derstood ancient modes of fpeaking, not conformable to our own--ancient errors, generated in times of ignorance-modern prejudices, and opinions, grafted on texts of fcripture mifapplied-have united with other caufes in disfiguring the plain, and fimple truths of the gospel.

Why God fuffered this blot, as fome may call it, in the facred record of truth, we know not. Yet humbly tracing the reafon of it in the analogy of his other works, we may refer it to the general law of a state of trial. Every thing here bears the marks of the fall. In our moral pursuits we are exercised with various difficulties: why not in the purfuit of religious truth? In both we may be affifted, if we apply the proper means. In one, the Spirit of God will direct our endeavours: in the other, the great fcriptural rule of comparing fpiritual things with spiritual.

The honeft application of this rule, without doubt, would remove at least all the material difficulties of fcripture. But inftead of folving them in this way, we

adjust them by the

too often endeavour to words of man's wisdom.

Hence arise all the difputes, that have divided

the church.

The

The opinions which have occafioned them, however varied, run commonly in two great channels-that of enthusiasm, and that of libertinifm. The enthufiaft reads his Bible too literally: the libertine (I use the word in its lefs offenfive fenfe,) too laxly. The one utterly dif cards reafon the other thinks nothing but reafon worth attending to. The enthufiaft loves a mystery, because he does not understand it: the libertine allows nothing to be a mystery; what he does not understand, he rejects. Let us, in an instance or two, apply our great fcriptural rule to them both.

With regard to the jarring doctrine of faith, and works, it can never furely be settled by the literal application of a few scattered paffages of St. Paul: but one should imagine it might eafily be fettled by comparing fuch paffages with other parts of fcripture; and ftill more by an appeal to the whole fcheme of chriftianity. The very first book of the Bible fhews us, that the gospel was meant to restore us to that purity of life, which we had originally loft. This indeed feems to be the leading point of chriftianity; the word of God every where exhorting us to cleanse our hearts

to

-to purify our affections-and to transform ourselves into new creatures.

Now it is certain, all this must be done by faith. Whoever cometh to God through Chrift, muft believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them who diligently feek him. So that in this fense we may be faid to be juftified by faith; because without faith, and its accompanying virtues, no man can attain that righteousness, which the gofpel requires as a proper qualification for our receiving the merits of Chrift's death. All chriftians therefore lay a ftrefs on faith. The great difference is, the partial view makes it in itself an end-the comparative view makes it the means only of a purified heart, and a good life.

With regard again to an awful doctrine, which we have lately heard difputed with so much freedom; one should think, that a comparison of spiritual things with spiritual, might lead us here also to one point. The whole Bible, Old Teftament and New, prophecies, and completion, feem fo full both of the humanity and divinity of Chrift, that one fhould wonder, how any one, who believes the fcriptures, could feparate the two ideas. If only human, how inconfiftent! Here is a human being, who engages in the

arduous

arduous task of redeeming his fellow-creatures from fin. We must either therefore give up all idea of redemption, of which the fcripture is every where full-or we must acknowledge the total disproportion of the work.-Then again this human being knew the thoughts of man; which is always confidered as one of the prerogatives of the Almighty. He could forgive fin; though we all know, that none can forgive fin but God alone. This human being alfo had the powernot only of working miracles himself-but of commiffioning others alfo' to work them, which no one ever attempted before. This human being, though cautious in the early part of his miniftry; yet, as he approached the end of it, fpoke fo freely, that thofe around him declared, he made himself equal with God; which was in fact the cafe. This human being alfo was endowed with the ftrange, and wonderful power of raifing, not only others-but even himself from the dead: and not only profeffed in his lifetime, that he would fend-but after his afcenfion to heaven, he actually did send, the Holy Ghost upon his faithful followers; communicating to them powers, unheard of before, for the propagation of his religion. In a word, when we take a compre

comprehenfive view of the fcriptures, and draw together the innumerable paffages, in which this great truth feems fo plainly to be contained, it is a difficult matter to conceive how a denial of it is confiftent with a belief in what we read. Nor is this a matter to be reafoned upon, like a point of mathematics, or natural philosophy: nor indeed does there feem a neceffity to adduce the opinions of this, or that father of the church. The honeft application of the rule before us, is all that is neceffary.

There are fome paffages in fcripture again, which are more refractory-with regard, for instance, to the fore-knowledge of God; and fuch doctrines, as are fuppofed to be involved in it. But, instead of reafoning upon them, we might ftill content ourfelves with comparing fpiritual things with fpiritual. Though we may not be able to obtain complete fatisfaction from a comparifon with particular passages; we may surely obtain it from a comparison with the whole scheme of the gospel. The gospel was intended for the general good of man; and God's arbitrary will, can never run counter to his revealed will.We act thus in common life. Suppose we look into a medical book for the remedy of fome par

ticular