The laft book of the New Teftament is called, The Revelation of St. John, from his own declaration in the first verse of it; The Revelation of Jefus Chrift, which God gave unto him, and which he fignified by his angel unto his fervant John.-St. John was diftinguifhed by the honourable appellation of the Beloved Difciple; he lay in the bofom of his Lord, and from thence the facred love of God and man was transfufed into his breaft: he was eminently endued with his Mafter's fpirit, and the fublimer myfteries of his univerfal kingdom were made known to him.

There are feveral Epiftles in this book of Revelation to the churches of Afia, which John had planted, or at least cultivated and improved. The fubject of them is very nearly the fame, being either a commendation of their faith and virtue, or a reproof for their failings, and an exhortation to repentance and perfeverance. But feveral parts of this book are myfterious and prophetical, and appear to be beyond the reach and comprehenfion of any human capacity. Many pious and learned men in all ages of the church, have diligently examined and endeavoured to explain thefe writings; but we have reafon to believe, that they have "never yet been fully understood by any man. They feem, however, in general, to def

cribe the ftate of the church at that time in which they were written; and the future ftate of it to the end of the world; the things that were, and the things that fhould be hereafter.

In the conclufion of this wonderful book, with which the canon of fcripture closes, our Bleffed Lord, in the moft awful manner, charges the Apoftles to denounce a dreadful fentence of condemnation against any defigned alteration of the word of God. If any man shall add unto these things, God Jhall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man hall take away from the words of the book of this Prophecy, God hall take away his part out of the book of life.-You have now the whole revelation of Christ, abundantly fufficient to make you wife unto falvation. Receive it as a facred trust, to be preferved inviolate: and never be tempted, by a defire of foothing your own paffions, or the paffions of others, to add to it, or to take from it. You are now to expect no more interpofitions; no further prophecies; no new revelations; for they are needlefs. -There will be no more facrifice for fin; no other scheme of falvation; no other offer of mercy. But when our Lord fhall come again, He will come in his glorious majefty to judge both the quick and dead,

and to give to every man according to his work. And He, who testifieth thefe things, faith, furely I come quickly.To which gracious affurance the devout heart of the Evangelift immediately replies

and may the heart of every one replyAmen. Even fo, come Lord Jefus.

CHAP. LV.

THE CONCLUSION.

ALL Scripture is given by Inspiration of God. Inspiration is a divine influence conveying to the mind fuch a degree of knowledge, as it could not, at that time, have attained by the ufual exercife of its faculties. The Apoftles and Evangelifts wrote under this facred influence and Chriftians in all ages have reverenced their writings, and conftantly appealed to them, as the infallible oracles of God.

If God fent his Son from Heaven with a divine revelation for the benefit of all men, would he not take care, that the doctrines He taught, and the facts which confirmed. his miffion, fhould be preferved in authentic records? If he intended, that the Scriptures fhould be a ftanda d of faith, and a rule of life, for the inft uction of all nations and all ages, would lie not guide the nds of his' penmen, and fecure them from 5

error?-It is certain, that the Apoftles received a fupernatural affiftance in preaching the Gofpel; for God himfelf bore wit nefs to them, enabled them in a moment, by the effufion of the Holy Spirit, to speak an amazing variety of languages, and to work all kinds of miracles: and is it reafonable to fuppofe, that lefs care would be taken of their writing than of their Speaking?-We have ftrong reafon therefore to conclude, that the Apoftles wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft; and that the Scripture is not the word of man, but the word of God. And as God is a Being of infinite knowledge, who cannot be de ceived Himfelf, and of infinite goodness, who will not deceive his creatures, it follows, that his Word, like himself, is Light and Truth, and in it is no falfehood or error at all.

Several difputes have been raised concerning the Nature and Degree of the Infpira tion of Scripture: but the plain account of the matter feems to be, that in cafes which were entirely new to the Apostles, and be yond their understanding, they wrote from the immediate fuggeftion of the Holy Spirit: and, in cafes where they themselves had perfect knowledge, That facred perfon only fo far prefided over their minds, as to fecure them from miftake and error, leaving them to the free use of their own

reafon, and to express their thoughts in their own words.

And as all Scripture is given by the InSpiration of God, fo is it profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for inftruction in righteousness. It is a fufficient rule both of faith and practice; a complete measure of what is neceffary to be believed or done by us; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works, and become wife unto falvation.

What a fatisfaction must it be to have in our hands a book, containing the exprefs will of God concerning us! What a comfort to be fafely guided through the mazes of ignorance and darknefs, and to have the Word of Truth for a lamp to our feet, and a light to our paths! How thankful fhould we be for it! How careful to direct our thoughts and actions by it! How attentive in perufing thofe holy Oracles, which offer peace and pardon to the penitent, and bring life and immortality to light!

The Church of Rome debars the common people from reading the Bible: fhe locks up the Scriptures from them, and takes the key of knowledge out of their hands, infifting, that they have no right to judge for themselves in matters of faith, and ought to fubmit implicitly to her in