communication of heavenly grace. He may read the bible with the feelings of a man of taste, but he reads it not with the views or feelings of a sinner under sentence of condemnation, who finds, in its sacred contents, the way of pardon and peace and joy.

3. Our attention should be directed much more to the grand objects of Faith, than to the workings of our own minds in the act of believing.

The supposition, that there is in the nature of Faith much of complexity and intricacy, has led many theologians to invent or to adopt numerous distinctions, in reference to various kinds of Faith. The consequence has been, that those who have wished to guard against self-deception on a subject of such vast importance, have had their minds greatly harassed and perplexed, first in endeavouring to understand these fine-spun distinctions, and then in endeavouring to ascertain whether their faith corresponds with any one of these definitions. Most unhappy has often been the result. The method adopted has had the effect" of drawing the attention away from the thing to be believed, and engaging it in a fruitless examination of the mental operation of believing. And is it not true," asks Mr. Erskine, that we see and hear of more anxiety amongst religious people, about their faith being of the right kind, than about their believing the right

things? Thus they leave that truth which God has revealed and blessed, as the medicine of our natures, and bewilder themselves in a metaphysical labyrinth." Now this does not appear to have been the case with the first christians. They seem to have been perplexed with no such difficulties. When they received the gospel, there was nothing in their views of the nature of Faith, to withdraw their attention from the truths it contained; and those truths, according to their natural tendency, filled their hearts with joy and peace and hope. Let us imitate their example. Let us direct the full energy of our minds and hearts to the wondrous love and finished work and great salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ; and let us yield our whole souls to the influence of that joy-inspiring and most faithful assurance— "that whosoever believeth on him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”

4. We are not to imagine that Faith may be for the present delayed, in the hope of obtaining qualifications for its future exercise.

Faith in the gospel is a duty, at this moment, incumbent on every one of us. The God in whose hands our breath is, and at whose bar we must soon appear, imperatively requires every one of us, without exception, and without procrastination, to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. “This is the first and great commandment,"

under the gospel dispensation, "that we believe on him whom God hath sent." The reason is obvious. The things we are required to believe are undeniably true, and infinitely important. They are reported to us on the authority of God himself. They relate to the honour of Jehovah, and to our own interests for a future and eternal world. If we believe them, we are saved; if not, we perish. All that is necessary for our salvation, has been actually accomplished by the doings and the sufferings of the Son of God incarnate. The work of redemption is finished. The sacrifice of atonement has been offered and accepted. The proclamation of mercy has been addressed to us, and we are even intreated to receive it as a faithful announcement, and worthy of our immediate and most cordial acceptation. It is certain, indeed, that you will not receive the testimony concerning the Saviour, and that you will not make a personal and believing application to him for pardon and life, unless you deeply feel your guilt and misery; but surely you are culpable, unspeakably culpable, if you neglect, if

you refuse to make that application. Plead not inability as an excuse for that neglect; for the only inability under which any one can labour, is a want of inclination; and assuredly, that want of disposition is itself a sin of awful magnitude. It is true, that no man will come

to Christ, unless inclined and disposed by the influence of the Holy Spirit; but be it considered, that the very state of mind and heart which renders that influence indispensable, is a state of criminal alienation from God, which admits of no defence. Be it remembered also, that no one remains destitute of the aid of the Spirit of God, except the man who neglects to seek it, because he is not in earnest to obtain it. Oh, what will be, hereafter, the feelings of those who plead inability, as the extenuation of the sin of unbelief; and at the same time present no supplication, at the throne of grace, for the influence so graciously promised, without which, they confess, they can do nothing. Oh, "why will ye die," with the way of life eternal full in view? Why will you not plead the promise; and, relying upon its fulfilment, come, without delay, to Christ, that you may be saved? He died for the ungodly. He invites, he pardons, he saves the ungodly. Trust in his propitiation, in his righteousness, in his love, in his promise, and you are safe. You may be safe to-day. You may be delivered from condemnation this very hour. Lose not another moment. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved."

5. The christian should not be satisfied with the lowest degree of Faith, but should aim at its vigorous and habitual exercise.

Is it not recorded, to the eternal honour of the Father of the Faithful, that "he was strong in Faith, giving glory to God?" Was there any excellence which called forth, from the lips of Jesus, such animated expressions of approbation and delight, as instances of firm and powerful Faith? Is it not equally conducive to the honour of God, and to the peace and joy which we Is not Faith the earnestly desire to attain?

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grand, the vital, the inspiring and the controlling principle of the christian life? If, then, you are solicitous that your life on earth should be at once happy and useful, be it your prevailing desire and prayer, that you may live "a life of Faith on the Son of God," by means of "the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ."

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And let every one examine himself, to ascertain, "whether he be in the Faith." Let not this point be taken for granted, without due scrutiny of heart. Do you truly believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? Does his gospel appear to you supremely important-supremely interesting? If you do not believe in its importance, in its excellence, and its adaptation to your state, as guilty and dying, you do not in reality believe it; you do not in reality understand it. Most certain it is, that the proclamation of its truths has involved you in awful responsibility; and that, in every instance in which you read