cause thousands have done so before him. The curious ascend the lofty turrets of ancient grandeur, which have stood unshaken by the blast for centuries, and believe themselves safe. But the faith of the world's experience may be ill founded. Though the bark of the mariner may often have borne him in safety over the raging billows, still there may come a time when it is unable longer to weather the storm, and, overwhelmed, it founders in the ocean, carrying to the shades of everlasting night its master and crew. The bridge that has stood for ages may, by the impetuosity of the current, be swept away, and dash in its fall the passing traveller into the bosom of the stream; and thecloud-capt towers," which have stood the brunt of war, and been a refuge for ages, may, by the violence of the blast, be laid in ruins, burying, amid their awful crash, the unsuspecting visit

ants.

But the promise of God is sure, because he cannot lie; and to live by faith on the Son of Man is living in safety in a sure hiding-place, and acting on this faith is building on a sure foundation. To have a clear conception of bringing faith into practice is of the utmost importance to us. To act by faith, is to do the works Jesus hath commanded from love, because he loved us, believing that the reward shall follow according to the promise, "to give to every one according as his works shall be.”

If he has commanded to feed the hungry, and clothe the naked, by our doing so, for his sake, we lay up treasure in heaven, which shall never fail. If he has commanded to abstain from all sin, our doing so, because he hath commanded it, is rearing up in us a spiritual life that shall live to all eternity, and it is working out our salvation. To separate faith from works is separating soul and body. By our organs of speech we communicate our ideas to others; by our hands we provide nourishment for our bodies: but we cannot speak a word of sense without the volition of the soul, nor do an act the most simple, without its governing principle; and when the body ceases to act, the soul is fled so faith must be clothed by works, to give evidence of its existence,-the tree is known by its fruit, and the principle of faith by the works it produces. What is the faith of the gospel? Is it not that Jesus Christ is the atonement for sin, the Mediator between God and man, and that all who believe on his name and obey his commandments shall be saved? But obedience to his commands comprehends every work of love; and they who obey not, and refuse improving the talent given them, shall be cast into utter darkness, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The laws of nature we easily understand and follow. When hungry, we eat to satisfy desire; when thirsty, we drink; when wearied, we sleep:

and how gladly do we inhale the invigorating breath of the country air! By these means God hath decreed that we shall live; but, if we use them not, we die. The Scriptures inform us, that our spiritual life is nourished by prayer, by humility, by labours of love, by self-denial, by abstaining from every appearance of evil, by loving our neighbour as ourselves, and by doing all in the faith of the atonement made by Jesus Christ, as the only ground of our justification before God, counting ourselves unprofitable servants. And if we will not do the will of the Father who is in heaven, Jesus hath declared, that our calling him Lord, sitting at his table, and hearing his messengers, avail not, unless we do the will of the Father that sent him, and to such he will declare at the last day, "Depart from me, ye cursed: I never knew you.” All is of grace; but that grace creates love, and love cannot rest, until it bring forth fruits which shew repentance and remission of sin. Noble is the motive of the Christian's labour-love. "If ye love me keep my commandments." How noble this principle of action, love! Because he loved them, love is the fulfilling of the law, holy love is the chain that draws all men to the beloved, and unites them in one, as he and the Father are one. Works without faith, however high in their nature, however lovely in the eyes of men, cannot be pleasing in the sight of God. He delights not in the labours

of self-will, or the still more ignoble of self-interest. The works that are pleasing in his sight are done in recognising him as the Author of all, the Sovereign Disposer, and as the only one who has a right to command, and in the faith of their acceptance through Jesus the Mediator; he is our Creator, and he requires no obedience but what is for our good and the good of our race; if we recognise not him in our labours, we assume an authority which he has not given, and attempt to cut out a path in opposition to his will.

The boy, when put to school, obeys, because it is the will of his parents, though he is ignorant of the great benefits education will produce on his mind. He perseveres, believing what has been told him, that it is necessary to prepare him for his sphere of action in life; but were he stubbornly to refuse to learn, asserting that his ignorant mind was the rule of his conduct, what would we say of him? Would we not say, that he deserved to remain in ignorance, and be a drudge in society? But still his father might use the rod to break his unbending spirit, and kind persuasion to lead him to instruction; but if, instead of obeying, he should harden himself under chastisement, and resist every kind admonition, he must remain in ten-fold night, without one ray of knowledge to cheer him in the dark profound.

What then must be the state of those who remain in unbelief, notwithstanding the bright evidence of the truth of Christianity, and the warning admonitions of Providence ?—who set up the midnight darkness of their souls as their only guide, and brave the thunders of Mount Sinai by the stubbornness of their hearts? What must it be but chaotic darkness, and extreme anguish to all eternity? They have shut their ears to the counsels of wisdom, and hardened themselves against the admonitions of Providence; they have refused to admit the light of the gospel into their souls, which only can prepare them for a future state of being; they, during the day of their visitation, have boasted of their contempt of the gospel, and their entire freedom from its yoke: they surely then can expect none of its blessings, nor be sharers of its peace, which is eternal; as they have gloried in destruction, they must expect it to follow them for

ever.

To live a life of faith is not only pleasing in the sight of God, but it is likewise the highest and happiest state we can live here below. It connects our present and future life, it opens our eyes to the varied vicissitudes of Providence, and lets us see, at every change, the hand of him who hath caused us to hope. It animates to exertion, knowing that our labour is not in vain, and it crowns the even