Gospel which bringeth life and immortality to light. "Proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words," it prefers its "philosophy and vain deceit" to the humbling discipline of the school of Christ. The press, too, that mighty engine for good or evil, is zealously engaged in the same cause. The formidable array of reviews, magazines, and newspapers, with the nameless host of pamphlets, essays, tracts, by which opinion so freely circulates through all the members of the social body, and which at once create and betoken its moral soundness or disease-these, with a few honourable exceptions, are the active organs of liberalism. But surely when we are thus threatened with the dissolution of all sound principles, when the foundations of religion are universally sapped, it behoves us to defend the breach, and recall our people to that high standard which, despite of the enemies' every effort, they yet reverence and regard. To the law and to the testimony we make our appeal.

(TO BE CONTINUED.)

THE REFORMERS.

(From the Presbyterian Review, No. VII.)

"The projectors of every system of popular education are manifestly shut up to the necessity of beginning with the question, what is truth?' And in national institutions of that kind, it is of all things most necessary that it should be determined aright; else how miserable the thought of a nation's morals being left to chance, in the very professed attempt of fixing them on a sound foundation. We know, indeed, that to many it is a dreadful question. The weak and the wavering all who prefer the smiles of public opinion to the omnipotence of the God of truth, and who would rather keep the vessel of the commonwealth beating about among the rocks and shoals of popularity, than stretch forth into the safe and open sea of principle, would avoid it, if they possibly could. But men of truly great minds, well knowing that life was designed for nobler and more trying exercises than mere calculations of human expediency, will meet it with all the enthusiasm inspired by the thought, that it is their very calling to guide all things subject to them by that only star of Truth, amid the wildest buffetings of popular error, and the deepest and strongest currents of ancient and inveterate prejudice. It was thus that the Reformers met this question, and in this spirit they resolved and settled it in the face of all Christendom. They saw themselves placed between past generations drowned in ignorance, and generations yet unborn, who were to owe to their measures either a return to the 'palpable obscure' which had preceded them, or a steady enjoyment of the light with which themselves were blest. Hence it became their heart's first wish, and their mind's most earnest endeavour, to flood, as it were, every object around them with the pure radiance of gospel light, making it stream on

every public institution, and penetrate every chink and cranny of private and domestic life. Hence they translated and printed the Bible in the vernacular tongues; composed confessions and catechisms, containing the substance of its doctrines, in cheap and portable forms; and by every kind of preaching and teaching endeavoured to turn all minds and hearts to the acknowledgment of God, revealing himself in the Holy Scriptures as the fountain of all authority, the judge of every conscience, and the alone dispenser of forgiveness and of grace. Even in civil matters, all laws, all institutions, all branches of the public administration, the more solemu acts of kings and parliaments, and the common usages of domestic life, were imbued with the same spirit.. The God, not of man's reason, but of his own Bible, was owned in all of them. Hence, too, they were all fenced by religious securities, so despised and vilified during a nation's downward course, but so prized when it seeks to return from the horrors, or from the depression, of public superstition or atheism. Hence civil establishments of religion, now held so cheap; and hence, too, the universal inculcation of the infallibility of the Scriptures, and of a know.. ledge of their doctrines, in public schools, now ready, as a great national principle, to be discarded."

THE PRESBYTERIAN.

No. II.

(From Hall's Scriptural View of the Gospel-Church.)

"THE CHARACTERS OF A CHURCH-MEMBER.

"There is only one grand distribution of mankind, and that is into two classes, the world, and those that are chosen out of the world. The world is a very comprehensive general, and includes all that lie in wickedness, and remain strangers to that new state of life, favour, and blessedness, which is in Jesus Christ. Out of this most deplorable state of alienation from the life of God, an innumerable company are chosen, redeemed, and called, to be witnesses for God, partakers of Christ, and heirs of glory. These constitute the general assembly and church of the first-born, whom a divinely sovereign and gracious God hath taken, with evident marks of distinguished honour, to be his church and peculiar people.

