magnanimity which makes the CHRISTIAN HERO, and brings on, through the power of the Spirit, Christian victory. And this quiet confidence is faith; - by this men have subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises; out of weakness were made strong:-by this they have laid aside every weight, and run with patience the race set before them, looking unto Jesus! According to our Faith, so shall it ever be unto us according to its existence, so will be our Works: according to its vigour, so will be the extent of our Works!

But if all this be true; if good works are the result of Faith, and are in proportion to our Faith; then we have a rule by which to judge of our works whether they be indeed good. All men have some parts of their conduct which they think good: and therefore all men are in danger of trusting that they possess that which is essential to salvation. But if good works, works good in the sight of God, are those, not merely which are good in their effects and consequences on society, but good in their origin and cause; if they are those only which "spring out of a true and lively faith" in God, then, where is there hope for any but the truly religious man? What if you be prudent men,

and will not indulge in vices which will injure you, but will rather cultivate those virtues which will bring you ease and competency : what if you be honourable men, and disdain low follies, and admire and pursue the noble and the fair: what if you be men of character, and reject whatever would hurt your reputation in the world :-here are things good, you will say, here are works manifold, which are lovely, and of good report. But where, I ask, is God, in all this? Where is He who must be first and last, and midst, and without end, in his own world? What is your state of mind towards Him? Where is the pleasing, honouring, and serving Him? Have you kept under any passion from love to God? Have you cultivated any virtue from love to God? Have you planned and pursued any course of conduct from love to God?-I leave these questions on your minds: I have not time to pursue them :-May God sanctify them to you!

I hasten to remark, lastly, that, if this be true, that good works are the produce of Faith, then how awfully essential to all good works, all virtue, and all excellence, is the gospel of Jesus Christ;-the Christian scheme of Salvation. Faith is the only effectual source of good works but Faith is a quiet reliance upon God

as our reconciled Father: and whence shall we get such a reliance but from the truth as it is in Jesus? What other doctrine can assure to us pardon of sin? what other, deliverance from condemnation; and admission, free admission, to divine favour? What other can reconcile and harmonize our conflicting feelings of hope and fear; our sense of the divine authority and justice, with that of the divine compassion? What other can blot out the past, and yet provide obedience for the future? What other can rouse us from despondency, and impart to us a power from on high? No! if holiness be your end, begin with Faith as the means; if the service of God be the race you propose to yourself, and the reward from God the prize you have in view: let the very first step of this race, the very preliminary to your starting with success, be reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ :-the commencement of a new course; the turning into a new path; the steadfastly purposing to lead a new life, animated by a lively Faith in God's mercy, through Christ.-Good works are essential to Salvation ;-Faith is essential to good works; -Christ and his Atonement are essential to Faith:-Therefore, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved!"

SERMON X.

FAITH, THE SOURCE OF PATIENCE.

2 CORINTHIANS iv. 13.

We having the same spirit of Faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken: we also believe, and therefore speak.

FAITH is the parent of all that is good and holy this is the fundamental principle of Christian morals ;-which I endeavoured to convince you of last Sunday.

And this is true, not only of obedience on the whole, but of specific parts of obedience. Not only will our general devotedness to God be true and lively in proportion as we have a true and lively faith; but our particular dispositions of mind,--our Firmness, our Heavenly-mindedness, our Love;-all will vary with the variations of our Faith. All particular acts of

obedience, to be acts of obedience at all; to deserve the name of moral actions; to be any thing more than the impulse of humour or of the senses;-all particular acts of obedience must be the result of principles of obedience ;-and all our principles of obedience will derive their life and energy from Faith.

For, it will be found, I think, that all particular acts of obedience, all that is comprised under what are sometimes termed our personal and relative duties, will be the product of three governing principles or states of mind: and that each of these three governing principles or states of mind is represented in Scripture as dependant for its liveliness, nay, its very life, on Faith.

The three dispositions which I mean, are Firmness or Strength of mind:-Elevation or Spirituality of mind: - Benevolence or Kindness of mind. In proportion to our Firmness, our Spirituality, our Love; shall we be ready to every good work and in proportion to our Faith will be our Firmness, our Spirituality, our Love.

Let us consider this assertion, first, with respect to Strength, or Firmness, of mind.—And when I ask you thus, Brethren, to go along with