for that service; and that the gospel, when preached, is not rejected by all, as it is by many, is wholly to be ascribed to the agency of the Holy Spirit, whose office and covenant engagement it is, to convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment*, and to glorify MESSIAH. He opens the eyes of the understanding, subdues the stubborn will, softens, or rather removes, the heart of stone, and gives a feeling tender heart, a heart of flesh. Then the rebels relent, and sue for mercy. Then they obtain faith, repentance, remission, a full and free salvation, and all the gifts which MESSIAH has received for them.

IV. His ultimate design, in favour of rebellious men, the great final cause of his mediation, and particularly of his bestowing on them the gift of the Holy Spirit, is, that the Lord God may dwell among them. Man was created in the image of God, who formed him for himself. But he sinned, and was forsaken. God withdrew his light and love from him, and man sunk into darkness and misery. Sin and Satan took possession of the heart, which was originally designed to be the temple of the living God. But the Lord had a merciful purpose, to return in a way worthy of his perfections. Without him, the souls of men, and the whole human race, as to their proper happiness, are like what the earth would be without the sun, dark, cold, fruitless, and comfortless. But the knowledge of Messiah, like the sun, enlightens the world, and the heart.

*John xvi. 9. 11.

When in the day of his power, by the revelation of his light and love, he destroys the dominion of sin, and dispossesses Satan, he reclaims his own, and takes possession for himself. The heart, sprinkled with the blood of Jesus, and anointed with the holy unction, becomes a consecrated temple of the Holy Ghost. This persuasion, though now by many, who have not renounced the name of Christian, deemed the essence. of enthusiasm, was once thought essential to Christianity; so that the apostle speaks of it as an obvious incontrovertible fact, with which no true Christian could be unacquainted. Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost*? Again he speaks of Christ dwelling in the heart. Christ in you the hope of glory. And in another place, Ye are the temple of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; agreeably to his promise by the prophets. He liveth in them, as the principle of their life, wisdom, and power; therefore the apostle says, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me§. There is a mutual indwelling between the Lord and his people. They in him as the branch in the vine; and he in them as the sap in the branch. He in them as in his temples; they in him as in their strong tower of defence. And from hence we infer the dura tion of their life of grace; that it shall continue and spring up into everlasting life; since it is properly not their own, but his; and

* 2 Cor. vi. 19. 2 Cor. vi. 16.

+ Eph. iii. 17.
§ Gal. ii. 20.

Col. i. 27.

since he has said, Because I live, ye shall live also.

He dwells likewise among his people in their collective capacity. His whole church, comprizing all the members of his mystical body, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, form a building fitly framed together, a palace, a holy temple for the Lord, the great King. He dwelleth likewise in every particular society, who walk by his rule, and adorn the professions of his truth, by a conversation becoming the gospel. He is a wall of fire round about them, and a glory in the midst of them*. When they meet together in his name, he is there. He walks in the midst of the golden candlesticks. It is his presence that gives life and efficacy to all his ordinances, and communicates a power to his word, by which the minds of his wor shipping people are enlightened, strengthened, healed, and comforted. Here he manifests himself to them, as he does not unto the world; and they can adopt the words of the Psalmist A day in thy courts, is better than a thousand. To his presence they owe their peace and increase, their union and protection. And if he withdraws, Ichabod may be written upon their solemn assembliest; for even his own appointments can afford them neither profit nor pleasure, unless they are animated by his glory. Their graces languish, their harmony is interrupted, strifes and dissentions take place, evil roots of bitterness spring up to trouble and de

VOL. II.

*Zech. ii. 5. 10.

F

† 1 Sam. iv. 21.

file them*; men arise from among themselves, speaking perverse things, and fierce wolves break in, not sparing the flockt, if the good Shepherd suspend his influence and presence.

us.

I trust he dwells and walks in the midst of He is here as an observer, and as a graHe sees who draw near him cious benefactor. with their lips, while their hearts are far from him; and he likewise takes notice of them that fear and love him, and who esteem the light of his countenance to be better than life. The high and lofty One who inhabiteth eternity, who dwelleth in the high and holy place, dwelleth likewise with those that are of a contrite and humble spiritt, to revive and bless them.

*Heb. xii. 15.
Isa. lvii. 15.

† Acts xx. 29, 30.

SERMON XXX.

THE PUBLICATION OF THE GOSPEL.

PSALM 1xviii. 11.

The Lord gave the word, great was the company of those that published it. [Or, of the preachers.]

PERHAPS no one psalm has given greater exercise to the skill and the patience of commentators and critics, than the sixty-eighth. I suppose the difficulties do not properly belong to the psalm, but arise from our ignorance of variour circumstances to which the Psalmist alludes; which probably were, at that time, generally known and understood. The first verse is the same with the stated form of benediction, which was used whenever the ark of the Lord set forward while Israel sojourned in the wilderness*: which confirms the prevailing opinion, that the psalm was primarily designed, as an act of thanksgiving, to accompany the removal of the ark to Zion, by David. The seventh and eighth verses are repeated, with little variation, from the Song of Deboraht. The leading scope of the whole appears to be, first, a recapitulation of God's gracious dealing with Israel, and of the great things he had done for them, from the

*Numb. x. 35.

† Judges v. 4, 5.