way, are accounted by the Shepherd, to be thieves and robbers. It is a matter of great consequence to us all; and therefore let none of us be too secure, without the evidence in ourselves, that we are led by the Spirit of God, and feel his Spirit to bear witness with our spirits, that we are his children. This is the certain criterion, and a subject much more profitable for the contemplation of each one of us, than speculating on unfathomable decrees, drawing our own conclusions therefrom, and filling the heads of people with arguments on subjects beyond their capacity, to the great hindrance of their own growth in the truth, and consequently to the spreading of it in the earth. I have seen it with sorrow, and I have sometimes thought, if persons professing Christianity, were as zealous to build one another up in their most holy faith, as they are to pull down, we should soon see a new face in the Christian world. But, alas! how hard is it for real seekers to communicate one with another; there seems something like fear of contamination, arising from no other source than that which I have stated. It is time, therefore, to lay aside these far-fetched speculative arguments, and strive to provoke one another to love and good works. These are two essential things, as true gospel faith can never be alive without producing them: of this, I am confident, both from Scripture and experience, and I

Rom. viii. 16.

therefore long to see the day, that every one of us may know ourselves taught of God to love one another, and abound in it more and more.

I long to see the true marks of Christianity on every one who nameth the name of Christ. "'Let every one that nameth the name of Christ, depart from iniquity." Now how is it that some of you take so much pains in your pulpits, to lay waste this noble requisition of the apostle, by striving to prove that there is no departing from iniquity, whilst clothed in flesh and blood? and yet you are free to mention the name of Christ, over and over again, in your systematic divinity. Are you wiser than the apostle Paul, or can you suppose that he did not mean what he said? Oh, my brethren, it is time to look about you, and to turn over a new leaf: your splitting, dividing, twisting and turning the Scriptures to fit your own conceptions, will not stand the fiery trial. The apostle has laid a gospel foundation: take heed how ye build thereon; «m for for every man's work will be tried by fire, of what sort it is." No shining forms of eloquence, compared to gold, silver, or precious stones, or more bulky appearances of truth, compared to wood, hay, or stubble, will stand this fire of the Spirit. And yet there is cause for us all to be willing to have our works tried by fire, and suffer the loss, seeing the apostle saith such shall be saved, so as by fire." Happy

12 Tim. ii. 19.

1 Cor. iii. 13.

" 1 Cor. iii. 15.

are those who are saved, however the work may be done; it is worth suffering for, so that the end be obtained and I believe as fully as any of you that there is no other name whereby any can be saved, but by the name of Jesus Christ, “who died for us, to cleanse us from all iniquity, and to purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

How is it, again, that you take so much pains to divide asunder what God hath joined together? even he who createth all true believers anew unto good works; and before ordained, that they should walk in them. I therefore conclude, that, when faith is come, and its reality known to operate in the mind, this operative faith of God sets the believer free from the law as a schoolmaster; and yet it is not to be understood that we are now left without a schoolmaster; but we are now brought to Christ, who not only teacheth the precepts of the moral law, but writes them on the tables of the heart; and, as he comes to dwell in our hearts by faith, he gives power to fulfil, and so the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us, "who walk, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit ;" and thus a believer is justified by faith. And, however some may speculate on faith, and make plausible speeches thereon, I can find no ground in the Scriptures of truth, to believe that any man has faith, if it is not proved by

works; and yet the believer will look for no justification from works, but, being taught of God, he will be kept humble and reverent, under a sense of his own infirmities, and bowed in thankfulness to him for his manifold mercies received, knowing the truth of Christ's words, "Without me, ye can do nothing:" and he will, with Paul, confess, "I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me."

Now herein we see what faith is, by beholding its effects on the apostle's mind, when he came to feel its operation, so as to be united to Christ: by it strength was here communicated to him to do all things, and yet a sense remaining, that, as a man, he was nothing by his own natural power. He had nothing to glory in but the cross of Christ, whereby the world was crucified to him, and he unto the world. He came into discipleship the right way, and continued to take up his cross daily, and follow Christ; by which he died daily to the world, and the world unto him, and as his outward man perished, his inward man was renewed, day by day. These things we read of him, and admire; and there, I was about to say, we stop, and fall short of " "pressing forward to the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus," and dream about faith, and tell our dreams.

My dear brethren, this is not walking by faith; the walk of faith is holy life; and, however you may dissect it, and draw your nice distinctions, and fill people's minds with talkative notions, yet none of these is "the substance of things hoped for, or the evidence of things not seen." This is a sort of faith which purifies the heart, and 'sets the "affections on things above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God;" and enables believers to "put off the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and to put on the new man, which, after God, is created in righteousness and true holiness." This was evidently the apostle's view of faith in operation; or, when he was writing by inspiration, he would not have pressed it on the believers, if it had been out of their reach to attain; and I long to see the day, when man shall again be made willing to give up his acquired skill in logic, and bow to the primitive sceptre of gospel faith, without which it is impossible to please God; for I conceive it to be the only power which he hath bestowed on man, by which man can obtain any union or communion with his Maker. Behold, the first moving act of faith, is to" "believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Now, I believe, no man was ever disappointed who came to God with this faith in full operation, deligently seeking him, but was sure to have the re

* Heb. xi. 1. y Coloss. iii. 1, 2.

Eph. iv. 22. • Heb. xi. 6.