which he has accomplished ? Who can bring forth any works of supererogation or perfection that shall eke out his right- eousness, or give weight and efficacy to his sacrifice ? Surely Christ alone must be acknowledged as " the author of eternal salvation0."]
2. In imparting it —
[The state of mankind may be fitly compared to the dry bones in Ezekiel's vision d : they are altogether incapable of exerting themselves in the way of godliness, or of performing the functions of the spiritual life. He who commanded Lazarus to come forth from the grave, and who calls himself " the resurrection and the life," must quicken them, or they will remain to all eternity " dead in trespasses and sins." If " we choose him, and love him, it is because he has first chosen us, and loved use." There is not a saint on earth that must not say, " By the grace of God, I am what I amf." " It is not of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, that we are born, but of Godg." Through the pride of our hearts indeed, we are too apt to boast : but " who amongst us has any thing which he has not received11?" Who must not trace up to God both his " disposition to will, and his ability to do" what is right and good1? Nothing but the most con- summate pride can hinder us from confessing, that " salvation is, not of him that willeth, or of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy k :" and that, " if we have been saved and called with an holy calling, it has not been according to our works, but according to God's eternal purpose and grace1."]
3. In maintaining it —
[Nothing is more evident than our inability to maintain our natural life : however careful we be in the use of means, we cannot secure our bodies against the effects of disease or accident. The preservation of our spiritual life is yet further beyond the reach of our foresight or our skill. If left by God for one moment, we shall fall. If Adam, even in Paradise, yielded to temptation, notwithstanding he was a perfect man, how much more shall we, who are full of evil? St. Paul ac- knowledges that, notwithstanding all the grace he had received, he " had not in himself a sufficiency even to think a good thought1"." As water ceases to flow when its communication with the fountain is cut off, or as light is instantly extin- guished as soon as the rays of the sun are intercepted, so all spiritual life would cease in us for ever, if " Christ, who is our
c Heb. v. 9. d Ezek. xxxvii. 1 — 3.
e Jer. xxxi. 3. John xv. 1G. f 1 Cor. xv. 10.
e John i. 13. h 2 Cor. iv. 7. ! Phil. ii. 13.
k Rom. ix. 16. ' 2 Tim. 19. m 2 Cor. Hi. 5.