its own little sphere, and not to boast itself a sun, and plant itself in the heavens, in its Maker's place and stead.

There be many that say, reason is man's able and sufficient teacher, counsellor and guide, through earth to heaven; and that he needs no other religion than what reason finds within the mind, and deduces from works without the mind. Is it so? Where then was reason when men went from the truth of the one God to polytheism, that it put in no warning voice? When the immortal bowed himself low to the hazeless sun, and thanked him for his influences, was it the ignorance or the obstinacy of reason, that she did not teach him better? Could she not penetrate beyond a star, or distinguish that which shone from him who made it shine? Was reason asleep, when dead men were made gods, and worshipped by human suffrage, and had their tenements assigned them in heaven, and their districts. allotted them on earth? It were enough to canonize, and not to deify! though it may be as bad to make a saint as a god. Idolatry prevailed. Was idolatry the child of reason; or did she only adopt the infant? And magic, divination of its various kinds, and sorcery, had they their noble parentage in reason; or did she only stand godmother to them? Was it her voice, that said in calamity, slay a sacrifice, and if the calamity thicken, offer a hecatomb; study the pure science of futurity in the entrails of a hart; mark and note down the way of a bird in the air; for thereby is knowledge of things to come? These questions are sufficiently answered by the fact, that all these absurdities came in, when reason

was sole sovereign, and when, in other matters, it was as vigorous as it ever has been. In religion only, it seemed to fail, for at the same time that the devotion of Eygpt was consecrating reptiles to her worship, her reason was demonstrating theorems in geometry. Nay, while the priest was offering the annual victim to the Nile, the geometrician was upon the bank, applying his reasonings to the measurement of its overflowing. Let it be remembered, that the same country, which was the cradle of science, philosophy, and the arts, rocked the infancy of idolatry and superstition.

FAITH AND REASON.

Faith is not contrary to reason, any more than John the Baptist was contrary to Christ-than the morning star is contrary to the sun. far as reason can go at all, as

They go together, so the elder and younger gazing up, the other

prophet, until, one being left mounts a chariot of fire and ascends into the third heaven. Though faith is greater than reason, and goes far beyond it, yet they are not contrary the one to the other.

THE BIBLE.

One great advantage of the Bible, over other books, is, that with the latter, we have first to inquire into the sense, and then into the truth of its statements, while with the Bible, we need to inquire only into the sense of a passage; God vouches for its truth.

It is incalculably more important to mankind, to possess so much history as is contained in a few of the first chapters of Genesis, than all the volumes of all the profane historians have ever written; for the former tells us of matters that wit and reason never could have discovered.

Truth is recorded in the Bible, as the stars are sprinkled upon the firmament. There is no appearance of system in either. And yet, in astronomy, is there not order, arrangement, the most perfect system? And may not the same be true of the Bible? Is there harmony in created objects and not in revealed truth? Is not the truth one and concordant ?

If the system revealed in the Bible is not a fable, it is certainly not a trifle.

It is the grand peculiarity of the Christian revelation, that it makes human destiny, in all its weight and eternity, to hang and turn on the treatment that men give to Jesus Christ-his person, his doctrine, his laws.

It is wonderful, that profaneness is not awed into veneration, and infidelity disarmed of its doubts and objections, by the amazing grandeur of even the

descriptions of the Bible. There is in them, a simplicity that attempts nothing, and yet a sublimity that towers above every thing. I inquire, not where is the piety, or the learning, or the good sense, or the decency; but I ask, where is the taste of the man that can dip his pen in gall to assail and write down such a book as this? Where is his susceptibility of high emotions? One might as well attempt to write down the wonders of nature, to defame the storm and the tempest, or to cast Etna or Niagara out of the works of God, as to show that such a passage of Scripture, as for instance, that in Revelation xx, 11-15, was not from God.

Those who complain that they cannot understand the Bible, understand much more of it than they make any good use of. Parts of it are too plain for them; they mortify their pride; they interfere with the gratification of their lusts.

Much as men affect to despise the Bible, it is a book which shall be honored to have a place before the throne of God, when that throne shall be set for judgment;-a book which, whether men will now consent to be ruled by it or not, they will have to be judged by hereafter.

Though the Bible brings into view some most cheering and encouraging truths, it does not authorize unconcern. There are appalling as well as consoling doctrines in this holy book. It employs the language of threatening, as well as that of promise. If there is every thing in it that can inspire hope, there is also in it every thing that could beget salutary fear. It makes not heaven more certain to some, than it does hell to

others; and while it publishes salvation, it does, on the same high authority, speak of "the wrath to come." It asks thee what thou art, before it tells thee what thou shalt be. If, with a penitent and believing heart, thou art following Jesus, the cross in thy hand, and heaven in thine eye, it tells thee, thou art the child of God, the favorite of angels, the heir of glory, unfading and eternal. But if otherwise, it tells thee as plainly and as positively, that thou art a child of Satan and an heir of hell. Does this blessed volume authorize listlessness and encourage indolence, when it tells thee that strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it; and urges thee to add to seeking, agonizing strife, to enter in at the strait gate? In the last general conflagration, all books ever read or known on earth, shall be consumed, except the Bible, which will remain uninjured, and will be preserved unto the judgment, and will be the only authority recognised in the trials and decisions of that day.

Admit the Bible to be uninspired,-is there nothing to be alarmed or uneasy about after that! Verily, there is more than ever. The book of providence and nature, the infidel's Bible, is a far more terrific volume than the Christian's Bible. The views it presents of the character of God are nothing like so satisfactory. Where is that chapter in it that is headed, "Mercy?" In what part does it treat of the forgiveness of sin and the life everlasting? On what page are its invitations, encouragements and promises, recorded? Where is there a word in it to calm a troubled conscience? How does it