Among other things, which the apoftle urges in favour of charity, he speaks of its eternal nature. All the fpiritual gifts, he tells his converts, with which they were endowed, were calculated only for this world. Prophecy fhall be completed, and at an end ceffary, fhall cease- the knowledge to be acquired in this imperfect ftate, will be of no ufe. But charity never fails. It commences on earth, and continues with us in heaven. There it is exalted beyond what this world will allow. It becomes celestial love, and unites in praise to the Creator, with the bleffed inhabitants of thofe regions of everlasting happiness.

various languages, no longer ne

It is from this eternal nature of charity the apostle, in a great degree, infers its fuperiority to faith and hope. In this world, fays he, we exercise* the three great virtues of faith, hope, and charity. But, the two former of these lofing their end, and even their existence, after our removal into another world; charity, which lafts for ever, is therefore of a nature fuperior to both.

The great conclufion to be drawn from the whole, which was my last head, is to confider faith, and charity, or good works, in their proper light. Faith, no doubt, is the foundation of all religion : and, when firmly established, good works will naturally follow. But it must be confidered, that faith is thus a mean not an end. The gospel was intended to purify our nature, and make up the deficiences of the fall. The whole Scripture therefore, from one end to the other, exhorts us to good works, through faith in Chrift. A heathen. may be faved, we fuppofe, without faith but no man was ever faved, fo far as we are allowed to judge, without good works. Laying a stress upon these works, and thinking we merit heaven by them, is a different idea, and cannot be too much discouraged.

At the fame time, I think, we should be cautious how we lay the chief stress on faith, and leave good works to follow as they may. Though this doctrine cannot mislead exalted minds; yet I fear it is a dangerous doctrine for common hearers, and liable to much misconception and felf-deceit. There may be many, who, profeffing they have faith, which they confider as a justifying principle,

principle, are fometimes, perhaps, rather lax with regard to good works. In fhort, though faith, when explained in its full latitude, is the most valuable doctrine of Chriftianity; yet when it is held in all its exclufive ftrictness, it feems, I think, to contradict the tenor of Scripture, and appears to oppose that fuperiority, given by the apostle in the text, to charity, which is every where reprefented as the end of the commandment.

TWELVE SERMONS ..

ON THE

CHRISTIAN RELIGION.

I. The connection between the fall of man, and the revelation of the Gospel.

II. The preparation necessary for the reception of the Gospel.

III'. The truth of fcripture.

IV1.-The proof of our Saviour's mission from miracles and prophecy.

V."-The precife difference between Christianity

VIII.-Forgiveness of injuries —reftitution, and advancement in Christian perfection.

IX.-The promises of the Gospel.

X'.-The threatenings of the Gofpel.

XI-The facraments.

XII.-Recapitulation of the whole.

The last fermon, No. XXV. is so closely connected with the fubject of the foregoing twelve fermons, that the author prints it as a concluding difcourfe.