SERMON II. DELIVERED AT THE NORTH MEETING-HOUSE, NEW STREET, FIRST-DAY AFTERNOON, SECOND MONTH, "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Seeing, beloved friends, that all our hope of true peace in this world, and of eternal happiness in the world to come, depends upon our being sons and daughters of God, in the sense in which the expression is here used by the apostle, it may surely be worth our while to enquire somewhat particularly, what it is, to be led by the Spirit of God. We are all of us sons and daughters of God by creation, in common with all our fellow-men the world over. But here there is a still nearer relation alluded to, which is described in Scripture as adoption. And those only who are sons and daughters of God by adoption, are heirs of that glory which is laid up in the world to come, for all them who are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation. And here the apostle marks and selects one general characteristic, by which the sons of God by adoption, may be distinguished. "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." These words arose with me, since we have been sitting together in silence. I have brought them not hither; for I can truly say that it was only under an impression of duty, and under a feeling of gospel love, that I was led to invite our neighbors on this occasion; not knowing what word or work would here be required of me. Now I would address this question to the inquiring mind, for it lies at the very threshold of our subject; What does the apostle here mean by the Spirit of God? Does he mean the influence of the natural mind? Does he mean the conclusions of human reason? Does he mean the dictates of the conscience, that faculty whereby we judge of right and wrong? No: he means an influence by which that faculty is directed; the influence of the Holy Ghost, which is God. God with the Father, and God with the Son. A supernatural influence, an influence which forms no part whatever of the constitution of the human mind; an influence which is as distinct from the soul, as the wind which meets us when we are walking or riding, is distinct from the body. A sober, plain, unquestionable reality. Although not subjected to the natural sense of man, and although utterly despised by the wise men after the flesh, by the philosopher and speculator who know not God, by those who delight themselves in fine-spun theories in religion, without coming home to the practical and vital truth; but an influence known by the babes in Christ, an influence percep、 tible to the rational mind, an influence felt beyond expression, by all who are awakened to a real solicitude for their eternal welfare. The mind or soul of man is a spirit, an immaterial, immortal spirit, which dwells for a season in these tabernacles of clay, the two being united together by mysterious bands which human philosophy cannot scrutinize; and the Holy Spirit of God exerts its power on this immortal spirit of man, penetrates into its deepest recesses, examines and scrutinizes its dark holes and corners, insinuates itself into its motives and springs of thought, and of action, and pervades by degrees the whole being, and subordinates it, if indeed the work goes on as it ought to do, to the will of that infinite and incomprehensible Being, who is the Author both of nature and of grace. Yes, friends, the Author and Maker of that boundless universe which gives, from its unspeakable magnitude, the sublimest conception of which the mind of man is capable, is the God of Israel, the God of his believing and obedient followers, the God who made the immortal mind of man, and communicates to the creature of his holy hand, the influence of which I speak-the supernatural influence of the Holy Ghost. And this is the influence which the apostle evidently means by the Spirit of God; and that in his view it had no connexion with the depraved nature of man, is evident from his saying, "For I know that in me (that is in my flesh,") my carnal mind, "there dwelleth no good thing." Whereas all the while, the very best of all things was dwelling richly in him, so that he was indeed fruitful in the field of offering, and joyful in the house of prayer. And I have thought of another question. Through what channel is this supernatural influence bestowed upon the children of men? The answer of Holy Scripture to this question is equally clear. It is bestowed upon the children of men, through the channel of Jesus Christ, and him crucified. O, friends, can any person in the present day dare to insinuate, that we as a religious people, and that our forefathers in the truth, ever denied or doubted the doctrine of Jesus Christ, and him crucified; when we are in possession of abundant evidence, that in this Society from its first rise to the present day, the gift of the Holy Ghost was always ascribed to the free mercy of God our Father through Jesus Christ, and him crucified, and was always held to be in consequence of the propitiatory death and sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ without the gates of Jerusalem ? You know, friends, that this principle of our faith is as clear as the day. For we do believe, not only that Christ died on the cross for the sins of all man kind, that we, poor guilty, wretched, lost sinners might have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, and that he was thus wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities,— but this people have always held that it was in virtue of this propitiatory death and sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we obtained the blessed gift of the influence of the Holy Spirit; that our Lord Jesus Christ led captivity captive, and received gifts for men, even for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them. And therefore, friends, the testimony of Scripture is abundantly clear, both as to the origin of this influence, as flowing from God himself, the fountain of all good, and as to the appointed channel through which it flows, as well as respecting the nature and character of the influence itself. 66 And now, my beloved friends, the great point lies here; to come under this influence, and to know its power; to experience its cleansing efficacy; and to be ourselves guided thereby in all our life and conversation in the world. Then we shall be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world." And I apprehend that the minds of christians, of every name, are increasingly alive and awake to the importance of this vital subject. I think it is increasingly known and acknowledged, that unless we |