SERMON XVIII.

A RIGHTEOUS CONDUCT THE MOST CONVINCING TEST OF GENUINE FAITH.

1 TIMOTHY III. 9.-" Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience."

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THERE is no doctrine more clearly stated, or more strongly enforced in Scripture, than that faith is indispensable to salvation. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ" is the grand precept of the Gospel, and is bound upon us by the strongest obligations: the most extensive advantages are annexed to it, and its necessity is universal and perpetual. We are expressly told, that "without faith it is impossible to please God;"-that "by grace we are saved through faith;"-that "he who believeth not is condemned;"—and that "all unbelievers shall have their portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone." "Ye believe in God," said our blessed Lord, "believe also in me:" and he assigns as a reason, "I am the way, the truth,

and the life: no man cometh to the Father but by me." "This, saith St. John, "is his commandment, that ye should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ." And again, "This is the will of God, that ye believe on Him whom he hath sent." Wherefore, by "the mystery of the faith," mentioned in the text, we must understand,—that great and leading doctrine of the Gospel-the redemption of fallen man by Jesus Christ, the Emmanuel, or “ God manifest in the flesh," who, "by his one oblation of himself, once offered, made a full, perfect, and sufficient satisfaction for the sins of the whole world.” And faith in Christ as the Redeemer of mankind, which every Christian professes, is the influential principle, which leads the contrite sinner to fly unto Him for pardon, for grace, for holiness, and for eternal life. It is represented by the significant action of looking up to Him on the cross, as the wounded Israelites looked on the brazen serpent in the wilderness, with an eye of penitence and humble hope. It is a firm persuasion that "there is none other name under Heaven given to man by whom, and through whom, he can obtain spiritual health and salvation, but only the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." The humble Christian knows, that by the works of the ceremonial law no man shall be justified. He therefore relies not on any thing which he can himself do for

the attainment of everlasting life. He trusts not in his own righteousness, conscious that even the most perfect man living will have more than sufficient reason to exclaim with the Publican in the Gospel,-"God be merciful to me a sinner:" but his sure trust is in the one great sacrifice made by the Son of God, who "came into the world to save sinners," who by his death hath redeemed us from eternal death, and "delivered us from the wrath to come." "Through Him," saith the Apostle, "is preached unto us forgiveness of sins, and by Him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses."

Of the necessity of such faith, in order to salvation, no real Christian can doubt, because without it he cannot, in fact, be a Christian. It is, however, of the utmost importance to recollect, that we are "to hold this saving faith in a pure conscience," which is also enjoined by the Apostle as an essential part of the character of a Christian, of one who is authorized to rely with confidence on the merits of his Redeemer, for pardon and acceptance-for salvation and life eternal.

Agreeably to the spirit of this injunction, it is the decisive rule of holy writ, that we prove the sincerity and soundness of our faith by the obedience and holiness it produces. If we would ascertain whether we are in possession of such a

sterling faith, it is the constant exhortation of our Saviour and his Apostles, that we examine our ownselves,--that every man should prove his own work, whether he be indeed "holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience;' -that we search and try whether our conduct be really such as Christianity teaches; and whether our conversation in the world be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ.

The short, plain, and infallible test proposed by St. James is this," shew thy faith by thy works;" that is, prove thyself a real Christian by a holy, pure, and blameless life. The integrity of a man's professions must be evidenced by the integrity of his conduct. This is, in most instances, an unexceptionable rule for determining the sincerity of our faith; for, the sounder our faith, the more perfect will be our moralsand on the other hand, the purer our morals, the more perfect will be our faith. Good works are the natural fruits of true Christian faith, and wherever these fruits are wanting, it is certain there can be no living or healthy root of faith implanted in the heart it is either dead or imperfect. Without these practical, effective proofs of sincerity, all pretences to saving faith are vain. They may be the deception of hypocrisy, or the delusion of ignorance; but their fallacy is shewn in almost every page of the Gospel of Christ. By their fruits," saith our

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Saviour, speaking of false prophets, or false professors of his religion,-"by their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." Faith is the tree of life, which produceth all Christian virtues: by its fruits it is known; in its fruits it is manifested. Christ is the vine; and, if our faith be right, we shall be fruitful branches, abiding in him, and deriving every thing that is lovely and of good report from him. Therefore, by this criterion let us ascertain whether we are in the faith. Are our minds set upon righteousness? Are our hands clean in all our dealings with men? and our hearts (through grace) pure before God? Are our thoughts, words, and actions regulated by the laws of God? Do we, as much as possible, avoid and abhor all wickedness, whether in will or in deed? Have we no licentious and sinful wishes cherished in the secret recesses of our hearts? Is no malicious evil speaking, no impious profanation, the language of our tongue? Are we fervent and regular in the exercises of Christian piety? faithful and diligent in the discharge of our moral and social duties,— wishing well to all, and ill to none?-being persuaded, upon the Apostle's authority, that the end of the commandment is "charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and