make it an infallible guide. There are many important questions which it cannot answer: it can never of itself tell how God can be just, and yet at the same time justify the sinner: it is fallacious: it starts aside like a broken bow: it is corrupt and blind, proud and daring, and will often call a man to lean where he ought not. A wise man will not trust to another's understanding more than to his own: he will not lean on human nature: he knows it is a broken staff, “ Whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it."

"In all thy ways acknowledge Him: " thou art encouraged thereto by his stooping very low to acknowledge thee.

It is urged by Infidels, that under pretence of exalting Revelation, we insult and trample upon reason, which also is the gift of God. But they should show what is the use and extent of reason, and what are the subjects which fall under its cognizance. Reason was made to learn, not to teach. What the eye is to the body, reason, or understanding, is to the soul. Eph. i. 18. The eye, though ever so good, cannot see without light: reason, though ever so perfect, cannot know without instruction. Reason is that which knows: but instruction is the cause of its knowing; and it would be as abşurd to make the eye give itself light because it sees by the light, as to make reason instruct itself because it knows by instruction. The phrase, therefore, light of reason, is improper, since reason is not the light, but an organ for the light of instruction to act upon. Nor do we any more derogate from the perfection of reason. when we affirm, it cannot know without instruction, than we derogate from the perfection of the eye when we deny it has a power of seeing in the dark. Christ

MISCELLANEOUS REMARKS.

alone, who is the Sun of Righteousness, has in him the perfection of light, even all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; and it is the office of the Holy Spirit to take of the things of Christ and show them unto us. The things which are above, can only be manifested to us by the light which is above. What sort of revelation would that be wherein there is no mystery, and wherein nothing was told but what we might know without a revelation?

While error, and unbelief lie at the root, a sneer is often the sinner's best argument. See the unbelieving lord, 2 Kings vii. "Behold, ye despisers, and wonder and perish." There are not a few, who would rather stand before a sword than a sneer: duels testify this. But it is the property of sound judgment, to detect the difference between a sneer and an argument.

The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords. Of this complexion are,—the cant of hypocrites, the charity of bigots and fanatics, the benevolence of atheists, the professions of the world, the allurements of the flesh, and the temptations of Satan when he appears as an angel of light.

We should get a well-grounded conviction of the Opinion," says one,"is vanity of popular opinion. the queen of the world." Most certainly it is a tyrant which enslaves, and, in the end, destroys many.

He who lets the caprice of opinion be the rule of his actions will waver in uncertainty without precision or dependence upon himself.

The world does not want me, nor I it: My business is at home, and in a narrow compass.

Never oppose great names to divine declarations. From what God has done, we may collect what He will do.

As no great character should lead us to evil, so not the meanest instrument should make us treat truth lightly. Rather should we be willing to follow the smallest light, and use the least hint; especially should we attend to the most glimmering ray of truth, when it comes with divine authority. In so doing, God will send us further illumination, till our path becomes as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

We are equally in danger of making others a pattern for ourselves, or ourselves a pattern for others, and thus miss the true standard. "Call no man Master; neither be ye called Master."

When any thing presents itself as agreeable, desirable, or advantageous, always inquire," How long will it last?" Few things can bear this mortifying question without shrinking.

Our difficulty as fallen creatures does not consist in knowing what we like, but in knowing what is worth liking, and how to like it. Some say, "I know what I like:"- -so does the carrion crow that feeds upon a

carcase.

We must not expect fine things to descend to us; but our taste must be made to ascend to them. Wisdom will not drop into the mouth at every yawn.

The vanity of present things, and the weight of unseen things, appear in proportion as we contemplate them. Although in this world, our comfort and joy in the Lord is but like a winter's sunbeam, yet from hence we can form an idea of what is laid up for us in heaven; and though a poor and imperfect notion of the sun is given by its faint watery rays in winter, yet it is an idea which a blind man can never obtain.

One great advantage we derive from the historical

parts of Scripture is, that they embody doctrines. We may see in the thief on the cross the nature of repentance. We here see that what the law could not do, was easily effected by divine grace. No doubt if this poor creature had been unbound, the language of his heart would have been, "Let me devote hands and feet, as well as heart and tongue, to thy service."

An ability and an opportunity to do good, ought to be considered as a call to do it.

Nothing discovers more the presence of God in the soul than self-possession: it is one effect of having put on those graces described. Col. iii. 12, 14. The presence of God is a great antidote to fear. Ps. cxii. 7. Isaiah xliii.

The Christian's heart, like a clock, has a continual tendency to go down, and equally needs winding up again. Sabbaths are good days for this purpose; but the business must also be repeated every day; and the most advantageous time is the morning, before the cares and anxieties of the day begin to intrude. There is no better way to end a truly spiritual life, than daily to begin such a life.

It is but a partial view which many pious persons seem to have of the church at this day with respect to its ordinances. They are not satisfied if they do not individually receive some help and improvement from the preacher. They do not consider that going to church is rendering a homage to God: though that ordinance may impart much good to the hearer, it is rather intended as a public acknowledgment of God as a Governor and Protector. Sunday is particularly set apart for that consideration: it is an opportunity for manifesting our regard to Him, as God. Therefore there can be no excuse for our not frequenting the

church, because the minister is not all we could wish. The children of Israel did not cease to frequent the Tabernacle, though Hophni and Phineas administered: they still made their acknowledgments. God has said, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst." Abraham planted a grove: perhaps it was more convenient in hot countries. The sons of God presented themselves before the Lord: it is an act of homage: the place is nothing: it is the sentiment. The Israelites came only to the door of the Tabernacle, because there was no room for the whole congregation. I knew a clergyman who was so deaf that he could not hear, and yet would be in his pew on Sundays as constant as any one. I remarked to him that I thought he could not hear: he replied, that he felt it his duty to attend for example's sake. There is however no general position which will not meet with objections: but that is no argument against it: for the position is the same though liable to objections.

"We are come to the spirits of just men made perfect," and hold communion with them by our spirits. We have communion with them in their love to God, as children of the same Father-as claiming the same title

-as having the same inheritance-the same blessed mansion; and we unite with them in the same praises.

THE END.