with me." The Spirit of the Lord, however, when He comes, comes as a purifier of silver, the author of sanctification, the spirit of holiness. His first and great work is to weaken, to reduce the flesh, the law of sin; to strengthen and increase "the law of the spirit of life." And in proportion as He

does so, He sets free the soul and its powers for action. "I will run the way of thy commandments

(Rom. viii. 2.)

when thou shalt enlarge my heart."

IV. "WHERE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS, THERE IS LIBERTY ;"-THE LIBERTY OF ACCESS. Access is hindered by strangeness, enmity, or consciousness of guilt. Take away these and let me be on terms of familiarity, much more of friendship, still more of relationship, and access becomes easy, delightful. That child, for example, when conscious of some misdemeanor, even though unknown to its parents, how constrained its appearance, how straitened its gait, how reluctant its approach! How unlike a child! And why? Just because fear-the spirit of bondage-has taken the place of the free and fearless spirit of a son. The same is seen in religion. Access, without the spirit of the Lord, is constrained, reluctant, servile. As moved, on the contrary, by the spirit of the Lord, access is free, buoyant, bounding. Nor can we wonder. He is "the spirit of His Son"—of adoption, crying “Abba, Father;" and as such His "free spirit,” His very presence, guarantees the absence of the spirit of bondage, the conscience of sin; the presence of liberty.

V. "WHERE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS, THERE IS LIBERTY;"-THE LIBERTY OF ABSTRACTION. What we mean by this will best be understood by an illustration. The atmosphere, for example, when cold and moist, presses upon the earth, and no power of man can raise it. Let, however, but the sun beam down upon it, and warm winds pass through it, and no power on earth will keep it down. Its very naThe same is true of grace. The soul

ture is then to rise.

without God's spirit is like a bird without its wings;-it

cannot rest;—it cannot rise. "The things of the Spirit' are then insipid and unengaging.

The utmost endeavors

fail to raise the affections to "the things above;"—the soul "cleaves unto the dust." The Spirit's presence, on the contrary, is like the sun's rays to the atmosphere; it is like wings to the bird. Never bird soared more freely, never atmosphere rose more spontaneously, than the renewed soul, animated by the Spirit of God, revels among "the things of the Spirit," rises to the things "which are above." Like the streams of nature, it is necessary that this stream of "living water" seek its original level. And so its does; and, as it does so, bears up with it all which it carries on its bosom. This is the liberty, the power of absence; and it is by the Spirit of God. It is the liberty, the power, of abstracting ourselves from these present things; of holding intercourse, of being present, with the things that are eternal.

Having now seen what the liberty is which is by the Spirit, it next occurs to ask where it is; or rather, since the text answers that directly, where is the Spirit? As well ask, we answer, Where are the living juices and vital forces of that tree?—the living fluids and vital energies of this body? It is in "the body"—the head and members. "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" Would any then have this liberty? We answer, Have the Spirit of the Lord. Would any have the Spirit? We answer, Have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Spirit dwells in Christ, Himself and members. Be of the body therefore; and sin apart, the Spirit will flow amain, and so this liberty. Otherwise not. Scotland.

J. W. C.

SUBJECT:-Distinction between Sin and Debt.

"Forgive us our debts."-Matt. vi. 12.

Analysis of Homily the Five Hundred and Thirtieth.

It may be trite to say, but it is always important to remember, that the Bible often represents our relation to God both as creatures and sinners in highly metaphorical language. Almost every relationship in human life is employed-such as Father, King, Master, Judge, Husband, Creditor-to express God's relationship to man. But whilst each sheds some light, all combined fail to reveal fully the grand peculiarity of the relationship. Man's relationship to God is perfectly unique; there is nothing in all finite relationships like it. There is nothing in nature that can fully express it. The theological absurdities too prevalent in every religious sect spring and grow from a too literal interpretation of these metaphorical representations. It has always been the crime and curse of men in spiritual things, that they "judge after the flesh." They think of God as "such an one as them

selves."

