ourselves, it is the gift of God: of God the Father by whom we are calied unto the fellowship of his dear Son. But the faith which is thus exercised in him, And here are they that keep

We

is not the faith of him. the faith of Jesus. cannot draw near to God familiarly, freely, honestly and lovingly, so as to be acknowledged, without knowing him. And no man knoweth the Father, but the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. But the Father will savingly reveal the Son to none but such as need him, so the Son will reveal the Father to none but the objects of his choice; and these are the labouring and heavy laden. Matth. 11. 29. Again, none can draw near to God with confidence, but by his son, and by the faith which is out of his fulness. Let not your hearts be troubled, says the Saviour, ye believe in God; then faith in God does not bring peace; believe also in me. John 14. 1 In me ye shall have peace: but where is this faith in him to come from? it is the gift of God, and then comes faith from Jesus to exercise in God. In Christ Jesus our Lord have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. Eph. 3. 12. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law, and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that believe, Rom. 3. 22. God is to be known, and his righteousness is to be declared, for the re

mission of sins that are past, but no man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. John 1. 18. This then is the faith of Jesus, and as it comes first from him, so must it be received continually of him, to bring forth fruit unto God. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me, for without me ye can do nothing; I am the vine, ye are the branches. John 15. 5. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, says Paul, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Gal. 2. 20. There is a faith which worketh by love, not worketh or produceth love, but worketh by love-that is, love nourishes, strengthens, and enlivens faith. The Galatian's faith was not working in this way, for their love was got coid, or least was much abated, and so their faith flagged too But their apostle says; In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love. Gal. 5. 6.

This faith of Jesus is what is peculiar to him, and his followers. It is not the faith of our father Abraham, but it is the faith of Jesus. The faith of those who went before the incarnation was evidently different both in its degree, exercises, and

manner of operation from the faith of Jesus, and those who have come after. They were not in pos session of that better thing which Paul says God provided for us. They without us could not be made perfect. The church is like an individual, first an infant and so gradually becomes a man. Childish things must be expected in children, but a man puts away childish things. Individual believers grow in grace, and in knowledge, and in strength; they go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God. Ps. 84. 7. A child is not to learn by experience, being left to himself; but by attendance, by lessons, by the word of mouth. Our Lord settles this point at once. Verily I say unto you, among them that are born of women, there hath not risen a greater than John Baptist : notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Matth. 11. 11. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost-and this Holy Ghost was not given, not poured out in his fulness and power, 'till after our Lord's ascension. Not that holy men of old had not righteousness, peace and joy, and the spirit of Christ. But they were under a dispensation which shadowed them.-The way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest.

A child, tho' a son, is under much and continual watchfulness, guidance, and care, and cannot be

us.

trusted alone, which is very different treatment from what is used when turned off to apprenticeship, or to encounter the troubles of life in business. Before the flood we have very little account of the children of God. We are told of Abel, Enoch, and Noah. They appear to have been under the continual eye of God, in a sense I mean, different from After the flood, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the servants, children, seers, and prophets of the Lord that follow, were different from Jesus and from us in these things. God led them in an open, plain, audible, and visible manner. He spake to them by voice. The Lord spake to Abraham, to Moses, &c. ;-the word of the Lord came so and so, saying unto them, or him; or he appeared either as an angel, a messenger of a peculiar kind distinguished by them from others, ad known to be upon some special errand, or else not distinguishable from men except from some feelings in the heart of those visited; or not distinguished at first at all; as this last in Jacob's wrestling, and Joshua at Jericho the other as in the case of Lot:-the first, as that of Gideon, and Manoah and his wife in the Judges time: or else by vision; The word of the Lord came to Abraham in a vision: Gen. 15. 1; and the Israelites were led by a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Moreover their conflicts with enemies were much of an outward and visible nature with their fellow men; and in

that case, the side the Lord took was very manifest to both parties.

But it was different with our Lord Jesus. 1 do not know of God's appearing and speaking audibly to him but thrice; at Jordan, when he said, this is my beloved Son.; and at Jerusalem, I have both glorified thee, and will glorify thee again; and this was more for others than for him; and in the mount of transfiguration. But he was anointed with the Holy Ghost; the spirit of the Lord was upon him in a secret, sensible, invisible influence on his soul, imparting to him counsel, direction and support. And making no appearance except by his works of mercy and power; not of judgment, as in old time, but of mercy, doing good : taking no open vengeance, and calling, except in two particular instances for no open testimony: but depending in love and communion upon his God, and committing himself unto him, whose cause he came

to serve.

And so it has it been with his followers, except in particular cases, for particular purposes, as on the day of Pentecost; Paul going to Damascus; in a trance at Jerusalem; and in his perilous voyage: and Peter at Joppa &c. The whole work is carried on between their souls and the great head of the church, in a sensible but invisible communication of the Holy Ghost.

You do not read in the new testament, that the evangelists or apostles preface what they have to say as the prophets did, with, Thus saith the Lord, or