faileth; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. This God is my God for ever and ever: he will be my guide even unto death." The apostle says, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." We might add, if we committed our souls for this life only, however important in itself; still, without an eye to that day, it would be of little moment.

4. When faith commits these important concerns to Christ against that day, it always discovers him as unspeakably worthy of being trusted, and is persuaded that he cannot be trusted in vain. The apostle says, I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him. It is this discovery that makes the believer deposit his soul in the hands of the Redeemer with confidence and ease. Every thing about this transaction is too weighty and important to be committed to any, unless he is an object worthy of the highest trust. The believer trusts him with the soul, his better part. He employs him about the most important work-salvation from sin and wrath; and for a period of no shorter duration than eternity. These things are of infinite consequence, and plainly show that the object entrusted must be seen able to manage

such momentous concerns.

Faith considers and credits the account given of Christ in the Scriptures, where he is pointed out as worthy of the highest confidence. There he is expressly called the Most High God, and the most indubitable proofs of his divinity are adduced. He is exhibited as God in our nature. He became man

that he might suffer in our room, and have an expe rimental acquaintance with our miseries. In his official character the Scriptures exhibit him as appointed and sealed by his Father, to purchase immortal souls, and heaven as their eternal inheritance. Every where, they declare that he has done it in his death. Thus we read of the redemption of the purchased possession, and that the saints are redeemed, not with corruptible things, such as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ. Redemption is always spoken of as the fruit of his death, and his blood is expressly declared to be the price. The Scriptures represent him as full of grace and truth, and exhibit him in the most amiable and endearing relations, to induce sinners to entrust him with their souls. They proclaim that he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto him. This declaration must include his willingness. Without this, a revelation of his ability could never yield comfort to a soul oppressed with guilt, and would be directly opposite to the glad tidings of salvation. In the word he is expressly set before sinners as the great ordinance of God for salvation; and it is the amount of Divine revelation to beseech them to come, behold his worthiness, and commit their souls to him for salvation. In the very act of entrusting Christ with the soul, faith has actual experience of his being worthy. Coming, believers find rest. In the act of stretching forth the withered hand, it is healed. Committing itself to Christ, the soul leans and rests on him, and the believer finds himself safe as on a

rock or in a garrison; and every renewed act of faith increases this comfortable experience.

5. When faith has got a discovery of Christ as worthy of trust, and has actually committed the soul into his hand; though many attempts should be made to shake it, it is not easily moved. After Paul had employed Christ for salvation, many endeavours were used to shake his confidence; but all in vain. When he wrote this, he was under cruel persecution, and had the immediate prospect of a painful and ignominious death. But none of these things moved him. So it is with believers. Faith proceeded on good and infallible grounds when it first surrendered the soul to Christ. It ventured on the promise and oath of Jehovah. Acting in this manner, was the result of deliberation, and produced solid satisfaction. The poor believer had tried many other objects, and found them inadequate, and refuges of lies. Wearied out, he left them all, as Lot the cursed city, devoted to destruction. Now, when harassed with temptations about the unworthiness of Christ, faith cannot but be persuaded that He is infinitely worthy of being trusted as a keeper, who, being God, undertook to be the surety of sinners, and gave himself to be a propitiation.

Almost innumerable are the attempts to shake the soul that has entrusted Christ against that day. Unbelief makes a constant business of it. It insists upon the improbability of God dying for his creatures, and for such a guilty wretch as the person's self. It urges that we have never seen him, that we have no

ground of confidence but a slender promise, and that, considering our guilt, a bare word is no sufficient ground. Satan joins league with unbelief, and urges a thousand things to shake the soul. Particularly, he improves adverse dispensations of Providence for that purpose, and suggests that, if Jesus would care for the soul against that day, he would certainly keep it in a more comfortable situation, and not allow it to be assailed by so many troubles. He constantly insinuates that, if Christ had taken charge of the believer, his corruptions would not be so powerful and troublesome. Besides, he oppresses the soul with a flood of horrible suggestions against God, all tending to point him out as cruel and severe. The world too joins these enemies, and uses all its industry and art to shake the confidence of the saint. It tries to allure him from Christ. Presenting itself a rival, it claims the heart. Borrowing Satan's language, it says, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt worship me, and not one whom thou hast never seen. It urges the most flattering promises. It constantly talks of its pleasures and profits. It represents an anxious care about eternity as unnecessary, ridiculous, and vexation of spirit. If it does not prevail by these seducing arts, it endeavours to terrify the saint. Such as believe on Christ, if they continue steadfast, are reckoned unworthy of life, and often the most formidable instruments of death are employed, with all the severity that hell can dictate, or malice invent, to extirpate them. Thus unbelief endeavours to argue us from Christ. Satan exerts himself to seduce or terrify us from the exercise of

faith and the world takes every possible method either to prevent religion by ridicule and cruel mockings, or raze it to the foundation by exterminating such as profess it. But all in vain. Christ has apprehended the soul, and by faith it has apprehended him. The saint is joined to the Lord, and is one spirit. The Holy Ghost is the bond of union. He is the immediate agent who produces faith; and he preserves it. He supports it under trials, and increases it in proportion to their severity and number. Believers are kept by the mighty power of God. While the Lord supports and strengthens their faith, they use every mean to increase it themselves. They have many arguments and considerations calculated to keep it firm and from staggering, and especially according to our text, that day, that great and important day, which they had in their eye when they first believed, is still before them.

6. Under all attempts to shape it, faith in Christ strengthens itself by considering its object and exercise. Amidst Paul's great sufferings and severe hardships, he strengthened himself by reviewing what he had done, and considering anew the glorious Person whom he had trusted. These words, "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him," evidently imply that, while he had acted faith before, he was just now considering that great Person whom he had trusted, and pondering on his amazing worth. Impressed with his dignity, and stupendous love, he was persuaded that all he could suffer for him, scarcely deserved the name, and that instead of cast