ried with beholding his wondrous works. When it was first revealed to the inhabitants of heaven, the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy. And doubtless angels, to this day, find pleasure in admiring this exhibition of his wisdom and power. And yet the world was made for some other end than merely to be admired. And truth also exists for some other purpose than merely to be admired; and unless it accomplishes something else, it might as well not be at all. There is much that is beautiful, much that is sublime, in the truths of science and philosophy but their highest value does not lie in this, but in the practical effects they can be made to produce, and the uses to which they can be put. We might spare the beauty for the sake of the utility, but we could not spare the utility for the sake of the beauty. The shadows may be tinged with many a rainbow color, and may glitter gorgeously in the sun; but if there be no substance, what can they do? what are they worth in a world of realities?

Now it is not to be supposed that God has revealed to us the truths of the Gospel merely that we might look at them, and admire, and say, "How wonderful." The supposition is not in accordance with his character or his mode of dealing with us. There is nothing in his character from which we may suppose that he does anything for mere display. He did not make the world merely to show his creatures what he could do. He is not worshipped as though he needed anything: he dwells in light unapproachable; his happiness is perfect; it is not dependent on the homage of his creatures: it will not be diminished if they fail to admire his works-what need then had he to display his power? And in all the history of his ways, where is the record of anything that God has done for no other purpose than to call forth admiration ? Neither has he made known truth to us simply that we might admire his wisdom, and wonder at the extent of his knowledge. The truths that we gather from his works, the truths that are thickly strewn in all places of his dominions, the truths that his Providence everywhere proclaims, are all revealed, not for display, but for some useful end and if the truth of the Gospel be an exception, it is the only exception in the universe, and the strangest. It would seem that if any truth is revealed for useful purposes, it must be this-truth which relates to the things of eternity, to interests whose importance eternity alone will enable us fully to understand; truth which concerns the life and death of the soul; truth which is so eminently practical in its appearance; which is capable of producing such great effects; so mighty to the pulling down of strong holds; which can burst asunder the iron chains of habit, and unloose those who were fast bound in sin; truth which is quick and powerful, and sharper than a two-edged sword; truth which God himself has likened to a fire, and to a hammer that breaketh the flinty rock in pieces: it cannot be that this truth was revealed merely to be admired.

There is but one other supposition: that religious truth is revealed, and our faith in it required, that it may produce its appropriate practical effects-that, as we are required to love our neighbor as ourselves, not that we may say in his necessities, "Be thou warmed and filled," and give him nothing; but that we may do the works of benevolence; so we are required to exercise faith in the Gospel, that we may do the works and show the effects of faith. The effects of faith, the legitimate operations of sacred truth, are, holy affections in the heart, and a life of obedience to the commands of God. God does not ask men to believe the Gospel and go on in sin. He has not set forth Christ and his cross as the objects of our faith, that we should believe and wonder and despise; but that our faith should work by love. "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness." "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid yea, we establish the law." We are not to go on in sin because we have believed in the abounding grace of God: the object of our faith is to make us dead unto sin, and "how shall we, who are dead unto sin, live any longer therein ?" Its object is to make us the servants of God, and how shall we still consecrate ourselves to the service of sin? The "end of our faith" is "the salvation of our souls"-but it is a holy salvation-a deliverance from the power of evil-a purification of the unclean heart—a new creation, after God, in righteousness and true holiness. "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?" It is the very design of our faith, that it may deliver us from the enticements of the world, and cast off its chains; that our affections, no longer bound to earth, may rise, and rest upon God, and upon things in heaven. God requires of us faith, that we may be purified by it; that we may be fitted to dwell in heaven, and be made like those holy spirits that worship before his throne. He requires of us faith, that we may make known on earth the riches of his grace; that we may tell from our own experience the constraining power of his love; that we may be living examples of the power of godliness; that our light may so shine before men, that they shall see our good works, and glorify God. He does not ask us to believe that we may be idle, and hang as dead weights upon the church; but that we may be careful to maintain good works. Practical righteousness, entire consecration, "holiness to the Lord," are the appropriate effects of the Christian's faith, and the very effects it was designed to produce. Of course, then, if our faith does not produce these effects, if it does not lead us to these works, it is worthless-it is dead. It will not restore the sick man to health, to have admired the remedy, if he has not used it: and it will not save the soul, to have admired the plan of salvation, to have believed it in all its features, while its conditions were not performed. And it will be no sufficient answer to the questions of the judgment-day, that we have never doubted the truth of the

Gospel, or that we have thought it a glorious Gospel, and wondered at its beauties and its mighty power. The very design for which God requires our faith is, that it may make us holy, that it may produce good works; and unless it does this, it cannot save us. We shall learn at the last day, if we have not learned before, that faith without works is dead-dead, because it fails of answering its design-dead, because it does nothing-because it is useless-because it gives no signs of life.

3. Faith without works is dead, because the practice of the precepts of the Gospel is necessary, to keep alive our faith in it.

Truth disregarded, soon vanishes from the mind: principles not carried out, motives not acted upon, are as though they were not. The mind is not so made that it will hold fast to truths that produce no effect upon it, that do not influence a man's conduct, nor become incorporated with his life. There is nothing to keep such truths in the mind; there is no reason why they should remain: and they will pass away-our faith in them will die of indolence and neglect. If, therefore, we would have these truths vividly present before us; if we would keep alive our faith in them; we must act them out; our conduct must be consistent with our faith; we must live as though we really believed them.

