he mercy of God out of Christ, in which so many vainly and vaguely
trust, should become obscured by the inflexible justice and spotless
holiness of His character and if the solitary spirit, as it is dragged
towards the mysterious precipice, is made to hear, from a voice which it
can no longer mistake, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all
things which are written in the book of the law to do them,"--how
unspeakably miserable must be the condition of the man who thus
discovers, for the first time, that the sand which he had all his
lifetime been mistaking for the "Rock of Ages" is now giving way under
his feet, and that his soul must speedily sink into that state in which,
"where the tree falleth, there it shall be;" where "he that is unjust,
let him be unjust still;" and where there is "no work, nor device, nor
knowledge," nor repentance.

But that I may not be misunderstood, or be supposed to favour principles
of barren speculation, more delusive and dangerous to their possessors,
and to the best interests of society, than absolute ignorance itself--I
would remind the gallant men to whom I am now more especially addressing
myself, that that faith which saves the soul not only "worketh"
invariably "by love," and gradually "overcometh the world," but that "it
is the gift of God," implanted in the heart by His Holy Spirit, even by
that Spirit which is freely given to every one that earnestly asketh.
And however unable the simple soldier may be to explain either the
nature or the manner of its operation, he must not deceive himself into
the persuasion that he is possessed of this precious grace unless he
feels it bringing forth in his life and conversation the abundant fruits
that necessarily spring from it, and that cannot indeed be produced
without it. He will be steady and zealous in the performance of duty,
patient under fatigue and privation, sober amid temptation, calm but
firm in the hour of danger, and respectfully obedient to his officers;
he will honour his king, be content with his wages, and do harm to no
man. His piety will be ardent but sober, his prayers will be earnest and
frequent, but rather in secret than before men; he will not be
contentious or disputatious, but rather desirous of instructing others
by his example than by his precepts; letting his light so shine before
them, in the simplicity of his motives, the uprightness of his actions,
in his readiness to oblige, and by the whole tenor of