vileness, and then afterwards seem much affected with the mercy of God, and appear to find comfort in him, and yet after all, when the novelty is over, their impressions decline and pass away, so that there is no abiding change in the heart and life, then it is a sign that they have no true grace. There is nothing in the case of such that answers to the declaration of the Apostle (2 Cor. v. 17), that "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature." If the individual, after seeming conversion, turns back from God and Christ and spiritual things, and the heart again goes after vanity and the world, and the known duties of religion are neglected, and the person again returns to the ways of sin, and goes on gratifying the selfish or sensual appetites, and leading a carnal and careless life, then all the promise of his ap parent conversion is deceptive. It is but like the promise of the blossoms on the trees in the time of spring or early summer, so many of which fall off, and never bring forth fruit. The result proves that all these seeming appearances of grace are only appearances, and that those who trust to them are awfully deluded. The grace that does not hold out and persevere, is not real grace. Once more,

3. The subject affords matter of great joy and comfort to all who have good evidence that they indeed have true grace in their hearts.-Those with whom it is thus, are possessed of an inestimable jewel, which is worth more than all the jewels and precious stones, and all the crowns and costly treasures in the universe. And this may be a matter of great comfort to them, that they never shall lose this jewel, but that he that gave it will keep it for them; and that as he has brought them into a most happy state, so he will uphold them in it, and that his mighty power by which he is able to subdue all things to himself, is on their side, and pledged for their protection, so that none of their enemies shall be able to destroy them. They may rejoice. that they have a strong city unto which God has appointed salvation for walls and bulwarks. And whatever bitterness their enemies manifest against them, and however subtle and violent they may be in their attacks upon them, they may still stand on high on their munitions of rocks on which God has set them, and laugh their foes to scorn, and glory in the Most High as their sure refuge and defence. The everlasting arms are underneath them.

Jehovah, who rides upon the heavens, is their help. And all their foes he will subdue under his feet; so that they may well rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the rock of their salvation. Finally,

4. The subject also affords matter of great encouragement to the saints in carrying on the warfare against the enemies of their souls.It is the greatest of all disadvantages to a soldier to have to go forth to battle without the hope of being able to conquer, but with the prevailing expectation of being overcome. As hope in the one case might be half the victory, so despondency in the other would be likely to ensure defeat. The latter would debilitate and weaken, while the former would co-operate with and increase strength. You that have good evidence that you have grace in your hearts, have, then, all that you can need to encourage you. The captain of your salvation will assuredly conduct you to victory in the end. He who is able to uphold you has promised that you shall his promise shall never fail.

overcome, and Resting on that promise, be faithful to your part, and ere long the song of victory shall be yours, and the crown of victory he will place, with his own hands, upon your head.

LECTURE XV.

THE HOLY SPIRIT FOREVER TO BE COMMUNICATED TO THE SAINTS, IN THE GRACE OF CHARITY, OR DIVINE LOVE.

tr

Charity never faileth. But whether there be prophe cies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.' -1 COR. xiii. 8.

In the entire context, the drift of the Apostle is, to show the superiority of charity over all the other graces of the Spirit. And in this chapter he sets forth its excellence by three things: first, by showing that it is the most. essential thing, and that all other gifts are nothing without it; second, by showing that from it all good dispositions and behavior do arise; and third, by showing that it is the most durable of all gifts, and shall remain when the church of God shall be in its most perfect state, and when the other gifts of the

Spirit shall have vanished away. And in the text may be observed two things:

First, That one property of charity by which its excellence is set forth, is, that it is unfailing and everlasting. "Charity never faileth." This naturally follows the last words of the preceding verse, that " Charity endureth all things." There the Apostle declares the durableness of charity as it appears in its withstanding the shock of all the opposition that can be made against it in the world. And now he proceeds further, and declares that charity not only endures to the end of time, but also throughout eternity. "Charity never faileth." When all temporal things shall have failed, this shall still abide, and abide forever. We may also observe in the text,

Second, That herein charity is distinguished from all the other gifts of the Spirit, such as prophecies, and the gift of tongues, and the gift of knowledge, &c. "Whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away;" but "charity never faileth." By the knowledge here spoken of, is not meant spiritual and divine knowledge in general; for surely there will be such knowl