to this his high profession, then the Holy Spirit leads him as it were by the hand from grace to grace, from one step in holy love and faithful obedience to another, till mortality be swallowed up of life. In God's dealings with such an one, the ancient and just rule is eminently fulfilled, "Whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance." They shall be most helped who will do most for themselves. Such is the proverbial rule which the blessed Jesus himself hath sanctioned with his own approbation, and given us to understand shall be the rule of final judgment in the great day of retribution. Nor is it a rule which we can dare to call unreasonable or unjust.

If on the other hand this same Christian, having it in his power to go wrong, does go wrong-neglects duties which he knows are agreeable to his Lord's will, and allows himself in thoughts, words, and actions which he knows must displease him; then does the Holy Spirit after long forbearance withdraw his gracious aid, and leave us to go our own way, as we will not go his.

According to the latter clause of that most equitable rule, "Whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken, even that which he hath;" that is, whosoever will not endeavor to make the most of what is put in his powersuch an one it is of no use to do any more for, and even what he has may justly be withdrawn from him.

There is not, perhaps, in all Scripture a more awful, startling, alarming passage than this; because it warns us so plainly, that our notion of keeping up a tolerable degree of goodness, and staying at a certain point, not intending to be very good, and resolving at the same time not to be very bad: that these kind of notions are vain, delusive, and presumptuous, and, as we may with reason fear, will prove at last the ruin of many souls for whom Christ died.

Very often, indeed, in this world, we see people who we are sure must know better, and who certainly cannot plead the excuse of unavoidable ignorance or anything like it; getting gradually into some bad habit, till

at length it as it were overpowers them, and they are "led captive" at the will of their soul's enemy, and they do things which every one wonders at, and which they could not believe themselves capable of doing a little time before.

This we often see, and wonder how it can be, and secretly thank God we are not like such persons, and are certain that come what will we should never act so and so, fall into such and such wilful disobedience and gross sin.

My brethren, let us not be too sure. There are

other crimes beside those which human laws can reachcrimes as great, perhaps, in, the sight of God, though in the judgment of man they may be esteemed trifling and not worth attention.

And what is yet more startling to reflect on, it is certainly possible for us then to be most cast off by God, when we are most secure and confident of our being the objects of his favor and approbation. Whether this be a common kind of self-deceit or no, it is certainly possible; and the mere fact that it is possible, should humble us to the dust in deep humility, and with earnest supplication to be kept from so dreadful a condition, a condition so forcibly described by the blessed esus in his merciful, though severe rebuke to some of his self-confident hearers.

"Are we blind also ?" said they to whom he answered, "If ye were blind, ye should have no sin, but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth."

It is generally reckoned a sad and distressing thing to see a person cast down with what is called religious melancholy, full of fears and doubts about his spiritual condition, and quite unable to feel those comforts and joys which are often described as attending the sincere profession of the gospel; to see a person so cast down, and out of spirits, is generally reckoned a sad and distressing sight.

But let me ask whether to the view of sober reason it be not quite as sad and distressing, to see people going on calmly, and confidently, without fear or mis

giving; nay, with open professions of assurance as to their spiritual state, and yet all the while transgressing the plain moral laws of God in various instances.

This is indeed sad and distressing-more than that, it is painfully alarming; because it gives one reason to fear that in such cases God in his righteous judgment has fulfilled his own decisive warning,

"My people would not hear my voice,

And Israel would not obey me:

So I gave them up

Where is it anywhere said in the Scriptures, that if we can but feel ourselves safe, we are safe? Where is anything like this said in the whole volume of Scripture rightly understood, or carefully considered? In like manner, where is there any the least hint given, that because we feel ourselves in danger, we must therefore be ever the more in danger.

Again and again, I warn, entreat, and beseech you not to trust to your feelings one way or the other, Every day's experience convinces me more and more, that these feelings cannot, must not, be trusted to. If you are displeased with me for saying so; yet I must say it. If you say that in preaching this, I preach not the gospel, then I say, God forgive me; yet I must preach it-and wo be unto me if I preach not the gospel.

However, whether I am right or wrong in pressing upon you warnings of this sort, one thing is certain, that we are dropping off very fast one after another into that vast abyss of eternity which is before us: we see in repeated instances, that be we young or old, we cannot reckon with certainty upon a week to come. Can we then venture to stand trifling upon the edge of such a precipice? Are we to wait till the world grows better, before we grow better? Are we sure that because we feel comfortable, therefore we are safe? If not, what are we trusting to?

Our heavenly Father has in mercy warned us of our danger. He has warned us that even if we are his

peculiar people, his chosen Israel, yet if we obey not his voice, he will give us up.

:

That then is the question, are we sincerely obeying him-do we give up our wills to his will we and do we submit to any loss, shame, or mortification, rather than grieve his Holy Spirit. Is it all our study to think how we may best fulfil his blessed will-all our labor to put these good thoughts in practice?

If not, we have indeed reason to fear for ourselvesreason to fear, lest if we go on any longer trifling with God's mercy he should give us up, to walk in our own counsels; and at length should " swear in his wrath, that we shall not enter into his rest."

Again, then, and again, I repeat it, "Be not highminded but fear:" if God spared not the natural branches, his chosen people of old, "take heed lest he also spare not thee."

SERMON XVII.

BENEFITS OF MEDITATION ON GOD'S SAINTS.

Heb. xii. 23.

"The spirits of just men made perfect."

THE sacred writer in this part of his epistle is pressing on the thoughts of those who should hear or read it, the absolute necessity which is laid upon Christians to lead lives suitable to their high and heavenly privileges-privileges more high and heavenly than the greatest vouchsafed to God's favored people of ancient days. Let us first consider a little this argument as it. is set forth with such affectionate earnestness, beginning at the fourteenth verse, and reaching to the end of the twenty-fifth verse of this twelfth chapter. He begins" Follow peace with all men ;' "follow" that is, pursue after it, spare no pains to obtain it—and also follow after "holiness, without which," whatever we may flatter ourselves, "no man shall see the Lord;" looking "diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God"-lest we wilfully allow our practice to fall short of our privileges and profession-"lest any root of bitterness springing up," like a poisonous weed in a garden of sweet herbs, "trouble" the consciences of men, and thereby many who were inclined to go right "be defiled," misled, deceived, and ruined-"lest there be any fornicator or profane" profligate person, who, though he bear the name of a Christian, yet cares not for the loss of heaven and God's eternal favor, so he may follow his own will and way in this life-after his desperate example "who, for one morsel of meat, sold his birthright." And what a warning does that example of Esau offer to us who have the birthright of Chris