mind, the heart is often ready to shelter its imperfections, under a system of definite rules and established observances, rather than yield that unfailing obedience which faith requires, rather than confirm all its affections to the love of Christ. Thus the very simplicity of the morality of the gospel is opposed to the principle of self in the heart, by teaching us to refer the motive of every action to the principle of the love of God, and to depend for the due performance of every action upon the grace of God.

Let us not, however, be led away by the pride of our own hearts, or by the vanities of our own imagination, from laying hold on that salvation which is offered to us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Naaman at last, though perhaps with reluctance, came to that destined stream with which he had contrasted the rivers of his own land; and as that stream was the appointed means of purity, so he received the blessing which he sought. To us the command, "Believe and live," may seem as ineffectual for its mighty result, as was the injunction to him, "Wash in Jordan, and be clean." Yet, as no Abana or Pharpar would have sufficed to cleanse him of the leprosy which he loathed, so also can no other method be found that shall cleanse and purify our hearts, and make us acceptable before holy God. No system that the wisdom of man ever devised, no doctrines that philosophy ever

taught, could take away the guilt and the pollution of sin-could relieve from the terrors of judgment for past transgressions; or prevent the sinner, when once pardoned, from falling again under the displeasure of his Judge. The salvation of the soul, however, involves nothing less than this it is not enough that the gates of heaven be opened for our admission; it is not enough that a way of escape be opened from death eternal; there must be the capacity for the enjoyment of that life to which we are raised; there must be the adaptation of the soul to that state of purity and of happiness on which she enters. The happiness of heaven consists in holy intercourse with all that is pure and eternal. It is the consummation of the life of holiness, which the Christian lives on earth by the faith of the Son of God; it is by the continued support of the sanctifying grace of the Spirit, that he can alone prepare himself for heaven.

Say not, then, that human wisdom and human power are "sufficient for these things." Say not that education or example can give energy to the practice of true godliness. Say not that any worthiness acquired by the observance of even the strictest code of morals, or the most rigid system of abstinence or self-denial, can make man acceptable before a God of purity and justice. All these may be accomplished, and yet the heart may still remain at enmity with the God of

:

grace may still be the abode of pride and all iniquity. There is nothing in all these that can subdue the heart; nothing that can raise its affections to their only legitimate object, and bring back the soul to that source of true happiness which can alone satisfy her desires. The perception of the love of God through Christ; the faith that accepts the mediation of the Saviour, and acknowledges all the mighty obligations of gratitude and affection, which this mediation involves, is that which alone can purify the heart, and animate the soul to godliness. "The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

60

SERMON V.

(Preached on Trinity Sunday, 1826.)

THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY.

2 CORINTHIANS Xiii. 14.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

DURING that part of our ecclesiastical year which has already passed, we have been instructed by our church to commemorate the series of signal and important events by which the redemption of the human race was effected. The object of her scriptural services seems to be, the display of the grand truths connected with those events which attended the revelation of the gospel, in order that her members may observe the consistency of plan and the unity of design that pervade this dispensation, and may learn to embrace its important doctrines, to rejoice in its precious promises, and to practise its holy precepts. We have contemplated the manifestation of the love

of God in the advent of his blessed Son; we have listened with the shepherds of Bethlehem to the celestial strains which announced his birth, and with the eastern Magi, we have paid our offerings of humble praise to the infant Saviour. Through his life of benevolent labour and unceasing exertion we have followed the Son of man, and while our ears have drank in the record of his love, we have surely felt our own hearts expanded with the spirit of his charity. To the awful scenes of Gethsemane and Calvary we have accompanied the man of sorrows, and in the splendours of the resurrection we have hailed the Lord of Glory. With the apostles on the holy mount we have witnessed his triumphant entry into his heavenly kingdom, and have recognized the fulfilment of his gracious promise, in the miraculous gifts of the day of Pentecost. On this last great festival of our church we are presented with the awful mysteries of our faith; we are called upon to admire with the most profound humility, and to adore with the deepest gratitude, the threefold unity of Father, Son, and Spirit, by whose immortal agency the salvation of man has been accomplished and we are taught to confess the Father, who created and loved the world; the Son, who redeemed the whole race of Adam; and the Holy Ghost, who sanctifies all the elect people of God.

Such has been our employment, and such are