nion exercises should be abolished and forgotten. The table at which you commemorate your redemption is not yours. It is not the table of a sect or of a party. It is the Lord's. It was the design, as it is the obvious tendency, of the ordinance of the supper to cherish unity of affection-to make us feel while we outwardly recognise the ties which bind us to the Christian brotherhood. We best fulfil the intentions of the Divine Appointer of this service-we add equally to the pleasure and profit to be derived from it, when these brotherly feelings are indulged; when, dismissing every bigoted and sectarian sentiment from our hearts, we view it as "the communion of saints"—when our Christian affection is as wide as the terms of acceptance when we can say, with the same sincerity with which the words were originally uttered, "Grace be with all who love the Lord Jesus Christ." You are insulting, instead of honouring your Redeemer, if you can approach the ordinance of love without love in your hearts-if you can raise your walls of partition and separation in the very act of commemorating an event which was intended to break them down, and to introduce the faithful of every place, and of every name, " through one Spirit unto the Father." 4th. In the exercises of God's house let us guard against a slavish spirit. In those who have no revelation to assure them of forgiveness, the spirit of terror and bondage is what we are led to expect. In some periods of their history it was not surprising in the Jews themselves. When Sinal exhibited the awful appearances which bespoke a present Deity, when the cloud rested on it, and the thunders rolled, and the lightning played on its hoary summit, we do not wonder that the spectators should have trembled. When a similar manifestation was made to Elijah, in the cave on Horeb, it was natural that he should cover his face with his mantle. Equally natural was it, though it was only in vision, that when the Lord appeared to Isaiah, on a throne high and lifted up, he should have exclaimed, "Wo is me, for I am ndone; for I am a man of unclean lips." But this spirit ill becomes us who are called to the adoption of sons"-who hear not the thunder of an introductory economy, but "the still, small voice" of a sublimer dispensation. The trembling apprehensions which would be appropri ate in approaching a throne of judgment, befit you not in approaching a throne of grace. Least of all do they befit you in exercises in which more than in any other they prevail-the exercises in which are displayed before you the symbols of your redemption, and the pledges of your forgiveness. It is joy, not terror, which on such an occasion becomes you-joy, that "the flaming sword" has been removed from the entry to the celestial paradisethat we have not "a high-priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;" who on earth suggested the apology for his disciples, "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak," and whom we can approach in the confidence that, at his Father's right hand, he is still making it for us. Imagine not, my brethren, that the possession of this filial confidence is the property only of a privileged few of the children of God, and that there must be a long course of religious services before you can be entitled to appropriate the promises on which this confidence is founded. If we wait till we are entitled on the footing of merit to do this, we shall never enjoy the privilege. The exhibition of the divine mercy to sinners, and to backsliders, as well as others, will authorize you to appropriate them immediately, though it is in the spirit of penitence, and in the intention of obe dience, that the appropriation is to be made, and though it is only in the prac tice of obedience that it can be scripturally maintained. Take then to yourselves the comfort which the invitations and promises of the gospel are so well fitted to impart; and when, in the devotional exercises of this house, you draw near to the Great Object of worship, in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, let it be under the elevating and encouraging recollection that it is to "his Father and your Father, to his God and your God." SERMON LIV. THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT. BY THE REV. W. R. TAYLOR, A.M. "Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."-Eph. vi. 17. and the Thummim, by which we may inquire of God, and have the way of truth and the path of duty made clear and plain before us. It is the casket which contains the pearl of great price; the field in which the gospel treasure is hid; the golden urn in which is laid up the hidden manna. It is the record of Jehovah's promises; the register of his dealings and of his works of wonder; the testamentary deed in which the benefits of the Saviour's purchase are bequeathed to us; and so, the charter of our inheritance, the bond which secures our enjoyment of it. It is also, as we here learn, the weapon by which we overcome all the enemies that would oppose us in our Christian course, and would prevent us from reaching the promised land. They overcame him, (it is said of those who are before the throne,) they overcame the enemy by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony. It is the Christian's sword, a weapon which he must have ever ready, which he must have ever girded by his side, that he may be prepared at all times to make use of it, as occasion serves. Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. MANY and important are the uses which | season of doubt and difficulty; the Urim the word of God serves, and many and interesting are the views in which it is exhibited to us. It is the instrument of our conviction, and conversion, and sanctification, and consolation, and growth in grace. By it we are wounded, and healed, and enlightened,and revived, and strengthened. It is the fire which consumes our dross, and burns up our refuges of lies. It is the hammer which breaks our flinty hearts, and makes them contrite and pliable. It is the incorruptible seed by which we are born again; by which that life is implanted in our souls, which shall flourish without decay throughout eternal ages. It is the food by which this life is sustained on earth; the sincere milk by which, as new-born babes, we are nourished, and grow up unto the stature of perfect men in Christ. It is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path: the light which discovers to us the path to glory, honour, and immortality; which makes known to us the way of life, the narrow way, the way everlasting; the lamp which guides our steps through the wilderness, which shows us the dangers with which on every hand we are beset, and so enables us to avoid them. It is the mirror in which we behold the glory of the Lord, on which we have a delineation of the person, and the personal beauty, and excellence, and suitableness of the Lord of glory; and in contemplating which, we are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. It is the oracle to which we may have recourse in every The sword of the Spirit. The reasons why the word of God is thus named, must be very obvious. They are two chiefly. 