vice. God's hands would be stretched out all the long day of this world's being, "to a disobedient and gainsaying people."

The election secures the contrary. Jesus says, "All that the Father hath given me, shall come to me." John vi. 37. His royal diadem is held in the everlasting counsels, beyond the reach of change, of accident, or loss; and when he cometh in glory to display His Kingly strength, it will be seen that his brow is adorned with this imperishable memorial of the changeless covenant in him. The prophetic narration of Jesus's vicarious sufferings assures us of the certainty of the results; and drawing aside the veil from the bloody offering, shews us, not only the pains endured, but the purchase made. Iniquity by imputation was laid upon him, "The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." "He bare the sin of many." "He made his soul an offering for sin." These testimonies of redeeming love are then closed by the testimony of the Redeemer's contentment, "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied." See Isa. liii. The description we have of the coming day agrees in style with this doctrine. "He shall send his angels, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds." Matt.

xxiv. 31.

"Shall not God avenge his own elect." Luke xviii. 7. "For the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." Matt. xxiv. 22. "Having loved his own, he loved them to the end." "I go, saith he, to prepare a place for you. And "I will come again, and receive you to myself." See John xiv. 2, 3.

Surely, to the disciples of Jesus, whatever gives glory to their Lord, must be acceptable; and where can we find a greater provision for this glory than in the doctrine before us? It at once yields unto him the honour of which he is jealous, and for which we should pray. It proclaims him all-powerful, unchanging, victorious over all that opposeth him, and displays him in his seat of glory, as the life of men. It at once exhibits the excellence of his person and work, in that he is entrusted with the eternal interests of a people, specially precious in Jehovah's sight; being able and willing to save them to the uttermost. It exalts the Divine nature before the whole creation, by shewing the sovereignty, the love, the wisdom of God; and also exhibits the human nature assumed by him, as answering the end of a representative head of a body for which he must suffer and obey. And no doubt it will be in and through this mystical

body of Christ, so created, redeemed, and preserved, that the glorious Godhead will eternally shew forth the Divine perfection to all intelligences above, "All mine are thine, and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them." "And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one. Father, I will that they also which thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me; for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world." John xvii. 10, 21-24.

Objections to the doctrine vanish before these considerations; in place of them, grateful admiration springs, and we exclaim, "Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God; how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! for who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen." Rom. xi. 33-36.

This doctrine is as a covenant-cloud from which drops of sweetest consolation fall upon

the soul of man: while it deprives him of all power of self-glory in God's sight, it invests him with the privilege of hope, even in circumstances most desperate. The Apostle brings himself forward as a pattern for them that should after believe. Mercy shewn to him who was before a persecutor and blasphemer, speaks the power of Christ to save, and the freeness of the saving act. Mercy traced up to this Fountain-head, and seen to be kept for the chosen of God, enlivens expectation; for the promise is, "My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him." Psalm lxxxix. 28. The whole of the psalm referred to treats of this eternal counsel, for the comfort of such as have no other hope, and by exhibiting the source of all power in the Lord alone, generates humble confidence in God. How strong the consolation likewise to such as are possessed of experience! Their many dangers from the world, their continual assaults suffered from Satan, their own indwelling corruption, their many, many unanswerable accusers-how are these to be encountered? To such as understand the subject, vain is the hope of escape or security, but as the eternal love of God in Christ is seen! The promise,

"I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee: the pledge, "My sheep shall never perish: the challenge, "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?" the assurance, "the Lord knoweth them that are his;" these are the consolatory and supporting truths on which God's child depends, and without which he would faint and fall. "I had utterly fainted, but that I believed verily to see the salvation of God." Psalm xxvii. 13.

Nor is it only to the convinced sinner, or to the experienced saint, that this doctrine holds forth encouragement. There is such an unhappy case as that of a backslider; of one in spiritual declension. By what argument shall such an one be prevailed upon to return, or be addressed with words of encouragement? He is disposed to question his own sincerity, to distrust his own resolves, to argue himself into despondency, and to say, "There is no hope; I have loved strangers, and after them I will go." And where is the cord to throw around his desperate soul? where the argument by which to hold him back in hope? None other is proposed in the Lord's word but this: "Return unto me, for I have redeemed thee." "I will heal thy backslidings. and love thee freely." "Thou hast undone