nant over every other love. Where indeed should we be, if we could not be saved without undeviating perseverance, without running with patience the race in the vigorous sense, I would say, so as never to commit an action incompatible with the design of Christianity? Where should we be, were God to scrutinize our life with rigour; if he waited only for the first offence we commit, in order to plunge us into the abyss reserved for the wicked? Where would be the Jobs, the Moseses, the Davids, and all those distinguished offenders, whose memory the Holy Spirit has immortalized, to comfort us under our falls? One of the greatest motives to comply with a law is the lenity of the legislator: I will cite on this subject a passage of Justin Martyr: "How could Plato," says he "censure Homer for ascribing to the gods placability by the oblation of victims? Those who have this hope, are the very persons who endeavour to recover themselves by repentance and reformation: whereas, when they consider the Deity as an inexorable being, they abandon the reins of corruption, having no expectation of effect from repentance."

Distinguish then the virtue we enforce from one of the principal means of its acquisition. If you ask what is perseverance, I will answer, it is that disposition of mind which enables us, as I have more than once affirmed, and which is still necessary to repeat; it is that disposition of mind which enables us, all things considered, to give God the preference over every sensible object, that divine love may predominate in our heart over every other love.

If

you ask me, what are the surest means of acquiring that disposition? I will say, it is to watch against every temptation to which you may be exposed. I will say, in order to preserve the habit of Christianity, you must use your utmost endeavours never to do any thing incompatible with its design.

II. Having removed the ambiguity of the term perseverance, we shall prove in the second article that we cannot be saved without this virtue.

1. The passage we have explained is not solitary. It is a passage which coincides with many other texts of scripture. The truth, resulting from the sense here given, is not a truth substantiated solely by the text. It is an explanation which a great number of express texts establish beyond the possibility of doubt. Weigh the following: Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall, 1 Cor. x. 12. Thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear: for if God spared not the natural branchês, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold, therefore, the goodness and the severity of God: on them which fall, severity; but towards thee goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off, Rom. xi. 20, 21, 22. I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken. O that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, that it might be well with them, and their children for ever, Deut. v. 28, 29. He that endureth unto the end shall be saved, Matt. x. 22. Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown, Rev. iii. 11. Thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, the

righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the rightcous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth. When I say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed he shall die, Ezek. iii. xviii. xxxiii. 12, 13. Such is the morality of our scriptures. Such is the vocation of the faithful. It is not enough that we keep, for a few years, the commandments of God: we must continue to keep them. It is not enough that we triumph for awhile over the old man, we must triumph to the end; and if we have wandered by weakness for a season, we must steadfastly return to piety and religion.

2. Consider on what principle the Scripture characters founded their assurance of salvation. Was it on some abstract notions? On some confused systems? No: it was on the principle of persevering in the profession of their religion, and in the practice of virtue. I will adduce but one example, which seems to me above all exception: it is he, who, of all the sacred authors, has furnished us with the most conclusive arguments on the doctrine of assurance of salvation, and the inadmissibility of grace; I would mention the example of St. Paul. He never doubted of his perseverance in piety, and in the profession of religion. The love of God was so deeply rooted in the heart of this apostle, as to remove all scruple on

that head. When, however, St. Paul, by abstraction of mind, considered himself as having lost the disposition which we shall call the habit of Christianity; when he considered himself as falling under the temptations to which he was exposed from the flesh, hell, and the world;-what did he expect, considering his state in this point of view? What did he expect after the acquisition of so much knowledge; after preaching so many excellent sermons; after writing so many excellent and catholic epistles; after working so many miracles; after achieving so many labours; after encountering so many dangers; after enduring so many sufferings to exalt the glory of Christ; after setting so high an example to the church? What did he expect after all this? Paradise? The crown of righteousness? No: he expected hell and damnation. Did he expect that his past virtues would obtain the remission of his present defects? No: he expected that his past virtues would aggravate his present faults. I count not myself to have apprehended, Phil. iii. 13. But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway, 1 Cor. ix. 27. In what situation did he place himself to lay hold of the crown of righteousness, and to obtain the prize? He placed himself at the close of his course. It was at the termination of life, that this athletic man exclaimed, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness. 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8.

3. Consider what were the sentiments of the most distinguished Scripture characters, when they recollected themselves in those awful moments; in which, after they had so far offended against divine love as to suppose the habit lost, or when their piety was so far eclipsed as to suppose it was vanished. Did they oppose past virtues to their present faults? Hear those holy men, O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed: my soul is also sore vexed. Psa. vi. 2. Mine iniquities are gone over my head, as a heavy burden: they are too heavy for me. Psa. xxxviii. I acknowledge my transgression, and my sin is ever before me. Psa. li. 3, 11. Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Cast me not away from thy presence; restore me unto the joy of thy salvation. Will the Lord cast off forever? And will he be favourable no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? Doth his promise fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Psa. lxxvii. 8, 9, 10. What ideas do these words excite in your minds? Is it the presumptuous confidence which some men, unhappily called Christians, evince after committing the foulest offences? Are these the sentiments merely of an individual, who, by a simple emotion of generosity and gratitude, reproaches himself for having insulted his benefactor? Or are they sorrows arising in the soul from the fears of being deprived of those favours in future? Magnanimous sentiments, doubtless are found in the characters of those distinguished saints. A repentance, founded solely on the fear of hell, can never obtain