as of the understanding, to the declarations contained in the Scriptures; the belief of a man who regards them with good will, and who is pleased with such truths as they present to the mind. The foundation of faith in these declarations is a similar faith in the character, especially the moral character of God, exhibited in them, and evidenced both by them, and by other extraneous proof. This character, discerned to be glorious, great and lovely, by a mind possessed of a suitable disposition, is not in the strict sense demonstrated to us; but is evinced with high and unexceptionable probability. To the ready and cheerful admission of it, a good and honest heart is wholly prepared, and is the only thing necessary.

The Truth or Veracity of God is especially that part of his moral character, on which the faith or confidence, which is termed evangelical, ultimately rests. On this attribute all his declarations, promises, and covenants entirely depend for their truth and certainty; and therefore all the confidence which creatures can place in his character, designs, or conduct. It is indispensable in order to our exercising any regard towards him at all, that we believe that he is.' This however we may do by the aid of arguments furnished by the light of nature. To believe that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him,' is indispensable to the exercise of any virtuous regard to him; but this we cannot do without confidence in the truth of his promises, and in the veracity of himself as the promiser.

But for these promises we could not know that he thought of bestowing such rewards; unless we believed him sincere in promising, we could not believe that he would bestow them. Between confidence in the truth of God, and distrust of his truth, there is no alternative. It is metaphysically, as well as scripturally, true, that he who believeth not God, hath made him a liar.' Let me then ask every person in this assembly, whether this distrust of God, this attribution to him of so odious and contemptible a character, this last insult (as mankind estimate insults), can, in his own view, possibly be pleasing to God? Yet this is a fair description of all unbelief, or as it ought rather to be termed, disbelief or distrust. As this conduct can never be pleasing in his sight, so it is certain that he who is the subject of it can never be accepted of God: for nothing is more evident than that God will never accept him,

with whom he is not pleased. As then there is no medium between this character and confidence or faith; it is, I think, past all doubt, that faith is indispensably necessary to acceptance with God.

At the same time, distrust is an entire separation of an intelligent being from his Maker. We cannot possibly coincide voluntarily with the designs of a being, unless we confide in his truth and benevolence, and of course in the rectitude of those designs. No virtuous obedience can be yielded to laws, of whose rectitude we are not satisfied; no complacency exercised towards a character, in which we do not confide; no gratitude rendered for benefits conferred by a suspected benefactor; no reliance placed on promises made by a being of doubted varacity; and no praiseworthy efforts made to promote designs, regarded as suspicious and unworthy. Without confidence, the soul is separated, of course, from its Creator. Distrust is in its own nature enmity against him, not subject to his law, neither indeed can be.' How then can God be

pleased with this character, or accept him in whom it exists? 3. How greatly ought this attribute of God to terrify deceitful men.

By deceitful men I intend not only liars of every description, perjured persons and slanderers, but fraudulent men of every class; hypocrites, cheats, seducers, flatterers, sophists, and all other men guilty of intentional deception. From the character of God, as exhibited by the light of nature only, these men have every thing to fear, and nothing to hope. That God can be pleased with a moral character opposite to his own, or that he will bless men with whom he is not pleased, cannot be imagined for a moment. But there is no moral character more absolutely opposed to God, or more remote from his pleasure, than that of falsehood; falsehood in every form, whether of looks, declarations, arguments, or actions; and in every degree, from the humble pretence, to the palpable lie. Nor is any immoral conduct adopted against clearer evidence and more absolute conviction. Truth is a thing perfectly definite. We always know when we speak it, and equally well know when we utter falsehood. It is therefore a sin against noonday light, and is always committed in the sunshine. How then must the Being, invested with the glorious and eminently divine attribute of Truth, as with a garment, regard this base

and vile character so opposed to his own, and so hostile to the virtue and happiness of his intelligent kingdom? Miserable indeed must be the expectations and the lot of all wilful deceivers, even if there were no Scriptures; or if they were not the word of God.

But there are Scriptures; and they are the word of God. In them, as we could not fail to expect, most terrible additions are made to the alarms rung in the ears of these transgressors by the voice of nature. There, his determinations to inflict signal vengeance on these men, are announced in every awful form by the God who cannot lie.' There he has declared,

that into the holy city, the heaven of heavens, the mansion of everlasting joy, there shall in no wise enter any one who loveth or maketh a lie.' There he has declared, that every liar shall have his part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone.' Let every deceitful man hear and fear, and do no more so wickedly.'

