is especially evident from a comparison of this declaration of the apostle, that "faith works by love," and the last verse of the second . chapter of the epistle of James, which declares, that "as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." The working, active and acting nature of anything, is the life of it; and that which makes us call a thing alive, is, that we observe an active nature in it. This active, working nature in man, is the spirit which he has within him. And as his body without this spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. And if we would know what the working active thing in true faith is, the apostle tells us in Galatians v. 6, "Faith works by love." So that it is love which is the active working spirit in all true faith. This is its very soul, without which it is dead, as, in another form, he tells in the text, saying that faith without charity or love, is nothing, though it be to such a degree that it can remove mountains. And when he says, in the seventh verse of the context, that charity "believeth all things and hopeth all things," he probably refers to the great virtues of believing and hoping in the truth and grace

of God, to which he compares charity in other parts of the chapter, and particularly in the last verse," Now abideth faith, hope, charity, &c." For in the seventh verse he gives the preference to charity or love before the other virtues of faith and hope, because it includes them; for he says, "charity believeth all things and hopeth all things;" so that this seems to be his meaning, and not merely as it is vulgarly understood, that charity believeth and hopeth the best with regard to our neighbors. That a justifying faith, as a most distinguishing mark of Christianity, is comprehended in the great command of loving God, appears also, very plainly, from what Christ says to the Jews, John v. 40-43, &c.

Second, It is further manifest from this declaration of the apostle "that faith works by love," that all Christian exercises of the heart, and works of the life are from love; for we are abundantly taught in the New Testament, that all Christian holiness begins with faith in Jesus Christ. All christian obedience is in the Scriptures called the obedience of faith; as in Romans xvi. 26, the gospel is said to be "made known to all nations for the obedience of faith." The obedience here

spoken of, is doubtless the same with that spoken of in the eighteenth verse of the preceding chapter, where Paul speaks of making "the Gentiles obedient by word and deed." And in Galatians ii. 20 he tells us, "The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God," &c.; and we are often told that Christians, so far as they are Christians, “live by faith;" which is equivalent to saying that all gracious and holy exercises and virtues of the spiritual life are by faith. But how does faith work these things? Why, in this place in Galatians, it is expressly said, that it works whatsoever it does work by love. From which the truth of the doctrine follows, viz. that all that is saving and distinguishing in Christianity does radically consist, and is summarily comprehended in love. In the application of this subject, we may use it in the way of self-examination, instruction, and exhortation. And

1. In view of it let us examine ourselves, and see if we have the spirit which it enjoins. From love to God, springs love to man, as says the apostle, 1 John v. 1, "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God: and every one that loveth him that be

gat, loveth him also that is begotten of him." Have we this love to all who are the children of God? This love, also, leads those who possess it, to rejoice in God, and to worship and magnify him. Heaven is made up of such. Revelations xv. 2, 3, 4, "And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire; and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest." Do we thus delight in God, and rejoice in his worship, and in magnifying his holy name? This love, also, leads those who possess it, sincerely to desire, and earnestly to endeavor to do good to their fellowmen. 1 John iii. 16-19, "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our

lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him." Is this spirit, which dwelt in Jesus Christ, the spirit that reigns in our hearts, and is seen in our daily life? The subject may, also, be of use,

2. In the way of instruction.

And

First. This doctrine shows us what is the right Christian spirit. When the disciples, on their way to Jerusalem, desired Christ to call down fire from heaven to consume the Samaritans who would not receive him, he told them, Luke ix. 55, by way of rebuke, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of;" by which we are to understand, not that they did not know their own hearts, but that they did not know and truly feel what kind of spirit was proper and becoming to their character and spirit as his professed disciples, and becoming that evangelical dispensation that he had come to establish, and under