to the one we have just noticed, made use of the folowing simile; "The whole need not the physician, but they that are sick. For the Son of man is not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.'

As the Saviour represented the case of the sinner by one who is sick, and the salvation of the sinner by the recovery of the sick to health by means of a physician, we may ask, if it could be reconciled with reason and common sense, to pretend that the physician exerts his skill and the power of his medicine to save his patient from his wrath and indignation?

The fact is, my christian friends, Jesus who dwells in the bosom of the Father, never represented his doctrine of salvation to be in any sense like the doctrine of the church which we have examined. Our heavenly Father, as manifested in his Son, and as held up by the preaching of Jesus, loves his enemies, loves sinners, and because he loves them he sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. He sent him to save us from our sins, and to reconcile us to God.

St. Paul to the Colossians says of God; "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son."

This passage very plainly shows us the nature of that salvation of which our text speaks. It is a salvation from error, deception, ignorance and all their evils, to truth, knowledge, understanding and all their blessings.

To the Ephesians he says, that "Christ loved the church and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify, and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word; that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

Let us carefully examine this representation, for here the apostle informs us the object which Christ had in view when he gave himself for the church. And what was it? Was it to appease his Father's wrath? Was it to reconcile the Father to the church? Was it to save the church from God's wrath and curse in the eternal world?

No, my brethren, Jesus gave himself for the church that he might sanctify and cleanse it. The church was in an unsanctified, unclean state, and the gospel or doctrine of Christ is that water or word by which he cleanses and saves it from its uncleanness. Christ saves his church from all spots and wrinkles, and presents it to himself a glorious church. Hark and hear those sons and daughters speak in loud exclaim; "Thou hast loved us and washed us from our sins in thine own blood."

Our next endeavors will be directed to illustrate what the Apostle means by the holy calling, with which he accompanies our salvation, and to show the natural connexion in which they stand to each other.

This subject may be seen most clearly by a little improvement of the similes which were used to represent the nature of salvation. But we may commence these remarks by recurring to the words of the Angel to Joseph; "Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins." Now it appears very consistent that when Jesus saves a sinner from his sins, he should at the same time call him to walk in holiness of life. Otherwise what benefit could there result from this salvation?

If what is meant by saving the sinner, is to save him from the penalty of the law, it is true such a salvation might be entirely disconnected with a holy calling. If a man, for instance, have stolen, for which crime the law says he shall be thus and so punished, and we wish to save him from receiving such punishment, there would be no necessary connexion between such salvation and the reformed and virtuous conduct of

this man. But if the object be to save the man from being a thief, it is absolutely necessary in this case to furnish the man with such moral sentiments, and such a sense of moral virtue as will prevent his repeating the crime.

There seems to be an evident connexion likewise, between bringing the lost sheep back to the fold, and such measures as might be necessary to prevent it from again going astray; for if the propensity to wan

der still remains, and there be no provisions to prevent indulgence, there would seem an impropriety in making those exertions by which the sheep was found and returned to the fold.

This subject is very clearly seen in the case of the reformed prodigal. If after he had returned to his father's house, and had been there most kindly received; if after all his penitence and reformation; if after he had been clothed with the best robe, had shoes put on his feet, and his father's ring upon his hand; if after partaking of the fatted calf and the joys of the family on this occasion, he had again turned his back on his father, and again acted the prodigal, the joy that had lighted up the countenances of the family would most surely have been turned into mourning, and in room, of festivity, fasting would be more suitable to the

occasion.

But it is most clearly seen that every circumstance which contributed to the return of this lost son, and all the favor which was shown him by his father, together with all the enjoyments of the full and well replenished house to which he was welcomed, called, in the most persuasive manner, on him who had been dead, but made alive, who had been lost, but was found, to take heed to his ways, to stand fast in the liberty wherewith his father had made him free, that he might continue to enjoy those invaluable blessings.

My christian friends, has our merciful Father in heaven condescended to forgive us all our trespasses, has ne clothed us with the white linen of the righteousness of Christ, have we tasted that the Lord is gracious, and been permitted to set at his table, and to feast on those rich provisions with which Zion is blessed? And do not these favors call us with an holy calling, to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God?

This same Apostle has signified the sentiment of our text, in the following words to Titus; "For the grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly

in this present world. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works." Here is redemption from all iniquity, and purification unto good works. And this is again expressed in the following words to the Ephesians; "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." One passage more, may suffice on this particular. St. Peter addresses bis brethren as follows; "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue; whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And, beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things ye shall never fall; for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

By the similes and passages which we have employed in the illustration of this section of our text, it appears that holiness of life is a requisition enjoined by

the gospel, and that this holiness of conduct should be considered as properly connected with our salvation from sin.

In the passage quoted from St. Peter, we may notice particularly that we are required to add to our faith the christian graces, such as virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity, with the assurance, that if these things be in us, and abound, our fruitfulness in the knowledge of our Lord will be such whereby an entrance will be administered unto us abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

The conclusion then is evident, that although we may profess the true faith, yet if we do not attend to our holy calling, our faith becomes dead, cannot work by love, nor purify the heart.

Let us therefore, my brethren, endeavor to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour, by walking worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called.

Our text informs us that our salvation and calling are not according to our works, but according to the purpose and grace of God, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began. By this we understand, that as early as the divine Being purposed the gift of Jesus Christ to the world of mankind, he gave us in him this salvation and holy calling. This grant therefore, could not be governed by the works of man, it could not be said to be according to our works for the following reasons.

1st. It was given us in Jesus Christ before we were either born or had done good or evil.

This subject may be represented by the following similes. When the Almighty made the earth, the sun, the moon, and all things for the convenience of all creatures, he gave the present generation of men the earth, the sun, the moon, and all material things. This gift, being in the constitution of nature, and made sure to us ages before we were born, could not have been given as a reward for our works.

Again, When the Creator formed Adam, and con