But, says the objector, there is one point you have not settled, and I will here rest the whole of my argument upon it. It is this, -God has in no instance promised eternal life to unbelievers ; and, unless you can prove that the promise does extend to them, your arguments must fall like rottenness to the ground. We have certainly proved this, and to attend to the objector's request would but be, in some measure, going over the ground already occupied. We will, however, just touch this point again. We will introduce the following words of Paul to Titus. "In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began."

If God promised his creatures eternal life before the world began, will they not obtain it? They will, for this passage says that he cannot lie. But, says the objector, he has not promised it to the unbeliever. We would then inquire, what is it that constitutes him an unbeliever? Why do you call him an unbeliever? Do you say because he disbelieves the truth of God's promise? Then you must, of course, admit the truth of God's promise to him. If so, it must stand, for God cannot lie. You cannot call upon a sinner to believe, until you admit the existence of that very truth, you wish him to believe; God's promise of eternal life in Christ, is the gospel we are called upon to believe, with a sincere heart. If you con

tend that it is promised to an elect number only, and not to the reprobates, then if they should all be brought to the knowledge of the truth, what would they believe? Ans. The elect would believe the promise of eternal life was made to them, the reprobates would believe right the reverse of the elect, and all would be believers! No, says the objector, the reprobates ought to believe just as the elect do. But in this case, they would believe, that they also had the promise of eternal life. This would be believing a lie, because you say, God has not made them that promise. How would you preach to such persons? If you call upon them to believe the truth. of the gospel, which is eternal life, you would call upon them to believe a lie. How can you extricate yourself from this difficulty? But, inquires the objector, how do you know, that God has promised this eternal life to all? Ans. Because the Scriptures do call all men either believers, or unbelievers, in view of the promise, that God has made. Take away that promise, and belief or unbelief respecting it can no longer have an existence.

would be no more.

Believers and unbelievers

But, says the objector, this is not proof, that eternal life is promised to an unbeliever. Well, I am surprised at this assertion of my opponent ! First, I ask, what do you call a believer? Ans.

One who believes, that God has promised and given him eternal life in Christ, before the world began Then of course an unbeliever must be one, to whom God has also promised, and given eternal life in Christ before the world began, but who will not believe it. But, says the objector, this cannot be. I would then ask whether eternal life was not promised, and given in Christ to the believer before he believed it? Certainly. It must have been a truth before he could believe. Well, what was he at that time? An unbeliever of course. Then eternal life is promised to all, because it is the lack of faith, in that never failing promise of Jehovah, that constitutes an unbeliever. But, says the objector, a man "must do so and so," or he cannot be saved. This is not correct; he must believe or he cannot be saved. We are saved by faith in the promise, and are permitted to look forward with satisfaction and joy to an immortal existence, where we shall be free from sin, sorrow, and pain. This faith and hope fill the soul with love to God, and induce us to break off our sins by righteousness. So a salvation by faith can only be enjoyed in this life, and is to end, when faith and hope are lost in certainty, and in joy. Though only few are saved by faith, yet all shall know the Lord from the greatest to the least, whom to know is life eternal.

SERMON VI.

THE NEW BIRTH.

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." JOHN III. 3.

As we have, in the last three sermons, dwelt particularly on a salvation by faith, we will take the liberty to introduce the subject of the new birth next in order, as it will be more readily retained by the reader in this connexion than otherwise. Indeed, it bears a strong resemblance to them so far as the subject of faith is concerned in our present exposition. But whoever is a careful reader of the New Testament will discover, that the subject of faith, and the genuine repentance which that faith produces, are not of trivial moment.

There is no subject of divine revelation, on which more has been said, preached, and written, than the one which we are now about to consider. It has been brought forward by men of talents and erudition, as an insuperable barrier against Universal Salvation, and their several adherents have taken it for granted, that it can never be explained in harmony with the sentiment, that all men shall eventually obtain eternal life through the Redeem

er of men. But these impressions have arisen from the fact, that they have taken their own views and explanations to be scripturally correct, and from these premises, they have drawn conclusions utterly opposed to the final holiness and happiness of God's intelligent creation. They have supposed the new birth to be some mysterious change, produced by some mysterious operation of the divine Spirit on the mind, and that it is in substance a miracle.

One denomination has contended, that if a man once obtained this change he was safe, could never "finally fall from grace," but would, eventually, land in the kingdom of immortal glory. Several other denominations admit the new birth to be the same change already noticed, but contend, that the subject may fall from grace and be finally lost. Here, then, the man who was, according to their views, born again, might still never see the kingdom of God beyond the grave. On this principle, the new birth would be no security, that any one would obtain heaven. According to this sentiment, a man might be born again, fall away, and be born again, "until seven times," and in the end not see the kingdom of God. Those who advocate this sentiment, believe that faith and repentance are prerequisites to the new birth, and also believe in the salvation of infants.