terest in the appointed ranfom. If we believe ourselves utterly unable to discharge any portion of the demands, which the avenging juftice of God urges against us; we shall confefs that our deliverance, if we are delivered, will be an act of free and unmerited grace. If we are fervently defirous of future holiness; we fhall feek with proportionate folicitude the renewing influence of the Spirit of fanctification. If we are convinced that, left to ourselves, we cannot but fall; we fhall place our whole reliance on the continued guidance and fupport of the Holy Ghoft. If we are convinced that Jefus Chrift is an all-fufficient Saviour; to him we fhall have recourfe for falvation. If we are fatisfied that there is falvation in no other, that there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we may be faved: to him alone we shall commit our fouls. To him we fhall fly, as the lamb of God who taketh away the fins of the whole world: as having made atonement even for us by his blood as our present advocate with the Father: as ever living to make interceffion for us: as having the fuccours of the Holy Spirit at his disposal: as invested with all power in earth and heaven: as loving us with unparalleled affection: as watching

over us with unwearied care; as our example, our instructor, our law-giver: as having afcended into the manfions of his Father to prepare a place for his servants : as again to return in glory, that he may raise all the generations of man from the grave; judge the affembled world in righteoufnefs; receive his faithful followers to himself; and feal up the wicked with the devil and his angels in the abodes of unutterable and everlasting destruction.

These are the fruits of faith, when first it brings the finner to the foot of the cross. What are its fruits, when rifing from the foot of the cross, the penitent finner proceeds to approve himself the fervant of that Lord who loved him and gave Himself for him? Its fruits are unto holinefs. Looking unto Jefus, the author and finisher of his faith, the penitent finner, actuated by a new principle, living to new objects, devoted to a new master, labours in the strength of his Redeemer's grace to become dead unto fin and alive only unto righteoufnefs. He is eager to manifeft his gratitude and affection to his Saviour. To the laws of Christ he cheerfully and unreservedly fubmits. In the steps of Christ he endeavours to tread. The glory of Chrift he is watchful and

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and zealous to promote. In God, the Father of his crucified Lord, he beholds a Father reconciled even to him. In his brethren of the household of faith he beholds men united to himself, not merely by the common ties of nature, but by the additional and facred bands of redeeming love. Even in the wicked he beholds those whom the Son of God died to fave: whom God still spares that they may accept falvation through His Son. Hence active love to God and man characterife the fervant of Chrift. Fearful of falling fhort of the glorious falvation fet before him; aware of the tremendous power of his fpiritual enemy, yet not cast down, because he rests on the arm of an Almighty Redeemer: he ftudies to adorn the doctrine of God his Saviour in all things, to be a pattern of every good work. Waiting for the coming of his Lord, looking forward to things unfeen, he displays not only the active virtues of the Christian character, but those also which are paffive: refignation to the appointments of God, patient endurance of afflictions, unwearied forgiveness of injuries, willingness to bear contempt and reproach for righteousnefs' fake. In no degree relying for acceptance on his works;

but

but conscious that, unless his faith is evidenced by habitual works of holiness, he never shall see the Lord; he unremittingly labours to maintain a confcience void of offence towards God and towards man. Thus faith worketh by love, and by works proves itself to be perfect.

To us individually, my brethren, the great question is, whether we are feeking falvation in the way which the Scriptures teach whether we are feeking it through Him whom God has ordained to be the Redeemer. Are we placing confidence in a moral abftinence from certain vices, a moral regard to certain virtues; having the form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; decent in the externals of religion, -but rejecting the univerfality of its dominion, averfe to its humbling and fpiritual nature? Or do we repofe our truft on an amiable character; the refult of polished manners, eafy good-humour, engaging affability, and ready compassion? Or are we depending on the fancied merits of usefulness; while, in the midst of our usefulness, God has not been in all our thoughts? Or are we pharifaically prefuming on a fuppofed righteousness of our own; bringing in the Giver of all things

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things as our debtor, or deeming ourselves to have paid a part of the price of our salvation in the compenfatory coin of our own works? Or are we relying exclufively on Christ Jefus? Do we feel ourselves to be dead, and constrained to come unto Him that we may have life? Through him do we feek pardon and reconciliation and grace? Have we taken his yoke upon us? Are we willing to bear his burthen? Do we love him and obey him as the Captain of our falvation? While, equally disclaiming an unproductive faith, and works proceeding from any other root than faith, we maintain the infeparable union, and the indifpenfable neceffity of faith and works; do we accurately affign to each of these requifities to falvation its proper and peculiar and exclufive office? Do we stedfastly bear in mind that faith is the inftrument whereby we obtain an interest in that treasure, which completely and folely purchases our falvation, the atoning merit of Jefus Chrift: and that good works, acceptable to God not through defert of their own, for our best works are imperfect and finful, but folely through the blood of our Redeemer, are requifite, as fruits of faith; are requifite to prove the existence of that true faith of

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