attached to sensual and earthly things. They serve divers lusts and pleasures; yea, they know not the only living and true God, but " do service to them which by nature are no gods."-May the prophecies speedily be accomplished which assure us, that all nations, people, and languages, shall ascribe their salvation to the grace of Him that sitteth on the throne, and to the blood of the Lamb! Let Christians 66 pray, Thy kingdom come."

Some indeed have taken upon them to say, that even heathens, who never heard of Christ, or salvation by his cross, shall be saved without faith, provided they order their conversation aright, according to the measure of light they have concerning their duty. In support of this opinion, they urge the declaration of Peter after he came to Cornelius: "Of a truth," said the apostle, "I perceive that God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation, he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him." A candid and benevolent writer shall suggest our animadversion on this perverted application of the apostle's words :-" Rightly to understand this text," says Mr. Hervey, "we should inquire into the circumstances of the history. The apostle had been strongly and most unreasonably prejudiced in favour of the Jews; imagining, that the salvation of Christ, like the dispensation of Moses, must be confined to his countrymen. But now, having considered the purport of his late heavenly vision-having compared it with the angelic message delivered to Cornelius-and being made acquainted with the character of that valuable man, he breaks out into this truly catholic declaration: My prejudices are

vanished. My sentiments are enlarged. From the instance before me, it is demonstrably certain, that God does not appropriate the blessings of his covenant to any particular person, family, or people. But, in every nation, he that feareth him, and, from a principle of religion in the heart, worketh righteousness in the life, is accepted; so accepted, as to be an object of the divine favour, and an inheritor of eternal happiness.' This, I think, is the exact meaning of the place. And let it be recollected, that no one truly fears, or can possibly please God, without faith. For which reason, it is necessary to suppose, that Cornelius, though a heathen by birth, had believed through grace. Nay, it is evident from the context, that he had heard of Jesus Christ; had some acquaintance with the design of his coming, and the execution of his office; enough to be the ground of a real, though perhaps an infantile faith. The business of the apostle was, to lead this convert into the clear light and full privileges of the gospel; to ratify and confirm his title to them by the sacred seal of baptism; and introduce him, as the first-fruits of the Gentiles, into the Christian church. So that

nothing can be concluded from this passage, but that the glad tidings of Christianity are for Jews, for Gentiles, for all people; that faith, even when weak, is productive of good works; and when sincerely improved, will certainly be increased, and will go from strength to strength."

6. The absolute necessity of believing the gospel, that has been evinced in the preceding sections, points out a most important object of self-examination to every hearer of the gospel; to wit, Whether

he be in the faith or not? The first and leading question Christ puts to his people, concerning the truths of his word, is, "Do ye now believe?" And the principal point we should examine ourselves about, is expressly inculcated in the apostolic admonition, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith." This is the capital object of all our concern in matters of religion; and it has an undoubted right to a preference above all other concerns, in proportion as it is more important than any other.-Careless sinners! awake from your criminal and dangerous security; turn your eyes to the word of God; attend to his faithful voice; hearken diligently to those truths, by which you shall be judged at the last day. "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." Do you make a profession of religion, that you may conform yourselves to the multitude, that you may comply with the principles of your education, or that you may secure the favour of God by the profession you make of the Christian faith? Know assuredly, that the profession you make is deceitful, unprofitable, and even detested by God, who is a Spirit, and who will be worshipped in spirit and in truth. No profession can be acceptable to him, unless it arise from an unfeigned belief and obedience of divine truth.-Consider, ye self-righteous professors, who go about to establish a righteousness of your own! consider, receive instruction, and be wise. It is neither the multitude nor the sincere performance of your religious duties, that can justify you in the sight of a holy and righteous God. But he hath showed you what is both suitable and sufficient for this grand

for he hath set forth his own Son to be a purpose : propitiation for your sins, through faith in his blood. -Run with patience the race which a wise and sovereign God hath set before you, O tossed and afflicted Christians! and as you run, constantly look to Jesus, the author and the finisher of faith. As "Christ is all and in all" for your salvation, so faith in the word that reveals him, is all and in all for receiving out of his fulness.

To conclude the whole. Since it is impossible to please God without faith, and since we can have no enjoyment of Christ and salvation in this world except by believing-it is plain, that our life in the flesh ought to be a life of faith on the Son of God; and our constaut inquiry should hinge on these questions, Are we in the faith? Do we live by faith? Do we walk by faith? Do we receive Christ truly, and do we walk in him answerably? The Antinomian pretends to receive Christ, but he does not reckon himself obliged to walk in Christ; and the legalist considers himself as under an indispensable obligation to walk in obedience to the law of Christ, while he despises the doctrine of faith in his person and mediation. But a true believer both receives Christ Jesus the Lord by believing, and walks in him by practical holiness.

CHAPTER IV.

THE VARIOUS KINDS INTO WHICH FAITH IS COMMONLY DISTINGUISHED.

WHEN we read the Holy Scriptures, we find every thing represented in the most simple and artless form. There is no affected show of wisdom, and no idle parade of words, in these precious volumes; yet the wisdom, majesty, and design of their glorious Author, shine conspicuously through the whole. They every where speak to the meanest capacities, and "the way-faring men, though fools, shall not err" in apprehending the sense and design of what is revealed therein. Mistaken notions about the Scripture, and the truths delivered in it, have always originated and begun with the wise and prudent, who trust to their own understanding, and despise the simplicity that is in Christ; while, on the contrary, the mysteries of the kingdom are revealed to babes, and received by them with faith and love. The pride of the heart acts upon the same principle of fleshly wisdom, when it models the system of revealed truth upon principles of reason; when it rejects the Scriptures, as an imposition upon mankind, and when it presumes to deny that there is a God. The degrees of its advances are different, but the principle is the same. It is certain that the atheism which denies the existence of God, and refuses, upon principle, to render him homage and