more honest, impartial disposition;-not new or more potent testimony that Christ was "a Teacher sent from God;" but "a new heart and a right spirit," inclining you to receive the truth with grateful affection. May God, of his infinite mercy, break the spell of infatuation which binds you, and make you to "know the things which belong to your peace, before they are forever hidden from your eyes!"

7. Finally; this subject teaches us the unspeakable importance of CHRISTIANS SHOWING FORTH Their FAITH BY THEIR WORKS. It has been often and justly remarked, with regard to ministers of the Gospel, that the best way to defend and propagate Christianity, is, not to stand contending with infidels, parrying their objections, and refuting their cavils; but to hold forth incessantly, in all their genuine simplicity and power, the peculiar and most precious doctrines of the Gospel. So I believe it may be affirmed, with equal propriety and confidence, that the best way for each individual believer to promote the spread of our holy religion, is to SET AN EMINENT EXAMPLE OF HOLY LIVING. It was once said, by a Female Martyr, of feeble body, but of firm and undaunted spirit,-when standing before her merciless persecutors, who endeavoured to perplex and confound her by their learned subtleties "I cannot meet you in argument for Christ, BUT I CAN DIE FOR HIM." My dear fellow-professors, we may not be called to "die for Christ:" but we can all LIVE

FOR HIM. Alas! that this is the very last thing that many, who bear the Christian name, are willing to do! Verily, I FEAR WE OFTEN MAKE INFIDELS BY THE

MANNER IN WHICH WE DEFEND AND EXHIBIT OUR

RELIGION. Let me call upon you, then, in the close of this discourse, to make it your constant study to "adorn the doctrine of God your Saviour in all things;"-not by high claims;-not by angry contention; but by holy and exemplary lives. Let it be manifest to all that your belief is sincere and practical, as well as orthodox. O Christians! if our temper and lives were always entirely in harmony with our profession- -we should see much fewer unbelievers around us. A distinguished infidel of the last century, after spending a few days at the house of an eminently pious minister, of high literary as well as religious character, was so deeply impressed with his pure, benevolent and heavenly conversation, that he said to a sceptical friend, "I must leave this house. If I remain here a day longer, I shall become a Christian in spite of myself." There is a power in genuine Christian example which cannot be expressed. This is the holiest and happiest of all victories! Happy would it be for ourselves and for the world, if such victories could be more frequently celebrated. And they would be, if we were not all deficient in our duty. Yes, brethren, were we all such as we ought to be, "in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity"--we should

"They,

"put to silence the ignorance of foolish men." who are all of contrary part, would be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of us." Nay, our light would so "shine before men, that they, seeing our good works, would be constrained to glorify our Father in heaven." Amen!

DISCOURSE VII.

REVEALED RELIGION, THE ONLY SOURCE OF TRUE
HAPPINESS.

JOHN vi. 68-" Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of
eternal life."

THERE is something in the gospel that addresses itself with prodigious power to the human conscience. Multitudes, it is true, hear it with profound unconcern; and the reason is, that they hear it without reflection: but let it once come fairly before the mind, and let the mind fasten upon it in intense contemplation as a living reality, and it instantly becomes a subject of the deepest interest. It is like a candle to the inner man of the heart, in the light of which sin, and judgment, and the wrath to come, assume the character of substantial and fearful realities. Hence it were reasonable to suppose that many would attend, for a season, on the preaching of the gospel, from curiosity, or some other