the redemption, which was purchased by the blood of atonement.

Concerning the duration of the Spirit's residence in his people, we are assured that it shall be for ever. He will abide in them: will make their hearts his home: will never leave, never forsake them.

In addition to these plain declarations of the divine word, the people of God have a consciousness of their own mental operations to prove that the Holy Spirit dwells in them. Here I shall not be satisfied with the rhapsodies of the enthusiast, or idle dreamer, but must have sober, substantial evidence; and such as ought to convince a sceptic. Let us have the same sort of evidence which is requisite to prove the existence of the spirits of our fellow men.

The immortal mind is not perceived by any of our organs of sense. We neither see, nor smell, nor hear, nor taste, nor feel spirits; and yet we rationally judge that they have being. We cannot discern any relation which they bear to space, and still we correctly judge that they exist somewhere, and in certain definite places. For instance, you believe that I have a spirit, but you cannot render it palpable to any one of your senses; and you think that my spirit resides within my body, but you cannot describe its seat. In like manner, I conceive that I am now preaching

to the spirits of two thousand persons, and to spirits, which, although they cannot be measured as matter, by lines and angles, yet are nevertheless within these walls, and within the bodies which I behold. If any one' should deny that there are many reasonable beings, many thinking minds present, he would be thought a fit subject for bedlam.

Now I affirm, that believers have the same evidence that God dwells in their hearts, as, that spirits inhabit the bodies of their neighbours, and that rational human spirits are at present convened in this church. The speaker is conscious of the existence of his own mind, and he perceives that certain external and sensible operations result from his thoughts, volitions, and other mental acts.

He concludes, when he sees a form like his own, when he perceives the natural language of intelligence, when he hears the articulations of the human voice, when he observes the signs of design, of hope, of fear, of attention, of affection, that spirits like his own dwell in these organized bodies. From your attention to his expressions of thought, it is evident that you must possess something capable of attention, of perception, and thought. Where there is thought there must of necessity be a thinking being; where hope and fear exist, there must be a substance capable of affections and passions; and where reason is found, there must be a rational spirit

Your eyes do not see; but your minds have that perception, which we call sight, through the instrumentality of your eyes. Your ears do not hear, but your souls hear through them. When, therefore, you discover that others see, and hear, as well as yourselves, you infer, that they have minds too; and you cannot divest yourselves of the belief that persons exist, whom you hear, and to whom you speak. You believe, irresistibly, that spirits exist in conjunction with their bodies,' and these compound beings you love, fear, or hate, on account of something which you discover in your social intercourse with them.

We learn that the Spirit of God dwells in us by the mental operations which He produces. If he operates in us, and the word of God informs us that he dwells within us, the divine testimony and our own experience correspond. All true Christians find that the Holy Ghost abides in them,

First, as the Spirit of Truth.

Our Saviour promises, that the Spirit of truth shall be in his people; and declares that they know him, after their reception of him. It is indeed a fact that they know him, for they are persuaded that they are taught of God. When they were without God, they were conscious that they perceived, judged, and determined like natural men; and now they are equally conscious that they discern spiritual things in a spiritual manner; that

they reason, judge, resolve, hope, and fear as new men, as those who are led by the Spirit; which they could not do unless the Holy Ghost were in them.

It is not natural to a sinner to know God, and therefore when he comes to the knowledge of the true God and Jesus Christ, he understands that a supernatural work has been performed in him, not by his own spirit; but by the indwelling of the Spirit of God; who takes of the things of Christ, and shows them unto us; and whose province it is, to guide us into the knowledge of all necessary truth. When I think as a man, I know that the spirit of a man inhabits this body; but when I think as a child of God, I know that the Spirit of his Son is sent into my heart. The person who now relies upon Jesus Christ for salvation, formerly had no discernment of the true character and excellence of the Mediator. He did not feel himself to be a lost sinner, in danger of everlasting perdition; but when the Comforter is come, he is reproved for sin, (John xvi. 7, 8.) feels the weight of the sentence of condemnation, and experiences in himself the truth of the Lord's declaration, that "when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me." John xv. 26. "Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you

into all truth:"-" he shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you." John xvi. 13, 14. Since it is not natural to the rebel to know Christ ás a Saviour, every one who can say, that he perceives the Son of God to be altogether lovely, and a Redeemer suited to his wants, may also affirm, that the Spirit of God, and of grace and glory, has rested upon him. In short, you have the same proof that the Holy Ghost dwelleth in you, which you have of believing in the Lord Jesus Christ; for "hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify, that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosover shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God." 1 John iv. 13, 14, 15.

The Spirit of truth also causes the person into whom he enters to understand the gospel plan of salvation. That which once appeared darkness and confusion now becomes light and order. The newly enlightened man marvels that he did not discern the same spiritual objects formerly, in the same manner: but he was without spiritual life until the Holy Ghost took possession of his breast: and how could a dead man see, or hear, or admit, or love truth divine?

All true Christians find that the Holy Ghost abides in them,