the affections of the heart nor the actions of the life. Accordingly, as we should say that a man who professed to believe in the obligations of municipal law, who studied them all his life, and made himself acquainted with their frame-work; and yet never reverenced, never obeyed them, never enjoyed the security they afforded, but violated them continually, and incurred the penalties they imposed; had merely a dead faith in these obligations: so we say, that he who professes to believe in the Christian Revelation, who admits its truth, studies it all his life, and becomes acquainted with its framework; and yet never reverences, never obeys it, never enjoys the blessings it promises, but violates its commands and incurs the penalties it threatens; has only a dead faith in Christianity.

Faith, to deserve the name, must be a living, influential principle, seated in the heart as well as the understanding, taking possession of the whole man, leading him to think, and act, and feel agreeably to the truth and importance of what is brought to his knowledge; it must call forth fear, hope, desire, aversion, love, gratitude; just exactly as faith in human testimony does, in proportion to the truth and importance of what is thus apprehended.

A man is tossed in a bark upon the wide

ocean; all is dark; the sea rages; the tempest howls; death impends. He says he possesses a compass in the virtue of which he fully believes; yet he never consults it, never reposes any trust in its guidance, never directs his course according to its indications- he has only a dead faith. A living faith would have led him to act unreservedly on the compass in which he said. he believed, to look at it every moment, to disregard the opinions of the passengers or crew; to follow its directions at all risks, and thus wait with fortitude and calmness for the abating of the storm.

No doubt would ever have been raised concerning this point, if it had not been for that very corruption of man, which the gospel is revealed to cure.

And the case will be more clear, if we remember the occasion upon which this faith is demanded. For consider the glory of that God who reveals the Scriptures, the subject matter of the Revelation, and the state of man to whom it is made, and you will see that a living and efficacious faith, a faith including a repose and trust of the whole soul, with all its faculties and powers; a faith sought for by earnest prayer; a faith produced by the influences of grace in the heart, is essentially necessary.

For who is the AUTHOR OF THE BIBLE? Is he a man like ourselves? No; it is a Revelation from the great and glorious God, whose perfections surpass all human understanding. A message from such a being, whose is our felicity for time and eternity, should be received with a reverent, a grateful exercise of the whole understanding and heart. How does an obedient subject receive a message from his earthly sovereign?

And what does THIS REVELATION REGARD? Is it a matter of secondary moment? Is it information about the creation of the world merely, and the order of nature? Is it an historical document about the series of ages? Is it an accumulation of ceremonies? No; it is concerned in no such limited topics. No; the Revelation of the great God to man regards matters of eternal moment-man's fall and guilt, redemption by the incarnation and sacrifice of the Son of God, a sanctifying Spirit, the operations of grace on the heart, the love of God restored, preparation for death and judgment. It reveals the immortality of the soul. It reveals an invisible world. It communicates truth vital, momentous, indispensable. What, then, is the faith with which such a Revelation should be obeyed? How would a herald of peace be re

ceived by a rebellious province, if he brought tidings of pardon by the intervention of the only begotten Son of the offended Monarch?

And what is the STATE OF MAN? Is he not a dying creature? Is he not wandering in the darkness of this world? Is he not the sport of folly, prejudice, concupiscence? Can he do any thing to deliver himself? How does a traveller perishing in a desert, seize the hand of a deliverer? How does the father of a family, roused by the guardian of the night, act upon the testimony of the instant danger of conflagration and death?

Such, then, must be the nature of the faith by which we receive the Revelation of the great God. A lifeless, tame, unmeaning assent will avail us nothing, but to mock God and increase our condemnation. It is essentially unbeliefit is the same state of heart as infidelity itself.

But how far do the statements of Scripture support this representation? What is the nature of faith as expressed in the language of Revelation itself? Every step in our remarks is fully sustained. The principle on which faith in Christianity is to rest, is that on which, as we have observed, men are daily acting; If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater. The state of mind which rejects the testimony, is represented as a distrust of God's declarations

and a virtual imputation of falsehood on his express communications; He that believeth not God, hath made him a liar. The repose and affiance which faith involves, is expressed by an allusion to the custom of affixing a seal to what we most surely credit; He that hath received his testimony, hath set to his seal that God is true. The necessity of the heart and affections being engaged in it, is strongly insisted on; If thou believest with all thine heart-With the heart man believeth unto righteousness. The vivid apprehensions it conveys to the mind-the link it forms between man and the invisible things promised, is also stated; Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Its more immediate reference to the commanding truth of redemption in Jesus Christ, is perpetually held forth; This is the record that God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. The insufficiency of a mere barren assent, as opposed to this heartfelt and living principle, is awfully illustrated by the case of the fallen spirits; THE DEVILS ALSO BELIEVE AND TREMBLE. The grace necessary to fallen man in order that he may heartily believe, is strongly stated, both as to the perception of the testimony which is the object of faith, and as to the state of mind from which faith springs; The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit