like expedient of vilifying, or withdrawing our love from a brother Christian, simply because he may not "contend for the faith" in such a manner as may be approved by us. We must know full well, or we ought to know full well, that perfect unity of sentiment cannot exist amongst the various individuals of which the human race is composed. Every one may, and every one ought to believe in the great and saving truths of the gospel of Christ, yet cannot all people agree as to the precise method in which these should be proclaimed to the world, or as to the method by which wandering sheep may be the most effectually brought back to the fold which they have deserted. The habits, and dispositions, and the education of men, are by far too varied to admit of such an idea. It should be remembered, moreover, that though men may differ in sentiment or in opinion, yet in principle may they concur to the fullest and most complete extent. A very considerable number of our countrymen, for example, allow,—would I could say all of them,—that education, I mean Christian education, is necessary for all ranks and degrees of men. Yet are they not all agreed as to the best method by which this education may be effected. So is it, I conceive, in respect of the great and fundamental doctrines of Christ's gospel. These ought to be made known, and in such a manner that faith and practice may go hand in hand with each other. Yet how they may be the most effectually made known in this manner, is a question in which many equally conscientious

Christians may differ, though they may do this, and ought to do this, with perfect love and charity towards each other. The apostle St. Jude instructed, and now instructs, the members of the Christian Church, "that they should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints;" he at the same time, or rather immediately before, that they may not be guilty of any mistake or inconsistency in this their contest for the faith, expresses himself unto them thus: Mercy unto peace and love be multiplied."

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It may now, brethren, be worth our while to look a little into the nature of that faith, on account of which the apostle exhorts us to contend. In respect of this, we are elsewhere thus instructed in the word of God: "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." And, in reference to this faith, St. Paul afterwards thus expresses himself: "Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Now what says the prophet, whose writings are so celebrated for their frequent and direct allusions to the advent of the Messiah, and to the character of his gospel? "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly para Hebrews, xi. 1. 6.

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don." We are likewise taught that without God, that is without the co-operation of his Spirit, we can do nothing. We cannot, therefore, by our own strength alone, seek him diligently or effectually. Yet does faith teach us that he will reward us if we seek him diligently; the search must, however, be preceded, as the prophet instructs us, by forsaking the way of wickedness and the thoughts of unrighteousness. But, being born in sin, in sin must we remain; in the ways of wickedness must we continue, unless we come unto Christ to conduct us out of them, and this we shall not do unless we believe that he is enabled to afford us the assistance which our condition requires: we have no authority, however, for believing that Christ will extend to us his helping hand, in this our state of need and distress, unless we comply with those conditions which at all times accompany his promises of assistance. Now I conceive that these conditions are concisely summed up in the commencement of our Lord's sermon on the mount: "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for their's is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they a Isaiah, lv. 6.

which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for their's is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.""

In the foregoing address of our Saviour, we have a code of morals delivered to us which may be termed purely Christian, inasmuch as, before the appearance of Christ in the flesh, such had never been proclaimed to the world by any teacher whatever. In this address, moreover, we perceive the divine blessing promised to those who shall act according to its injunctions, in respect of their several situations and in what, I would ask, does the

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'faith," that is, the true faith as it is in Jesus, consist, other than in a belief of the truth of this his opening address? Yet, brethren, the faith of a Christian likewise teaches him that, by man in a state of nature, unaided and unredeemed by divine grace, the acts which are here implied cannot possibly be performed: "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven;" but though with man such things are impossible, yet "with God are all things possible." Therefore was it that our Saviour afterwards, though on the same occasion, instructed the multitudes who were assembled about his person, that they were to pray a St. Matthew, v. 3—12.

for the assistance of God, in order that "his kingdom might come, and that his will might be done in earth as in heaven."

But the faith of a Christian further teaches him, that the works of righteousness already named, can alone be rendered acceptable to God by means of the blood of his only Son shed upon the cross: "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." It is, therefore, not merely a belief in the moral precepts of our Saviour, but likewise a full and implicit belief in the efficacy of his atonement, in which the right faith consists. Works, indeed, will not bring any one unto God, unaccompanied by a reliance on the divine love as exemplified in the death of Christ; neither will a reliance on this divine love in the least avail us, unless we shew a reciprocal love for him who first loved us, by performing the works of his commandments, and treading in the steps of Christ our Saviour, so well and so justly represented to us as the "Lamb without blemish, and without spot."

Faith, therefore, in its strict and truly Christian acceptation, is a firm reliance on the promises of God conveyed to mankind through his only Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is, as we have already observed on the testimony of St. Paul, recorded in his epistle to the Hebrews, the "substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." The things hoped for, and the