manifest his regard for the interests of truth and the authority of the Gospel; and by his instrumentality, in conjunction with the church at large, may perpetuate and extend the kingdom of the Redeemer. These are motives which insure the consistency of his obedience, and render the service of the sanctuary

But the influence of these principles, and the degrees of excellence resulting from them, depend, in a

on religious principles, and from | inquire in his temple;" that he may motives of a higher class. It takes a wider range than ordinary moralists, and enjoins many duties peculiar to itself. It institutes a series of solemn rites for the avowal of our faith and the increase of our piety, and requires us, as COworkers together with God, to employ our time and abilities in subservience to the interests of re-solemn and delighful. ligion and the salvation of the world, Persons of an amiable temper may be kept from sin, or prompted to virtue and beneficence, by the in-great measure, on the views we fluence of natural dispositions, by the force of custom, by the dictates of humanity, by the calculations of interest, by the fear of obloquy or the desire of fame. But the enlightened and consistent Christian, whose kuowledge of Christ is the fountain of benevolence and the principle of virtue, is actuated to obedience by a sense of duty, by the love of holiness, by motives of gratitude, and by a devout concern for the glory of his God and Saviour. And in giving his support to institutions of public utility, he is not influenced merely by motives of humanity, patriotism, or policy, as though it were his sole object to ameliorate the temporal condition of mankind; but, in connexion with this object, his benevolence takes a wider and nobler range, and considering the interests of this life subservient to the life to come, he directs his best efforts to the re-nour. demption and happiness of the soul, and imprints on the concerns of time a solemnity and importance drawn from the grandeur of eternity.When, moreover, he observes the sabbath and other institutions of the Christian church, he observes them, not for the sake of a good name or an hour's entertainment, but from a pure principle of christian obedience, that he may behold the beauty of the Lord and

receive of the Son of God, and the obligations we owe to his beneficence and authority. Unless he be known and loved, in reference to the dignity of his person, the greatness of his condescension, the importance of his offices, and the universality of his power, his institutions will appear unimportant, and the prosperity of his cause will excite merely a cold approbation or a faint desire. But clear views of his perfections, proper ideas of the value of his atonement, and a deep sense of his authority, as head over all things to his body the church, will render all his commands sacred; impart to his example as well as to his doctrine peculiar force: endear every thing connected with his cause; increase the efficacy of his promises; and induce us to prize his approbation as our highest happiness and ho

The grand secret, indeed, which forms the holiness of a Christian, and sustains his fortitude in times of ignominy and suffering, is the love of Christ, consisting of holy veneration, adoring gratitude, supreme confidence, and sacred delight. In seasons of affliction, when the billows of adversity awake his fears and exhaust his patience, the thought of Calvary revives his strength, calms his murmurs, renews his fortitude, and bears him

"Talk they of morals! O thou bleeding love!

up till his troubles are overcome or | of this kind by no means invalidate removed. How just, therefore, as the general principle, or render the well as beautiful, is Young's apos- holy tendency of the views we are trophe to the Saviour, in reference advocating dubious. But when to men who applaud morality with- faith in Christ as an Almighty out the Gospel :— Saviour, combined with a just sense of his sufferings and glory, properly affects the believer's conscience, he will not only maintain a steady course of moral rectitude in all the relations of private and social life, but will rise to the higher and more spiritual attainments of undissembled piety and christian zeal: "for this is the victory which overcometh the world, even our faith."

If, then, from the virtues of a Christian and his obedience to the

thoughts to his expectations, a similar course of argument will assure us that life eternal and the knowledge of Christ are intimately combined. Whatever superiority our religion may claim on the score of morals, it must without doubt be conceded, as its peculiar boast,

