ved; the solid earth, with the surrounding heavens, may pass away but her foundations are everlasting. Sooner shall chaos come again, and God deny himself; sooner shall the natural and the moral world be tossed into confusion, than that should fail by which she is supported. Great is that revenue of glory she brings into our God, whether she trembles at the threatening, or relies upon the promise, which he hath spoken in his holiness; but most of all when her main object Christ is before her eyes, as the Saviour from sin and wrath. When angels circle the throne of God with heavenly anthems, and yield the most unspotted obedience to the divine law, they glorify their Maker.But when by her the guilty self-condemned wretch, devolves upon the Lord the burden of innumerable sins, and trusts for pardon of them all, this is glory to God in the highest. Though each obediential act is for the praise of God, and glorifies some one perfection of his nature, it is hers to render him the glory of them all.

As reason is superior to sense, so faith has the pre-eminence over reason. Be reason reverenced in matters that fall within her sphere; but when she ventures into deeps of God, the seas where faith has all the sovereignty, when acting like herself, she lowers her sails. As sense would seem to tell us many things which reason contradicts, so faith will rectify the fond mistakes of reason: nor ought she to be dissatisfied. Faith only shuts the eye of reason, not picks it out. Nor these alone submit themselves be fore this noble grace; even others her fellow virtues do obeisance. Though, as a gracious quality, she stands upon a level with the rest; yet, as an instru ment, she far excels in glory. She cannot boast indeed of her intrinsic worth, but of the post of honor which she fills by heaven's appointment. She only is the general receiver of all the blessings of the gospel. By her we call heaven's rich unfathomable mines our own. Because she humbleth herself, therefore hath God highly exalted her, and given her a name above

every grace. Even charity herself is only greater in duration for, she abideth when faith shall fail, as to its actings; and die like Moses, in the mount. Such is her humble nature, that even the jealous God, who will not give his glory to another, even he is found to give his glory unto her. We are saved by faith; we are justified by faith. She faithfully returns the glory to her object. He has regarded the low estate of his handmaid, because himself has said, them that honor me, I will honor.

Though weak in herself, she is strong in the Lord; her very weakness is her strength. She overcomes the devil, and the world, and the flesh. She binds up the arm of vengeance, and wields the arm of Omnipotence. The creature is not able to resist her; and the Creator will not. She says unto this mountain of difficulty, "be thou removed, and cast into the sea." She subdues kingdoms of lusts: quenches the violence of the fire of wrath; stops the mouth of the infernal lion; and escapes the edge of the sword of angry justice. When other graces quit the field, her own arm brings salvation. What shall I say more? If thou canst believe, all things are possible.

Such is her strength, no wonder she is as bold as a lion; though timorous and distrustful of the creature. Confiding in the Lord, she is not afraid to venture into the holiest of all. She plays upon the hole of the asp, and thrusts her hand into the cocatrice's den. O death, where is thy sting? she says with bold defiance. When presumptuous unbelievers are buried in the mighty waters, like the Egyptian host, she passes through the foaming waves triumphant. There is none like her in all the earth; who is made without fear?

Though poor in herself, she makes many rich with the treasures of eternity. She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in the scarlet robes of everlasting righteousness.Justly she is denominated precious faith, when she interests us in precious promises, and applies unto the conscience precious blood.

There are indeed who think her blind and headlong; yet is she a sharp sighted grace. She comprehends the love of Christ that passeth knowledge, doctrines which to the natural man are foolishness, and events that have no present existence, are realized by her." She is the evidence of things not seen, the substance of things hoped for," though ever so remote in time or place. She is a kind of second sight, not merely to behold spectacles of horror, ghosts and apparitions; but the King in his beauty, the land that is afar off, the things that are not seen, that are e ternal.

