illustration of God's gracious discriminating sovereignty, "For the children being not yet born, neither having done good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of him that calleth, It was said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."

God loved Jacob, because it was his purpose, or good pleasure to love him, and not because he foresaw Jacob's good works. Against a notion, so degrading to the character of God, as this, the Apostle guards the grand truth he was exhibiting, by saying, that God's purpose existed, before the children were born; before they had done, or were capable of doing any good, or evil: And that he might put to silence the ignorance of those, who might suppose, that God's purpose of mercy was founded, on the foresight of the faith, and good works of those who shall finally be saved, he adds, “not of works," for then the reward would be reckoned of debt, and not of grace, "but of him that calleth," and this, "that his purpose according to election might stand."

The Apostle next supposes an objection, which the carnal mind might raise, against the equity of the procedure, which he had ascribed to God. "Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid." There is no unrighteousness, in showing mercy and not to another, from among those, who are all in a just condemnation. This view of God's sovereignty, is not peculiar to the scheme of saving mercy, as taught through JESUS CHRIST. "For God saith to Moses, I will have mercy, on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion, on

to one,

whom I will have compassion." He then introduces the case of Pharaoh, as illustrative of the grand principle, that God saves sinners in a way of entire sovereignty. 'Tis.this principle, under the form of the following proposition, that I shall endeavour to confirm.

MEN ARE WHOLLY DEPENDENT ON THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD FOR SALVATION.

The objections which a subtle, and cavilling ingenuity might raise, against this proposition, I shall not, at this time, attempt to meet. 'Tis sufficient, to my present purpose, to know, that the language of the text is clear, and explicit on this point; and that the capacity of sinners to obey the Divine requirements, is, nevertheless, not debilitated: This is evident, both from their deep, and unremitting consciousness of guilt; and from the authoritative language of God, in demanding their submission, on pain of his infinite displeasure. In pursuing my design, I would observe—

I. THAT SINNERS WILL NOT SAVE THEMSELVES.

This may be made to appear, both from scripture, and from fact. Christ says, "Ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life." When weeping over Jerusalem, he exhibits at once, his tender concern for the salvation of its inhabitants, and their obstinate rejection of the overtures of mercy-"O, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not." The insensibility of the human heart to the invitations of divine mercy, and its opposition to

the authority of Heaven, is also clearly illustrated by that declaration of Christ, "No man can come unto me, except the Father who hath sent me, draw him." In these words, he did not intend to represent sinners, as under a natural inability to come to him. If this had been the case, no blame could have been attached to them for not coming: But it is evident that he considered them as exceedingly guilty. Thence, it cannot fail to be seen, that Christ considered their inability to come to him, to consist in their being unwilling to come. Their being unwilling, is represented as an obstacle, as formidale, as a natural incapacity would be: And this representation, does but furnish, more striking evidence of the power and extent of their corruptions, and of their dependence on the sovereignty of God for salvation.

It must appear obvious, that he, who does not do right, either, through the influence of a disinclination to good, or, through the strength and power of a voluntary propensity to evil, is, on that very account, the more to blame. And the

cannot," used by the Saviour in the passage above named, is designed to exhibit the fixed and settled enmity of the sinner's heart against God. The prophet Jeremiah illustrates and enforces this truth, by an appropriate comparison. He is inspired to speak of the ruin that was coming upon the Jews, and is instructed to answer them, if they should ask, "Wherefore come these things upon ՂԱՏ "For the greatness of thine iniquities are thy skirts discovered, and thy heels made bare. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye, also, do good, who are accustomed to do evil.”

Here we see, that the power of God is supposed to be as necessary, to subdue the enmity of the carnal mind, as it would be, to change the skin of the Ethiopian, or the spots of the leopard.

Further, Christ declares, with regard to the Jews, that they "hated" him "without a cause ;" and that they had "both seen and hated, both" him and his "Father." And he exhibits. the common character and disposition of the natural heart, when he observes, that "light is come into the world," and that " men love darkness rather than light;" and that their condemnation lies in this, that " they WILL not come to the light." In the great day of final trial, sinners will deeply feel, that they have been the guilty authors of their own ruin.

The state of facts, both as it regards the experience, and conduct of saints, and sinners, is in accordance with what the Scriptures teach on this subject. Those who indulge the hope of pardon, found that hope, exclusively, upon the sovereign mercy of God. They are ready to say, most unqualifiedly, with the Apostle, "By the grace of God, I am what I am." They are prepared, with all their hearts to accord with that declaration of Christ, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.

When we look at means, how inefficacious are they, in themselves, and when unattended with the energy of the Eternal Spirit? Under all the light that God has cast abroad upon our world, in the glorious displays he has made of himself in his word and in his works, we yet see sinners unmoved; obstinate in rebellion, and at enmity against their

Maker. The expostulations of ETERNAL MERCY, do not arrest their attention; nor do the melting accents of a dying Saviour,

soften their hearts into penitency, and enkindle in their bosoms the fire of love.

Sinners act upon the principle, that they can choose salvation, when they please. 'Tis this that makes them easy in sin. They mean, by and by, to turn to God; but they think,

that there is time enough yet: And while this

them at ease in their sins, for the time being;

purpose makes

it also shows, that they think themselves able to turn, when they please. Now as no sinners ever choose to turn, until God works in them, "both to will and to do," so it is obvious, that they never will save themselves. They are never brought to a willingness to embrace Christ, until moved by the sovereign agency of the Holy Ghost.

Those, of my audience, who remain impenitent until this day, are in their sins before God, not, because means have not been enjoyed by them, in common with many who now indulge the hope of pardon; but, because they have voluntarily resisted the overtures of mercy. They have never desired, with their whole heart, the salvation which God has to bestow; nor will they ever desire it, unless God accompanies the very means, which they have hitherto successfully resisted, by his sovereign grace. They have resisted so long, all the efficacy there may be supposed to lie in means, and have formed so obstinate a habit of resistance, that, without special divine influence, they will voluntarily, and successfully continue to resist, and perish in their sins.