head would have no body. And his death would be in vain.

7. From the prayers of believers at the throne of grace. Christ was heard when he prayed for Peter, which is an encouragement to believers to pray the same prayer; convinced that in Christ their prayer will be heard and answered.

8. From the continued influences of the Holy Spirit. If believers are the temples of the Holy Ghost, it must be inconsistent with his dwelling in them, to say that they may fall away. See 1 Cor. vi. 19; Eph. i. 13, and iv. 30, where his work is expressed by sealing. See also Phil. i. 6.

9. From considering this work in those who have been guilty of aggravated sins, after they have been in a state of peace with God. Who can say that Peter, on the denial of his Lord, fell finally from a state of grace? Who can say that David, on account of his sin, forfeited for ever the favour of God? Or, who can prove that the gracious relation, which formerly subsisted between him and his God, was now finally dissolved?--See Psal. li.

But although the children of God cannot fall finally from grace, yet they may, and often do, fall into many and great sins. And by these sins they may be, and often are, subjected, not indeed to the wrath of God as an angry Judge, but to the chastisement of God as a Father, who is displeased with them.-See Psal. lxxxix. 30-34.

It may here be remarked, that this doctrine of the perseverance of the saints does not afford the least encouragement to licentiousness, as some are pleased to affirm. Every real believer, the more he is convinced of the love of God to his soul, and the more he feels the love of God shed abroad in his heart, will be the more zealous to promote the honour of that grace which he experiences.-See Rom. vi., where this objection is fully refuted.

INFERENCES.

From this subject we learn,-1. The necessity of placing every part of the scheme of salvation in its due order, that the connection of one part with another may appear, and that the comfort of the believer may not be marred. 2. That we ought to seek after the sensible assurance of the love of God. 3. The necessity of using every spiritual means that it may be obtained. 4. That the wicked cannot have this assurance; seeing it is a benefit flowing from justification

and sanctification. 5. The greatness of those comforts which arise from assurance. 6. That they who possess it are much indebted to the Spirit of grace; and that, if they grieve him, he may depart from them. 7. That peace of mind will fit us for every providence. 8. That peace of conscience can be obtained from the Word alone; and that peace obtained in any other way is extremely dangerous. 9. That the unbeliever cannot experience joy in the Holy Ghost. 10. That this joy can support in the midst of the most adverse providences. 11. That we ought to study to obtain it. 12. That the thoughts of the hypocrite and of the world, respecting the portion of the soul for ever, are diametrically opposite to those of the believer. 13. That every source of worldly joy shall soon fail, in the moments of affliction and at death; whereas the source of the believer's joy is inexhaustible. 14. The necessity of having this joy, if we would consult our best interests. 15. That they who have it should study to preserve it; and that all who have it not, should study to possess it. 16. The necessity of using every means that we may grow in grace. 17. That careless sinners are but barren in the church of God, and in danger of being cut down as cumberers. 18. That believers have no cause to fear that they shall be given over unto death. 19. The danger of those who draw back from following the Lord. 20. That all who are pleased with a mere form of godliness, are unfruitful. 21. The necessity of an interest in the Spirit, that we may grow up before the Lord. 22. That every thing in the everlasting covenant is well-ordered and sure. 23. The security of the believer's blessedness for ever. 24. That the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. 25. That the hypocrite's case is most dangerous; and hence see the necessity of grace. 26. That it is dangerous in the extreme to go on in sin, because the grace of God abounds.

Benefits of Redemption at Death.

The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pass into glory; and their bodies being still united to Christ, do rest in their graves till the resurrection.

ANALYSIS AND PROOFS.

We are here taught,

1. That the souls of believers are at death made perfect in holiness. Heb. xii. 23.-" To the spirits of just men

made perfect."

2. That, after death, the souls of believers pass immediately into glory. Luke xxiii. 43.-" Jesus said unto him, Verily, I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise." See also 2 Cor. v. 8.

3. That the bodies of believers, while in their graves, remain united to Christ. 1 Thess. iv. 14.-"Them also who

sleep in Jesus will God bring with him."

4. That the bodies of believers "rest" in their graves. Isa. lvii. 2.-"They shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness."

5. That the bodies of believers shall be raised from their graves at the last day. 1 Thess. iv. 16." The dead in Christ shall rise first." See also Job xix. 26.

EXPLANATION.

Obs. 163. At death, the souls of believers are made perfect in holiness.

