ward attendance upon the means of grace for a real conversion of heart! There is no person in greater danger, in the present day, than the inconsistent professor of the Gospel; the person who is balancing between the world and the church; now conforming to the world, and then soothing his conscience by some truth of the Gospel in which he has no part-for, alas! he has never fled for refuge to the hope set before him; he has always remained without the city, instead of taking hold of the horns of the altar. We trust there is no such person present; but it behoves us, in this day of profession, to give the caution; and especially to keep the true Christian from the danger, by leading him to seek after this "full assurance of hope to the end."

you to rise

Let me therefore entreat above that low standard which allows professors of religion to go on for years doubting and doubting, and comforting themselves under this idea, that this bright hope was limited to the Apostolic ages. If the favour of God or the heirs of promise were limited to the Apostolic age, it might be so; but when the Lord is willing to give to all "who have fled for refuge" this strong consolation, be not satisfied with a lower state; for it is this "good hope" that will keep your Christian profession steady

when the hour of trial comes. Oh, may the Lord grant you this faith, for his Name sake!

But we trust we are speaking to those who by Divine grace have attained this privilege. To you, my beloved friends, we would say, imitate, in your dealings towards the Lord, the generosity which he here so richly displays. It is alleged of some, that they make use of these strong consolations only the more readily to plunge into sin. To say nothing of the delusion of such a character-and, oh, how deluded must he be who can suppose himself to be an heir of promise, when he is taking no pleasure in that which is among the greatest pleasures of the heir, the hope of conformity to Him who gives him the inheritance!—to say nothing of this delusion, what ingratitude does such a course display! It would be far worse than if a son, to whom a generous parent should make known his will, should take advantage of that communication to injure his benefactor, under the idea that he could not disinherit him. We believe, my beloved friends, that such a thought is far from your minds. Instead of it, imitate your heavenly Father. Is it his good pleasure to give you strong consolation? then let it be your delight to give him a willing service. Does he declare to you that nothing can change his purpose, but that he will surely give

you a blessing? then entreat that nothing may change yours: that, as he proclaimed from heaven, "I will surely bless thee, and make thee a blessing," so you may on earth reply," I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved; I will speak also of thy testimonies before kings, and will not be ashamed."

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SERMON XII.

ON OBTAINING THE ASSURANCE OF ADOPTION.

PSALM XXXV. 3.

Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

THERE are few, I should conceive, who heard the two very edifying discourses delivered from this pulpit, by the highly esteemed friend who visited us on the last Sabbath, but must have been convinced of the truth of the doctrine then stated-namely, that a consciousness of relationship to God, and of integrity of heart, or of a Christian being able to say of God, "Whose I am, and whom I serve," is among the privileges of the Gospel dispensation. He must also have felt how animating this truth is, and how important in promoting a high standard of Christian godliness and practical morality: that, as we heard in the evening, "every one that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure"-every one who has a confidence that he is a child of God, that he shall

behold the glorified Saviour, and that "when he shall appear he shall be like him," will now be seeking after that purity which he will then fully enjoy. This effect, my friends, is but the legitimate consequence of this hope. For, of what does hope consist? it is of desire and expectation. What we really desire fully to possess in future, as far as our capabilities admit we strive to possess now. The Christian, therefore, hoping to be like the holy Jesus at his coming, now purifies himself, or presses after a purity according to this standard.

Such being the blessedness of this scriptural confidence, a question naturally arises, How it may be obtained? how may they who are seeking the Lord be enabled with unhesitating confidence to adopt in their own experience this language of the Apostle, "Whose I am, and whom I serve?" It is a privilege for which the inspired Apostle Paul, as shewn by my last discourse, directed the believing Hebrews to seek ; and for which, as appears by the text, the Holy Spirit taught David to pray, "Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation." I would therefore, my beloved friends, now endeavour to answer this question, by setting before you the manner of obtaining, by Divine grace, this assurance. May the God of hope graciously assist us! May He grant us all joy and peace