sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." Eph. v. 13, 14. As the light of the sun is the source of all the beauty that adorns the outward creation, and as the smallest ray of light contains in itself every. colour of the rainbow; so this Divine light which emanates from God, is the source of every christian virtue, and "in it are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.'

When we see such striking evidences of Divine power and goodness displayed in the government of the outward world,-clothing the earth with flowers and verdure in spring, with harvests in summer, and with fruits in autumn,-and preserving the various tribes of animals through the severity of winter: when we feel assured that not even a sparrow falls to the ground without his notice;-can we suppose that he withdraws his presence from the immortal part of his creature man? No; it is on the rational soul of man that he bestows his peculiar care; it is there that his sensible presence is felt, and to him alone are we indebted for every holy aspiration after virtue, and every feeling of extended benevolence. And he not only incites us to goodness, but he reproves us for evil, and, as a tender father, he visits and revisits his erring children with "the reproofs of instruction, which are the way of life."

"Thou art the source and centre of all minds,
Their only point of rest, eternal Word!
From thee departing they are lost, and rove
At random, without honour, hope, or peace.
From thee is all that soothes the life of man;
His high endeavour, and his glad success,
His strength to suffer, and his will to serve.
But oh, thou bounteous giver of all good,
Thou art of all thy gifts thyself the crown!
Give what thou canst, without thee we are poor;
And with thee rich, take what thou wilt away.'
COWPER.

NOTE.

There is one text which was not introduced nor alluded to in the foregoing conversation, because its authenticity is now considered so doubtful that it has been abandoned by some of the most learned biblical critics. The following remarks in relation to it are extracted from the commentary of Adam Clarke, a learned trinitarian writer.

1 John v. 7. "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one.

"There are one hundred and thirteen Greek MSS. extant, containing the first epistle of John, and this text is wanting in one hundred and twelve. It only exists in the Codex Montfortii, (a comparatively recent MS.,) already described."

"All the Greek fathers omit the verse, though many of them quote both verse 6th and 8th, applying them to the Trinity, Divinity of Christ, and the Holy Spirit."

"The first place the verse appears in Greek, is in the Greek translation of the acts of the council of Lateran, held A. D. 1215.'

"The Latin fathers do not quote it, even where it would have greatly strengthened their arguments, and where, had it existed, it might have been most naturally expected. It is wanting in all the ancient versions, the Vulgate excepted; but the most ancient copies of this have it not."

"It is wanting in the German translation of Luther, and in all the editions of it published during his. lifetime. It is inserted in our early English translations, but with marks of doubtfulness."

"In short, it stands on no authority, sufficient to authenticate any part of a revelation professing to have come from God."

[See Griesbach's Greek Testament.]

CONVERSATION V.

ON SALVATION BY CHRIST.

James. In our last conversation the attributes of the Divine Being and the Divinity of Christ, were discussed; and I now feel desirous of being better informed respecting the Christian doctrine of salvation.

Father. This is the most important subject that can possibly engage our attention; and we ought each one of us to take it into serious consideration, and endeavour to know by experience what it is to be saved from sin. It is an individual work; for "no man can save his brother, nor give to God a ransom for his soul;" but we must all "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling." Phil. ii. 12.

John. I should think this last quotation is not to be taken so literally as to imply that we can work out our own salvation without Divine assistance.

Father. Certainly not. It only means that we should accept the offers of Divine grace, and heartily co-operate therewith: for the apostle says in the next verse, "It is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do, of his good pleasure." After all that we can do, our salvation must be attributed to God: for although it cannot be done without us, it is equally certain that it cannot be done of ourselves. "By grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God." Eph. ii. 8.

The first point to be considered in this inquiry is, What is salvation? I think all must acknowledge that it is a deliverance from the guilt and dominion of sin; and consequently an exemption from the misery that is entailed upon sin, both here and hereafter.

This view is confirmed by the whole tenour of the sacred writings; and it appears that the special object of Christ's mission was "to save his people from their sins." Mat. i. 21. A man cannot be truly said to be saved from his sins, while he is living in the daily practice of sinning. For "he that doeth righteousness is righteous;" but "he that committeth sin is of the devil." 1 John iii. 7, 8. The next inquiry is, What is sin? The apostle John answers, "Sin is the transgression of the law." 1 John iii. 4. Well, what law is it that we are now living under? It is not the law of Moses; but the law of the new covenant, which is written in the heart. For, "This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after. those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people; and they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." Heb. viii. 10. Jer. xxxi. 31. It appears then, that sin is the transgression of this holy law: "for if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things;" but "if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God." 1 John iii. 20, 21. Now if we will revert to our own experience, we shall find that every transgression of this law written in the heart, is followed by condemnation and disquietude: for the Divine Author of our being has so constituted the human mind, that we never can be happy while in a state of disobedience to his holy law; therefore he says, "Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee." Jer. ii. 19. "Say ye to the righteous, it shall be well with him; for they shall eat the fruit of their doings: but wo unto the wicked, it shall be ill with him; for the reward

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of his hands shall be given him." Is. iii. 10. "The work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever." Is. xxxii: 17. This " peace of God, which passeth understanding;" this holy joy and serenity of mind, which springs from "the love of God shed abroad in the heart," is the only thing that can fill and satisfy the cravings of an immortal soul, which pants for the joys of eternal life. How important then is the inquiry, What is it that separates us from the Divine harmony, and cuts us off from the joys of paradise? Behold," says the prophet, "your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you." Is. liv. 1. If sin separates the soul from God, it is clear that we cannot be united to him while we continue to be sinful: for "what communion is there between light and darkness? what concord between Christ and belial?" But "thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift!" He not only sent his beloved Son into the world to "save his people from their sins," and to "destroy the works of the devil," (1 John iii. 8,) but he still reveals himself to man as a God "nigh at hand, a very present help in time of trouble;" and it is "through his mercy that he saves us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost." All he requires of man is, to repent of his sins by turning away from them, and to become obedient to "the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, which makes free from the law of sin and death." This "law of sin and death," is the law which "wars in our members," (Rom. vii. 23, viii. 2,) and consists of "the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life, which are not of the Father, but of the world." It is needful that the power of God should be revealed in man, to overcome these spiritual enemies; and therefore his holy Word, or Spirit of truth, is sent to "convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment." This is that grace of God which bringeth