The personality and proper deity of the Holy Spirit, in the awful and mysterious union of the Father and the Son-his operations in the human heart-regeneration and conversion by his grace--sanctification in and through him as the author and giver of spiritual life-his offices as the Comforter, Teacher, Guide, Conductor of the churchthis is another branch of the same series.

The Christian morals-obedience to God-the ten commandments, the rule of conduct-prayer--the church of Christ-the sacraments-and the ministry of the wordcommunion with God-a life of penitence, mortification of sin, watchfulness, growth in grace-support and consolation under the trials and afflictions of this life—the ascription of every thing effective in our salvation to the merciful will of God, and a humble dependance upon him to accomplish his work in our final redemption these conclude the sketch of the scheme of revelation-these are the consequences and fruits of justification. All these truths are one-one remedy-one declaration of the infinite mercy of God- -one scheme of salvation provided for man.

In connection with this revealed truth, and the platform, as it were, on which the machinery is erected, is the Holy Sabbath--coeval with man--the example of the Almighty proposing it to him--creation so distributed as to lay a foundation for it--the powers and faculties of rational and irrational creatures formed upon the supposition of it-the proportion of one day's rest to six of labor infixed in the order of this beautiful world by the Almighty artificer-this institution goes along with redemption--marks the season of religious worship, affords the leisure, sets to work the ministrations, collects all the materials for the diffusion of this truth and the celebration of the praises of its authormaintains the front and bearing of religion in the worldis the visible representation of Christianity, and the pledge of its heavenly reward.

Such is truth--such it has been held in every age—such it was held substantially and in a darker form from the period of the fall-such it was held by the martyrs and reformers of the sixteenth century-such it will be held to the consummation of all things.

What then, my dear friends, is the AUTHORITY of truth -of such truth-of truth so, new, so harmonious, so sublime,

so important--what its CLAIMS UPON THE CONSCIENCE? Is it to derive its force from secondary considerations? Is it to borrow its strength from human expediency? Doubtless the highest measures of expediency are found to attend our obedience to this revelation: and we fail not to urge in a subordinate view this motive. We tell men that Christianity has "the promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come." But then we place not truth on this footing. We build nothing on the shifting foundation of expediency, where the corrupt passions of men are the casuists, and the corrupt example of the world the judge. We appeal to the consciences of men upon the sure and immoveable authority of the Eternal God. We cite the inspired word. Then we have a blessing; then God honors his own; truth; then the Holy Spirit vouchsafes effective grace; then the human heart responds to the call; then the gospel brings forgiveness, peace, holiness, joy, salvation; then it becomes the instrument of conveying all the blessings of redemption to man. Its efficacy is derived from God its author; the Bible is the inspired record where He has placed it; and the Holy Spirit the blessed source of grace which he opens to the heart. And thus the doctrine of the Sabbath, in common with all the essential branches of truth with which God has connected it, becomes a spring of salvation to man. There is no revealed truth without a Sabbath for the meditation of it; and there is no Sabbath without the authority and command of God for its obser

vance.

And do not imagine, my dear parishioners, that because revealed truth has been controverted, it is less binding upon the conscience. We clear it from misrepresentation-we answer objections-we silence vain reasonings-truth shines conspicuous through the intervening cloud, on every eye which is not wilfully closed to its beams. If we cannot remove every obscurity, its main features are distinct and refulgent still. There is enough of what is perspicuous in the Bible on all capital points, to outweigh difficulties on attendant questions.

The deity of Christ has been controverted, I admit-the doctrine of justification by faith has been controverted-the personality of the Holy Spirit, regeneration, the nature of the spiritual life, the influence of the love of Christ, the vir

tue of the sacraments, the blessed joys of communion with God, the hope of everlasting life-every thing has been controverted--even the truth of Christianity itself--and therefore the obligation of the Lord's day--has been controverted. But what then? Is truth less certain---less obligatory upon man? Ask only two questions, In what sense, and By whom has it been controverted, and all difficulty is removed.

For IN WHAT SENSE have these points been controverted? This divides off one half of the disputants. As to subordinate details, there is a wide field for variety of judgment. And it is in these respects, and no other, that truth has been disputed by real Christians. The order of the divine purposes-the union of man's responsibility and free agency with the operations of grace-the entrance and permission of moral evil-the mystery of the divine subsistencies in the tri-unity of the Godhead-the narrow limits of the actual benefits of Christianity--the small apparent number of the elect--the apostacies of the east and the west--the condition of the heathen world--the disorders and scandals of the visible church-these and similar topics have ever been matters of dispute. But what is all this? It does not affect any one of the substantial verities of revelation. It is only saying that man is ignorant-that God has given us a revelation not complete in itself, but complete for the purposes he had in view-that this world is a probationary state-that an eternal judgment will rectify the temporary irregularities of the divine proceedings here--that truth is so revealed in the Scriptures, as to be a trial of our submission of heart to God---that all is clear as to practice and our application of it, though much is obscure as to theory and the supposed combination of things in the divine mind.

