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of mere worldly virtue, they will be made to feel that it exhibits a faithful image of their moral condition, detects the lurking hypocrisy of their hearts, and holds them up to their own contemplation, under the ignominious aspect of worth less pretenders and paltry formalists. When they hear its reiterated references to those who deal "guilefully;" who offer God the service of the body while their hearts are far from him;" who present "vain oblations, but delight not in obeying the voice of the Lord;" who have a "form of godliness, but deny the power thereof;" who are, to all human appearance," fair and honest," while their inward man is defiled with wickedness, and inhabited by "vain thoughts;" when, I say, they hear the frequent references of the "Word of truth" to such persons, and have brought before them the many illustrations of their hollow and deceitful character which it furnishes, can they fail to see that it truly represents their own likeness, and displays before their mind's eye, in vivid but faithful delineation, those secret imaginations and hidden artifices, which they thought were confined to their own knowledge? When they are directed in their thoughts to our Lord's description of the Pharisees, who "for a pretence made long prayers, and paid tithe of mint, anise, and cummin, while they omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith;" who "made clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but were within full of extortion and excess ;" and who, while "they appeared outwardly righteous unto men, were within full of iniquity and hypocrisy," is it possible for them to escape from the impression that they are themselves virtually described? No; their similitude is set before them true to the life; and however fain they may be to avert their inward sight from its bloated aspect, they are compelled to acknowledge its correctness, and thus to testify the detecting power of the Gospel.

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I might adduce other and not less striking illustrations of the description which, in our text, is figuratively afforded of the "Word of truth." It would be no difficult matter, indeed, to shew that it is a mirror in which every variety and class of character are exhibited in their moral features; or, in a word, that no man can attentively look into it without feeling that its reflective power is such, as to present him to himself, in the actual reality of his spiritual condition, without the least exaggeration in the blemishes or in the virtues that may attach to him.

In conclusion, my brethren, I would put the question to each of you,-To what purpose have you heard the Gospel? Some of you have sat for a shorter, and others for a longer period under its preaching. I dwell not upon that; but having listened to its revelations, having enjoyed the privilege of its instructions, having stood, as it were, before its glass, what, I ask of every one of you, has been the result? It surely cannot be that you have come Sabbath after Sabbath to the house of God, and retired as often without carrying.

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away salutary thoughts in your memories, and serious impressions in your hearts. You must, at least, have seen your guilty and polluted condition set before you in all the reality of truth; and having seen it, is it possible that you can have remained satisfied with that condition, or that you have left at the doors of the sanctuary all thoughtand concern about it? Is it possible that you can have allowed those truths which are fraught with the interests of eternity, to be overshadowed or banished by the vanities of earth? And can you, whether you may have been the slaves of vice, the advocates of a self-righteous dependence, or dealers in hollow formality, can you, after seeing the deformity of such characters in the mirror of the Gospel, still contentedly consent to be of their number? Alas! it may be so-the Word of truth declares it, for a man may be and not a doer of the Word," because he forgets it. And it concerns you far above all earthly interests to take heed unto your way according to God's Word. If you have any wish to be freed from those defects which you may see in your character; if you have any wish to be prepared for appearing in the presence of unspotted holiness, without those stains which must render you subject to its consuming indignation, it behoves you to take a steady and impartial view of yourselves in the mirror of the Gospel, and to resolve, in the faithful application of the means which are therein prescribed, that you may be thoroughly purified, and furnished with every ornament of the Christian character. To continue to forget the condition in which the "Word of truth" exhibits you, is just the way to ensure your fixture in that condition; and though you may be blind to the fact, it is not the less true, that every time you turn away from the representations of the Gospel, you are increasing the danger of being left to that state of judicial infatuation, which is realised by those to whom the Gospel is said to prove the "savour of death unto death."

THE EARLY PROTESTANT CHURCH OF
FRANCE.
No. II.

BY THE REV. JOHN G. LORIMER,
Minister of St. David's Church, Glasgow.

