may be hearers of the words of life, who have never been renewed in their minds; for "all men," to whom the gospel comes, "have not faith." Who are the unhappy individuals? Lord, am I one?

It is the design of this discourse to describe all those persons who dwell in Christian lands, without possessing the least degree of saving faith. With the poor pagans we have, at present, no concern. All who hear the gos. pel do not believe; and to-day the question to be agitated, respects neither a weak faith, nor a strong faith, but those persons who have no faith. Those unhappy children of the curse, who are not delivered from a state of condemnation, by the Redeemer, may be reduced to SIX CLASSES.

THE FIRST Comprehends all those persons who discard divine revelation. Not every one who says, "I have no saving faith," is without it; for the tender conscience, from fear of fatal delusion, may judge uncandidly, but every one who openly avows his rejection of the Holy Scriptures is an enemy to Jesus, and is convicted of infidelity by his own lips.

Christ said to the unbelieving Jews, "ye are of your father, the devil," "because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not."" He that is of God heareth God's words: ye, therefore, hear them not, because ye are not of God." John viii. 44, 45, 47. To Pilate the Son of God said, "every one that is of the

truth heareth my voice." John xviii. 37. The apostle John testifies, saying, "he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of ■ God heareth not us. Hereby know we the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error." 1 John iv. 6.

Those who profess to consider the Bible a fictitious revelation of the divine will, who say that the facts recorded never took place, and that such a person as Jesus is represented to be never lived, never died, never offered himself to take away sin, plainly declare that they have neither fled to Christ for a refuge, nor accepted him for their personal Deliverer. They despise his righteousness, or believe that it could avail, only for himself. No man will rely upon testimony which he thinks false, and no man will ask of Christ that salvation, which the unbelieving heart deems him unable to give.

On this subject be not deceived. Many wish to pass for very good men, and demand that you should account them to be heirs of salvation, when they give the clearest proof of dishonesty, by resisting the amplest evidence of the authenticity of divine revelation. God declares that they are not his friends; Christ disowns them; and why should we receive them, with the acknowledgment, that they are lovers of the truth? They say con cerning themselves, that they have no faith, and the Spirit of the Lord affirms the same.

IN THE SECOND class of men who have no saving faith, are comprehended all person who are habitually immoral in their conduct There is a world, which lieth in wickedness which is governed by wicked motives, which disregards the authority of God; and which is full of sinful practices. "Whosoever is born of God overcometh this world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" 1 John v. 4, 5. If any one has not brought his body and spirit in some measure into subjection to Christ, he has no faith; for every one that is a believer is de livered from the unrestrained reign of sin. Lusts operate within the unbeliever, and he consents to obey them. Never has he made any serious determination to deny ungodli. ness; never has he prayed for assistance to subdue his sinful passions; and his appetites, like the wind, take him away. Those who have faith may occasionally, through the force of great temptations, commit heinous offences, but if any one is notoriously vicious, it is written with sunbeams, in characters which all may read, that the fear of God is not before his eyes, and that the desire of deliverance from sin by Christ, is not in his heart. Those who deliberately consult to perform the works of the devil, are of the devil; and i by their fruits we know them to be children

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of wrath. No liar, no thief, no drunkard, no gluttonous person, no adulterer, no lascivious person of any description, no covetous being, no profane swearer, no murderer; no person that habitually disregards the Sabbath, the word, and ordinances of God; no child of malice, envy, slander and revenge; has eternal life abiding in him. Not one person who deliberately consents, before the time of transgression, to do wickedly, and plots mischief on his bed, is a new creature. contrive to be unjust, that you may inherit unlawful gain; or do you allow yourself in unkind actions?. You are immoral in your determinations and actions; you have no faith in that God, who is the Rewarder of all that diligently seek him, who blotteth out the iniquities of his people, but is the avenger of every wrong. The external actions of men are regulated by their internal thoughts, feelings and volitions. Were the openly vicious to receive the gift of faith, they would perceive that sin is death; that the way of transgressors is hard, that the paths of wisdom alone are amiable; and would instantaneously cease from doing evil.

When I speak of open immorality, let it be understood, that the crimes of slander, needless contention, consoriousness, and churlishness of deportment, when commonly indulg ed, constitute as satisfactory evidence of the

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destitution of faith, as profane discourse, or lasciviousness. Show me a man, woman, or child, who daily discovers, dissatisfaction with the prosperity of others, who delights to expose faults, who always imputes the worst of motives, who is gratified with the degradation of the useful, who has the tongue of Potiphar's wife, and I will prove that such a creature's character has been formed by the corruptions of human nature, and the influence of the devil; yea, I will prove, that the Spirit of God has never communicated the principle of saving faith, has never implanted the smallest seed of holiness. We do not wish that any should think the malignant, the wrathful, the allowedly envious, and the selfapproving churl, pious. Of Nabal it was said, "he is such a son of Belial that a man cannot speak to him." If any man's character resembles that of Nabal, if he is a morose, unkind, unmerciful, unthankful being, say, and God will support the declaration, that all such offenders are destitute of faith in the meek, compassionate, affectionate, and courteous Man of Sorrows.

THE THIRD class comprehends all those who are merely moral persons. If men possess not something more than the exterior of Christianity, they are of the people, who have not faith. The body without the Spirit, the form of Godliness without the power, is dead. Various things may combine to produce what