To keep, indeed, upon broad and acknowledged ground, is the dictate of wisdom, and the just inference from the perplexities of dispute. It is when we refine, that we differ. And this the Bible never does. There is nothing abstract, nothing little, nothing rigid and systematic, nothing recondite and metaphysical in the Scriptures. Truth meets us there in her simple majesty-enjoins on us implicit obedience and promises peace and joy. And thus it is that the humblest Christian has most tranquillity of heart. Truth is the medicine of his soul; he feels, as he receives the doc

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trines of Christ Jesus the Lord, that he has found "the hidden treasure," that he has obtained the "pearl of great price," that he has discovered the source of life and felicity, that he has reached the true end of his being.

But when controversies relate to fundamental truth, then, I ask, BY WHOM are they raised? This is the second question. Is it not by the heretic bringing into the church the spirit of unbelief? Is it not by the Socinian, the Neologian, the Semi-sceptic, the proud assertor of intellectual might? Is it not the insidious opponent of the grace of God, the Pelagian or Semi-pelagian controversialist, the secular theologian, the disputer of this world? Do we not perceive in the whole spirit of the opposition, that there is no due subjection of heart to revealed truth, that the authority of God does not weigh, that it is man's opinions, not divine revelation, which sway the judgment? See the hazardous criticism, see the irreverent language, see the unholy tone of scorn, see the rash and sweeping conclusions, see the enmity to established sentiments, see the absence of spiritual affections, see the love of ambition and fame and the reliance on merely human learning which betray the state of the heart.

The authority of revealed truth, in its commanding features, is, therefore, so far from being lessened by these considerations, that it is greatly augmented. Amidst the wanderings of human opinion, the Bible is the only safe-guideamidst the follies of human conjecture, it is the only authoritative wisdom-amidst the contradictions of human reasonings, it is the only decisive judge-amidst the miseries and errors of human ignorance, it is the only light that shines— amidst the doubts and misgivings of the human conscience, it is the only effectual friend and counsellor.

And thus the plain and commanding doctrine of salvation by Christ Jesus, stands aloft and eminent above the doubtful opinions of men; thus the dignity and obligation of truth is elevated above the region of doubt and hesitation; thus the conscience of man is bound to all the main particulars of that revelation which God has made to his fallible and sinful creatures. The fall of man, and his redemption in Christ Jesus, are thus left with all their claims upon our faith; and the Sabbath, as subservient to this great remedy, remains as the distinguishing rite of revealed religion.

My dear friends, let me intreat you to examine yourselves whether you have received the gospel in its paramount authority, and its salutary effects, as THE TRUTH OF AlmighTY GOD? With respect to the knowledge of your fallen and ruined state; have you felt it, and are you feeling it more and more-as a sick person feels a painful and oppressive disease? Do you long for deliverance? Are you, in penitence and contrition, acknowledging your guilt and depravity, and imploring pardon and reconciliation with God?

And as to the death and passion of our Lord Christ; are you relying upon it with a lively and penitential faith? Do you look for pardon and everlasting life only to the merits and sufferings of the divine Surety? Do you renounce heartily, and from a conviction of its worthlessness, your "own righteousness which is of the law," and do you trust simply to that Savior who has become, by his obedience unto death, "the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth?" Do you desire with St. Paul, "to count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus the Lord?"

And with regard to the work of the Holy Spirit; are you imploring his secret and gentle, but effective and saving influences to impart spiritual life and feeling; to "give you a right judgment in all things;" and to infuse holy habits into the will and affections? Are you "renewed in the spirit of your minds;" "quickened from the death of sin;" "born from above;" "delivered," not visibly merely, and sacramentally, but really and practically, "from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son?"

If you have any knowledge of these things, revealed truth in its majesty and authority has produced its genuine effects. You bow with all the powers of your soul to the will of God in the Holy Bible. The opinions and controversies of men weigh nothing against the infallible word of inspiration. The Christian Sabbath becomes spontaneously your delight. Faith receives implicitly the account of its institution-conscience responds to the command. The Lord who appointed it, has now prepared you to use it aright. There is a ‣ correspondence, a harmony between all the parts of truth and your own mind, which springs from the operations of