But

IN a former paper, I gave a short account of the Protestant Church of France, from its origin to its greatest glory in 1571, when it could count above 2000 congregations, many of them very numerous. The progress was exceedingly rapid, and indicated the outpouring of the Spirit of God in a remarkable manner. matters were not long permitted to remain in this prosperous condition. Provoked, it would seem, by the amazing growth of the cause of God, the great adversary of the Church stirred up the most violent opposition against her members, and, doubtless, their own shortcomings also lent an important influence in bringing down upon them the heavy chastisement under which they were now destined to groan. No sooner had the Church of France become eminent for character and numbers, than she became eminent for her sufferings. The day of affliction often follows quickly upon the day of prosperity.

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Various are the forms of persecution which the Church | of Rome has employed, but the present was, perhaps, one of the most savage and cowardly of the whole. A scheme was devised for treacherously cutting off the whole Protestant population at least the influential portion at a blow; and to a considerable extent the scheme was successful. I allude to the massacre of St. Bartholemew's day, in 1572,-a massacre which was begun at Paris, at midnight, upon unoffending Protestants collected into the capital on false pretences, and which was afterwards extended to the country, lasting for days and months, and destroying not less than sixty or seventy thousand persons. The first who fell was Admiral Coligny, eminent at once for his rank and his piety. Many Christian men imagine, that persecution must always render good service to the Church of Christ, that the blood of the martyrs must always prove the seed of the Church. But various sad cases, and this among others, shew that the experience is not universal. The Protestantism of France was deeply and permanently injured by the exterminating persecution to which it was subjected, and so did it fare with the early Protestantism of Italy and of Spain. Multitudes," says Quick, were frighted out of their native land, and others were frighted out of their religion. In such a dreadful hurricane as that was, no wonder if some leaves, unripe fruit, and rotten withered branches, fell to the earth and were lost irrevocably." The leading Protestants, in point of rank and political influence, were destroyed, and so the body of the people were left the more exposed to the violence of their enemies. Unlike the Protestants of Scotland, those of France never, even in their greatest strength, rose to such numbers as to divide the population of the country into any thing like equal parts, nor to acquire such power as seriously to affect the movements of the ruling party. Government was always in the hands of Popery, and almost always hostile, and so the suffering was great, and apparently without end. For six years after the massacre, the annual meeting of the General Assembly of the Protestant Church was discontinued. It was not safe to meet; and when, in 1578, the Synod did assemble at St. Foy, no special notice was taken of the recent persecution. The only allusion is to be found in the appointment of a general fast, in the course of which it is said, For as much as the times are very calamitous, and that our poor churches are daily menaced with many and sore tribulations, and that sins and vices are rising up and growing in upon us in a most fearful mana general day of prayer and fasting shall be published, that our people may humble themselves before the Lord." While the brave and heroic manner in which the Protestant Church stood out the savage persecution to which we have referred, proves how enlightened and sincere was the profession of faith which her members generally inaintained, the fearful increase of wickedness, of which the fast appointment speaks, was doubtless the fruit of the persecution. When the Protestants were reduced in number and discouraged in spirit, when apostasy deteriorated the character of many of their friends, and enemies were emboldened to act as they pleased, and to triumph in cruelty, it is not wonderful that crime broke out in fresh virulence, and that the country was marked with the presence of an angry God. Nothing very remarkable occurred in the history of the Protestant Church till 1598, or twentysix years after the fearful massacre of St. Bartholomew. During all that protracted period, the Protestants might be said to be an oppressed people, any liberties which they enjoyed were by mere sufferance, and were ever liable to be, nay, were, frequently invaded. The most arbitrary and unreasonable restrictions were imposed upon their meetings for divine worship,-still they maintained their ground. For several years after the massacre, the diminution of their numbers was not very serious,

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though their spirit may have declined. By a singular providence of God, the ministers were spared from the destruction of the persecution, as if reserved for another harvest, and this tended to keep the people together. A new and greatly improved edition of the Protestant version of the Scriptures, revised by the College of Pastors and Professors of the Reformed Church at Geneva, of whom Beza was one, was published at this time, and, under the divine blessing, exerted a favourable influence in maintaining and diffusing a knowledge of the truth. But other influences were in operation, which were destined to affect the Protestant Church most perniciously. Before considering these, we shall quote a few facts and circumstances from the proceedings of the National Synods, or General Assemblies of the Church, which were held from the period of the massacre, in 1572, till the year 1598. These assemblies were only six in number in a course of twenty-six years; but they serve to illustrate the character of the Church, and frequently present her in an interesting light.

