have the intercession of our Mediator, we have the privilege of sending up our petitions in his prevailing name, we have the spiritual food of our souls in the sacrament of his body and his blood. Why, then, do we not avail ourselves of these mighty blessings? Why do we delay to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, knowing that it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure? How feebly do the energies of divine grace appear to influence our souls; how languid are our desires after that godliness, without which no man shall see the Lord! How dead are all our feelings of gratitude to him who has given us these privileges; how little of earnestness have we in his service; how little of eager longing for the blessings which he promises! How seldom do we study the sacred page of his inspired word! how few and formal are our acts of devotion; how inanimate our prayers, how cold our faith, how weak our hope! And yet, we expect to reach the termination of our conflict with safety, nay, with victory!

Soldiers of Christ, arouse yourselves from this dream, awake from this delusion! To what purpose was the emblem of your Saviour's victory impressed upon your brow, but that it might be the banner of your warfare, the symbol also of your conquest? To what purpose was the life-giving stream sprinkled upon you at the

sacred font, except to cleanse, to purify, to regenerate? Say, do you adopt that holy token as the banner, under which you were sworn to fight, aye, and to fight manfully, against God's enemies and your own? own? And the grace which was thus communicated, are ye cherishing, by the improvement of those means of grace, of which you were then made partakers? Are ye seeking zealously the sustenance of that spiritual life, which he who gave it can alone supply? Why then come ye not to that sacred table? Why seek ye not the living food, in the strength of which ye may go on your journey, refreshed, like Elijah, to the mount of God? Though the victory is not yours, but his, through whom ye are more than conquerors, yet it is secured to your exertions. Though the battle is not to the mighty, yet the weak may conquer if he fight; though the race is not to the strong, yet the feeble may win the prize if he contend. Be zealous, then, be in earnest. Take to you the whole armour of God; the shield of faith against which the fiery darts of the wicked one shall fall harmless; the sword of the Spirit, that mighty weapon of celestial temper, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit; that helmet of salva tion which shall cover your heads in the day of battle; and by vigilance, by prayer, by reliance on the strength of him who has conquered for you, you shall follow the path of victory which

he himself has trodden, you shall be partakers of his triumph, you shall be the companions of his glory. "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne."

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SERMON XXIII.

THE PRACTICAL TENDENCY OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY.

EPHESIANS ii. 18.

Through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

THE knowledge of God is the grand end and purpose of true religion; and the result to which this knowledge leads is the supreme happiness of It is nothing less than the means of his introduction to a state of eternal happiness. "This is life eternal, to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."

man.

Now, it is evident from the very language in which this sentence is expressed, that the knowledge of God, which is here implied, has a direct and immediate reference to a practical object. It is not proposed that we should seek to become acquainted with God, by mere speculative or metaphysical research, but by the contemplation

of his perfections, as they stand in connexion with that eternal life, after which our hopes aspire. The infinity of God, the awful grandeur of him who fills all space, and governs all the wondrous works of his material and intellectual creation, must for ever transcend the limited capacities of finite creatures. An impenetrable veil is drawn before the throne of him, whom we are yet bound to adore as the great Author of our being, and as the gracious Saviour of our souls. But sufficient information is afforded, to guide us to such conclusions respecting his character, as may best promote our fulfilment of the duties which we owe to him, and our acceptance of the blessings which he bestows upon us. The points of useful information he has not concealed from our view: he has condescended to display his mighty attributes, as in merciful operation for our present benefit, and for our final welfare. If he makes not all his glory to pass by us, (as the servant of his choice once requested that he might behold him,) it is because we are unable to endure the sight yet, like that same Moses, he has placed us, as it were, in the cleft of the rock, that at least some of his dignity may be seen, and that the description of his majesty may reach our ears. Let us then submit to this wisdom of our heavenly Father; and without murmuring that full light of his presence cannot be mortal eye, let us employ

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