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turity is revealed, we must ac-| Bible in their hands would have knowledge it to be from him. known the certainty of the event,

The fulfilment of prophecy and consequently the nations callproves the divinity of our reli-ed Christian, would rise in a body gion by occular demonstration. to dethrone the holy see. InfiWe can have no reason to doubt dels might thence argue, that the of the truth of prophecy, and con- Christians palmed these prophesequently of the truth of revela-cies upon the world, and then had tion, when we see instances of the impiety to arise to fulfil their things which could no ways de- false pretensions. Such artifices pend upon human conjecture, are frequently practised upon a foretold with the greatest clear-smaller scale, and would undoubtness, and fulfilled hundreds of edly detract from the evidence of years afterward with the greatest our religion.

exactness. We actually see in But the prophecies though obthe state of men and things around scure are equally certain. The us, the completion of many of the blinded protestant nations see not prophecies; and there is no room the period appointed for the to suspect so much as a possibility downfal of the man of sin; and of forgery or illusion, since the consequently instead of helping prophecies are received in books to pull down antichrist, they af which have been constantly read ford him all possible support. in public assemblies these nine- This, though base in them, is a teen centuries; nay, they have thing in which God's glory is ulbeen translated into all languages, timately advanced. The infidels dispersed through all nations, and themselves are at this day the commented upon by different au- persons who directly fulfil the prothors of different ages, of different phecies of Daniel, of Paul, and of nations, and of different ranks. John. Our eyes behold a real Obscurities there are indeed in miracle, an ample confirmation of the prophetic writings, for which our holy Scriptures performed many good reasons might be as- by divine Providence, through signed, and this particularly be- the instrumentality of his very cause prophecies are the only enemies. Time, which detracts species of writing which is de- from the evidence of other wrisigned for the instruction of future ters, is daily adding something ages more than the times for to the credit and authority of the which they are written. If the prophets. prophecies had been delivered Future ages will comprehend in plainer terms, some persons more than the present, and the might be for hastening their ac- present more than the last. And complishment, as others might at- the perfect accomplishment will tempt to defeat it. Men's actions produce a perfect knowledge of would not appear so free, nor all the prophecies. Many passaGod's providence so conspicuous ges might be cited in that book in their completion. If, for in- which we hold in our hands, and stance, the apostle John had de- the events corresponding to them clared that the Pope of Rome pointed at in the fate of the Arabs, should be dethroned in the year the Jews, the Turks, and the fol1798, all those who have the lowers of antichrist. In confirma

tion of the visions of Daniel and as an immediate message from John, we now see antichrist tum- God to the soul. "He that bebling from the throne of blasphemy lieveth," saith John, "hath the on which he sat. In answer to witness in himself," 1 Epis. v. the prophetic prayer of Ezekiel, 10. Was a blind man to argue xxi. 27. dreadful overturnings are against colours, and ridicule those experiencing in every quarter of who had their eyesight as often the globe. The mosque of Ma- as they spake about seeing the homet shakes, the impostor Peter sun, we would treat him with has dropped his keys, the horns contempt and pity. A blind man, of the beast which for ages push- however, who would argue against ed the church, and made her the possibility of man's having a dearest blood flow through the fifth sense, because he himself streets, are now turned against has only four, would act not more himself, and will prevail. Accord- irrationally, than infidel philosoing to Paul's prophecy, Heb. xii. phers do, who argue against the 26, 27, the heavens of political existence of an internal sentiment power quake, and the earths which realizes spiritual objects, which they overlook tremble; as much as the external eye does and those things which are now a visible objects, because they are shaking, will be changed in their themselves destitute of that prinature and aspect, so that the per-vilege. manent reign of reason, of liberty,

Christians, under the banner and of piety may bless the inha-of the captain of the Lord's host, bitants of earth with constant and are however secure from their virtuous civilization.* envenomed shafts. They may

5. And lastly, the truth of re-barb anew the arrows of former velation appears from its internal adversaries, they may dip them and external effects upon those in their deadliest poison, they may who embrace it with faith and with whirl them at the shield of faith, cordiality. but like the feeble dart of aged Whatever infidels may think Priam they will fall to the ground upon the subject, the reception without a stroke. The internal given by true Christians to the comfort, joy, confidence, and light Gospel of the Son of God, does which divine revelation communot entirely consist in that rational nicates to the believing soul, is a belief which it in common with sufficient demonstration of its auother histories forces from them. thenticity, although the saved Believers have an internal sense subject of this experience should bestowed upon them by the Holy be totally unable to answer the Ghost, peculiarly calculated to arguments of irreligion and unjudge of the truth of revelation. belief. This makes it a direct revelation to every one so qualified. It is not considered merely as delivered to, and coming from, Moses and the prophets, but principally

*The above was written some years

ago.

