There is also another faith in the scriptures, conspicuously distinguished from all these, and yet as little connected with salvation as any of the former. This is a faith the devils never have, though common to men who perish under the gospel. It is attended with a certain taste of heavenly things, an elevation of soul, gladness of heart, and many joyful and comfortable affections. Yet it has no holy root, arises not from an abiding principle in the soul, was not implanted in the heart by the Spirit of grace. It takes its origin from common motions of the Holy Ghost; from fanciful imagination; from ignorance, and wild and bewildered expectations; from the foolish direction of friends, and the weak counsels of ministers. All these things, with certain feelings of their own, combine together to awaken in them, what they falsely deem faith and hope, comfort and joy. This was the faith of John the Baptist's hearers, who rejoiced in his light for a season. Herod was full of this faith, when he heard John with gladness. This was the faith of the stony ground hearers, who were wonderfully pleased with Christ, and the salvation of the gospel for a season; but when troubles, persecutions, and the world interfered, the former faith, comfort and joy must be relinquished, in order to evade certain evils, and enjoy the pleasures of the latter.

And this, it is to be feared, is the case with many in all the ages of christianity; they have some sudden convictions, serious compunctions, and quickly their hearts are filled with joy and consolation, and they immediately conclude from their experiences and the advice of friends, that they are true believers and real converts. Hence these set forward in religion with great apparent fervor, zeal and haste. But, alas! their religion soon evaporates, their faith fails, and affections vanish, and they re turn with the dog to his vomit, and like the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. Some of these I have known sink down into orderly living, have remained useful members of society, though they relinquished their profession of religion;

ethers have gone off to wild and ranting sects, where they might have the indulgence of their pride, ambition, idleness and lusts, and under no obligations to govern themselves, or instruct their families and children. Others have abandoned the shadow of piety, and given themselves up to all the excesses of riot, turned debauchees, atheists and Infidels, and run as near as possible to the semblance of incarnate devils.

But blessed be God, there is another species of faith essentially different from all these, and is stiled a divine, saving or justi fying faith; and this is the faith delineated in our text. It called divine, because God is its author, and it is wrought in the heart by the power of the Holy Ghost, who is a divine person. It is stiled saving, because the soul blessed with it, is placed in an inseperable connection with eternal salvation. It is also termed justifying faith, because it interests in the covenant of grace, unites to Christ, by whose merits or righteousness, the sinner is acquit ed of his guilt before God, and justified in his sight. Thus the same idea is meant to be conveyed, and the same acts and exercises of heart intended, whether it be called divine, saving, or justifying faith. It is well defined in our shorter Catechism, by saying, "It is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon "Christ Jesus, as he is offered in the gospel."

The author of this grace, like all others, is the Spirit of God. By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." Its formal mature consists in a cordial acquiescence in, and reception of the testimony of God; in receiving Christ Jesus iu all his mediatorial offices with the whole heart, and in committing our souls to him, in perfect persuasion he will preserve the trust until the day of God. He beholds the beauty and wisdom of the plan of salvation in the gospel; he feels his absolute necessity of an interest in the Saviour therein exhibited; he sees the infinite fullness, all-sufficiency, ability and willingness of Christ for this important purpose. Hence,

with all his mind and heart, he entertains the report given of kim in the gospel, lays hold upon, takes and receives him as the Lord his righteousness, trusting in and resting the salvation of his soul upon the merits of his precious and atoning blood. Thus, by the divine constitution, he becomes united to him, one with him, as he and the Father are one. He becomes a branch of the vine, a partaker of the sap of this divine stock. As the head and members of the body are one in nature, as the husband and wife are one in law, so Christ and the believer are one in the covenant of grace. The believer is his, and he is the believer's, with all his benefits. The objects opened to the view of the believing heart are infinitely beautiful and amiable; God and Christ, and all the glories and riches of the celestial world captivate his soul; he feels a full conviction of their reality; beholds in his believing mind their transcendant excellency, and he tastes as it were a substantiality in the things for which he hopes. Therefore, attend to this beautiful description of faith, here given by the inspired Apostle. "It is the substance of things hoped for, and "the evidence of things not seen." The two words in this definition of great import are, substance and evidence.--The former term hypostasis, which is here transiated substance, is variously rendered in different places of the New Testament. It is translated person, confidence, confident boasting, and here, substance. All which show it to be a reality, a real and true subsistance. Its primary meaning signifies a prop, support or foundation. Faith is all this ground, foundation, support and substantiality to the the believer's hope of heavenly realities.

