does and will pray for us in our hour of need, though we perceive not the hand that saves, nor the "Angel standing in the way" between us and destruction.

But, though God will not forsake us, we have ever the power, if we have the will, to forsake Him. Those who think they stand, have to the latest hour of their earthly trial and probation, the same need to " take heed lest they fall." The "Crown of life" is promised to those who "faint not"-who are "faithful unto death"-who "continue in the faith." If ye continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which ye have heard, and which was preached to (or for,) every creature which is under Heaven; whereof I, Paul, am made a Minister." (Col. 1, 23.) Aye, though the history of past generations of man abounds in wondrous proof, that God is indeed "long suffering in goodness," and that He willeth not the death of a sinner," yet is there also in the same Divine record, fearful evidence that "God is not mocked." He has said," My spirit shall not always strive with man." There is an accepted time, but the day of grace past, then comes inevitable retribution. The doom of the primeval world was an awful lesson. Scarcely less remarkable is that of the Jews, who long upheld as a chosen people, a nation of priests, to be an example and instruction, have been signally punished for their unbelief and cast out of God's favor. 'Behold their house is left unto them desolate," as God afore declared unto Moses, so it came to pass. “And

the Lord said unto Moses, this people will forsake Me, and break my covenant which I have made with them. Then My anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them." Deut. 31.

"Once in a state of grace, always in a state of grace," or the doctrine of "perseverance," as it is called, does not seem therefore a theological dogma borne out by scripture. (See our 16th Article.) Turning to the 18th and 33rd chapters of Ezekiel, we have further instruction to the contrary, as distinct as words can make it-"Behold all souls are Mine: as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is Mine, the soul that sinneth it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all My statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him. But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned; in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them, for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die." Thus was the kingdom of Israel

"rent away" from Saul because he became disobedient.* And Eli also was cut off and his race, "because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not." 1. Sam. 3, 13. "I said indeed that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before Me for ever: but now the Lord saith, be it far from Me, for them that honor Me I will honor, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed. 1. Sam. 2, 30.

I would here remark, further, that though the Jews were a peculiar and favored people, during a certain period of the world's history, yet we should take heed how we attach the idea of injustice or partiality to God, in so selecting and directing them, as if it had been for their own sakes only, and in preference to, and to the exclusion of others. As time and the decrees of Providence matured, we are now sensible, on the contrary, that it was the Divine purpose, from the foundation of the world, that "All the nations of the earth," should form one fold under one shepherd. I conceive that the Jews are to be viewed simply as instruments in the hand of God, for his foreseen purposes. "To them were committed the oracles of God." They were to the spiritual world, what the sun is to the physical world, the assigned channel of light, and especially of That Light which in the fulness of time,

* Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being King. 1. Sam. 15, 23.

was to " lighten the Gentiles,"-our Blessed Saviour,— according to the promise given to Eve, and the after covenant with Abraham. They were "highly favored" among men, just as Mary was "highly favored among women," and for a like universal, not personal or limited cause. There is a wide distinction moreover to be drawn between the passing interests of time, and the momentous issues of eternity. The "good things" of this world are not always given to the good. On the contrary, its pride and pomp and passing glories, are as naught in God's sight; so that what assumes an appearance, to superficial observation, of favor on the part of Providence, must not too hastily be so understood by the grave enquirer. What shall be the End?" That is the important test. When "Judgment" is to have place, there is no longer a shadow, even, of favour, betokened from one end of the Scripture to the other. When the awful sentence of Eternity is to be passed, we see that Jew or Gentile, the high things of this world or the lowliest, are held as equal in His sight in whose hands we are in whom we live and move and have our being. He is no respecter of persons, nor of nations.

I urge this to show, that the Calvinistic view of arbitrary decrees, and partial or particular Election, can draw no strength from the setting apart of the Jews as a peculiar people; from the precedence granted to Jacob over his twin brother Esau; Isaac over Ishmael; nor such other examples. Whatever temporal advantage

may appear to have been given to particular individuals in Scripture history, will prove on reflection to have been but temporal, as regarded themselves, and not tending to shut out one human soul from the immortal interests of Futurity, but rather will appear to have been conferred, as a means of proclaiming those interests more certainly, and keeping alive their knowledge among the generations of men. If God left not Himself without witness" on earth, it was not for the sake of that witness only, nor to be viewed as some partial honor granted to some Elect human beings from time to time, but that His own blessed name and goodness might be made known from age to age, and for the salvation of all, not for the exclusive benefit of a few.

Bringing home to ourselves these great lessons, graven as they are in the history of the past, we shall see, that as in the Old Covenant God left man's will free to perform its conditions, and rejoice in its blessings, or not; so in the new, or Christian Covenant, we have, placed before us in Divine munificence, great and precious promises," also on condition,-the single condition, of faith! Not an idle, theoretic, and dead faith, but a living faith which worketh by love, bringing forth the fruits which are the test of its truth. When our Saviour said "Only believe," He who knew all things knew that real belief, a real heartfelt conviction of the truth of God's holy word, would, as surely as effect follows cause, lead to a ready, willing, grateful earnestness of