VIII. thus offered us, we are bound to fulfil the DISC. condition on which they are offered, and to promote the purposes for which God will help us! That we fhould "add to our faith virtue; to virtue, knowledge; to knowledge, temperance; to temperance, patience; to patience, godliness; << to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to "brotherly kindness, charity ";" are the great duties of our profeffion, the duties which God the Spirit will aid us to difcharge. In this work of falvation, this attainment of Chriftian perfection, this completing of the Christian character, our own vigilance, our own endeavours, our own defires, are requifite; but ftill* more requifite are our frequent and fervent prayers to God, that of his mercy he will direct and fanctify us: fuch prayers will not be ineffectual; "For this is the con"fidence we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will, he ་ DISC. "heareth us";" and " he will not fuffer VIII. us to be tempted above that we are "able, but will, with the temptation, alfo "make a way to escape, that we might be "able to bear it "." 31 I St. John, v. 14. 32 1 Cor. x. 13. DISCOURSE IX. Victory by Faith, over External Condition, I ST. JOHN, v. 4. Whatfoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our Faith. Το IX. O be born of God, is to obey from DISC. the heart that influence of the Divine Spirit, which directs, and enables us to forfake the paths of wickedness, and to follow the commandments of God made known to us by Christ. Whoever hath IX, DIS C. experienced in his foul and manners fo entire a change, as that from being regardless of religion he should become serious; from fcarcely acknowledging God, he should now make it his firft and chief care how to ferve, honour, and glorify God; from beftowing not a thought on the ftate of his foul, he fhould now be anxious to fecure his falvation in a future life, by embracing the Gospel promifes and obferving the Gospel precepts, by believing and acting as a Chriftian; fuch a man is ftyled, in the language of Scripture, a "New creature":" new he is in his thoughts towards God; new in the feelings and reflections of his own mind; new in his actions towards his fellow-creatures. By unfeigned piety to his Creator, his Redeemer, his Sanctifier; by the seasonable practice of religious exercises; by refifting the temptations of corrupt appetite; by confcientioufly avoiding every kind of fin; by a difpofition to fupplicate his Heavenly Father in all wants and neceffities either of foul or body; by IX. reliance on his mercy and goodness for fuch DISC. relief as may be expedient; by a firm confidence that those who walk humbly with Chrift, fhall be recompenfed in a future ftate; by ftrict justice in all his dealings; by fincere benevolence to all mankind ; by forgiveness of injuries, and pardon even of enemies, fo far as confideration of his own fafety will allow; by all these tokens will the convert from fin manifeft, that through God's grace he is in a manner "born again":" and to him it will be given, by the strength of religious faith, to overcome the world. Let us examine how faith is to operate with an energy fo powerful. By the world may be understood, the various circumftances which affect the conduct and happiness of man during his continuance upon earth; and of these the chief are, External Condition, Inward Temper, and the Infirmities of Mortality. In all thefe, religious faith will make us fpiritual conquerors. 2 St. John, iii. 7. That |