Thou maker of new morals to mankind! The grand morality is love of thee!" But, while it is obvious that a man's character, for the most part, takes its complexion from his creed, yet, such is the incongruity of our nature, that the truth of different opinions prevalent in the Christian world, cannot be determined by the character of their votaries. The pernicious tendency of error is frequently restrained and neutralized divine lawgiver, we turn our by the counteractive influence of some truth not forsaken, by habits of virtue previously formed, or by something peculiarly auspicious in the constitution and circumstances of the individual. The legitimate influence of truth on the heart and character of its supporters, is likewise, in many cases, impaired and" that Christ hath abolished death, defeated by a confused or inade- and brought life and immortality quate perception of its nature, by to light by the Gospel." Even in the admixture of erroneous senti- regard to the present state, brighter ment, by an incurable levity of dis- prospects animate the Christian, position, or by the secret power of while the visions of prophecy open avarice and other deep-rooted pas- to his faith the progress of truth sions, which, like a deadly shade, and the universality of his Saviour's intercepts the light or chills the kingdom:" and, in reference to efficacy of divine teaching. The another world, the Gospel alone abettors of an erroneous creed may ratifies the certainty of a future therefore sometimes sustain a cha- life, anticipates the awful events of racter of the strictest probity and a general resurrection and final honour, and, by the purity of their judgment, and describes in explicit morals and the excellence of their terms the condemnation of the imdisposition, may put the advocates penitent and the glory of the just. of a purer faith to the blush of By assuring us, moreover, that life conscious inferiority; while the eternal is the free gift of God, latter, with higher views and through Jesus Christ our Lord, " stronger motives, may, in too many promised to those only who becases, scandalize instead of ho- lieve and obey him, it forbids a nouring their profession, and, by vain and unfounded confidence, gross inconsitency or inexcusable and in terms easy to be understood, defects, gratify the sarcasms of defines the character and privileges their adversaries. But exceptions of the just, to whom death will be

the messenger of peace, and the grave a passage to immortality.

But if there are prospects peculiar to the Christian, is it not evident that the hope which anticipates them can be sustained only while the Gospel is preserved in its native purity, and faith unshaken is reposed in him, "who has all power given unto him both in heaven and in earth?" While the unbeliever, who regards death as an eternal sleep, or thinks it impossible that God should raise the dead, deems these realities a fable and their anticipant a deluded visionary; or while the Christian in name only, is overwhelmed at the thought of death, and, amidst the symptoms of mortality, gives no signs of hope; the faithful, who are well instructed in the Gospel of Christ, and truly sanctified by his spirit, confide in the veracity of his promises, and enjoy the succours of " a hope that maketh not ashamed." Though surroundeď by a cloud of impenetrable mystery, they are confident that the second Man, the Lord from heaven, "will change this vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." If fears arise, or the aspect of death alarms them, they apply to him who is the resurrection and the life, and his voice comforts them: "Fear not," says he; "I am the first and the last! I am he that liveth and was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore, Amen! and have the keys of hell and of death! Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give to thee a crown of life!" Thus, from the commencement to the close of the Christian's course, scriptural views of his Lord and Saviour are essentially important, and, in the hour of dissolution, will alone enable him with triumphant

confidence to say, in the language of St. Paul, "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day!"

Here, then, we may see the wisdom of the sacred writers in exhibiting the character and kingdom of the Messiah as the principal theme of divine revelation, while we admire the solemn and impressive testimony they have borne to the dignity of his nature and the grandeur of his prerogatives, as the Son of God manifest in human flesh, the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person. From the commencement to the close of the sacred volume, every opportunity seems to have been embraced to illustrate the doctrine, or display the glory of the Saviour; Christ is, therefore, not only the Alpha and Omega of the four Gospels, which were expressly designed to record the substance ofhis discourses, and the evidences of his divine mission and authority, but to him likewise do the Scriptures in general bear the same testimony. Even the prophets, under the Old Testament, who saw merely the first rays of his glory, spoke of his advent and his perfections in strains of eloquence derived from heaven. His character and work, his sufferings and glory, the fruits of his mediation, and the honours for ever due to his name, are subjects on which the apostles and evangelists, both in their sermons and epistles, uniformly expatiate with solemnity and rapture. When they went forth from Jerusalem, through the different provinces of the world, to execute their commission as the ambassadors of their ascended Master, they preached not themselves nor the speculations of philosophy or tradition, but Christ Jesus the Lord. "I determined," says the

Apostle of the Gentiles when he or even extinguish the spirit of defirst visited the Corinthians, "Ivotion, this will perpetuate and fan determined to know nothing among the flame; while some kinds of you save Jesus Christ, and him knowledge, which men seek with crucified. For it is Christ in you, avidity, may cherish pride, this is the hope of glory, whom we preach, eminently adapted to promote huwarning every man, and teaching mility; and while some inquiries every man in all wisdom, that we about faith may divert the mind may present every man perfect in from obedience, and prove fatal to Christ Jesus." charity and zeal, the knowledge of the Son of God will render faith the handmaid of virtue, and oblige us to kindle our zeal at the altar of love.

