as to the spirituality of the law, and the grace of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. He went about to establish his own righteousness, not submitting himself unto the righteousness of God. It was not till the light from heaven shone upon him, and the scales fell from his eyes, that he saw the wondrous things of God's holy law.

HENCE, THEN, WE ARE LED TO CONSIDER THE NECESSITY OF DIVINE ILLUMINATION, AND THE INFLUENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, TO OBTAIN A SAVING KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH, AS IT IS IN CHRIST JESUS.

The influence of the Holy Spirit is needful to bring the word home to the heart-to carry this incorruptible seed into the very centre of the soul, and give it a quickening influence, that it may spring up, as a living principle of renovation and holiness. The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life. Before the word is brought home to the heart, a man may see and acknowledge it to be truth; but he does not feel and know its power but by the Spirit. The Scriptures are indeed plain enough, but the heart of man is darkened to spiritual things by his alienation from God. Were it not for this darkness of the human intellect, the things relative to salvation would be as easily and fully discovered as those which relate to the outward man.

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Until the Spirit of God shines into the heart, the veil of darkness remains on it; and until the Spirit quickens it, it is insensible and stupid. Nothing but this will bring home the word with power to break the heart, and melt the soul into contrition before God. may have read a thousand times, that all men have sinned and coine short of the glory of God; but it is not till the Spirit shines into his heart, that he cries out, "Wo is me, for I am undone. I am carnal, sold under sin. What shall I do to be saved?" He may indeed have acknowledged that by nature all men are sinners, and children of wrath; but not till illuminated by God's Spirit, did he groan out, "O, wretched man that I am, how shall I escape the wrath to come?" He now beholds the wondrous purity and extent of the divine law. He sees that it extends to the heart; to the inward man. It searcheth out his very thoughts; it penetrates to his inmost soul. He sees its spirituality, and acknowledges the justice of its claims, and the righteousness of its sentence.

He now feels the need of being enlightened to see the freeness, fulness, and adaptation of the promises of grace. He has often read the promises, and may have acknowledged that they are exceedingly great and precious. But how vastly different is this rational admiration of them, from what he feels when the Holy Spirit shines upon them, and so enlightens him, that he may embrace them by the power of living faith! Now he feels that they are

precious; they bring peace, and joy, and comfort to his soul; he delights in them; he sees the wondrous love of God in providing them, and his soul is filled with wonder, love, and praise. If he reads, the Lord is my light and my salvation, his heart instantly exults, of whom shall I be afraid! He now knows, to his joy and comfort, that "the Lord God is a sun and shield; that he will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly." It is needful to have the truth engrafted by the Spirit into the heart. The word, then, lives and acts as a holy principle of a spiritual and heavenly life in the soul.

Under the influence of divine illumination the believer knows how, with safety and comfort, to apply the special truths of God to his own heart. The Spirit of God witnesseth to their truth, and they come not in word only, but with power to the heart. They are the power of God to salvation. The same blessed Spirit that applies the truth gives a disposition of heart to obey it. He sheds abroad the love of God in the heart, so that he loves to keep his commandments; the fruit of the Spirit being love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, faith, meekness, and temperance. He can now delight in the law of the Lord, after the inward man; and walk in the Spirit, and not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

The influences of the Holy Ghost are necessary to accompany the word of truth for our sanctification. "Sanctify them through thy truth." The word of God is the great means of our sanctification. It is by its direction and influence, accompanied by the Spirit, that we consecrate our bodies and souls a living sacrifice to God; it teaches the way of purity, and opens the fountain by which we may be cleansed from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord. The exceeding great and precious promises are given, that we might be partakers of the divine nature, and escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. In these we behold, as in a glass (by the light of the Spirit), the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, and are transformed into his image, formed anew, after his divine likeness, in righteousness and true holiness.

In the light of the Spirit, what wondrous things does the true believer discover out of the heavenly treasury? What purity and beauty, what excellence and glory. O, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are all thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? Thou doest marvellous things, and that my soul knoweth right well.

In bringing our observations on this subject to a close, let us try to get a proper sense of the infinite value of the oracles of God. This

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can only be done by reading them with such deep attention as to become acquainted with their wondrous contents. The God who speaketh to thee out of his word is the self-existent, eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, wise, just, and holy Jehovah. He is the Creator, Preserver, and Benefactor of men. Here is revealed the Son of God as thy Redeemer, Saviour, and Friend. The Holy Spirit, who is the Revealer of truth, shines on his own words, and makes them spirit and life to the soul. Search the Scriptures, for they are the fountains of wisdom and knowledge to the soul. How precious are these words of grace to souls burdened with guilt, and care, and sorrow. At the sound of them their burdens fall off, their cares are dissipated, their sorrows cease. They are the food, the medicine, the friends and comforters of the pious, when all other remedies and friends fail; yea, when they walk through the valley of the shadow of death, these are their light, their staff, their guide. Let us guard against an abuse of the doctrine advanced-That it is needful to have the illumination and influence of the Holy Spirit to attain a saving knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. Let no one object to searching them, and using every human help to attain a proper knowledge of them; and while we do this, let us not forget to pray, "Lord, open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." Let us act as wisely and consistently in this as in the ordinary concerns of life.

