of religious truth, and what it contains is binding on the conscience. It gives us the most exalted, spiritual, and becoming ideas of God, setting forth his infinite perfections and blessedness; as well as his relation to man, dominion over his creatures, providential dispensations, and gracious influences. It presents the most exact and affecting account of man, showing our dependance on God, revolt from him, obligations to him, as well as requires and directs our worship and obedience suitable to such discoveries. It opens the amazing counsels of God concerning man, unveils his glory in the face of Christ Jesus, displays the riches and extent of his free grace, draws out the glorious scheme of human redemption, exhibits the admirable, concurring, and yet distinct parts which the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, have undertaken and performed respecting it; and instructs us how to render these divine persons or subsistences in the Godhead acceptable religious worship and homage suitable to the manifestations they have made of themselves to us. It gives affecting descriptions of this world, as well as that which is to come, and insists on our rendering different regards to them respectively, that all things may be managed with a steady and explicit reference to eternity, and a subserviency to a safe and abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

In short, the Scripture teaches us all that we are concerned to know and believe, all that we ought to avoid and practise, for promoting the glory of God, and securing our present and future happiness. While we are thus instructed, in the full extent of doctrine and duty, the sacred volume also leads us to the sufficiency of divine grace, which is necessary to enable us to perform the will of God, and shows us the true way in which all

our works of obedience become acceptable to him. All this it states, recommends, and urges, by the most persuasive arguments, and enforces by the most indispensable necessity that a divine order can enjoin.

to men.

The noble system of divine truth contained in the Bible, is infinitely honourable to the perfections and government of God, and most intelligible and beneficial It is suited to dispel the darkness in which sin has involved them, to relieve them from tormenting fears, to remove the heavy load of accumulated guilt, to impart to them a delightful assurance of divine favour, to purify their hearts from all the defilement of sin, and to elevate their minds to the joyful hope of a glorious immortality. These things are set before us with the greatest advantage; and shows nobler principles and ends, obligations, motives, and assistance, for the right observation of them, than ever the light of reason would suggest.The knowledge of doctrines, precepts, and promises, as contained in the Scriptures, is an intellectual and moral excellence adorning the church of Christ.

In the holiness of her members. A religion that does not inculcate holiness of heart and life, is not of God, because it does not accord with his moral perfections and the rectitude of his government. He cannot be the Author of such a system, nor give it the sanction of his approbation. A community who profess the true religion, but are not practically holy, are not his people. These are the words of our Saviour, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." The religion of Christ is adapted to our condition and circumstances, as fallen, ruined, helpless creatures, and is wonderfully constructed to show us the nature and turpitude of sin, give a new bias to the will and affections, humble us under a sense of guilt, cancel

our numerous offences, introduce principles of holiness into the heart, cause them to operate effectually, and enable us to walk before God "in righteousness and true holiness all the days of our life."

Observe this religion, in the cause that gave it existence, in its design and capability to answer the beneficial end so freely proposed, and it will appear a system admirably adapted to deliver us from sin, and bless us with holiness; that, regaining the image of God, we may enjoy him. This is its avowed design, and on this ground it is asserted, that "he that committeth sin is of the devil," and "he that is born of God sinneth not." A real Christian, being born from above, is the subject of a great moral change: his disposition, tempers, principles, apprehensions, pursuits, enjoyments, associates, are all changed; he is created anew in Christ Jesus. He ascribes this to the free grace of God in Christ Jesus, as is the case with all genuine Christians, forming the true church. "Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it, with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

This holiness of Christians is the most essential part of the beauty and excellence of the church of Christ. God, who is "glorious in holiness," says, "Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy." True believers are made "partakers of his holiness;" having the "Spirit of holiness," they bring forth "fruit unto holiness;" the practical path in which they walk, is the "way of holiness;" and they are to" continue in holiness," even "perfecting holiness," till they are "unblameable in holiness." This

is the indelible impression, the broad seal, which God puts on his own church. "The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his; and, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." There can be no alteration as to this important point, and by this mark is the true church distinguished.

In their unity and love. Divine love is a principle of union, which not only harmonizes discordant passions in the human mind, but forms the most powerful cement among men, especially our fellow-Christians. Love is the sum and abridgement of the moral law, which contains two general commandments:-" First, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart: secondly, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Whatever men may pretend to in Christianity, if they lack this principle, they are nothing, and their religion is vain. The apostle says, "He that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." St. Paul gives it the preference to all other graces and virtues, and urges it thus:" Above all things put on aуan love, which is the bond of perfectness." St. Peter thus exhorts Christians to secure it, as the crown of all other virtues, "Above all these things have fervent ayan love among yourselves." St. John, in exalted strains of rhetoric and oratory, presses mutual love. He introduces it as the great and solemn message which the Son of God came to deliver to mankind; "This is the message that we heard from the beginning, that we should love one another." The primitive Christians were so remarkable for this invaluable grace, that the heathen saw and confessed its prominence, saying, "See how these Christians love each other!" and their ardent

love to each other, very much supported the credit of their profession, and tended greatly to promote the progress of Christianity.

The principles of this holy religion disarm man of all offensive and injurious passions. Its benevolence destroys animosities, causes angry resentments to subside, and stamps on our moral nature "good-will towards men." Peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who made peace through the blood of his cross, lays a solid foundation for establishing peace among men. They who enjoy a sense of the love of God, will, influenced and directed by that divine principle, love each other. Our Saviour makes this the distinguishing badge of his followers: " By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." St. John produces this as a mark of a sound conversion: "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren: he that loveth not his brother abideth in death.” This union of love is thus admirably expressed by the Psalmist, "Behold, how good and pleasant it is, for brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, that went down to the skirts of his garments." This love perfumes the whole body. Believers, joined to Christ their living Head, are his mystical “body, fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, unto the edifying of itself in love." For this important purpose, the great Head of the church, "gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all