"This church is every where represented as standing in most endearing relations to her bless ed Head; and the grandest ideas of her nature and excellency are conveyed by these ennobling, enriching, and unfading relations: hence called his bride, his body, his fulness, &c. These, in their highest idea, constitute the character of the church of the first-born : and we require no more to constitute visible church-members, and we can desire no less, than what, in judgment of charily, is consistent with this union, which is between Christ and the church. So much of the form, as may give satisfying evidence of the power of godliness. So much of the effect, as may give reason, in charity, to believe the existence and prevalence of the cause. Regeneration is stated to our view, in many places, as the leading step to communion with Christ, and the privileges of his mystical body, John iii, 3. 5. and i. 12, 13, &c. Baptism is the outward sign and seal of this heavenly privilege, Tit. iii. 5. and is accordingly the first step toward actual membership in the visible church,

Acts ii. 38. as circumcision was to the covenant-seed of Abraham. And as the covenant-grant which was the foundation of circumcising his infant-seed, recorded Gen. xvii. 7. is evidently extended to the New-Testament church, as an encouragement to baptism, and the warrant for it, Acts ii. 38. 39. it is highly credible, that baptism has the same place in the Christian dispensation, as circumcision had in the Jewish. This point needs no process of reasoning to deduce its authority from the oracles of truth, being obviously founded in Col. ii. 8-13. This supposed; infantbaptism, a sign and seal of their church-membership, is confessedly a just and necessary consequence. Wherefore those that are, in the appointed order, partakers of baptism, are vested with all the external rights and privileges, which can belong to them that are truly regenerate, in the same circumstances; until, in advancing years, their neglect or contempt of those duties, on the performance whereof the continued evidence and proof of visible regeneration rest, shall demonstrate the badness of their heart and state. To them we may apply, with necessary alterations, these words, Rom. ii. 25. Baptism verily profiteth, if thou observe all things Christ hath commanded: but if thou slightest his words, thy baptism is made no baptism, in the sight of God,' as to real communications of grace, and acceptance with him; and is therefore made no baptism in the sight of the church, as to a participation of the external rights and privileges of a regenerate state. Regeneration is of that mysterious nature, that it is discerned in the internal and real existence of it, by him only who searcheth the heart; its evidences and fruits in their external demonstrations are all of which the church can judge; and the admission of churchmembers to enjoy privileges, belonging, in their nature, use, and design, to the regenerate only, must be regulated by these appearances, which the Holy Ghost tells us, usually characterise a true Christian, to the view of the world.

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"The appearances of Christianity, which characterise the new creature, in whom old things are passed away, and all things become new, are neither dark nor doubtful. These appearances are necessary to enable men, who must judge of things by looking on the outward appearance, to form an estimate of themselves and others; but cannot in any respect assist the Deity, whose judgment is always according to truth. He seeth not as man seeth; but looketh on the heart, 1 Sam. xvi. 7. He knoweth what is in man, and needeth not to be told by any outward discovery; for he searcheth the heart. We, poor limited mortals, must judge of things by the seeing of the eye, and the hearing of the ear. It is not our province, to search the heart; this is the prerogative of him who made the heart, to understand the secrets of it; and under every specious shew, discern truth, with infallible certainty. What we are concerned in is, to enquire what qualifications the scripture requires to clear our title and right of admission to, or continuance in, the fellowship of the saints. And, "1. Those who manifest prevailing inclinations to any sin, of any kind, and walk accordingly, against light and conviction, shall not inherit the kingdom of God, 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10, 11.

"2. Those who have escaped the corruption which is in the world through lust, by the knowledge of the truth, have professedly given up themselves to the Lord, and joined themselves to his people in churchorder; but have returned again with the dog to his vomit, and with the swine that had been washed to wallow in the mire, who harden themselves against warnings, admonitions, reproofs, and councils, which have been

administered with a Christian temper, and in the due order, Matth. xviii. 16, 17, 18. so that they neglect to hear the church in the judicial exercise of her authority, in a plain case of sin or error ;-those who act thus must be reputed by the church, as Heathen men, and aliens from the common-wealth of Israel.

