ry discourse; Woe to that hearer who does not rejoice in him as all his salvation and all his desire. Better for both of them they had never been born.

5. Our sanctification by the power of divine grace, and our progress to perfection amidst ten thousand discouragements is another part of this wisdom. The Spirit Jehovah is uniformly set forth as the great agent renewing the election of grace, and preparing them for the service of God, and the enjoyment of glory. They are born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. We are changed into the same image with Christ the first born, from glory to glory as by the Lord the Spirit. As he finished the natural world at the creation of all things, moved upon the waters, rendered them productive, causing them to abound with innumerable varieties of fish, he, as an almighty agent, finishes the spiritual creation, he breathes upon the soul which has lain in darkness and death, and raises it to spiritual and immortal life; he infuses new light into the understanding, new love into the heart, new desires into the affections; in short, he renews the whole spirit, and soul, and body, and sanctifies them as a living temple for himself. They are his workmanship, each member of the inner man is as really formed by his omnipotent operations as the members of the outer man, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which

God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. This part of the divine wisdom is also a mystery. We cannot comprehend the mode of our natural generation; we cannot conceive how the bones grow in the womb of her that is with child, much less can we comprehend the mode of our spiritual generation; how the divine spirit breathes gently, yet irresistibly upon the soul; constraining it to Jesus with the chords of love, yet commanding it with the energy and majesty of a God. "He who commands the light to shine out of darkness shines upon the heart, giving the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." There is no violence done to the subjects of his opera tions, no restraint either upon the understanding, or the heart, yet there is no possibility of resisting. He speaks and the change is mightily effected; the man acts as freely now in closing with Jesus for salvation, and running the way of his commandments, as formerly in going the high road of disobedience and destruction. That Saviour who was once without comeliness or form now appears altogether lovely; the generation of the upright, who were formerly the object of his scorn and derision, he now regards as the excellent of the earth; that bible which in times past appeared barren and uninteresting is now the subject of his daily and delightful meditations; and those ordinances which were once insupportably tedious, are

now the joy and rejoicing of his heart. AIT this change is wrought upon the sinner by an agent which he cannot see, in a manner which he cannot understand, and by the instrumentality of that word which thousands read and hear without any saving effect."The wind bloweth where it listeth, we hear the sound thereof, but cannot tell whence it cometh, or whither it goeth, so is every one that is born of the spirit." But this doctrine however mysterious must be taught. As we ought to vindicate the glory of Jesus by avowing the necessity and all-sufficiency of his righteousness for reconciliation, we ought to vindicate the glory of the spirit by avowing the necessity and the efficacy of his grace for our sanctification. "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saves by the washing of regeneration, even the renewing of the Holy Ghost." There is an intimate co-operation of all the divine Persons in effecting the recovery of man. The Father devises the plan, the Son lays down the price, and the Spirit, in equal Sovereignty and grace, engages to consummate this salvation, by giving to all the chosen an interest in Jesus and his covenant mercies. Now, to confound the offices of these ever-blessed Agents is like throwing up a building without arranging the materi als, which must leave it a confused, unsightly pile; to exhibit the office of either divine

Person, and omit the others is like attempting to erect an arch without carrying on the various parts, which necessarily defaces the beauty, and destroys the strength of the whole. God the Spirit ought therefore to be preached in his sanctifying, saving operations; he should be held forth to view as an independent, infinite Being, working in his people both to will and to do of his good pleasure. One apostle therefore represents believers as elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Another apostle prays in behalf of his hearers that "their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in fove, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement* of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ."

NOTE.

*The original word, which we translate acknowledgement, literally signifies a thorough, perfect, heart-felt knowledge or acquaintance. Such is the translation which is given to the same word in Rom. i. 28. iii. 20. x. 2. 1 Tim. ii. 4. Eph. i. 17. and the same translation would, I humbly believe, more fully express the apostle's meaning in the present instance. Why does he thus ardently pray that these Colossians might obtain a profound acquaintance with this unsearchable mystery? Probably he intended convincing them that as there is no salvation without an interest in the love of these adorable persons, so a suitable knowledge of the mode of their subsistence, of their offices in our redemption, would much conduce to their spiritual establishment and consolation.

With our sanctification by the power of divine grace, may also be connected the christian's progress to perfection as another part of this wisdom. "The righteous shall hold on his way; and he that hath clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger."That grace of Jehovah which was exercised in their election from eternity, and in calling them effectually in time, secures them infallibly to future glory: His love, of which they are partakers, is unchangeable; the covenant in which they are interested is inviolable, and their union to Jesus the Mediator is indissoluble and everlasting. "I have betrothed thee unto me forever: I give to them eternal life and they shall never perish, neither is any man able to pluck them out of my hand." This part of the divine wisdom is also mysterious. The manner in which the soul, once brought into the covenant, is kept infallibly in the covenant, is cleansed from ten thousand pollutions, is supported amidst ten thousand discouragements, and is enabled finally to rise triumphant over ten thousand oppositions, is altogether unaccountable. To see a single spark of fire living in the ocean would be mysterious; to see a single soldier maintaining a warfare with a host of adversaries, each incomparably more artful and powerful than himself, is mysterious; to see a small, insignificant insect attempting to thresh the mountains, and marching victo