careless abuse of to-day, cannot be obliterated by the active virtue of to-morrow; nor the pious exertions of our future life, conceal a single stain that has defiled the soul. The immortal spirit must be renewed by a purer sacrifice than the crucifixion of a carnal lust, or the desertion of an earthly pleasure; and thus the eternal God was clad in mortal flesh, to regain for man the image he had lost. The obedience of Christ was worthless to procure for Him the glories which were His own by right; but it was submitted to for their sakes, who should cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light; that their sins being washed away in the blood of their Redeemer, they might present His obedience for their acceptance with God. Still must we prove the sincerity of our faith by the constancy of our obedience; and labour to make our calling and election sure," for "without holiness, no man shall see the Lord." Thus, and thus only, can we pluck the sting from death, and rob the grave of victory.

SERMON VII.

ON ELECTION AND REPROBATION

66

ROMANS ix. 20, 21.

Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it, Why hast Thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?"

It is one of the fundamental doctrines of the Church, that "it is not lawful for it to ordain any thing contrary to God's word written, neither may it so expound one place of Scripture that it be repugnant to another." The wisdom of this restriction will be evident when we consider, that although the various parts of the sacred volume were indited by the hand of mar, and appear before us as the compositions

of those whose names they bear; yet, being in truth the word of God, and emanating from that eternal Being, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning, they must partake of His immutability, and be exempt from the wanderings of human error. There cannot but exist throughout, the most perfect harmony between its component passages; no one text can, if rightly interpreted, be made to contradict another; but all its doctrines must be in perfect uniformity, and all its precepts of equal usefulness.

These facts must necessarily be borne in view, if we would arrive at truth when studying passages which at first sight appear obscure and difficult; and such attention must be given to the circumstances under which they were written, both as relates to the Apostle writing, and the Church to which he wrote; as may enable us to understand his reasoning without disturbing truths which are elsewhere taught. But if forgetting these essential rules we wrest a passage from its context, and then unite it with others to which it

bears not the slightest allusion; we may, indeed, fabricate a doctrine of our own, but we shall never acquire the doctrine of God.

These observations apply with peculiar force to the words before us, upon which the most revolting doctrine has been based. They have been adduced to prove, that an absolute decree of the Almighty determines the everlasting doom of man, from which it is impossible for him to escape; that his eternal condition in another world is predetermined before his entrance upon this; that the Almighty Artificer has formed His vessels, some for eternal glory, and others for eternal shame. This frightful belief, however, is at total variance with the general tenor of Scripture, as I shall endeavour, in a few instances, to show, before I seek to explain the train of St. Paul's reasoning in the words of the

text.

Let us pause, however, for a moment, before we compare this fearful doctrine with some of the plainest and most important passages of Scripture, to make a brief

observation on that sentence of St. Paul to Timothy, in which he tells him, that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." Now, if our condition in a future world were absolutely and irreversibly decreed; so far from Scripture being profitable for doctrine, all doctrine would be mockery to those whose fate condemned them to eternal woe; and it would be equally useless to them, by whom the joys of heaven could not be forfeited. No need either would there be of reproof or correction to those passive victims, whose capacities had been given them for a preconceived purpose, and whose future state was unalterably fixed, without any reference to their own will. And so far from its being profitable for instruction in righteousness, it would be destructive of every holy and pious effort that man might make to procure the favour of his God; and send forth over a deluged world, a flood of unholy and rebellious lusts, which even the strong hope of future reward,