every restraint, and breaking their footsteps down to the doom of the lost. Where are they? Gone, many of them, into eternity-passed the confines of mercy, "in hell lifting up their eyes, being in torments." And what are you? A sinner saved by grace a sinner chosen and called,-pardoned, and justified-washed and clothed-adopted and sanctified-brought to the foot of the cross, constrained to welcome Jesus, to take up his cross and to follow him. O the electing love of God! O the distinguishing grace of Jesus! sovereign operation of the Eternal Spirit! art thou, O man, that repliest against God?” Bow down to the sovereignty of his will,-silently wonder and adore him who says, "Be still, and know that I am God." O the "Who Has my reader hitherto found this doctrine, a "hard saying?" Has he been prone to cavil at, and pass it by? I would, with all meekness and affection, urge him seriously, candidly, and prayerfully to examine it by the light of the divine word. To cavil not at it, lest he be found to "fight against God;"-to pass it not by, lest he " Spirit," and rob his own soul blessing. Oh precious truth! of human merit-it lays the axe at the root of self-it humbles and abases-it empties and lays "low in a low place," and ascribes all the praise, grieve the of an inestimable It stains the pride honour and glory, might, majesty, and dominion. of the new creation in the soul, to the Triune God. Intimately connected with the sovereignty, is the free grace of the Spirit's operation. No worthiness of the creature allures him to the sinner's breast. What worthiness can be supposed to exist—what merit in an adjudged criminal—an outlawed rebel—a poor insolvent—one whose mind is enmity, whose heart is swelling with treason against God, his government, and his Son?-one who owes ten thousand talents, and has “nothing to pay! y?" None whatever. And that the Eternal Spirit should enter the heart of such an one-convincing of sin-subduing the hatred-breaking down the rebellion-leading to Jesus, and sealing pardon and peace upon the conscience-O! what but free grace-unmerited mercy-sovereign love could thus have constrained him. In exercising his sovereignty in conversion, let none suppose that that which decides him in the selection of his subject, is anything more worthy, or more lowly, he discovers in one than in another. O no! often selects the poorest, the vilest, the most depraved and fallen, as if utterly to explode all idea of human merit, and to reflect in its richest lustre, the free grace of his heart. Behold, then, the grace of the blessed Spirit's operation,—he comes He -he knocks-he unbars-he enters, and creates all things new, irrespective of any merit of the creature, if merit that may be called, which is so wretched and poor that language fails adequately to describe it. O the riches of his grace! How it is magnified-how it is illustrated-how it shines in the calling of a poor sinner. "Lord, what didst thou see in me," exclaims the convinced soul, "that moved thee with compassion, that drew thee to my breast, and that constrained thee to make me thy temple-nothing on my part, but poverty, wretchedness, and misery-on thy part, nothing but love, sovereignty, and unmerited favour." Reader, turn not from this glorious feature of the blessed Spirit's operation-it glorifies God, while it humbles man-it exalts Jesus on the ruins of the creature. Poor in spirit! blessed are ye! Ye are rich in your poverty,-ye are exalted in your lowliness. All the love that is in God,—all the grace that is in Jesus,—and all the tenderness that is in the Spirit, all, all is for you. Lift up your head then, and let your heart sing for gladness. Though poor, though nothing, though despised, though worthless in your own eyes-ah! and in the eyes of the vaunting Pharisee—yet, for you, Jehovah pours out all the treasures of his grace, -gave his well-beloved Son, and sent his blessed Spirit. "All things are yours," ye poor in spirit, ye broken in heart-" all things are yours"-how vast the compass of your blessings!" All things are yours, for ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's." O could ye know how dear you are to the heart of God-could ye know with what tenderness Jesus yearneth over you-how the blessed Spirit delight. eth to make you his dwelling-place, ye would rejoice in that ye are made low. "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 humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." (Isaiah lvii. 15.) The operation of the Spirit is effectual. As we have necessarily touched upon this feature in former parts of the chapter, especially in the preceding sentences, it seems to demand a less extended unfolding here. Still, it presents an important and glorious aspect of the Spirit's work, upon which we cannot reflect without clearer, more elevated, and sanctifying views of his operations in the work of regeneration. The reader will not need to be reminded that, the great change that takes place in the soul at regeneration, is frequently termed by the Holy Ghost, in various parts of his word, a calling. few passages will prove it. A reference to a speaks of his being "called by grace." Rom. viii. 28. The saints of God are spoken of as the "called according to his purpose." 1 Pet. ii. 9. "Called out of darkness." Rom. viii. 30. "Whom he did predestinate, them he also called.” Jude 1. "Preserved in Jesus Christ, and called." 2 Tim. i. 9. "Who hath called us with an holy calling." Heb. iii. 1. "Partakers of the heavenly calling." 2 Pet. ii. 10. "Make your calling and election sure." Thus is it clear that, he that is raised from the dead, brought out of darkness, and born again, is called. The blessed agent by whom he is called is, the Eternal Spirit. "It is the Spirit that quickeneth," or calleth. The point with which we have now especially to do is, the effectual nature of his calling. There is an external and an internal call of the Spirit. The external call is thus alluded to. Prov. i. 24. "I have called and ye have refused." Matt. xxii. 14. " Many are called, but few are chosen." This outward call of the Spirit, is made in various ways. In the word, in the glorious proclamation of the gospel, through the providences of God,-those of mercy and those of judgement, the warnings of ministers, the admonitions of friends, and not less powerful, the awakening of the natural conscience. By these means does the Holy Spirit "call sinners to |