God has promised to those who truly repent.

Thus strengthened with the promise of forgiveness and with the assurance of assisting grace, the afflicted soul revives. It discovers in the word of God, a provision suitable to its desires, and adequate to its utmost need: and acknowledges that "the law of the Lord is perfect," and therefore restores the soul.

IV. The manner, in which the word of God acts, displays a further perfection, which makes it peculiarly fit to convert and invigorate the soul.

Instruction in this law must, it is true, be sought in the very same way as instruction in any other law, by diligent hearing, by patient research, by earnest attention to the precepts which are delivered, and to the language in which they are conveyed. He who would understand the full import of the holy truths which are there displayed, must search the Scriptures with the same assiduity as he would apply in order to comprehend any other book. There are difficulties of the very same kind to be surmounted; and they must be overcome, if they be overcome at all, by diligence and patience; by the slow process of mental cultivation, and the study, often repulsive, and sometimes apparently trifling, of subjects purely

grammatical and philological. And we have no reason whatever to expect such assistance from above, as shall in the least supersede the necessity of this laborious exertion.

But when the Scripture is considered as a rule of life, there is a fundamental distinction between the law of the Lord and every other law. Other laws are passive. The law of the Lord, we are taught in Scripture, is active. In thus considering the sacred volume, we must be indeed careful, as we would value our eternal welfare, not to relax our own endeavours: for without them nothing will be done for us. We must be careful too, that we be not hurried away by visionary fancies, which arise only from a heated imagination. For many, it is to be feared, have mistaken these for the undoubted tokens of immediate inspiration. Still we must never allow the danger that may arise from the abuse of the doctrine to prejudice our minds against the doctrine itself, if clearly revealed. And there undoubtedly is found in Scripture, sufficient proof that the word of God, acting by his Holy Spirit, does work with the patient enquirer and diligent hearer of that word, so as to convert his heart. "The word of God," says the apostle, speaking of the Scriptures, "is quick and powerful; and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing

asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Now with whatever limitations expressions such as these may be taken, they certainly do imply and it is a doctrine full of comfort to those who find how weak their own endeavours are—that the word of God itself acts upon the mind of man; and that, in their very studies, the grace of God is given to those who search his word, and exercises a renewing and purifying influence upon their hearts.

In this sense, therefore, also, "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul."

Having, then a law revealed for our guidance, so precisely fitted to the wants and weakness of our nature, how great should be our thankfulness to God for this revelation of his will. We should receive it as the greatest blessing: we should make it, what it was intended to become, the guide and rule of our lives. In order to do this, we must diligently search the Scriptures. And this is a study as delightful as it is salutary. Hear with what rapturous expressions David speaks of his study of God's word. "O how love I thy law: it is tation all the day." "How sweet are thy words

66

i Heb. iv. 12. compared with Heb. iv. 2.

my

medi

unto my taste, yea, sweeter than honey unto my mouth."k

the

This duty deserves peculiar attention in this place. Many of us are here engaged in the pursuit of the severer studies, which, while they habituate the mind to accuracy of demonstration and clearness of thought, often lead to some of the sublimest proofs of the wisdom and power of the Creator. When we study the material bodies, which surround us on all sides upon earth, and trace the mechanical consequences, which flow from a few simple principles, when we observe the order in which all organized beings are arranged; and their close adaptation to the wants of animated creatures, we are led to the contemplation of him who contrived and established so fair a world. When our researches lead us to study the nature "of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall;" and the habits "of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes," we join in the sentiments which such contemplations suggested to David, "Lord, how manifold are thy works, in wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches." When we consider the wonders of the

* Psalm exix. 97, 103.

Psalm civ. 24.

1

1 Kings iv. 33.

heavens, and have learned to arrange some of those innumerable brilliant bodies which shine in our skies, to discover the simple law by which all their motions are regulated, and to trace their courses through the fields of space, we must acknowledge that "the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handy work." We must lift up our hearts to him who stretched out the heavens like a curtain;" who "telleth the number of the stars," and "calleth them all by their names;' and "hath given them a law which shall not be broken."p

Now the danger is that we should rest here. That, feeling quite conscious of the existence and power of God, our understandings should be convinced, while our hearts are uninfluenced. That we should suffer the pursuits of science or of general literature to engross our attention, while we neglect those studies which are able to make us wise unto salvation. If we do this, we do what is most irrational; we rest satisfied with that which is imperfect, and neglect that perfect law of the Lord which converts the soul. Considered even in a philosophical point of view, such neglect is manifestly unjustifiable.