Well aware that, under God, a chief share of the prosperity of the Church is ever dependent upon the character of her ministers, the Protestants of France, with great wisdom, continued to devote much of their attention to the qualifications and faithfulness of their religious teachers. There is no subject which is more frequently, or earnestly, pressed upon individuals and Churches, than the necessity of educating young men for the ministry, the poverty and danger which were associated with the profession, the decline of the Church, and the temptation of other pursuits, seem to have rendered such calls peculiarly urgent.

"Whereas divers persons do solicit this National Synod to supply the congregations, who have sent them hither, with pastors, they are all answered, that at present we are utterly unable to gratify them, and that, therefore, they be advised to set up propositions of the Word of God, (i. e. religious services,) and to take special care of educating hopeful young men in learning, in the arts, languages, and divinity, who may hereafter be employed in the sacred ministry; and they are most humbly to petition the Lord of the harvest to send labourers who may get it in."

"Because there is every where a visible decay, and a great want of ministers, and that some provision may be made for a succession, the Churches shall be admonished by our brethren, the provincial deputies, that such as are rich, would maintain some hopeful scholars at the Universities, who being educated in the liberal arts and sciences, and other good learning, may be fitted for, and employed in, the sacred ministry."

"The deputies of every province are charged to advise and press their respective provinces, to look carefully to the education of their youth, and to see to it, that schools of learning be erected, and scholastic exercises, as propositions and declamations, be performed, that so their youth may be trained up and prepared for the service of God and of his Church in the holy ministry.

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The colloquies shall be exceedingly careful, that that article of our discipline, concerning the maintenance of poor scholars designed for the ministry, be diligently observed, and that they make report of it unto their Provincial Synods, and the Provincial Synods shall give account thereof unto the National, that so it may be manifested how they have performed their duty in this particular. But forasmuch as the expedients contained in that article are not sufficient for this end, and the Church's stock is very mean and low, the farther consideration hereof is referred unto the General Assembly at St. Foy."

Indeed, so zealous was the Church in this matter, that she resolved to apply to the King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde, and other lords professing the Reformed Religion, and to beseech them to contribute

liberally "towards the maintenance of poor scholars and candidates for the ministry; "-" and all churches are exhorted to press this duty vigorously upon their richer and more substantial members." Nay, to such an extent did the zeal of the Church reach, that where a Protestant had acquired a right to tithes, he was entreated to consecrate them, not to private profit, but to pious uses, such as the "education of scholars who be the seminary of the Church;" and he was censured if he refused. And when a suitably qualified minister was found, he was not allowed to secularize himself, poor as his outward provision might be. It was expressly decreed, that a minister should be permitted neither to exercise the office of a judge nor to practise medicine. And as soon as any minister departed from the faith, or refused to submit to the discipline of the Church, he was set aside. At one Synod, we read of seven ministers being deposed, and at another of twenty-four; the latter number included vagrants." In some cases there may have been harshness, but the circumstances of the times required zeal and determination, and it is not easy always to separate these from severity. The directions addressed to ministers, as to the manner in which they should preach and catechise, are good.

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Churches shall be admonished more frequently to practise catechisings; and ministers shall catechise by short, plain, and familiar questions and answers, accommodating themselves to the weakness and capacity of their people, without enlargements, or handling of common places. And such Churches as have not used this ordinance of catechising, are hereby exhorted to take it up. Yea, and all ministers shall be obliged to catechise their several flocks at least once or twice a-year, and shall exhort their youth to submit themselves unto it conscientiously. And as for their method in preaching and handling the Scriptures, the said ministers shall be exhorted not to dwell long upon a text, but to expound and treat of as many in their ministry as they can, fleeing all ostentation and long digressions, and heaping up of parallel places and quotations; nor ought they to propound divers senses and expositions, nor to allege, unless very rarely and prudently, any passage of the Fathers; nor shall they cite profane authors and stories, that so the Scriptures may be left in their full and sovereign authority."

