are perfectly holy in heaven, whether saints or angels, are perfectly free agents. They always act in every thing according to their own will, while they are doing the will of their king and their God. They are under no restraints nor compulsion. Holiness is the only element of free agency; and the perfection of holiness is the perfection of liberty. This they all have in the world above. And mind this, that their perseverance in perfect holiness throughout eternity, is made absolutely certain, and yet this will neither destroy nor diminish their free agency. While Adam in Paradise continued holy, he continued free. So it is evident that nothing is necessary to make free agents but to make them holy.

And who will deny that God sanctifies his people, and makes them holy. So far as the regenerate is made holy, his mind is set free to choose God for his portion. Renew the heart with grace, and it will run willingly after Christ; and no man ever yet went to Christ against his will. And the more holy he grows, the more he delights to go to him and abide with him. You see then that to make men holy does by no means destroy their free agency. Nay, it is the only thing that can set him free.

Here I have only to ask one plain question. If bestowing holiness on the children of men, or increasing it ever so much, does in no degree destroy nor diminish free agency in them, how is it possible that securing the continuance of holiness can destroy or lessen their free agency? Let this plain question be fairly answered before any more objections are made to the doctrine of final perseverance of the saints. If

the question cannot be answered, "Then are the children free and if the Son makes them free, they are free indeed." And who ever heard of their doing any one thing that pleased God, against their own will? And so far as they act willingly, they are in the highest sense, free agents.

PART VI.

THE GREAT SALVATION.

As we have said so much about the assurance of salvation, we should without fail, endeavour to understand the nature and. greatness of it, seeing we are to inherit it for ever. When we know that our title to an inheritance is just and good, it is natural enough to inquire into the value and amount of such an inheritance. If the salvation of God is to be our portion for ever, shall we not seek to know wherein it consists, and what happiness it confers on those that inherit the kingdom?

The nature, the reality, the greatness and the glory of the salvation of God, is a subject which ought to be our chief and constant study, and main delight. Alas! it is not so. By far the greater number of those who live in a land of Bibles think but little or nothing about the great salvation; consequently they set no value on it, but prefer the gratification of their senses to all the joys of heaven. Nothing under the sun is so pitiable and unaccountable as the indifference and unconcern manifested by the sons of men about

their eternal state.

This is greatly owing to their ignorance of the greatness and preciousness of the salvation which is in Christ Jesus. They neglect the means of information, and disbelieve the testimony of God; and acting so, must inevitably perish.

Even the heirs of salvation themselves have too low and contracted views of the inheritance of the saints in light, or they would make more haste home, and long more ardently for full possession. Some of those faithful souls who carry on a holy commerce with the Saviour, and habitually walk with God, are at times favoured with such enlarged and affecting views of the glory to come, that they would gladly leave all below, to go and be with Christ, which is far better. But were these to set forth the greatness of salvation, in the highest strain that they could command, they could say but little to what they have still to learn. They could only stand on the shore of this boundless ocean of grace, and exclaim, "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us," that he gave his only-begotten Son for our salvation, and made us the sons of God!

Were the tongues of all the hosts of heaven employed to describe the glory of Christ's salvation, and dwell on the subject for many millions of years, they would then be only beginning the endless theme. Eternity itself cannot tell the full value of salvation by grace. Salvation! Oh salvation! Thou art the delight of God and the inheritance of the saints. Thy worth can never be told: for "eye hath not seen, ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love

nor

him." The utmost that we can know is simply this, that when Christ shall appear, we shall be like him, and dwell for ever in the bosom of his 'love. The duration of the saints' enjoyment will be the days of eternity. A question has been long since asked, which never can be answered, viz. How shall ye escape the wrath of God, and the torments of hell, if ye neglect so great salvation?

To tell how great the value and glory of God's salvation be, is what none can attempt without presumption. All that shall be done here, is to furnish the reader with a few particulars, as materials for thinking on the subject, and assist his thoughts to arise and expand on the glorious theme. And this I shall attempt in the name of the Lord, and yet with trembling.

I.-The greatness and glory of the Salvation of God, are clearly discovered in all the WORKS of Christ.

1. His eternal plan of Redemption tells us plainly that Salvation was his greatest work. The great, the holy and the gracious Jehovah, had the salvation of a fallen world early in view; even from all eternity his thoughts were with the sons of men. In his wisdom and in his love, he devised a mysterious and wondrous plan to make his glory known to the children of men. The redemption and salvation of a ruined world was his grand central point, to which all things else tended. He foresaw that the children of men through the weakness and frailty of their nature would depart