Rest not satisfied in a faith which embraces the gospel, merely, as a well-authenticated record of facts. Thou mayest acknowledge the birth, life, and miracles of the Saviour. Thou mayest cherish a high esteem and regard, for his character and instructions. But what will this faith avail thee, while thou dost refuse to receive the Saviour, as thy merciful and Almighty Lord and Master, by whose righteous laws thou art to be guided, by whose precious blood thou art to be redeemed, by whose gracious Spirit thou art to be sanctified and governed? Was it not his primary, his sole object, to effect the redemption of fallen man from the guilt and dominion of sin? Are not his all-sufficient merits and grace presented to us, as the powerful and certain means of our redemption and salvation? A faith, which, passing over these infinitely momentous objects of the Redeemer's mission, regards him, merely, as a distinguished personage, and barely assents to the record of the various events of his life, offers the most presumptuous affront to the dignity and glory of the Saviour, and can lay no claim to the exalted blessings of his salvation.

Equally futile and presumptuous is a faith, which embraces the gospel, only, as a system of speculative truth. The superficial faith, just mentioned, embraces the gospel as an authentic history of facts, while it is indifferent to the truths which it promulgates and

the duties which it enjoins. This speculative faith advances farther, and regarding Christ as the author of divine truth, forms, from the gospel, a system of doctrines which, it embraces and enforces, on the ground of divine authority. But this faith is fundamentally defective, in considering the doctrines of Christ, as designed merely to correct and regulate the opinions of men, and not principally to renew and purify their hearts. It is wholly insensible to the important truth that the doctrines of the Saviour are designed to redeem the soul from error and sin, and to establish, in the heart, all divine and holy graces. This speculative faith will never impress on the soul her subjection to sin and misery, her need of divine mercy and grace-it will never awaken the exalted emotions of love and gratitude to God, for the gift of his Son to be the Redeemer of fallen man -it will never excite that sacred peace, those holy transports of joy, which arise, from the experience of the mercy and grace of the Redeemer, and which urge to generous and universal obedience to his commands. Unfruitful either of holiness or peace, it cannot be a passport to the favour of that God who requires the homage of the heart, it cannot confer an interest in the merits of that glorious Saviour, who came to establish in the soul, the kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy.

Beware also of resting in an imperfect or obscure faith, which does not thoroughly comprehend the plan of salvation, and which is not deeply sensible of its value and efficacy.

Dost thou entertain, O my soul, only imperfect and superficial views of the evil and guilt of sin, of the necessity of the mercy and grace of the Saviour, to redeem thee from its power? Instead of regarding, with supreme and habitual trust and hope, his precious blood, as the only fountain of pardon and peace, and his Almighty grace as the only source of holiness, of strength, and consolation, dost thou content thyself with an occasional, a vague, a lukewarm confidence in his merits and power? Dost thou rest thy hopes of salvation, on the feeble and superficial ideas which thou dost entertain of Christ, as a benevolent and glorious personage who is to procure thy pardon with an offended Godinstead of cordially receiving him, in all his sacred and important offices, as the divine Prophet who is to enlighten and instruct thee in the will of God-as the merciful High Priest, by whose atonement and intercession thou art to have access unto the Father-as the glorious King, by whose holy laws, thou art to be governed, to whose righteous authority thou art to be subject, by whose victorious. grace thou art to be defended, and finally exalted to everlasting glory? Ah my soul! this imperfect and obscure faith in the Saviour, on

which thou dost rest thy salvation, will disappoint and condemn thee. Weak and irresolute it will not allay the poignant stings of guilt; it will not repel the enraged assaults of temptation; it will not subdue the inveterate power of sinful passions; it will not inspire thee, with holy serenity and hope, at that dread tribunal, where, a supreme and lively affiance on thy Saviour's merits will be thy only refuge, from the penetrating and con-demning scrutiny of thy Almighty Judge.

The faith, then, which is effectual to salvation, and which, in the participation of the holy supper, will vitally unite the devout communicant to his Lord and Saviour, does not consist, in a bare acknowledgement of the truth of the facts recorded concerning the cha-racter and life of Christ; in a speculative be-lief in his gospel as an excellent and admira-ble theory of religious and moral truth; or in a loose and general trust in the Saviour, without a clear, lively and just apprehension of his character and offices. To approach the altar with these imperfect, speculative, and feeble views of the Saviour, would be casting dishonour on the precious efficacy of his blood,insult and mockery on his divine dignity and power.

That genuine faith, which will lead the soul to Christ, as her only trust and refuge, must be founded, on a lively conviction of our guilt and misery. On the degeneracy and guilt of hu

man nature, is the glorious superstructure of redemption raised. Merely to instruct mankind; merely to improve and enlarge the code of moral duties; merely to display a resplendent example of moral virtue, it surely was not necessary, that the eternal Son of the Highest should divest himself of the unutterable majesty and bliss of the Godhead, should descend into this vale of sin and misery, should shroud his eternal glories in the awful gloom, in the tremendous horrors of the cross. Man is a fallen and guilty creature-A divine personage only, can vindicate the insulted majesty of heaven, and by his sufferings and death, appease the inexorable claims of divine justice. Behold, here, the truths which develope the impenetrable mystery of redemption; which present an object worthy the infinite stoops of the Son of God; which shed resplendent light and glory on the profound and dismaying gloom that envelopes the cross. "The word was made flesh," " the Son of God humbled himself to the death of the cross," that man" dead in trespasses and sins," might be

quickened" to the glorious privileges and hopes of pardon, holiness, peace and immortality. From a lively conviction, then, of thy guilt and misery, O my soul, must arise the exalted virtue of evangelical faith. This conviction alone, will awaken a sense of thy ur+ gent need of a Saviour, and excite thy carnest desires for his pardoning mercy, and renova