4. As it is effectual, so it is irrevocable. As the gifts, so the calling, of God is without repentance. God never repents that he has been the author of the change effected by his calling, nor the sinner, that he has been the subject of it. God is said to repent that he gave man a being, but never that he gave him grace. The exertion of his power towards his people is so far from creating any regret, either in him or them, that they both rejoice. There is joy both in the repenting sinner, and in heaven over him; and it is not likely that that should be revoked which gives such universal satisfaction. As it is happy for the sinner that his state is alterable, it is equally so for the saint that his is not so. A child of the devil may become a child of God; but a child of God shall never become a child of the devil again. The divine principle shall never be lost; but it shall, in the believer, be " a well of water, springing up to everlasting life." It came from heaven, and it will never leave the soul till it is brought thither.

Let us apply this subject, by inquiring whether we have been thus called. This is the great thing necessary to internal sanctification and all real religion. Here God's work upon us begins, and here begins our working for God. Let us then sit down to examine this matter; much, nay, all, depends upon it. No grace, no glory;—if we are not called, we shall not be crowned. Well might the apostle give that advice: "Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure." We can only know that our names are written in heaven by God's law being written in our hearts. Let the saints especially, who are God's called ones, learn,

1. To be humble. Whatever they do for Christ is the fruit of what he has done for and in them; they have no reason to be puffed up with their best performances, for they have nothing but what they have received. The evil that is in them is from themselves, the good from God.

2. To be thankful. "I will bless the Lord," saith David, "who hath given me counsel;" those that are the subjects

3. To be fruitful. Let not the grace bestowed upon you be received in vain; not only bring forth fruit, but show forth the high praises of Him that called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Walk worthy of your vocation, my friends, and " as He that hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation."

SERMON XVIII.

CHRIST MANIFESTED TO THE SOUL.

GALATIANS I. 16.

To reveal his Son in me.

66 con

By the Son here, we are certainly to understand the Lord Jesus Christ: some suppose this to be only a mediatorial or official title. "The right knowledge of God," says a reverend divine of the Established Church, sists in believing that in Jehovah, the self-existing essence, there are three coequal and coeternal persons, between whom there is no difference or inequality but what is made. by the covenant of grace. Their names, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are not descriptive of their nature, but of their offices. They are not to teach us in what manner they exist in Jehovah; but they are covenant names belonging to the offices which the divine persons sustain in the covenant. They are used to teach us, not how they exist, but how they act, and how they stand related to the heirs of promise." Others contend, that this is a title belonging to Christ as the second Person in the ever-blessed Trinity, and expressive both of equality of essence, and the peculiar relation in which he stands to the Divine Father; and that this is an article of faith which enters into the experience and worship of God's people. It seems to me that, in different passages of Scripture, it is to be understood in both these senses. Now this Son, this coessential, coeternal, Son of God, was

revealed in the Apostle Paul. And, indeed, were we possessed of all the knowledge that Adam had in innocence, or which Solomon had acquired by his indefatigable labour and industry; nay, of all that knowledge which the prophets and apostles had attained by divine inspiration; yet, without this internal revelation of Christ, we should be as remote from happiness as the devils in hell. What I propose from this text is, to show the difference between an internal and external revelation of Christ; and then mention a few things to evince the necessity and excellence of the former.

I. I am to show how the revelation of Christ in a man differs from the mere external revelation of Christ to a

man.

1. They differ in their original source and spring. They both proceed from God; but the one is the fruit of his general favour, the other of his special grace. The revelation of Christ to a man is an instance of great kindness and compassion on the part of God; and hence the gospel is called the dispensation of the grace of God: but the revelation of Christ in a man, flows from that distinguishing love which will issue in everlasting happiness. It is one of those good and perfect gifts which comes down from the Father of Lights; for as natural illumination is from the sun, so spiritual illumination is from God; and he acts sovereignly in the bestowment of it; the simple and unlearned being often enlightened into the mysteries of faith, and made wise unto salvation, whilst men of the brightest parts and greatest attainments in human literature, perish through the pride of their hearts and the blindness of their understandings. Thus the apostle ushers in this paragraph with the statement,—" It pleased God." All the knowledge that he had of Christ, and of God in Christ, he ascribes to discriminating grace; perfectly coinciding herein with what our Saviour himself observes, "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona," &c.

2. They differ in the means by which they are wrought. The one, by outward means; the other, by the internal

agency of the Divine Spirit. Moral suasion and human instruction may reveal Christ to a man, but it is the peculiar office of the Spirit to reveal Christ in us; and, as the Scripture expresses it, "to take of his things and show them to us," and that in so convincing a light, that we shall no more doubt of their truth and reality, than we do of those things with which we are daily conversant, or even of our own existence. Give me leave to add, that if he makes use of means, as he generally does, yet it is in such a way that we shall acknowledge its efficiency, and not rob him of his glory. Hence he is called "the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Christ;" and those are joined together in the great mystery of godliness;—“ justified in the Spirit, believed on in the world." A mere notional acquaintance with spiritual things is all that any man can rise to without the help of the Spirit. It is his internal arguments alone, in behalf of Christ, that can prevail upon the soul to receive him; and though it is the peculiar honour of gospel ministers to be instructors in Christ, yet it is not in opposition to, but in connexion with, the Spirit, upon whom they depend for assistance, and to whom they ascribe their success. If ever we have learned Christ, it must be in the school of the Spirit. It is he that reveals him at conversion, and more largely in the subsequent periods of the christian life.

3. The subject of this knowledge is different, as well as the manner of conveyance. The external revelation of Christ affects only the head; that which is internal, the heart. The one reaches only to the understanding; the other influences the practical judgment, directs the will, and gives law to the affections. The necessity and excellency of Christ in all his characters and offices, is now so clearly discerned, that the soul goes out after him, and rests in him, as its supreme good and everlasting portion. Thus we read of wisdom entering into the heart; and then Solomon, who speaks from his own experience, tells us, that