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will be, if any such thing as is termed ambition can enter there, whose heart is most filled with gratitude, and whose tongues can express the highest Hallelujahs. But pause, methinks I hear the growing christian say, "Instead of growing better, I grow worse "and worse. O my corruptions, my passions and perverse tem"pers." You all know something of the disposition of the worldling, either by experience or hearsay. As he encreases in riches, he feels poor; and you will hear him daily declaring himself a poor man, when every body sees the world filling his coffers with every tide. Still he cries he is poor, he fears a writ of bankruptcy, and at present, he has nothing to give to any religious, charitable or public use. This affords a shadow of illustraHis corrup

tion for the comfort of the poor growing christian. tions dispose him to cry, "I am a poor creature, I thought years. ago, I had some religion; I cannot yet give up all hope, from past feelings in the change of my temper, from the views of divine. glories, and from past experiences, from the abhorrence of sin, and the abasement of myself, I often hang trembling on the beam containing the weights of hope and despair. I have no oil in my vessel to share to foolish virgins." Remember this thought, Q christian, the poorer you feel in grace, the richer you grow. I cannot enlarge upon this idea. It is a precious and experimental. one. The more you grow in the sense of your corruptions, ignorance and lusts, and in a disesteem and abhorrence of yourselves, you rise higher in the favour of God. The prayer and praise of the true convert is, "Open thou my lips, and my mouth "shall shew forth thy praise. Praise ye the Lord, and give "thanks unto the Lord for he is good, for his mercy endureth "forever. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus "Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in hea"venly places in Christ." Let christians believe, and proceed in their heavenly course rejoicing. Be not afraid, Christ is sufficient for you; hope against hope; and grow in grace to the end.

Secondly, We should honestly reflect upon, and enquire into

our advances in religion. The great question here should be, do we grow in grace, make progress in spiritual knowledge? Do we abhor sin more, love God more, cleave to Christ more?

Let us be fervent in prayer for an abundance of the riches and sweetness of grace to be poured into our souls. Let those who have fallen backward, awake to repentance, prayer and amendment. Let such as have never entered upon religion, begin the divine life. And may this life begin, and grow in us all, to all eternity.

SERMON XLII.

THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS PROVED.

ROMANS VIII. 38, 39.

For I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

SUCH another collection of terms can scarcely be produced from sacred or profane history, to enforce and establish a sentiment, as these before us. Surely a sentiment must be of high importance in the christian system, which can call forth such strong language from the pen of inspiration for its establishment. This great sentiment is, "That nothing can separate believers "from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Is the love of God to his people, bestowed through Christ, of such a permanent nature, that it is absolutely indissoluble? This is evidently the affirmation in the text. That this love of God, whether objectively or subjectively considered, is absolutely inextinguishable; and the whole foundation and medium of it is Jesus Christ. The assertion is certainly the strongest that was ever brought forth to view. That the love of God to believers, and their love to him, is indissolvable; and that the reciprocity of this love is founded in a Mediator, who hath infinite power with God, and effectual influence with men. Hence this love,

granted or received, through this medium, is or can by no means be destroyed. God is infinite, the Mediator is infinite, therefore, this love or grace must be permanent; hence believers are so connected with God through Jesus Christ, by the constitution of the covenant of grace, that they can never totally or finally be separated from him. As this is the obvious idea here communicated, then the perseverance of the saints in grace to eternal life, is absolutely certain. This is the sentiment, the strongest images in nature are produced to establish. They are introduced as negatives to give the affirmation the more irresistable force.

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The words of the text are a kind of deduction from what the Apostle had been previously declaring, that neither "Tribulation, "distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril or sword," could separate saints from Christ Jesus. "Nay, in all these things, says he, we are not only conquerors, but we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us." Yea, he rises in his argument, "For I am persuaded," that is fully satisfied and assured, "that neither death nor life;" to wit, neither the awful horrors of the one, in its most terrific forms, nor the allurements of the other, in all its captivating and enticeing prospects, can break the bond of this unchangeable love. Where once it exists, it continues forever. He proceeds in his group of imagery :"Nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers." That is, let all the angels in heaven, the principalities of hell, and powers of earth, if possible, form a combination, to destroy this love, or violate the connection between God and the believer, the effort will be vain.

Yea, further, "Neither things present, nor things to come,” can accomplish the fatal purpose. By this sentence may be understood, all the corruptions in which the christian is inveloped, all the afflictions, crosses and trials laid upon him, and all the temptations with which he is assaulted; and every future thing of this nature, with all imaginable and aggravated accumulations, cannot effect the purpose of a separation.

He still adds, "Neither height nor depth," can break this indissoluble tie. Neither the height of honor, nor depth of ignominy. Let the christian be exalted to the highest throne, and crowned the emperor of the world, or despised with Lazarus, thrown into the open street, covered with sores, and forsaken of the whole human species, and left to the licking friendship of dogs, yet these extended extremes of prosperity and adversity, cannot create the separation.

And as if the Apostle had finished the whole extension of imagery, and exhausted all the powers of language, he closes this induction with this universal clause, " Nor any other creature." Compress all creation in heaven, earth and hell, angels, men and devils, their united power is incapable of this dissolution. How strong the union between God and believers, established by the mediation of Jesus Christ!

The simple doctrine for which this text was selected, was to prove the perseverance of the saints. We firmly believe that true and real christians, or those who become the objects of the special love of God, and are regenerated and united to Christ by a new and living faith, can neither totally or finally fall away from that saving grace which they once received. We believe that good men, and saints who are now in heaven, have entertained different opinions upon this subject.-Some have believed, that they who were the subjects of special grace might lose it, and Einally perish. The contenders for this opininion have been few. But the advocates for a total, though not a final falling away, have been many.

I confess the latter have much plausibility in favour of their opinion the former nothing of weight, yet I think both will fail by the testimony of divine revelation.

This doctrine wholly depends upon our construction of divine revelation, and this shall be the sole rule of the present enquiry.

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