truth." As long as I am able to bear any testimony amongst you, I will still declare, that Jesus, our adorable Lord, is the only Saviour of sinners; and that as his atoning blood alone can ever cleanse you from the guilt of sin, so his blessed Spirit alone can ever renovate you after the Divine image, or make you "meet for the inheritance of the saints in light." Receive ye this, my brethren, as by anticipation, my dying testimony. Treasure it up in your minds, that," after my decease, you may have it always in remembrance." It is a comfort to me to think, that long after I am dead," I shall, by my printed works, yet speak to you;" and, though I cannot hope that they should occupy the attention of persons situated as you are, they will exist as records of the doctrines delivered to you, and amongst them, this, as my dying address, will find a place, as a memorial of my love to you, and of my desire for your eternal welfare. 66 66 One more reason for St. Peter's so insisting upon these things was, that he could not otherwise discharge his duty towards those whom he had been commissioned to instruct. He says, "I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance." His expression here is remarkable: The word "meet," would be properly translated "just :" "He thought it just to do this: he considered, that, to be remiss in the discharge of this duty, would be an act of injustice; an injustice to them; an injustice to God; an injustice to himself. In this light I also consider it, my beloved brethren. If I should not press upon your minds the knowledge of Christ, and the necessity of universal holiness, it would be an act of injustice to you. You have been committed to me by Almighty God, as sheep to a shepherd, that I might watch over you, and lead you into the pastures which God has provided for you; and rather lay down my life for you, than suffer you to fall a prey to that "roaring lion that seeketh to devour you." It would also be an act of injustice towards God, ο δίκαιον. " 66 who is the great Proprietor of the fold, and who will require at my hands the blood of every one amongst you that has perished through my neglect!." Alas! What account shall I give to him when he shall summon me to his tribunal, and inquire into my discharge of my pastoral office? Did I not send you to watch over them? Did I not appoint you a steward of those great mysteries" which I had revealed in my word, the mysteries of redeeming love? Did you not undertake to make known to them all that my dear Son had done and suffered for them? Did you not engage to declare all that my Holy Spirit was empowered to work within them, by transforming them into my perfect image? Why then did you accept the office of an ambassador from me, if you did not intend to discharge it with fidelity? Why did you suffer so much as one single "soul for whom Christ died, to perish" through your neglect1? Was it for this that I intrusted you with so high a commission, and put my interests into your hands, that you should be so remiss in the discharge of the one, and so careless in the advancement of the other?' I may add also, it would be an act of injustice to myself. I know that "your blood will be required at my hands:" and I engaged at my ordination to "watch over you as one that must give account" to the Judge of quick and dead'. How then shall I appear at the judgment-seat of Christ, if I neglect to "declare unto you the whole counsel of God?" What shall I say when that question shall be put to me, "Where are those sheep which I committed to thee in the wilderness?" My dear brethren, if I have no concern but about my own soul, I must fulfil the ministry committed to me, and labour, whilst yet any remnant of power is continued to me, to stir up in your minds a love to that Saviour who has died for you, and to bring you to that conformity to his image, which can alone fit you for the enjoyment of his presence and glory. f Ezek. xxxiii. 7, 8. h 1 Cor. viii. 11. g 1 Cor. iv. 1. But now, in the third place, what shall I say in order to effect my purpose? What considerations shall I urge upon you in order the more effectually to impress your minds with the truths which I have before stated? I will adopt the line of argument suggested by the Apostle himself in the preceding context. An adherence to these things is what you engaged for in your baptismal covenant. Then Christ was received by you as your Lord and Saviour: and you professed to look for remission of sins altogether in his name, and through faith in his blood and righteousness. At the same time you gave up yourselves to him to be sanctified in body, soul, and spirit by his grace, and to live altogether to his glory. But, if you recede in any respect from these engagements, you abandon all the hopes which were then held out to you by that covenant of being "purged from your sins," and you forfeit that remission, which, if you received your baptism