If, then, such be the importance of the knowledge of Christ, as conveyed to us by the Holy Scriptures, never let its attainment be deemed impracticable, even by the un- The pursuit of this attainment is, lettered Christian; and if difficul- without doubt, primarily incumbent ties arise and appear discouraging, on the ministers of religion, whose let them never be thought insur-province it is to preach among their mountable. Whatever advantage brethren the unsearchable riches men of profound talents and extensive learning may possess in the study and vindication of this and other doctrines of the Christian faith, it should never be forgotten, that every thing essential to salvation is written in the sacred volume with inimitable perspicuity and strength, in terms which even the poor and illiterate may easily understand. Let us, then, search the Scriptures with an immediate reference to this point, as our Lord himself has commanded, that our views of his character and work may be scriptural and influential. Indifference on this subject is inadmissible; it is the token of a beclouded intellect or a depraved heart. What, then, is the aversion with which some turn away from the truth, but the symptom of a moral fever, which, unless removed by the speedy application of right principles, will reduce its victim to the last stage of spiritual debility and moral death? But if we direct our inquiries with caution and perseverance, in the spirit of humility and devotion, to the word of God, we shall grow in sacred knowledge and approach nearer to life eternal. While other speculations may damp

of Christ. So essential, indeed, to the christian ministry is this branch of theological science, that an attempt to discharge the sacred function without it, were it not common, would be deemed the most preposterous temerity. For the ministers of Christ proudly to deny, or wilfully to conceal, the attributes ascribed to him in the sacred volume, would be an impious treason against the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, whom they profess to serve. But by appearing among their people, from sabbath to sabbath, as the faithful ministers of Christ, replenished from his own fulness; by declaring unto others what they have seen, and felt, and tasted, and handled of the Word of Life; by keeping back nothing that may be profitable, but, in humble dependence in the Divine Spirit, by manifestation of the truth, commending themselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God, they may hope, in some good degree, to answer the design of the sacred office, and to be at last crowned with the reward of fidelity, if not of eminent success.

But if the knowledge of Christ demands the special attention of

ON THR REVIVAL OF RELIGION.

To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine.
SIR,

Christian pastors, as public teachers of Christian verity, it has in many respects an equal claim on its private disciples. The question to which our attention is invited, THERE is a subject which presses instead of being classed with idle on my mind, of infinite moment, speculations and vain disputes, is and which I hope the Baptist Maidentified with subjects of vital gazine will take up with all its and everlasting interest. Never, talents and influence, I mean the then, let prejudice, levity, indo-subject of a general revival of relence, or the perishing acquisitions ligion in all our churches, and of time, deprive us of this great throughout all denominations. I excellence; but let us, like St. saw some interesting statements in Paul, offer them as a sacrifice on our Magazine some months since, the altar of God, while we inquire but the subject must not drop till Time is in that temple which the Spirit of the thing be obtained. truth has illumined. Let the short, souls are precious, we are magnitude of the subject excite us to not "straitened in God, 66 The diligence, while it inculcates hu- residue of the spirit is with him,” mility and prayer. Resting our the promises are his, the power is faith on no man's opinion, let us his, and the glory will be his for search the Scriptures for ourselves, ever. Let us rise and build," let us 66 that we may draw the truth clear up and be doing," and as crystal from its own fountain. pray without ceasing." There If doubts arise, or difficulties dis- are some interesting papers on the courage, let us submit our judg-subject in the Evangelical Magaments to divine teaching, and seek zine for October and November by Messrs. James, Bennet, Burder, &c. Imitating the prophets and apostles, I hope something will be done on a who inquired and searched dili wide scale. gently respecting the humiliation and glory of the Messiah, we shall perceive the grandeur and feel the efficacy of those truths which even the angels desire to investigate. And may God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, shine into our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of his glory in the person of Jesus Christ; that, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, we may be changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the spirit of the Lord; to whom be dominion and and praise for ever, Amen!

the wisdom that cometh from above.

T. F.

66

Portsea, Nov. 7.

S. T.

A HINT TO FANCIFUL EXPOSITOrs of

SCRIPTURE.

HOOKER, in his Ecclesiastical Polity, says, "I hold it for a most infallible rule, in expositions of sacred Scripture, that where a literal construction will stand, the farthest from the letter is commonly the worst. There is nothing more dangerous and deluding art, which changeth the meaning of words, as alchemy doth, or would do, the substance of metals; maketh of any thing what it listeth, and bringeth in the end all truth to nothing."