While thus in earnest to render the labours of the ministry as effective and interesting as possible, the Church of France did not undervalue the Word of God. She hailed the new translation of the Scriptures, and encouraged the brethren of Geneva to continue their explanatory observations; and when the copies became rare and expensive, she rejoiced in an edition being brought out at Rochelle, and entreated the printer that he have "a singular care that it be done most accurately and correctly."

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Reserving liberty unto the Church for a more exact translation of the Holy Bible, our Churches, imitating the primitive Church, are exhorted to receive and use, in their public assemblies, the last translation, revised by the pastors and professors of the Church of Geneva. And thanks shall be presently given unto Monsieur Rotan, and by letters unto our brethren of Geneva, who have, at the desire of our Churches, so happily undertook and accomplished this great and good work and they be further entreated to amplify their notes, for the clearer and better understanding of the remaining dark places in the sacred text: and ministers in the respective provinces are ordered to collect those difficult passages, and to make report of them unto the next National Synod, who shall consider which most needs explication."

With regard, again, to the sanctification of the Sabbath, another of the great means of spiritual good, we find that she was not insensible. Living in the heart

of a Popish country, where the Sabbath is uniformly desecrated, the Protestants of France may not have entertained such just and scriptural views of the sanctity of that day as other Protestants who are placed in more favourable circumstances; but the following deliverance indicates serious concern for the honour of the Lord's day.

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Whereas public notaries in divers Churches, keep open doors on the Lord's day, and pass all manner of contracts and transactions, whereby very many souls are taken off together with themselves from the religious sanctification of the Lord's holy Sabbath, it is decreed by this Synod, that for time to come the said notaries shall pass no manner of contracts on the Lord's day, unless it be contracts of marriage, last wills and testaments, articles of agreement between dissenting parties, and the amicable terminating of vexatious lawsuits, and such other business as cannot possibly be delayed; under which head fall in matters of necessity and mercy, and such contracts may be dispatched on the most holy days, provided always that such writings be not drawn up, nor executed, during the time of divine service, and of the public worship of God; and their offices shall be shut, if possible, whilst they be thus employed.

Nor was the concern less for the honour of God's

name.

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All swearers, who, in passion or hastiness, do take the name of God in vain, and others who affront the divine Majesty, shall be most sharply reproved; and if, after one or two admonitions, they do not refrain, they shall be suspended the Lord's Table. And all outrageous blasphemers, forswearers, and such like persons, shall in no wise be tolerated in the Church, but upon the first offence shall be punished with suspension from the Lord's Supper, and if they continue in their ungodliness, they shall be publicly excommunicated. And this assembly voted unanimously, that when the deputies of the provinces shall be returned to their several respective homes, they shall cause this article to be read in all the Churches, in the audience of all the people.'

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ALL CHRISTIANS ARE NOT ALIKE.
BY THE REV. DUNCAN MACFARLAN,
Minister of Renfrew.

THE extraordinary diversity of character observable among true Christians, has often led to misapprehension, and we fear, on some occasions, to misrepresentation. Religion itself is the same in every case, but its effects are almost necessarily different. Speaking of religion in the abstract, it is pure and unmixed, but the very moment that it becomes the property of man, it appears under all the peculiarities of individual character and special circumstances. Men of different constitutional tendencies will, under the same teaching, both feel and act differently. Two men laid on sick-beds and suffering from different complaints, may, with great similarity of Christian attainment, be the one cheerful and the other depressed. Those who, like Timothy, have known the Scriptures from their childhood, and those who, like Apollos, have been taught in advanced life, are not likely to speak, or even to act in all respects alike. Then, there are differences arising from the peculiarities of the teacher or class of teachers, under whose ministry different individuals have been instructed; and this will be the case, even when these belong to the same Church, and teach substantially the same doctrines. But beyond these, there are different churches or denominations ; and even such of them as may be accounted orthodox, will nevertheless differ materially in the particular cast of Christian character given to their members. The expressions "I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of

