When the Redeemer was about to leave the world, he informed his disciples that they had many dangers to encounter. He was affected by their foreseen tribulations, and already sympathized in their sorrow. He bade them, however, to be of good cheer. He did not leave them comfortless. A divine messenger, he engaged to send to them; and it was expedient that he should himself depart in order that the Comforter might come, even the Spirit of truth. "He will guide you into all truth; for he shall take of mine, and show it unto you."

The Holy Spirit, as the COMFORTER, discovers to believers the path of light; qualifies them for their present rank; and supports them during their pilgrimage.

One of the first lessons the disciple received from his Master was, "deny thyself and follow me;" and one of the first considerations of the Christian is, "Here I have no continuing city." To be directed in the new and the living way; -made wise in the knowledge of the scriptures, will therefore be a desirable object; and the gratification of that desire by the Spirit of adoption, will comfort the hearts of God's children.

The bible is the rule, which God has given for our direction. It is intended for persons almost infinitely diversified in the circumstances of age, country, education, understanding, temper, rank, pursuits, and connexions: it is therefore not to be expected that the capacity of an individual man should be the measure of its doctrines. In the scriptures are some things hard to be understood, although in matters of universal concern we have line upon line, and precept upon precept. We have food in abundance to satisfy us, in this blessed store, and we have also sufficient incitements to industry in searching for the hidden treasures which it contains.

The ministers of the gospel, my Christian brethren, are your servants for Jesus's sake; and they dig in the mine in order to discover the gold to your anxious view. The acquisition of information is delightful to us and to you: But we must both be sensible of our need of the Holy Spirit. The learned and the industrious frequently stumble over spiritual truth. When we search the sacred volume, without a sense of our own vileness, and of the majesty and holiness of God, whatever be our diligence and our penetration, it is not surprising that we should make false reports.

If any man open the Bible, not to seek for the words of

eternal life, but to select materials wherewith he may display his own powers to advantage, or serve the interests of party spirit, shall not God be just in answering such a fool according to his folly? And if the design be, to keep back any part of the counsel of God, he may expect to have a veil over his eyes, which will to him obscure the lustre of divine truth. But where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Oh, how comfortable to have the company of the Holy Ghost in searching his own Scriptures; and to have "an unction from this holy one whereby we shall know all things." It is his office, to show to Christians the glories of their religion-to fill their understandings with truth; and their hearts with gladness. Irresistible conviction accompanies them even into the regions of divine mystery. Here they are delighted and astonished. A thousand unanswered questions occur with amazement, and teach them the imperfection of the present state; but cannot shake their faith in the answers which they have received to others from God's word. "And we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord."

Christians are born again. To this fact the Spirit bears witness. They are mindful of the dignity of their rank. Beloved, now are we the sons of God. But the thought humbles them: for their character and conduct are not suitable to their expectations. As the hart panteth after the water brooks, they pant for the image of God. They feel the sinfulness of their soul with pain. Much, therefore, of their joy consists in the sanctification of the Spirit. To be delivered from sin, to be approaching nearer to the standard of perfection; to have the understanding improved, the temper amended, the manners accommodated to the house of God, will afford the experienced Christian no small share of delight.

The comforts of his adoption do not rest here. Heaven, that word which means an assemblage of all perfection and happiness, is before them. They anticipate its joy. The Spirit himself gives unto them a foretaste of it. He brings them to Christ's banqueting house. Their souls are satisfied with marrow and with fatness. Brethren, who can describe joy, so as to convey an idea of it to one who has never been glad? and they who are glad in the Lord, know that it cannot be described. I relinquish the theme. But I indulge a hope that we shall resume it with more advantage in the temple above.

II. The Christian enjoys true liberty.

The apostle is addressing those who have been led by the Holy Spirit into the family of the living God. To such he says, " Ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear."

Bondage and fear are words which call up very disagreeable ideas. They are presented to us here that we might rejoice in our deliverance. Let us endeavour to ascertain the meaning of them; and let us be thankful that we have received another Spirit.

