the pulpit, and to despise this. There is a strong disposition in the heart of man to that "contempt of God's word and commandment," from which, in our excellent Litany, we pray to be delivered. Are any persons here present thus disposed to despise this knowledge, and those who insist upon it? I would only remind you that you are despisers of that, which the ministers of Christ are alone to determine to know among their people, and which we have this day seen to be of extreme importance; and that your contempt of those who sedulously and faithfully inculcate it, rises higher than perhaps you are ready to conceive, agreeably to that of our Lord: "He that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me." (Luke x. 16.) Instead, then, of despising this knowledge, and those who insist on it, let the attainment of it be the grand object of your pursuit.

Guard, too, against being satisfied with a merely speculative knowledge of Jesus Christ, and him crucified. You have seen that this is a description of knowledge, which, so far from being of any service to you, will in the end aggravate your condemnation. Above all things let it be your most anxious endeavour not to give cause to have it said of you: "It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness." (2 Pet. ii. 21.)

inally, have you attained some real knowledge Jesus Christ, and him crucified? While you humbled before God that that knowledge, tever it may be, is yet so limited, and proes, comparatively at least, so little suitable ct on your hearts and lives: let it be your stant aim to grow in this "knowledge of our rd and Saviour Jesus Christ;" being assured t such growth is closely connected with growth n grace," in obedience, and in comfort: (2 Pet. 18:) being assured that in proportion to your ogress in this knowledge, will be at once your ly meetness for heaven, and your joyful anticition of that blessed inheritance.

"And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

Most deplorable is the state into which our race has fallen. To the original sin of our nature we have all added innumerable actual transgressions. Notwithstanding the flattering picture which man himself would sometimes draw of his state and character, both observation and experience abundantly evince, that, by nature, he is guilty, and exposed to the wrath of God; corrupt, and unfit for the enjoyments of heaven. They abundantly confirm the explicit statements of the word of that God who knows what is in man, that we have all "sinned, and come short of the glory

ST. PAUL'S ASSERTION RESPECTING, &c. 149

of God;" (Rom. iii. 23;) that "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jer. xvii. 9;) and that "of ourselves" we cannot "think," much less do, anything acceptable in the estimation of the Most High. (2 Cor. iii. 5.)

But to man, thus wretchedly fallen, the Gospel offers a full and appropriate remedy. It clearly teaches to a lost world the way of salvation. It points out to sinners, even the chief of them, how they may be both justified and sanctified. This is the grand lesson which is taught us in the Scriptures in general; and with especial clearness in those in the New Testament. It is the grand lesson which is taught us in the words of the text. It is my purpose, in discoursing on those words,

I. To point out the nature, and,

II. The causes, of these blessings :

III. To inquire on what grounds the apostle asserted that all to whom he wrote were partakers of them: and,

IV. To conclude with showing that even the chief of sinners, on their repentance, need not despair of obtaining them.

I. I would, first, point out THE NATURE of these blessings.

With regard to our justification, it consists in the pardon of our sins, and in our admission to the favour of God. In our justification, the pardon of sin is conveyed to us in the largest measure. He, who justifies us, is one who "forgiveth all our iniquities:" (Ps. ciii. 3:) he justifies from all things from which men could "not be justified by the law of Moses:" (Acts xiii. 39:) and there is "no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." (Rom. viii. 1.) So unlike is that forgiveness, which is with God, to "that narrow, difficult, halving, and manacled forgiveness that is found amongst men, when any such thing is found amongst them :" it is, on the contrary, "full, free, boundless, bottomless, absolute, such as becomes his nature and excellencies." But, among men, a man may receive a full free pardon; and yet be very far from being admitted into high favour with the individual who exercises this forgiveness towards him. It is not, however, so with God: the person who is pardoned by him, is further accounted as righteous in his sight, and treated as such the righteousness of Christ is made over to him, and he becomes entitled to its infinite reward. (Rom. iii. 22; 2 Cor. v. 21.)

:

With regard to sanctification, the other blessing mentioned in the text, it does not consist in a