children of men "." If such be the reluctance, with which almighty God inflicts punishment upon the sinner; if his mercy and loving-kindness constantly plead for forgiveness; and it is only to satisfy his justice, that he becomes the avenger of the wicked; that must follow, which the Apostle asserts, that "this is the will of God, even our sanctification." If he "have no pleasure," as the Prophet teaches, " in the death of the wicked," it follows that (as the same Prophet also teaches) he must "have pleasure in seeing the wicked turn from his evil ways and live." If, as he swears by Himself," he hath no pleasure in the death of him that dieth," he must then have pleasure (as Himself also most solemnly assures us) in seeing the wicked

repent, and turn away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and do that which is lawful and right, that so he may save his soul alive." Thus from God being "the avenger" of the unclean and the sinner, unwilling, as he declares himself to be, to afflict the children of men, we may in

» Lam. iii. 32, 33.

Ezek. xxxiii. 11. xviii. 32.

fer, what he expressly and repeatedly assures us, that he willeth us to repent and be saved; to be holy here, in order to our being happy hereafter.

2ndly. That "this is the will of God, even our sanctification," is to be argued from this consideration, that “God hath called us, not to uncleanness, but unto holiness:"-called us by the word of that Gospel, which his only-begotten Son came from the bosom of his Father to preach to the sinful and lost race of men. Now "for this purpose," saith St. John, "was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil"." Do we ask, what are the works of the devil? The Apostle answers us in the same verse, "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning." Look to the melancholy narrative, which the Spirit of God by the mouth of Moses gives us of the fall of man; and you will perceive, how by the artifices of the evil spirit entered into the world, and death by sins."

"sin

These are the works of the devil, which the Son of God was manifested to destroy: sin in this world; in another world the wages of sin, death, everlasting death. And as he came to destroy these works of the devil, so he came to plant others in their stead: for death, to be the author and giver of eternal life; for sin, to be the establisher and promoter of holiness. These are the things, from which and to which he calls us; he calls us from hell to heaven, as the ultimate object and final consummation of his coming unto us and of our coming unto him; he calls us from uncleanness ùnto holiness, as the means whereby that great end and object of his coming is to be attained. "In this was manifested the love of God towards us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for ust:" but though he died for us while we were sinners, he will not suffer us eventually to enjoy the benefits of his death, if we wilfully continue in sin. "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound"?" demands the Apostle St. Paul. "God forbid. How shall

we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" How shall we, that were " baptized into Jesus Christ," and then made profession, not only of our steadfast belief in him, but of our determination also obediently to keep his holy will and commandments, and thereupon received his gracious promise of the forgiveness of our sins; how shall we, consistently with that profession, wilfully persevere in sin; or, if we do so persevere, expect any benefit from his promise? If we would be benefited by that death of Christ, into which we were baptized, we must be " renewed in the spirit of our minds ;" we must be "new creatures,;" we must "walk in newness of life;" we must "put off the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and we must put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness a." Brethren, "if any man be in Christ he is a new creature"-new, -new, in comparison with what he is in a natural state; in compari

son with the children of the world, with the children of the wicked one:-new in understanding and apprehension :-new in his studies and pursuits :-new in heart and affections:-new in thought, word, and deed. Thus does almighty God call us by the Gospel of his Son, " not unto uncleanness, but unto holiness:" thus does he prove, that "this is his will, even our sanctification;" for inasmuch as he willeth us to accept that gracious Gospel, those good tidings of salvation and great joy, whereby he calleth us unto himself and happiness, so doth he also will us to be partakers of that holiness, without which we cannot be happy; without which Christ will not have been in the end a Saviour to "without which we shall not see the

us;

Lord c."

:

Thirdly That "this is the will of God, even our sanctification," the Apostle teaches us to argue from the further consideration, that "he hath given unto us his Holy Spirit."