divine power, and were so many distinct attestations to the facts and doctrines of the New Testament. We are taught however, that the office of the Holy Spirit was to be perpetual, and that his influences should be enjoyed, through all ages of the church. The ascension gift of the Redeemer was to abide with his people. And our text may therefore be considered as denoting his continued operations to the end of time. The sin of which he was especially to reprove the world, was that they did not believe on Christ. Whilst he would convince of all sin, this was the point where guilt especially rested, and where it continues to rest with all its weight. "If I had not come," said Christ, "and done among them the works that none other man did, they had not had sin; but now they have no cloak for their sins." We are justified, therefore, in deducing from our text the doctrine, that unbelief in the character, mission, and atonement of Christ, is the great sin of those in the world who enjoy the gospel. Belief in the gospel acceptation, though a mental act, ever carries with it the cordial affections of the heart; it implies a personal, cordial, and entire reliance of the soul on Christ for salvation; and unbelief, or practical rejection of Christ, in the light of the New Testament, is emphatically and eminently sin. It is my object to show why unbelief holds this pre-eminence in guilt. And it will be obvious, my brethren, should we succeed in our purpose, that they who now exercise no faith in Christ as their Savior, are, on that very ground, deeply guilty before God. Would they might be convinced of this solemn truth!

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I observe, then, that unbelief is eminently sinful, because it is a grievous reflection on the perfections of God. The heart in which unbelief reigns, is virtually arraying itself in dread opposition to the perfec tions and government of the Deity and hence must be awfully guilty in his sight. For, in the first place, it implies a denial of the divine wisdom. In the Scriptures Christ is styled the wisdom of God unto salvation: Christ crucified, is to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness; but to them that are called he is the power of God and the wisdom of God. By these passages, and others of the like import, it is clearly intimated, that in the person and work of Christ as mediator, and especially in the work of atonement, which is often placed for all the rest, (the cross of Christ,) there is to be found the peculiar and illustrious display of the divine wisdom-" Christ crucified-the wisdom of God," by way of eminence. Fix your thoughts then upon the declaration, that it is the cross of Christ-Christ crucified, (which denotes the work of sacrifice for sins, and which exacts the reliance of the soul on him alone for pardon,) that embodies, and illustrates, and shows forth to the universe, the wisdom of God. That wisdom so infinite, methinks, is exhibited in a variety of wonders, through all the mechanism of nature-is unfolded in

each nice adaptation of created things to subserve their destined purpose; is observed in every spire of grass, in every leaf of the forest, in each function of the human frame, and in every star of heaven. But its mysteries were reserved especially for the cross of Christ, and its wonders are there developed to strike, to surprise, to astonish the beholder. In the sacrifice of Christ, there is a combination of means, the most wonderful, to accomplish the great work of human salvation, in entire consistency with the honor of the divine character and law. Here mighty interests are concentrated. Here infinite purposes are suspended. Here the problem is to be solved, "How can sinful man be just with God?" In opposition to the salvation of the transgressor, were arrayed, as it appeared, the divine veracity, the honor of the law, the stability of God's moral government. And how these interests were to be reconciled, no created mind could tell. But on God's plan all interests are secure; Mercy and truth meet together, righteousness and peace embrace each other." This, then, is the consummation of wisdom: God declared it to be neces sary and satisfactory. Now, unbelief, or the practical rejection of Christ, involves eminent guilt, since, in effect, it is a denial of this wisdom. For it implies very plainly, either that there was no actual necessity for Christ's sacrifice, or that God erred in adopting a plan which included the possible necessity of Christ's suffering, or that, admitting such necessity, this is not the best means of accomplishing the end. Thus unbelief rejects God's plan, and arrays itself against his wisdom. Otherwise why is not this provision of the gospel immediately and cordially embraced? There is evidently no medium on the part of a moral agent in relation to this point, between cordially accepting, which is faith, and perversely rejecting, which is unbelief.

Again: Unbelief is eminently guilty, because it is a virtual impeachment of the divine justice. We are told, in relation to the atonement of Christ, that God hath set him forth to be the propitiation for sin, that God may be just and yet the justifier of him that believeth. From this declaration we are clearly to understand, that God could not pardon the sinner, without such a propitiation as that which Christ offered, and yet retain his justice. This is the simple meaning of the passage, utterly as it overthrows all other schemes of salvation. The divine justice was at stake to demand that sin should not go unpunished. And why? Be canse every sin is a transgression of the law, which requires, This do, and thou shalt live; and denounces, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them. It is evident that a law without a penalty, or of which the penalty is not to be enforced, is utterly idle. And surely this cannot be supposed of the divine enactment. Sin, moreover, is rebellion against the government of God, and

tends directly to subvert it: God's justice, every attribute, therefore, would require its punishment. And God moreover was bound, if we may so speak, by his positive threatening, to inflict the punishment of death for transgression. From these considerations, we see that God's justice, which requires that every act should receive its true desert, did require the punishment of sin. And we have observed that there was infinite wisdom, in the plan of a suffering Savior, by which the law was not annulled, but magnified and made honorable. The sword of justice was bathed in his blood, by a wise and holy divine appointment, and by his stripes we are healed. In virtue of what he has done, God can be just, and the repenting sinner be saved. But unbelief in Christ, (a rejection of him whom God hath thus set forth,) is an impeachment of all this procedure of infinite holiness and justice. For it implies either that the law was unreasonable, and the government of God not an object to demand so great a sacrifice-both which God has said were to be sustained and honored by Christ's death; or that sin was not an evil of such magnitude and tendency as to demand such signal visitation; or that God was unjust to establish and place man under a constitution such as he has ordained; or, finally, the guilt of unbelief is attempted to be palliated by the plea, that it is not consistent with divine justice that the innocent should suffer for the guilty. In this latter case the innocence of Christ is readily admitted and then with the facts before us that he did suffer, the objection is obviously nothing less than casting an odious reflection on the divine character. It is not my purpose at present, to reply to these objections; but simply to show the character of unbelief, which implies all these consequences, and thus arrays itself against the divine rectitude. The facts in the case are obvious; and it must be evident that unbelief is eminently sin, when it so clearly appears that God, by his acts, speaks one language in regard to his justice, and the impenitent by his acts speaks another. God requires that we should fly to Christ, and by faith receive the benefits of his atonement, and avert the terrors of his justice; and the transgressor hesitates, practically disbelieves, and wilfully rejects this offered Savior. The controversy, with its dread consequences, lies between God, who has ordained the plan and carried into glorious accomplishment its provisions, and the impenitent, who, in the pride of his heart, refuses to avail himself of this grace.