"3. Believers, who receive the knowledge of the truth, and profess to esteem and love it, may, and none else ought, to be admitted into churchfellowship. This is a sacred, and should be a settled maxim among Christians. Accordingly the apostles baptized, and united in holy communion, these that gladly received the gospel; even as Abraham received circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith, which he had yet being uncircumcised. The apostle writes to the church of Ephesus, as consisting of or go believers, or faithful persons, Eph. i. I. His meaning was very well understood. How frequently do we find faith connected with salvation; and the want of it as often joined with damnation ! Can we think, that the scripture speaketh to this purpose, in vain? Because the truth is important, and should be kept in our memories, line is laid upon line. Every adult member of the gospel-church should have the same appearances of faith which Simon Magus had, Acts viii. 12. a faith not contradicted, but perfected, by works, and rendered visible in its fruits, James ii. 14--26. Such believers only ought to be received, or retained, in the communion of saints.

"4. Such as hold this faith, must make an open profession of the subjection of their consciences to the authority of Christ in the Gospel, and of their hearty readiness to yield obedience to all his institutions. This profession supposes a competent knowledge of the doctrines of the gospel; and it implies a denying of their own wisdom and choice, where the wisdom and authority of Zion's Lawgiver interpose, together with a declared resolution to perform all known duties of religion, and to abstain carefully from every known sin, Rom. x. 9. 10.

"This is a short draught of the appearances of vital union to the Lord Jesus, which are specified on by the Holy Ghost, as essentially necessary, in these who may warrantably be allowed to commence or maintain fellowship in a church-state, with an humble confident dependence on Christ for an effectual blessing on their connections.

"It appears from the whole, that hypocrites, who have assumed and never laid aside a mask, must be reputed members of the church, so long as they continue to use that mask, without denying by their works what they profess in words. The reason is plain; they wear the appearance of saints and faithful persons; and that they have no more than the appearance, is known to God and themselves only. Men can judge of men, by appearance only; yet this we may add on the best authority, that God who searcheth the heart, will cause fearfulness to seize the hypocrites in Zion, and this they shall assuredly have at his hand, they shall lie down in sorrow, and be covered with confusion.

"But this is the province of an all-seeing, just, and jealous God: and what are blind, deceiving and deceived men, that they should presume to intrude into those things which they have not seen? Secret things be-long to the Lord our God alone: but the things which are revealed belong to us and our children. Let us learn not to exceed our line, in judging of what was never competent to any created intelligence, being the prerogative of JEHOVAH."

BIBLE INSTRUCTION.

No. IX.

THE LAW OF GOD.

"Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good."-ROMANS vii. 12.

THE law of God is the rule of Christian duty. When the sinner believes on Christ, he is taken from under the law as a ground of hope, but submits to its authority as a rule of life. He is "not without law to God, but under the law to Christ." Our present purpose is to explain the rule of Christian conduct; and with this view we shall, 1. Offer a few remarks in explanation of the law; and, 2. Point out the uses of the law under the dispensation of the Gospel.

I. Remarks in explanation of the law. The term is used in various significations in the Scriptures. It signifies a rule to direct the conduct of rational beings, Prov. xxviii. 4; any thing to which our conduct is conformed, Rom. vii. 23; the Scriptures, Psal. i. 2; the ten commandments, Rom. vii. 7; the second table of the law exclusively, Rom. xiii. 8; the Mosaic dispensation, John i. 17; the principles of righteousness impressed on the human mind at the creation, Rom. ii. 14; the Old Testament Scriptures, John x. 34; and the Gospel, Isa. ii. 3. At present we shall understand by it that law which God at first revealed to man for the rule of his obedience, called the moral law, because it is intended to regulate the manners of men. It is reduced by Christ to two great principles-the love of God and the love of man. And it is comprehended in the ten commandments originally published to the Jews upon Mount Sinai. A few thoughts on these three points will explain the subject.

1. This is the law which God at first revealed to man for the rule of his obedience. He published it to our first parents in paradise. He impressed it on their hearts, inspiring them with a knowledge of it, and a disposition to obey it. He formed it into a covenant, promising life if it was obeyed, and threatening death if it was violated. It is the transcript of the divine mind, and was copied into the human mind when man was made in the image of God.

2. The law is reducible to two fundamental principlesthe love of God and man.-Matt. xxii. 37-40. In this respect the law of God is, like all his other works, characterized.