words of my text, is, that the power by whom was wrought so great things in Egypt; the power by whom the prophets spake, the power by whom the Word became man, by whom the miracle was performed, and by whom the Word is still operating, and the Holy Spirit working, is God, and God is Christ.

To go fully into this doctrine at one time is impossible. To gather conviction oneself is a felt and a fixed thing; the hope to work conviction, or strengthen belief, in others, is even like all hope, an unknown, and an indefinite thing. Upon such a question, then, the mind doth not dare to think it can ever have said enough. I seek, therefore, every allowance while I endeavour to show you that God is our Saviour.

It is not my present design to urge upon you a prolonged succession of arguments, or to dwell upon their weight and sanction. I think that a more lasting faith is engendered by those feelings of the heart which harmonize with the truths of the Gospel. When the conscience whispers, and the Gospel proclaims; when the word commands, and the recesses of the heart respond; when the word accuses, and the inner man confesses; when the word paints the natural man, and the natural man owns the like

ness; when the word tells of man's high destiny, and man feels that verily there is a spirit within him above his fleshly dwelling; when the word promises the life immortal, and the soul of man yearns for it: then man for a while forgets his carnal, and muses on his spiritual being. I think that then a holier faith is awakened, and man will then begin to move on his godward journey, when no train of reasoning could have convinced, no strength of evidence have converted him. And, though I think where the spirit of the word has found no kindred spirit, where the Word Himself hath failed to prove his birthright, as begotten of God, that there all reasoning will be powerless, all evidence unavailing. Yet still doth the apostle bid the Christian to be able to give

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a reason for the hope that is in him," and I therefore remind you of the doctrine, that God was in Christ and it is in him, and in his word,

that I bid you "seek, and ye shall find." The words of the Redeemer speak to the heart, and even, although it may be that you feel like the disciple, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief;" yet, if you cherish the little you have, fear not but that God will help the weak-hearted. Think of those scanty gleanings which the

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mother seeks and finds scattered over the stubble, so few at first, that it may be she winnows all in her apron, and then sows her little leasings in some corner of her garden, and, after a while, it buds forth and grows, and brings an hundred fold into her bosom; so that she hath wherewith to till a small field. If some gentle charity supplies this her need, she rejoices in hope, and is ere long gladdened by her harvest home; then is her joy linked with the remembrance that those few seeds, which were the gatherings of her earlier search, by being fostered with care, have at length become her own and her children's bread. Even so is the faith in God your Saviour; the first elements of belief, the seeds of your faith in Him, are but perhaps the gleanings of the sanctuary, which you may have gathered and carried home, from some chance attendance at your church, or at the grave of one you loved, or when you gave your child to bear the name of Christ; or they may be the fruits of your own private prayers, when snatching a small portion from your daily occupation, you sought for the blessings of belief, and did not seek in vain. Then, if you have cherished that little, and watered with the tears of repentance the seed

thus sown in your hearts, God faileth not to give you increase, and you will be happy in the faith, the saving faith you possess; and from your abundance may you strengthen and feed the hungry, who are near and dear to you, and so shall not your own, or the souls of your little ones perish for want of "the bread of life."

Passages might be adduced to prove that all the powers and attributes of God were ascribed to Christ. I shall confine myself to two :-" that Christ existed before all worlds, from everlasting:"-" and that by him all things were made." From the proof of these propositions must follow the inference, that Christ was the eternal God, the creator of all things.

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The power by which the salvation of man was ordained, and is accomplishing, is called the Word of God, not only because God at first created all things, and still rules by the same agency, but, because, in like manner as men discover their wills and designs to each other by words spoken or written, being the means of communication and of influence, between man and man. So God both ordained that his Word should make known his counsels, and clearly and

fully discover his gracious purposes to mankind; at once adopting human methods, as best suited to human understanding, withholding alone that knowledge which the human mind is not able to comprehend. Whenever God makes himself known, whether in the works of creation, or by signs and wonders, or when God made manifest the divine image and nature, in human form, every revelation of his will is conveyed to man by his word, and therefore fitly is he called. the Word of God.

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St. John, in the first chapter of his Gospel speaks of Christ as the Word of God. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God: all things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." St. Paul writes of Christ :-" and he is before all things, and by him all things consist." Another apostle writes thus :-" of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace which should come unto you, searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, did signify, when it testified beforehand. the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should

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