you say of them? The apostle allows that; and he speaks in the first person, as if there had been a time when he was of that number-though that is not very clear-however, he speaks in the first person, and no doubt represents a class of persons. And he shows in the chapter preceding this, that even in this state of mind, when men are under the influence of the Spirit of God convinced of sin, the Spirit opening their eyes to discern the spirituality of the law, and inspiring them with the strongest distaste of sin, and earnest desire to be delivered from it-he shows that even in this state the law can do nothing for them that it gives them the knowledge The next step which the apostle takes of their sin, and the knowledge of their is to show that the law of Moses, as a sin only; and that, though man consents particular revelation of law, as a moral to the law that it is good, and strives to law, furnished no means of justification fulfil it, still he feels himself bound; he before God. This he proves from one finds a principle of corruption in his flesh great principle, which is exceedingly which obtains the victory over every resoobvious, that by the law is the knowledge lution; and so, at last, after repeated of sin; and, therefore, the office of the struggles, he comes to the issue, and cries law as to the guilty is to give them the out, "O wretched man that I am! who knowledge of sin, to convict them of it, shall deliver me ?"-acknowledging that and to show the penalty to which they the deliverance must come not from himare exposed. How, then, can justifica- self, but from without. Here, then, the tion come from the law? Its sole office gospel comes in: "I thank God, through as to the guilty is to give them heart- Jesus Christ, my Lord," says the apostle, rending knowledge of sin, and to reveal that he is delivered. And then he tells the conviction of this to all eternity. us, that there is no condemnation to them But, it may be said, there are a number that are in Christ Jesus-to those who have fled to him, resting on him as their | fies, so to speak, the genius of the law, sacrifice so believing as to be justified, and to be virtually united to him; there is no condemnation to them; the power of sin is broken, and they walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. and calls it the spirit of bondage; calls it so, because there was that, they tell us, in the law, which naturally produces a servile spirit-a servile dread of God-uneasiness with respect to the future—a want The apostle then goes on to speak of of confidence even in all their services. the great and glorious privileges of all Brethren, I doubt that-I doubt the fact. true believers; and, among the rest, he When the apostle tells us that he was introduces the one that is mentioned in alive without the law-or quite alive in the text that they are not only recon- his own mind, before the law was brought ciled to God-not only justified freely by home to him in its convincing energy, as his grace, and brought into this state of revealed in its spiritual meaning by the fellowship and friendship with him—but | Spirit of God, he was not the subject of that they are certainly persuaded they this servility-not the subject of this are passed from death unto life; and that bondage-not the subject of this fear; this is no matter of doubtful inference of nor had any of the Pharisees who were their own, from premises which they may unawakened. We have an instance of wrongly lay down, or an inference so this in the case of the publican and Phaconducted that they may be mistaken in risee in the temple. The publican had it; but that God himself shows it them- the spirit of bondage indeed; but the that it is the office of the Holy Spirit of Pharisee, pressing boldly forward, justiGod, called in the text the Spirit of adop-fied himself before God. It cannot, tion-and that He it is who assures them of this glorious truth. This is the subject before us. I need not say it is one deeply interesting to us all; to know not only that our sins may be remitted, and that we may pass into the family of God; but to know that we may be graciously assured of it from God the Holy Spirit that this assurance may be alive-that it may shed abroad its comforting and hal-sonification of the genius of the law. lowing influences in our spirits continually—and that it shall be to us the blessed pledge and foretaste of the assurance we shall have of God's eternal favour, when we see him in his glory, and when he speaks to us even from his throne. The subject, then, is of importance to us. Let us attend to it let us endeavour to mark its nature-let us earnestly press into the enjoyment of it, if we have not received it -and let us rejoice in the additional confirmation of our faith, if, by the blessing of God, we are now able to call him Father. Let us, in the first place, offer A FEW EXPOSITORY REMARKS ON THE TERMS OF THE TEXT. This is necessary to prevent error and misconception. The first term which needs is "the Spirit of bondage." the apostle mean by that? indeed, some who tell us that explanation, therefore, be the meaning that the spirit of bondage is the personification of the genius of the law, because all those who were under the law would thus