Oye who have received the truth, in the love thereof who have his blessed word sweeter than honey to your mouth! give glory to that God, who, when the human race were wandering in uncertainty and error, was pleased to make such a revelation of himself; a revelation even dropt, where we have notices conveyed to us, more true and certain than from the famed deadly oracle of Delphos, or Dodona.

Praise him, who has not committed the intimations of his will unto the leaves of uncertain tradition, which every breath of wind might puff away; which, in latter ages, might have been greatly corrupted, by passing through a multitude of hands. But he hath written the same word, which formerly was only verbal, in a book the peculiar care of providence; where the divine revelation is kept as in a garrison, and needs not fear from the injuries of time, from the cunning of Satan, nor from the evil designs of corrupt men. Adore him, who by his Holy Spirit, informed the minds of holy men of old, with such concealed truths; and guided their pens in writing these holy originals. Acknowledge his goodness, who hath preserved these heavenly records from flames, and floods, and desolations; who hath cast your lot, not in those dusky corners of the world, where the word of God sheds, not its holy light, or is, by public authority, prohibited from being consulted.

Know thy privilege, O happy land! much are you advantaged every way beyond thy neighboring states; but, chiefly, that unto you are committed the oracles of God. Turn not your blessing to a curse. Young men search the scriptures; they will make you wise unto salvation; you shall have more understanding than the ancients. Old men search the scriptures; they will be the support of your old age, and make you sing as in the days of your youth. Ye men of rank and station who dwell in lofty palaces, and ride in gilded chariots, O make them your heritage forever! Ye weaker christians! here is much

satisfy your craving appetite. Ye men of genius!

here is strong meat, to suit your nicer palates, and drive away disdain.

Meditate on the law of the Lord both day and night. The more you draw from this refreshing fountain, the more will the waters abound. But, would -you enter into the secret of the Lord, which is with them that fear him, bring with you a pure, a humble, and a fervent mind. Whom shall he teach knowledge? Whom shall be make to understand doctrine? Those whose hearts are not haughty, nor their eyes lofty but who are like the child weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts; those who are estranged from their lusts, who lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness; those whose souls do pant exceedingly, and long for God's commandments, like thee, O blessed David, whose eyes did timously prevent the night-watches, to meditate on the statutes of the Lord.

Take to yourselves, ye jealous papists! your fabulous traditions, and hide this holy lamp under the bushel of foreign languages; and, by this, confess the weakness of your cause. Ye wild enthusiasts! vaunt of the light within you, but take heed, lest that light you boast is in you, be darkness. Walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks of your kindling, ye unbelieving deists! But O house of Israel! come, and let us walk in the light of the Lord. Consult this heavenly guide, O thou my soul and let your delight be in the law of the Lord. Let me often expatiate in these hallowed fields of revelation, and, like the disciples, pluck the full ears of corn; and rub them from the husk, by ardent meditation and fervent prayer.

Shine upon my witness in my heart. this the library of God. than my teachers, and, in all forted; and, though I walk shades, yet will my steps he blissful regions, where "the sun shall no more go

soul, O heavenly spirit! bear Imprint the bible there; make Then shall I be made wiser my afflictions, be com‐ through death's dark conducted unto those

:

down, nor the moon withdraw her shining but the Lord shall be my everlasting light, and my God my glory."

ON ELECTION.

STOOP down, presumptuous reason! remember from whence thou art fallen. Behold even in thy perfect state, it was not in thee to find out God, by the most accurate researches; how much less shalt thou now be able to find out the Almighty unto perfection? Come holy faith, and humble reverence! teach us to lift our thoughts to the most distinguishing privilege of electing love. O! that while we admire the sublimity of the doctrine, we may taste the sweetness of the benefit. Happy they who, instead of intruding, with bold curiosity into the secrets of the Most High, give diligence to make their calling and election sure. By the dictates of unerring wedom, let our sentiments be regulated, in this importatii article of our most holy faith, the purpose of God according to election.

The date of it is eternal. Yes; it must be so for every purpose of his will must be coeval with himself. O glorious thought! to have dwelt upon the heart of a loving God before the foundation of the world! What grateful emotions may it not excite in the minds of these high favorites, that God has loved them with an everlasting love, before the day-spring knew his place? How deservedly shall their meditations of him be sweet, both in the night and day, whose precious thoughts towards them are ancient as eternity itself?

Its objects are particular. Of the determinate counsel of God we read in the scriptures; but of the indeterminate counsel we do not read. If the names of the disciples were written in heaven: if Clement's name was in the book of life; assign a reason, if you

can, why any that are the Lord's should be less foreknown by him, who knows whom he hath chosen, without respect of persons. If in thy book, O God! all our members are written, which, in continuance, were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them; much more are all the saints, the members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones, written without exception, in the fair book of life. O ye that are partakers of such distinguished honor! live to. his praise; and be his worthy name engraven on your hearts and on the palms of your hands,-by whom your worthless names are written among the living in Jerusalem, when others are written in the earth.

Its motives are sovereign. Boasting, thou art for ever excluded here! Even the Savior's merits, to which we owe our salvation, are not the source of our election. Nor will precious. faith gather where it has not strawed, by laying claim to be the cause of God's electing love. But least of all can it he said, that God hath chosen us because we were holy; and according to our works. Election is the root; these are the flowers: election is the foundation; these the superstructure: election is the fountain, and these are streams that issue from it. How can they be elected of God for any civil distinction, or moral prerogative! when some of them were profligate and flagitious; most of them illiterate and poor; and all of them by nature the children of wrath even as others? This is not the manner of men, O Lord! how deservedly they love thee, who, without deserving, were loved by thee!

The tenor is irrevocable. For, though the purposes of earthly sovereigns may be disannulled; tho unforeseen accidents may dash their maturest schemes, and encroach upon their wisest plans, what should alter the counsel of the Most High, who is not a man that he should repent? The mountains, these strong foundations of the earth, may be removed, but the foundation of God standeth sure. The election shall obtain both grace and glory, though earth and helt

were leagued against them. As many as are ordained to eternal life, shall believe; nor shall they be deceived by the most cunning artifices of the enemy of their salvation.

Evidence of the truth of christianity.

IT is true that miracles are ceased, by which, in early ages, it pleased the Holy Ghost to attract the observation of the unthinking world to the doctrine of the gospel, and to confirm the faith of true disciples.→→→ But let not modern infidels complain on this score, for want of sufficient evidence to the truth of christianity. Though we see not now the laws of nature reversed; the lame foregoing his crutches; the blind rejoicing in the light of day; and the dead restored to lise again; we are not wanting of other advantages, which the miraculous age could not afford. The doc trine of the gospel has travelled with the sun; is publickly professed by sundry nations of differing cus toms, and various dispositions. Glorious are its effects upon the hearts and lives of many (though alas ! too few) of its professors. The sensual man no more serves divers lusts and pleasures, when he obeys it from the heart. The cups of the drunkard, the oaths of the blasphemer, the sordid gain of the oppressor, are renounced and forgotten. Those who once wallowed in every sinful pollution, now shine in the beauty of holiness. Such blessed effects, it is true, were known even in the age of miracles, in those places where the gospel was first preached. But what shall we now think of the almost universal spread, and long continuance of this holy profession, in spite of the philosopher's wit, and the persecutor's sword.Be it so; these favorable presumptions in behalf of christianity, do not beget that lively faith that purifies the heart, nor what the great apostle calls th full assurance of understanding. No more could miracles.