1. The Spirit of God is its author, the maker of this sword. It was he who framed and polished it. In plain terms, it was he who testified in the prophets and apostles; it was he who moved them power. On this very account it is, that it is quick and powerful; and on this account, it is here fitly styled the sword of the Spirit,-not only the sword of his framing, but the sword which his power renders effectual. to speak and to write, and taught them | the appointed instrument of bringing his what to say and record. Let this dispose agency to bear, that it possesses this us to value this weapon, it is of heavenly manufacture. Satan's darts are forged in hell, and are impregnated with its fire. This is a weapon which has come down from heaven, the workmanship of him, by whose fingers the heavens and all the host of them were framed. The ancients feign, that some of their warriors had been provided with heavenly armour-armour which was proof against every mortal weapon. This every Christian warrior really has. 2. It is the sword of the Spirit, because it is his agency which makes it effectual, and because by it, as an instrument, his agency is brought to bear on the soul, it is the ministration of the Spirit, -it is ever accompanied by his Almighty power. Hence it is called quick and powerful, hence it is called spirit and life. Some persons call the word of God a dead letter. It is never so called by the Spirit who indited it. It is spoken of invariably as a word of life and light and power, it is spoken of as a sharp two-edged sword. Why then, it may be asked, is it so often ineffectual? We answer, properly speaking, it is never ineffectual. Would you call a sword ineffectual because it did no execution in cases where it was not made use of or applied? Would you say that it was in itself a powerless weapon, because it must be laid hold of, and pulled out of the scabbard, and wielded by the arm, ere its power can be manifested? surely not. Now let the word of God be but embraced and made use of, and it is invariably the power of God unto salvation, it is invariably made effectual for the production of those glorious ends which it was intended to produce. It is not from any defect or powerlessness in it, as some would insinuate, but from our not applying and using it, that these ends are not always effected. Let the gospel be brought to bear, let its power be but tried, and it will soon be manifested what power it possesses. In ascribing to it this power, we exclude not, of course, the agency of the Spirit of God. On the contrary, we say, that it is because it is This sword of the Spirit, this weapon of truth, we are here directed to take and use, as a chief part of our armour in the Christian warfare. For discovering how, and for what ends, we are to do so, it may be well for us, in the first instance. to consider it as made use of by the great Captain of our salvation. It was necessary as a part of his sufferings in our stead, necessary as a means of bruising the serpent's head and of triumphing over him, and for other important ends in the scheme of our salvation, that our surety should be assailed by the tempter,-should be assailed by Satan as the serpent, as well as by Satan as the devouring lion. Hence we are told that Jesus was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil. In this season of trial it was, as you know, this sword of the Spirit, which our victorious leader then wielded, and by which he put the tempter to flight. "Thus it is written," was his answer to each insinuation urged; and to that answer Satan could not, and durst not reply. He could not abide the edge of this sword. Satan, you will remember, never attempted to answer our Lord's quotation of Scripture. He received that at once as a defeat; and instead of urging further the temptation, in answer to which the quotation was made,he straightway had recourse to another temptation. In this latter way, indeed, he tried his utmost might, he had recourse to the most powerful weapons he could use, but he found them utterly ineffectual. He found that not the slightest impression could be made; yea, he found himself answered, in each case, in a way that precluded further attack. He found the edge of a sword turned to him, by which his own weapons were broken, and before which he was himself compelled to fly. But Christ did more than repel Satan's Now this sword, which the Lord himself, the glorious leader in the spiritual warfare, made use of, and does still make use of, in the ways we have declared, we, who call ourselves his followers, the soldiers of Christ Jesus, are after his example to make use of also. We are to take and use it, as he did, for repelling Satan's temptations, and for actually destroying his works. attacks, and make him retire defeated | cannot stand before it; and therefore it from the contest. He carried war into may well be a terror to him, when he sees his dominions, he attacked his strong- him, who is most mighty, girding this holds and destroyed his works,-on his sword upon his thigh, and coming forth cross he bruised the serpent's head. By to use it with his glory and with his mahis death he destroyed death, and him jesty. that had the power of death, even the devil,-defeated his master-device, and procured deliverance for the captives who were under his power. This deliverance he now in his exalted state applies and renders effectual. It was not enough that he procured for his people a title to deliverance; he must, and he does, by the power of his might, by the putting forth of his strong hand, and of his outstretched arm, grant them actual deliverance from their state of bondage. Now this sword is the weapon which he wields for this purpose. This is the rod of his strength, which he sends out of Zion, and by which he makes a willing people in a day of his power. By this he continues to bruise the serpent's head, for by this he rescues sinners from his power. By this he makes Satan quit his hold of them, and brings them from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God. By this he still goes forth conquering and to conquer; and with