have been affected by the bondage; and, since the Pharisees were the most anxious to obtain justification by the law, they would be most under the influence of this spirit, if, indeed, it were merely the per By the "Spirit of bondage" the apostle means the Holy Spirit-the Holy Spirit in his convincing operations; for it is his office to convince the world of sin. When he brings a man into that state, that he consents to the law that it is good-that he would do good, yet has his eyes open to discern all his defects, and groans under a weight and burden from which he cannot relieve himself, and under the power of a chain which he cannot break-and when he is brought into the state described by the apostle, and says, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me!" then he has received the Spirit of bondage unto fear. 66 The next term is "the Spirit of adoption." Some suppose that this means the genius of the gospel personified, because there is something free, and liberal, and hopeful in the whole character of Christianity—that the Spirit of adoption | slaves of sin, that is not the language for you; but the moment you believe in Christ, and become a child of God by faith in him, you may call him Father with unfaltering tongue. Since you have entered into the condition of children, you may use the language of filial confidence and filial fear. Having made these remarks on the terms of the text, we may secondly consider THE OFFICE OF THE TWO WITNESSES MENTIONED IN THE TEXT. "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit”— not merely to our spirits, which it must do, but along with our spirits: that seems the proper interpretation. Thus we have two witnesses-the Holy Spirit of God, and our own spirit. It is important for us to mark the distinction, and to know the office of both. is the effect which this character of Christianity produces in men, allaying their fears and raising their hopes. But we can easily prove, brethren, that the apostle cannot mean the genius of the gospel by the expression, but the Holy Spirit himself; because, observe, in the next clause," the Spirit itself," or himself, or It is worthy of notice that the apostle that same Spirit "beareth witness with adds," the Spirit of adoption whereby we our spirits, that we are the children of cry Abba, Father," intimating to us that God." This is rendered more clear by it is impossible to call God Father with the parallel passage in the epistle to the filial confidence, but by the Spirit of Galatians, "And because ye are sons, adoption. Whatever measure of the God hath sent forth," not the genius of Spirit we may receive in any other chathe gospel, but "the Spirit of his Son racter, it is only by the Spirit, as the into your hearts, crying Abba, Father." | Spirit of adoption, that we can call God If the Spirit of his Son is the Holy Spirit, Father. And it is necessary that we rethen is the Spirit of adoption here men-ceive this Spirit to the existence of this tioned the Holy Spirit of God, whose filial confidence, and to the authorized use particular office is after he has brought of this filial confidence. us under a sense of bondage, and made us sensible of the need of deliverance at the hand of Jesus Christ, to seek it from him to give us, in some way or other, that blessed testimony and assurance of our adoption into the family of God—that we are the children of God. For this reason, and in reference to this particular office, he is called the Spirit of adoption. The third term is "Abba," which is interpreted "Father." There may be some meaning in what many commentators say, that the reason why the term was used in the Syriac language, and then expressed in the Greek, was to intimate that Jew and Gentile were equally privileged to call God Father by the gos-awakened to a sense of our fallen condipel-that there was no difference at all, but that whoever believed, whether Jew or Gentile, entered into this common privilege; and that the believing Gentile was as much a child of God as the believing Jew. However, there is more probably an allusion to the prohibition which was well known among the Jews and others, that no slave was allowed to call the master of the family Abba, Father; that was the language of a child, not a slave, and the apostle, therefore, represents this as the great privilege of Christians, that they are no longer servants, no longer slaves; in that condition you cannot call God Father. As the bond Let us remark, in the first place, the subject of their testimony—it is "that we are the sons of God." This testimony of the Spirit is not that we have been tion-that we have truly and heartily repented us of our sins-that a very considerable number of moral changes have taken place in our affections and desiresthat in many respects we love that which we once hated, and hate that which we once loved. All these things do in effect take place, more or less, preparatory to a man's justification before God. But then the office of the Spirit of adoption is not, let it be observed, to assure us of these various moral changes, and then to lead us to conclude that, because of these moral changes having taken place, we are the children of God; but the object of this testimony-the simple object of this |