The text is an illustration of the truth of these remarks. Here the Heavenly Teacher Himself represents by implication the Great One under the character of a Creditor, and the sinner's relation to Him as that of a debtor; and from this language and one or two similar references elsewhere, most mercenary views of the atonement have been drawn and enforced. The grand moral event of Calvary has been represented as a mere pecuniary transaction. The quid pro quo theory of the atonement which' in all ages has led to the saddest perversion of Biblical truth, degraded the benevolent Author of the universe, and outraged the moral intuitions of humanity, derives its support from a literalising of such representations. It has become therefore no unimportant part of the duty of a true Christian teacher to guard men from such errors, by indicating what ideas are not contained in such metaphorical language. It may prove profitable for

us to devote this brief discourse to the indicating of the distinction between a Sin and a Debt.

I. A DEBT HAS NO The relation of creditor and debtor in society is in itself a just and necessary one. It lies deep at the foundation of all commerce, and is a bond that ties the mercantile world together in something like harmonious action. The debtor may be as pure and as noble a character as the creditor. It may be as virtuous a thing to owe as to trust. Indeed the same man is often at the same time a debtor to one and a creditor to another. But sin is essentially a crime. It is wrong in itself, wrong under all possible circumstances, wrong for ever. It is an "abominable thing." Infinite Benevolence may overrule it for good, and will we believe in the long run of ages do so, but still it is an evil, and will ever be so. Omnipotence Himself cannot change moral evil into good.

NECESSARY CRIMINALITY IN IT.

What

II. A DEBT INVOLVES MUTUAL CONCURRENCE. is taken from another without his consent is a theft; what by his concurrence, on trust, is a debt. A debt is a mutual contract, voluntarily entered into, generally for a mutual benefit. Man cannot properly go into debt with another without the consent of the creditor. It is otherwise with sin. God does not agree to sin. He loathes it; it is repugnant to the infinite purity of His nature. He prohibits it; His "Thou shalt not," rings through nature, through all history, through human consciousness, and through the Holy Word. He denounces it," Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things," &c. He punishes it,—“ The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." Remember then that in every sinful act there is an antagonism to the Infinite will. This fact shows three things-First: The wonderful freedom granted to the sinner. How surpassingly strange it is that the Infinite should allow a creature to act in hostility to all His inclinations and

behests. Secondly: The daring hardihood of the sinner. What presumption is here! Thirdly: The appalling perilousness of the sinner. There must come a termination to this state of things. The sinner must one day be crushed. "Hast thou an arm like God?"

III. A DEBT MAY HAVE NO INFLUENCE EXTENDING BEYOND THE CONTRACTING PARTIES. It may be entirely a private affair, known to no third person, extending its influence to none besides. It is far otherwise with sin. Sin is a public matter—a matter in which the whole of society, the universe, is concerned. First In every sin, even the most occult, the sinner is perverting powers which should be consecrated to the good of the universe. There is nothing in nature, even the most insignificant object, made for itself alone; still less is man. All the powers of his being were given to heighten the blessedness of the creation; but sin, even in the form of an ungratified desire, an unexpressed thought, an unacted volition, weakens man's power, and therefore deprives the universe of that to which it has a claim. Sin is a stealing from the universe of choicest powers, -a robbery even of God. "Will a man rob God?" Secondly In every sin that has an overt expression there is a direct influence to injure the universe. Every expressed sin is a drop of poison that descends into that stream of influence that will roll through all future times, is a breath of pestilence sent into that atmosphere which shall heave the lungs of coming generations. Sin, therefore, is not like a debt-a private matter. The creation is concerned in it. Every being has a right to protest against every sinful act. Because no man has a right to pervert power given for the public weal, and exercise an influence detrimental to the universe, every being in the universe has a right to protest against the course of the sinner.

IV. A DEBT IS SOMETHING THAT MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER. A father may take on him the debts of a