reference to this, may we address him in the Psalmist's words:"Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty; and in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things," terrible things to thine enemies, while salvation is brought to thy redeemed. These ever go together. The day of vengeance, said Christ, is in my heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. The selves. But the word of God he cannot day of Christ's death was peculiarly this ; | abide. This sword of the Spirit, wielded but so also is the day in which his word in the hand of faith, compels him to withis glorified, and sinners, by believing it, draw. Darkness is his element, and the are saved. My friends, little as we may light and purity of truth he cannot away think of the word of God, the sword of with. With whatever violence he comes the Spirit, it is the terror as well as the against us, though, as the prophet extorment of hell. When Christ sent out presses it, he comes in like a flood, yet, his seventy disciples armed with it, if the standard of the Spirit of the Lord sent them forth preaching the gospel of be raised up against him, he is instantly the kingdom, he said to them on their re- driven back with confusion. What have turn, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from we to do then, but to endeavour to beheaven. Satan knows that his kingdom come well acquainted with this tried wea 1. When Satan comes to assault us, we are, as Christ our great pattern and example did, to take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and with that weapon to oppose him. It is surely for our instruction and imitation, as well as for our encouragement in think. ing of his triumph, that our Lord's contest with our great adversary is so minutely recorded. Yes, as in his conquest, he has given us grounds of rejoicing, seeing he conquered for us, so in the manner of his conquest, he hath left us an example, that we should follow his steps. He has shown us in what way we are to answer Satan, and with what arguments we are to repel his solicitations. are not to reason with him, but to have recourse at once to the law and to the testimony. Satan can abide our reasoning, nay, most likely, if we contend with him on that ground merely, he will soon be able to overpower us, he will soon succeed in taking away this armour in which we trust, and in turning it against our We pon, and to be much in exercising it, that we may become ready and expert in using it. In plain terms, to increase in our knowledge and faith and love of the word of God, and to be much in meditating on its declarations and commands and promises, that we may know how we ought to answer Satan when he comes to assault and seduce us. 2. But we are to aim, not merely at the repelling of Satan's attacks, but at the positive destruction of his power. Christ came to destroy the works of the devil; and in this also, we are to be followers of our glorious Head. We are to take our allotted part in this holy war. We are to aim at the destruction of the works of the devil, wherever they exist, by every means in our power. First. In an especial manner, and in the first instance, we are to aim at the destruction of these works in ourselves. This is a chief and an essential point in which Christ's contest with the enemy differs from ours. He came as the holy One of God, to destroy sin in others: but he knew no sin himself. He was manifested to put away our sin; but in him was no sin. He was manifested to destroy the works of the devil, but, yea for that very reason, it was necessary that the devil should have nothing in him. The contest between him and Satan was a contest between light and darkness, between holiness and sin. On the one side, sin in all its malignity, on the other, holiness pure and unsullied as the light of day, or rather as the light which surrounds the throne of the Eternal, in which is no darkness at all. Say not that this destroys the analogy between the head and the members, as if his warfare and theirs were thus made of a totally different character. There is a close analogy notwithstanding. Do but consider how the case is. There are two great combatants, Christ and Satan, the holy One of God, and the wicked one. When Christ rescues a sinner from the power of the enemy, and implants a principle of holiness in his heart, then a contest, similar to the mighty one which he carries on with Satan, commences in that heart. The new man, the creation of Christ's Spirit, becomes opposed to the old man, the seed of the serpent yet remaining in the soul. Now it is only the new man, the new nature, which, in itself, however weak it may be, is essentially and only holy-which is related to Christ. That is his workmanship, and it is renewed after the image of him that created it. The old man has no relation to Christ. It is connected with the serpent; it is part of his seed, and is that which is to be destroyed. It is as possessing a new nature, that any indivi dual becomes a combatant in this holy war; and it is as possessing a new nature, that he becomes at all connected with Christ as his head and his Lord; and it is as possessing a new nature, and not as possessing a new nature and an old, that he has any conformity to Christ, or that any resemblance between him and Christ is to be traced: and it is because the new nature is the reigning principle in the soul; because the individual, in speaking of the old man, can say, not I, but sin that dwelleth in me; it is on this account, that in his personal character, he is ranked with the seed of the woman, and not with the seed of the serpent. The analogy between Christ and believers consists, not in the resemblance of their whole moral constitution, but in the resemblance of the new nature implanted in them, to his. To assert differently were to assert, that the Son of God was manifested in our nature and as the head of his body the church, to the end that he the head might be conformed to the members, instead of the members being conformed to him. We speak, you will observe, not of essential humanity, in which respect Christ was in all things made like unto his brethren; but of holiness or sinfulness of nature, in which respect, he was not made like unto them, but they are to be made like unto him. My friends, this is the prize of our high calling, to be made like unto the Son of God, to have our nature assimilated to his-to have the human nature as it exists in us, conformed to what it was, and is, in him. In him it existed in more than its original purity. The purity of the snow is not to be compared with its unsullied spotlessness, as it was assumed |