"Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?"-JAMES ii. 22. FAITH AND WORKS. Lo! where the Boatman stems the flowing tide, Look at the honest waterman plying at his daily occupation. He has just left a passenger on the other fide. See with what precision he guides his little boat. By pulling both oars with equal strength, he makes rapid progress, and steers straight. He leaves the waters foaming in his track; this is called his wake. If he should lay in either of his oars, his progress would at once be stopped. As long as he plies both, he goes a-head; but let him pull but one ever fo hard, and he could not advance a foot. Round and round he would float, in eddying circles, for ever. In vain would his passengers await his arrival-in vain would his wife and little ones expect his return; he would never more return; probably drift out to sea, and be lost in the immensity of old ocean. The above engraving is an emblem of Faith and Works united. The Christian has a "calling," or occupation, in which he makes progress so long as faith and works are united. They are to him as a propelling power, urging him forward in his pathway to immortality. He exerts a holy influence wherever he goes, and leaves a brilliant track behind him. It is seen that a man of God has been there. But let him lay in one of his oars; let it be faid of him, "He hath left off to do good," and his progress in the divine life will at once be checked. Let him lay afide "Faith," and the effect will be the fame. He may, indeed, go round and round, like a millhorse, in a circle of dry performances, but he will never reach the Christian's home. In vain will his friends, who have gone before him, expect his arrival; he will never fee the King in his beauty. The current of fin will bear him outward, and downward, and land him eventually in the gulf of the loft. Some there are who have "faith," yet who are destitute of "good works." "The devils believe," but they neither love nor obey-devils they continue. Deists again, men who believe in the being and unity of God, but reject the Bible as an inspired book, have faith. But are their works perfect [good] before God?-will their faith save them? All antinomians are of this class. Some, on the other hand, strive to abound in "works," who yet are deftitute of "faith." Cain, who brought his offering, and flew his brother Abel, was of this class. The Pharifees, who paid tithes of all they possessed, and who cried out, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" were also of this number. The professors of "good works," in our own day, who have no true faith in Chrift, are of this number; for all offerings whatsoever, that are not perfumed with the odour of Chrift's facrifice, they are an abomination to the Lord. In Abraham we fee faith and works admirably combined. "He believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness," "and he was justified by works, when he had offered Ifaac his fon upon the altar." "Thus faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect." In fine, where there is a scriptural "faith," that faith which is the evidence or conviction of unseen realities, there will be "works" corresponding thereto, as surely as there is life while the foul is in the body. On the other hand, where there is no true faith, there can be no "works" acceptable to God, no more than there can be life when the foul has left the body. "For as the body without the spirit is dead, fo faith without works is dead alfo." "With a furious man thou shalt not go."-PROV. xxii. 24. "The fimple pass on, and are punished." Prov. xxii. 3. PRECIPITATION, OR RASHNESS. Behold the rash, impetuous charioteer. Thus wilful youth to passion gives the reins, The youth above is seen driving furiously along paths replete with danger. The road, if road it |