and unalterably determined. We find the great design at that moment fully matured in the Infinite Mind; all its parts arranged by a wisdom which never miscalculates; upon which no intrigue either of man or angel can possibly impose; by a sovereignty which none without the most impudent impiety will dare to arraign, and by a power which no opposition either from earth or hell can resist, or even retard in its operations. "Known unto God are all his works from the beginning," and being fully known, they shall all be executed in their proper order, at the appointed time, and by the most appropriate means. The apostle, penetrating by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost into the heavenly world; obtaining a foretaste of its joys, and a glimpse of its glories, traces all back to the sovereign, eternal purpose of God as the origin. "In hopes of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began." Yes, believer, it is a mystery of sovereignty and condescension and love which must fill thy heart and all heaven with wonder for ever, thou wast then predestinated that thou mightst afterwards be called; and thou wast called that thou mightst be justified, and being justified thou shalt be infallibly and everlastingly glorified.

2. The gospel brings to light various ordinances to be improved, and an important change which must be undergone, in order to prepare us for the actual enjoyment of this

immortality and life." Although divine sovereignty reigns in every part of the economy of our redemption, yet there is no collision between her prerogatives, and the freedom of human agency: Secondary causes are employed, and diligence on the part of the objects of mercy required as absolutely as if there was no purpose of the Father predetermining their salvation, or no operation of the Spirit predisposing them to improve that salvation. "Of his own

will begat he us by the word of truth." The Holy Ghost Jehovah works; he works as a sovereign, and with an energy almighty and irresistible, and yet he works by his own word either read or heard as the important means. With this he imparts light to the darkened understanding, he agitates and alarms the slumbering conscience, and subdues to the obedience of faith the whole man: all who shall hereafter be admitted into the kingdom of heaven are born again; "they are born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God, and yet they are born of the incorrup tible seed, even the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. Faith is not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, and yet this faith cometh by hearing" as the instituted and ordinary means. In these and innume rable other instances, the prerogatives of sovereign grace are kept uninvaded, and her glories appear unclouded as much as if no outward ordinances were used, and no

duty prescribed for the performance of man, and yet the instrument appears as prominent, and the singer is called to work out his salvation as imperiously as if grace should possess no dividend of the glory at all. Divine sovereignty reigns now, and will reign for ever, to the exclusion of human merit, and the silencing of human boasting, as if there were no scriptures to be read, no sabbath to be sanctified, no sanctuary to be attended, no ministry of reconciliation to be improved, no baptismal water to be applied, no sacramental bread and wine to be received, and yet he who expects salvation in the wilful neglect of these institutions is as infatuated as the student who expects learning without reflection or reading, or the husbandman who expects his corn in autumn without planting it in spring, or the merchant who dreams of attaining to opulence without enterprise or industry, or the mariner who expects to reach the port of destination without offering his sails to the wind. The connexion between the means and the end is exquisitely nice, too mysterious for our contracted, clouded understandings to comprehend; yet the fact itself, the existence of such connexion is "brought clearly to light in the gospel:" and, reverend fathers and brethren, I trust that no apology is necessary, on the present occasion, for enlarging on this truth. It is fraught with instruction equally interesting to all, whether we stand in the rela

tion of teacher or taught. While it admonishes those in private life "to give all diligence to make their calling and election sure," by improving every ordinance of religion, it admonishes us who serve at the altar to unwearied industry in promoting the salvation of others. While the wind bloweth where it listeth on the valley of vision," infusing life into the dry bones which are scattered around, it is only while we prophesy that the rushing, mighty, vivifying breath is to be expected. There is no possibility of the effect without the cause, and the cause usually operates by the appointed ineans. While Paul "became mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds," in repelling the prince of darkness, and erecting the standard of the cross in the very centre of his dominions; it was by wielding the spiritual weapons, by levelling against it the artillery of heaven that he succeeded in the arduous conflict. The intimate connexion between the means and the end is a part of the mystery of godliness, which ought on no occasion to be overlooked, but the exhibition of it, on occasions like the present, must appear particularly seasonable. We have contemplated with professions of sympathy the deplorable condition of the poor among ourselves, and the still more deplorable condition of the heathen; we have melted at the consideration that any should be "perishing with hunger" while there is living bread provided, "bread

enough and to spare," and we have associated for the purpose of sending them relief: But while we look with melted hearts and flowing eyes on their pitiable situation let us recollect that interrogatory of eternal truth, "how shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach unless they are sent "and supported?" or how shall they "search the scriptures" unless these scriptures are translated into their language and circulated among them?

But this gospel, which brings to light the past and the present relative to the method of human salvation, also sheds its radiance on the future; it renders obvious to the eye of faith the formerly unknown and invisible world. We learn from the oracles of divine truth, that "as it is appointed unto all men once to die, after death" succeeds the judg ment, an impartial, unalterable retribution of honor and happiness to the just, and of reproach and misery to the unjust. Yes, beloved in the Lord, through the medium of revelation we can look forward and see these heavens set on fire, these elements dissolving with fervent heat, and stars, and suns, and worlds all retiring to make room for the dread solemnities of the judgment-day: We see the throne erected, and the once despised, insulted Nazarene descending in all the grandeur of his divinity unveiled and sitting upon it: We see the grave surrendering its

B