live, though we deny it every thing upon which life depends. No, my brethren, be firmly convinced, that as faith, when it has totally ceased to operate is dead, so, if its operations be constantly resisted or feebly supported, it will die.

Ask yourselves then, are your works such as to strengthen your faith-or is your faith weak, because your works are few? Your hopes of Heaven must rest upon your faith, but faith requires works for its support. What is the reason why our faith in the world where we live is so strong? Because we are continually exercised in the works of it because our senses are impressed by its appearances, and our passions agitated by its excitements, and our minds engaged about its interests. Learn wisdom from the children of this world. Let the powers in us which belong to God derive instruction from our inferior nature, and then we shall have faith in God established within us, firm as is our faith in the world. Have we not on record, even in times which we may call modern, and in our own country, a splendid instance of this triumphant faith, in the case of that great and Christian Philosopher, who, from deep meditation upon sublime things, had so strengthened by exercise his spiritual faculties,

that the presence of God was ever in his thoughts; and so far was he from being distracted, by things of sense, that he looked upon this infinite and glorious creation, as the majestic and beautiful language in which God was continually addressing himself to his intelligent creatures.

If without adopting all this great man's! opinions, we were influenced by a similar spirit, how mighty an assistant to our faith could we make its greatest enemy becomeconverting the world which seems that which separates us from God, into a means of communication with him.-How changed would every thing then become, when it was seen in the light of a pure and steady faith. In this world, naturally, all savours of death—our affections, our cares, our hopes, our disappointments, inform us that death has come into the world. Amidst all that bears the impress of this gloomy power, and under its fearful shadow, your faith is to grow and when it has gained strength and maturity, it will be so visited with lights and airs from the Heaven to which it belongs, that the glooms and vapours of death shall be altogether dissipated or, at least, wonderfully relieved that care shall lose its bitterness, and affection its alarm, and hope its insecurity, and death its victory.

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This world will put on a new appearance, and the business in which we are employed, or the pleasures which tempt us, or the afflictions in which we are tried, shall appear what they are, visitations from God, commissioned for an appointed time to execute his commands. But still it is among the influences of death faith is to grow, and, accordingly, without exercise and vigilance, it may imbibe such influences and perish. What is the purport of that beautiful parable of the wise virgins and the foolish, but to impress upon us the duty of keeping our faith alive by supplying it constantly from our works. All go forth with their lamps, or with faith to direct them, but some neglect the appointed means to keep their lights burning, and are directed to those who sell-that is, they are directed to go to the means appointed, where their own exertions, had they been timely, would have been blessed, and God would have granted to them the aliment for their faith-that purchase without money and without price, of which the Prophet Isaiah speaks.

And what are those means appointed by God to keep our faith alive, the neglect of which will cause its decay? They are the duties which devolve upon us, from the relations in which we stand, towards God and

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towards our brethren-the duties which ori ginate in our hopes of Heaven, and our station upon earth. We owe to God the homage of our thoughts and of our love—we owe it to him that we habituate ourselves to connect the thought of his presence and his with all that we have any notion of-that we think of him at our rising up, and at our lying down, and as we go by the way side-that the darkness shall be no darkness for the thought of him, and that life with its multiplied avocations, and day in its glorious light, shall not disturb or quell the thought of him from whom our life cometh, and who "decketh himself with light as with a garment." We owe it to him that we keep always fresh in our hearts, the sense of his mercies and his love: that we occupy ourselves with the study of his law, and that we read, diligently, constantly read, that inestimable book which he hath caused to be written for our learning. What wonder is it that all other works cease, and that faith languishes, if we discontinue this most profitable employment? No wonder that we lose our faith in God, if we withdraw our selves from the consideration of his dealings. No wonder that our faith in Christ die, if we turn away from the narrative of his life and passion. No wonder that faith

languish, if we thus neglect procuring for it the most powerful support we can command. This is the great doctrine-Christ crucified; which most effectually conquers stubborn hearts-it is the doctrine which disenchants the world. What delusion-what deception can withstand it? What pleasures, or what embarrassments, or what afflictions can resist that glorious conviction in the heartthat Christ has died and has risen from the dead. This is the conviction, which kept alive by constant meditation, will overcome the world-how great, therefore, is our misfortune, if we neglect the means appointed for strengthening it, the frequent and faithful study of God's holy word. It is by this study, also, that we can most effectually make our avocations in the world conduce to the strengthening of our faith. We see that the world puts on a new appearance to those whose faith in Christ is strong. It is under the light of this faith that we really recognise all mankind as our brethren. It is under this light that the sorrows of our affiicted fellowcreatures are not merely recommended to the benevolent instincts of our nature, but are received as so many visitations by which God addresses himself to our hearts, and would prove our gratitude. Thus it is that