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degrees of glory suited to the degrees of virtue which they have attained.

The highest stations in the kingdom of heaven are reserved for those among professing Christians, the called, the elect of God, who shall finally be chosen by him as his everlasting inheritance.

Those who, called by the word of God, obey its holy dictates in denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, and living righteously, soberly, and godly in the world-those who, called by the ministry of the church, accept the offer of reconciliation, believing from the heart unto righteousness in the Saviour proffered to them, and adorning his doctrine in all things-those who, called by the sacraments of the church, improve the grace there conferred, to the death of sin and to the life of righteousnes, and seek to be holy as he who hath called them is holy; these are the few (alas! compared with the multitude of the finally rejected, the few,) whom the Judge of the whole earth shall choose before men and angels to be his people for ever; these are they whom he will advance to a kingdom that shall not be moved, on whom he will bestow an inheritance of glory that fadeth not away.

Ye then who enjoy the light and privileges of the Gospel, distinguished far above the rest of your fellow men is your spiritual condition. For though salvation is possible to those destitute of the external grace of the Gospel, they can attain it but through much uncertainty, through many perplexing doubts and fears. Deprived of the full knowledge of God revealed in the Gospel, and of the way of access to him through a Saviour; of the truths, the precepts, and the promises of his holy word; of the enlightening and sanctifying efficacy

of his grace in the sacraments and ordinances of his church, they cannot attain in this life that exalted degree of holiness, nor those spiritual consolations and hopes which may distinguish Christians. Nor hereafter will they be advanced to felicity as exalted as that which, through God's mercy and grace in Jesus Christ, will be awarded to those faithful Christians who have walked worthy of their holy vocation.

Ye then, Christians, are peculiarly the favoured of the Lord-in the highest sense his called, his elect. Distinguished are his grace and goodness to you, in thus translating you from the darkness and misery of your natural condition, into the light and comfort of his grace and favour.

But take heed lest, being called, ye fail finally of being chosen.

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This momentous issue depends upon yourselves. God calls you by his word, his ministry, his ordinances, he calls you. Sincere in his purposes of mercy, he enables you by his grace to obey his call. No secret will opposes his declared will, that all men should be saved. No decree of his power selects certain individuals to salvation, and excludes others; or determines the eternal destiny of the human race, independently of those deeds done in the body, by which he declares all men shall be judged. No; it was the eternal purpose of his mercy in his Son Jesus Christ, to render salvation possible for all men, and finally to choose or to reject them, according to the improvement which they shall have made of the talents and the grace given unto them.

Say not then, O man, that the ways of God are unequal. Lay not, sinner, thy destruction to him

who calls thee to salvation. But take heed, Christians, lest a promise being made you of entering into God's rest, you fall short-take heed lest, called to be heirs of heaven, ye forfeit its glories. It is possible that, at that great day when the Judge of all comes to choose among his called those who are to be his people for ever, you may behold Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, all those in every age and nation who fear God and work righteousness, in the kingdom of heaven; and you, for whom these blessings of this kingdom were primarily designed -you, the children of the kingdom, for ever cast out. Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure, "for many are called, but few are

chosen."

SERMON XII.

THE IMPORTANCE OF FIDELITY IN WARNING SINNERS.

ISAIAH Iviii. 1.

Ćry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.

THIS was the fearful injunction of God on the holy prophet. Ofttimes he was charged with the messages of mercy and the tidings of salvation. The vail that concealed future ages was removed; the light of Gospel-day beamed on the soul of the prophet; and he was commanded to proclaim to the chosen people of God, that the Sun of Righteousness should arise with healing under his wings. Ofttimes did his soul bound with joy at the grateful commission, to comfort disconsolate Judah and captive Jerusalem with the tidings that her iniquity was pardoned, that she should receive at the Lord's hand double for all her sins. In enraptured vision he beholds a messenger on the distant mountains hastening to proclaim to Judah and Jerusalem the advent of their Lord, and he bursts forth in the strains of joy and triumph-" O thou that tellest glad tidings to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain: 0 thou that tellest glad tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!"* Ofttimes did the prophet, personat

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ing the blessed Messiah, describe in joyful strains his gracious character and offices." The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."* Ofttimes did the prophet, looking down the long tract of time, hail the dominion of the Prince of Peace, the accession of the nations to the spiritual kingdom of the Messiah, and the glorious and everlasting blessings of his reign. These were the exalted subjects that animated his strains when he proclaimed that "they should not hurt nor destroy in all the holy mountain of God;"† "that the righteousness of Jerusalem should go forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burneth ;"" that Gentiles should come to her light, and kings to the the brightness of her rising; that violence should no more be heard in her land, wasting nor destruction within her borders, but that she could call her walls Salvation, and her gates Praise. Her sun should no more go down, neither her moon withdraw itself, but the Lord should be her everlasting light, and the days of her mourning should be ended."§

But alas! the prophet was not always the messenger of glad tidings to Israel; for "their iniquities had separated between them and their God, and their sins have hid his face from them. Their thoughts were thoughts of iniquity, wasting and destruction were in their paths."

Therefore

* Isa. lxi. 1, 2.
§ Isa. Ix. 3, 18, 20.

† Isa. xi. 9.

Isa lxii. 1.

|| Isa. lix. 2,

7.

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