he will profess unto them, "I never knew you, depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

I shall dismiss the objections with a short contrast. On the one hand it is said: "He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved."

On the other hand it is said, he may be lost.

On the one hand: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on the Son of God, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation."

On the other: he may be condemned.

On the one hand: "There is, therefore, no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus."

On the other: they may be condemned.

On the one hand: "The gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth."

On the other: some who believe will be lost.

On the one hand. "Whosoever liveth and believshall never die. Believest thou this ?"

eth in me,

On the other: no, we do not believe it.

Inferences.

1. We see a reason why angels rejoice at the repentance of one sinner. If angels did not believe this doctrine, they could have no ground on which to rejoice. They must wait till the sinner gets to heaven.

The true penitent will certainly arrive safe at the mansions of the blessed. A firm belief of this doctrine lays the only foundation for joy in heaven over his repentance. If angels did not believe this doctrine, their joy would be unfounded. Their language would be: that sinner has truly repented. He is now a child of God--an heir of heaven. But whether he will ever reach this happy place-whether he will ever sing

with us in glory, is a matter of great uncertainty. He may yet become a child of the devil, and an heir of hell. Could we know that he would certainly arrive safe at heaven, we might now tune our harps, and sing glory to God in the highest. But since we have already been disappointed, and devils and damned spirits are now triumphing over some at whose repentance we once rejoiced, it is best to wait and see how he holds Hear them triumph in the regions of despair. "Ye angels," say they, "ye may suspend your songs, and hang up your harps. Let your joy be turned into mourning. Victory is ours."

out.

What think ye, my hearers? Has there been joy in heaven over some who are now in hell? If they so rejoiced at the news of the sinner's repentance, what messenger shall carry back the mournful tidings that he is lost?

2. It is a great thing to be a christian.

If this doctrine were not true, the state of the christian would be little or no better than that of the sinner. He could be no more certain of salvation than the sinner. Though he may be a christian to-day, he can have no evidence that he shall be a christian to-morrow, or the next moment. He may be a christian one day, and a sinner the next-a christian one moment and a sinner the next. But it is not so. A child of When we look on a chris

God is an heir of heaven.

tian, what do we see? A stranger—a pilgrim on the earth--an inhabitant of another world.

3. A revival of religion is a joyful event.

On the supposition that the doctrine which we have been considering is true, there is solid ground for rejoic

ing in a true revival of religion; because those who are truly converted have a sure title to eternal life. Hence we read that when Philip preached in Samaria, "there was great joy in that city." But if this doctrine is not true, their joy was premature, for there was no certainty that all who were then converted, would not be lost. If this doctrine is not true, all who were converted on the day of pentecost may now be in hell. We have no proof to the contrary. On this ground, you, my hearers, may now rejoice in a revival, because sinners are brought out of darkness into marvellous light; but this is no evidence that they will not dwell in the blackness of darkness forever. But it is not so. Whenever God has begun a good work, he will certainly perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Being confident of this very thing, how joyful to behold sinners flocking to Christ. "Him that cometh unto me," says Christ, "I will in no wise cast out." All who truly repent of their sins, will certainly meet in heaven. I infer

4. That there may be such a thing as the full assurance of hope in this life.

If the doctrine is not true, the best christian on earth must be altogether uncertain of heaven. But it being true, we learn on what the full assurance of hope is founded. So far as the christian can be certain that the good work has been begun in his soul, so far he can be certain of arriving at heaven.

It is surprising that some who deny this doctrine, will yet say that they are certain of heaven. This is plainly absurd. If one christian may fall away and perish, then another and another may; and so all may be lost. Not one can have assurance of salvation.

I remember a short conversation on this subject, of the following import. A person who denied this doctrine, was expressing his joy in believing. He was interrogated on this subject. "Why do you rejoice, my friend? Do you think there is any certain connection between your believing now, and your final salvation?" He perceived that if he answered in the affirmative, he must admit the doctrine, and so he answered in the negative. The question was then put to him: "if there is no certain connection between your present belief and your final salvation, why do you rejoice? He replied, because my sins are forgiven. But why rejoice because your sins are forgiven? You say you have no evidence that you are not to suffer in hell for your sins after all, why rejoice because your sins are forgiven? Why, if I am faithful, if I persevere to the end, I shall be saved. Very true-unless you persevere, you cannot be saved. But what reason have you to conclude that you shall persevere? What makes you so confident that you shall be saved? Show us the ground of your confidence. Do you trust in your own resolutions? No. Well, what then? Do you trust in the stability of your own will? Do you feel superior to the power of temptation? Do you think you are a person of such decision, such stability and firmness, that when you undertake the work, you shall certainly go through with it? Is this the reason you have to think that you shall persevere and be saved? No. What then? What reason have you to think that you shall be faithful— that you shall persevere and be saved? If God is not first faithful to you, you will not be faithful to him. And, my hearers, he could see no reason why he

should rejoice. He could find no rest for the sole of his foot, until he was driven back on the ground of our text: "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." And, my hearers, what evidence have you that you shall persevere ? Do you trust in yourselves? You lean on a broken reed. You build on the sand. There is depravity enough in your hearts to sink you to hell, if left to yourselves. If you have never seen and felt this awful truth, you have never yet seen your own hearts, nor been thoroughly awakened. If you have not felt this awful truth, you have not been driven out of yourselves —not yet left the strong-hold of self-righteous deception-not yet fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before you.

5. It follows from what has been said, that salvation is entirely of grace, from first to last.

The believer is taught to place no confidence in his own strength or resolutions. It is of free, rich and sovereign grace, that he has been renewed in the temper of his mind; and the same grace which begun the work, has engaged to carry it on to perfection. However weak and feeble the christian may be, the Almighty has said, "I will never leave thee"-"Fear not"-I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward." And what God has promised, he is able to perform. When the powers of earth and the gates of hell combined, assail the christian, menacing his destruction; then the name, the promises, the oath and the attributes of God, are a strong tower-an impregnable fortress; and conscious of his own weakness, he runneth into it and is safe. The righteous man dwell