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What expressions can be more degrading to the sacred volume, than to represent it, as a dead letter, an untelligible record, till explained by the interpretations of their Church, and the "traditions of their elders!" And this is the uniform and invariable style of Roman Catholic writers. It is not asserted by Protestants, that every part of Scripture is alike intelligible: but to suppose that the Almighty has revealed his will, and that any part of that revelation, the knowledge of which is essential to salvation, is not intelligible, till tradition, or ecclesiastical authorities have explained it, is a tremendous reflection on the wisdom of God! It is such a reflection as at once invalidates its sacred claims and insults its divine Author.

What is the practical effect of this appeal to tradition? It" makes void the word of God."It leads men to attach no importance to the language of the inspired volume; however plain and explicit its meaning, they must distrust their eyes, and ears, and understanding, till it has been explained by the infallible authority of the Church: and as the Priest is the only representative of that infallibility to the immense majority of individuals in the communion of the Church, they must of course affix no sense of their own to the words of Scripture. They must implicitly receive his explanations; and thus a foundation is laid for the most humiliating dominion over the faith and consciences of men. The assertion of an individual becomes the rule of judgment. The habit of neglecting the Scriptures is confirmed by their systematic rejection of them as the ultimate rule; and ignorance, superstition and ecclesiastical intolerance prevail, in exact proportion to the practical and uncounteracted influence of this traditionary authority.

priesthood: and he who wishes to prove the divine right of such a system will never find the Scriptures, a sufficient authority. But "if any man will do the will of God he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God." For all the purposes of human salvation, the sacred volume is a sufficient guide. It unfolds the character of God, the spirituality of his law, the humiliating doctrine of human depravity, the perfection of that atonement which the Divine Redeemer accomplished by the sacrifice of himself, the promise of purifying influence to renew and sanctify. the hearts of men, the nature of acceptable worship, the principles of true religion,, and the prospects of eternal glory. On all these subjects of inquiry, its discoveries are explicit and intelligible; and in the principles and consequences they involve, it comprehends all that is sublime in doctrine all that is holy in tendency, all that is consolatory and delightful to the human heart, and all that is essential to our present and everlasting happiness. It proscribes not the right use of our rational faculties in matters of religion. It does not command men to disbelieve their senses. It furnishes general principles and maxims, of most extensive application; and the very effort of the Romanists to employ its language in defiance of their own peculiarities, is a tacit admission of its sufficiency. My Christian friends, bind this sacred volume to your hearts. Rejoice in the proof of its divine authority; with "simplicity and godly sincerity" endeavour to ascertain its meaning; seek by fervent prayer the illumination of the Holy Spirit; let your conduct be an intelligible explanation of your principles: and while the Bible is dearer to you than ever, by the examination of its claims, and the comparison of its

authority with the opinions and traditions of men, aim at the universal dissemination of it; till "all "the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of "the Lord," and the Shaster of the Brahmin, the Koran of the Turk, and the "traditions of the "Fathers" be exchanged for the PURE, EXCLUSIVE, AND ALL-SUFFICIENT AUTHORITY OF THE HOLY BIBLE,

LECTURE III.

ON THE PAPAL SUPREMACY.

IN the character of Jesus Christ, during his incarnate state on earth, there was a mysterious combination of grandeur and humility. His assumption of our nature was an act of omnipotent mercy; but the " espoused wife of a carpenter" was his Virgin Mother. His birth was announced by a choir of angels; but that intelligence was at first made known to the shepherds of Bethlehem. A star guided the Eastern magi to the hallowed spot where the Saviour of the world was born; and they found him " laid in a manger, because there was no room for him in the inn!" When he entered on his public ministry," a voice from the excellent glory" attested his divine commission, and proclaimed his sacred authority; but that scene of splendour on the banks of the Jordan, was succeeded by the solitude and temptations of the desart. A similar succession of glory and of humiliation, marked the ever-varying life of the incarnate Redeemer. The glory which invested his character, was of an order and degree which placed it infinitely beyond our reach; and it is the humiliation only, which we can imitate. It is the highest dignity of a Christian to "know the fellowship of his sufferings, and be made conformable to the death" of his Lord.

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The humility of Christ appeared in his simplicity and condescension. There was nothing allied to secular power and splendour in the life and actions of our Lord. His "kingdom was not of this world." He disclaimed and condemned every approach to those principles of worldly policy, on which the maxims and arrangements of civil government are founded. In the whole course of his ministry he endeavoured to repress the aspiring and ambitious thoughts of his disciples; and by his instructions and example, taught them, that humility, meekness, condescension and benevolence, were the most honourable attainments by which they could be distinguished.

The character of the Saviour illustrates the genius, and exemplifies the tendency of his religion. Point out if you can, one principle or institution, favourable to the excitement of pride, ambition and vain-glory? With what solemnity of emphasis, and variety of argument did he assert the necessity of self-denial, and oppose the secular and carnal expectations of his followers. How often did he mortify the proud, disappoint the ambitious, and set forth the advantages of spirituality and devotion. And the character of his disciples, as delineated in the Acts of the Apostles, accords with these views of our holy religion. The ascension of our Lord elevated and refined their conceptions; and the baptism of the Spirit purified their minds from the influence and prejudices, by which they were before enslaved and degraded. The instructions addressed to the Churches under their apostolic care, exhibit the same holy principles. The love of pre-eminence, the lust of power, the vanity of ambition, the fallacious appearances and dangerous consequences of pride are faithfully pour

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