5. It is a work wrought by God. It is he that worketh all our works in us, and especially this of faith. Hence it is said to be his operation and his gift. Some habits are acquired by industry, and are the fruit of close and diligent application; so a man may become sober, temperate, virtuous; but the most strenuous exertion of all his powers will not make him a true believer. "Unto you," says the apostle, "it is given on behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but to suffer for his sake." Faith is our act, but it is God's gift; and the grace of faith is communicated as truly as the object; we neither deserve, nor desire, nor do any thing in order to obtain it; nay, we are averse to it, and neither can nor will believe, till that power which created the world, and will raise the dead, enables and inclines us to do so. The way of faith is contrived by God, the word of faith is sent by him, the grace of faith is implanted by him, the acts and exercises of faith are excited by him, and the fruits of faith are fostered and matured by him. Not only faith itself, but the measure and degree of it in every believer, is ascertained and proportioned according to his sovereign pleasure; " according," says the apostle, as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." He speaks of the proportion of faith; that is, such a proportion as God sees suited to our necessities, and conducive to his glory. The preparatives for faith, such as spiritual life, and a deep conviction of sin, the enlightening of the understanding, and the attraction of the heart, are from God. Faith, in all the different views of it, as a faith of assent, reliance, or assurance, is also from him. It is he that removes the discouragements to faith, and the imperfections of it; supplies that which is lacking in it here, and will swallow it up in vision and enjoyment hereafter; so that here man does nothing, but God is all and in all.

6. and lastly. It is a work that, in point of acceptance with God, supersedes all other works. This seems to be implied in my text. The Jews inquire after many works:

Carst reets them to one work, and that comprehending, or leading to, and, in the great business of justification, exclusive of all the rest. "This is the work❞—the main, the principal, in some sense, the only work of God,—“ that ve believe co Him whom he hath sent." We no longer work for heaven, but bebeve for it: the language of the old covemant was. De this, and live." That of the new and better covenant is. Be not afraid, only believe." "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Yet fuch does not shut out practical religion, for it is the spring of it; and those that believe will be as careful to perform ged works, as they are not to depend upon them. True fuch, a pure heart, a good conscience, and an obedient life, always go together. Faith is the primum mobile, the master-spring which puts all the wheels of christian virtue into mocen. I: worketh, and that by love. No works produce it; all good works are produced by it.

Hence we may learn,

Why the devil is such an enemy to faith. It is the work of God. The more the heart of God is set upon it, the more the heart of Satan is set against it, and the more screnacusly he opposes it. We read of a poor man coming to Christ; and whilst he was in the way the devil threw him Jean, and are him. The more noble or excellent the work is the more he seeks to prevent or deface it.

This should teach us all to labour after true faith. As the apostle sud, “ Woe unto me if I preach not the gospel!" so may each of us say, "Woe unto me if I believe not on the Lord Jesus Christ!" And we are instructed by my text where this blessing is to be sought, and from whom alone it can be obtained. This, as well as every other good and perfect gift. comes from the Father of Lights, in whom there is to variableness, nor the least shadow of turning. Go to hion, then. O sinner, and cry for this faith; pleading his mercy, and thy necessity. Go to him, O Christian, and peny that he would increase thy faith, and cure thee of thy remaning wrbeitet.

SERMON XXV.

THE WORSHIP OF THE MAGI.

MATTHEW II. 11.

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

THE foregoing history furnishes us with the following useful hints of instruction:

1. Extraordinary appearances in the natural world should put us upon inquiries after God. Thus the appearance of an uncommon star, which they had never taken notice of before, put the wise men upon seeking after Christ.

2. The zeal and devotion of good men often stir up the envy, malice, and fury of wicked men. Whilst the wise men were engaged in seeking Christ, Herod was forming schemes to destroy him.

3. The most pernicious designs have sometimes been carried on with hypocritical pretences of religion. "Bring me word," says Herod, "that I may come and worship him also."

4. Inquiries after Christ shall not be left destitute of those aids which are necessary to find him. The star which had disappeared returns again; and what that star was to these eastern sages, that the word of God is to the humble

"And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh." In these words I shall particularly observe the persons spoken of, and the several acts ascribed to them.

I. The persons spoken of; concerning whom we may remark the three following things:-

1. They were strangers and foreigners; they came from the East-it is probable from Arabia-which is called the east country, or Land of the East, whither Abraham sent his sons by the concubines, and where Job's possessions lay. Thus it was a promise to the gospel church: "The sons of strangers shall build up thy walls."

2. They were Gentiles, brought up in heathenish idolatry and superstition. They had long sat in darkness, and the shadow of death; but now the light of divine truth, the light of divine grace, began to shine into their souls. "The Gentiles," says the prophet Isaiah, "shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising."

3. They were persons of great wisdom and learning, well skilled in all the branches of human literature, for so the word magi signifies; but all the knowledge in the world would be of no real service to them without the knowledge of Christ. It would neither prolong their lives, nor save their souls. I proceed to notice

II. The several acts ascribed to these persons. 1. " They came into the house, and saw the young child with Mary his mother." Here you may observe

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(1.) They found him whom they had earnestly and diligently sought after. In other pursuits we may, or may not, but in this pursuit we shall always, be successful. "I found him," says the spouse in Canticles, "whom my soul loveth." Her hope was deferred, but not frustrated. The Lord Jesus Christ, like his divine Father, never says to the seed of Jacob, "Seek ye me in vain."

(2.) They found him where they did not expect to find him; they sought him under the character of the King of the Jews, and they found him,-not in Jerusalem, the metropolis of the country, but in Bethlehem Ephratah, which was little among the thousands of Judah,-not in a royal palace, but a common inn,-not surrounded by nobles, but it is probable, by the poorest of the people. And even now Christ is more frequently found in a cottage than at a court, and among persons of low than of high degree. However, as they rejoiced to see the star, so no doubt they rejoiced much more to see Christ.

2. "They fell down, and worshipped him." The external posture of their body was expressive of the internal frame of their mind. They not only paid him civil honour, but divine adoration. They not only reverenced him as a superior, but worshipped him as a god. Thus that prophecy was accomplished, "Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship." Christ was then, and he is now, the object of religious worship; not his humanity, but his divinity; or rather his humanity and divinity united, and constituting one person, who is "Emanuel, God with us.' The fact here recorded may well put those to the blush who give divineI had almost said more than divine-honours to the Virgin Mary; calling her a goddess, the queen of heaven, their guardian, advocate, protectress; and saying ten Ave Marias to one Pater Noster. Let such seriously attend to the words of my text. These men, divinely directed and instructed, pay all their homage to the Son. But we read of no particular veneration which they showed to the parent; and had they attempted it, no doubt but they would have met with a prohibition somewhat like that of the angel to John," See thou do it not."

3. "They opened their treasures, and presented unto