The external effects which revelation has had, and continues to have upon societies and individuals, are pretty generally known. Early did it splendidly triumph over every opposition which the combined force of ignorance and learning, of prejudice and of

earthly interest, of power and of wondered at, since the religion cunning, of hell and of earth, could of the Lord Jesus completely inerect. The weakest and most verts all its calculations and prosfeeble instruments completed a trates all its dignity. The highrevolution through all the nations, est ambition of sinful man is, to and the despised cross of a cruci- glorify himself; and his greatest fied Master triumphed over the happiness, to be glorified by his glittering crowns of empurpled fellow-men. His desire of dismonarchs. Those who embraced tinction is seen in every action of the Gospel, were immediately his life, and heard in every breathchanged from their vicious habits, ing of his heart; and to gratify it, to the best behaviour. Meekness, under any or every form of affluvirtue, and charity adorned their ence or pleasure, of honour or lives. They surpassed the Epi- of power, he will count no labour cureans in their care of the body, while their firmness and perseverance in the path of mental improvement, far exceeded the exertions of the disciples of Zeno. If we examine the external manners of men in this very age and country, the friends of Zion will bear a comparison with their most moral neighbours. Christianity enforces and sanctions every duty, by every motive which can effectually interest our hopes and our fears.

(To be continued.)

too severe, no sacrifice too great. That however which he esteems and pursues as the consummation of his happiness and the perfection of his nature, is but the mark of his folly and a proof of his sinfulness; and the longer he continues the vain pursuit, the more eager and desperate are the pantings of his spirit, and the further does he rove from the fountain of his peace, his blessedness, and his glory.

In this career, no man ever went with more impetuosity or success than did Saul of Tarsus. A greater or a loftier spirit never breathed in our world. His was

THE EXCELLENCY OF THE KNOW- a soul of celestial fire-his an in

LEDGE OF CHRIST JESUS.

tellect of the most enormous power and the most comprehenIT is the peculiar glory of the sive grasp his a nerve that no Gospel of the Son of God to com- danger could shake, and a zeal mend itself to the affections and that no difficulty could quenchthe pursuits of man, upon princi- whose acquisitions were as unples the most repugnant to human equalled as his talents were unriwisdom, and the most humiliating valled-whose honours were as to human pride. The preaching brilliant as his merit was transof "Christ crucified," which to cendent-who, before his converthem that believe is "the wisdom sion to the faith of Jesus, enjoyed of God and the power of God," among his countrymen every priever has been, and ever will be, vilege and distinction to which his to the prejudices of this world heart could aspire: for," if any "a stumbling-block," and to its man," says he," hath whereof he philosophy, "foolishness." This might glory, I more; circumcised reception, however, is not to be the eighth day, of the stock of

