can do nothing as an interpreter of the divine word. It may discuss some incidental matters, arrange historical testimonies, settle a genealogy, argue a various reading; but what can it make of the infinitely momentous discoveries of Revelation which faith alone can receive and apply? This Christianity wants not an interpreter, but conversion; not direction, but life; not the common aids of literary remark, but the transcendent helps of the Holy Spirit.

WHAT, THEN, IS YOUR INTERPRETATION of the HOLY BOOK? Tell me its nature, and I will tell you what your faith is, and what the state of mind in which that faith resides.

But the case is plain. Multitudes of professed Christians read the Bible with a veil upon their hearts. They see, but perceive not; they read, but understand not; they hear, but they comprehend not. The defect is not in the object, but the faculty; not in the book of God, but in the will of man; not in the smaller errors of interpretation, but in the want of the first elements and materials of religious perception.

Let each one, then, who is conscious that he has never understood his Bible-that it has been as a sealed book--that its mysteries have been a stumblingblock, and its doctrines as foolishness to him—HUMBLE HIMSELF BEFORE THE THRONE OF MERCY, AND IMPLORE THE GRACE OF THE ILLUMINATING SPIRIT; let him seek that aid which removes impediments and obstacles from the mind; which changes the heart; which abases the soul under a sense of sin, and elevates it with the hope of pardon in Jesus Christ. Then all will be clear. Interpretation will become, as I before observed, rather intuition than reasoning. All the mysteries of salvation will lie open in their practical use to his eager view; the import and force of every part of Scripture will commend itself to his conscience; the inward possession of the blessings treated of will correspond with the description of them,

as the impression on the softened wax answers to the seal; and diversities of interpretation will shrink into their true insignificance.

This is the grand distinction. Do we interpret the Bible by grace or by nature; by mere reason, or by the aid of the Holy Spirit; by dint of labour and study, or by experience; by the powers of science and the application of intellect, or the voice of conscience and the feelings of the heart? Do we rest satisfied with the shell and surface of Christianity, external and incidental matters, a theoretic scheme of doctrine, and the creed of a national church; or do we penetrate to the life and interior meaning of Christianity, reach its essential discoveries, understand its scheme of salvation, and adhere to it from an inward perception of its unspeakable benefits?

If, on this all important question, any doubt remains, let us solve it by SEEKING MORE EARNESTLY AND DECISIVELY FOR THE AIDS OF GRACE; let us examine our state before God; let us, by prayer, imbibe and drink in the heavenly influences; let us never rest satisfied till we know the truth, and the truth has made us free from the chains and degradation of sin and Satan.

And let the sincere student of Scripture, whose faith and love are bringing into his heart all the treasures of the divine word, grow and advance in that HUMILITY AND TENDERNESS OF SPIRIT, which are the best preservatives against the minor evils of different interpretations of Scripture. The real danger from these evils is not from the passages thus expounded in various manners, but from the self-will, the pertinacity, the dogmatism, the spirit of controversy, which the great spiritual adversary may take occasion to infuse. mility and love preserve our own rights of judgment entire, but avoid the bitter fruits of obstinacy and division. The vital and fundamental points are held in meekness and charity; the incidental ones in silent

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and unobtrusive opinion; whilst that blessed time is waited for, in which the operations of the intellect and the emotions of the heart shall be for ever harmonized in the revelations of a world, where knowledge and love will be united in their highest exercises, never to be disjoined or clouded through eternity.

363

LECTURE XXV.

THE UNIVERSAL OBLIGATION WHICH LIES UPON EVERY HUMAN BEING TO OBEY DIVINE REVELATION.

JOHN iii. 18-21.

He that believeth, is not condemned; but he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world; and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth, cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God.

We have done with the evidences of Christianity; we have concluded our argument. We turn now to entreaty, to feeling, to the impression which we desire to leave on every heart; to the universal obligation under which every one of us lies to receive the Christian Revelation with a true and lively faith; such a faith as carries with it all the practical ends for which Christianity was designed, and terminates in EVER

LASTING SALVATION.

Nothing can be a stronger proof of the corruption

of man, than that any topic like this should be necessary. We might have supposed that the question would have been to convince men that they were permitted to share in such vast blessings. We might have supposed that the difficulty would have been to persuade them that the fountain of grace and salvation stood really open to all; that God invited his fallen creatures to happiness; that he welcomed a weary, heavy-laden world to truth and rest.

And this is, indeed, the question with every penitent and contrite inquirer. The difficulty is then raised, not upon man's part, whether he will receive the blessing or not, but as it regards the offended Majesty of heaven-whether it be indeed permitted to the sinner to approach his footstool, and drink of the fountain of felicity and joy. When the heart is submissive, there is no want of simplicity in appreciating the evidence, no want of eagerness to partake of the benefits; but much fear and apprehension lest it should lose such unspeakable mercies through unworthiness or unbelief.

But with the great mass of mankind the case is the reverse. Nothing is so difficult as to convince them of the paramount obligations of Christianity. They slight its claims; they elude its demands of faith and obedience; they efface from their hearts the deep impressions which truth from time to time infixes.

It becomes, therefore, most important to set distinctly before them the universal obligation under which every human being lies, to submit to the Christian Revelation.

Now, we may argue this, or rather enforce this— for I abstain from further direct argument-by reminding you that men are already bound to obey and love God by the STRONGEST ANTECEDENT OBLIGATIONS; that Christianity is so excellent in itself, that THE SLIGHTEST EXTERNAL EVIDENCE is sufficient to oblige men to obey it; that THE SIMPLICITY, VA