sition of those who were spectators of it.Thus did that divine goodness which directed all his actions to the greatest happiness of man, make one great act of mercy introductive to a greater. And therefore, in the case which we are now considering, where there was no proper disposition to improve the blessing, where it would have answered no moral purpose, and where the whole effect would have been the removal of bodily pain, the evangelist informs: us that he withheld his mighty works.

We may now pass on to consider that which is called the active faith of miracles. By which is meant that faith which was required as a condition of receiving the power of working miracles. Faith, even here, was not itself that active power which wrought the miracle, but only, as in the former case, a condition or qualification of receiving it. Of this we have a clear proof in the case of the Apostles themselves. That their faith was firmly established after they had been witnesses of our Lord's resurrection and ascension, cannot be doubted. But it was not till the feast of Pentecost that they were endued with "power from on high," by which they were enabled to work miracles.

To discover the nature of this faith, we need only have recourse to that promise of our Lord to his disciples, by which he annexes to faith this power of working miracles. For all these. powers, said he, shall be conferred on, or shall follow," them that believe." From which

* Mark xvi. 17.

it is clear, that even this faith, which at first sight may seem to be of a distinct and peculiar nature, is in reality no more than the common faith of christians: it is no other than a belief in our Redeemer, to which he was pleased for the establishment of his religion to annex at one time the blessing of bodily cures; at another, the power of working miracles.

The result of all is, that the act of the mind in faith is invariable, though the object hath undergone many changes. At first it was no no more than a promise of Redemption conceived in general terms. The object however was gradually enlarged, and as it was enlarged, became clearer and more distinct, till all the promises that belong to this world, received their accomplishment in our Saviour; and allthose which belong to a future state, were placed by him in the strongest light.

We may therefore lay aside all other distinctions, as of no importance to unlearned christians at least, as tending only to encumber and embarrass their minds, and to open the way to a train of needless difficulties, and groundless suspicions. They need be under no anxiety about the kind of their faith, if they are only secure as to the sincerity of it.

Content then to follow the simplicity of the gospel, let us conclude, that there is in reality but one kind of faith: faith being every where a belief of redemption, and of all the blessings and promises that belong to it, as far as they are revealed. To us therefore, who have the

happiness to see revelation finished and completed in the gospel, and all saving truths there summed up and concentered, faith may be defined, A BELIEF OF THE GOSPEL.

This simple idea will be found to answer every purpose, and to be the basis of every character ascribed to faith in the holy scriptures. And were we to pursue our subject through all those paths in which revelation would lead us, we should see how all the inspired writers correspond in this great point, as in every other; how all that they affirm of faith, arises from this fundamental idea; and how, like a central light, it discovers to us the symmetry of the whole christian system, and clears up the difficulties which must ever be inexplicable to such as attach themselves to some inferior part only, regardless of what is principal or dependant in the system, and losing sight of that grand order and connection which run through all the works of the Almighty. We should see the true origin of faith how it arises, and how the divine flame is first kindled in the soul. We should see the tendency and the operations of faith, the glorious change that it works in the breast where it is received and cherished, how it gives new life to the soul that was before dead to all sense of goodness, how wonderfully it reinforces the cause of virtue within us, and lifts the heart from earth to heaven.

At present it must suffice to have obtained a clear conception of the nature of faith, and to

D

have taken a distinct view of our Lord's own account of it. A subject which could never be deemed unseasonable, but which seems to have a peculiar claim to our attention at this time, when so many unhappy divisions are multiplying amongst us, most of which seem to have been formed, and still to be supported upon the confused and mistaken representations which have been made of faith.

For some join with faith in its very nature and first conception, a strong confidence of salvation, without any condition, and without reserve; and consequently leave very little room for any anxiety about improvement in virtue, which must rather indeed seem superfluous where the great end of all virtue is supposed to be already attained by a prompt and hardy ássurance that we shall be saved.

Others give such accounts of faith, as, far from conveying any distinct notion of what they undertake to describe, must leave their followers lost and bewildered, totally devoid of all clear apprehensions in themselves, and therefore in a fit disposition to follow wherever their leaders think fit to conduct them. One of these descriptions is so very extraordinary, that I cannot forbear laying it before my readers.

"Faith," says this writer, "is not any sin"gle habit or act of the soul, nor ought it to "be restrained to one faculty thereof only; but "It is something made up of various acts, "which, though not in a confused manner, "may interfere one with the other, and in a

kind of delightful fellowship and union, pro"mote and help each other, and this constant"ly. It imports a change of the whole man, "is the spring of the whole spiritual life; and lastly, it denotes an holy diligence and energy of the whole soul towards God in Christ, "so that its full compass can scarcely be comprehended in a distinct manner under any "one single idea."*

This is called, "a plain and simple, a truly "scriptural account of faith." But how dif ferent is this from the clear language of Him who is the true light, and who came to lighten every man that cometh into the world! Surely, we may say of men who speak this language, as the Apostle did of some teachers of new opinions in his days, that whilst they de sire to be teachers of the law, they yet understand neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

Amidst the concern, which the prospect of these increasing distractions in our Church must occasion, where shall the true friend of religion turn his eyes for consolation? Where, next under heaven, but to those ancient seats of learning, in which truth hath long taken up her favorite residence? When errors and corruption in doctrine and practice begin to spread their contagion, here will religion expect to find her pure doctrines taught, and her genuine principles laid deep in the minds of those

*See a treatise on Faith, extracted aad translated from WITSIUS, by the Reverend Mr. MADAN.