And all this is exactly the doctrine of the

articles upon the subject.

That we are justified is a most wholesome

by faith only,' (say they) doctrine, and very full of comfort.' But " good works do spring out necessarily of a true and lively faith, insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known, as a tree discerned by the fruit."

2. The next point is, why the Scriptures insist so much upon faith, and do not merely inculcate obedience. And the answer is, because they are revealing the religion of a sinner, and the mode of his return to God. They are not simply teaching good people to continue good, and to do good, but sinners, how they are to be saved, and reconciled to God and to holiness, which is to be by a Mediator, a Redeemer, and by humble dependence upon him, and coming to God through him. Thus only are we to be reconciled to God, and thus only to receive grace to become truly obedient. Our salvation is to be of grace alone, and it is the apostle's observation, "It is of faith that it might be by grace."

3. The last point, and to each individual the most important point of all is, Do we possess faith, true faith in Christ. "He that believeth not shall be damned." "He that believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is

condemned already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God." Oh, let us dread to have these sentences lying against us! But thousands who profess and call themselves Christians, it is manifest have no true faith. We have seen that the common cold assent to Christianity, even though connected with a decent moral life, is nothing like the faith which saves the soul. Thousands know nothing of coming unto Christ by faith, of fleeing to him for refuge, of earnestly committing their souls to to him. Have we such a realizing belief of Christian truths as gives them their influence upon us? Know we what it is so to come to Christ, and derive all from him? Have we a faith which worketh by love, which makes us love God and delight in his name? Nothing else availeth. It is the gift of God. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."

SERMON VI.

COLOSSIANS 1. 10.

YE ARE COMPLETE IN HIM.

THE Son of God "manifested in the flesh," and accomplishing the redemption of mankind, is to be esteemed, beyond all comparison, the first and greatest of God's dispensations in this lower world. It formed the subject of the first promise made to fallen man. It was prefigured by types, and foretold by prophets which "had been since the world began." "The testimony of (or to) Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” “To him give all the prophets witness, that, through his name, whosoever believeth in him should receive remission of sins." That the mind and all the powers of the holy apostle were engrossed by this great subject, it is superfluous to shew. "I determined not to know anything among you," St. Paul declares," save Jesus Christ and him crucified." "I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord."

"God

forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." "To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Yea, and St. Peter declares of the holy angels, that "into these things they desire to look down." They announced the birth of the Saviour, "as glad tidings of great joy, which should be to all people ;" and themselves sang new praises to God for the event ; glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men." And in heaven itself they

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respond to the never-ending songs of the redeemed, saying with a loud voice, " Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing."

Brethren, it is to be feared that after all the assent we give to these things; after all the good words we may use upon the subject; after all that any of us may at times feel; our impressions concerning redemption by the Son of God are imperfect and unworthy in the extreme. We apprehend not "the things which are freely given to us of God" in him. We know not "the breadth, and length, and depth, and height," neither conceive "the love of Christ which indeed passeth knowledge." And our unworthy apprehensions of this subject are attended with very

unhappy practical effects upon us. They prevent our attaining the " peace and joy in believing,' which the gospel of Christ is intended to bring to us: and they cause us to fail, in a great degree, of being constrained by the love of Christ to live no longer to ourselves, but to him who died for us and rose again. May the Holy Spirit "glorify Christ" in our view! May Almighty God give unto us "the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him," that we may know and enjoy all that is implied in Christ Jesus being "made of God unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption !"

The assertions which the apostle makes concerning Christ, in connexion with my text, are highly remarkable. "In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power."

Let us apply ourselves, looking up to God for the grace and illumination of his Spirit, to the consideration,

I. OF THE

COMPLETENESS WHICH WE ARE

SAID TO POSSESS IN CHRIST, and

II. OF THE CHARACTER TO WHOM THIS COMPLETENESS IS ATTRIBUTED-" Ye are complete in him."