whom there is no darkness at all, while we are walking in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth; but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another;" that is, he and we have fellowship; he with us, as our reconciled Father; we with him, as his reclaimed prodigal children.

It is only in the belief of the truth respecting a free and full salvation to the chief of sinners, through the atonement made by Him, who, as "the mediator between God and man, gave himself a ransom for all," that solid confidence before God can be obtained. And that ground must never be shifted. But it is equally true, that it is in "keeping his commandments," which are, "to believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and to love one another," and thus "doing the things which are pleasing in his sight,"—we are to escape the condemnation of our own heart, assure our hearts before him," and "hold fast our confidence before God;" for in no other way can we obtain permanent evidence, that in the faith of the truth we are justified, and have indeed obtained peace with God and free entrance into his gracious presence.

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This, then, is the great object which the Apostle presses Christians to seek after: The cultivation of a course of disposition and conduct which shall meet the complacent approbation of their God and Father; and which, in his infinitely wise and holy arrangements, is connected with the enjoyment of the high satisfaction rising out of a wellgrounded assurance of their interest in his special favour and immutable love.

Surely the truths to which our attention has been directed, afford a very powerful superadded motive to the cultivation of holy dispositions, and the performance of commanded duties. The path of holiness is the only path in which the Christian can enjoy the delights arising from a well-grounded assurance, that the eye, not of a righteously offended Sovereign, but of an infinitely benignant Father,

rests on him; that all his sins have been freely pardoned for His sake whose blood cleanseth us from all sin; and that he is indeed among those who were chosen in Christ, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blame; and having been begotten again, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved for them in heaven, are secured of being kept for it by the power of God, through faith unto salvation.

Oh, what folly is it in a Christian to do any thing that must interfere with these holy delights! What can the world give to compensate for one frown of the serene countenance of our heavenly Father; for one hour of doubt whether we are the objects of his approbation, the children of his love?

It is plain that the duty we have been illustrating is a duty which only Christians can perform. Men must be "in God's love" before they can keep themselves in his love. All men, by nature, are not "in his love," in the sense of the text. They are guilty and depraved; they are condemned by his law: and, if he were to approve of them, he must deny himself.

How dreadful the state of those who are not in God's love, and in whom God's love is not; who are condemned already, and on whom his wrath abides! If mercy prevents not, the condemnation in the book of the law must be ratified from the judgment-seat; and the character of depravity becoming indelible, the sentiment of disapprobation must become unalterable. Fearful doom! For one who was made capable of friendship with, conformity to God, to sink under the curse of his law, and the power of his disapprobation, for ever and ever!

Yet there is hope concerning such. Oh, sinners! however guilty, however depraved, you may yet be in the love of God, and the love of God may yet be in you. Believe the revelation of mercy. Accept of the offered salvation. Give God credit for the love which is in his heart to sinners, and

which he has proved to be there, by the mission and sacrifice of his Son. Be reconciled to him in receiving his grace. He is "pacified towards you for all the iniquities which you have done." have done." He proclaims, "I, even I, am He who blotteth out your iniquities for my own sake; and I will not remember your sin." "Return, return, thou backsliding child; I have redeemed thee." "Acquaint thyself thus with God; so shall good come to thee." "Take hold of his strength;" that gospel which is "the power of God unto salvation." "Make peace with him, and he will make peace with you." Then will "the love of God be shed abroad in your heart, by the Holy Ghost given to you;" then will you "love him" who has so loved you; then will the Father "love you, and give you everlasting consolation and good hope;" and then will you be enabled to "keep yourselves in the love of God, by building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, and looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus unto eternal life."

SERMON II.

ON BUILDING OURSELVES UP ON OUR MOST HOLY FAITH.

JUDE 20, 21.-But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

THESE words contain an injunction on Christians of an important duty, and instructions respecting the means by which, and the manner in which, this duty is to be performed. The duty enjoined is, "the keeping themselves in the love of God:" and this duty is to be performed by "building themselves up on their most holy faith," "praying in the Holy Ghost," and "looking for the mercy of the Lord Jesus unto eternal life."

The last discourse I delivered to you, was occupied with the illustration of the duty enjoined. I endeavoured to show you, that "the love of God" here signifies the complacency with which God regards his graciously chosen, called, justified people, as regenerated and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, through the faith of the truth; and that for Christians to keep themselves in this love of God, is to persevere and increase in those holy tempers and habits which are the foundation of this complacency, and in the continuance and growth of which they only can enjoy the habitual, permanent, constantly enlarging manifestation of this complacency.

I proceed now to the consideration of the means, by the use of which the performance of this important duty, and the enjoyment of the important privilege connected with it, may be secured. These are three, “building ourselves up on our most holy faith," "praying in the Holy Ghost," and "looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life." This is the way, the only way, the certain way, of "keeping ourselves in the love of God."

I remark then, in the first place, that they who would keep themselves in the love of God, must "build themselves up on their most holy faith." Here the following questions require our attention; first, What is the Christian's "faith?" secondly, Why is it termed "holy," "most holy?" thirdly, What is it for a Christian to "build himself up on this most holy faith?" and finally, How is this fitted to secure his "keeping himself in the love of God?"

Faith properly signifies that act or state of the human mind, in which a statement made on apparently satisfactory evidence is believed or reckoned true; but according to that general law of language, by which the name of a mental affection is transferred to its object, faith not unfrequently signifies the statement believed: as when I say, 'That is my faith, though it may not be yours;' meaning, 'That is what I believe, though it may not be what you believe.' A Christian's faith, then, may signify the act or the object of his belief, either his believing or that which he believes. In the New Testament, it sometimes signifies the one and sometimes the other. What is its precise signification in any particular passage, is to be ascertained from the context.

In the case before us, there can be no reasonable doubt but that the word "faith" means, the truth believed by the Christian, not his belief of the truth, though that he believes the truth is necessarily implied in its being termed his faith. Truth is not less truth that a man does not believe it; but if he does not believe it, it is not his faith. Whatever be meant by faith here, it is the foundation of the spiritual edifice of holy character and privilege. Now that, accord

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