chosen ones with the mighty Redeemer, by which the elect were considered in him, and he undertook to perform all their part for them. This renders it just and right that he should take his redeemed sons to glory, and fix them beyond the power of falling, for ever, in the joys which flow at his right hand. This is grace, reigning through righteousness unto eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Ought such grace to be refused?

As a counterpart to this, we behold the Son, who, "being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God," emptying himself of his divine glory, taking the form of a servant, and "being found in fashion as a man, becoming obedient, even to the death of the cross." He had engaged to take upon himself human nature, and in the nature of man to die, as a sacrifice for sin. To this wonderful act of condescending goodness, the Deity, united to his humanity, gave an infinite value. So that now, God having laid upon him the iniquity of us all, every believer in him becomes a partaker of all the benefits he thus obtained. While all who reject this atonement, and this righteousness, become doubly guilty; first, by breaking the law, and again by refusing the gospel and

its rich grace, its pardon, and its righteousness. "Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, though he was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich." Thus he is hymned in the regions of bliss and glory, as having "redeemed us by his blood, and made us kings and priests unto God." At great hazard is this form of mercy refused, as there remains no more sacrifice for sin.

As all this grace can have no efficacy unless received and applied, which is the office of faith, when it comes to rely upon the Saviour; and as the debased mind of man has no inclination for such grace, all the provision of mercy in the Father's love and the Son's atonement, would, in fact, be lost and unavailing, were not another contrivance added to this scheme. This is the work of the Holy Spirit; who undertakes to illuminate and renovate. the minds of the elect, and lead them to desire salvation, and submit to seek it through the atonement, righteousness, and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ, whom God hath set forth a propitiation for sin. This work of the Spirit is that which gives efficiency to the other parts of the plan. We ought deeply to feel our obligation to him ;

and rejoice, as we find ourselves made the temple of God, by the indwelling of the Holy Ghost.

His whole work does not consist in bringing, and enabling, souls to believe in Christ for salva tion. He dwells in the souls whom he thus regenerates; and thus carries on that grand work of sanctification which is to make them meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. His operations are incessant, powerful, and efficient. We are thus kept, by the power of God, through faith unto salvation. May the love of the Spirit ever fill and animate our hearts. To resist the Holy Ghost is to insure our own destruction.

Thus is this threefold cord entwined, in a manner which prevents its breaking. "Whom he did foreknow, them he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son; whom he did predestinate, them he also called; whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified," Rom. viii. 29, 30. He is a God, his work is perfect. The scheme is complete on every side. God is thus a wall of fire around his redeemed Zion. "By grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." "Ho! ye despisers, wonder and perish."

The essential character of this whole system is, that it is grace, and all of it comes in the form of gift. Such as partake of it do not in any mode merit it, or any part of it; they have only believingly and thankfully to receive it. It is strange that this one circumstance, which one would think ought to recommend it to the guilty and imbecile, should form the very point and cause of their rejection of it; and occasion their endeavour to form another system, a system in which human merit predominates, and to fasten it, uncongenial as it is, upon the Bible. If there were any incompleteness, or inefficacy in the system of grace, it would not be wonderful if the human mind were to cast about its anxious longing looks for another. When, however, that other, be it shaped by the arts of sophistry how it will, comes to be examined, and its dependence on the merit of sinners, and the moral spiritual power of the depraved, to be proved; it is passing strange that any one should be bold enough, or blind enough, to venture eternal life and death upon it. So it is, however, and it illustrates the complaint of divine compassion, Jer. ii. 13. “ My people have committed two evils, they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and

have hewn out to themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, which can hold no water."

The whole struggle, therefore, is in fact, who who shall have the glory of salvation, God or man. To one or the other it must be due. The system of grace gives it all to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Every other system, if it wholly sets this aside, or only partially leaves out some of its provisions, does so far aim to take the glory from God, and give it to man. Surely such will find him in earnest, when he declares, "My glory will I not give to another."

If this is the true state of the struggle, the resistance on the part of man must be rebellion, stimulated by pride. It is impossible that pride can be a good motive, or allowable with God, all whose schemes are calculated "to hide pride from man." It is impossible too, that rebellion can be successful, or that our own invented process can be allowed to set aside that which God has established, and in which he has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence.

Be seriously impressed then with the guilt of such resistance; and remember that the thought of such foolishness is sin. That wandering of the mind into unrevealed speculations,