to bear.

But what about the _security_ of the believer? The covenant being
made between Christ and the Father is well ordered in all things and
sure, according to the system of Predestination. "Once a saint, a
saint for ever," it has been said. The Christian, it is argued, may
make slips, even as David did, but he cannot fall finally away, for
every one that Christ died for will be ultimately saved. Now if all
this were true, then doubtless a sense, or feeling if you will, of
security would be gained. When Cromwell was dying he is said to have
asked his chaplain whether those who once knew the truth could be
lost, and being answered in the negative, he replied, "Then I am
safe." Now, it is not agreeable to be constantly on the watch-tower
looking out for the foe, or to have to tread cautiously among the
grass lest you should be bitten by a rattlesnake. But a man may
imagine himself to be secure when he is not. Many of the
shareholders and trustees involved in the late Bank catastrophy
thought they were secure; but they slept upon a slumbering volcano,
and many lost their all. They thought that they were secure, but it
was a dream from which they were awakened to a terrible reality. So
in religion. A man under the shadow of a theory may think himself
safe, whilst his gourd is only the gourd of Jonah, a thing that
withers under the heat of the sun. The feeling of security is very
agreeable; but how, if strict Calvinism is adhered to, is any man to
get intelligently amongst the elect? If Christ has died only for a
few, and the names of these are kept a profound secret, how can I
believe that I am among that few? We cannot believe without
evidence. If we do, our faith is the faith of the fool--a dream, a
conceit, and nothing more. Before a man, upon the theory of strict
Calvinism, can believe that Christ died for him, he would require to
get a list of the elect. This not being forthcoming, many poor men
are waiting for the touch of the Almighty's finger to work faith
within them, and place them among the happy number of the saved. But
in so waiting they are under a perfect delusion. As a matter of fact
there are many excellent Christian men who contend earnestly for the
creed of Calvinism. They read in the Bible that God is willing to
take sinners back through Christ, and they come to Him, and
consecrate themselves to His services, and then battle for
limitation. But in accepting Christ as their Saviour they shut their