securing that heavenly inheritance, which Jesus Christ has prepared for all his followers. And if our minds are suitably affected with the infinite importance of religion, we shall, at that time, so apply ourselves to the words of eternal life, as to receive impressions that will induce us, on succeeding days, to embrace occasions which might otherwise be lost, of advancing, in the same manner, the interests of our souls.

There is a second class of persons who gain no knowledge from the holy scriptures, not, like the former, on account of their neglect, but because they read the bible only to invalidate its testimony, and to disprove its Divine origin. They are, necessarily, left in ignorance of the interesting truths of revelation, from the very object which they have in view. Full of self-confidence and arrogant presumption, they have settled their minds into a belief, from some weak but plausible arguments, that the whole system of our faith is a deception obtruded upon the world by artful and designing impostors; and, in order to fortify their refuge of lies, and to give the reins to all the licentious passions of a depraved nature, they repair to the bible itself to ascertain from its apparent inconsistencies and contradictions, whether they may not, with safety, deprive the Almighty of his empire, and man of his heaven! In things of little comparative importance, they look for evidence to satisfy themselves and the world, that all the hopes which can be entertained, by our frail and sinful race, of the favour of God and the crown of immortality, are vain and delusive. From the trifling mistakes of transcribers; the difficulty of determining and reconciling dates, and the obscurity in which, from our ignorance of ancient customs and manners, some facts are involved, they would conjure up a cloud of darkness to brood with eternal gloom over the valley of the shadow of death, and to intercept every ray of light which might reach us from the world beyond. Hence, the disposi

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tion of mind which they carry with them to the examination of the sacred volume is, of itself, sufficient to perpetuate and increase their blindness and when it is farther considered that the illuminations of the Holy Spirit are necessary to give us a just perception of Divine truth, it cannot be deemed strange, that the blessing should be withheld from those whose only object is to weaken the obligations which bind the creature to the Creator, and to subject the counsels of omniscience to the scrutiny and censure of a feeble and short-sighted mortal. They labour, as they pretend, to vindicate and exalt the dignity of human nature; to free mankind from the bondage of superstition, and to lead them to assert the original freedom and independence of unshackled minds. But they themselves are slaves to the worst of principles, and could their desires be accomplished, the anticipated triumphs of reason over ignorance, imposture, and priestcraft, would prove but the triumphs of an evil and malignant spirit over the ruins of virtue and of happiness.

Thirdly, there are many persons who are left in ignorance and consequent errour as it regards the bible, by reason of their attempts to

pervert its declarations in order to confirm systems which they have previously, and without any regard to its instructions, adopted. They read, not so much for the discovery of truth, as to find arguments for the defence of favourite theories. Their own feelings have provided them with a religion to suit their convenience and their interest, and for the support of this they make the scriptures to speak a language which was never intended by the inspired writers. They are familiar with explanations to do away the force of passages which, in their literal signification, would bear too hard upon the sentiments which they have imbibed; they possess a remarkable facility in applying doctrines and precepts, which they cannot receive consistently with their own principles, to subjects and persons in which the men of the present age have no concern, and they do not hesitate, when they can resort neither to explanation nor perversion, to reject, as uncertain or false, whatever comes in the way of their belief. And from this want of candour and impartiality they are easily borne away on the stream of errour. Instead of regulating their faith by the bible, they have first established the former, and then adjusted to it, in the best manner of which they were capable, the declarations of the latter. Thus, the deceitfulness of their own hearts is made the standard of truth; and, under the influence of an unworthy and sinful prejudice, with the most imperfect notions of what God is in himself, and of what he has made known to mankind, they pursue, without preparation, and without alarm, their dreary course to the great tribunal.

