plaining, in no small degree, the source of its power, and the secret of its charm. But we merely point attention to the general fact, that we are more or less prone to mistake a strong perception, a lively impression of one truth-of one excellence, for a comprehension of all truth-of all excellence; inasmuch as it would prepare us to expect the prevalency of a similar error in religion. In the instance under consideration, it is certainly a very natural, and a most excusable error. The great subject of divine revelation is the redemption of mankind through the mediation of the Son of God: a fact which makes its appeal more immediately, and with a peculiar force, to our gratitude. It is consequently natural that Christians, intent upon and affected by such a manifestation of the goodness of God, should deem the claim which it urges on that affection to be an all-sufficient inducement-experimentally and practicallyto their obedience of his known will and commandment, and should infer that believers can stand in need of no other. It is natural, moreover, that they should conclude that the disciples of practical godliness are in reality actuated by no other consideration than that of the mercy which God hath shown

them; and should accordingly become indifferent to the assertion of other reasons, however cogent and persuasive, for a conscientious observance of the precepts of Scripture-to the assertion, for example, of rewards and punishments in a future state, or the necessity "of doing the will of God," as a condition of being admitted into the kingdom of heaven:nay, that they should contract a fastidious distaste, a morbid repugnance to the mention of such reasons, and decry the enforcement of them as betraying an undue regard to the agency of man in the promotion of his spiritual welfare, and derogating from the redeeming power or the sufficient grace of God. We call such repugnance morbid, in the conviction that those reasons are actually and repeatedly impressed upon us in the word of God-that inspiration of an Intelligence which, in addressing man as an accountable and immortal being, has not contemplated him as the subject of one principle of conduct only; but has embraced every motive of which he is susceptible in the relation which he bears to the Deity, and by which he may be persuaded to enter and pursue the path of rectitude and life eternal. We are solemnly convinced that a ready admission, an earnest consideration,

of every inducement set before us in the Scriptures to promote obedience of God's commandments, is needful to the sustenance of human piety; that no good can result to any individual Christian, and still less to the cause of religion in general, by a disregard and unintentional disparagement of any portion of the divine revelation; and that, at all times and generally, we need to be reminded of the admonition of the Apostle "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."*

There is yet another topic to which we would advert before we dismiss this subject. We have combated the opinion that it is superfluous to insist on the necessity of "works" to justification. The opinion that it is calculated to promote a presumption of our own desert before God, we had examined in a preceding discourse. On that opinion, however, we would farther observe, that it may be traced, in a very great measure, to a dread of relapsing into an error which was disowned at the Reformation. Because the ministers

* 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17.

of the church in its corruption, appear to have taught the merit of personal holiness or good works, the ministers of the church in its reformed and purified state, have been timid, vague, inconsequential, and perplexing, in enforcing the immutable obligation of performing them, their indispensableness to the justification of the believer, and their sure and everlasting recompense in the world to come. It is manifestly concluded that the conceit of a personal desert, with relation to the Deity, has been the great delusion and masterheresy of past times-the rock on which the faith of Christians has been, for the most part, wrecked, and from which we are most conspicuously warned by the beacon of the Reformation. It were idle, in these limits, to attempt a close examination of the grounds on which this conclusion rests; but we may venture, and it may not be useless, to suggest a doubt whether the proneness of mankind to deduce from their own conduct a claim to eternal life, be precisely the fact illustrated, or the lesson taught, by the history of the papal domination. For by what dogma was it that the Church of Rome, or rather the Christian priesthood in general of past times, attracted most effectually the reverent attachment of

the multitude? Was it by insinuating into their minds a flattering persuasion of their own moral worthiness, and the sufficiency of their own virtues? No: with such a lie upon his lips, the priest would hardly have held so long possession of the conscience, and have been admitted to its inmost secrets. The bulk of mankind, however loath to entertain the im

pression of their guilt, however prone to magnify their virtues, and to find excuses for their vices, have owned a conviction of their sins ;and how many have drooped and pined in the memory of them! How many, in their last hours, have recoiled at the thought of appearing before the judgment-seat of God, unadvocated and alone! The artful priest devised a more specious tale-one better fitted to deceive himself as well as others. Though he could not befool the people with a notion of their personal innocence towards God, he might and did persuade them, in an age of ignorance, and when the Bible was shut, to believe that others had been better than themselves: so much better as to yield them something wherewith to appear before the Universal Judge. He beguiled them by an assurance that the good deeds, the pious labours and sufferings of Christians in past