RECOGNITION OF THE

which is the act of God in relation to the believing sinner, and which is founded solely on the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, the sinner's surety. In justification the legal relation of the sinner to God is at once and for ever altered. The curse is removed; and, as freely pardoned, the justified sinner has a legal title to the enjoyment of the blessing. There is also sanctification-the renewal of the whole man after the image of God, in order to his moral fitness for the inheritance of the kingdom. Sanctification commences in the regeneration or conversion of the sinner, and is the special work of the Spirit of God, on whose gracious influences the child of God is dependent for increase in all the excellences of renewed character. Then, as connected with the hope of pardon, as springing from it, and as nourished and strengthened by the conscious possession of increasing holiness, is peace of conscience, producing holy joy-the earnest of that perfect happiness which, when their bodies are raised and fashioned like unto Christ's glorious body, and re-united to their perfected souls, the redeemed shall eternally experience in heaven. To conduct to the possession and to the full enjoyment of this salvation, is the design for which the ministry has been instituted. Instrumentally this work is assigned to his servants, but it is the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who meritoriously, by his own blood, and efficiently, by his promised Spirit, accomplishes the salvation of his people.

The end of the ministry is to be sought by THE PREACHING OF THE WORD. The exhibition of the truth respecting Christ is, under God, sufficient to lead sinners to hope in the Divine mercy, and to admire and cultivate resem blance to the Divine character. Preaching, with a view to the salvation of souls, is our first and special business. Whatever takes a secondary place in our regards and exertions, preaching must not; "For it has pleased God

by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe." Of pulpit ministrations, Christ Jesus and Him crucified must be the pervading theme. This great truth must be proclaimed, not exclusively-for it does not occupy an exclusive place in the gospel of our salvation-not exclusively, but pre-eminently; not as the only truth, but as the central truth of the revelation of mercy; not as superseding other truths, but as imparting to them a power for the elevation of the whole character, and for the production of adequate consolation in life and death, wanting which no other truth has been or will be found efficient to sanctify or to console. But the whole counsel of God is to be duly unfolded. There must be no partialities—no concealments. Duties and privileges, precepts and encouragements, Bible statements and histories in all their variety and power and adaptedness to the character and circumstances of men, are to be expounded and enforced; and that, by the grace of God, in such a way as to explain and justify the assertion, that "all Scripture given by inspiration of God is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."

In preaching the word, it appears to me of paramount importance ever to keep in view, and to adopt such a style of address as will awaken or keep alive in the heart of hearers the recollection of the undoubted truth, that men hear the Gospel under a solemn obligation to believe it-that they are not mere machines, but responsible agents, who if they reject the Divine counsel do it at their peril;-that pardon, for example, is the free gift of God to believing sinners; but that it is still the sinner's duty to believe; so much and so truly his duty, that if any man do not believe, he will be justly held to have incurred a heavier condemnation, for "not having believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God;"-that while sanctification is the work of the Divine Spirit, and as such

is the believer's privilege, it is not His work in such a sense as to supersede our working, but that it is His in such a way as to lay us under a more solemn obligation to sanctify ourselves, or, as it is expressed by an apostle, " to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling."

To preach a full and a free salvation, then, through the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ-God manifest in flesh;-to press upon the unconverted repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ;-and to urge upon the converted sanctification, as at once a duty and a privilege-growing holiness, as the chief element of a present salvation, and completed holiness, as the crowning dignity of the world of glory;-this I take to constitute the chief department of the work of Christ's servants, in order to lead Gospel hearers, through the operation of the sovereign grace of God the Spirit, to a personal enjoyment of the salvation which the Gospel announces.

There are other places than the pulpit, and other modes of administering the truth besides that adopted in the pulpit, in which the servant of Christ may, with all propriety and advantage, be found prosecuting his great object. But as these, however important, are confessedly secondary to the preaching of the Gospel, on an occasion where brevity is demanded I content myself with this bare allusion to them.

Finally, permit me to say, that it was with very great misgiving, when I thought of my own unworthiness and unfitness, that I contemplated the occupancy of this sphere of exertion. Nor can I yet forget, even if I would, that this is not a cause of yesterday, that has been watched and prayed and laboured for, by worthy but still unheard-of men. It numbers among its former pastors the names of such men as Bates and Henry, and has long enjoyed-and God grant that it may continue very long to enjoy!-the mmistrations of my revered colleague, who,

as the history and condition of the Church demonstrate, has worthily followed in their footsteps. The recollection of these things, while it does, and will, I trust, yet more and more, exert a quickening influence upon my mind, awakens a measure of trembling solicitude-a solicitude, however, that is moderated and repressed, partly by the cheerful confidence I feel, that the Church will encourage and sustain and draw down, by fervent supplication, blessings on one whom they have chosen-partly by what is, to my own mind, a fact of the most pleasurable description, that in this sphere I labour not alone, but as the coadjutor of one to whom I feel myself increasingly bound by the ties of high regard and affection-whose counsel and friendly aid in stimulating and encouraging my feeble endeavours, will I am well assured never be withheld-and chiefly and especially by the promised grace of the chief Shepherd. May He accept the renewed dedication of myself to His work; may He impart grace for its prosecution; may He crown the labours of His servants with enlarged success; may He bless His people with peace; and to Him in this Church, and throughout the whole Israel of God, let all blessing and praise be given for ever! Amen.

I am sure, my dear brother, said Mr. Hunt, that we have all listened with great pleasure to a statement of circumstances evidently marked by the interposition of Him who "worketh all things after the counsel of His own will."

I congratulate you, my dear sir, on your entrance upon this important sphere of ministerial labour, in connection with one by whom it has been so long and so successfully occupied. Your brethren in this metropolis will hail your entering in among them, and cheerfully give you the right hand of fellowship. And now may God Himself and our

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Lord Jesus Christ be with you, and strengthen you with all might by His Spirit in the inner man, and "make you perfect in every good work to do His will." May you continually hear His voice saying, as to Abraham, "I will bless thee, and thou shalt be a blessing."

To you, my dear friends of this Church and congregation, I would say only-Your eyes have long seen your teacher, you now see your teachers. Long, very long may that sight prove to be a source of increasing satisfaction and joy!

DR. BURDER then proceeded to offer solemn prayer for the blessing of God on the mind, the heart, and the ministry of his beloved colleague; after which the following discourse was addressed to the Rev. George Thomson, by the REV. ALGERNON WELLS, Pastor of the neighbouring Church at Clapton.

My dear Sir, the part assigned to me in the conduct of these solemnities is, that I should deliver to you an address suitable to the occasion-a service which I feel to be one of great interest and importance. Having, perhaps indiscreetly, undertaken this duty, let me at the outset bespeak your candid and favourable attention, while I endeavour to perform it to the best of my ability. I am encouraged by an entire confidence that I am addressing a friendly hearer in the presence of a sympathizing and devout assembly: nor can I allow myself to suspect it can be very unsuitable that I should occupy this place, seeing I was pressed into it by the judgment and affection of my ever honoured friend, the senior pastor of this Church, whose wishes come as near commands with me as those of any man living-and ought to do-for I owe him much, and honour him much, and both less than I should do but for deficiency on my part, first, when in