Again, there are those who remain ignorant of the scriptures from the circumstance of their reading them as a task rather than looking to them as a directory. They have been taught from childhood the importance and sanctity of the word of God, and from habit have obtained an inward veneration of its sacred pages. They, therefore, make it a part of their daily duty to read some portion of its contents; but, then, so far from intending this practice to aid and influence them in the great duties of life, they do not even retain the recollection of what they have read. Their consciences are satisfied with the simple act of perusal, and this they secretly believe will be a sufficient sacrifice to entitle them to the favour of God and the blessing of eternal life. But how are they the better for the bare performance of an external duty with which the heart held no communion? Mechanical services, however strictly observed, cannot enlighten the mind or purify the affections. There must be something within, to induce and accompany our exertions for salvation, or they will never be profitable to us. All the faculties of the soul must be engaged in a subject which involves its everlasting welfare. We must read, and understand, and practise, or the delusions of the adversary will come upon us, and our fancied security be finally exchanged for disappointment, remorse, and misery.

We shall conclude our remarks with a few brief observations upon the manner in which it becomes all, who would be preserved from ignorance and errour, to read the holy scriptures, in order that, from

an acquaintance with the teachings of the divine Spirit, their steps may be surely ordered, and their hearts graciously sanctified.

And to this end, there is, first, essential, a sincere and fervent desire to become correctly acquainted with the word of God from a regard to our eternal interests. A sense of our characters as sinful, as accountable, and as immortal beings, and an anxiety before which every earthly good sinks into comparative nothingness, to be numbered with the subjects of Divine favour in the world to come, must lead us to the fountain of living waters. It is not enough that we act under the influence of an ambition to become prepared to wield with skilful dexterity the weapons of theological controversy; to be enabled to encounter, with well-selected arguments from the treasury of inspiration, the assaults of opposing sectaries, or to gain a short-lived distinction among our fellow creatures for superiour attainments in the science of Divine truth. To obtain a clear and satisfactory answer to the great question, What shall we do to be saved? is to be our leading object in the study of the bible, and if we are deficient here, our progress is impeded at the very threshold.

Secondly, to avoid the errour which results from ignorance, we must possess a true and lively faith. "He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." The apostle informs us, that there were some whom "the word did not profit, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." Here, indeed, is one of our greatest difficulties; for the subjects of revelation are of so sublime and extraordinary a nature; the events to which it directs our attention do so much surpass every thing that we are now accustomed to behold, that the human mind almost instinctively shrinks from the contemplation. We find it hard to realize, either that circumstances have taken place which are recorded, or that the predictions and doctrines which are connected with futurity will, in fact, be accomplished and proved. The rising of the dead from their graves; the dissolution of the material heavens and the earth, and the solemnities of a final retribution, are subjects beyond the grasp of our feeble intellect, and the gathering doubts to which our natures are prone, and which a thousand temptations are ever ready to encourage, easily incline us to reject them. But to become truly enlightened, we must, notwithstanding, repose the most implicit confidence in the declarations of almighty God. Mystery must give way to the principles of a pure and holy faith, and the reasoning powers of the creature must acknowledge their insufficiency to comprehend the ways and the counsels of the Creator.

Thirdly, our perusal of the holy scriptures must be attended with a full determination to bring all our feelings, opinions, and practices to the rules which they prescribe. We are not to accommodate the instructions of the bible to our perverse tempers and desires, but to seek the regulation of the latter from the standard which is presented to us in the former. Nothing will more surely render us the victims of delusion and of errour, than to attempt to find in the word of God a

justification of the false principles and evil habits which we have adopted. A work of self denial and of labour in subduing worldly lusts and propensities is before us as Christians, and it is to aid and support us in our exertions, and not to prove them unnecessary, that we need the counsel and direction of the sacred volume. What this makes incumbent upon us to believe or to do, we are required with zeal and fortitude to undertake, and although it may be the right hand that is to be cut off, or the right eye to be plucked out, still it is better to submit to the trial and the pain than to hazard our eternal safety. The selfishness and pride of our natures; the associations of life; and the various interests which invite our pursuits, are opposed, in a great degree, to the duties of religion; but, if we wish to understand and to follow the way which leads to the paradise of the living God, we must, with determined and persevering vigour and constancy, resist every adverse allurement, and adhere to the lessons of Divine wisdom in all their fulness and spirituality.