In the souls of believers at death, perfection appears in the following respects :-They feel themselves at liberty among the spirits of just men made perfect; they are delivered from sin, and from all the enemies with which they were surrounded in this world; they feel no more pain from the commission of sin; they are no longer vexed with the filthy communication of the wicked; they have now arrived at the full stature of perfection in Christ Jesus; they have now reached the summit of holiness and perfection; they are now perfect as God is perfect, and pure as he is pure; in a word, they are now the image of Jehovah, and conformed to Jesus, who is "the image of the invisible God."

Obs. 164.-After death, the souls of believers immediately pass into glory.

That the souls of believers immediately pass into glory, is evident from several passages of Scripture; and it is a most pleasant subject of anticipation to the children of God; see Luke xxiii. 43,-where by paradise must be meant heaven, or the state of glory; Luke xvi. 22,-where heaven is expressed by Abraham's bosom; and Rev. xiv. 13,-where it is said, "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord;" but where would the blessedness be, if the souls of believers sleep until

the resurrection? See also Phil. i. 23; 2 Cor. v. 1, &c.; Rev. viii. 3.

The glory into which the souls of believers pass immediately after death, is inconceivable; for "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." -1 Cor. ii. 9. In Scripture, however, it is compared to a kingdom, to show the glorious dignity to which the saints are advanced, Luke xii. 32; Rev. i. 6; to a house not made with hands, to denote the unspeakable excellency of the heavenly mansions, above the most stately mansions built by men,2 Cor. v. 1; to an incorruptible inheritance, to intimate that the happiness of the saints will be eternal,-1 Pet. i. 4; and to a better country, to show that the things which are seen and temporal, are not to be compared to the things which are unseen and eternal,-Heb. xi. 16; 2 Cor. iv. 18.

Obs. 165.—The bodies of believers "rest" in their graves, where they are still united to Christ.

They are said to rest in their graves; because their graves are like beds of ease, where their bodies sleep in safety till the morning of the resurrection.—Isa. lvii. 2.

That their bodies remain united to Christ is evident; for death cannot dissolve the inseparable union which exists between Christ and believers,-2 Thess. iv. 14; see also John xi. 11, where Christ speaks of Lazarus as his friend after death; and Rom. viii. 11, which passage evidently implies as much as that we must believe, that the Spirit who dwells in the children of God, shall quicken their mortal bodies; which shows, that although in the grave, they are still members of Christ, seeing his Spirit dwells in them.

Obs. 166.-The bodies of believers shall be raised from their graves at the last day.

They shall rest in their graves until the resurrection, but no longer. Then the gates of death shall be unlocked, and the bars of the grave shall be broken off, and they shall be raised up and united to their souls; after which the whole man shall rest eternally in the love of God, and Christ shall bear the glory.

Obs. 167.-At death, the state of unbelievers is very different from that of believers

To unbelievers the grave is a prison, where they are kept in close confinement until the resurrection. And their souls are sent immediately to hell, where they are filled with horror and anguish, and reserved, together with the fallen angels, in chains of darkness until the judgment of the great day.-2 Pet. ii. 4.

INFERENCES.

From this subject we learn,-1. The necessity of growing in conformity to the image of Jesus, which alone can qualify for the enjoyment of God in glory. 2. That the saints have much comfort in affliction. 3. That the believer cannot be deprived of his happiness, when he is prepared for it. 4. The happiness of believers, and the misery of unbelievers, immediately after death. 5. The strength of Christ's love to his people it is stronger than death, for death cannot destroy it. -Rom. viii. 38, 39. 6. The safety of believers, even after they leave this world, and before they enter upon the full reward promised. 7. That there shall be a resurrection, when the grave shall not be able to retain their precious dust. 8. That nothing should discourage the Lord's people while they are in this world, seeing he will accomplish the good work which he hath begun. 9. That believers have no reason to be afraid at death. 10. That sorrow above measure for the death of departed friends is incompatible with a belief of the resurrection.

Benefits of Redemption at the Resurrection.

At the resurrection believers being raised up in glory, shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment, and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God to all eternity.

ANALYSIS AND PROOFS.

We are here taught,—

1. That at the resurrection believers shall be raised up in glory. 1 Cor. xv. 43.—" It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory."

2. That believers shall be openly acknowledged by Christ at the day of judgment. Luke xii. 8.-"Whosoever shall