sometimes in self-distrust and deep self-abasement. Now, although a Christian may want those sweet consolations and flows of affection, which sometimes he has had, yet if he be growing in humility, selfdenial, and a sense of his entire dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ, he is still a growing Christian; he increases in grace. When Christians cannot perceive their growth, they are sometimes led to doubt whether they have any grace at all. But if they are conscious of self-loathing on account of sin: if they have a desire of grace; if they prize Christ above all things; and if they love his people for his sake, their doubts and fears are groundless. They are not destitute of the principle of spiritual life, although it may be less operative, or less perceptible, than they could wish.

The last benefit resulting to believers in this life, from justification, adoption, and sanctification, is "perseverance" in grace "to the end” of life. It is, my dear youth, the doctrine of our church, that those who are justified, adopted, and sanctified, never fall, totally and finally, from grace. We believe that the perseverance of the saints is infallibly secured by the immutability of electing love; by an indissoluble union with Christ; by the merit of his purchase; by the prevalence of his intercession; by the indwelling of his Spirit; and by the power of a promising God. Quotations from Scripture, bearing fully and fairly on each of these points may, we think, be easily and abundantly adduced. Our time, at present, forbids me to detail them to you. I will mention but one. The Apostle Peter, speaking of the believers in general, to whom he wrote, says of them expressly, "Who are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time." And here you will remember, what I have before stated, that it is expressly declared, that whom God justifies, them he also glorifies. To suppose a soul to be justified, pardoned, adopted into the family of God, and sanctified by his Spirit; and after all to be suffered again to become the slave of sin and Satan, be entirely thrown out of the favour of God, and be eter

nally lost, is, in our apprehension, one of the grossest absurdities and inconsistencies imaginable. And what is worse, it seems to be a reflection on the wisdom and power, as well as the goodness and faithfulness of the Deity, that he should begin and carry on to a certain length such a glorious work, and yet never complete it, but suffer the adversary to wrest his own sheep out of the hand of their great Shepherd. We cannot believe this. We believe that the final perseverance of the saints, certainly accompanies and flows from justification, adoption, and sanctification.

That there have been hypocrites in religion, who have abused this doctrine, as they do every doctrine, we admit. But what is the chaff to the wheat? The doctrine, by those who understand it and treat it according to its legitimate import, is not abused. How can it be? The doctrine is, that the saints will persevere in grace. If they do not persevere, they of course are not saints, and are entitled to no hope of salvation. The saints, we hold, may fall. But while they are in a fallen state, they lose their evidence of being in a safe state; and can never have it restored, but by reformation and repentance. Remember, I repeat, it is perseverance in grace that we hold, and you will see that the doctrine can never lead to licentiousness. But surely it must be, and certainly is, a most desirable and encouraging circumstance, that when a believer obtains evidence that he is now in a gracious state, he also has evidence that he will always continue in that state, and will not, after all, be eternally lost.

We freely admit, that there have been many who have made a very zealous profession of religion, who did not persevere in it to the end, but became apostates, infidels, and profligates. But the fair conclusion from this fact is, that these apostates never were what they pretended and professed to be. And you should particularly observe, that this is the very account which the Apostle John gives of this subject. Speaking of certain corrupt men in his time, he says, "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us they would NO DOUBT have

If

continued with us; but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.' it be objected to this doctrine, that Paul himself says, that "he kept under his body and brought it into subjection, lest after having preached to others, he himself should be a castaway;" and that this seems to imply that he might be a castaway; we answer no. It only states that he used all those precautions, which every good man will use, to avoid danger and ensure safety.

The truth is, that it is through the influence of a cautionary fear, as a principal means, that God preserves his people. They are afraid of sin and of a declension in grace; not because they doubt the perseverance of the saints, but because they would thereby displease God, which they deeply dread, and would also lose the evidence that they now are, or ever were, in a gracious state, and thus be exposed to be finally cast away. In a word, their fear of falling is made instrumental in keeping them from what they fear. I say instrumental, for although many means are used, it is God who gives them all effect, and upholds his people by his power, and the constant communications of his grace. The perseverance of the saints does not, in any instance, depend on their having such a stock of grace, or having made such attainments in religion, as to ensure perseverance. By no means. Adam, in a state of sinless perfection, when standing by himself, was seduced by Satan; and beyond a doubt, the same great adversary who prevailed against him, would also prevail against any of his less perfect posterity, if they were not under the guardianship of their almighty Saviour. But they are given to him in covenant, and he has given them the assurance that he will preserve them. He has said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they follow me; and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me is greater than all; and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one."

In concluding this lecture, let me entreat you to consider how unspeakably valuable, or rather, how altogether invaluable, are the benefits which, even in this life, "do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification." If you were permitted to choose whether you would have an assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end; or whether, at the expense of renouncing these, you would choose all the wealth and power and sensual pleasures which the world contains; would you not be justly chargeable with the very madness of folly, if you should hesitate for a moment, to make sure of the former, rather than of the latter? Why then, my dear youth, will you not choose and seek the former, when you are called, in doing it, to renounce nothing that is really valuable; nothing that will diminish your present happiness; nay, when your present happiness itself will be unspeakably increased by making such a choice? True happiness infinitely more depends on the inward state of the mind, than on any outward circumstances. These circumstances may in appearance be of the most enviable kind, and yet he who is placed in them may, by inward disquietude and anguish, be the most wretched of mortals. This has often been seen in fact. But on the other hand, the benefits which the answer before us specifies, give such inward satisfaction, such pure, and permanent delight, such soul filling pleasure, that their possessor cannot be rendered miserable by any thing outward. They have put the language of holy ecstasy and triumph into the mouths of martyrs, when they have ascended the scaffold or been consumed at the stake. Make it then your first and great concern; view it, as it is indeed, the one thing needful, to secure, each for himself, a share in these benefits. To lead you to this, is the object of all my addresses. It is the great purpose and scope of the blessed gospel which you so richly enjoy. Be not so foolish, so stupid, so wicked, as to lose these benefits by carelessness, by sloth, or by the love of sin. Give no

peace to yourselves, till you have that "peace of God, which passeth all understanding." Amen.

LECTURE XXXII.

WHAT BENEFITS DO BELIEVERS RECEIVE FROM CHRIST AT DEATH?

We are now to consider the benefits which the people of God receive from justification, adoption, and sanctification at the hour of death.

"The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pass into glory; and their bodies being still united to Christ, do rest in their graves till the resurrection.”

True Christians, the genuine disciples of Christ, are, in the answer before us, denominated believers; and they are called so because none but they, really and practically believe; none but they believe with all the heart to the saving of the soul. An historical, speculative, or educational belief of the gospel, although infinitely preferable to deliberate or careless infidelity, because more likely to lead to saving faith, is still not the belief which is connected with the pardon of sin, and with life everlasting. The faith that is saving affects the heart, as well as the understanding. "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness." practical believers have that "faith which worketh by love;" the faith which the gospel demands as indispensable to salvation; and therefore they are, with an emphasis which is proper and discriminating, called in the answer before us, believers. To all others death is the king of terrors. Death was the penalty denounced for sin; and to all who remain in their sins, and under the sentence of the violated law, this penalty in all its extent is executed, when the body dies. They have lived under the influence of spiritual death,

True