OF THE ORDINARY MEANS OF SANCTIFICATION.

The Holy Spirit is acknowledged by all devout and rational disciples to be the supreme efficient agent in the regeneration and sanctification of his people: but as he acts only through means instituted by God himself, it is a practical question of no small importance to every christian, in what way he may best promote the holy culture of the heart, and advance in the habits of the divine life. These subjects are so constantly illustrated in the instructions of the pulpit, and enter so largely into the scheme of all the practical writers on religion, that, in a general system of theological doctrine, they require only to be briefly suggested. They may be embraced under the following heads :-the diligent study of the holy scriptures, and of the writings of wise and pious men, designed to illustrate and enforce their sacred truthsfervent prayer to the Father of Spirits-frequent and profound meditation on divine things-pious association, and conference with judicious christians-faithful attendance on all the public and private institutions of religion--and strengthening, by constant exercise, the habits of a holy life.

THE NECESSITY OF GOOD WORKS CONSISTENT WITH SAL

VATION BY FREE GRACE.

Those who are unfriendly to this principle demand-why should good works be required of the believer, if it be indeed the doctrine of the holy scriptures that salvation is of grace, without the works of the law? In order to answer this inquiry satisfactorily, it is to be remembered that our salvation consists not only of deliverance from the curse of the violated law, which is effected through Christ, paying the forfeit, or bearing the punishment of our sins, and is acknowledged to be entirely the fruit of the unmerited mercy and love of God; but of the restoration of the holiness and perfection, and consequently, the happiness of our fallen nature. The latter must, in a nature degenerate and corrupted like that of man, be equally with the former, the fruit of divine favour. For without the merciful aids of the Holy Spirit, a corrupted nature cannot be restored; nor without the grace of holy living, can either the perfection, or the happiness of our nature be rendered complete. The sanctity of the life, therefore, manifested by its good works, is indispensably requisite in the christian, not, indeed, as the cause, in any degree, of his salvation, but as the certain indication of his nature being renewed, sanctified, and restored to its original moral principles, and to the power of enjoying its original happiness. This is the proper idea of salvation.

Heaven consists less in local situation, than in the disposi tions of the soul which qualify it for the enjoyment of God, and of that supreme felicity which is to be possessed only in his immediate presence. And these dispositions are, above all things, to be cultivated upon earth in the acts and habits of a holy life, in the prospect of our future, and eternal existence.

OF THE HOLINESS AND PERFECTION OF A MORAL AND RE

LIGIOUS ACT.

It is, in this place, perhaps, proper to inquire what constitutes the rectitude of a moral act, and procures it acceptance with God? Every morally perfect act proceeds, in the first place, from a good motive; that is, from the desire of glorifying God, or of promoting the happiness of man, and from both these intentions, where they can be combined in the same action. One ruling and habitual principle governs the whole conduct, and presides in each individual act of a believer's life;—I mean the profound sentiment of obedience to God, and of Gratitude to the Redeemer of the world, which strengthens and animates the principle of every par ticular duty. The next requisite is, that the substance of the act in itself be good; that is, calculated to promote some proper, useful, or benevolent end; embracing, within the range of these objects, the glory of God, and the felicity of human nature. Which condition excludes, of consequence,

all the acts of a fanatical zeal, or a gloomy superstition, which is equally the sacrifice of human happiness, and of the rights of human nature, to a mistaken rage for the pretended honour of the Deity, or glory of the most merciful Saviour. Another requisite to constitute an action good, is, that the form and manner of it be also right. If there be any mode prescribed by the laws of society for fulfilling human duties, or of God for fulfilling those that are divine, it becomes a christian most scrupulously to conform to the instituted rite.There is some fault attached even to the worship of God, if, in any material act, it contradicts, or departs from the rules or examples of holy writ. And, above all, if it either omits, or adds to the forms prescribed by the sacred writers, as far as they are explicitly defined, or we can, by the faithful exercise of our own reason, discern them. If there be no form prescribed, the mode which we adopt should be such as we conscientiously believe will best subserve every valuable purpose of piety. The last requisite is, that it should stand in its proper place, and be performed in its proper time, so as to be consistent with the whole system of our duties, and with all the laws of prudence and propriety. If an action be defective in any of these particulars, it is in the same proportion removed from perfection as an act of virtue.

Many other questions, connected with this subject, but of a speculative rather than practical nature, have been agitated by different writers, which it would be unnecessarily tedious

to discuss in this place, and the disquisition of which is of the less importance, as they will often occur in the course of your reading. I proceed, therefore, to the consideration of the last blessing usually enumerated by Calvinistic writers as flowing, in this life, from the Covenant of Grace, which is

THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS.

The idea annexed to this principle is, that those who have once been regenerated, and sanctified by the Spirit of God, shall never lose the seed effectually implanted by that Divine Teacher, but be able always to preserve it, and persevere in the discharge of every duty to eternal life, amidst partial fluctuations, however, arising from the imbecility of human nature. Many writers of distinguished name in the church deny this doctrine entirely. For, not acknowledging the predestinating decrees of God, and ascribing little to the extraordinary influences of the Holy Spirit, they pronounce that the sanctity of the believer, like every moral quality in man, must partake of the mutability of human nature. To render the perseverance of the believer certain, they affirm, requires the operation of some necessary cause incompatible with the moral freedom of the mind. This objection has already been considered, and obviated, when treating of the decrees of God; when it was, I hope, clearly shewn that the influence of the Divine Spirit over human actions may be exert