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When you, or any your friends, are sick, you cease not to consult a physician, to take medicine, and use all proper means for attaining health, because you are taught that the ultimate success must depend on the divine blessing. You could not, as a consistent Christian, pray with confidence, unless you used means. You would pity that man as a deluded fanatic who should do thus. Because we are taught to ascribe all our success in the use of means to the divine blessing, are we warranted to neglect the means? The Scriptures reveal the truth; the Spirit applies it. The remedy is described in the word of God; the Spirit gives it efficacy; the promises are revealed; the Spirit seals them; and without the use of the means, we have no warrant to look for the effectual operation of the Spirit. We must, therefore, study the Scriptures diligently, and pray over them fervently, for the teaching and influence of the Holy Spirit. To expect its influence without this would be delusion; and to neglect to seek its aid, under the idea that we are able by the Scriptures to obtain salvation, without the aid of the Holy Spirit, is presumption.

SERMON IV.

BY REV. NATHAN BANGS, D. D.,

NEW YORK.

THE SPIRIT'S INFLUENCE.

ROMANS, VIII. 26.

LIKEWISE THE SPIRIT ALSO HELPETH OUR INFIRMITIES: FOR WE KNOW NOT WHAT WE SHOULD PRAY FOR AS WE OUGHT: BUT THE SPIRIT MAKETH INTERCESSION FOR US WITH GROANINGS WHICH CANNOT BE UTTERED.

In the preceding part of this very important epistle, the apostle had stated and defended some of the fundamental doctrines of Christ; refuted many of the strongest objections of the Jews; confounded the Gentiles by the power and conclusiveness of his arguments; and opened to the true believer the unspeakable privileges to which the gospel of Christ exalts him. In the chapter before us, he treats principally on the blessed effects which these doctrines have upon the hearts and lives of all those who sincerely and believingly embrace them. So far from being led by the imaginary flights of those who worship false deities, as are the Gentiles, or groping in the darkness of the Mosaic dispensation, as did the infatuated Jews, the light of Christianity throws demonstration upon the path of the experimental Christian, conducting him by a sure and safe way to life and immortality.

This is done by the influence of the Spirit of God upon the heart; "for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." And that no one might be left in uncertainty respecting his right to the enjoyment of these peculiar and distinguished privileges of the Christian dispensation, the apostle furnishes him with an infallible criterion, by which he may ascertain his title to them. To all such, "the Spirit itself beareth witness with their spirits, that they are the children of God."

Lest, however, some might erroneously infer from these undenia

ble premises, that the apostle designed to represent the Christian as exalted above the common frailties of our nature, and as being beyond the reach and influence of those temptations which are common to man, he speaks of him as still groaning, even though he has "the first fruits of the Spirit;" as still being "saved by hope," although walking under the direct rays of the "Spirit of life in Christ Jesus." But whatever defects might arise out of the infirmities of our nature; whatever impediments might be thrown in our path by the numerous enemies with which we may have to contend, a remedy is found for all these defects, and a removal of all these impediments, in the efficient aids of the Holy Spirit; "likewise the Spirit helpeth our infirmities."

In these consoling words, the apostle contrasts the Spirit's influ ence, strong and energetic, with human strength, feeble and inefficient; and shows that, however infirm may be the one, the other is sufficiently powerful to help in all times of need-so to help that the believer may finally be "more than a conqueror through Him who has loved him." This Spirit helps,

I. THE WEAKNESS OF OUR UNDERSTANDING IN OUR PRAYERS. "We know not what to pray for as we ought." Through the weakness of our understanding, we know not at all times, and under all circumstances, what is best for us, and therefore are at a loss how to direct our prayers, only in general terms. At one time the disciples wanted to call down fire from heaven to consume their enemies; at another, to build tabernacles for Jesus, for Moses, and for Elias; both of these petitions originated from the weakness of their understandings, rather than from any particular depravity of their hearts. Under the pressure of particular circumstances, over which he may have no control, the Christian will often find his heart prompting him to pray for things which, if granted, would prove a curse instead of a blessing.

It is in these circumstances that the Spirit, in a very particular manner, "maketh intercession for him," "helpeth his infirmities," either by reflecting light upon his mind, and thereby revealing to him the error of his understanding, or by crossing his inclination, disappointing his expectation, and finally leading him "in a way that he knew not." The Spirit may also operate directly on his heart, create new desires, as well as new aversions, and present, in a luminous manner, those objects after which it is both lawful, and for his highest interest, to pursue. Here often, in this way, does our heavenly Father interpose in our behalf! He obscures to our view those objects which, though we may greatly desire them for a time, he perceives would be injurious to us, denies us their pos