Moreover the nature and character of that faith have been pointed out to you; and you have seen, that, while it presupposes a right, though still an imperfect, state of the affections and desires, its direct tendency is to withdraw the hope of a sinner from any delusive expectation of being able to save himself from the ruin, in which his sins have involved him, and to fix them on the saviour. And this very disposition of the heart is a holy quality. It is a return of the affections to their proper object, a commencement of that renewal in the spirit of our minds, by which we again learn to love the lord, our God, not with a stinted and penurious gratitude, but with all our mind, all our heart, all our soul, and all our strength.

Thus is the doctrine of justification by grace through faith a most wholesome doctrine, being, as our article declares of it, very full of comfort, yet without giving countenance to licentiousness. It is very full of comfort, because he, who is thus justified, has peace with God, and is no longer troubled with those distressing terrors, which otherwise the

SERMON X.

1 Corinthians iii. 16, 17.

Know ye not, that ye are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy for the temple of God is holy; which temple ye are.

THERE are two leading graces, which may be said to comprehend all, that is essential to the life of a christian, while he remains in this scene of his pilgrimage; and they are first justification, and secondly sanctification. The first of these was the subject of our discussion this morning. The second remains for our examination now. The two together form the whole of that life of the inner man, or of that life of Christ in the soul, to adopt the

scriptural description of it, by which a christian is distinguished from a worldling. 'The unrighteous,' (says saint Paul in the sixth chapter of this epistle)' shall not inherit the kingdom ' of God.' And such,' (he adds, addressing himself to his Corinthian readers) were some 'of you. But ye are washed.' This expression, which is a plain allusion to the ordinance of baptism, conveys the generic description of their change; which is immediately branched out into two particulars, as follows. But ye arę sanctified. But ye are justified.' And then still more particularly,-Ye are justified

in the name of the lord, Jesus.

'sanctified by the spirit of our God.'

Ye are

It must be observed then, brethren, before we proceed further, that the ideas, which these two words are intended to convey, are essentially different from each other and it is of the greatest consequence, that you should form distinct and accurate notions of each of them, if you would know correctly, what is that way of God, in which you are required to walk with consistency and circumspection.

I will therefore, to avoid all confusion upon

ings, before he can be said to confide in the promise of Christ to bestow them. But where there is this desire, where there is this reliance, it was shewn by the clear and concurrent testimony of all scripture that, although he, who entertains them, may have hitherto been a notorious offender, though he may not have had time to exhibit any proofs of conversion to the world, or to bring forth fruits, meet for repentance, he, who knoweth the hearts, has promised to such a believer remission of sins.

Such is the doctrine of justification by grace through faith. It lies at the threshold of the christian life.. There is no entrance, till we have passed over it. But, when we have entered, we are met at once by another work, the necessity of which is equally apparent, and the nature of which we are now preparing to examine. May God grant to you all, my brethren, pardon and peace! and may he then sanctify you wholly, that your whole body and soul and spirit may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our lord, Jesus Christ!

First I observe, that although the gift of justification is a great gift, the gift of sanctification is still greater. Justification is the first step in the work of a christian. Sanctification is the work itself. When justification is granted, the new life of a christian is commenced. When sanctification is complete, it is finished. Justification is necessary, as the means to an end. Sanctification is the end itself, the great end, to which all ordinances tend, for which Christ suffered, and for the sake of which the world is preserved. 'For their sake' (said the Saviour,)—that is, for the sake of my beliey'ing disciples I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified through the truth.' And here for the sake of greater clearness it may be remarked, that there is a difference in the application of the two words. It has been said, that justification is an acquittal, and that therefore to a righteous man it conveys an acknowledgment of his righteousness, to a sinner the remission of his sins. In either case it signifies to declare a person righteous, not to make him so, as, when we are said to magnify or to glorify God, we cannot be understood to

N