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now crying out, "Lord, save me, or I perish?" He will save you, my brother; the faintest sigh of true repentance has already ascended to the throne of grace, from whence it came. Thou hast, indeed, "destroyed thyself; but in God is thy help." Hear his invitation, “Return, ye backsliding children," and "I will heal your backslidings:" let your hearts then answer, 66 Behold, we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God." In Christ, Mercy and truth have met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other." Mercy made the one perfect and sufficient offering for the sins of the whole world; justice and faithfulness are pledged to accept that offering, for all who make it theirs by faith. The covenant of grace is between the Father and the Son; we cannot alter it; and by that covenant eternal justice accepts the sacrifice made by eternal love. His faithfulness and his justice are also pledged to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." This is the part of the covenant fulfilled by the third person in the blessed Trinity. Jesus, Immanuel, God with us, having made the sacrifice, God the Father is faithful and just to accept it, and forgive us our sins; and God the

Holy Spirit is faithful also, to cleanse all those who are Christ's "from all unrighteousness." Who then shall lay any

thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God, that justifieth; who is he that condemneth? it is Christ that died; yea rather that is risen again, who is ever at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (Rom. viii. 33, 34.)

But remember that while you cannot be too confident in what Christ has done for you, you cannot be too distrustful of yourself. Christ is elevated in your soul precisely in proportion as self is abased. A distinguished Christian being asked, "How am I to lose self?" he replied, "Precisely in proportion as you receive Christ."

Beware, also, of putting repentance, humility, or any other grace, in place of Christ. They are genuine gifts of the Holy Spirit, only so far as they tend to exalt the Creator and abase the creature; but that is an idol which we would put in the Saviour's place, whatever be its

name.

While life remains, sin will still continue its warfare with holiness, and give the believer cause of humiliation before God. As lost sinners, we are first called to partake the offers of mercy as peni

tent sinners, we are granted the privileges of God's children: and as redeemed sinners, we shall hereafter join in giving glory to him who has loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood."

SERMON X.

PREACHED NOVEMBER 16, 1828.

GALATIANS, v. 6.

Faith which worketh by love.

IN pursuing the consideration of our Liturgy, the object which now presents itself to your contemplation is, the Confession of faith, or Creed, by our belief in which we are entitled to hold a place in the congregation of Christ's church; and to which we all have testified our assent by our position, if not by our voices.

It is a valuable compendium of the doctrines of Christianity, which asserts, without attempting to explain them; and here let me, in the first place, observe, that, while in the utterance of confession, our belief in the depravity of human na

ture renders our expressions general; ("We have erred and strayed;" we have done those things which we ought not to have done," and so on)-in the declaration of our faith, each speaks only for himself. We cannot know or answer for the creed of another; but each stands up to declare before God and man, "I believe" the solemn truths which follow. Now, I have not a doubt that every individual here present, would unhesitatingly sign this short but comprehensive form, which martyrs of old have sealed with their blood; but have we considered its import, or weighed its connection with our daily life?

Most of the errors under which the moral world is groaning, and which have rent asunder the professors of our most holy faith, arise from a false distinction between the doctrinal and practical part of religion. -That" which God has joined together," presumptuous

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would put asunder;" and in so doing he severs the soul and body of vital godliness: the one party adhering to a lifeless form of works distinct from motive; the other presenting to our admiration a visionary spirit, which may be good, and may be holy, but which glides as a sha