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Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, Our object in this article is, to an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as vindicate the Apostle's prefertouching the law, a Pharisee; ence, by endeavouring to show concerning zeal, persecuting the wherein the nature and excelchurch; touching the righteous-lency of this knowledge consist. ness which is in the law, blame- I. The Lord Jesus is the sum less." But all these things, and substance of whatever bewhich, before the light of the longs to the salvation, the hope Gospel of the Son of God flashed and glory of a sinner. When we its convictions upon my soul," I had insulted the government and counted gain to me;" for which despised the favour of heavenmy brethren, according to the when the cry of our rebellion bad flesh, despise the rest of the reached the ears and provoked world, and on which alone they the indignation of that God with trust for their acceptance with whom is terrible majesty," what God, "these things I counted loss stayed the arm of Omnipotence for Christ."-" Yea, doubtless," when lifted up to crush the rebel? says he, as his spirit kindles with Why did not his thunderbolts inthe subject, even now that my stantly sweep rebellious man into eyes have been opened to behold the bottomless pit, as they did the the glory of God in the face of rebellious angels? Why did not Jesus Christ-even now, with all the blackness of despair gather my Christian privileges, and my upon every soul of man? Why Christian honours, my apostleship, was not the sword of vengeance my gifts, my power, my labours, my immediately bathed in our blood? sufferings, my zeal, my purity, my It was because a voice was heard interest, my prospect, my life-in heaven, Awake, O sword, "Yea, doubtless, I count all against the man that is my fellow!" things but loss for the excellency It was because Jesus bared his of the knowledge of Christ Jesus breast and poured out his blood, my Lord." Give me every thing till the Avenger said, "It is else that my heart can wish or enough." Oh, if the lightnings my imagination conceive, and if 1 of heaven had not streamed and have not the knowledge of the exhausted their fury around his Lord Jesus, I should suffer infi head, thick and horrible darkness nite loss. In comparison with had for ever enwrapped our earth, this, all other things have no va-save what glimmerings these lightlue, no beauty, no attraction, no nings had produced, to make our glory. This life would be a bur-darkness more visible and our den, this earth a wilderness; yea, despair more awful. But because heaven itself would be a dungeon Christ interposed for our help, without the knowledge of the when all creation had justly conLord Jesus. To gain this, is the spired for our ruin, this darkness supreme desire of my affections, vanished, the thunders ceased to the exclusive object of my pur- roar, the deluge of the divine suit, the great blessedness of my wrath was rolled back to hell, being. "Yea, doubtless, I count the rainbow of the eternal coveall things but loss for the excel-nant smiled on the heavens, while Jency of the knowledge of Christ swift from the paradise above Jesus my Lord." came the angel of mercy bearing

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in her hands the olive of peace, clothes us with a garment of more and on her lips the accents of than angelic beauty. Christ alone love, to welcome and conduct the is the fountain of whatever enters ransomed of the Lord up to the into the life, the peace, the hope, bosom of their Saviour and their the glory, of a ransomed sinner. He God. "God is in Christ recon- has the Spirit poured out upon him ciling the world unto himself without measure, and he distrinot imputing unto men their tres- butes the gifts of this Spirit to his passes for he hath made him to followers, as they severally need; be sin for us who knew no sin, so that there is not an aspiration that we might be made the righ- of their hearts after higher comteousness of God in him." In munion with their Father, not a ourselves we have neither right- victory they gain over their coreousness, nor hope, nor help; and ruptions, not any strength they unless we are covered with a robe experience in their conflicts, not of complete, perfect righteous- any consolation they obtain under ness, in which the eye of God their trials, not any elevation of himself cannot find the least blem- their hearts above surrounding ish, not one of us can live. But difficulties, not any expansion of now, O wondrous and transport- the good and holy principles of ing truth! since God has set forth their renovated nature, not any the Lord Jesus Christ as the pro- progress they make in the race pitiation for sin, this is our tri- set before them, but flows from umphant challenge--" Who shall the life and fulness of the Captain lay any thing to the charge of of their salvation. He is not only God's elect? It is God that justi- the source of their beauty, but fieth. Who is he that condemn- he himself is the beauteous model eth? It is Christ that died, yea, to which they are to be conrather that is risen again-who is formed.

also at the right-hand of God- And while he carries them on who also maketh intercession for from strength to strength, and us." The righteousness and from glory to glory, in every blood of Jesus alone can pacify tribulation through which they our conscience and satisfy the de- have to pass, he revives their mands of God. "There is none hearts-in every moment of sorother name given under heaven row he kindly wipes away their among men, whereby we must be tears-over every enemy he saved." And as Jesus is the only, makes them more than conquerso he is the perfect Saviour. ors-and their last enemy, the There is no sin of too deep a stain, king of terrors, he transforms into excepting the sin against the Holy an angel of peace, to carry up Ghost, which his blood cannot their spirits to join the spirits of wipe away-there is no con- the just made perfect.

science so enanguished but he II. We have nowhere but in can soothe its pain-there is no the Lord Jesus any adequate view heart so hard but he can soften it. of the perfections of the divine naHis blood cleanses not only from ture. God is, in his own nature, the guilt of sin, but from its pol- altogether incomprehensible. He lution and power. He not merely dwells in light which no man can strips off our filthy rags, but approach unto; and yet the true

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