Cephas, and I of Christ," must be founded on certain the seed of the word, and that seed begetteth a common alleged differences; and these, whether real or imaginary, likeness, and that likeness becomes more and more perwill give a special cast to the religious character of in- fect, with the progressive conformity of each individual, dividuals. And then there is beyond all of these mani- to the image of their common head. But till this be fold diversities of character, growing out of different perfected,-" till we all come in the unity of the faith, states of society; as among persons of different ranks, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect different countries, and different ages. The absolute man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of neglect of differences so great and diversified, would Christ," there will be a difference even in religious obviously lead to very erroneous impressions; and where character. And as this process of perfecting will not they are but little attended to, the effect must be pro- be completed till death, so neither will this assimilation portionally the same. However, we have sometimes of Christian character. The wood, and the hay, and the observed what we were disposed to account misappre- stubble, must first be burned up, and the gold and silver hensions of religious character; and even misrepresen- must be purified from their dross. They must be so tations founded upon these; and all of them springing purified, as that the image of Christ will be fully remainly from this source. We have heard truly Chris- flected in them. But even then, all difference will not tian men desiderate in others, what was little else than be obliterated. Abraham is still Abraham, though he a portion of their own peculiarities, and condemn in has now received the promise; Lazarus is still Lazarus, others, things not more special than those which they though resting in Abraham's bosom. And they, who would have them to possess. We have thus been some- come from the east and from the west, from the north times reminded of the feelings of men but little ac- and from the south, have each their special hymn of quainted with the natural history of their own race; praise. However, one of the very marks, which God of the negro looking upon the European as less perfect has impressed on all his works, is that of endless and than himself, because different in colour and features; yet graduated variety. The heavens would declare less and of some of the wise Europeans, doubting whether a brightly the divine glory, if they did not exhibit a poor Bushman be in reality of the same race with them- variety of starry lights and an assemblage of systems selves. It is not abstract reasoning, but an abundant which the wisdom of man shall never fully grasp. And detail of the natural history of man, which will dispel one of the main evidences of a divine cause, in the subsuch illusions respecting his outward appearance; and jects of natural history, is just their endless variety, as little do we expect, that mere doctrinal and contro- combined as this is with order and consistency, renderversial discussions will lead to a similar result respecting the whole harmonious. And so doubtless will it ing the moral and religious character of men. Instead of these, therefore, it is our wish merely to detail a few of the varieties in question; and in doing so, to draw our illustrations mainly from Scripture example or from what we may have personally observed or read in works of authority, and which may be verified by all to whom the subject is a matter of interest.

SECTION I.

THE RELIGION OF ABSTRACT STATEMENTS NOT THE
RELIGION OF THE HEART.

All are to a greater or less extent familiar with the difference which exists between Christianity as a sys-tem, and the Christianity of the heart. When we speak of the former, we mean the doctrines and duties of revelation, forming together one general system. When we speak of the latter, we mean the moral furniture of a renewed heart. This last indeed cannot be properly spoken of, in the abstract. The Christianity of the heart, though an expression, has properly no separate existence. It is intended merely to express the condition of the heart, under the influence of religion. The one, therefore, is the revelation of God's will in the word, and the other the operation of that will in the heart. Both of them are dependent on the Spirit of God. He speaks in the word, and speaking effectually through the word, he operates upon the heart. But these very facts lead to a difference. He speaks singly through the word; the will of the inspired writer not being allowed to mingle with the will of God. But he speaks not through the heart. He operates upon the heart. Like the clouds of heaven bearing from place to place their watery treasures, were those originally intrusted with divine communications. They merely received and transmitted them to others. The things revealed are still carried from place to place, and by the blessing of God, they descend on many a heart, with generating and fructifying power. But as the natural rain, which watereth alike the mountain and the valley, the corn field and the comparatively barren heath, giveth not to the plants of each their particular form and character, but these remain dependent on soil and other special circumstances; so the same Gospel truth produceth in different men and classes of men effects apparently different, that is, different in form and special character. In all, there is

also be in the new creation.