aright, or subsequently realized the engagements then entered into, was then conceded to you. And are you willing to cast off thus your Christian profession, and to sacrifice your interest in those "great and precious promises" which were then tendered to you in the Saviour's name, and 66 by which you might have been made partakers of the Divine nature'," and heirs of the Divine glory? Think, I pray you, of the loss you will sustain, and the tremendous responsibility that will attach to you: and beg of God, that he will never leave you thus, nor suffer you to "receive all this grace in vain"." Further let me say, These are the things on which your perseverance in the divine life entirely depends". A simple life of faith on the Lord Jesus Christ is to you what the union of a branch is to its parent stock. If from adopting any notions whatever your communion with him is interrupted, nothing but decay and death can ensue. So likewise, if there be any one grace which you do not cultivate, the neglect of that will open the door to numberless k ver. 9. 1 ver. 4. m 2 Cor. vi. 1. n ver. 10. 66 other evils, and you will be "left to fall" and perish. It matters not what that virtue is which you neglect: if" intemperance," or " impatience," or "uncharitableness," or ungodliness" of any kind be suffered to retain an ascendant over you, it will, as water in a leaky ship, in a little time fully occupy your soul, and finally sink you to perdition. "A right hand or a right eye," however necessary it may appear to your present happiness, will, if retained, destroy both body and soul in hell." The union of faith and holiness must be complete and abiding, even as the root of the tree with the fruit: both, in their place, are necessary to "make your calling and election sure:" and, if either fail, you will inevitably and eternally perish. 66 Once more-It is by bearing these things in remembrance that you will ensure to yourselves a happy dismission from the body at the hour of death, and an abundant entrance into the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." As to any thing of exalted joy in the hour of death, I do not see much of that in the death of the Scripture-saints, nor do I think that, as a general occurrence, we are authorized to expect it. But peace in a dying hour we may expect: Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace." But how is this to be secured? It is by cleaving to the Lord Jesus Christ with full purpose of heart, and by endeavouring to glorify him by a holy life and conversation. An entire reliance on him is necessary. Nothing but a view of his all-atoning sacrifice can satisfy the mind in a dying hour. We may now run after notions that are mooted and propagated in the Christian world: but they will afford us little comfort when we are about to enter into the presence of our Judge, and to receive at his hands our eternal doom. Nothing, I say, but a view of Christ as the appointed Saviour of the world, will give us boldness at that day. But, if now we "live entirely by faith 。 ver. 6, 7. P Mark ix. 43-48. r Ps. xxxvii. 37. on him, as having loved us and given himself for us," we shall be able then to commit our souls into his hands with an assured hope of acceptance, and a blessed prospect of dwelling with him for ever. At the same time, however, we must have the testimony of our conscience, that, amidst all our infirmities, we did not retain any allowed iniquity, but did endeavour to walk" as he walked," and to "purify ourselves even as he was pure." If in relation to this matter "our heart condemn us not, then shall we have confidence toward Godt." Now consider, my dear brethren, how desirable this blessing is. To have misgiving fears in the hour of death will be very terrible: but to possess a sweet assured confidence that we are accepted of our God, and to have "an abundant entrance into the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour," like that of a ship, with wind and tide in its favour, into its destined port, what felicity will that be! And how greatly is it to be desired! Would you then possess this blessing, keep in remembrance the things which I have preached to you; and get your minds so fully and continually occupied with them, that, after my decease, as well as during my few remaining hours, they may have their full influence upon you; and that, when we shall meet around the throne of God, I may have you as "my joy and crown of rejoicing to all eternity"." s Gal. ii. 20. t 1 John iii. 21. u 1 Thess. ii. 19. MMCCCCXXII. THE TRUTH AND CERTAINTY OF THE GOSPEL. 2 Pet. i. 16. We have not followed cunningly-devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. AMONGST the various proofs which we have of the truth and certainty of our holy religion, one of great importance is, that amongst all the authors and founders of it no diversity of sentiment obtained upon any essential point of doctrine; whether the |