tion of regeneration. Among deluded fanatics, the test of progress in sanctification, is the confidence and the joy of men in their own experience. Beware, brethren, beware of such deceits. Measure rather your sanctification, by the degree of self-abasement which it produces; and let God only be your joy. The more you think as angels do; as the spirits of the just in heaven; as God the Judge of all; the more correctly do you think. In their sight, your attainments are few and small; your imperfection is obvious in every thing; and your transgressions numerous and aggravated. By the inhabitants of heaven, the attainments of the saints on earth appear no more than the power and the wisdom of mere children. They judge correctly; and the greater your holiness, the more will you judge like them. They think you are still low, compared with the standard of duty and perfection.* It behooves you to think lowly of yourselves by the same rule. God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.t

3. I prove the assertion, self-abasement is a certain sign of true religion.

The Holy Spirit is appointed, in the economy of the covenant of grace, to bring all redeemed men into this state: The God of all truth positively declares that every one, who is in this state, is, in fact, blessed with a saving interest in Christ; and consequently, every one who is conscious of self-abasement, has a conclusive evidence of his title to the kingdom of heaven. The scriptures support me in these assertions; "When the COMFORTER is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin. And I will put my Spirit within you-then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities. For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy, I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and hum

* Truly, brethren, when I see the curse of God upon many Christians, that are now grown full of their parts, gifts, peace, comforts, abilities, duties, I stand adoring the riches of God's mercy to a little handful of poor believers; not only in making them empty, but in keeping them so (poor in spirit) all their days. Shepard's Sound Believer.

+ James iv. 6. Matth. v. 3.

§ Ezek. xxxvi. 27, 31.

+ John xv. 26. & xvi. 8.

ble spirit. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."*

No doubt can remain, that such Christian humility, as arises from a sense of our personal unworthiness before the God of our salvation, is the work of the Spirit of grace in the soul. Let it appear in the form of reverence and godly fear; in the form of anxiety to be delivered from the power of sin; in the form of self-denial; in the form of utter despair of attaining to salvation on account of any goodness in ourselves, whether natural or acquired, either by our own exertions or by the favour of God; or in the form of prayer for mercy on account of the merits of the Lord Jesus our covenant Surety: in whatever form or degree it appears to our own consciousness, it is certain evidence of the truth of our piety: it does not make a title; but it is proof of our title to "the inheritance of the saints in light." The title itself is, indeed, constituted by our union with the Head Christ; but, hereby, we know that he dwelleth in us and we in him, because he hath given us this work of his Spirit.

II. Entire dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ is certain evidence of a state of grace.

No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Any one, it is true, may read or repeat these words; but no man can say with truth, that Jesus, the only Saviour, is in fact the Saviour of his choice, and that he depends upon him, as the Lord of life, for eternal salvation, no man can say this, at any time, but by the Spirit of God. It is an exercise of saving faith, and a certain sign of spiritual life.

The Scriptures assure us that salvation is of grace, through faith; and that saving faith is not of ourselves, but is the gift of God. Dependence on Christ for that salvation is, of course, an essential part of "the faith of God's elect." The exercises of faith are indeed various, according to the various occasions furnished by him that made us, for our improvement in Christian experience and usefulness. Believers, when they act appropriately, under all the circumstances of their condition in the world, act piously, intelligently, and discreetly. The exercises of faith are of course exceedingly diversified. The several parts of divine revelation, which is always the light in which Christians walk, and the rule by which they act, afford ground for several distinct exercises of our new nature upon evangelical principles. Faith assents to the truth of the facts asserted in the Bible; complies with the precepts, and the invitations; embraces the promise and the offer; and with an unwavering conviction of the reality of divine things, seeks and expects the enjoyment of them in heaven. It is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.

