We go to the commentators for the most part, because we are afraid to take Christ and his apostles upon their own word. if we had a simple faith we should seldom want others to explain their meaning.

It is an awful dreadful thing to come full into the light of scripture, and be upon a foot of sincerity with God.

Our spiritual progress is greatly hinderedby running from one thing to another. When any thought, discovery, or passage of scripture makes a strong impression, and, as it were, seizes upon the mind, consider it as of God, and give it time and opportu nity to work its effect, by excluding every thing else for a season. It would be of infinite use to keep an exact history of such inward workings; their rise, continuance, declension, and revival; and the communication and comparison of many such histories would not only afford matter of curious knowledge, great improvement, and mutual comfort; but perhaps, be one of the strong-est evidences of Christ's mission and the truth of scripture.

The scriptures are so darkened with expositions, and buried under such a heap of Jubbish, that it is a kind of labour even for the Spirit of God to remove it. The minds of the poor, not being sophisticated by the false glosses which obscure the plain sense of scripture, are in a much better condition for understanding it than the learned.

It is no objection to the truth of scripture that so many different sects find their own opinions in it; for first, if they were all agreed in their sense of it, and submission. to it, the testimony it brings against the blindness and corruption of mankind would be weakened: secondly, is is no disparagement to a looking-glass that all see

thing in it that is pleasing to themselves; the glass is true, the eye is partial.

It is said of Socrates, that when he believed he was divinely admonished to do any thing, it was impossible to make him take a contrary resolution. How does this example shame those who pretend to receive and believe the scripture as a divine direction, and yet for the most part trample it under their feet?

It is the great design of the scripture to teach the best to despair of being self-saved; the worst not to despair of being saved by Christ, and to offer all the help they want.

The scripture was written to be transcribed into the heart, and it has its effect when the heart is in such full consent and agreement therewith, that the scripture might. have been copied from it.

It is impossible, in the nature of things, that so burdensome and expensive an institution, as that of Moses, should ever have been received by the Jews, but upon sufficient evidence of its being divine. See Stilling fleet's Orig. Sae. vol. 2. cap. i.p. 116.

5

The design of revelation is to inform mankind that they are in a state of ruin, and under the divine displeasure by reason of sin, and to propose the means of their recovery to the favour of God and the hope of eternal life, by faith in a Redeemer, and submission to his teaching and authority.

Setting aside St. Paul, I should think Mr. Law right in his notion of regeneration ; but when I look into the scripture, 1 am sure he is wrong.

Many assent to the truth of scripture, and make use of it to paint their faces, but will not suffer it to get within them, nor come too near the heart.

How can I be discontented or low-spirited, want of employment or enjoyment, when I have the scriptures to go to ?.

I have the writings of a most invaluable estate in my hands, made over to me as my own property; and whenever I open the New Testament, and think of the un searchable riches of Christ therein conveyed to every believer, I may look down with contempt on all earthly possessions, and deserve to forfeit my interest in the gospel

treasure if I do not.

There is but one kind of happiness in nature for intelligent creatures, viz. that by which God is happy: God is happy in his own will; therefore intelligent creatures can only be happy by their knowledge of, and conformity to, that will. The question,

Where is this knowledge to be had? is casily answered; and the necessity of a revelation for this purpose, together with the helps it offers for bringing mankind to that conformity, appear at once.

CHAP. III.

GOD.

ALL spiritual happiness is in God, and inseparable from him, and there is no possibility of the creatures receiving any but by being in him. The gospel only teaches the necessity of this union, and the precious means and mystery of it by Christ.

The mercy of God is the first article of every mans-creed; but the different manner of understanding and applying it makes an essential, infinite difference in the characters of men, and constitutes either religion or atheism.

I believe the universal immediate presence of God; that he is the foundation, life, and essence of all creation, and of every part and particle of it; or, in St. Paul's words, that he is above all, and through

all, and in all, but still he is absent, and infinitely removed from me, unless I find him in my own heart. The greatest knowledge of his being and attributes will avail me nothing, if I do not also know as my Father in Christ; and, as such, favouring, loving, and blessing me, in time and to all eternity.

I do not think it is in the power of God to make any thing to be our happiness but.

himself.

The mercies of God refused, aggravate guilt, and draw on great ruin; but what then? Must not God therefore make a tender of his mercy? And must none be the better for it, because some will be the worse?

Nothing but love can unite with and enjoy love. The nature of God must be in use before it can be a good to us.

All glory is so properly and solely God's, that none can belong to any other; and whatever creature, man, or angel, takes any to itself, in so doing, discovers the nature, and falls into the condemnation of the devil.

What do I ask of God? Happiness confusedly? Or himself as the only ground of it?

No rational creature can be truly happy in the enjoyment of any thing, so long as there is any thing better to be enjoyed. This thought, if true, leads directly to God.