But, on the other hand, could you but look out of yourselves and see the attention of the world directed towards you; how many of those whom you least suspect are watching your private and public walk, and perhaps looking up to you as patterns to copy after, and who reproach that name whereby we are called when you slip on your journey, methinks every latent spring would be strung to increase your care and alacrity to walk as becometh the children of God. ("Golden Ball.".

But must I stop here? nay, I must not. Could I draw aside the sable curtain and show you the millions of wicked spirits who are about your path, lying in wait for your overthrow; how all the machinations of hell are at work to seduce you to sin, you would shake off the sloth and arise from the dust. "Satan, as a roaring lion, is now going about seeking whom he may devour."

Shall all heaven, all hell, be concerned about you, and are not you concerned about yourselves? Shall heaven weep at your indolence and hell grin applause at your indifference? while angels weep, shall devils laugh and make you their sport? May God stir you up! may you start afresh now; put your foot anew to the work, and run for your lives to our spiritual Zoar! It is a serious subject; all is serious about you: be you therefore serious.

SERMON VII.

SPECIAL SALVATION.

1 Timothy, iv., 10.-We trust in the living God, who is the saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

THE chapter begins with, "Now the spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith." Of all departures, none affect the vitals of religion more than the two opposite and extreme doctrines holding the ascendency in the minds of men. Some believe in a partial salvation, and others in a universal one, in an unscrip

tural sense. In neither of these extremes does the truth lie; our text takes hold of both, and brings them to a true bearing.

I. The general salvation in which all men are interested. II. The nature of that trust in God which interests us in a special salvation.

III. What is that special salvation?

I. Without wearying ourselves with subtilties in answer to the question, how is God the Saviour of all men? ask a plain man, one who comes under that class to whom the Gospel is preached, and would not he say, it means that God has afforded to all men some common mean of salvation; that he alike designs the good of all, and that, in pursuance of that design, he has done all that was consistent with his perfections, without infringing on the accountability of

man.

1. He has set forth the same Saviour, Jesus Christ, as the procuring cause of the salvation of all men. All who are saved, even infants and heathens, neither of whom know the name to which they are indebted for it, are saved by him. Thus Jesus did by his death bear away the sin of the world; he redeemed all from the curse of the law, bought them from under the old covenant, and purchased a new covenant on better terms, which he offers to all. Thus he tasted death for every man; the thunders of Sinai have ceased, and we have been brought under a dispensation of power and grace. Quote the Holy Ghost as authority-" He tasted death for every man."

2. The salvation by Christ is not less extensive than the operating cause which God has communicated to all. As he gave his Son to die for every man, so he has imparted the gifts of the Holy Spirit to every man, whereof the Holy Ghost is also a witness. "Christ is the true light, that lighteth every man that cometh into the world." He elsewhere calls it the grace of God, and says it has appeared unto all And that none may say this is common grace and unable to save, he says it is grace which "bringeth salvation." It is saving grace, and will lead to salvation.

men.

(Nor is it more inconsistent to suppose that any for whom Christ died may perish, than any who have been partakers of the Holy Ghost:-yet this last is a fact admitted by all. The Holy Spirit is of equal dignity with the Son, and it is no detraction from him if this be the case with many.)

3. The outward means, whereby we receive farther supplies of grace, are given to all men. Not only is there an inward light, but an outward revelation. ***“The Gospel of the grace of God." *** Precious Bible! To us this has appeared, and we are without excuse. The Gospel ministry, the grand instrument in the salvation of men to whom this Gospel has appeared. * * * Gospel ordinances, wherein we are led from the outer to the inner place. These outward means are given to those who have received the Gospel.

But the heathen world likewise, though they have not the Gospel or these outward means, are not thereby deprived of all means: "The heavens declare the glory of God;" his eternal power and Godhead may be understood from the things which are made; and those among them who fear God and work righteousness will be accepted; but those who do not are left without excuse: every mouth is stopped.

God is the Saviour of all men; what could he have done more? Christ has been given for all! The power to embrace him and his salvation is given to all! outward means are afforded to increase the power, with an abiding promise, "To him that improves, more shall be given."

Why, then, are not all saved? Our Lord shall answer you: "Ye will not come to me that ye might have life. How often would I, but thou wouldst not." Hear the words : which St. Peter was inspired to speak: "Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost." Ye choose death in the error of your life.

II. The nature of that trust in God which interests us in a special salvation. This includes a deep conviction of my need of salvation. Until this is felt, and painfully felt in me, I never can apprehend the mercy of God.

Farther, a forsaking and loathing of sin.
Again, a renunciation even of righteousness. Many are

H

out of the pale of salvation by righteousness [self-righteousness] as much as sin.

“Or sin or righteousness remove.”

All this precedes the faith that justifies.

I then believe, 1. That Christ is able. 2. Willing. I doubt no more. Finally, a personal apprehension of his merits to my individual case. I am saved, now saved. Lord, I believe.

III. The effects are,

1. Peace, the guilt all taken away; joy follows.

2. Power over sin.

3. The witness of the Spirit.

4. Deliverance from the fear of man-of death—of hell. No fear.

But oh! the eternal salvation! *

SERMON VIII.

THE RIGHTEOUS AND THEIR REWARD.

Psalm lviii., 11.-Verily there is a reward for the righteous.

BEHOLD a Xerxes weeping over his army: similar to this, witness an incident in the life of Jesus; he wept over Jerusalem, but carried his views much farther than the Persian monarch, even to their immortal state. Xerxes wept from disappointed ambition, Jesus, from compassion! Xerxes' lamentations regarded himself, Jesus' those whom he came to save. Xerxes wept like a haughty conqueror, Jesus like the Saviour of men!

What has, then, become of all the souls which have passed off the stage since Xerxes' time? One generation has followed another! but where are their spirits? Have they sunk into non-existence? has death put out the vital spark? or only opened a passage for the spirits escape? Where will the swarm finally settle? where these souls find a restingplace? We feel that immortality is the lot of man, and rea

son decides with us here. All nations have a glimmering hope of a hereafter.

"Hope springs eternal in the human breast,
Man never is, but always To Be bless'd.
The soul, uneasy and confined from home,
Rests and expatiates in a world to come!
Lo the poor Indian, whose untutored mind
Sees God in clouds or hears him in the wind;
His soul-proud science never taught to stray
Far as the solar walk or milky way;

Yet simple nature to his hope has given

Behind the cloud-topp'd hill a humbler heaven."

But when civilization came did not the light of science remove this hope? Nay, it acquired new strength. Revelation concurs with our reason here; and on this point infidelity, in spite of herself, is one with revelation, resolving the question in favour of an existence after death.

Now if the soul exist, it must be in a state of consciousness; no other idea of its existence can be entertained; it must be in happiness or misery. On what, then, will these depend? Refer we this to the omnipotence of God? Will he distribute happiness and misery irrespective of human actions? But we cannot separate his attributes, and with one, another wound. His power is inseparable from justice, holiness, truth, and goodness. Paul is authority here. "God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." "If we live after the flesh we shall die, but if we, through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, we shall live." This, then, is the seedtime-eternity the harvest; and the text coincides with these reasonings. I. Inquire into our personal character-if righteous. Righteousness applies sometimes to Deity, again to other orders of beings, but chiefly to man. But Scripture says, "There is none righteous;" yet again, "The Lord loveth the righteous." Do these oppose each other? We must explain the term.

Righteousness is applied to God; not that this is any rule