death. They cannot be altered; they cannot fail. There is every thing in them for the encouragement of faith, every thing to make us ashamed of hesitating through unbelief. Let then the experience of others, who have found them faithful sayings, be our ensample. Paul says, I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering, for u pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. 1 Tim. i. 16.

V. Watch and pray against unbelief. It is not without its propriety that these important duties are not only frequently enjoined, but connected together, in the sacred scriptures. See Matt. xxvi. 41. Mark xiii. 33. Eph. vi. 18. Col. iv. 2. 1 Pet. iv. 7. These passages, as it were, surround prayer with watchfulness. We are to watch and pray; watchfulness is to precede prayer: this is necessary lest we come unsuitably before the divine footstool. We are to watch in the same; this will be of excellent use to keep out improper thoughts, and will promote reverence and awe. Watchfulness is to succeed prayer; watching thereunto with all perseverance: this will show that our prayers were not mere idle or unmeaning words, but that we prayed under a sense of our need, and therefore cannot be satisfied, unless we receive the things which we have asked of him. The resolution then is

good, I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me. Hab. ii. 1. Our Lord particularly directs these two exercises against "temptation." And to what are we more frequently tempted, than to be unbelieving?

We are in danger of this in every ordinance, under every providence. Are the sweetest promises set before us, and the most interesting views of the gospel exhibited? How busy is unbelief to prevent our deriving any comfort from them! Is unbelief, in its various exercises, like unto the fowls which came down upon Abraham's offering? Watchfulness and prayer are the means to drive them away.

How injurious is unbelief under various trials in life! It represents them in the worst light, keeps out of sight, as much as possible, the ends designed by God in the afflictions and trials of his people, and frequently aims to persuade us that these visitations are in wrath, and consequently evidences of our not being interested in Christ. And does this evil principle thus insinuate itself? Are we liable to be met by it at every step we take in the divine life? Does it beset us behind and before? Will it enter the closet no less than the sanctuary? And does it accomplish the most hurtful purposes against us before we are aware of its approach? What need is there that

we be much in watchfulness and prayer against it! The object of our prayer should particularly be the obtaining of the Spirit's influence to subdue unbelief, and to promote and strengthen the grace of faith for the Holy Spirit is the grand and only agent, by whom believers conquer sin, and are made perfect in every good work.

VI. Consider how it wounds Christ. Who were they that crucified Christ? Unbelievers. Acts ii. 36. And what is that principle which would crucify the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame? Unbelief. What an affront to Jesus, while the mouth is crying, Hosunna to the Son of David, for the heart to be saying, crucify him, crucify him! But is not this applicable to those who profess the name of Christ, but do not depart from iniquity? How many are saying, "I believe in God, and in his "Son Jesus Christ our Lord," who, respecting his laws and government, are trampling him. under their feet, and account the blood of the covenant an unholy or unnecessary thing! They profess, indeed, that they know God, but in works they deny him. And as the fruit determines the quality of the tree, what must we think of those persons, who, while they own a purer creed, and avow allegiance to Christ, are not raised above the level of the unbelieving world, and, of course, whose very element is sin? These

are the very persons whose conscience is defiled, who are abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. Tit. i. 16. Such persons practically deny every perfection of Christ: their sin is greater than the sin of those who have never heard of a Saviour, and for them it will be less tolerable than for others in the day of Judgment. Matt. x. 15. Where the Apostles went and delivered their message, though only at first entering into a town, if their message was not received, this refusal was considered by Christ himself so great an aggravation of their guilt, that they were to shake off the dust of their feet, as a witness against them. But if slighting one message be thus resented of Christ, how greatly must he feel the dishonour done to him by those who have slighted the messages of many years, and who retain a heart hostile against him, though in a measure hid from outward observation! What a contemning of the character of Christ is there in unbelief! His wisdom, love, and power, which appear all glorious to the spiritual beholder, and constrain him to acknowledge Christ to be the chief of ten thousand, and altogether lovely, are despised and treated with scorn by this evil principle. Well might Jesus, humanly speaking, be filled with wonder at man's hardness and insensibility of heart, respecting what he has passed through to redeem sin

ners. Well might we suppose him saying, Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me; wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. Lam. i. 12. Could any thing like such indifference to such love be witnessed among men, how must we suppose it would affect him, in the face of whose love and sufferings it was thrown? Surely such a heart must be wounded indeed. Jesus then has a right to consider, that the heart which remains incredulous to his sufferings would not hesitate to wound him afresh, were he upon the earth. Indeed the unbeliever, however ready to condemn the Jews, may be considered as giving him vinegar to drink, spitting in his face, and smiting him with the palms of his hands.

But how much more grievous still is unbelief, as it remains in the Redeemer's own people! Every step he took in his humiliation, every drop of blood he shed, every word of promise he spoke, may be considered as a ground for their confidence and hope. But ah, how frequently are their hearts mistrusting his power or his grace! How backward to trust his promises! How easily can we question what we have known of his love! How apt to be ashamed of his name and cause in the world! These are the