and as that flame compelled astonished Israel to confess, “The Lord, he is the God," so it bears the manifest evidence of its divine original. It is a copy of that generous affection which called the Saviour down from heaven; which shone forth in all the works of mercy and benevolence that he performed on earth, and which at last perfected the mighty work of divine compassion on the cross of Calvary. This is that charity which is the greatest of the three Christian graces, the very image of divine love, and the essence of holiness. Faith and hope attend us through this world alone. They are the means by which the love of God and of man is implanted in the soul. But they are only necessary for us while we remain in this imperfect state. Soon will the vision of all that faith believed, burst upon our sight; soon will the enjoyments to which hope looked forward be realized; but then will arrive the more complete development of Christian love perfect love will flourish for ever,the element of heaven; the glory of the redeemed; the employment and the joy of the blessed spirits. Then all shall be pure, and holy, and peaceful; then no jarring passions shall disturb the universal harmony; then no strife or envying will interrupt eternal happiness. One song shall employ every voice; one feeling shall animate every breast; one principle shall suggest every action; for God is the great source

of glory, and light, and peace, and "God is love."

Now, to cultivate these heavenly graces of the Christian character must be our highest interest. To the sacred records of God, therefore, let us apply, as the source from whence we derive those infallible testimonies respecting himself and his will, on which to rest our faith; and as containing also those lofty and animating views of divine love, which must exalt our hope, and expand our charity. But, after all, we must remember that these Christian graces, as they are derived from God, are cherished by those sacred influences of the Holy Spirit, which can alone enlighten our understandings, purify our hearts, and exalt our feelings. To the teaching of this divine Spirit let us submit, with the humility and docility of the sincere disciples of a crucified Saviour. Faith is the gift of God. The reasoning and the researches of human wisdom, however they may be successfully applied to the investigations of science and the deductions of abstract truth, must lamentably fail, if by their insufficient aid we endeavour to attain to the exercise of a true and lively faith in the Son of God. It may be humiliating to the pride of man; it may show him that his strength is weakness, and his wisdom foolishness; but it stands as an imperishable record of God's immutable truth, that the "things of God knoweth no

man, but the Spirit of God;" and "no man can say that Jesus is the Christ, but by the Holy Ghost." It is by his aid that we must arrive at the very first principles of the truth. It is by his power that the hopes and the promises of the gospel are impressed upon the heart, and take hold of the affections; it is the out-pouring of his mighty influence, that can alone render our hearts susceptible of that image of the love of God and of Christ, which holds the highest rank in this sublime union of Christian graces.

Pray, then, that he who can illumine the understanding, would grant you to believe rightly on the Son of God; pray that he who can guide the affections would enable you to fix them in holy hope upon the things of an unchangeable eternity; pray that he, who can alone warm your hearts with that love which is the fulfilling of the law, would grant "that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend what is the breadth and length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled with all the fulness of God." But there is nothing which can more effectually establish these Christian graces, than a frequent and humble attendance on the Lord's table. Where can we find a more abundant supply for our spiritual wants, than in the ordinances which Christ has himself appointed for our comfort and our support? Faith can there

rest with full confidence on the death of Christ ; can contemplate the love of God in the gift of his Son. Hope can cast forward her affections to the future, when she beholds the promise of God confirmed to the faithful, by the solemn renewal of their covenant with the Father of mercy. And Christian love must knit more closely every heart in one bond of unity, when we meet around the table of our common benefactor, as members of one family, and as partakers of one and the same privilege. Come, then, to this sacred ordinance with these views. Come, to strengthen your faith, to animate your hope, to invigorate and expand your charity. Thus shall you, at length, attain, by the blessing of your heavenly Father, and by the satisfaction of his eternal Son, to the perfect happiness of his everlasting kingdom. Thus shall the sacred fruits of the Spirit daily grow within you, till the time shall at last be fulfilled, when you shall be permitted the full exercise of perfect and unfading love, and the full enjoyment of perfect and eternal

peace.

106

SERMON VIII.

THE WOMAN OF CANAAN.

MATT. XV. 28.

Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.

THE display of the character of Christ in the events and transactions of his ministry upon earth, is such, as to afford us the most abundant encouragement, and the most powerful motives to the acceptance of his salvation. As we find that he was accustomed to draw lessons of divine wisdom from the events passing around him, and that he embraced every opportunity of impressing upon his attendants the truths of everlasting life: so also we may reasonably conjecture that he intended to impart instruction by many of his works; and that his miraculous assistance afforded to the diseases of the body, was calculated to exhibit, in some degree, the extent of his compassion for the soul.