an interpretation which bears the very stamp of truth.

Some truths do not influence the mind, but every scripture truth does when rightly received. It cannot be otherwise, for it is nothing less than an eternal matter between God and our souls. Our knowledge will be only against us, if we know not how to put it to good account before God.

It is a good sign of spiritual life, when we select and enjoy the spiritual parts of the bible.

The word of God contains many a fine golden chain, the links of which are truths inseparably united to each other.

Instead of lowering the precepts of Scripture to the standard of the world, I would say,

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Lord, bring my mind up to the spirit of its wise and holy instructions."

I do not desire to judge of the bible by my experience, but to try my experience by the test of the bible.

The light of revelation is given to guide me, but the Spirit of God must open mine eyes, that I may see things as they are really intended to be revealed to me.

I greatly blame myself for not entering more into the marrow of Scripture; alas, when I read my bible, the words often pass before my eyes without entering into my heart.

It is very profitable to read the bible; still to read it with real advantage, we must catechise ourselves by it, and see whether we reach the high standard set before us in its pages.

We make a wrong use of the bible, when we cannot bless God for its practical commands as much as for its evangelical truths.

I must be content to leave futurity to unfold the figurative language of Scripture; and I must be satisfied not to know what God conceals. There is a sort of virtue in humble ig

norance.

Simplicity, purity, fulness, adaptation, preservation, and remarkable efficacy, are six proofs

of the divine origin of the gospel, but to a Christian the greatest is this-" he that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself."

I cannot doubt that the bible is right, if it has set me right.

God is only known to us by his Son, and therefore without a revelation of his Son we must continue ignorant of him. This must necessarily be made through the word of truth; for as the sun can only be seen by its own beams, so Christ can alone be made visible by the light of his gospel.

My bible is before me; it contains only so many letters. Let me read it; many do so, and are no wiser for it. But if I read the lovely oracles of truth with light in my heart, I shall be struck with admiration of the divine energy of the language of God himself to my soul. I have been reading the New Testament over two or three times lately1 in the original language, to refresh my memory; and the more

This was in the Spring of 1830.

I look at the Scriptures and the interpretation that should be given to them, the more I am convinced that though I may have a bible in my hand, yet unless I have the grace of God in my heart, I shall never know the worth of that sacred book.

The bible is the only book which teaches us how infinite justice and infinite mercy can unite, to lift a ruined sinner from the dust.

I have two important subjects to think of, my God and myself-my God, what he is; myself, what I am before him. Outward observation enables me to trace his almighty hand in the scenes around me, but I can only silently adore his wisdom and his power. I am not, however, left to guess at the attributes of God according to the dim conceptions of human reason. I have a glorious revelation which tells me all that is needful for me to know, in a manner which never could have been conceived by me without it.

SECTION XXII.

The Ministry.

GOD has given different gifts to different ministers; but that kind of preaching is the best, which aims at the great end of the gospel-the plucking of poor sinners as brands from the burning.

The seed sown will never spring up unless it is watered by prayer. I heard a man once>> say of his minister, "I love to hear him preach, because his preaching always causes me to pray."

Ministers are stars in the right hand of God! Alas, how much we lack steadiness and firmness! The unnumbered stars of heaven continue their vast revolutions, without being upheld by any visible support; they roll through infinite space, according to the direction which eternal wisdom has given them, and never err in their courses. What an idea therefore have we of the charac