Subjection to the burdensome yoke of the ceremonial law is represented in the New Testament as a state of bondage. "How turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?"* "Be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." The Old Testament dispensation of grace was certainly more obscure and burdensome than that which it is our happiness to enjoy: and yet the design of that dispensation was not to fill the mind with terror, nor was it in any sense inconsistent with possessing the Spirit of adoption. Saints, under that Testament, were adopted into God's family. They were emancipated from the slavery of sin and the fear of death, and gave many decisive evidences of their having attained to the full assurance of faith. Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, must therefore point out another deliverance, than the change of dispensation. The apostle, in the verses both before and after my text, describes the effects of the Holy Ghost's dealing with those who are Christ's ransomed ones. Ye were once the servants of sin. Ye were then in a state of bondage. "For of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage."‡ But ye were elected of God, and redeemed by Christ: God therefore sent forth the Spirit of his Son in your hearts. You were convinced of your sins, and you saw your danger: You felt your bondage, and with consequent fear, like the keeper of the prison at Philippi, fell down trembling, "Saying, what must I do to be saved ?"§

Believers in Jesus Christ, justified freely by his grace, and admitted into God's family, never, however, receive the spirit of bondage to fear. There may be some of them left to experience much distress of body and mind, and "by reason of fear be for some time subject to bondage ;"|| but the Holy Ghost will never be a spirit of bondage to them. They are in a state of liberty, though they know it not: and Omniscience will not testify to a falsehood.

The words thus explained teach us that the Christian is in a state of liberty. Other passages of Scripture confirm this. "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. If the Son, therefore, shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."*

Christian liberty is equally opposed to slavery and licentiousness. It is opposed to restraint and violence, but not to subordination and cheerful obedience. When I can freely direct my own conduct under equitable laws, I enjoy a state of liberty. When I must make the will of another, in opposition to my own, the rule of my conduct, I am in a state of servitude; and when I wilfully violate law and right, I enter the regions of licentionsness. This is but another name for slavery. It is bondage to my own passions and lusts. I am then become a slave to those who ought to be my servants. This is both more shameful and more dangerous than servitude to foreign force. But this is the state of those who consider it liberty to be irreligious. "Presumptuous, self-willed, -they speak great swelling words of vanity-They allure others-And while they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption."†

Your liberty, Christians, consists in deliverance from the dominion of sin-from the power of Satan-and from undue human influence over your sentiments, your conscience, or your conduct.

1. They who are adopted into God's family, are delivered from the dominion of sin.

Sin may be considered as imputed and inherent. All mankind descending from Adam by ordinary generation sinned in him, and fell with him in his first transgression. We are all by nature children of wrath. The curse of the law rests upon the human family; and they are bound as victims to divine vengeance. Every mouth must be stopped; for the whole world is guilty in the sight of God, the righteous Judge. We must also remember, that by the deeds of the law no flesh can be justified; for the wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. This is our deliverance. "The Lord sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." At the foot of the cross the burden of guilt tumbles from our shoulders. "There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." The curse being removed, there is now no barrier to the Spirit's restoring the image of God to our souls. Sin shall have no more dominion over you. Ye are not under the law, but under grace. Christians indeed are not always conscious that they possess such liberty. Many of them have their doubts and their fears. They all have certainly believed; but they are not certain that they have: They have a sure faith; but they have not full assurance.

Delivered, in their justification, from the guilt of sin and the curse of the law, corruption shall no longer hold its throne in their hearts. But they are not yet made perfect. "They have forgotten that they have been washed from their old sins."* They grieve the Holy Spirit who sealed them ; and spiritual consolation is therefore withheld from them. They fall into deep pits, and horror seizes upon them. They cry unto the Lord in their distress; their cry is heard; and they are delivered. "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God." They now walk at liberty. They feel that they are free to serve God without the fear of wrath. Their love for their heavenly Father implies reverence and esteem. They delight in the law of the Lord after the inward man. Their yoke is easy and their burden light.

Any restriction upon Christian liberty, arising from the power of sin, is painful to the Christian. He feels it more forcibly, than he formerly did his absolute bondage. He has tasted of the sweets of that liberty wherewith Christ has made his people free, and he bears with uneasiness any future servitude to the anger of heaven, or to his own vile affections. He now listens to the voice which proposes deliverance with double delight. It is the voice of my Beloved, is his exclamation, while his heart leaps for joy. That voice addresses him, "I am the Lord thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek: he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives; and the opening of the prisons to them that are bound." These words are effectual. God hath spoken, and it is performed. No intervening