suasion, that the favour of God is especially to the religious body to which we belong. But where is the warrant in the New Testament for any sect of Christians, to assume that the favour of God is peculiarly towards them? The promises of God under the Gospel, are many and precious; they are not however to sects, but to BELIEVERS individually under whatever name. How severely do the Scriptures reprehend such arrogant pretensions !

yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in." Matt. xxiii. 13.

"I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way not "Woe unto you Scribes good, after their own and Pharisees, hypocrites! thoughts ;- -which say, for ye pay tithe of mint Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day." Isa. lxv. 2, 5.

"Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings.- -Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, are these." Jere. vii. 3, 4.

"Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men for ye neither go in

and annise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith." Matt. xxiii. 23.

"Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.- Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” Matt. xxiii. 27, 33.

"He spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despis

ed others."—See the para- | the Publican.-Luke, xviii. ble of the Pharisee and 9-14.

What a solemn warning does the last sentence of the foregoing extract convey to us; not to lay any stress upon our religious feelings, unless they be governed by the faith of the Gospel; for we see how the calm of an infidel, may be brought to react on his mind, and tend to confirm him in his fatal errors.

EXTRACT II.

First principles.

"OH then that there may be a recurring to first principles ! I have, I trust, been led to see these things, in that light that does not deceive me, and will not deceive any one living.Hence I say, that it is perfectly inconsistent with our profession to take the least part or lot in the governments of the world, so as to be numbered with the nations among whom we live." p. 217.

To the words of the Yearly Meeting of Philadelphia, which in the "Declaration" set forth the danger of the first steps in this insidious course, we cannot but often recur, whilst contemplating this awful delusion, which under the persuasion of following the light within, and professing a recurrence to first principles, goes even to the denying of the Lord who bought us. To the sincere desire, that there may be a recurring to FIRST PRINCIPLES, every true Christian must respond; but how dangerous is it to suppose, that they

are any where to be found except in the "oracles of God."

To those who hold such sentiments, as are set forth in these extracts, how appropriate is the reproof of the Apostle !

"Ye have need that one teach you again which BE

THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF

THE ORACLES OF GOD."
Heb. v. 12.

Of how much importance is it then, that we should make ourselves well acquainted with first principles, by a diligent study of Holy Scripture, accompanied with prayer for the enlightening of the Holy Spirit; and that none should delude themselves, by supposing they can become acquainted with the first principles of Christianity, but from the revelation of the Spirit in the Holy Scriptures. The errors which result from a mere superficial knowledge of these sacred records are indeed fearful.

Observe the high pretensions of MYSTICISM to infallibility.-Does popery itself go beyond this?

EXTRACT III.

Some tests for self examination.

"EXAMINE yourselves whether ye be in the faith; prove yourselves; know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? Now dont let your attention be turned outward from the expression of these words, for very probably the translators have not given it right

to us.

Because the outward Christ never could be, or can be,

No doubt it was meant that the light or spirit of life in the soul, is in every one of us, which is the anointing of the Lord." p. 222.

"The light or spirit of life in the soul, is in every one of us," &c.-How is the pretension of on INFIDEL, to the light and spirit of life in his soul, which he says does not deceive him, to be disproved, but by bringing his doctrines to the test of Scripture?

By the following tests, among others, a man may whether he be in the faith.

SERMON X.

EXTRACT I.

Emptying the mind.

"HE made it an ultimatum with his disciples to wait in deep humiliation of soul, till all creaturely things were swallowed up in oblivion in their minds. For till the vessel is empty, it is not fit to entertain the Holy Ghost, the light, life, and Spirit, of God Almighty. It must be first emptied of all combustible matter before man can be brought into a state to be taught true knowledge." p. 231.

WHERE did the Lord Jesus make this ultimatum ; or teach the doctrine of the necessity of thus " emptying the vessel ?” Is it not by the reception of the Spirit and the word, that the mind becomes enlightened; and filled with the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus? The light and truth of the Gospel, must chase away darkness and error from the mind of fallen man. The carnal mind is enmity itself, against spiritual light and truth; and it is only by the influence and power of the HOLY SPIRIT, that the enmity is done away, and inclination for the light and truth of revelation is produced.

See under Ser. II. Ex. 7; Ser. V. Ex. 2; Ser. VI. Ex. 1; Ser. VII. Ex. 1, 2.