sober," he knows no better means of their effecting this, than "putting on for an helmet the hope of salvation; for God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ." Have we the splendid prize of glory hanging out before our view, and does not every look thereat renew our strength? Do we seem to be advancing nearer to the goal, and does not this accelerate this advance itself? Can we look by faith to our heavenly Father, not only as cheering us onward, and supplying strength, but waiting to receive us to Himself, and not be full of energy? Can we hear the words of Jesus, who Himself has run the course, and "for the joy that was set before Him"-in the faith of his success and triumph-" endured the cross," and went through suffering up to glory; can we hear his words of encouragement, and not believe as He believed, and labour therefore even as He did labour?" To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." Therefore, Christians! would I call you to morality; I pray you to believe! Would I bring you to endurance and to patience; I will say, believe! Would I rouse you into Energy and Active Vigour; still I must exclaim, Have faith in God!

SERMON XII.

FAITH, THE SOURCE OF HEAVENLY

MINDEDNESS.

1 JOHN V. 4.

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our Faith.

FAITH is the source of all moral Firmness, of all that sustains the mind in trial, and quickens it to energy.

And not less is this divine principle the source of that second disposition which I further mentioned as fruitful in excellence: namely, of Elevation or Refinement of Mind; of that which in its best and truest exercise we call in Theological language Spirituality, or HeavenlyMindedness.

For, by Elevation or Refinement of mind, I mean all that is lofty and noble, as opposed to

all that is low, and mean, and creeping: all that gets beyond the narrow confines of earth, and the debasing influence of Sense, and soars into the purity of thought and of imagination: all that lifts us above Self and mere Utility, and brings us into communion with the fair and good, the beautiful and admirable. This state of mind, from which so many actions, noble and attractive, flow, may be caught in some degree from lower sources: we see some flashes of it in the man of taste, and generosity, and heroism; but, in its true sublimity, and its just extent and influence, it can be derived from Faith, from Christian Faith, alone.

For, this Refinement of Mind depends upon the thoughts and principles with which weR have been imbued, and are familiar:

But Faith, and Faith alone, imbues us with the thoughts of God himself the High and Holy One:

Therefore Faith, and Faith alone, can lift the mind to true and holy Elevation.

Refinement of Mind depends upon the thoughts and feelings which have been made familiar to us the objects to which our attention has been directed, the principles with which we have been imbued. To the man of

sense and bodily enjoyment, it is unknown; for all his thoughts and feelings are the product of the flesh. The man of the world, who looks to character and reputation, is thereby raised above the grosser vices of baseness and of sensuality. The man of taste and sensibility will rise still higher, and will show the faint reflection of a genuine refinement: he learns to value excellence and beauty for itself; he estimates their value not by selfish calculations of utility, but by their intrinsic amiableness:-he looks out beyond the things of earth, and loves the bright ideas of an intellectual world. The man of natural morals and devoutness rises higher still; he affirms the independence of the mind on worldly influence, and its awful responsibility to itself; he recognizes conscience, virtue, moral excellence; he looks abroad upon the earth and sees therein the footsteps of a God; he views the wretched imperfection, and the change, and the mortality of earthly things, and he looks onward far to times of retribution and of order, of life unceasing and of endless joy. In all these cases, as the thoughts and feelings most familiar to the mind, so has been its progress in refinement as we have been conversant with any thing above sense;-with society, or with fancy, or with conscience and reason, so have

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our souls expanded from their original littleness, and we have grown into a higher stature, and assumed a nobler mien, and come nearer to our proper nature.

But, in all these cases, what are we still? what is the state to which we have been raised? Is it true refinement? Is it holy Elevation? Is it really above and beyond the creature and created things? Alas, No! The source of all our thoughts,-yea, even our most noble and refined, the source has still been in the world, or in ourselves and as the cause, so will be the effect: that which is taken within the limits of time and sense, will ever be partial, insufficient, low that which is calculated from earthly observations, that can never extend in its effect beyond the bounds of earth. Brethren! will you think of this? will you lay it to your hearts? will you feel the utter insufficiency of all lower thoughts, all meaner motives, to raise the mind to real and lasting elevation? Men will tell you of the march of intellect, and of the grand refinements of a speculative age. Be it so! but this is not enough to make you men indeed. They will talk of character and reputation, of honour, and of fame. Be it so! but here again the object is the world, and the world alone; and this is not