To render this subject more evident, let the following particulars be duly considered.

First: It is by the belief of truth that sinners are brought into a state of salvation.-Great things are ascribed in the scriptures to faith: but faith could have no existence without revealed truth as its foundation. Whatever importance, therefore, attaches to the one attaches to the other. The great blessing of justification is constantly ascribed to faith; not as the reward of a virtue, but as that by which we become one with Christ, and so partakers of his benefits. While unbe-, lievers, we have no revealed interest in the divine favour; but are declared to be under condemnation : but believing in him, we are no longer "under the law," as a term of life and death; but "under grace." Hence it is, that in the gospel, as "heard and received," we are said to "stand." Take away evangelical truth, and you take away the standing of a christian. Bereaved of this, the best man upon earth must despair of salvation.

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Secondly Truth is the model and standard of true religion in the mind. That doctrines, whether true or false, if really believed, become principles of action; that they are a mould into which the mind is cast, and from which it receives its impression, is evident both from scripture and experience. An observant eye will easily perceive a spirit which attaches to different species of religion; and which, over and above the diversities arising from natural temper, will manifest itself in their respective followers. Paganism, Mahometism, Deism, Apostate-Judaism, and various systems which have appeared under the name of Christianity, have each discovered a spirit of their own. Thus also it was from the beginning. Those who received "another doctrine," received with it "another spirit :" and hence we read of " the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error." He that had the one is said to be "of God," and he that had the other "not of God."*

Revealed truth is represented as "a form of doc trine into which believers are delivered."* As melted substance, cast into a mould, receives its form from it, and every line in the one corresponds with that of the other; so true religion in the soul accord with true religion in the scriptures. Without this standard, we shall either model our faith by our own pre-conceived notions of what is fit and reasonable or be carried away by our feelings, and lose ourselve among the extravagant vagaries of enthusiasm. Ou views may seem to us very rational, or our feelings may be singularly ardent; and yet we may be far from being in the right. The question is, Whether they agree line to line with the divine model? God saith in his word, "Seek ye my face." If our hearts say unto him, "Thy face, Lord, will we seek," then does line answer to line; and this is true religion. Is it a leading feature of evangelical truth, that it honours the divine character and government? It is the same with true religion in the mind. Does that manifest love even to enemies? So does this. Is it the object of the former to abase the pride of man? It is no less the nature of the latter to rejoice in lying low. Finally: Is the one averse to all iniquity, and friendly to universal holiness? The other, dissatisfied with present attainments, presseth towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Thirdly Truth is that which furnishes the motive for every exercise of true holiness.-If once we are enabled to behold its glory, the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, it changes us into the same image, begets and excites holy affections, and every kind of gracious exercise. Hence we are said to "know the truth, and the truth to make us free;" to be "sanctified through" it, and "begotten by" it.†

It is not denied, that there is much of what is called morality in persons who know and believe nothing to

* Rom. vi. 17. ↑ John viii. 32. xvii. 17. James i, 18.

purpose of evangelical truth. Honour, interest, and the habits of education, will induce men to shun open immoralities, and to comply with things which are reputable and praise-worthy. But though there be great cause for thankfulness to God, who by his providence thus restrains mankind from much evil; yet this is not holiness. Holiness is the love of God and one another; whereas this is mere self-love. All works and worship of this kind are no better than the offering of Cain, which, being without faith, could not please God.

And as there may be a semblance of holiness without faith, so there may be a semblance of faith without holiness. The doctrines of the bible, though in themselves practical, yet may be treated as mere speculations, and frequently are so by men who profess to believe them; and where this is the case, instead of producing holiness, they may have a contrary effect: but this is owing to their being perverted. God's words do good to the upright. There is not a sentiment in the living oracles but what, if received in the true spirit and intent of it, will contribute to the sanctification of the mind.

True religion is with great beauty and propriety called, "Walking in the truth."* A life of sobriety, righteousness, and godliness, is christian principle reduced to practice. Truth is a system of love, an overflow of the divine blessedness, as is intimated by its being called, "The glorious gospel of the blessed God:" a system of reconciliation, peace, and forgiveness; full of the most amazing condescension, and of spotless rectitude. To walk in truth like this is to walk in love, to be tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us; to be of the same mind with him who made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant; and to be holy in all manner of conversation.

Such were the fruits of truth which were actually brought forth by the primitive believers; and such, in

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different degrees, notwithstanding the many defects and scandals which abound amongst us, are the fruits of it in true christians to this day. Thousands of examples, both in earlier and later times, might be produced, in which men who previously walked according to the course of this world, in rioting and drunkenness, in chambering and wantonness, in strife and envying, on embracing the doctrine of Christ crucified, have put off all these, and become, as it were, new creatures.

It is also worthy of special notice, that in every instance in which the primitive churches deviated from the doctrine of the apostles, they appear to have degenerated as to zeal and practical godliness. A careful review of the epistles to the Corinthians, the Galatians, and the Hebrews, who departed more than any other churches from the simplicity of the gospel, would furnish proof of the justness of this remark. It was not without reason that Paul observed to the Corinthians, " Evil communications corrupt good manners;" by which he appears to have meant the communications of false teachers, who endeavoured to undermine the resurrection, and other important truths. And such was the " corruption of manners" which accompanied these notions, that, degenerate as we consider ourselves, compared with the primitive christians, if any one of our churches tolerated the same things, we should be almost ready to pronounce it a synagogue of Satan. Among other things, they divided into parties, boasted of the talents of their preachers, connived at the most unnatural kind of fornication, went to law with one another, communed with idolaters at their temples, and profaned the supper of the Lord, by appropriating it to purposes of sensual indulgence! Such were the fruits of error.

If we look into the epistle to the Galatians, who had been turned aside from the apostolic doctrine of justification, we shall find fruits of the same kind. They are described as "not obeying the truth," as foolish," as in a manner "bewitched," as having

lost their former "zeal," and rendered their christianity a matter of "doubt," as needing to have "Christ again formed in them:" and it is strongly intimated that they were guilty of "biting," and as it were "devouring" one another; of" fulfilling the lusts of the flesh," and of coveting "vain-glory, provoking one another, and envying one another."*

If the Hebrews had not, in turning aside from the truth, been injured in their spirit and conduct, it is very improbable that such language as the following would have been addressed to them: "Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith, To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness, when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years: wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their hearts, and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest. -Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God! Exhort one another daily while it is called to day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin!"-Neither is it likely that they would have been exhorted to "look diligently, lest any man should fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up should trouble them, and thereby many be defiled; lest there should be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birth-right;" if no such symptoms had ap peared amongst them. Finally: It is not probable that so solemn a warning against "whoredom and adultery" would have been introduced, and the offen ders cited as it were to the tribunal of God, if there had been no occasion for it in their own conduct.+

Whether these instances of the pernicious effects of error in the primitive churches, be not in direct

* See ch. iii. 1. iv. 11, 19, 20. v. 7, 15, 16, 26.

† Ch. iii. 7-13. xii. 12, 13, 15, 16. xiii. 4.