Again: Unbelief is eminently guilty because it is an impeachment of the divine veracity. With reference to this grand propitiation for sin, God has asserted again and again, the absolute necessity of faith in this great sacrifice, for pardon and eternal life. "He that believeth and is bap"This is tized shall be saved; he that believeth not shall be damned." the record that God has given us-eternal life-and this life is in his

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Son." He that believeth is not condemned: he that beliveth not is condemned already." And again; "He that believeth, is passed from death unto life: he that believeth not shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." In these solemn declarations, we perceive the contrast. of character, present condition, and future prospects, widely varying as light and darkness, heaven and hell. And in another place it is said; "He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true." Now faith is the reception of the divine testimony: and, disguise it as we may, excuse it as we will, unbelief, in every form, is the rejection of that testimony, and thus an impeachment of the divine veracity. Again, the word of truth, the oracle from heaven, has solemnly declared, "Sin shall not go unpunished:" and it avers, that infinite mercy can reach us but in one way; and that is by Christ: by faith in him we escape the wrath to come, and are made heirs of the hope of eternal life. "There is no other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved." Now in opposition to this, what is the plain language of unbelief? Is it not, I shall have peace, though I walk after the desires of my own heart? And does not this pour contempt on all that God has so solemnly uttered? The man who continues in impenitence and unbelief, with whatever sophistry he may quiet his own heart, does practically say, that there is no necessity for the intervention of Christ's blood; that he shall be safe without the faith of God's people; that God will not carry into execution the threatenings he has pronounced against unbelief. And this too, even in the very view of that awful manifestation of divine justice, by which the sanction of the law was vindicated, in the death of Christ. If unwilling to be classed thus in opposition to God's truth, why stand in an attitude of apathy and unconcern? Of your disbelief, so long as it lasts, conscience will testify that this is the legitimate interpretation. And all holy intelligences who love their King-all in heaven and on earth, must unite to exclaim against such rebellion-against this questioning of God's word, "Let God be true, but every man a liar."

Again: Unbelief is in an eminent degree sin, because it is a rejection of God's love and goodness, made conspicuous in the cross of Christ. True it is, that on every unfolded leaf which notes the divine doingson each bright page of creation and providence-is inscribed, in legible characters, "God is love." The man who looks abroad over the various fields of infinite power and skill, must also see in each the obvious proofs of divine benevolence. And cold must be the heart that cannot feel, frigid and barren the philosophy that does not delight to trace, the footsteps of such a God. But if in all that we behold about us, and experience from day to day, we possess such cheering inti

mations, there is yet one field, from us not remote, in which love, goodness, compassion, grace, have their brightest, purest, holiest exhibition; which in a way of eminence seems to assert to itself the illustration of these attributes. It is the redemption of Christ. Here, emphatically, do we learn that "God is love." To perceive this, we have but to remember that in regard to this exercise of his love, God was under no obligation whatever, to interfere; that he gave his own Son to die, and that in behalf of those who had ungratefully rebelled against him; and that the whole plan, from its commencement to its consummation, was his own. Had he not deemed it necessary and worthy of himself, he would not have interposed: but how great was that love which thus prompted him, out of a rebel and ruined race, to bring many sons unto glory! Here, surely, is an expression of infinite benevolence, as well as condescension. In the language of the parable intended by our Lord to illustrate this point, "What more could he have done, that he has not done?" And is it not seemly, is it not the dictate of every generous feeling, that this love and concern on his part should be met by us with the utmost gratitude, and immediate acquiescence? But what is the language of unbelief? At best, it is a careless, unfeeling disregard of that which God has done for our salvation; of that on which he has bestowed such infinite care for our sakes. This is ingratitude truly. But the perverse continuance in sin and unbelief—the proud, self-willed putting away from us the faith of Christ, despite of light, and admonition, and entreaty-what is this but rejection, but contempt, of the goodness and love of God? He arrays before us the grand scheme of his love, to snatch us from perdition; he tells us it is the only way, and provided at infinite expense; and men are yet heedless; yet turn away, and will have none of it. What would you say, how would you feel, should one thus entertain your kindest offices of love? And think you God does not view it as the deepest guilt? While you remain as you are, you are practically scorning all his goodness.

But again: Unbelief is a sin of peculiar enormity, since it implies, in its very nature, that rebellion against God is an evil of little consequence, indeed that it is not at all an evil-at least, that it is not so, in our estimate; for if we regarded it as an evil, we should desire to escape from it. And whatever might be said of the past, if we felt that there was evil in a state of alienation from God, and violation of his law, we should not be willing to persevere in such rebellion, as we evidently are, so long as we do not repent and believe in Christ. It is not necessary to expend a syllable here, to prove that you cannot be unbelievers, and yet be free from the charge of rebellion against God. The Savior has declared, in language most explicit, that unbelief is opposition to the divine will, and will