Faith has respect to the divine Being; the persons of the Godhead; the attributes and the works of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; to the person, the offices, and the graces of the Mediator; the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Spirit of God and of Christ. It is the soul's desire of enjoying God; it is the acceptation of the good things which are offered in the gospel; it is the act of the renewed understanding assenting to the doctrines of truth, and of the renewed heart uniting itself in love to Jesus Christ, the SECOND Adam, as our new covenant head. Faith is the seeing, the hearing, the receiving, the eating and drinking, the walking, the resting, of our spiritual man. It is the living energy of the new creature exercising itself in godliness, in the strength of the Lord of life. The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the FAITH of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. This is the faith, without which there is no salvation to any soul of man, and with which there cannot possibly be final condemnation. There is no proposition more positively asserted in the word of God than this-He that believeth shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned. God hath spoken it; and it must be true. God hath promised; and he is faithful that promised, and able also to perform. Faith is the gift of God, for the express purpose of uniting us to his Son, that we may have everlasting life. It does, in fact, unite us to the Redeemer; and the divine law sustains the union: he is the Lord our righteousness. Being united to the Redeemer, the law cannot condemn; because it no more applies, for the purpose of either justification or condemnation, to the sinner in his own person. The believer must be treated according to the newly constituted relation of his soul to the Saviour. "We are dead to the law by the body of Christ, being married to another husband. God is just, and who is he that condemneth? There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." Faith is a gift and a blessing of the covenant of grace, and that covenant is ordered in all things and sure. It is the will of God that believers should be saved. From all eternity he determined it should be the case. In order that it might be so, he sent his Son into the world; the Redeemer came, and obeyed, and suffered, and died, and rose again, and ever liveth to make intercession for us. For this purpose the gospel is published, ministers are sent, a church is formed and preserved; ordinances are appointed and administered, and the Holy Ghost is given. It must be so. "He that believeth shall be saved."

Will you, my hearers, admit this truth? If you reject this truth, I cannot reason with you upon the subject of personal assurance of salvation. There is no ground upon which the preacher and the hearer can meet for the discussion, if you deny salvation to the believer; if you can even doubt whether the believer shall be saved; if you doubt God's word, so often, so unequivocally, so clearly and powerfully repeated from heaven. Again, I ask my congregation, will you admit the truth, "The believer shall be saved?" Grant me your assent to this sentiment, and I now ask no more. You grant it then. I know that you believe and are sure, that Christ is able to save to the uttermost. I proceed to the demonstration -cordial and entire dependence on Christ for salvation is conclusive evidence of a state of grace.

Come, then, ye anxious children of my God, let us look around for subjects in this congregation, to whom the text may be applied. Look within you for the character specified, dependence on Christ for eternal life.

This character is simple; the examination will not perplex the most feeble disciple: it is obvious; and may be discovered by every one: it is common to all Christians; and therefore whatever difference there be among the saints, each has this witness within himself; this character is not, tem porary or occasional, but habitual and permanent; and therefore you have at all times this certain sign of true religion.

I show you what is implied in this character, and that it is proof of spiritual union to the Saviour.

1. Dependence on Christ for salvation implies, first, that you really desire salvation. You certainly know, whether this is the case with you or not. It implies, secondly, that you know who is the Saviour sent from God, and of whom the Scriptures testify. It is upon him we must depend; for this is the true God and eternal life. I am not speaking of dependence on a fictitious character; but upon the very Christ described in the Bible. The meaning of dependence you know. It is the third idea implied in the character. It is

the laying all your weight upon him-casting a burden on him, leaning yourselves upon him, resting your souls upon him, trusting your interests to him. Fourthly, it is a dependence for a specified purpose--for eternal life. This includes all your needs: Pardon, peace, holiness, comfort, life, hope in death, and a glorious immortality-dependence for eternal life, and nothing short of this, nothing but what is involved in this. Fifthly, the dependence is cordial-a matter of choice, of intelligent choice: it is entire, without reserve, and without doubt of his power to support you: it is exclusive; for there is none associated with him as in part a Saviour, nor works, nor gifts, nor friends, nor saints, on earth or in heaven, nor angels, nor personal attainments of any kind: Christ stands alone as the Rock. There he is before you, a sure foundation, elect, precious; he that believeth in him shall not be confounded. All this is plain to the meanest capacity: and it remains for me only to ask you, are you conscious of such dependence? Then you stand upon the Rock, against which the gates of hell shall not prevail.

2. This dependence is evidence of true religion in the soul.

You will readily perceive, that, by the description we have given of saving faith, dependence on Jesus Christ for eternal life is an exercise of that distinguished grace, and is a work of the Spirit which is given to us. The whole description of faith may summarily comprehended in this short sentence, a "receiving and resting upon Christ alone for eternal life." This is saving faith; and it follows, that dependence on him for future happiness, being an exercise of faith, is certain evidence of its existence.

The faith of the saints is made manifest by works, for it works by love and purifies the heart. The Apostle, who said that faith without works is dead, taught us to show, both to ourselves and to others, our faith by our works. This principle is applicable to every power and faculty of man. The effect indicates the presence of a cause; the exercise proves the existence of the faculty. Every man, and every body of men, under the dictates of common sense, act upon this principle. If you are a good reader, a good speaker, or a good writer, give us a specimen of your powers. This is preferable to the testimony of a hundred witnesses. Are you benevolent? show it by your beneficence; disinterested? seek not an increase of ease, or pleasure, or emolument, show us your mildness, your self-denial, your public spirit. When I