Finally, our study of the bible must be sanctified by prayer. Paul may plant, and Apollos may water, but God alone can give the increase. The means of grace are in our hands, and they are all wonderfully adapted to our characters and necessities. It is for us to study, to resolve, and to improve, but the blessing is from on high. And to obtain this, prayer is like the ladder, which the patriarch saw in his vision, reaching from heaven to earth, with the angels of God ascending and descending upon it. These are ministering spirits to those who shall be heirs of salvation. They rise with our petitions to the throne of grace, and return to our hearts with the blessed answer of peace, of consolation, and of joy. Let us, then, never forget, when we open our bibles, to supplicate the Father of mercies to illuminate our minds with his Holy Spirit, that, when we go for counsel, aid, or support to his word, we may find it, indeed, a lamp to our feet, and a light to our paths."

Reader, is it thus that you attend to the study, and improve from the knowledge of the scriptures? Is there with you no errour in faith or in practice? Is your mind at peace from the assurance which you derive from the bible, and does the contemplation of your daily course, manifesting a continual advance in the graces of a Christian life, strengthen and animate the hope which has been kindled in your breast by the inspiration of the Most High? Blessed God! take us, we beseech thee, under thine all powertul guidance; lead and preserve us in the way of truth; and cause us so to understand and obey thy testimonies, that we may ever rejoice in the sure prospect of the unfading glories of thy kingdom above.

S.

SUNDAY SCHOOL MAGAZINE.

A LITTLE monthly publication was commenced in January last, by two clergymen of the Church of England, one of whom has obligingly sent us the first two numbers. It is entitled the Religious Instructer, or Church of England Sunday School Magazine; and its object is to

provide sound scriptural instruction to Sunday school teachers, their scholars, and generally to those who are engaged in the serious education of youth. For this purpose it presents to the reader, essays on religious education; short delineations of scripture characters; short sermons addressed to the teachers and scholars of Sunday schools; striking anecdotes of the power of religion on the heart, and expla nations of parts of the Church service, with practical addresses to children. Of the scripture characters, there are two given in each number; one from the Old, the other from the New Testament. They are arranged also in such a manner as to add much to their impress siveness by the force of contrast. Thus, in the first number, the Old Testament character, No. I., is, "Adam before the fall;" the New Testament character, No. I., "St. Paul before his conversion." In the second number, the Old Testament character, No. II., is, "Adam after the fall;" the New Testament character, No. II., is "St. Paul after his conversion." In this way the great evangelical doctrine of the ruin and the recovery, the attainder and the pardon the corruption and the renovation, of human nature is more distinctly marked, more completely brought down to the comprehension of the young and ignorant, and more forcibly impressed upon the conscience of the awakened sinner. It would gratify us to see an American edition of this very interesting publication; but, in the present uncertainty whether there would be sufficient encouragement to justify such a measure, and whether the contents of the future numbers will be as generally applicable to the state of our Church as those already published, we shall consider ourselves as conferring a favour upon our readers by inserting extracts from it in our work. It is the desire of the editors to obtain the assistance to be derived from the suggestions or communications of intelligent and pious persons in this country. Any information connected with the great cause of religious instruction; any anecdotes of the increase of youthful piety, and the success of Sunday schools; in short any narrative, communication, or extract, calculated to endear religion to the young, and extend the knowledge and influence of the gospel in their hearts," the editors assure us, "will greatly assist and oblige" them. are led, in consequence of this communication, to feel a strong desire that our work may be made the vehicle through which information from this country, of the character abovementioned, may be conveyed to them; and we hail this desire of mutual co-operation as a delightful foretaste of that union which will one day, we trust, pervade every portion of the Christian church. We hope our correspondents will gratify our wishes in this respect, as it will tend to render our own publication more useful, and will enable us to make some return for the edification we expect to derive from the labours of our pious friends in England.

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We

For the present, we content ourselves with inserting the first article.

ON THE NECESSITY OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION TO THE POOR, ESPE CIALLY IN SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

IF our opinion of the extent of scriptural knowledge, and the influence of scriptural principles in Great Britian, were to be formed