the blessed tidings of the gospel to his countrymen, and to the Gentiles, in Antioch, in Pisida, full of the holy spirit, and elated with joy, he said, "We declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again." To know a world's redemption, to know that mercy which forgives sins and transgressions, to know that death is abolished, and life and immortality are brought to light, to know that in the fulness of times God will gather together, in Christ, all things in heaven and, in the earth, and that, as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive, and to be appointed, by divine authority, to spread abroad the glad tidings of all these glorious things, was an honor and a felicity which could well support these heralds of salvation, and suffer them not to faint, or be discouraged. 6. Nothing gives stronger support, nothing inspires greater confidence, nothing imparts more cool, undaunted courage in any enterprise, than a full confidence in certain ultimate success. All this fell to the lot of the apostles of Jesus. Like their divine master, they knew what is in man. However ignorant men may be of themselves, however determined they may feel to oppose this ministration of divine life and righteousness, the word of this truth is nigh them, even in their heart and in their mouth, the word of faith, which the apostles preached. It is, as was stated in the former part of this discourse, a fixed, an abiding law or principle of our moral nature. Of the existence of this principle in man, we may, for a season, be ignorant. But God has provided means to bring us to the knowledge of it, and to awaken it into activity, and to an exertion of its mighty energies. If the persecuting Saul had been told, when on his journey to Damascus, before he was met by Jesus, that he would soon be a Christian, and a preacher of the doctrine to which he was so much opposed, he would have treated such a declaration with scorn. At that time, he knew not what was in himself; he did not know that he was possessed of such a quality of nature, which could be so wrought upon, as to make him willing to embrace Christ, and to suffer persecution for his sake. But all this was true, and Jesus knew it was true; and "appeared to him, to make him a minis-* ter and a witness" of the gospel of his grace. There was no uncertainty in the case. Knowing these things, the apostles were confident that their labors would not be in vain. We have often heard preachers, learned, eloquent preachers, display the power of their improved talents, by endeavoring to enforce on the minds of their hearers the terrors of endless condemnation and wo. They believe, no doubt, the doctrine they preach; and are ignorant of the fact, that they are possessed of a principle, which, when awakened, and called into action, will utterly demolish, and finally overthrow this doctrine. Should one of those learned, grave doctors, after having concluded one of his most vehement efforts, to awaken in the hearts of his audience the fearful apprehensions and horrid fears of never-ending wrath, hear a voice from heaven, and believe it was from heaven, calling on him to take his pen and paper, and set down, and coolly and in a deliberate manner, after taking time to reflect, set down the number of human beings which he is willing should be finally excluded from the favor of God, how large a number can we believe we should find on his paper? Look at him -he is now reflecting in his mind he deliber " ates-he reflects-he takes time-he hesitatesthere! he has done his work, and laid down his pen! Look on his paper-what is there? Behold, it is a cipher! This subject is presented in this way and form, that it may the better be retained in your memory, and its nature be the better understood. The ministration of the spirit was awakened, and brought into action, in the heart of this doctor of divinity; and it is in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting life. My brethren in the ministry, may I not call on you to weigh the general subject, which we have been considering, and to ask yourselves, whether you are engaged in this ministration of life, from the motives which we have seen actuated the apostles of our divine Master! Have we not the same reasons, which they had, not to faint, not to be discouraged, in this work? Have we not abundant evidence of the truth of this soul-cheering doctrine? Have we not, experimentally, received the mercy, the forgiveness, which this ministration of the spirit freely bestows? Do we not, in sincerity, love Him who first loved us? And have we not the same reason to love his truth and to labor for its promotion, as had the apostles? Have we not the same bright example for our imitation, which they so constantly kept before their eyes? And is it not binding on us to conform ourselves to such a divine pattern? Why should we esteem the honor and felicity of carrying the glad tidings of salvation to the people, less than did those who were first sent forth in the same joyful work? And let me ask, if we have not the same assurance of final success, which gave them the courage which they so fully evinced? Ր Let us then, my brethren, constantly direct our eyes to the mark of the prize set before us; and may we be faithful unto death. The crown is sure. SERMON VI. FAITH AND WORKS. BY REV. SEBASTIAN STREETER. "A man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works; show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works."-JAMES ii. 18. FROM the days of the apostles down to the present time, there has been a marked difference of opinion among Christians, with respect to the true grounds of human salvation. Some have made it depend wholly upon faith, some upon good works; some upon the union of faith with good works; and others still, upon the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ, and upon those exclusively. Something of this kind of diversity of opinion seems obviously to have obtained among the avowed friends of Christianity in the days of James. He plainly brings it forward in the chapter from which the text has been selected, so far at least as faith, good works, and the union of these eminent Christian virtues, are concerned. There were some, it would seem, among the Christians of his acquaintance, who strenuously contended for the saving efficacy of faith alone. They were, in this respect, to say the least, what theologians in later times have denominated Antinomians. Those of this opinion were not, I am aware, organized, and formed into a distinct sect in the age of the apostles, nor till the time of Martin |