perhaps from the word of God, but from our own vain imaginations.

All those who consult the sacred writings in this arrogant spirit, may certainly be struck with what they will term a discrepancy be tween what should be considered two parts of the same doctrine. When they find, in various parts of the Scripture, that life and happiness depend altogether upon true upon true faith in our Saviour Christ, and hear it, in others, as unequivocally asserted, that we shall be judged according to our works-when they hear St. Paul so strongly urge upon the mind the doc trine, that it is by faith the just shall live, and St. James, with equal urgency, assert the inportance of actions, they are disposed to con clude, that there is a discrepancy which cannot be explained away, and, accordingly, addict themselves to whatever favours their own preconceived notions, confining themselves to a part, rather than endeavouring to compre hend the whole, and attaching themselves to a doctrine which is false, because it is exclusive. It is to be hoped that errors like this will not be of long continuance. The seeming contradictions are now so fully shewn to be only seeming, that it is in every man's power to set his mind at rest, as to any difficulties upon this subject which may have perplexed him.

St. Paul, we are given to understand, speaks of faith out of which good works proceed, and St. James of the works which spring out of a true faith. St. Paul speaks of the works of the ceremonial law, and St. James of the works of the Christian covenant. St. Paul writes to persons who relied upon ceremonial works, so implicitly as to imagine the performance of them actually and indispensably requisite for salvation-and the writings of St. James should preserve us from any so erroneous notion, as that St. Paul had not inculcated the necessity of the Christian virtues.

This is the view which our Church has taken of the subject, as it is explained in the articles. We are accounted righteous through faith but works spring necessarily out of the faith through which we are saved. It is to the illustration of this entire doctrine that I request your attention.

We observed, upon last Sunday, the fitness there was, in allotting to the principle of faith so important an office in the Christian religion. A consideration of man's nature and destiny was sufficient to shew, that it was by the exercise of faith the purposes of God respecting him were to be accomplished. These great purposes are, that we should be made meet to enter into that Heaven which has been

opened for us, and it is almost self-evident, that the principle which realises in our minds a belief of the future world, and a reliance upon our Saviour Christ, is that which will serve best to form in us a character suitable to the object for which we were created.— It will detach us from the influence of sensual things, and by keeping the mind fixed upon the great realities which are not seen. will gradually assimilate it to that Heaven for ! which it has been destined. Faith is, as it were, a manifestation of loyalty in a rebellious world, and, accordingly, when the kingdom of God has come, it gives a title to become a subject.

But while every thing we read of in the Scriptures, teaches us that admission into Heaven will be given according to our character, it is equally certain, that the judgment will be formed according to our works. And why? because although our works cannot merit any favour, although they cannot procure Heaven for us, yet are they necessary, whenever they are possible, for proving and perfecting that character which Christ renders meet for Heaven-although they cannot atone for the want of faith, yet they are appointed as means not only to prove, but also to stablish and strengthen it.

"As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." The comparison here instituted by the Apostle, seems admirably calculated to explain the doctrine which he designed to illustrate. I entreat your attention to a minute examination of it. The use of the body, we all know, is to communicate between the soul and the external world-it interposes between the spirit of a man and the objects of nature, and is a mean of communication between both-conveying to the mind images and impressions, and being again the instrument by which the mind acts upon matter. My meaning will more readily appear, on your considering the office of the senses, and remembering that all bodily organs and faculties are means by which the soul receives the knowledge of material objects. Thus the eye, a bodily organ, is nothing more than a medium by which the ideas of form and colour are derived from objects of nature. So long as it effects this purpose, it partakes of life—it is a means of linking soul to soul, and man to the world-but when it has ceased to perform such an office, when the spirit has withdrawn from the body to which it belongs, then, although the organ still remains with all the beauty of its admirable mechanism, it no longer partakes of life, for there is no living

principle with which it is connected, and for which it serves as a medium of communication. In short, the body with all its organs of sense, is a means of exciting the mind to action, and when the connection between mind and body is dissolved, the latter no longer performs the function for which it was accounted a living thing. Thus, we sometimes speak of parts of the body as dead, because impressions made upon them do not convey ideas to the mind, and because they are not made use of in the performance of any action.

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Consider faith as a new principle, or new sense in the soul, having for its office, to give notice of the things belonging to the other world, and you will see that there is great propriety in pronouncing it to be dead, if it be not accompanied by works. You have all, perhaps, had opportunities of witnessing what is termed a dead hand or arm ;-and what is it to which you apply such a name? It is to a member upon which impressions hurtful to the body may be made, and yet no such intimation conveyed to the mind as would cause the danger to be avoided. And if a man say that he has faith, and yet do not refrain from things that may hurt the soul—if he present himself thoughtlessly in the way of