says he, "who receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour which cometh from God only?" John v. 44. How often, in our intercourse with the world, do we hear it said, "that such a man cannot estimate the character of such another, that he cannot comprehend his feelings?" And it is so. There is great diversity in human characters and capacities. There is a fervour in the feelings of some, which colder spirits cannot conceive, and therefore cannot believe. Oh! what then shall we say of the highest impression which man can have of the character of God? What heart can conceive the fervour of that love wherewith he so loved the world, as to give for it His only-begotten Son? What notions of sin, or of justice, have we, that can enable us to receive an adequate impression of the necessity of the sacrifice of Christ, in order that the pardon of man might be reconciled with the honour of God? No created mind can receive a full impression. of the Divine character, the highest archangel cannot look on the cross of Christ, as God looks on it, how much less can man, who is a worm! Perfect faith in a history of high moral excellence, supposes moral faculties in a high state of power and exercise; for no faculties except in that state are capable of receiving such an impression.

What then? Is faith the result of character, instead of being the cause and the former of character? It is both. The objects of faith do not create faculties in the mind, which had no previous existence there; but they call into ac

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tion, and direct and strengthen those which they find there. The greatest variety of colours presented to a blind man cannot give him sight: but if they are presented to a man who sees, they will exercise his sight, and give him a power of discriminating their varieties, which is inconceivable to those who have not been trained to it. So also an estimable object presented to a mind destitute of moral feelings, cannot create esteem or love; but if the faculty be there, though in a weak and languid state from want of exercise, its proper object will in some measure excite and call it forth, and by exercise strengthen it. This is the only way of correcting and strengthening our faculties, either intellectual or moral. If they have been allowed to lie dormant, their exciting causes must be presented to them if they have been active, but directed to wrong objects, they must be brought in contact with their proper and legitimate objects. The impression made by these objects, may be at first very weak and imperfect, and such of necessity will also be the belief of them; but by exercise, the faculties will gain their proper bent, and will increase in strength, and the faith which is attached to their impressions will keep pace with them. How can a feeling which has a wrong direction be turned into its proper channel, except by having a proper exciting object presented to it? We cannot alter the course of a feeling, without presenting to it some other object more attractive. The superior attraction of this object may not at first be felt, but it will produce some effect, it will act at least as a disturbing force, it will. shake the supremacy of the former object, and prepare the way for its own more cordial reception upon the next occasion. Where we cannot use mechanical force, the only way that we have of operating upon steel filings is by a magnet-and if they are detained by magnetic attraction in the place from which we wish to remove them, all that we can do, is to find out and apply a stronger magnet. The filings cannot be addressed in any other way. So we cannot, as it were, lay hands upon our feelings, and force them in what directions we think fit; they do not feel any coercion of this kind: we must use magnetic influence; we must apply a more proper and a stronger exciting cause. The understanding of the true excellence of this new object increases by degrees as it is exercised, and faith along with it. Thus it was that "Abraham's faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect," James ii. 22. Abraham's faith in the character of God was different at last, from what it was at first. Every view which had been given him of the Divine perfections, had tended to expand his capacities, to correct and strengthen his moral feelings, and thus to fit him for more true and more lively impressions of that character in future. As he grew in holiness, he could better understand the meaning and excellence of the Divine holiness; and as he grew in love, he could form more adequate conceptions of the Divine love. And thus would his faith be as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The holy love of God is

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the attribute most glorified in the atonement. This is the crown; this gives its character to the whole work. The more polluted and depraved, therefore, a mind is, the less capable is it of understanding and believing the Gospel.

And yet the Gospel was sent into the world, that the polluted and depraved might be saved by the faith of it, both from the condemnation and the power of sin. And well is it fitted for their case. Even in the most polluted and the most depraved, there are feelings still remaining which, in the hour of sorrow or fear, may melt to the voice of kindness and compassion. There are in the store-house of Providence, events which will bring the stoutest heart to a stand, and force it to feel its weakness--and then the charge of guilt may refuse any longer to be despised, and the gracious invitations of an Almighty Father may not be disregarded. Besides, sin, though it misdirects, does not weaken self-love. Anguish, and doubt and fear, and sorrow and pain, enter the sinner's soul. And to these feelings are the glad tidings of the Gospel addressed. All the parts of Divine truth are linked together, so that if one part is received, there is a preparation of heart for the rest. They are not united merely as parts of an intellectual system, though they have this union, but they are united also by a sympathy between the feelings excited by the objects which the truth presents. Thus, if I believe that the sufferings and death of the incarnate Deity were required to expiate sin, and that he submitted to this for our sakes, my reason is prepared for

the conclusion, no doubt, that sin is a very hateful and fearful thing; and this is the connexion of the two doctrines as parts of an intellectual system. But there is still a far more important connexion between the feelings produced by the two doctrines. If my mind is impressed by the love of Christ in dying for me, the sense of his overwhelming kindness and compassion will lay me low in the dust before him, and make me loath myself both as being the cause of his sufferings, and on account of the total inadequacy of my gratitude, in proportion to the favour bestowed on me. Even so also joy in the atonement, merely as the means of escape from misery, is blessed by the Spirit of God, to bring forth the fruit of holy love to the praise of the glory of his grace, in the hardest and the foulest heart. The joy of a free deliverance softens and expands the heart. It is thus prepared to look at the blood which was its ransom, with tenderness and gratitude--and thus is it led to rejoice in the love of Him whose blood was shed. There are many entrances, through which the Spirit introduces his powerful weapon, some of them to human reason more likely than others; but where He works, there is success; and without His influence, the most probable means fail. We only know so much concerning the nature of that influence, as may humble us, and keep us in a continual state of dependance on Divine aid. We see thus far, however, concerning the mode in which it is applied, that God works upon our minds by the operation of