people in a carnal state. Whereas St. Jude calls every man, a sensual man, who has not the Spirit.

An experimental knowledge of the Holy Spirit's influence, was the Christian's touchstone in St. Paul's day; but modern gospellers have learned a pleasant trick, to have the Holy Spirit yet know nothing of it; and they ask a true believer scornfully, as once a taunting prophet asked Micaiah "Which way went the Spirit of God from me, to speak to thee?" Did he pop upon you through the key-hole, or through a chink in the wall? Which way, Micaiah, was it? and then smote him on the cheek. See here the character of a false prophet, delineated by the Spirit of truth. He has not the Spirit of God, yet he pretends to it by his saying, which way went the Spirit from me? and he ridicules the Spirit's sensible ̧operation, by asking scornfully, Which way went the Spirit unto thee? Did you see him come, or feel him come into you, any way? Pray, what way was it? let us hear, Micaiah; and take this smite upon your cheek for your trouble. Such was the language of false prophets in old time; and where satan rules, these taunting prophets never die. But, Sir, if you have never felt the spiritual death, I am speaking of, you are yet a dead soul; and will remain so, till Jesus Christ has quickened you.

For, as men cannot be sensible of this death, while they abide in it; so neither can they help themselves out of it. Death strips away all power, as well as all perception. A dead body may as well restore itself to life, as a dead soul. A fallen angel may as soon rekindle spiritual life, and regain his first estate, as a fallen man. Nothing can produce

the spiritual life, and a spiritual mind resulting from it, but the Spirit of God. His breath alone brings this life, which Jesus intimated when he breathed upon his disciples, and said, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost."

Yet, while men are without this life, and walk the rounds of moral decency, they bravely talk of will and power to make themselves the sons of God: and think St. John a mere driveling, for affirming they are born, not of the will of man, but of God.

:

A real Christian, in St. Paul's account, is a new creature; "He is God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus. And Jesus tells you, how dead souls are quickened mark his words; they come with double seal to shew their weight and certainty. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live." Jesus is not speaking of the body's resurrection, at the judgment-day, but of a resurrection which now is, and is coming every day; a resurrection of dead souls to life, not a merely moral, but a spiritual life; and a resurrection caused, not by us, but by himself, even by his voice. He has many voices to call dead sinners by, the voice of his word, of his servants, and his providences; but all these avail nothing, without the voice of his Spirit. His word is but a dead letter, without the quickening Spirit; his servants are but barking dogs, who growl, yet cannot bite, unless he set them on and his providences are but claps of thunder, alarming for a time, yet quickly over, exWhen he cept he rides himself upon the storm. takes the work into his own hand; and the voice of

his Spirit accompanies the voice of his word, or his servants, or his providences, then a sinner hears, and starts from his grave like Lazarus and lives. And having thus received life, he feels his condemnation and his ruined nature, and cries after Jesus.

When the world was brought into this ruined state by sin, man could do nothing more to help himself, than the fallen angels could: and he must perish everlastingly, unless the Lord prevents it. He does, and provides another covenant, the stores of which are not laid up in Adam as before, nor in his ruined children. God does not choose to trust a bankrupt. If man could not stand upright when set upon his legs, how shall he stand when he has none?" Therefore help is now laid upon one, who is mighty and able to save to the uttermost." And the Saviour speaks thus to the ruined sinner, "Thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help."

However, though man fell, God was not disappointed by his fall; it was foreseen, for "known to God are all his works from the beginning;" and being foreseen, it was provided against in such a manner as might exalt the riches of his grace in man's recovery. The first covenant was made with Adam, a mere man, who was the surety of it; but the surety failed and ruined all. The second covenant was not made with the ruined sinner, a broken merchant, but with Jesus Christ, the Lord from heaven. Jehovah says, "I give thee for a covenant," and of course "Jesus is the surety for this better covenant."

Now the business of a surety is to pay the legal debts of another. Our legal debts are, first, perfect obedience, which alone can bring a title unto heaven;

secondly, the curse of death, for not perfoming that obedience.

Jesus Christ first pays the debt of perfect obedience, and thereby, as surety redeems the heavenly title then he takes the law curse on himself to free believers from it. And both these blessings are imputed, or charged to the account of every true believer. By the death of his surety, he is freed from condemnation; and by his obedience alone he is made righteous, justified in the eye of the law, and obtains a legal title unto heaven.

And, Sir, there is nothing monstrous in this matter, however some may please to startle at it. Human laws every where, as well as the divine, allow of suretiship, which proves it is an equitable thing. If farmer Thomas does some common work for farmer James, the law imputes the work done by Thomas unto James. When a curate preaches for a weary rector, the law imputes the curate's mouth to the silent rector. If you was overwhelmed with debts, and a friendly surety should discharge them all, the law would impute this payment unto you, and acquit you of debt as effectually as if the money had been taken from your own purse, and paid with your own hand.

Indeed, though suretiship is common among men in debts of money, it is not practised in debts of life. For who will die for another? A rogue will not thrust his neck into the halter for a rogue; and an honest man will not choose it, nor will the state consent to it, for honest men are scarce. But the law itself has no abhorrence of such suretiship, and would gain abundant reverence by it.

When a villain dies by the hand of justice, we at

tend more to the guilt of the sufferer, and to our own security by his death, than to the honor which the law receives by his execution. But if an upright man and well esteemed, should freely suffer for a villain, this striking spectacle would bring much reverence to the law, and give it great solemnity.

Zaleucus, a prince of the Locrians made a law, that every one convicted of a certain crime, should lose both his eyes; and it happened that his own son was convicted of the crime. The prince was not willing that the law should lose its honor, nor could the father bear to see his son quite blind. He therefore orders one of his own eyes to be bored out, and one of his sons. Thus two eyes were given to the law, which brought it more solemnity, than if the son had lost both his own. In such a case, as he passed along, many might have only cried, "there goes the blind youth, who could not obey the law." But when the aged father stirs abroad, and is seen with an eye dug out; this sight of suffering innocence strikes beholders and makes them reverence the law, and dread its penalty.

Pray, hold your hand a little, Doctor; every honest man will strive to pay his debts; and if he cannot pay the whole, will make a composition, and pay what he can. Such a composition I would make for my sinful debts, and hope to pay ten shillings or more in the pound. I am not so vain, as to reject a surety altogether, relying wholly on my own ability for payment; nor can I think myself quite insolvent. I would therefore have the old grazier and Jesus Christ jointly bound in the same bond. This would look creditable: and I could condescend to let