the characters which he sustains, and for all the purposes for which he came. Receives him as his "prophet" to teach him, and implicitly submits to all his truths; as his "priest," to atone for his sins, and relies on his intercession alone for acceptance with God; as his " King," to protect him and govern him according to his laws. He receives him as "made of God unto him wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." He welcomes him with love and gratitude unfeigned, and "counts all but loss for him, that he may win Christ and be found in him, not having his own righteousness, but that which is through the faith of Jesus Christ." He that does not thus earnestly and humbly receive the Saviour, in effect rejects him—at least he "neglects" his salvation, and "how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?'

4. I will further refer you for illustration of the subject, to the sixth chapter and eighteenth verse of the Epistle to the Hebrews. "That we might have a strong consolatien who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us." Faith is not indeed here expressly named: but every competent judge will allow, that this "fleeing for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us is in effect the same thing with believing in Christ. And a very expressive illustration this is. There

is an allusion to the cities of refuge among the Jews. The man who had slain another unintentionally, was to flee with all speed to one of these cities; and when he had taken refuge there, then and not before, he was safe from the avenger of blood, who might otherwise slay him wherever he met with him. So are we to flee; so does the true Christian believer flee, with all earnestness of mind, to Christ our only hope and only refuge from "the wrath to come."

Know you then, my brethren, any thing of thus fleeing unto Christ with all the seriousness and earnestness of which your minds are capable? fearing nothing so much as coming short of his salvation? If not, you have yet, it is to be feared, no true faith in Christ. But if you do thus fly to him, and take refuge in him, then are you believers in Christ. Take and enjoy "the strong consolation" which the Apostle declares it to be" the will of God that they should have" who so do.

5. Lastly, St. Paul, 2 Tim. i. 12. has a remarkable passage strikingly illustrative of this faith in Christ, of which we speak. "I know (saith he) whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." Here COMMITTING the soul with all its eternal interests into the hands of the

Saviour, is the same with believing in him. And I know not a finer illustration.

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The believer in Christ is seriously minded. has done for ever with that carelessness and unconcern which most men, alas, show for their spiritual state and their eternal interests. He feels the vanity of the world, the importance of eternity, the worth of his soul. That he has here no abiding resting-place-that his home is in the eternal world. He feels moreover that he is a sinner-a miserable sinner: that he has broken God's laws, and is in danger of everlasting damnation. He feels that he cannot restore and save himself. He looks around for a refuge. He hears the Scriptures proclaim, "Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world? "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself." "He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." He finds himself invited to come and receive the blessings of salvation freely from the hands of Christ. He comes unto him, he resigns himself to him, he casts himself into his hands; he "commits" his soul to him to be pardoned, sanctified, and saved, "with an everlasting salvation." He leaves it there, and attains unto peace. Gradually he comes, not only there" to commit" his soul, but "to know" that

he has rightly committed it to one who is "able to keep," and assuredly will keep it "unto that day." He feels himself guilty and unworthy-he comes, not as worthy, but as a miserable lost sinner to his Saviour, and he trusts in his mercy, and grace, and atonement, and intercession alone. In himself he is poor, and miserable, and wretched, and blind, and naked, but in Christ he possesses all things. Being justified by faith, he has peace with God" now, and he "rejoices in hope of the glory of God" hereafter.

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Such is faith in Christ. It is thus to "look" unto him, and "come" to him for every thing; thus to receive" him with our whole hearts, as our Saviour, from sin and all its consequences; thus to "flee for refuge" unto him, from the wrath to come, thus to "commit" our souls and our eternal all to his hands, that we may be kept unto that day, and everlastingly saved by him.

Now in conclusion, there are three points to which I must briefly call your attention.

1. The first is, what will be the effects of such a faith as has been now described ?

Surely I need say nothing to show what powerful practical effects, must be produced by such a religious belief of all the solemn truths of God's word, as we first considered. If you would see how it will bring a man to live, read the eleventh

chapter of Hebrews. It must lead him to forsake every sin, to practice every duty, to abound in all good works.

And with regard to that particular exercise of mind which is more especially denominated faith in Christ, (an exercise of mind which is to be carefully kept up by the Christian), that looking constantly to Christ, that coming to him, that earnest and thankful receiving of him, that fleeing to lay hold of him as our only hope, that earnest committing of our souls to him; what does it imply, and what will be its effects? It implies the utmost seriousness and humility of mind, deep repentance of sin, unreserved submission to God, supreme love to the Saviour. And surely in the soul which thus finds pardon, and peace, and the blessed hope of everlasting life, it must most powerfully work, sweetly constraining it by love and gratitude" to live no longer to itself, but to him who died for it and rose again." And this is precisely what the apostle says of Christian faith. "In Christ Jesus" nothing availeth but faith which worketh by love,"-by love to God, to Christ, to holiness,―constraining the believer to live in all holy obedience. How vain therefore the apprehension, that in preaching faith, we are neglecting good works. We are, in fact, inculcating the only principle which can produce real good works.

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