land that is afar off, the things that are not seen, that are eternal.

It is true, her strength is to sit still, to look on while the Lord himself doth wonderously. Like the lillies 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 children which praise her in the gates. And she may say in truth with the apostle of the gentiles, "I laboured 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, and supplies the believer with the most effectual motives to all holy obedience. No work of God can be acceptably performed, till once you have believed. This is the 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 favourite 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 unergo 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?

M

The man who sows his grain in the furrow, 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 slumber, where shall I fly for refuge? Where shall I hide my head? How lay the grizly spectres? Ye favourite 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

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 satisfied God's justice, and magnified God's law; which made propitiation for iniquity, and brought in an everlasting righteous

ness.

HERVEY'S Sermon on the means of safety.

Louched 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, seck reconciliation with their fancied gods, and peace unto their consciences; let earnal Jews think to have matters adjusted by their ceremonial observances, being ignorant of the rightcousness 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 pilgrim all in eoin -Fools that

on yuu aro,

to

ages; it is anı m youne think that 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 thy seasonable interposition, his anger is turned away; and now it is a righteous thing with God abundantly to pardon.

Happy, thrice happy, they who come unto God by him, whose iniquity is pardoned, whose transgression is forgiven. Riches and honours, thrones, crowns, and sceptres, cannot greatly add to their bliss; pain and poverty, iguominy and reproach, cannot greatly diminish their happiness. It is true, O ye favourites of heaven, the fact of sin cannot be taken away, the desert of sin cannot be removed; yea, even its power and dominion shall not be totally destroyed in your present state of imperfection; however, there is no condemnation to you that are in Christ Jesus. No condemnation for your inherent corruption; none for your actual transgressions ; none for your past, none for your futute provocations. Chastised you may be with the rod of a father, but not with the wounds of an enemy. It is God that justifieth, who is he that condémneth? What though your sins are many? He multiplies to pardon. What though your afflictions are great ?-There is no wrath in the portion of your cup. Though men should condemn you, God will not; though devils accurse they shall not prevail. No weapon that is