Lastly, let us read that verse (Rev. vii. 13): “What are these arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?" When the beloved disciple saw the white-robed throng, it seemed as if there was nothing in heaven like them, no crowns so bright, no robes so dazzling, no palms so verdant, no song so sweet as theirs; and as he looked with amazement upon them, the question he was ready to utter is suggested to him, "What are these arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?" "These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." What was Adam in all his glory, having creature-fellowship with his Creator, to compare with any one of that white-robed throng, standing before the throne, in eternal risen union with the Lord Jesus Christ? Just nothing. God cannot make man immutable by conferring a divine attribute upon him; but the love and wisdom of God have arranged a plan whereby it is virtually accomplished. The Son of God has taken our nature into union with himself, and he personally became the root and fulness of our immutability, our righteousness,

our life, our title, our grace, our glory. We stand in him, as unfallen Adam never stood.

Now, brethren, allow me to ask a solemn, loving, earnest question to each, "Where art thou?" Are you saved or not saved? I do not ask you in the light of a broken law; there is but one answer to the question in that sense; but I ask you in the light of the Gospel message,-I ask in the light of his name who is Emmanuel, God with us, the descended, crucified, risen and triumphant Emmanuel, the coming King,-"Where art thou ?" Are you for him or against him? May God himself teach you the answer for his name's sake. AMEN.

A SERMON

BY

THE REV. MARCUS RAINSFORD.

"But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt."-GEN. xix. 26.

SOME time since I directed your attention to the history and

character of Lot. The first lesson read to-day suggests to us a meditation upon what is recorded of his wife; indeed, our blessed Lord has called our attention very emphatically to this subject. In Luke xvii. 32, we read these words of Christ, "Remember Lot's wife," and here the Holy Ghost points to her as a monument of God's judgment, to be held by us in everlasting remembrance" a pillar of salt!"

The wife of Lot is a type of a numerous class amongst ourselves; persons who are convinced but not converted, you may be convinced of the evil of sin, and of the need of a refuge, and yet never be converted to God. She is a type of a class, and alas! a numerous class, who seem to stand half way between Sodom and Zoar, half way between the world and Christ; having fled, to a certain

SERM. XXIV.

extent, from the pollutions of the world, fearing the wrath to come, but who have never yet by faith entered into Christ—borderers, occupying apparently a favourable position, but in reality a fatal, self-deceived, and perishing one, neither for the world, as they would say, nor yet for Christ. As if such a position were possible, neither hot nor cold: "I would," says Christ, "that thou were cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot: I will spue thee out of my mouth."

The story of this woman illustrates one of the most startling passages in all the book of God. 2 Pet. ii. 20-22: "If after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire."

Brethren, there are many of us who are almost Christians, baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, educated in a Christian creed, and brought up in a Christian country, professors more or less every one of us: we have Christian relations, we have had long and frequent association with men and women who

have more or less feared God, and thus our education has brought it to pass that we, to a certain extent, hold an orthodox creed. A creed is not salvation; you may have all the points of Christian doctrine by heart and yet never be saved; alas! with many of us our religion is a religion of example; perhaps some one we look up to, and who has great influence over us, is a true servant of God, and the example influences us. With many the religion we possess is a religion of excitement, a very passing sort of emotion; with others a religion of fashion; we go just as far as it is fashionable to go in matters of religion; there are a vast number who go so far, but not further. With many our religion is a religion of circumstances. We happen to live in a religious circle, we breathe a religious atmosphere; had our lot been cast in an opposite sort of sphere, we should just have been opposite sort of characters. Others have the religion of the world, and the world has a circle in it understood and known as the religious world; certain forms are attended to, the house of God is not neglected; perhaps, occasionally, there are associations with those who worship God; but the bent, and thoughts, and tastes, and character are in the world. With others, religion is just a religion of opinion; ask them why they hold as a creed such and such opinions? Why? because their fathers and mothers did so before them; or perhaps some peculiar teacher, under whose ministry they are accustomed to sit, thinks so and so, therefore they think so and so. Beloved