hands a poor and lifeless form-the vain shadow of a shade? If, having the great privilege of not only being allowed, but enjoined to make religious truth the first concern, and religious sentiment the leaven for all the various and busy excitement of worldly study, we neglect to do this if we allow small and petty objects to engross the importance, which really belongs to the grand outlines of Christian faith-if we do not endeavour to build up a well-founded attachment to vital truth; and seek to make the knowledge of doctrine operative for practical piety, and efficient unto purity of lifewe may boast our privileges; but they will not profit us: We may be warm partizans, eager disputants, zealous churchmen: but, if we be not better things than these, we shall be but glorying in our shame, and pronouncing a sentence of condemnation against ourselves.

And again to my younger hearers I would say, that it is mainly for their sakes, that the Oracles of God have been committed unto us. The fruit of this advantage must be mainly shown forth in its influence upon them. They too have professed to prize it. They too have declared that they hold the advantage of it to be great. They too have seemed to esteem it as a privilege not to be lost. Let each question himself how far this great advantage has been improved-how far he is per

sonally better in the sight of God than if he had had it not.

The

Beware of making that, which should be the blessed source of meekness, humility, and love, a mere party badge, the subject of vain self-esteem, and contentious boast. If we have advantages which others want, it is not in proud superciliousness, in vaunting mockery, and insolent contempt, that our sense of them should be shown. blind idolaters at Ephesus with ignorant zeal shouted in their theatre for the space of two hours, saying, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians." Christian men should show in more seemly form their value for Christian truth. Remember, how in close connection with any advantages we have over others, still comes the second question, "Are we better than they?" Not only have we blessings which they want; but have those blessings been indeed blessed to us? Have we by the grace of God made them effectual for those purposes, for which they were bestowed ? If it be a privilege to be trained in the knowledge of the oracles of God, it must be shown to be so by a character becoming the children of God-by fervent love to God, who has called us to the knowledge of his truth in our Lord Jesus Christ-by an earnest wish to make his gifts conduce to his glory-by solid piety-by careful purity-by a walk void of offence towards our fellow men-in trembling but thankful dependence upon our heavenly Father. It must be shown in doing justly, in loving mercy and still, as sinful creatures, walking humbly with our God.

I trust indeed, that there is among us an improved sense of these things: but it were vain to deny, that there is still room for a further advance. May the grace of God be with us, and lead us earnestly to endeavour after this. He, who has given us the blessings we have, can alone give too the heart to appreciate them, and the mind to improve. Let us entreat his Holy Spirit to operate upon our hearts to this end; while we, under a deep and thankful sense of the advantages we enjoy, each in our respective stations, labour to improve to his glory the privileges, that are His gift. So that in that dread day, when we shall render up an account of the talents entrusted to us, it may be found not only, that the advantages we have had have been much every way, but also, that we are better too, than if we had had them not.

SERMON VIII.

THE FRUIT OF TRIBULATION.

Rom. v. 3, 4, 5.

AND NOT ONLY SO, BUT WE GLORY IN TRIBULATIONS ALSO: KNOWING THAT TRIBULATION WORKETH PATIENCE, AND PATIENCE EXPERIENCE, AND EXPERIENCE HOPE: AND HOPE MAKETH NOT ASHAMED, BECAUSE THE LOVE OF GOD IS SHED ABROAD IN OUR HEARTS BY THE HOLY GHOST WHICH IS GIVEN UNTO US.

I тоок occasion in a former discourse to point out the general line of argument followed by St. Paul in the earlier part of this his epistle to the Romans, in which it has been his object to establish by incontrovertible proof, and to bring home to the consciences of all his readers, the great truth, that the justification, whereby are accounted righteous before God" is not, and cannot be "for our own works or deservings," but "only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by faith 1."

"we

On that occasion I followed his argument through the three first chapters, in which he lays open the lost state of all mankind, Jews and Gentiles alike, by their transgressions of the law, proving them to have thereby justly incurred the sentence of condemnation by the righteous judgment of God: and then, having thus convicted them of sin, he proclaims the free offer of pardon and peace declared to all alike in the blood of the Redeemer, “ even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that believe 2."

He then, in the fourth chapter, brings home the same truth in a more especial manner to the Jews, as exemplified in the history of their forefather Abraham; proving, that to him too belief in the promises of God was reckoned for righteousness: and that this took place antecedently to the rite of circumcision, which was thus, not the cause, but "the sign and seal of the righteousness of the faith, which he had being yet uncircumcised 3." Thus far then the Apostle has both by direct proof, and by reply to a supposed objection, cast down the hope built upon self-righteousness, and laid the foundation of a surer hope resting upon faith in Christ. Thus far has he endeavoured to teach those whom he addresses, to look for their justification solely to the atonement of that allsufficient Saviour, "who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification *."