of whom Moses and the prophets spake; who was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities; who, though rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might become rich; who died for our offences, and rose again for our justification. When he sees the greatness of the sacrifice made, and realizes the vastness of the Savior's love, his heart heaves with the deepest emotions of penitence and gratitude, and he meekly throws himself at the foot of the cross, saying,

"Alas! and did my Savior bleed?

And did my Jesus die?

Would he devote his sacred head
For such a worm as I?

Was it for crimes that I had done
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!

But floods of tears can ne'er repay
The debt of love I owe :
Here, Lord, I give myself away;
'T is all that I can do."

Nor is this all. He that makes the apostolic confession, acknowledges Jesus as a teacher from God. He goes to him for truth, and receives all his instructions as divine. He studies to obey his commands, and walk in his footsteps. He owns that

"God, in the gospel of his Son,

Makes his eternal counsels known,
And sinners of an humble frame,

May taste his grace, and learn his name."

Now, why cannot such a faith constitute a Christian? In what consists its defect? Wherein is it wanting in power to lift the soul above the dominion of sin, and illumine it with the splendors of truth? Why can it not soften the heart, humble it before God, and make it rely for salvation on the mercy of Jesus? Why can it not work by love, and elevate the affections? It can. It can do all things. It can make us love God with all the soul, and our neighbor as we love ourselves. It can turn us away from sin, and make us delight in prayer and praise. It can open our whole heart to the influence of love divine, and inspire with a hope which will sustain the afflicted in the darkest scenes of trial.

Let me urge you, therefore, to seek for faith in the Lord Jesus. Reflect upon his character; upon the miracles he wrought; the doctrines he proclaimed; the death he died; and I know you will be constrained to say, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."

SERMON VIII.

EXPERIMENTAL RELIGION.

O taste and see that the Lord is good.-Ps. xxxiv. 8.

I HAVE selected these words for the purpose of discoursing on experimental religion. By this, I mean, a religion which has its seat in the heart, which sanctifies the affections.

There are many theoretical Christians. They acknowledge the existence of a God, the mission of Christ, and the divinity of the Gospel; but their feelings are averse to religion; their hearts are set upon the world, and they are strangers to the spirit of devotion. They may be likened to a son who has been alienated from his parents by the evil influences which have been exerted over him. Though he will still own them as parents, and acknowledge their right to direct his steps, his heart is averse to them; he feels a spirit of insubordination; his wishes have no agreement with theirs; he loves the way of sin. So with the merely theoretical Christian. While his

understanding acknowledges the truth of the gospel, his heart gives no response to its requisitions; he has no real pleasure in its worship; he loves the world and its sinful amusements. He may listen with satisfaction to an ingenious and logical preacher, or to a fine orator, who charms by the richness of his voice, and the beauty of his style; but his heart is not enlisted in religion; it is not reconciled to God; it does not pant after God, and thirst for the waters of salvation.

Hence, the great aim of the gospel is to reach the heart, and wake into action all our religious faculties; to make us grateful for our mercies, and love him who is the perfection of goodness. Therefore, the Savior says, all the law and prophets hang on the commands requiring us to love God with all the heart, and our neighbor as we love ourselves. God says, "My son give me thine heart;" that is, give me thine affections. He commands us to set our hearts on things above; that is, have our affections set on things above. He calls upon us to cleanse our hearts, or eradicate all evil wishes and purposes.

The reason why the heart is thus required, is perfectly obvious. It is the fountain whence the stream flows-it is the mainspring of action, and controls the life. From the heart come wars, and fightings, and murders; and, therefore, the character will correspond to the state of the heart. Hence, we read of hearts fully set to do evil, of a froward heart, a rebellious heart, an evil heart, a hard, stony heart, and of a heart that deviseth mischief. Besides, the heart is the seat of happiness and misery. When it is the abode of the Christian virtues-when they grow and flourish

there, like herbage in green pastures beside the still waters, we are happy-happy, whether living in a cottage or palace, or dwelling with strangers far from the home of our youth. But if the heart be the abode of envy, hatred and revenge, we are miserable-miserable, however great the pomp and splendor in which we live, or however numerous the worldly honors with which we are loaded.

Accordingly, those of impure hearts are represented as in the gall of bitterness and the bonds of iniquity; as shut up in the kingdom of darkness; and that, too, while they give assent to all of the essential truths of the Bible. Thieves, drunkards and liars may admit every doctrine of Christianity, and have a distinct and comprehensive view of the same, and yet continue in their wicked ways.

It is not enough, then, simply to enlighten the understanding; the heart must be reached, or the work of salvation is not effected; the heart must be made to feel, or it is a stranger to the raptures of religion. Whoso loveth is born of God. I say therefore, again, it is not enough for the understanding to give a bare assent to Christianity.

Suppose a case. Here is a man who is surrounded with the blessings essential to render life happy. He has wealth, and all the luxuries it can furnish. He is blessed with a kind and faithful companion; with fond and devoted children, with health and all the means of enjoyment. He has understanding, and knows his duty; but unfortunately his heart is wrong. He dislikes his home; he has no regard for his wife and children; he is the slave of vice; and, consequently, to him home is void of charms; he finds no happiness there; it is the abode of darkness and wretched