First Day. Of the scarceness of true faith

I. " WHEN the Son of Man Cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?'' Luke xviii. 8. If he should now come, would he find it in us? What fruits of faith have we to shew? Do we look upon this life only as a short passage to a better? Do we believe that we must suffer with Jesus Christ, beibre we can reign with him? Do we consider this world as a deceitful appearance, and death as the entrance to true happiness? Do we live by faith? Does it animate us? Do we relish the eternal truths it presents us with? Are we as careful to nourish our souls with those truths, as to maintain our bodies with proper diet? Do we acQiistom ourselves to see all thiDgs in the li:ht of talth? J)o we correct all our judgments by it? Alas! the gieater part of Christians think and act like mere heathens. If we judge (as we justly may) of their faith by their practice we must conclude they have no faith at all

II. Let us fear, lest the kingdom of God should be taken from us and given to others, who may bear better fruits. " That kingdom of God," is faiih reigning in us and governing all our thoughts. Happy he, who has eyes to see this kingdom. Flesh and blood cannot discern it. The wisdom of the animal man is v-lfuHy blind to it. The inward operations of God appear as a dream to liim. To know the wonders of God's kingdom, we must be born again; and to be born again, vre iiuist die: tliis is what the world cannot consent to. Let the world then despise and censure, and condemn the truth, as it pleases: as for us, O Lord thou hast commanded us to believe, and to taste thy heavenly gift.'' We desire to be of the number of thine elect, and we know that no person can be of iliat number, who does not conform his life to what thou teachcst.