His people, sensible that their own efforts, and all external means, without his blessing, will be ineffectual, apply to him for it." Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." We can gratify our lusts, but we cannot mortify them. We have a natural propensity to sin, but no inclination to holiness. "Sanctify them by thy truth," says Christ; "thy word is truth."

(2.) Preservation. God sanctifies those whom he will preserve, and preserves those whom he has sanctified; preserves from enemies, and from falling entirely, through the wilderness to the heavenly Canaan. The inheritance is kept for them, and they are kept for the inheritance. They may halt and stumble, but they shall not fall; or, if they fall, shall be raised up again. This preservation is represented in the foregoing verse as extending to soul, and body, and spirit, and continuing to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

II. To the duties before enjoined. Is it our duty to "rejoice evermore," to "pray without ceasing," "in every thing to give thanks," and the like? Well may we say, "Who is sufficient for these things?" What difficulties attend the discharge of one of these duties; how much more of them all! To animate us, therefore, and prevent those discouraging thoughts, which would otherwise arise in our minds, it is good to remember that it is God who must and who doth work in us "both to will and to do of his own good pleasure." It is necessary that he should do it; it is certain that he will. Without him we can do nothing; by his assistance we can do every thing. We can only act by being acted upon. His omnipotency will be a sufficient remedy for our impotency. Hence, it was a saying of one of the ancient fathers, "Lord, give thou what thou commandest, and then command what thou wilt." "The Lord is faithful," says the apostle in his second epistle to the Thessalonians, "who shall stablish and keep you from evil :" and then he expresses his

confidence that they did, and would do, the things that were commanded them.

III. This may be applied to any other good thing necessary to be done either by God for us, or by us for God. "My God," says the apostle, "shall supply all your need, according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." In my text there is something very beautiful. The apostle says, God will do it-without saying what; so that, whatever we can conceive of as needful for us, and conducive to his honour, he will perform. Dost thou want, O soul! to have thy sins pardoned, that dreadful weight of guilt removed, which almost sinks thee into despair? Dost thou want to have thy corruptions mortified, which create so much uneasiness to thyself, and, by breaking forth into actual sins, have brought so much dishonour to God? Dost thou want to walk in a humble nearness to God, to have freedom of access to him now, and to appear before him with holy confidence at last? Dost thou want to be sincere, spiritual, and useful to have all thy fears suppressed, all thine enemies trod under thy feet-to live in peace, and die in triumph, and then brought safe to heaven? Then, "wait upon the Lord, and keep his way." Faithful is he that calleth thee, who will do it. Something like this is that request of the Psalmist, "Do thou for me, O God, the Lord, that which is fitting."

I proceed, Secondly, to consider the grounds of the assurance here expressed. And as the temple of old had two pillars, Jachin and Boaz, both which signify strength and power, to support it; so the apostle's confidence in my text rests upon a twofold foundation, the faithfulness of God, and the good work that he has wrought in the hearts of his people; and if these foundations were to fail, well may we say, what would the righteous do?

1. The first foundation, then, is the immutable faithfulness of God. Not the Christian's faithfulness to God, but God's faithfulness to him. This is often mentioned as

thou dost faithfully," says John to his beloved Gaius; and the same may be said to the great God. ،، Who is a strong God like unto thee," says David, "or to thy faithfulness round about thee?" Here we may observe two things:

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God's faithfulness is his truth to all his covenant engagements, and principally refers to the gracious promises of his word. By them he has laid himself under an obligation which none but himself could do, and he will fulfil the obligation, notwithstanding all threatening appearances and alarming circumstances; as the Apostle says, believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.' suppose we are as full of unbelief as the apostle was strong in faith;-amidst a thousand foreboding fears and distressing apprehensions, God remaineth faithful; nor shall our unbelief make his promise of none effect. We are like a deceitful bow that soon turneth aside, but the mercy, truth, and faithfulness of God endure for ever.

The Christian, therefore, even in the greatest affliction, may draw comfortable conclusions from the faithfulness of God. Thou, O Christian, art deceitful, and changing as the wind; but God is faithful! Thou canst not trust thyself, but canst thou not trust God? Cast all thy burdens, throw the whole weight of thy concerns upon him, and the event will be honourable to himself, and happy to thee. What he hath promised he will do, for he cannot violate his engagements or break his word. The promise and oath of God are those two immutable things, whereby God affords strong consolation to all true believers; but neither the one nor the other would be a solid ground of comfort, were it not for his own inviolable faithfulness and truth.

2. The other foundation is the good work that God hath wrought in the hearts of his people. We have a similar passage, (1 Cor. i. 9,) "God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." This may have respect either to that effectual calling which is the first exertion of the Spirit's influence

upon the heart of a sinner, or to those numerous and repeated calls which are consequent upon it.

(1.) This may refer to that effectual calling whereby we are brought out of darkness into light, and from under the power of Satan into the kingdom of God's dear Son. Grace is the spring of it; a divine power is exerted in it; holiness is the immediate, and happiness the remote end of it. Thus, we are said to be "called to glory and virtue." By it the dominion of sin is broken, though the existence of it is not destroyed; and the principles of grace implanted, which, being afterwards strengthened, shine forth in the religious life. In a word, this is the beginning of the work of God; and if he has set his hand to the plough he will never take it off. It shall not be laid to his charge that he 'began, and was not able to finish," for the first blessing of salvation is a pledge and earnest of all the rest. "Whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified." Not one link in this blessed, this golden chain, shall be broken. Now, this is the force of the Apostle's reasoning in my text: God will not forsake the work of his own hands; he that hath begun to show mercy will go on to show it. He will support his people under all trials and difficulties, and enable them ultimately to triumph over all opposition.

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(2.) It may also refer to those calls which are consequent upon the former. You may observe, that it is not said in my text, "Who hath called you," but, "who calleth you;" or, as it might be rendered, "who is now calling you." As the saints have need to be continually calling upon God, so they have equal need to be continually called by him; so that it may be said of calling, as one said of conversion, "If I have been converted once, I have been converted a hundred times over." "Call thou," says Job, "and I will answer!" We repeatedly backslide from God; and if it were not for his renewed calls, we should backslide eternally. He calls us off from our wicked ways, worldly attachments, and

father's house:""Thou saidst, Seek ye my face:" "Come, for all things are ready." God called the Thessalonians to their performance of various duties mentioned in the foregoing verses; but then, it was not enough to be taught their duty, they must be powerfully assisted in the performance of it. There must be an internal, as well as an external, call. Thus it was when God called the wandering and disobedient Jews, "Return, ye backsliding children;" and they replied, "Behold! we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God!" Upon these remarks we may found the following inferences.

1. Whatever we do for God should be looked upon as the fruit of what he does for us, and therefore we have no reason to be proud of our best performances. What is evil is from ourselves, what is good, from him. "They perceived," says Nehemiah," that this work was wrought of God." "We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works."

2. The great thing necessary to internal sanctification, and all practical religion, is our calling of God. Here God's work begins, and here begins our working for God.

3. Whilst saints rejoice, let sinners tremble at God's faithfulness. As God is faithful to his promises, so is he also to his threatenings. He is as unchangeable in his wrath as in his mercy. The chaff shall be as certainly cast into the fire, as the wheat shall be gathered into the garner. Faithful is he, O sinner! and he will do it. Not one tittle of his word shall fall to the ground. "To me," says Jehovah, "belongeth vengeance and recompence." "Their foot shall slide in due time, for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that come upon them make haste."