It is true, her strength is to sit still, to look on while the Lord himself doth wonderously. Like the lilies of the field, she toils 'not, neither does she spin. And certain bold blasphemers have talked of our most holy faith, as though she were no friend to works of righteousness. Impossible absurd! for all good works, without exception, are her dear offspring, which issue from her pregnant womb. These are her chil dren which praise her in the gates. And she may say in truth with the apostle of the gentiles, "I labored more abundantly than all the other graces. Do we make void the law through faith? God forbid : nay, we establish the law." The law as a covenant she makes not void for she presents the perfect righteousness of Christ, which answers every legal charge. And though she strips the law, to all who have her, of the old covenant-form, she turns it to a rule of life, & supplies the believer with the most effectual motives to all holy obedience. No work of God can be accep tably performed, till once you have believed. This is his prime command, and your most necessary duty.For without faith it is impossible to please God, by any doing, or by any suffering. By faith Abraham offered up Isaac his first born son; and by faith the children of Abraham put the knife unto the throat of their most favorite lusts.

But, ah! how few are there among the sons of men who can lay claim to this invaluable grace !

Though all her ways are pleasantness and peace, great is the opposition, by all the powers of corrupt nature, unto this heavenly virtue. The bigotted papist will rather undergo the drudgery of dismal superstition. The blinded pagan will rather choose to imbrue his hands in the blood of his own offspring.The perverse jew, descended from Abraham, only according to the flesh, will rather yield his servile neck to the old galling yoke of antiquated ceremonies, than be at all induced to submit unto the righteousness of faith. They know not, nor will understand the nature of this exalted grace. Though even in matters of this world, all know that trust is no uncommon thing. The husbandman, at the return of spring, is not afraid to sow, in hope, when he commits the foodful grain unto the furrows of the field: “for his God doth instruct to discretion." They who go down to the sea in ships, repose such confidence in their floating vessels, as not to be afraid to trust themselves, and all their worldly riches, unto the boisterous waves. Why is it that so few will venture their eternal all, and their temporal felicity, unto the faithful word of promise? The man who sows his grain in the furrow, is frequently disappointed of his hopes. And many a time the loaded vessels become a prey to the unpitying element of water. But, "he that believeth shall not be ashamed, world without end."

On forgiveness of sin through faith in Christ's divine blood.*

WHEN the guilt of innumerable evils stares me in the face, and angry conscience rouses from her slum

*By the blood of Christ is frequently signified in scripture, the whole merit of his life and death, of his actions and sufferings, of his trials and graces; which sa

ber, where shall I fly for refuge? Where shall I hide my head? How lay the grizly spectres? Ye favorite lusts, ye pleasing comforts, ye amusing recreations, in vain ye lend your aid. Let Cain, with his hands reeking in blood, betake himself to building cities; let Saul attempt to find relief from his unquiet mind in the charms of music, while David touched the pleasant harp; let the drunkard seek for consolation in his flowing bowl, and jolly companions; the sullen ghosts refuse still to depart, when God calls, as in a solemn day, his terrors round about. Even vows and resolutions, prayers and tears, costly sacrifices, and solemn promises of future amendment, cannot recal the departed peace. Let pagans, with horrid rites, seek reconciliation with their fancied gods, and peace unto their consciences; let carnal Jews think to have matters adjusted by their ceremonial observances, being ignorant of the righteousness of God; scourge yourselves to death, ye blinded papists, and waste your carcases to ghastly skeletons, by withholding sleep from your eyes, and nourishment from your mouths; travel to the remotest climes in weary pilgrimages; it is all in vain.-Fools that you are, to think you shall have peace, by walking after the imagination of your own hearts. "The way of peace you have not known; there is no judgment in your goings."

For, unto whom should we go but unto thee, O thou bleeding Saviour! By thy blood hast thou made peace betwixt an offended Deity and offending mortals. No cause of death was found in thee. For us thou drank the bitter cup. Far be it from us to substitute our pretended sincerity, our sorrowful repentance, or even the more noble grace of faith, in the room of thy satisfactory sufferings. O thou Prince of peace! By

tisfied God's justice, and magnified God's law; which made propitiation for iniquity, and brought in an everlasting righteousness.

HERVEY'S Sermon on the means of safety.