4. What a source of comfort, joy, and quickening, to good men is the Truth of God.

When we think on the character even of the best men, when we call to mind how often they backslide and sin; how eold and stupid they are in their affections, and how dull and slothful in their obedience; with what eagerness they cleave to the world, and with what ease they yield to temptation; how frequently they wound religion, and how greatly they dishonour God; we cannot but feel, that all the truth and faithfulness of God are indispensably necessary to prevent him from forsaking such beings as they are, and incline him to conduct them safely to his eternal kingdom. Here created faithfulness would not suffice, nor prove to them a solid ground of unshaken confidence, nor of lively and supporting hope. A higher perfection of character seems plainly necessary in the blessed God, to euable his patience to bear with all their faults, and his mercy to triumph over all their transgressions.

In his holy word he has given them promises of infinite extent and value. In these promises are contained blessings temporal and spiritual, blessings present and eternal, blessings of the first magnitude and of the most delightful nature, extending alike to the soul and the body, to all times and all places, to every want and every situation. situation. Whatever can be useful to them, honourable to himself, or beneficial to the uni

verse, he freely proffers from his unlimited bounty. Finally, Himself, the sum of all good, the overflowing fountain, the inexhaustible ocean, whence every stream of happiness flows, he engages to them as their everlasting possession.

What can secure the boundless good contained in these promises, to beings of such a character? The unchangeable truth of God. On this they repose with perfect safety, with a hope which can never make them ashamed, with a faith which cannot be broken down. Under the shadow of this great rock in a weary land,' they sit down with unspeakable delight; and see all these promises advancing to a regular, constant, and certain fulfilment, throughout the progress of never ending being.

Here, too, they find the most persuasive inducement to faithfulness in his service. They know, that he'cometh in clouds," and that his reward is with him.' The bruised reed,' they are assured, he will never break; the smoaking flax he will not quench, until he shall have brought forth judgment unto final victory.' Hence they wait on the Lord unceasingly, and renew their strength.' Hence they mount up with wings as eagles; they run in the Christian course, and are not weary; they walk, and faint not' in the 'strait and narrow way which leads to life.'

In the mission, life and death of the Redeemer, in his resurrection, intercession, and kingdom, the truth of God has set its seal on all his promises. The covenant of grace is here seen to be an unchangeable and everlasting covenant.' In the solemn ordinance* immediately before us, a living, unchanging, and most affecting memorial, we may discern a hand, which, testifying infinitely better things than those which were disclosed to Belshazzar, writes before our eyes, that notwithstanding all our infirmities, if we indeed believe in him, we are, when weighed in the balance, not found wanting.'

The Eucharist.

SERMON XII.

THE MERCY OF GOD.

THE LORD IS MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS, SLOW TO ANGER, AND PLENTEOUS IN MERCY.

PSALM CIII, 8.

In this beautiful and interesting Psalm, David, with a piety and zeal highly becoming, calls upon his soul and all that is within him to bless the Lord for the manifestations of his mercy. A multitude of these,remarkable in their nature, and of vast importance to mankind, he recites in the happiest language of poetry. In this language God is exhibited as 'forgiving all his iniquities, healing all his diseases, redeeming his life from destruction, crowning him with lovingkindness and tender mercies, satisfying his mouth with good things, and renewing his youth like the eagle's.' Nor does he confine his views to his own blessings merely; but, like a good man, deeply affected with the concerns of his fellow creatures, casts his eye abroad to the general dispensations of providence, and rejoices in the exemplifications of this glorious attribute to the human race. With supreme delight he here beholds God executing righteousness and judgment for the oppressed; unwilling always to chide, or to keep his anger for ever; not dealing with mankind according to their sins, nor rewarding them according to their iniquities.' The Mercy of God he sees extended and exalted as the heavens; removing our transgressions from us, as far as the east is removed from the west; and pitying those who fear him, as a father pitieth his children.' This divine perfection he farther teaches us, is an inherent and essential part of the