The difference thus noticed, between the abstract statements of the Word, and the concrete forms of the human heart, may be abundantly illustrated from the Scriptures themselves. Divine wisdom has so arranged, that we have in the same revelation, statements of God's will, and descriptions of the operations of that will on the heart. These statements are to be found throughout the Scriptures, and so are the examples; thus enabling us to compare them together. We have, for example, the revelations communicated to the patriarchs, and with these, we have the character of an Enoch and a Noah, an Abraham and a Lot, an Isaac and a Jacob, a Job and his friends. Then we have the Mosaic dispensation, with its more abundant revelations and its corresponding examples; its Moses and Aaron; its Joshua and Samuel; its David and Josiah; its Elijah and Elisha; its Daniel and Nehemiah, and its Simeon and Anna.

And then we have the revelations of the New Testament, and under their teaching, we have the apostles of our Lord; Paul and his companions, such as Barnabas and Timothy; and with these many in private life, such as the Roman Centurion; the Philippian Jailor; Lydia the seller of purple, and those particularly mentioned in the different epistles. Now let any one read, first the revelations communicated to the patriarchs, and then the history of some of the most noted under that dispensation, and he will not fail to rise with very different impressions. And let him do the same, respecting what occurs under the Mosaic economy, and then, if we mistake not, the difference will be greater. But if from these he proceed to the Christian, it will be greater still. Read, for example, our Lord's discourses, and then examine the sentiments and feelings of his disciples, who constantly waited on his ministry, and see how different they are! Or take again the discourses and epistles addressed to the apostolical Churches, and then read the account given of these in such epistles as those addressed to the Corinthians and Galatians, and you will not fail to observe differences sufficiently stumbling. One cause is, that while the abstract statements of the Word are altogether perfect, the subjects of their teaching, even when divinely influenced, are exceedingly imperfect. "Noah was a just man and perfect," when compared with "his" own " 'generation,"

and yet he has left behind him a blot of character, associating his name with a vice chiefly prevalent among the godless and profane. "Lot" is described as just," and as being "vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked" in Sodom, and yet he fell into transgressions foul and unseemly, even in the estimate of the world. Jacob wrestled with God and prevailed, and had besides many precious seasons of communion with the Highest, and yet was he, in some respects, rightly called a "supplanter," for he discovered, on various occasions, more of the feelings and policy of this world, than of one who felt himself to be altogether as a stranger and pilgrim. Job was declared by Jehovah himself to be "perfect and upright," beyond any then living, and yet, when sorely tried, even his religious feelings were deeply tinged with the characteristics of fallen humanity. Moses also was meek above all men, and yet he sinned at Meribah, and left his bones, with those of other transgressors, in the wilderness. Samuel was from his birth dedicated to the service of God, and his life, so far as it is recorded, is almost spotless, yet in his old age, he committed the government to his sons, and they proved unfaithful, and this led to one of Israel's greatest sins their seeking a king to the rejection of Almighty God. David also was anointed with holy oil when but a youth, and, in some respects he proved a man "after God's own heart;" yet, as a man, he fell into very heinous and scandalous offences. But it were tedious, and perhaps unprofitable, to recount the special blemishes of all the characters adduced. "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are," and among the disciples even of our Lord, there were, besides the traitor, a doubting Thomas, an ambitious James and John, and a Peter who denied his master. And if such were the faults and blemishes, even of the most perfect, how much more of such as were comparatively laden with iniquity! The eye of Jehovah seeth the precious seed, though small and buried in the earthliness of our nature; but in the eye of man, many doubtless would be castaways, who are truly the Lord's servants.

