are not as David and "other men," guilty of this transgression or that; but we have all come short of what God requires, and have but one way to his favour. Our language should be, "God be merciful to me a sinner;" our hope should be in the merits of our Saviour. Thus David prayed, and thus believed, and of course possessed a true Christian faith. This do and thou shalt live. "The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."

3. Finally, brethren, we are here taught to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called. Let us well consider what is a Christian's vocation; it is to be truly the Saviour's disciple; to "live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world." To make our calling and election sure; to fulfil God's gracious purpose in our holy vocation, and to be finally justified as righteous, we must possess that faith which renews the heart, which worketh by love; which keepeth the commandments of God; we must add to our faith virtue, and knowledge, and every Christian grace. Let your light so shine before men, as to honour your Christian profession; as to commend the faith of Christ to the esteem of others, and manifest the power and the excellence of his grace. Walk thus in the faith of Christ and fear of God, and you will be men after his heart. The example of David in the many and various trials to which he was called, will, if you rightly view them, assist you much in your vocation. He earnestly prayed for sanctification; to be cleansed from his secret faults, and he so deeply repented of his "pre

sumptuous sins," that they did not get the dominion over him.

Endeavour like him, to be humble and submissive under the hand of God; to repose unshaken trust in his gracious word, and righteous providence; to claim nothing for your own righteousness; to rest your hope in your Saviour; to be zealous and active in serving God, and to perform faithfully every duty which appertains to that state of life to which you are called. Then shall God be your friend, and his blessing be ever with you. Though through the infirmities of a corrupt nature, and the remains of indwelling sin, you should sometimes be suddenly drawn into transgression, the Lord will not forsake you, but by his providence awaken you, as he did David, and as he did Peter, to repentance. From his own experience could David say, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand." Thus let us use the scripture, and not abuse nor wrest them to our own destruction. May God mercifully grant us a right judgment in all things, and dispose our hearts to honour his name and do his will through Jesus Christ. Amen.

SERMON XXX.

ON UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES; OR HOW TO ANSWER A FOOL.

Prov. xxvi. 4, 5.

Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

THAT "the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God," is a declaration of his word, which may be extensively applied, and it is a declaration of which these remarkable words of Solomon, will illustrate the application. There are few things in which human wisdom is more occupied, than in minute criticism; and there are few things, which, in the holy scriptures, are less regarded. In many passages of the sacred volume, are what men please to call contradictions, though none of them are really contradictory. Texts may easily be found, which, to a superficial observer, or to one who regards the words more than the sense, will appear inconsistent, or not strictly correct. They who would find fault rather than truth; they especially, who would invalidate the authority of those scriptures which they are unwilling to obey, represent such passages as an evi

dence of ignorance, or infirmity, or want of veracity in the penman; and of course, a proof that the scriptures were not given by inspiration of God.

But it is a fact, as I propose in the present discourse to prove and illustrate, that what is thus and so often objected against the veracity of God's word, is what his Holy Spirit, in dictating that word, has totally disregarded. In no part of the Bible have the inspired writers affected precision, or manifested any regard to a critical exactness of expression. They tell us plain, important truths, in plain, intelligible language. He that runs may read, provided his heart is disposed to understand. But the wise are taken in their own craftiness. "With the froward, the Lord learns frowardness." From them who love darkness rather than light, the gospel is hid; and they who seek for objections against the truth of divine revelation, are punished in being permitted to find them. Like the cloud between the hosts of Israel and of Egypt, the holy scriptures are a light by night to those who have eyes to see; while they are darkness, even by day, to those who are enemies to the truths which they reveal.

It is certainly wonderful, and a powerful evidence of the truth of the bible, that so large a book, written by so many different hands, and at such remote periods of time, should in all its parts so perfectly accord in its subject, system, sentiments, and doctrines; and while each writer has his own peculiar style, or manner of expression, that through the whole volume, they should all preserve the same dignified simplicity, and unity of design. As in other things, they also agree in this, in disregarding

verbal criticism, and a nice exactness of expression. Artful, designing men, are careful and well guarded in all their expressions; but truth and honesty have less regard to appearances. In every part of the scriptures do we see inattention, of this sort, which no deceiver would ever permit to pass. We might fill, not our sermon only, but a volume, with quotations which show that the inspired penman regarded chiefly the sense of what they wrote, without particular regard to the manner of expression. This is strikingly evident in their quoting the writings or words of others. When the writers of the New Testament cite, which they frequently do, passages from the Old, they are sure to give the true sense, but rarely the exact words. And this evidently they do, because they view this as being all that is essential, and for other reasons which we shall have occasion to notice. I speak now of the fact, which is remarkable and important, that they seldom give precisely the words of the passages which they quote. The four Evangelists, in relating the same speeches, give the sense indeed, but vary the expression. To give a few instances from a hundred, at the baptism of Jesus, St. Luke says, "A voice came from heaven which said, thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased." St. Matthew relates it, "Lo a voice from heaven saying, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." St. Matthew, in another instance, tells us, that the woman of Canaan said to Jesus, “Truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table." According to Mark, she said, "Yes, Lord, yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs." The inscription on