What is there in us then that can be a ground for boasting?

Even our best performances are so imperfect that they need forgiveness; that they can be accepted only through the righteousness of the great Mediator. These, which alone could afford any plea of merit, fail us-" We are unprofitable servants."

Constantly then bear in mind, brethren, your weak and dependant condition, as the creatures of God's power; your still more weak and humble condition, as the redeemed subjects of his grace; and thus cherish the sentiments of deep humility. Let this humility be displayed, not in professions, but in the meekness and gentleness of your tempers, in the lowliness and tenderness of your deportment and conduct. Professions of humility, of an utter vileness and demerit, greater than comparatively with some others they ought, in truth, to impute to themselves, are often made by those whose tempers and conduct contradict their professions. Let yours, then, I repeat it, be the humility of temper and of conduct, and not of loud profession. Be ever ready, indeed, on proper occasions, to disclaim all merit, and to declare, that your hopes of acceptance are fixed only on the cross of Christ. In your intercourse with your God, acknowledge, that to his unmerited goodness, to his free grace, you owe all-all that dis

tinguishes you, as men-all that exalts you, as Christians. Thus humbling yourselves, you shall be exalted. Thus ascribing honour to God, he will honour you before men, before angels, in his kingdom, for ever.

Let the consideration of your utter unworthiness, and demerit, lead you continually to your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for his intercession, and for his grace.

By this intercession alone you can be accepted; by this grace alone, quickened and strengthened for all good works. This is the mode which God hath appointed for your salvation. We are sinners, obnoxious to God's justice. In ourselves, we have no merit that can either atone for the past, or procure acceptance for the future. Our only hope of pardon and acceptance must be placed on the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Let us then habitually reflect on our unworthiness, and on the imperfection of our best services, that we may habitually rely on the atonement and intercession of our great Mediator. We can be justified, we can be pardoned, we can be accepted only by faith in him; only by his merits, received by faith. On him must be all our dependance. God's mercy, through his merits, we must continually implore. When rejoicing in our best deeds, in the brightest testimony of our conscience,

the language of our hearts should be-Blessed be thy mercy, O my God, who, through my Saviour's merits, will accept and reward the imperfect services which, in themselves, have no claim to thy notice or regard. In every conquest over temptation, offer up the humble and grateful acknowledgment-Blessed be thy grace, O my Saviour, through which I have vanquished. In the habitual sense of your weakness and insufficiency, lift up your souls in the ardent supplication-Guard and strengthen me, O my Saviour, and keep me from falling. In the prospect of the hour of death, and the day of judgment, fortify yourselves by the prayer of faith-Thou wilt be with me, my Advocate, my Redeemer; and in death, I shall be fearless-in judgment, I shall stand.

Let the sense of our demerit also suppress all murmuring or repining, under disappointment and

sorrow.

The least of our blessings is more than we merit-the severest of our sorrows less than we deserve. Consider thy unworthiness, Christian; thy numerous imperfections and offences; and bless that gracious God, who still crowns thee with many mercies, above thy deserts, and withholds calamities that would be the just punishment of thy sins.

And, finally, adore and serve him with all the powers of your souls, with the devoted obedience of your lives, for that exalted goodness,

which hath prepared for you, undeserving as you are of the least of his mercies, the glories of eternity.

These are infinitely more than the uninterrupted, the undivided, the perfect service of your whole lives could merit. But to reward services, imperfect, feeble, alloyed by sin, with the glories of his heavenly kingdom, with a happiness pure as his own felicity, and lasting as eternity; this is indeed goodness, which surpasses the understanding of man to conceive, or his heart suitably to celebrate. And yet, what can we offer thee, O our God, but the best homage of our heartsthe best service of our lives. When we have done all, we shall be unprofitable servants; and to thy grace in Christ Jesus, thy unmerited goodness, we must ascribe our acceptance, our felicity. And thy grace, thy goodness, shall, through eternal ages, occupy the homage of our souls, and inspire their praises.

SERMON V.

WALKING BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT.

2 COR. v. 7.

We walk by faith, not by sight.

This is the great characteristic which distinguishes true Christians from the children of this world. The latter are influenced solely by the scenes around them; by the principles of reason and of nature as opposed to faith, to those truths which God has revealed in the Gospel of his Son Jesus Christ. All their views are fixed on the objects which the world presents to them. All their efforts are directed to the attainment of its wealth and honours and to the enjoyment of its pleasures. Every calculation is made with reference to their worldly prosperity and happiness. In the formation of their character, and in the direction of their conduct, they are influenced only by the dictates of corrupt reason, or the impulses of sensual passion. And all that they principally hope, and all that they practically fear, are

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