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does it appear reafonable; does my understanding fully comprehend it;" but, is it a revelation from God?" A thus faith the Lord is the higheft poffible evidence that mortals can either afk or expect. We are no lefs bound to believe what he reveals, however unfearchable, than to perform what he commands, however arduous. Never does man act a part nobler in itself, more becoming his ftation than when he lays his reafon at the foot of the gofpel, and receives implicitly whatever it contains; believes without referve this wifdom of God in a mystery.

"My favored soul shall meekly learn
"To lay her reason at his throne,
"And weak his secrets to discern,
"Shall trust him for her guide alone.”

I WOULD Conclude animating all to a moft devout, diligent study of these mysteries of godlinefs. What nobler, what more interefting fubject can poffibly occupy the attention of mortals? "They have God for their author." Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God fpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft; They contain truths infinitely fublime, and important for their matter and "falvation for their end." Thefe are written that ye might believe that Jefus is the Chrift, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. Is the ftudent eager in the purfuit of learning which virtually perifhes in the ufing. Does the philofopher

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exhauft his time and ftrength in exploring the varied myfteries of nature merely to gratify his cu riofity, or immortalize his name? And fhall we be lefs ardent, lefs unwearied in a study in which the honor of God, our prefent peace, and our everlasting falvation are most intimately concerned? Search the fcriptures therefore, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which teftify of Jefus. In proportion as ye are occupied in contemplating these myfteries of redemption, you become fellow ftudents with antient patriarchs who rejoiced to fee the day of Chrift afar off; who looked forward with equal tranfports of wonder and joy to the place and the riod of his manifeftation in the flesh; with prophets who fearched diligently refpecting the fufferings of Chrift, and the glory that should follow; with evangelifts and apoftles, who counted all things but lofs for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift Jefus their Lord; with angels and archangels, with the feraphim and the cherubim, who, eagerly look into thefe wonders of redeeming love, and learn, through them, the manifold wifdom of God. I would again invite all to the devout, diligent contemplation of these mysteries of Godliness. Is it the most dignified, it is alfo the moft profitable study in which you can poffibly engage. The mind is led to realife the vanity of the world, and its perishing prospects; it obtains peace amidst all the tumults of this fluctuating fcene, a peace which passeth all understanding :

it is elevated more and more to God as its confolation and glory; it is gradually ripening for those regions of immortality where JESUS CRUCIFIED AND GLORIFIED, IS ALL AND IN ALL. There new wonders in eternal fucceffion will be burfting forth upon their admiring eyes; and other joys, and other joys everlastingly rolling in upon their enraptured hearts.

With open face beholding as in a glafs the glory of the Lord, may you all be changed into the fame image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. AMEN.

D 2

The Univerfal Apoftacy of Mankind confirmed.

ROMANS iii. 23.

FOR ALL HAVE SINNED.

HE who accidentally witneffes two neighbors contending with each other,immediately enquires into the cause; he naturally feels an anxiety to ascertain the fource of their contention, and either juftifies or condemns agreeably to the information obtained: If two nations are involv ed in war, and each aims at the deftruction of the other, every spectator enquires into the original caufe; that particular intereft which he feels in the welfare of either or both impels him to examine, what circumstances firft excited their jealoufies, and afterwards iffued in confequences thus awful. There is evidently a controverfy between the LORD GOD OF HOSTS and our world: Whence that difquietude which often agitates the human mind; thofe difeafes which torture the body; thofe fcourges which perplex the nations? They all undeniably evince that the Creator has a controverfy with his creature: Thefe appearances of divine difpleasure are not peculiar to one period of time, or one part of the world; they are common to all nations, and to

each individual of every nation. All are therefore interested in the enquiry, what is the proba ble cause of this indignation of the Almighty ? What melancholy event has forfeited his favor, and exposed us to these repeated and awful expreffions of his wrath? No jar, or even jealousy exifted at the firft creation of man: No tempeft then ruffled the ocean of human life; no blacknefs gathered over our heavens; no lightning blazed or thunders rolled either to difturb or detroy. God faw every thing that he had made, and behold it was very good; and he refted and was refreshed. The Creator experienced ineffable delight in the contemplation of his works, and ministering to every fpecies of being a happiness suited to its capacity; in man especially, he beheld his own image illuftrioufly thining, knowledge and righteoufnefs and holiness; he faw his various powers of body and mind perfectly harmonifing in their maker's praise: man, on the other hand, beheld in Jehovah a friend and father; felt the most refined, elevated joy in his communion, and contemplated all his perfections co-operating for his welfare. But this communion is fuddenly fufpended; the former fmiles of the eternal are now fucceeded by fearful evidences of his wrath, and the mournful, reafon is af figned in our text, For all have finned and come - fhort of the glory of God.

SIN is defined in our fhorter catechifm to con