he less composed for the heavens were opened to him, and he saw his Saviour in glory, approving his fi delity, and ready to receive his spirit*.

In brief, whatever men or devils may attempt against us, there are three things which, if we are true believers, they cannot do. They may be helpful to wean us from the world; they may add earnestness to our prayers; they may press us to greater watchfulness and dependence; they may afford fair occasions of evidencing our sincerity, the goodness of our cause, and the power of that God who is for us,-such are the benefits that the Lord teaches his people to derive from their sufferings, for he will not let them suffer or be oppressed in vain. But no enemy can deprive us of the love with which God favours us, or the grace which he has given us, or the glory which he has prepared for us. "Now what shall

we say to these things?"

Alas! there are too many who say, at least in their hearts, (for their conduct bewrays their secret thoughts,) we care but little about them. If they were to speak out, they might adopt the language of the rebellious Jews to the prophet. "As to the word which thou "hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will "not hearken unto thee; but we will certainly do what

soever thing goeth forth out of our own mouthf.” And there are others who plainly say, Let us then “con"tinue in sin that grace may abound." They do not so expressly reject the Gospel, as to take encouragement from it to go on in their wickedness. The case of the former is very dangerous, that of the latter is still But grace, though long slighted, though often abused, is once more proclaimed in your hearing. The

worse.

*Acts vii. 56-60. VOL. IV,

↑ Jerem. xliv. 16, 17.

3 U

Lord forbid that you should perish with the sound of salvation in your ears!

At present, and while you persist in your impenitence and unbelief, I may reverse the words of my text. Oh! consider, I beseech you, before it be too late, "If God "be against you, who can be for you?" Will your companions comfort you in a dying hour? Will your riches profit you in the day of wrath? Will the recollection of your sinful pleasures, give you confidence to stand before this great and glorious Lord God, when you shall be summoned to appear at his tribunal? May you be timely wise, and "flee for refuge to the hope set before you!"

6:

SERMON XLVI.

ACCUSERS CHALLENGED.

ROMANS viii. 33.

Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

THOUGH

HOUGH the collating of manuscripts and various readings, has undoubtedly been of use in rectifying some mistakes which, through the inadvertency of transcribers, had crept into different copies of the New Testament; yet such supposed corrections of the text ought to be admitted with caution, and not unless supported by strong reasons and good authorities. The whole Scripture is given by inspiration of God: and they who thankfully receive it as his book, will not trifle with it by substituting bold conjectural alterations, which, though

they may deem them to be amendments, may possibly disguise or alter the genuine sense of the passage. Some fancied emendations might be pointed out, suggested by very learned men, which do not seem to afford so strong a proof of the sound judgment of the proposers, as of their vanity and rashness. Let the learned men be as ingenious as they please in correcting and amending the text of Horace or Virgil, for it is of little importance to us whether their criticisms be well founded or not, but let them treat the pages of divine revelation with re

verence.

But the pointing of the New Testament, though it has a considerable influence upon the sense, is of inferior authority. It is a human invention, very helpful, and for the most part, I suppose, well executed. But in some places it may admit of real amendment. The most ancient manuscripts are without points, and some of them are even without a distinction of the words. With the pointing, therefore, we may take more liberty than with the text; though even this liberty should be used soberly. A change in the pointing of this verse and the following, will not alter the received sense, but, as some critics judge, will make it more striking and emphatical. If two clauses should be read with an interrogation instead of a period, the apostle's triumphant challenge may be expressed in the following brief paraphrase :

"Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's "elect?" Shall God himself? So far from it, it is he "who justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?" Shall "Christ? Nay, he loves them, and accepts them. Shall "he who died for them, yea, rather who is risen again, "is even at the right hand of God," on their behalf, "who also maketh intercession for them?" There is

not the least ground to fear, that he who has promised to justify them will lay any thing to their charge; or that he will condemn them, who died to deliver them from condemnation. Nor can any charge of their enemies prevail to the condemnation of those whom God is pleased to justify, and for whom Christ died, and now intercedes before the throne.

The death, the resurrection, and ascension of MESSIAH, we have already considered, I shall speak only to two points from this verse.

I. The title here given to believers, "God's elect.” II. Their great privilege, they are justified, “It is "God who justifieth" them.

I. The persons who will be finally justified by God are here styled his "elect." Very near and strong is the connexion between peace and truth. Yet a mistaken zeal for truth has produced many controversies, which have hurt the peace of the people of God among themselves; and at the same time have exposed them to the scorn and derision of the world. On the other hand, a pretended or improper regard for peace has often been prejudicial to the truth. But that peace which is procured at the expense of truth, is too dearly purchased. Every branch of doctrine, belonging to the faith once delivered to the saints, is not equally plain to every believer. Some of these doctrines the apostle compares to milk, the proper and necessary food for babes; others to strong meat, adapted to a more advanced state in the spiritual life, when experience is more enlarged, and the judgment more established*. The Lord, the great teacher, leads his children on gradually, from the plainer to the more difficult truths, as

Ieb. v. 13, 14,

they are able to bear them. But human teachers are often too hasty; they do not attend sufficiently to the weakness of young converts, but expect them to learn and receive every thing at once; they are not even content with offering strong meat prematurely to babes, but force upon them the bones of subtilties, distinctions, and disputations. But, though a judicious minister will endeavour to accommodate himself to the state of his hearers, no Gospel truth is to be tamely and voluntarily suppressed from a fear of displeasing men. In fact, however, the controversies which have obtained among real Christians, have not so much affected the truth as it lies in the Scripture, as the different explanations, which fallible men of warm passions, and too full of their own sense, have given of it. They who professedly hold and avow the doctrine of an election of grace, are now called Calvinists; and the name is used by some persons as a term of reproach. They would insinuate that Calvin invented the doctrine; or, at least that he borrowed it from Austin, who, according to them, was the first of the fathers that held it. It is enough for me that I find it in the New Testament. But many things advanced upon the subject by later writers, I confess I do not find there. If any persons advance harsh assertions, not warranted by the word of God, I am not bound to defend them. But as the doctrine itself is plainly taught, both by our Lord and his apostles, and is of great importance, when rightly understood, to promote the humiliation, gratitude; and comfort of believers, I think it my duty to state it as plainly as I can. I shall offer my view of it, in a series of propositions so evidently founded, (as I conceive,) on acknowledged principles of Scripture, that they cannot be easily controverted by any persons who have a real reverence for the