Things hoped for, are things that have no existence at present, but have a certain futurity; and their foundation is so sure, that faith anticipates their existence, and brings them forward to the view of the mind as present realities. Thus " Abraham believed "in hope, that he might become the father of many nations.". These nations, though they had no present existence, yet the

faith of the patriarch was so firm in the divine promise, that it gave them a subsistence and reality in the view of his mind. He doubted not of the existence of these great nations, which were to proceed from his loins, more than he did of the innumerable stars of heaven that he was then called upon to behold.

The Old Testament saints believed the Messiah would come, relieve the evils of mankind, and take away sin. Therefore, they substantiated him in his incarnation, humiliation, sufferings, death and resurrection, as if the whole tragedy of his crucifixion were passing in review before them. Any person who reads David and Isaiah, cannot evade the conviction of this truth.

Thus there are things hoped for by the christian believer, and they are as sure to his faith as if they had a present existence, and were in substance in his immediate possession; such as an entire freedom from sin, a perfection of holiness at the conclusion of this life, eternal glorification, full fruition of God, the resurrection of the body, a future and general judgment, the everlasting felicity of saints, and misery of the wicked, &c.These things are as certain to his mind as his own existence, and that the world around him exists.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for; it substantiates eternal realities to the soul; causes it to feel in a measure as if they were present to the mind. The excellency, glory, sweetness and felicity of the heavenly world, the amiableness of all its inhabitants, faith in exercise brings them down to the believer, and gives them such a substance and existence in his heart as fills him with delight, joy, and glory unspeakable.Yea, so strong has faith been in many of the martyrs, such has been their taste for, and sense of the things for which they hoped, that the torturing pains of burning faggots could scarcely discompose the serenity of their countenances. And how many common believers have passed through the pangs of death rejoicing? Hence, how emphatical and striking is the Apostle's

description of this grace? "Now faith is the substance of things "hoped for."

But I proceed to contemplate a second part of the definition contained in our text. "It is the evidence of things not "seen." The original word elengchos, is very strong, and forces the idea upon the mind. It is often translated refute, con vince, conviction, &c. but no English word can perfectly express the original. It is such a conviction as affords irresistable evidence, and compleat demonstration of its object. This faith is not merely a conviction of the understanding and judgment, but gives such a discovery of invisible things to the heart, that an eye of sense cannot perceive, nor all the powers of reason investigate. This faith manifests divine and spiritual realities in such a peculiar, glorious and lovely manner, that by no other possible means could they be known. "The natural man receiveth not "the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto "him; neither can he know them because they are spiritually "discerned." This spiritual discernment arises from, and is ever attendant upon the lively actings of a saving faith. It is a kind of mental sight, whereby the soul beholds the beauty, and relishes the excellency of divine things. They appear to the believer's view, with a superior lustre, very different from what they do to natural men. These are represented as blind, having their minds darkened, living in darkness, &c. as persons naturally blind, perceive not the light of the sun, however gloriously it shines around them. Thus the spirituality of the light of the gospel cannot be discerned but by the eye of faith. Thus faith. administers a full conviction of the glory and excellency of invisible things, or it " is the evidence of things not seen."

But it is time to end this lecture, with a few reflections.

First, How infinitely important is this grace of faith? It is often put for the whole of religion, because it is so radical and essential a part of it. Such is its consequence, that there is no.