says,

be "sanctified through the truth." The apostle "If the truth shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." The apostle Peter speaks of our "being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God." David declares that "the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes." Yet all these effects are ascribed to the Spirit of God; and faith, which is nothing else than a believing apprehension of the truth, "purifieth the heart," "worketh by love," and "overcometh the world."

It is clear, however, that the truth is not suffi

cient of itself, for many hear but receive it not. A sword must be wielded by a strong hand, so must the word be wielded by the Spirit; and the Saviour prays that the word may be the means or instrument by which his people may be sanctified. Thus, the fruits enumerated in the text, grow from

the seed of the word sown in the heart, but the heart was prepared to receive the seed of the truth, and is strengthened to shoot it forth unto fruitfulness of grace. The seed in the parable of the sower was the word of God, yet only that which fell in good ground yielded fruit; while that, which fell on the beaten path, never entered the earth, and that, which fell among thorns, was choked, and that which fell on stony ground, where the soil was thin, soon withered away. But all our hearts are by nature hard, filled with cares and deceitful pleasures; or, if they show any slight sensibility, it soon passes away. The Holy Ghost, who would cultivate our hearts so that the word may be fruitful in them, prepares them as good ground; he breaks up the heart by contrition, that the seed may enter; he takes away the hard rock that it may shoot deep; he weeds out the thorns lest they choke it; and, even after that, he sheds dews of influence, and heat from the Sun of Righteousness, and breathes his vital breath continually upon it,

that it may grow unto perfection. This he does in conversion, when he softens the hard heart, which is enmity against God and resists his truth, to feel his power; and in sanctification, when he communicates to it, and continues to communicate, his genial energy. To whom then shall the praise of the harvest be given? To the soil, which but for him, would have borne noxious weeds? or to the Divine Cultivator who prepared the soil, supplied the seed, and quickened and guarded its growth?

matter.

We must, however, take care in using these figures, derived from natural things, to illustrate spiritual, lest we carry them too far, and impute to the soul the senselessness and sluggishness of The natural heart is indeed dead in trespasses and sins, wholly inclined to all evil, and, therefore, can bring forth no good thing. But the death of a spiritual, immortal, and ever-active soul, is as different from the death of the body, as spirit is different from matter. The dead body is wholly

C

motionless and unconscious, but the dead soul is willingly and intelligently active in wickedness. There is a will in the dead soul; and although that will is in bondage to sin, it is still will, and is in bondage because the heart loves sin. Hence, although our conversion is the work of the Holy Spirit, the sinner is commanded "to turn unto God," and he is condemned for not repenting, because he, by his impenitence, "doth alway resist the Holy Ghost," and "will not come unto Christ, that he might have life." There is difficulty here, but not in practice.

Every sinner knows that he continues to sin voluntarily; and every reader of the Scripture knows that if he "yield himself to God," the Spirit will take possession of his heart; and every one, who puts these two truths together, must know, that, if he be not converted, it is his own fault, because he has not only neglected striving to enter the strait gate, but has struggled against

the Spirit, lest he should be brought to enter. Dependence upon the grace of the Holy Ghost for a new life is no excuse nor warrant for our idleness, but, on the contrary rebukes it; else there were no meaning in the command, "Cast away from you all the transgressions whereby ye have transgressed, and make you a new heart and a new spirit, for why will ye die?” (Ezek. xviii. 31,) or in the promise, "They that seek shall find;" or in the condemnation of those, who have not "believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

As we are to be zealous in seeking the conversion of our souls, so after conversion are we to be zealous in seeking our entire sanctification unto God. Sanctification, like regeneration, is the work of the Spirit of God, yet our Lord commands us to "be holy as our Father in heaven is holy;" and the injunctions of the apostles are frequent to "grow in grace, and in knowledge;" "to set our affections upon things above;" and "to walk wor