let him be accursed." In the 5th chapter, at the 10th and 12th verses, he says, "I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be." And he goes on to say,- "I would they were even cut off which trouble you." Now, these characters, so far from being acknowledged to be Christians, were to be expelled from the church of God-were to be cut off from communion with the church. Hence the apostle says, in his epistle to Titus, 3rd chap. 10th and 11th verses,- "A man that is a heretic after the first and second admonition reject; knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself." He adverts to Hymenæus and Philetus, in the first epistle to Timothy, 1st chapter and 19th and 20th verses, as those whom he had delivered unto Satan-as those whom he had expelled from church membership. Thus he fixes upon them the brand of his disapprobation as corrupters of the truth, though there is no evidence of their denying any other doctrine than the resurrection of the dead. They admitted the Messiahship of Christ, but denied the resurrection of the dead. The apostle John, with all his sweetness of temper, with all his benevolence of disposition, with all his yearning compassion, with all the mild lessons learned while leaning on the Saviour's bosom, thus speaks of those who corrupt the faith : "If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds."2 John. x. 11.

Now, such is the importance which the Scriptures attach to Christians retaining the faith which they first had, and holding uncorrupt and undefiled those great doctrines which God has revealed to man in His Word. Man is not to speculate on God's truth to pervert it. Man is not to take a licentious freedom with the revelation of heaven. He must yield his mind, docile and teachable, to receive what Heaven would communicate, and hold the teachings of his Maker in religious veneration and practical regard. The Christian is admonished against all those corrupters of the truth to whom I have referred. He is exhorted to hold fast the form of sound words-to prove all things, but to hold fast that which is good. He is required to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. He is admonished to "beware lest any man should spoil him through philosophy and vain deceit, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." He is required to be no more as a child, "tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine," or to be ensnared by men who lie in wait, in cunning craftiness to deceive. He is to be on his guard against their pernicious influence. He is reminded that the progress of the

heretic is downward; that one error becomes the parent o another; and "that evil men and seducers will wax wors and worse, deceiving and being deceived;" giving up first one truth and then another truth, and unsettling almost every truth and thus, as the apostle describes them, waxing worse and worse.

As an antidote to these evils, he is exhorted to cleave to the Holy Scriptures. And it is remarkable that when the apostle Paul is directing the attention of Timothy to men who held fatal errors, he significantly intimates that the great cause of their delusions was their contempt of the Holy Scriptures; and in contrast to their conduct, he exhorts Timothy to cleave to the Holy Scriptures. In the 14th, 15th, and 16th verses of the chapter which is now referred to-viz., the third chapter of the second epistle, he says,-"But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus." And then he adds, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine'-(yes; and this is an interpretation which I am prepared to defend)—" All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good words." Now, the Christian is one who obeys these injunctions, and who is animated and actuated by the example of those illustrious spiritual heroes who are brought before us in the 11th chapter of St. Paul's epistle to the Hebrews. He is animated and encouraged, I say, by the example of an Abel, of an Enoch, of a Noah, of an Abraham, of the other patriarchs, of a Joseph, of a Moses, of a Jephtha, of a Rahab, of a Sampson, of a Gideon, of a Barak, of a David, of a Samuel, and of the prophets, "who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. These all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they, without us should not be made perfect.. Wherefore, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses," let us hold fast our faith-let us be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. The Christian, I say, is one who is admonished by the corrupt examples to which I have referred; who obeys the injunctions which I have quoted; and who is animated and encouraged by those noble examples of faith which are

before us. He is one who embraces the truth and holds it fast. He is one who clings to the word of God as the word of unchangeable and eternal truth. He neither sells it for gold, nor exchanges it for philosophic speculations, nor corrupts it by superstition, nor fritters it away by sophistical evasion. He welcomes its angelic form; he rejoices in its bright beams; he submits to its divine authority; he embraces its precious promises; and he conforms to its hallowed requirements.Amidst all the temptations of Satan, and the allurements of the world; amid all the seductive, the artful, the designing, the sophistical attempts of man to rob him of his sacred treasure, he holds it fast. In active life, it guides and controls him. In affliction, it consoles him; in tribulation, it cheers and comforts him; in death, it inspires him with triumph; and on leaving the world he exclaims-"I have fought a good fight-I have finished my course-I have kept the faith." This is a Christian, so far as the first principle in his conduct is concerned. I have a volume, in regard to other points, to bring before you; but I perceive, from the index on my watch, that I cannot now go through all the features of the Christian character.

I.

