condescends to be "even well pleased" with an humble and contrite spirit, you may well study to gratify Him.

In addressing this class of penitents thus, I proceed on no suspicion of their sincerity. I have in full view and in high esteem, the grand principles of their "repentance towards God." I give them entire credit for studying to keep out all legal, and slavish, and proud feelings, from their penitential prayers and meditations. The only thing I insinuate or suspect in their case, is, that there is not a daily and deliberate effort to please God, in all the actings of their contrition. Too much is left to accident, and to the impulse of the moment.

once.

This, alas, is not confined to the class now before us. The principle of trying to please God by our manner and spirit in penitential devotion, is sadly overlooked by all classes. And yet, if duly considered, no principle is so easily acted upon. It defines and simplifies repentance at The moment I pause to ask, " what spirit will please God, when I retire to confess my guilt and depravity," I see at a glance what it should be. It stands out so clearly and fully before the mind, that it soon touches the heart. If therefore, I retire to my closet, whilst this clear idea of an humble spirit is vividly present, I do not want more time than usual for prayer. The preliminary pause, to consider my errand, has in some measure prepared my heart. I feel conscientiously solicitous to please God; and find that the Holy Spirit does indeed "help the infirmities" of those who try to make the sacrifice of a broken spirit, "a sacrifice well pleasing to God."

No. III.

ON BELIEVING SO AS то PLEASE GOD.

"Is My Faith-the fruit of the Spirit-the faith of God's elect; and thus, saving faith?" is a question of absorbing interest, and of frequent recurrence, with all who wish to maintain a good conscience towards God, as well as towards man. It is, also, a question not easily answered. We can seldom abide long by any answer we give to it; except when we say, "I hope my faith is of the right kind: I wish it to be so." We have, indeed, at times, said to ourselves, "It is true faith :" but, how often we have changed our opinion, and come to a different or a doubtful conclusion ? We have, however, changed our opinion often, when we have said, "It is not true faith." We could not abide by this conclusion either, long. And, in general, we are equally afraid to say "Yes" or "No" to the question. Thus our opinion vibrates between the negative and affirmative. When we say, yes, we soon find out something in ourselves which compels us to qualify, if not to retract, the strong word. And, in like manner, when we say, no, we soon search out something from our character or spirit, which both induces and encourages us to qualify or withdraw the negative, as a hasty word.

meant.

Now there is, no doubt, much precious time consumed in carrying on this process of inward debate. It is not, however, all lost time. So much hesitation, and so many changes of opinion, may not be wise; but they are well And where nothing of this kind has ever gone on in the mind, there is reason to suspect that faith has never been made a matter of conscience. Many of the conscientious have, of course, got over both their suspense and their timidity; and that, too, without losing any thing of their humility or godly jealousy but they got over their doubts and fears of their own sincerity, by going over them one by

one, and again and again, just as we are doing. It is, therefore, not all lost time, that is spent in the mental process of settling and unsettling the question of our faith. It is too vital and solemn a question, to be decided hastily, or without "great searchings of heart." Besides; by no other process could we have acquired self-knowledge. There may have been too much vacillation of opinion, so far as some practical and devotional purposes were involved; but without many of these changes of opinion, we should have had no clear insight into the treachery of our hearts, or the weakness of our character. If, therefore, we have occasionally lost comfort which might have been saved, and time which might have been better employed, we have gained; by setting in frequent and rigid judgment on our faith, an experimental acquaintance with ourselves, which nothing else could have taught us. O, yes; but for this process, (which speculators and theorists ridicule as legal) how little we should have felt the necessity of the work of the Holy Spirit, in order to our believing with the heart; how much less we should have searched the Scriptures; or prayed, that "faith might come by hearing the word of God?"

It is not, however, either necessary or desirable, that the genuineness of our faith should remain an unsettled question, year after year. This continued jealousy of it may, indeed, keep out hypocrisy from our souls; but if it keep out the hope of salvation also, or only admit that hope very partially, we shall defeat even our own good purpose, in being thus jealous of our faith. Our object in examining and re-examining "whether we be in the faith,” is, that we may keep clear of all presumption and self-delusion. And, certainly, this we cannot do, without much godly jealousy of our own hearts. It is, however, one thing to exercise much, and quite another, to exercise nothing but jealousy over them. That would not improve them, in love or respect, towards any one else, who should suspect them as we ourselves do. They beat kindliest, and glow warmest, towards those who give them some credit

for sincerity and integrity. Others, indeed, have no right to sit in judgment on our hearts, as we ourselves do. But, still, unless it can be proved that selfjealousy is the only revealed way of making sure of saving faith, we are not acting wisely, whilst doing nothing but putting our faith upon the rack, to examine it by torture. This may be altogether well meant on our part: but it cannot be altogether wise. It is not like the general spirit of the Gospel. The Apostles did not treat their converts, as we thus treat ourselves. They encouraged the symptoms and desire of faith, quite as much as they cautioned men against nominal or dead faith. They taught other ways of improving and confirming faith, than the process of empannelling it for solemn trial. This they did teach in most unequivocal terms: but they did more. They taught also, that God is pleased and glorified by faith; and thus they brought all the attractions of Divine complacency to bear upon the hearts of believers. The Apostolic doctrine on this subject is, not only that God requires faith, and accepts faith; but also that God loves faith. It is as much a revealed fact, that God is pleased with faith, as that "without faith it is impossible to please Him." He has as openly and distinctly said, that He was pleased with the faith of the penitent, as that He was displeased with the unbelief of the impenitent. All the Bible conveys and confirms the glorious fact, that God as much delights in faith, as demands it; as much honours it, as insists on it; and considers himself as much glorified by it, as he is dishonoured when it is refused or neglected.

What an appeal this is to every heart in which there is any love to God; or any hope in God; or any desire for the friendship of God! Indeed, wherever there exists in the heart, any "good thing towards the Lord God of Israel," this is a touching appeal to that heart; and full of encouragement. And in this way: who would not, and does not, try to please a beloved friend, on whose

love his own happiness depends? The moment we know that we can give that friend pleasure, we are delighted with the prospect, and plan how we may please most. And, when we know that nothing will please more than the exercise of confidence, and hope, and love -the very feelings we wish to be allowed to exercise! -how we ourselves are pleased with such a way of giving pleasure! We get and give then, without difficulty. Now the Father of our spirits knows this secret of our spirits. He implanted this fine disposition in the heart, and He preserves it, for social purposes. The desire to please those we love, is the very soul of the social system. God has tempered mankind to be equally pleased with mutual and cordial desires to please. All human love shows itself, improves itself, and prolongs itself, by trying to please; and it is confirmed, whenever its efforts are successful.

Now, just because the heart is in all this; and because God requires the heart in religion, He condescends to "take pleasure" in well-meant efforts to please Him. And nothing pleases God more than cordial and implicit faith in His character, in His Son, and in His promises. We cannot displease God by trusting in them. The more confidence we place in them, the more He is pleased. Only let us believe for holy purposes, and our faith cannot go too far, either in calculating on salvation, or in realizing the divine approbation. Whatever pleasure, therefore, such a good hope through grace would give us, not less pleasure will God take in our efforts to cherish that hope by believing. And is not this hope the very thing on which our hearts are set? Our supreme desires centre in being saved with an everlasting salvation. Nothing could give us so much pleasure as to feel able, in the face of all we know of God and ourselves, to maintain this good hope in an humble spirit; and to adorn it by a holy life. Well; where is the difficulty or the hinderance, seeing we may even please God by believing the gospel? For "the Lord taketh pleas