might be effectual for the salvation of all whom the Father had given to him : and at the last day he will be able to say, as he did in the days of his flesh, " Of those whom thou hast given me I have lost none." If. he is ever living on purpose to make intercession for them, and is constituted Head over all things to the Church on purpose to save them, then he will keep them ; none shall ever pluck them out of his hands"1, nor shall any thing ever separate them from the love of God.]
2. The particular grounds —
[We need not resort to any express revelation made to Paul, in order to account for his confidence : for he could not but know that he had believed in Christ, and that he was as desirous of being sanctified by his grace as of being saved by his blood ; and consequently, he could not doubt his interest in the promises. And wherever conscience testifies that this is the real experience of the soul, there a person may entertain the same assured hope as Paul himself did.
It would not indeed be expedient for young converts to indulge too strong a confidence ; because their sincerity has been but little tried, and they are by no means sufficiently simple in their dependence on God : in proportion therefore as the evidences of their faith are defective, and the means of stability are overlooked, they must relax their confidence of persevering to the end. As for those who are already in a backslidden state, it would be a most horrible delusion in them to say, that nothing should separate them from the love of God ; since they have reason to doubt at this moment whether they be at all interested in his love.
But a humble contrite person, that is living by faith on the Son of God, and maintaining a suitable conversation in all his spirit and conduct, he may conclude himself to be in the love of God, and be persuaded firmly that nothing shall be able to separate him from it. He then stands in the very situation of the Apostle, as far as respects his own personal experience, and therefore may indulge the same joyful hope and persuasion that he shall endure unto the end. Nor need he be at all dis- couraged on account of his own weakness, since the more weak he feels himself to be, the stronger he is in reality11, inasmuch as he is made more dependent on his God.
In a word, an assurance of faith respecting the accomplish- ment of God's promises to believers, should be maintained by all, since his word can never fail : but an assurance of hope respecting our own personal interest in those promises, should rise or fall according to the evidences we have of our own sincerity.]
« 1 Sam. ii. 9. 1 Pet. i. 5. John x. 28. n 2 Cor. xii. 10.
1882.] the privileges of jews and christians. 333 Address —
1. Those who know nothing of this joyful per- suasion—
[Do not condemn that of which you are not capable of judging aright : but seek an interest in the love of God ; and believe in Christ, through whom the Father's love shall be secured, and by whom it shall be revealed to your soul. When " the love of God has been shed abroad in your own hearts," you will be better able to judge of the confidence which that love inspires.]
2. Those whose persuasion accords with that of the Apostle —
[Nothing surely can be conceived more delightful than to possess an assured hope of eternal happiness and glory. But let it never be abused to the encouragement of sloth. If we profess that nothing shall separate us from the love of God, ler us take care that nothing does separate us from it. Let not the temptations of Satan, or the persecutions of men, not the comforts of life, or the terrors of death, let nothing felt at present, or feared in future, let nothing in the whole creation draw us aside from the path of duty, or retard our progress in the divine life0.]