I remark that, as the second principle of his character, he obeys the requirements which God enjoins in the Christian revelation. Faith without works is dead, being alone. But the Christian's faith is not dead-is not alone. It is not a cold speculative notion, floating on the surface of the brain, but a vital principle dwelling in the heart, active, energetic, and purifying. It works by love; it produces holy fear; it generates repentance; it excites holy desires and affections. would dwell upon "love" especially, during the short time that I have yet to speak this evening, for two reasons; first, because it is the great principle of obedience; for while faith lays the foundation, love erects and completes the noble and the glorious superstructure: and, secondly, because love includes feeling as well as principle; and is opposed to that cold and insipid piety which is ever the ally of a spurious faith, or a defective and heretical theology. Some people exclaim against excitement, as if there were no feeling in religion-as if it were light without heat-as if it did not excite the affections. An ominous indication that they understand not the genius of the Gospel. It is experience, as well as knowledge. The sun of righteousness warms while he enlightens. And while principle strikes deep its roots in the conscience and the moral powers, it generates holy affections, and brings forth the fruit of obedience to God.

The Christian loves God. "We love him," says the apostle, "because God first loved us." Yes! He first loved us. That

is the exciting cause. He has exhibited that love in his con

duct towards us, and has communicated that love by his Spirit within us. It is the communication of this love which gives the soul new powers of perception and sensibility-which makes the scales fall from our eyes, and our marble hearts dissolve. Then new and mighty wonders are spread before our intellectual vision; emotions of joy, unknown before, glow intensely in our bosom, and in grateful amazement we exclaim, herein is love, not that we have loved God, but that he hath loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Viewing, on the one hand, our wretchedness, our helplessness, and guilt; and on the other, the stupendous and mysterious exhibition of the Saviour's love in our redemption, gratitude fills our hearts, praise flows from our tongues, and we sink overpowered by the immensity of our obligations. Thus the soul is sweetly constrained to love God as the author of its being, and the fountain of its joy-a feeble acknowledgment of the mercies received. That love for God which dwells in the Christians mind implies supreme satisfaction in God. "The carnal mind is enmity against God." That is its appropriate characteristic-" enmity against God." It is under the influence of dispositions and affections hostile to the divine nature, and to the divine character. Yes, every feature of the divine character-every precept of the divine law-every proceeding of the divine government, which forbids the indulgence of his unholy passions, and threatens punishment against his conduct, is an object of the sinner's hatred. On the one hand, unable to shun the glance of omniscience, to wrest the sceptre from the hand of omnipotence, or to evade the shafts of justice; and, on the other hand, unwilling to bow to the requirements of mercy, his malignant heart rises in rebellion against the Saviour; and rather than submit to his holy law, he would, if possible, revolutionize the government of God, and overthrow the throne of his glory. But principles and sentiments diametrically opposite to these influence and govern the heart of the true Christian. He not only knows God, but he approves of him and admires him. Every feature of his character-his holiness and justice, as well as his love and mercy—every precept of his law, its restraints, prohibitions, and commands; and every part of the economy of his government, he beholds with satisfaction and complacency. In his esteem, all the attributes of God are excellent and glorious. His whole law is holy in its nature, just in its requirements, and benevolent in its end: and all his ways are distinguished by mercy and truth. The Christian would not, if he could, have any thing altered to suit his own convenience, pleasure, or interest, at the expense of the Saviour's glory, or in contradiction to his blessed will. In his esteem, Christ is the standard of excellence, by which he would have every thing tested;

and his will the authority to which he would have every thing

submit.

Thus, the Christian loves God: and from love to God there springs another principle, as enjoined in God's word, namely, love to his fellow-man. He loves the Christian, his brother. He is bound to him by the dearest ties, and the most powerful and special obligations. He loves him and sympathizes with him in affliction. He loves him and delights in his society. He loves him, and feels it a pleasure, as well as a duty, to minister to his comfort and promote his happiness. He loves the sinner, too, if not with the love of approbation, yet with the love of compassion. It is Christ's command-" Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." He loves the poor heretic, too, though he is commanded to hate his pernicious ways, and to have no fellowship with him. Though he may feel it to be a public duty to draw aside the vail from his Protean form, and trace tlie deceiver along his slimy sinuous course into the secret recesses of error, yet after all he loves him, and would delight to do him good, and promote his eternal and temporal welfare. For the welfare of man, he is ever willing to spend and be spent.

While he loves God, he hates all sin. Whatever pleasures, honours, emoluments, sin may promise or present, he rejects them all; and whatever sufferings, reproaches, or deaths may attend the course of obedience, he welcomes them for the honour of Christ he loves him more than life, and is prepared to lay it down for his sake.

I might dwell at some further length upon the principle of obedience, but I have not time. However, with regard to love to man- -with regard to obedience to God,-these duties are so plain that I suppose there will not be much debate upon them on the present occasion. "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning :" but he that "is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."— 1 John iii. 8.

Then with regard to the third principle, the Christian enjoys the blessings which God has promised to him in the Gospel. Here is an ample field for expatiation; but I can only just mention those blessings. I say, then, first, that the Christian enjoys the pardon of sin through Christ. Secondly, he enjoys the privilege of access to God through Christ.Thirdly, he enjoys the witness of the Holy Spirit through Christ. And, fourthly, he enjoys a title to the blessedness of eternal life through Christ.

These are my views of a Christian, and his principles. But before I sit down, I would just show you what Î believe a