Even in His great Intercessory prayer for their sanctification, He did not say,

66

Sanctify

them by thy promises;" nor did he say,

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Sanctify them by thy threatenings;" but "by thy TRUTH: thy word is truth." Thus all truth, consolatory and conservative, cheering and checking, belongs to the means of sanctification. Accordingly, the great promise of the Holy Spirit, as the Sanctifier, is, "He shall lead you into all truth."

There is still another preservative against falling, which I must bring under your notice, and which you must lay to heart, if you would not fall. It is just as necessary that you should "take unto you the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand," as that you should add to your faith, the virtues and graces we have been contemplating. "For,"

as Sheshbazzar would have said, "fruit trees must be protected, as well as cultivated. No

wonder if a tower is wanted in a vineyard, seeing a lodge is needed even in ‘a garden of cucumbers."

Now, however different our times and circumstances may be from those of the first Christians, they are not so different as to change the character or the spirit of personal piety. Neither the work nor the warfare of Faith ended, when Faith had no longer to "stop the mouths of lions" in the amphitheatre, nor to "quench the violence of fire" at the stake, nor to hide from the edge of the sword in "dens and caves of the earth." Piety did not cease to have enemies in the world, when the lions of persecution died; nor to have intimidations, when the fires of martyrdom were extinguished; nor to have hinderances, when the obscurity of the wilderness was exchanged for the publicity of the city, and the fellowship of mankind. That was, indeed, a great change of circum

stances, for which we cannot be too mindful

and thankful.

The lines have fallen unto us

in pleasant places. We have "a goodly heritage," compared with that of the first followers

of the Lamb.

"a

They had to follow Him in “

howling wilderness," through fire and water. Compared to this, our lot is in a garden of

Eden, where we can sit or walk with equal safety under our own vine and fig-tree; none daring to make us afraid. But still, if there be nothing in our national Paradise to hurt or destroy the body, there is much to peril the soul. There is both forbidden fruit and a tempting serpent in our Eden. And, alas, more disciples are drawn away from Christ now, by the pleasures and profits of the world, than seem to have been driven away from Him then by persecution. More "fall from their steadfast

ness in this time of peace, than in that time

of war.

Why is this? Many reasons could, no doubt, be assigned for the melancholy fact. The chief reason, however, is, that so many have either no deep fear of falling, or no adequate sense of what is necessary in order to enable them to stand. They do not exactly care but little whether they stand or fall. They are neither reckless, nor altogether heedless, of consequences. It is their wish, "to stand against the wiles of the devil," and to "withstand in the evil day" of trial and temptation. They even hope to do so. And they are so conscious of meaning well, that they almost think ill of any one who is afraid lest they fall. "Fall, indeed! Why should they be suspected of treachery or unsteadiness? Did they not give good evidence, at their outset in the ways of God, that they were savingly converted? Did not experienced and judicious Christians assure them then, that a work of grace was

begun in their souls, and would be carried on by the Holy Spirit unto the day of complete redemption? And, have they not kept their name and their place in the church, ever since, quite as well as the generality? Fall, indeed! Let him that thinketh he standeth better than they do, take heed lest he fall."

This is a wrong spirit, certainly and yet, I must confess, that the way in which some warn others against falling, is almost enough to provoke such a retort. There are Monitors who seem as if they would not be much surprised, nor even very sorry, if we did fall away. There are Reprovers who betray a mean suspicion of our sincerity, as well as a proper sense of our defects. There are also Counsellors who, although they do not utter warnings in a spirit of pique or suspicion, are yet too caustic, or utter nothing but warnings. They caution others, as if grace were no great security against