believe with his heart the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and that this life is in his Son-that he was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification-that his blood cleanseth from all sin-that his righteousness justifieth from all iniquity:' who shall gladly receive the cheering testimony, and confide in that testimony, in defiance of all the accusations of conscience, the suggestions of Satan, the frowns or the smiles of the world; is strong in faith, giving glory to God-lays hold on eternal life, and shall undoubtedly be saved.

For what is evangelical faith,' says the very excellent and judicious Booth, but the receiving of Christ and his righteousness? Or, in other words, a dependence on Jesus only for eternal salvation? A dependence upon him as all-sufficient to save the most guilty; as every way suitable to supply the wants of the most needy; and absolutely free for the vilest of sinners. The divine Redeemer and his finished work being the object of faith, and the report of the gospel its warrant and ground; to believe, is to trust entirely and without reserve, on the faithful word which God hath spoken, and on the perfect work which Christ hath wrought. Such is the faith of God's elect: and happy, thrice happy they that are interested in this divine righteousness, and have received the atonement! All such are pronounced righteous by the eternal Judge. There is nothing to be laid to their charge. They are acquitted with, honour to all the perfections of Deity, and everlastingly free from condemnation. Their sins, though ever so numerous or ever so hateful, being purged away by atoning blood; and their souls being vested with that most excellent robe, the Redeemer's righteousness; they are without spot, or wrinkle,

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or any such thing. They are presented by their great Representative, in the body of his flesh, through death, holy, unblamable, and unreprovable in the sight of Omniscience. They are fair as the purest wool; whiter than the virgin snow -The work and worthiness of the Lord Redeemer, give them acceptance with infinite Majesty, and dignity before the angels of light. Works of every law, in every sense, as performed by man, are entirely excluded from having any concern in our acceptance with God. Since, therefore, it is in Christ only, as our head, representative, and surety, that we are or can be justified; he alone should have the glory. He is infinitely worthy to have the unrivalled honour. -Let the sinner then, the ungodly wretch, trust in the obedience of the dying Jesus, as being absolutely sufficient to justify him, without any good works or duties; without any good habits or qualities, however performed or acquired: and eternal truth hath declared for his encouragement, that he shall not be disappointed.'

One reason why we are so perplexed with doubts and fears respecting the safety of our state, is the weakness of our faith. We look more to our sins than to the Saviour: and, by imagining that they are too many and too great to be pardoned, depreciate his all-sufficient atonement. We are not aware, perhaps, that by this conduct we are in fact saying, in opposition to Scripture and experience, that his blood doth not cleanse from all sin-that his righteousness doth not justify from all iniquity-that he is not able to save to the uttermost-that he will cast out some that come to him. The truth is, we do not habitually live under a deep conviction of our absolute unworthiness of divine mercy-of our constant need of forgiveness-of our utter help

lessness in the affair of salvation, and the necessity there is of perpetual dependence on divine aid to carry on the work of faith with power, and also to keep us from falling a prey to dejection and sorrow.

That a conviction of want naturally stimulates to action, is a position that needs no proof. A. sense of weakness makes the feeble solicitous for strength. Guilt, felt and lamented, impels the sinner to be urgent for mercy. Apprehension of danger wings the flight of him that pants for safety. The axiom is strikingly exemplified in the admirable plea of the Syrophenician woman: 'Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.' It is true the anxious supplicant at first met with much discouragement, but this discouragement only constrained her to be more importunate. She knew that her child stood in need of assistance; and that he to whom she applied was able to grant it and were you equally sensible of your spiritual wants, and equally solicitous for the heavenly blessing; the same Lord would say unto you, as he did unto her, O woman; great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.

On this principle acted the blind man who sat by the way-side begging when our Lord departed from Jericho. The petitioner had, no doubt, heard of the miracles and the beneficence of Jesus. He was also conscious that he stood in need of assistance, and convinced that the Saviour of men was able to grant it: and this conviction urged him to cry out, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me! And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me! And

Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God.

Now the injunctions of the multitude could neither repress desire of relief, nor compel Bartimeus to desist from being importunate to gain it. The aid he wanted, the people could not give; nor would he suffer them to obstruct application to him from whom he knew it could certainly be had. The very attempt to impose silence induced him to cry more loudly for help: nor did he cease to petition till his petition was granted.

Thus, in reference to spiritual affairs, acts every man who feels his depravity and guilt; who knows his wounds to be incurable, unless he that forgiveth all our iniquities, and healeth all our diseases, have mercy on him. He is convinced, as was Bartimeus, that he cannot relieve himself that vain is the help of man: but he has heard, and believes, that help is laid on one mighty to save; and, has, in application for succour, one advantage which the son of Timeus could not boast-He can plead both the power and the promise of the Saviour: and therefore, however apparently many or great his discou ragements, to this Saviour he ever looks for acceptance and pardon. If enormous guilt wound the conscience and forbid his hope of remission, he becomes more urgent for help. His importunity for mercy is, in some measure, proportioned to the worth of the blessing and the danger of losing it. He knows there is forgiveness with

God for the chief of sinners-that he will in no wise cast out them that come to him-that he never said to the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain. Under a sense of unworthiness and weakness, he is emboldened, because commanded, to take hold of God's strength: he says therefore with Jacob, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me-or, interrogates with Peter, Lord, to whom shall I go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

Does the Christian wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but walks in darkness; he remembers him that said, 'Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.' Though he slay me, says the disconsolate soul, yet will I trust in him-the Lord is the God of truth-he will not cast off for ever: but though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.

Of the strength of faith, and the power of unbelief, we have a striking instance in the conduct of Peter. The apostle, with other disciples,

was in a ship in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the