the light, we neglect to dwell upon the proof of truths disagreeable to our inclinations, suffer them not to sink deep into our minds, but divert the exertion of our reason into some other channel, and at least so far weaken and invalidate the evidence, as to leave it no manner of influence over the heart. In the fight of faith, on the one side combat the senses and appetites, and all the pleasures of this world; on the other, reason and religion, and the hopes and expectations of a better but to whichsoever party the heart inclines, that party is sure of the victory. Now the heart being originally corrupt and evil, always hankering after the things of the flesh, fond of the follies and vanities of this life, and very little disposed in itself to the things that are not seen, faith must constantly be vanquished, and all the hopes of immortality frustrated, did not God's holy spirit minister fresh aid, renew the combat, bring over the heart to the side of virtue, and so defeat the hopes of sin and death. Herein then lie the inestimable riches of God's grace; the Holy Ghost corrects the wrong bias of our wills, instructs and enlightens our hearts, dis-poses them to faith and obedience, and yet farther strengthens them against the force of temptations, and carries all these purposes into execution by co-operating with our prayers, and interceding for their acceptance at the throne of

grace,

grace. And without this farther aid, Christ had died for us in vain for although, by this means, we were no longer considered as the children of wrath, but were re-admitted to God's favour, yet of what service would even this have been to us, unless we were at the same time enabled to preserve that favour?

Nor yet does this grace destroy the freedom of man's will: for though it is always efficacious, yet do we no where read that it is irresistible e; though it is always at hand to work with us, yet do we no where read that it will work without us. On the contrary, St. Paul, with whose merits, I suppose, there are few people vain enough to put their own in competition, expresses a fear, lest that by any means, when he had preached to others, he himself should be a cast away; and exhorts his converts to work out their salvation with fear and trembling, for this very reason, "because it was God that worked "in them to will and to do of his good plea"sure." St. Peter too, cautions the elect to "give diligence to make their calling and elec"tion sure;" and declares, that if, after they had escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they were again entangled therein and

overcome, then the latter end would be worse with them than the beginning. As to what the advocates of irresistible grace assert, that grace, 'being the gift of God, cannot be imperfect, they mistake the notion of perfection. The perfection of a mean does not consist in its power and force, but in its being well adapted to obtain the end. Thus the perfection of a machine does not depend upon its bulk or strength, but upon the excellency of the contrivance to per- . form the service required of it. The obedience of man, required by the deity, is a free and rational obedience: now to suppose grace irresistible, is to suppose that he makes use of such a mean to enforce that obedience, as is so far from promoting, that it must necessarily defeat that end. So groundless and unwarrantable is their opinion, who vainly persuade themselves, that they are certainly the favourites of heaven, and destined to salvation, even whether they will or no! True faith includes a full confidence on God, on these terms only, that we approve ourselves in his sight: true grace can only be known by the spirit of God bearing witness with our spirit,

that we have a con

science void of offence towards God, and towards man.

The

The third thing I proposed to shew was, that our works have no merit in themselves, and consequently all confidence in them, absolutely considered, is vain and presumptuous.

But this I shall make the subject of a future discourse.

SERMON