'branch, that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that 'it may bring forth more fruit.'

The work of sanctification then, my christian friends, is one, that should be always advancing. There should be a progress in all, who are christians, in every part of the christian character; and this progress should go on to the very end, even till perfect maturity is attained, and the same mind is in us in all respects, which was also in Christ Jesus. For"This we desire,'-says an apostle-'even your

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perfection'-; and again—'Leaving the prin'ciples of the gospel of Christ, let us go on 'unto perfection!'-: and again of himself he says This one thing I do. Forgetting those 'things, which are behind, and reaching forth ' unto those things, which are before, I press 'toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.'

Lastly then, for the purpose of carrying forward this work of sanctification a faithful christian will always be referring his conduct and principles to the true standard. He will look to the law and to the testimony. A short summary of that divine law was appealed to

formerly; and it was found, that even that short summary, comprehending the whole law in two commandments, injoining love to God, and to our neighbour, was abundantly sufficient to convince us of sin. It was at that time quite unnecessary to pursue the investigation further, because, being convinced of the law, as transgressors, we could have no further interest in enactments, by which we stood condemned. But now, being reconciled to God by the death of his son, being justified by faith, and having received of God the hope of complete sanctification through the spirit, the christian looks to the law of God for guidance in all the departments of duty. He now takes pleasure in it, and says- Lord, what love have I unto

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thy law! All the day long is my study in it.' He does not look to it for justification. That, in the case of a true and faithful christian, has been already attained, and needs not to be again renewed. But he requires it for guidance from day to day: and the more he studies it, the greater depths he finds to explore, that so he may eventually and experimentally prove, what is that good and acceptable and perfect

will of God. Hence the apostles, though they are contented with one sentence of the law, as -'Cursed is every one, that continueth not in 'all things, which are written in the book ' of the law, to do them'-, when their object is to shew, that all mankind are condemned by it, yet, when they address themselves to renewed and justified christians, enter into further particulars, and teach us the duties of husbands and wives, of parents and children, of masters and servants, of pastors and people, of young and old, of rich and poor, thus holding forth the word of life, as a torch or lighthouse, amidst the storms and darkness of the world, and teaching us, how to pursue the straight course and difficult channel of sanctification.

And now, brethren, having said something to you of the necessity and nature of that sanctification, which is inculcated in the sacred volume, it remains, that I address a few words to you on the great agent, by whom it is carried on. Know ye not,' (says saint Paul

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in the text,) that ye are the temple of God, ' and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you

The question is both instructive and admonitory for, if every individual christian be a temple of God, if the spirit of God, dwelling in him, be the great agent in his sanctification, then does the work of sanctification become indeed a matter of very serious responsibility; for, as the apostle immediately subjoins, if any man defile the temple of God, him will God destroy; for the temple of God is holy. It becomes us seriously to beware, how we offend a being, who has taken up his residence within us for the purpose of imparting to us every holy and spiritual quality, but who will undoubtedly banish himself from a heart, that is unwilling to entertain so divine a guest, or dares wilfully to pollute a tabernacle, in which he deigns to dwell.

But indeed a little consideration will be sufficient to convince us, that our sanctification could not be effected by any inferior agent. For what is it, that we want for the production of this effect? We want a change in the current of our affections. We want to love God, where we loved the world before; and we want to love our neighbour, as we now love ourselves.

And can we produce a change, like this, in our affections by reasoning? Can we alter the direction of all our desires, or if so, can we sustain the alteration, an alteration, affecting our whole nature, by effort? As well might we hope to make a river flow to its source, or a falling body disobey the laws of gravitation. Partial changes we may effect, as we may turn a river into a new channel, and impel a body in an opposite course to its natural tendency. But to acquire a new nature, to have a spirit within us, contrary to the spirit, by which we are naturally actuated, requires a power, superior to that nature, which needs to be transformed.

Hence it is, that the spirit, which sanctifies, must be the holy spirit of God. The son of God procured our justification by dying for us; and the spirit of God produces our sanctification by dwelling in us: and these two works are both necessary in order to our being presented with acceptance at the last day before the throne of the father. Thus, without any formal discussion of the doctrine, we have seen some reason for holding, if it can be proved to us,