Faith is not self-existent. It does not follow, because it once existed, that it still is. A man has no real, living belief in truths that have long since vanished from the mind, which have left no apparent trace, and which memory never recalls. He may have had a faith-but it is no more-it is dead, It is so with the Gospel. Whatsoever faith we have in it must be kept alive by exercise its objects must be kept before the mind by obeying the precepts which the Gospel gives. The theory and the practice must go together, or

both will cease to exist.

Besides, the truths of the Gospel are of a spiritual nature; they relate to spiritual things; they cannot be fully understood until they become a part of our own experience. Who can understand what is meant by the law of God dwelling in the heart-the peace of God that passeth all understanding-the fellowship with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ-the witness of the Spirit-the joy that is unspeakable and full of glory? They are unmeaning sounds to the world-who can understand them, till he knows them from his own experience? And how shall a man have faith in that which he does not know? And how shall he know the things of the Gospel, unless he obeys its commands? "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine." It is not enough that we have once assented to the truths of the Gospel-unless we have acted upon them, that faith was dead long ago. These truths cannot be to us living realities unless they regulate our lives. Faith without works is an absurdity. Faith in the Gospel is faith in something that requires holiness; that denounces woe upon trans

gressors; that declares there is no peace to the wicked; that tells us, without holiness no man shall see the Lord. Now, if a man lives without regarding these declarations, if he neglects the works of holiness, has he faith? does he believe these things? Is it possible for what he calls his faith to live, while it is thus contradicted by all his conduct? is it not properly declared to be dead? It is dead because it has none of the power and the activity of life; because without exercise it cannot live; nor without practical obedience to those precepts which it pretends to hold.

4. Faith without works is dead, because it is the faith of a dead heart.

The heart which is unmoved by the objects of Christian faith, is properly called dead. There are no objects in the universe that have so much moral power; that are so well suited to kindle the soul with enthusiasm, and awaken every energy of the mind. They appeal to every high principle, to every noble sentiment, to every generous feeling, to all the susceptibilities of the heart. They place before us the brightest visions of hope: they unveil the scenes of heaven, and invite us to dwell in light and glory there. They tell of the dark regions of despair, and the fierceness of the wrath of God-and they call upon us to escape. They surround us, they press upon us, with motives to holiness of infinite value-motives beyond those which angels feel. Angels have seen the excellence of God; they have known his goodness, and they can feel its power: but they have never known his compassion towards them as sinners; they have never tasted his pardoning grace; the scene on Calvary was not for their personal advantage; precious blood has not been shed for them; the appeals of a dying Saviour were not addressed to them; the motives that cluster around the cross were not placed before them. These mighty influences are brought to bear only upon the lost of the human race:-and is not that man's heart dead which does not feel their constraining power? is not all spiritual life absent? is not all cold, lifeless, repulsive as the dead?

The eyes of the dead may be fixed in ghastly stare upon the glories of creation; the ears of the dead may be surrounded with all the exciting sounds of life--but no life is aroused, no action is called forth. So it is with that heart and that faith which can behold unmoved the objects which the Gospel reveals: the eyes may be open, but the glorious truths that pass before them kindle no emotions of hope, excite no pulsations of love in the heart, call forth no signs of spiritual activity-because it is the gaze of death. What claims to life has the heart that can behold the cross of Christ, and not be melted into tears, and penitence, and love? What claims to life has the faith which can look upon the unfathomed depths of God's mercy, which can estimate the sufferings of Christ, and count the value of his precious blood-and then produce no

works of gratitude and holiness? How much better is it than the faith of him who sleeps in the tomb? Is not that heart which beholds the Gospel and the way of life unmoved-is not the faith. which views them with cool indifference, properly called dead?

We learn from this subject,

1. The real nature of the faith required in the Gospel. It is not a mere speculation; not a mere intellectual perception of the truth; not a mere admiration for the harmonies, the glories, and the beautiful relations of truth; not an inefficient, a cold, a lifeless belief— but a faith that works by love; a faith that shall be a living, active principle in the soul-helping it to burst the bonds of sin-cleansing it of all that is unholy-urging it on to deeds of righteousness. God asks for no other faith-no other will save the soul. He values no faith that is consistent with an unholy life, or which produces no sanctifying effects upon the heart. It is a mockery, and an insult to his grace.

2. We may learn the nature of the connection between faith and works. There is a real connection. Neither can exist alone. Their life is one; and if one dies, the other cannot live. Good works are the fruit and the legitimate effect of faith; and any such faith as God requires-any faith which is not worthless, which is not dead-must produce them of necessity, and in its own nature. They are the only evidence of the existence of faith. What proof is there of life, if there be none of the movements, the breathings, the actions of life? If the question be, whether a body is living, we ask: Does it breathe? Does it move? Does the lifeblood hasten through its channels? If not, where is the evidence of its life? So, if the inquiry concerns the existence of faith, we ask: Does it move? Has it the warm pulsations of life? Does it produce any of the actions of life? If not, it is dead. There can be no proofs of its existence, if there be no works of holiness.

3. We learn that there is a great amount of dead faith in the church. There is much that is fruitless-much that is without works--much that has no good influence upon its possessors or upon the world-much that is worthless-much that will not endure the tests of the judgment-day-much that will perish when "the fire shall try every man's work, of what sort it is."

Is it not then wise in us, my Christian friends, to anticipate the searching inquiries of the last day-to ask ourselves now concerning the reality of our faith? Does it work by love? Does it lead us to be active in serving God? Does it make us love and imitate Jesus, the Author and Finisher of faith? Let us put these questions now to our own hearts-lest we learn too late that our faith has no saving power, and read our doom in the declaration, "Faith without works is dead."