es for which they are to be employed. He may know that he has affections, may be able to distinguish actions; but how shall he ascertain their remoter bearings; how shall he determine their moral qualities; how affix to them their just degrees of praise and blame, but by consulting the oracles of God, and comparing them with the perfect law? Without it he may know something of his condition as a creature ; but can he know his rela

tions, as a sinner ? "By the law is the knowledge of sin; for I had not known lust, except the law had said, thou shalt not covet." The commandment is so "exceeding broad," as to bring under its condemning sentence the sinful desires of the heart. Would he know whence this sinful heart? Let him take down his Bible, and trace its origin. With the holy book spread open before him, with conscience awakened, and solemnly charged to pronounce an impartial verdict, let him compare his actual condition with what is there recorded of man in his fallen state. Let him there learn how, and from what, he fell. "God created man in his own image." This cannot have reference to his bodily form; for "God is a spirit." It must therefore be spoken of his spiritual and immortal nature-his intellectual and moral qualities. His understanding did not labor under its present darkness, and was deluded by no false perceptions. His will had no perverse inclination; his affections were pure and holy. He possessed the "positive qualities of knowledge, righteousness and holiness, with dominion over the creatures." This was his character, as he came from the forming hand of his Creator. Is it asked, whence then had he the inclination to disobey? We profess not to be able to give any other answer than that which is furnished by the Scriptures. The moment,

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however, that the design to disobey was formed, he was, to all intents, a rebel, and must have been so in the sight of God, though prevented, by natural inability, from approaching the prohibited tree. Let the reader confine himself to the simple narrative, and all is plain, and easy of comprehension. If over-curious, he will involve himself in perplexity. "God made man upright; man hath sought out many inventions," are intelligible propositions; but the moment you attempt to refine upon these, and go still farther back to find the author of sin, you will be thrown into a distressing dilemma. By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death hath passed upon all men, for that all have sinned," is a simple (and why not satisfactory ?) account of the origin of evil. It is, at any rate, a statement, the truth of which no reflecting mind will want arguments to confirm. Man cannot reflect, without feeling himself a wanderer from God. He cannot read the Bible, with his consciousness about him, and not feel a painful conviction of his relation to sinful Adam. He carries with him internal and external marks of being in a fallen state. From the very ruins consequent upon his apostacy, we may gather intimations of his former greatness, when made "a little lower than the angels." In his lapsed condition he has understanding sufficient to comprehend the directions and rules prescribed by the Almighty, and to which he is commanded to conform his heart and conduct. He has conscience to feel his obligation; yes,, he is conscious that the laws of God are reasonable, that he ought to obey; that the punishment threatened against disobedience is just, nothing less than what the truth and holiness of God requires that he should inflict. In view of motives of eternal weight, as the promise of

immortal happiness, on the one hand, and everlasting misery, on the other, he is free to choose and act as he pleases. And yet he chooseth that wherein God delighteth not; he prefers the way of transgression, conscious, meanwhile, that he is erring, that he is contracting guilt, and meriting punishment. How shall we account for this, but from latent depravity of heart, strengthened by habit, and universal as the posterity of Adam? This is a part of the knowledge of man, which the preacher's lips should keep and inculcate. He should hold up the law, strictly so called, in the reasonableness and justice of its requisitions, in its extent, perfection and spirituality, as a mirror, in which man may see his entire deformity; and having thus taught him his situation as a sinner, he must also impart the knowledge of a

SAVIOUR," in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of his grace." This is a doctrine inexpressibly welcome to the creature bowed down with the weight of conscious guilt. The Lord Jesus, therefore, in his person and offices, is the great theme, which will employ the best powers of his mind, and waken the tenderest sensibilities of his heart. He will exhibit 'Jesus Christ and him crucified, who delivers from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us ;' will display to the view of his flock that wonderful assemblage of divine and human perfections, which meet in that mysterious person, who is David's Lord, and David's Son, and which qualify him to be the Mediator between God and man. He will represent him as the image of the invisible God; in whom dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily in whom the bright effulgence of the Father's glory was tempered with all the sinless properties of humanity; whose person com

bined the perfections of both natures; for "his name shall be called Immanuel, God with us." He will insist on the gospel method of justification through faith in the blood of Christ; and guard the doctrine from those unauthorized and shocking inferences, which would make Christ the minister of sin, by showing that salvation by grace, so far from diminishing either the number or force of our moral obligations, multiplies and strengthens them, and supplies motives to a devout and holy life, which could not otherwise exist. For the love of Christ constraineth us. While he denies all merit to works, he cannot fail to inculcate them in the most forcible manner, unless he gives partial views of Christ; for the truly gospel minister holds up Christ, not only as High Priest and Advocate, but as Teacher, Example, and Ruler. That Teacher spake as never man spake, not only as it regards the simplicity and authority of his instructions, but in respect to the pure and sublime morality which he every where inculcates. He reprobates and condemns every impure thought, and every feeling, which is not the offspring of genuine benevolence. The law of Christ, in its doctrines, prescriptions and motives, is fitted to destroy the power of sin, and is rendered effectual to this end by an inward and divine operation, which begins and matures in the hearts of men the temper and the happiness of the sons of God.' The gospel minister will hold up his divine master as an Example also, in whom all human virtues as well as divine perfections were embodied, and shone with engaging lustre; that his flock, 'beholding as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, may be changed into the same image.' He will point them to him as their Ruler, and urge their individual obedience to his commands. He

will dwell on the growing extent of the Redeemer's kingdom, and show, that he must rule, till he hath put all enemies under his feet; that his religion is destined to prevail, will gradually extend its influence, and multiply its trophies, till it becomes universal; when the "church being completed, the Mediator will assume the character of Judge, will display his divine power, discernment and justice, in raising the dead, in unfolding to view the moral character of each, in pronouncing and executing the final sentence, which dooms his enemies to hopeless punishment, and instates his friends in the happiness and glory of his eternal kingdom.”

We have just glanced at the leading contents of the Bible, that system of legislation, which it is the preacher's business to expound and enforce. It will be seen by a little reflection on the Lawgiver, the subjects, the matter of the laws, and him who "is the end of the law for righteousness," that his labor is one of no common magnitude. In view of them, the apostle gave it in solemn charge to Timothy, to study, to give attendance to reading, to meditation, and prayer; and if to Timothy, who was from his childhood acquainted with the holy Scriptures, and supernaturally endowed with gifts of the Holy Ghost, with what force does the charge apply to the modern minister, who enjoys no miraculous teachings!

A little regard to the contents of the Bible, the different times when it was written, and the varieties of manner in which instruction is communicated, will be sufficient to convince us, that, in order to its complete elucidation, an acquaintance with other branches of knowledge is absolutely necessary. The sacred books were written at different and distant periods, including a series of more than fifteen hundred years; during which the style of

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