There is another view of such examples as these which ought not to be overlooked. They are all different from the Word in its pure and abstract character, but they also differ one from another. Compare the religious character of Peter with that of John, or Thomas with that of Paul, and how marked the difference! And thus it would also prove, were we to examine all the other examples referred to. They would be all found to agree in the substantials of religion, and all to disagree in constitutional character and circum

stances.

Now this ought, in the first place, to silence the sceptical objection, that there is no truth in religion, because the lives of men do not strictly agree with the regulations of the Word. The objection itself proves a very important doctrine of the Bible, namely, that of our fallen condition. If the influences of religion received no moral tinge from the impurities of the heart, this would doubtless be held to disprove the alleged corruptions of our fallen nature. But seeing that, be the truth ever so pure, and the natural character of the individual ever so amiable, the effect is imperfect and bears upon it marks of moral impurity, we ought not to reason otherwise than that the heart is itself impure. And apart from this reasoning, it ought to be evident, even to such as deny all such doctrines, that the character of a simple principle is one thing, and the effects of that principle, modified and determined by other principles, is something wholly different. Seed precisely the same, if sown upon different soils, and culti vated according to special methods, will yield, not different crops, but crops differing greatly one from another. And the same medicine administered to patients, differing in constitution and circumstances, will operate very differently. And if it be thus with the things that grow

out of the ground, and even with the body, it is not to be wondered at, that it should be so with the soul.

Another prevailing error, which ought to be corrected by a knowledge of these facts, is the persuasion, that because no believer does in all points come up to the description of the Word, and because some do greatly deviate from it, we are to regard the whole as a matter of contemplation, rather than realization. We fear that there are many who regard declarations of the Word, respecting the inhabitation of the Spirit, the union of the soul with Christ, and intimate communion with God, as either figurative language designed to mean much less, or as intended to be to us a matter of contemplation merely, and not to describe any thing which is the common property of every believer. And we have sometimes observed, that when the actual experience of Bible Christians was referred to, they put it off by alleging that they lived during an age of miracles, and that such things are not now to be expected. Now with regard to this allegation, the best answer is, that the same Word which records those examples, expressly declares that the experience in question was to belong to every true believer, and that if any man has not the Spirit of Christ, that man is none of his. And then the difference observed between the abstract statements of the Word, and the actual experience of individuals, is resolved into the matters explained in this section. There must be a difference between religion as spoken by God and felt by man, a difference not essential but in form, and strongly apparent. And there will be a difference between different individuals, though of the same like precious faith. And therefore we infer, that such as are thus prejudiced against what may, for distinction's sake, be called heart religion, do fearfully deceive themselves. Suppose the mathematician, accustomed only to his diagrams and abstract speculations, to be let forth, for the first time, on a voyage of discovery; and suppose him to judge of every thing he saw, simply from his generalized notions of what every thing ought to be, how very inapt, though substantially correct, would all his opinions prove themselves to be. just so is it with the merely speculative professor. He has only principles in the system of his belief. But to understand these, he must see them in operation. He must experience their power on his own heart, and he must observe it among others.

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CHRISTIAN TREASURY.

And

A Summary, in review, of the First Chapter of Peter's Second Epistle. The whole of the chapter hath been a sweet garden of grace and mercy. The first flower was a salutation, and that is a wish of mercy. The second, a promise, and that is a word of mercy. The third, a consolation, and that is a work of mercy. The fourth, an exhortation, and that is the way to mercy. The fifth, a witness of our election, and that is an assurance of mercy. The sixth, an induction to heaven upon earth, and that is a high degree of mercy. The seventh, a testimony from heaven, and that was the voice of mercy. The eighth, a word of performed prophecy, and that was an argument of mercy. ninth, an illumination of the Gospel, and that is a light of mercy. The last is the glory of heaven, and that is the full day and perfection of mercy. Through these blessed degrees, my discourse hath brought you; first, we began with peace, then dwelt long with grace, and lastly, are come to glory. This peace possess your consciences, this grace beautify your hearts, and this glory crown all your souls.-ADAMS.

The

The Source of Dependence in Prayer.-When you send your prayers, be sure to direct them to the care of the Redeemer, and then they will never miscarry.— MATT, HENRY,

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