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a divine power shall accompany the word-My d that goeth forth out of my mouth, shall not return o me void. The word of man, or of angels, has no h power. Certainly, though men by persuasion can duce many important changes of sentiment, no voice word of men can by its native energy impart divine ith, and regenerate and convert the soul. John i, 12,

James i, 18. True Christian faith will not spring, grow under mere human doctrine. Thus saith the ord, is the only foundation for that faith which overcomes the world, and gives peace to the troubled concieńce. St. Paul restricts the gift of faith in ordinary ases to the hearing of the word, as is evident from the whole passage. Rom. x, 8-17. All systems of ethics, all mere human philosophy, all the wisdom of this world, are utterly insufficient. In Jeremiah (xxiii, 28, 29.) it is asked, with amazing emphasis and force of contrast, What is the chaff to the wheat, saith the Lord? is not my word like as a fire, and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? The Holy Scriptures were written for the very purpose of producing faith in those who received them. These things, says St. John,

God's word and true preachers,) therefore accustom yourselves even from your tender age to hear the word of God, that he by his Holy Spirit may move and stir up your hearts to true faith and knowledge of him." Tindal also, in his Exposition of 1 John i, 3--4, says, "To bring unto the fellowship of God and Christ, and of them that believe in Christ, is the final intent of all the Scripture, why it was given of God unto man, and the only thing which all true preachers seek, and whereby ye shall ever know and discern the true word of God from all false and counterfeited doctrine of vain traditions, and the true preacher from the wily bypocrite. We preach unto you, says John, that everlasting life which we have heard, and in hearing received through faith, and are sure of it, to draw you to us out of that fellowship which we have with the damned Devils in sinful lusts and ignorance of God."

Christians as following hearing the word of tr Eph. i, 13. Faith springs from the word, as the plant from the root, and as the rays from the Sun. is impossible for any one to become a believer in Ch but through some part of revealed truth made know. to him.* The PROGRESS of faith proceeds in the s way from hearing. At first, we are weak in faith, little children, but the word is as milk to the you (1 Cor. iii, 1, 2.) and as meat to the strong men, (He v, 14.) by which both are nourished and strengthene And the PERFECTING of faith is connected also the ministry of the word. St. Paul shews at s length that ministers are appointed for this end, the perfecting of the saints. Eph. iv, 11-13. R hearing of the word nourishes till it perfects faith. ¦ will be found true, in general experience, that in pr portion as the whole truths of God are clearly broug before the minds of men by the public ministry of t word, and as they faithfully and constantly attend : so true Christian faith, with all its blessed effects, spread and increase.

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* Latimer thus meets the objection made from his admitting that some of our forefathers might be saved without hearing"But some will say, What need we preachers then? God car save his elect without preachers. A goodly reason! God ca save my life without meat and drink, need I none therefore God can save me from burning if I were in the fire, shall I r into it therefore? No, no; I must keep the way that God hath ordained, and use the ordinary means that God hatlı assigned, and not seek new ways. This office of preaching is the only ordinary way that God hath appointed to save us all by." Sermon on Matt. xxii, 21.

+ The Reformers insisted much on this. Cranmer, in bis Catechism published in 1548, gives this exhortation-"Foras much as faith is the work of God and the light of our hearts, which God putteth in us by his word and Holy Spirit, (so that we cannot attain faith and the knowledge of Christ without

a divine power shall accompany the word-My d that goeth forth out of my mouth, shall not return o me void. The word of man, or of angels, has no h power. Certainly, though men by persuasion can duce many important changes of sentiment, no voice word of men can by its native energy impart divine Ath, and regenerate and convert the soul. John i, 12, ; James i, 18. True Christian faith will not spring, grow under mere human doctrine. Thus saith the ord, is the only foundation for that faith which overomes the world, and gives peace to the troubled concieńce. St. Paul restricts the gift of faith in ordinary cases to the hearing of the word, as is evident from the whole passage. Rom. x, 8-17. All systems of ethics, all mere human philosophy, all the wisdom of this world, are utterly insufficient. In Jeremiah (xxiii, 28, 29.) it is asked, with amazing emphasis and force of contrast, What is the chaff to the wheat, saith the Lord? is not my word like as a fire, and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? The Holy Scriptures were written for the very purpose of producing faith in those who received them. These things, says St. John,

God's word and true preachers,) therefore accustom yourselves even from your tender age to hear the word of God, that he by his Holy Spirit may move and stir up your hearts to true faith and knowledge of him.' Tindal also, in his Exposition of 1 John i, 3-4, says, "To bring unto the fellowship of God and Christ, and of them that believe in Christ, is the final intent of all the Scripture, why it was given of God unto man, and the only thing which all true preachers seek, and whereby ye shall ever know and discern the true word of God from all false and counterfeited doctrine of vain traditions, and the true preacher from the wily hypocrite. We preach unto you, says John, that everlasting life which we have heard, and in hearing received through faith, and are sure of it, to draw you to us out of that fellowship which we have with the damned Devils in sinful lusts and ignorance of God."

are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ. the Son of God, and that believing ye might have bje through his name. John xx, 21.

How

Hereby OUR JUSTIFICATION IS CONFIRMED. is true that we are justified freely by the grace of Got through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Rom iii, 24. But how do I receive the blessing? by faith What is the warrant of that faith? the word of God. How are we to obtain that faith? by hearing. is that faith proved to be genuine? by its conforming the soul to the word, and producing corresponding fruits in the life. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. John x, 27. When we hear Christ's voice and follow him, then we may be sure that - he knows us, and we are his sheep, and among his justified people. Whom he called, them he also justified. Rom. viii, 30.

Hereby OUR ADOPTION IS CERTIFIED. God gives to his people the spirit of adoption; the power (εovσM,) the right or privilege, to become the sons of God. John i, 12. This is given to those that believe on the nami of his Son. When Christ is preached, and I hear, and, hrough the Holy Spirit, accept the offer of mercy in Christ, I become a child of God, and am reckoned in that family of which it is said, As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage, again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. Rom. viii, 14-17. By nature men are the servants of sin and under its tyrannical bondage; but the receiving of the truth breaks the chains and admit

hem to the glorious liberty of the children of God. tom. viii, 21. Our Lords says, ye shall know the truth, nd the truth shall make you free. John viii, 32. Who can tell the blessedness of looking up to God with filial confidence and love as our Father? Surely, no tongue can express the delightful bliss of seeing the love of a Heavenly Parent in our own paternal feelings, and discovering in our care and tenderness towards our children, day by day, fresh traces and emblems of his parental care, and love, and tenderness towards us his children, elevating the heart to him, and filling it with joy and gladness. O what fulness of joy is it to have such a father, so wise and so mighty, so rich and so bountiful, so kind and so tender, so holy and so unspeakably excellent, our reconciled Father in Jesus Christ!

Hereby OUR ELECTION IS SECURED. We are charged, Give diligence to make your calling and election sure. 2 Pet. i, 10. By diligently attending the means of grace, we obtain divine strength enabling us to be holy and to glorify God, and thus have a sweet assurance given that we are chosen in Christ. Eph. i, 4. And what love is here! that God should, from his own good pleasure, before time began, have planned salvation, and purposed, to the glory of his own grace and the praise of his name, to save us from sin, make us holy, and bring us to his kingdom: I say, this is such a display of divine mercy and love, as, if once reasonably made out from the word of God and the work of his Spirit on the heart, cannot but fill us with love, and gratitude, and assured hope, and the most joyful anticipations of future glory, and deeply humble our souls in the conviction that all we are and have is of sovereign grace and love. Latimer says, "Whosoever heareth

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