the honor which belongs to him? Pride of heart is a mighty hinderance to the work of God's grace. When this hinderance is removed, and God sees us humble and self-abased, and yet ready to do our part faithfully; then we may expect that he will revive his work.

Among our various endeavors, then, to prepare ourselves for the work of converting sinners and building up the church, this would seem to be of special importance, namely, that we take care of our own hearts, and see to it that we are rid of that pride and selfdependence, which is so exceedingly hateful in the sight of God, and that we have that lowly mind, and that reliance on his grace, which he regards as of great price. And if some of the exertions we make for more showy acquisitions, were made for the particular purpose of subduing all conceit of our own power, and cherishing deep humility and child-like dependence or God; should we not be likely to accomplish more for the salvation of sinners and the spread of the gospel? Only twelve men, and those too of moderate qualifications in a worldly view, were employed as apostles, to establish Christianity, and to propagate it through the nations. Is it not sometimes the case, that too much human agency is employed in our attempts to promote a revival of religion? Does not God very plainly teach us, both by his word and providence, that he sets a much higher value upon the kind of agency we employ, than upon its quantity?

And you, my dear son, can add your testimony to the truth of the sentiment contained in my text. Your own experience, during the short period of your ministry, has been sufficient to teach you thoroughly, what the Bible had taught you before, that a minister owes his success entirely to God. While laboring among the affectionate and beloved people whom you have lately left, you have at different times enjoyed the happiness of beholding sinners pressing into the kingdom of heaven, and large numbers added to the church. And on every conversion you have seen it written as with a sun-beam the work of God! And when, in sovereign wisdom and righteousness, God has withheld the influence of his Spirit; you have found that no efforts of yours could

circumstances in which you are

avail anything; that in despite of the terrors of divine wrath, and the melting persuasions of divine mercy, sinners would neglect the great salvation. You have learnt by experience that men must be born again, and born of God. There is no other way for sinners to become heirs of heaven. For us to suppose that we can find out a new way, is all delusion. The human heart is essentially the same in all ages; and the power which renews it is the same; and that power is not the power of reason, nor the power of selflove, nor the power of human persuasion; but the mighty power of God; the power which raised Christ from the dead; the power which created the world. Remember this, my dear son, in the encouraging and delightful here called to labor. If any in this place have an ear to hear the messages of divine mercy; it is because God has given them an ear. If they have a heart to love the truth; it is because God has given them such a heart. If you overlook this truth; if while the work of conversion and sanctification is prospering, you and your people forget that it is God's work; he will withhold the tokens of his favor. No rain or dew will descend from heaven; and you will soon behold this garden of God, now beginning to cluster with the fruits of the Spirit, left to blasting and barrenness. Remember then, that salvation is of God. And begin and end the labors of your ministry here, with a deep feeling of the blessed truth, that neither he that planteth is anything, nor he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

A SERMON

DELIVERED IN THE CHAPEL OF THE THEOL. SEMINARY, ANDOVER, APRIL 8, 1840.

John 15: 5.-WITHOUT ME YE CAN DO NOTHING.

THESE words were first addressed to the apostles. But it is as true of all believers, as it was of the apostles, that they can do nothing spiritually good without Christ; that in regard to all holiness, whether in heart or in life, they are entirely dependent on him.

Dependence, in a general view, is the condition of all created beings. Their existence, their powers of action, and their means of happiness are all from God. In him they live, and move, and have their being. This condition of dependence belongs to angels in heaven, as well as to men on earth. They owe it to the will and agency of God, that they were created and are continued in a state of moral purity. And they will be indebted to him for their holiness and happiness in all future ages, as much as they were at the beginning of their existence. They will doubtless remain holy, and will grow in the strength of their intellectual and moral faculties and their spiritual affections forever. But the growing strength of their faculties and their affections will be from God. And the higher their improvement in knowledge and in holiness, just so much the more will they be indebted to the goodness of God. It is the unalterable, happy condition of the heavenly hosts, to have a growing fulness of spiritual good, and to receive it all from God.

But Christians are dependent not only in the general sense in which the angels are dependent, but in a peculiar sense, a sense appropriate to them as redeemed sinners. In their natural state they are children of wrath, desperately wicked. And their renewal to holiness is owing to the Spirit of God. It is by the grace of God they are what they are. And without the continuance of that grace, they would sink at once into a state of pollution, guilt and wretchedness. So that it is true in the highest sense, that without Christ they can do nothing.

I propose to show, that the doctrine of our dependence on divine aid is taught by reason, Scripture, and experience; and that it is a doctrine in the highest degree honorable to God, and useful to

man.

In the first place, this doctrine is taught by reason. If there is anything which reason makes known with absolute certainty, it is, that all excellence and happiness in created beings is derived, not self-originated; that we are as much indebted to God for the commencement and continuance of a virtuous character, as for the commencement and continuance of our being. True virtue is far more excellent, than mere existence. And it would be very unreasonable to suppose, that we are dependent on God for that which is less excellent and yet not dependent for that which is more excellent. Certainly it would not be more contrary to reason and truth to think, that created beings originated their own existence, than that Christians of themselves originated their own. holiness. And this becomes specially evident, when it is considered how many things there were without them and within them, which stood in opposition to holiness, and which it was necessary should be removed before they could be the subjects of it.

In the second place, the doctrine under consideration is plainly taught by the inspired writers. This is my chief argument. Those who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, cannot mislead us. Let us then carefully consider the various ways in which the sacred writers teach us our weakness and insufficiency, and our dependence for spiritual good on divine grace.

Here we find that the beginning of holiness in the human heart

is familiarly represented as the work of God. "Being born again, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." This passage excludes all conceivable causes of regeneration, but one, that is, God. The sacred writers tell us that a saving change comes from above; that believers are renewed by the Holy Ghost.

The continuance of holiness is ascribed to the same cause. It is God who worketh in believers both to will and to do. They have spiritual life, because the Spirit of God dwells in them. The same God who began the good work in them, will perform it until the day of Christ. The God of peace will make them perfect in every good work, to do his will, working in them that which is well pleasing in his sight.

Further; the Scriptures teach that Christians are dependent on divine grace not only for holiness in a general sense, but for all the particular forms and branches of it. Thus if we refer to repentance as an important branch of holiness; we find that Christ is exalted to give repentance. If we refer to the faith of Christians; we find it is God who worketh in them the work of faith with power. And love, which is the principal virtue of believers, is shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost. And as to the duty of prayer, we are taught that Christians know not how to pray aright, and that the Holy Spirit helpeth their infirmities, and maketh intercession for them. And in regard to the saving knowledge of divine things; we find that they who have it are taught of God; that the natural man does not know and cannot know the things of the Spirit; and that it is God that causes the light to shine in the heart. The same is true of obedience. is God who writes his law in the hearts of his people, and inclines them to obey. It is God that gives his people patience and firmness under trials and sufferings. Indeed the whole range of Christian virtues are the fruits of the Spirit.

It

The prophets and apostles teach the same truth in still another way. They expressly disclaim all spiritual strength and sufficiency of their own, and confide in divine strength. See how clearly their language shows the dependent posture of their minds. "Not