from want of attention to the truths revealed in Scripture. Whatever might have been the case with the woman in the text; whatever excuse she might possibly be allowed to urge for not knowing Christ and the Gift of God; you cannot plead the same excuse. You have the word of God to teach you. If you continue strangers to the excellence of Christ, of his gifts and offers, your ignorance can proceed only from your neglect and disbelief of his word; because you love the body better than the soul; because you love this world better than the next; because you love sin better than God. But will ignorance, which arises from such causes, be any extenuation of your guilt? When God, by his prophet Isaiah, denounces the desolations which were coming on his people of old, take notice of the leading charge which he prefers against them. The harp and the viol, the tabret and pipe, and wine are in their feasts; but they regard not the works of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands: therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge. And in another passage; It is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will shew them no favour. When Christ himself, in after ages,

*Isaiah, v. 12, 13; xxvii. 11.

predicts the final destruction which would speedily fall upon Jerusalem, observe what he assigns as the immediate cause of this calamity. Because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation*. In both instances, ignorance resulting from wilful inconsideration, is represented as closely connected with the impending judgements. God forbid that you, my brethren, should be equally ignorant! That you should not know the Gift of God, and thus perish for want of asking for it! If inconsideration be the great source of ignorance, for once be serious. Fix your wandering thoughts. Reflect on the proofs which have been adduced of the importance of that Gift. It is the Gift of God; the Gift which the Son of God came down from heaven to purchase: the Gift, the want of which even Christ's continual presence could not compensate. Consider your utter need of the Spirit of God, the essential part which he takes in your vation. It is the Spirit who convinces the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement; who takes of the things of Christ and shews them unto men; who guides us into all truth. It is the Spirit of whom, except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. It is the Spirit by whom you must be made partakers of that holiness with

* Luke, xix, 44,

sal

out which no man shall see the Lord. It is the Spirit who alone can effectually work in you repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the Spirit from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed. Without his preventing grace you cannot read the Bible with understanding and profit; you cannot hear the preached word with improvement; you cannot think or do such things as be rightful. It is the Spirit, who alone can take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and can give you a heart of flesh; who can strengthen you under temptations; can comfort you in afflictions; can help your infirmities; can shed abroad the love of God in your hearts; can fill you with all peace and joy in believing; can seal you unto the day of redemption. Contemplate these important operations; and say whether the Gift of the Spirit be not an invaluable Gift? Can you be saved without it? Can any thing supply the want of it? Consider then, further, that the same Lord Jesus Christ, who bought it with his blood, has also the disposal of it; is ready to bestow it on you; has promised, if you will but ask, to give it to you. Ask then, that you may have. the proffered mercy. Pray that may be established with grace.

Slight not your hearts Despise not

a blessing so dearly purchased, so freely

offered, so greatly needed: a blessing, which may be procured on terms so easy. Had the Lord commanded you to do some great thing for the attainment of this Gift; even then, would not wisdom, would not interest, would not a regard for your immortal soul, have dictated a compliance with a prescribed condition? How much rather then, when he only saith unto you, Seek and ye shall find? Will it not be an agonizing thought throughout eternity to reflect, that there was once a time, when the Gift of God was within your reach, but that you wickedly neglected to apply for it: that Christ, from a tender concern to your spiritual good, counselled you to pray to him for the Spirit, but that you set at nought all his counsels? How insupportable will be this reflection! God grant, my brethren, that you may never experience it! In this your day, may you know the things which belong unto your peace! May you know the Gift of God, and Who it is that speaketh unto you from heaven, that, asking in humble, faithful, persevering prayer, you may receive from him living water, springing up into everlasting life!

SERMON VI.

ON THE DANGER OF BEING CORRUPTED FROM THE SIMPLICITY THAT IS

IN CHRIST.

II CORINTHIANS, XI. 3.

But I fear lest by any means as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the Simplicity that is in Christ.

ST. Paul had preached the Gospel at Corinth, and had planted there a very flourishing church. But after his departure false teachers arose, who, under colour of superior wisdom and eloquence, undermined the apostle's influence, and introduced many divisions and irregularities. To counteract these mischiefs was his leading design in the two epistles which he wrote to the Corinthians: in the latter of which especially, we find him, with this view, asserting very strongly his authority as an apostle of Christ, and contrasting his own gifts, labours, and conduct, with the pretences of these self-appointed ministers.