joice and be glad that our soul will not be left in hell, we must know that it has been in danger of being so, and deserves to be so. A man does not rejoice in escape from shipwreck who has never been upon the waters, or seen a storm : and were he even there, asleep in his hammock, dreaming of summer seas and peaceful havens, though insensible to danger, it could not well be said that he rejoiced in the hope of safety. It is further necessary we should be assured of that which is the subject of rejoicing. Apart from those who do not care, there are a great many people who do not know whether their souls will be left in eternal misery or not. From those whose vague and empty hopes that they may be happy when they die, have no foundation but their own ignorance and disbelief of God's revealed word, to the fearful and timid saint, who from obscure views or physical infirmity, cannot perceive his own security when really fixed upon the Rock of ages, there are many degrees and distinctions of uncertainty, that can by no means be classed together: some being as little entitled

to their hopes, as others to their fears. I think the former are not likely to feel joy in the thought of eternity, though they be unwarrantably free from fear. The latter may have a hope strong enough, and a faith firm enough, at times, to rejoice in the promises of God, and the expectation of pardon, founded upon them. I have seen people more happy than I should have expected, while professing to feel no certainty of resurrection to life, because not assured of being the children of God. But I should think when this hope does really amount to anything of any abiding joy, they must be more certain of the forgiveness of their sins than they like to say they are; and have more assurance than they know how to define. I shall not discuss the doctrine of assurance; but perhaps those pious persons, who speak with less confidence than they feel, or ought to feel, of their eternal state, do not sufficiently consider the encouragement they give to the doubtful on the other hand, who take occasion from the uncertainty thus thrown about the path of life,

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to believe the path of destruction equally uncertain. Doubt, uncertainty, desire, are not ingredients of joy. A man cannot rejoice in that which he does not know. As the Scripture admits degrees of faith, we may equally admit degrees of pleasure proportioned to it, short of the enjoyment of actual knowledge. But if the believer would rejoice after the manner of his Lord, he must know that his soul will not be left in flesh, nor his body in the grave. In the midst of sin, and under the deepest sense of guilt, he must know that he is pardoned-in the midst of danger he must be assured of safety-in the hottest of the battle he must be secure of victory. And wherefore not? There is a great deal more doubt on all sides than the Scripture warrants. Men are living without God in the world, walking after the course of this world, in the vanity of their minds; and they persist in doubting, and others with mistaken charity doubt for them, whether they are going in the way of destruction in the very front of God's revealed

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word-of his attested oath-that they who do so shall perish: in defiance of such examples of his faithfulness in threatening as might well extinguish every doubt. "For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell," "and spared not the old world," bringing in the flood upon the world of the úngodly," "and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly," what pretence can there be for doubting if they who so live shall perish? Yet no one seems sure of this. On the other hand, God has declared that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. He has described, in every manner human language will admit of, what is the meaning of being in Christ, and what it is to walk after the Spirit; and without a condition more, has said, "Verily, verily, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life."

Yet how few seem sure of this! The two characters-the regenerate and the unregenerate-the man of the world and the man of God-the dead in Adam and the living in Christ Jesus-are placed in juxtaposition throughout the Bible. They are described, contrasted, measured one against the other, with most minute exactness: they are exhibited in opposition under every imaginable circumstance. And men say they are indistinguishable-so indistinguishable, we cannot know to which party we belong. strange, if it were true.

This would be very
But it is not true!

If it be too much to say, that all might know whether they are Christ's or not, which I do not think it is, I can certainly say that thousands might know who do not. Some are endeavouring to deserve eternal life, and doubt if they shall succeed. These might easily be made sure : for by the deeds of the law shall no man living be justified. Others, in accepting through Christ the remission of sins, think there is yet some measure of service to be filled up to