foot of the cross?-That faith which believes that Jesus is the Son of God; that this Saviour, rejected "is the brightness of the Father's glory," "God over all," "mighty to save."

of men,

What is it which subdues the corrupt propensities of the heart,' and places God in the soul as its rightful Sovereign, and enlists all its affections in his service! That faith "which worketh by love."

What is it which quells passion, tames inordinate desire, effects what no human law's can effect, disarms revenge, and from being proud, sensual, corrupt, the slave of sin and Satan, makes man humble, holy, undefiled, the child of God?-That "faith which purifieth the heart."

What is it which has inspired the Christian, when they would seduce or intimidate him from the service of his God, to despise the blandishments of pleasure, the threats of power, the terrors of persecution-what is it which has quenched the fires of the stake, and calmed the agonies of the rack-That faith which overcometh the world."

Yes-What is it which gains a victory infinitely greater than those which have. obtained glory for the conquerors of nations, victory over the world, its sins; its temptations, its pleasures, its sorrows? What is it which enables the Christian, when surrounded by every enjoyment alluring to the imagination and gratifying to the passions, to remember that he is the citizen of a better country; which excites him, when distress, poverty, and tribulation encompass him, to rejoice, knowing that they are working out for him an eternal weight of glory? What is it which even brightens the valley of the shadow of death, and leads the Christian triumphantly through this dread region, looking forward

of the cross-That faith which believes that is the Son of God; that this Saviour, je ted n, "is the brightness of the Father's glory," over all," "mighty to save."

at is it which subdues the cormot propensiof the heart, and places God in the soul is ing ul Sovereign, and enlists all its affections in rvice-That faith "which worketh by love." hat is it which quells passion, taraes inordinate , effects what no human laws ena revenge, and from being proud, sen-qa' •. the slave of sin and Satan, makes mun home oly, undefiled, the child of God!-That-f.. a h purifieth the heart."

hat is it which has inspired the C

a they would seluce or mtimidate bim fra service of his Gol, to despise the best-bis of pleasure, the threats of power, tamning rsecution—what is it wa h his que of the stake, and calmed the 42

-That faith which merences the

es-What is it which gins a n to THE TOT ter than those which have died Ins conquerors of nations, victory cas

ins; its temptations, its ples, ita & Pri at is it which enables the C. n. 15, 1 nded by every enjoyment along t ion and gratifying to the pan not r it he is the citizen of a brems cites him, when distresa, povemo,

compass him, to rejse, ist. rking out for him an et meu mig

at is it which even bag

dow of death, and let the Core 1

ntly through the dread ra, on wang brand

to the glory which awaits him in the celestial realms beyond it? That faith which is "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

In the words of an eloquent Christian Father, eulogizing the triumphs of faith-" Give me a man who is wrathful, reproachful, ungovernable, and with a few words of God I will render him as placid as a lamb. Give me a man covetous and niggardly, and an avaricious man; and I will return him to thee liberal, and distributing his money with a bountiful hand. Give me one that is timorous of grief and death; he shall despise all manner of torment. Give me one that is lustful, adulterous, and intemperate; you shall presently see him sober, chaste, and continent. Give me one that is cruel and thirsty of blood; his fury shall be immediately converted to piety and clemency. Give me one that is unjust, foolish, and criminal; and he shall presently be rendered just,' prudent, and innocent."

These are the triumphs of Christian faith-triumphs which natural religion never knew, which unassisted reason never could attain.

IV. For it is of importance that we should remember that true saving faith is rendered an operating principle by divine power-by the Holy Spirit of God.

Not only do the sacred writings ascribe all those miraculous powers which are the foundation of Christian faith to the agency of the Holy Spirit, but they represent the same Holy Spirit as opening the eyes of the understanding to discern, and the heart to receive, the wondrous things of God's law, the great mysterics of redemption. The agency

of the Holy Spirit on our minds and hearts is incomprehensible; but it is not, therefore, less a reality. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and we hear the sound thereof, but cannot tell whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth. So are the operations of the Spirit. In its influence on the understanding and the heart, the Holy Spirit is not overpowering; for then it would destroy man's free agency, and subvert faith as a moral virtuc. Its agency is moral and persuasive, aiding the operations of the understanding and the heart in discerning and receiving the great truths of redemption. The excellence then of your faith, Christians, is completed, by its being excited, cherished, strengthened, defended, and made the principle of active obedience by the co-operating power of the Holy Spirit of God. The influences of the Holy Spirit, conveyed to all men so far as is necessary to enable them to know and to do the will of their Maker, are secured to Christians by the instrumentality of the ministrations, sacraments, and ordinances of the church to which they must be united. For, my brethren, it is of importance that we should consider that the faith by which we are saved must be exercised in union with the church, the mystical body of Christ. Our Lord himself declares-" He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved." By baptism we must be admitted into the church; and thus united, in the exercise of faith, to Christ, its divine head, must derive from him spiritual nourishment, consolation, and strength, and with this his mystical body finally be exalted to that triumphant state on which our divine Head hath already entered. How fallacious, then, the opinion that faith alone, independently of our union with