some of them, and yet be found among the heirs of salvation.

The importance of revealed truth may be shown in another way; as it is the seed or principle in the soul, from which all inward or real holiness proceeds. Our Lord prays, " Sanctify them, by "thy truth, thy word is truth."" And the

apostle says, beholding as in a glass," (namely the doctrine of Christ) "the glory of the Lord, we are changed into the same image." And again" Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness, God was manifest in the flesh." This doctrine was, in the judgment of the Apostle, "the great mystery of godliness;" and indeed all the holy dispositions and affections towards God, all the genuine spiritual worship, all the willing obedience of filial love, and all the cheerful acquiescence in the divine will, and affiance on the divine truth and mercy, which have been found in the world since the fall of man, have arisen from a proper perception of this great truth, and the doctrines connected with it. Spirituality or supreme valuation of the holy excellence of spiritual things, and a disposition to seek pleasure and satisfaction in religion, is intimately connected with a believing dependence on the promised influences of the Holy Spirit: and that view of the worth of the soul, the evil of sin, the justice and mercy of God, the vanity of the world, and the

'John xvii. 17-19

22 Cor. iii. 18. iv. 3-6.

believer's obligations to a Saviour "who loved

him, and redeemed him to God with his blood," which the doctrine of the cross communicates, is essentially necessary to deep repentance, genuine humility, gratitude, patience, meekness, forgiveness of injuries, love of enemies, and other parts of the christian temper and character. Without this, a proud morality, and a task and form of godliness, comprise the sum total of man's religion; except as he is brought under those impressions and leadings, which will in time influence him to embrace "the truth as it is in Jesus." This will appear more fully, and be proved more at large, in the subsequent Essays.-The importance of revealed truth, therefore, may be evidently perceived, both from the authority of him who speaks to us in the Scripture; from the various methods he has taken to confirm the words of his servants; and from the tendency and efficacy of sound doctrine to produce spiritual affections and holy obedience.

We grant indeed that the doctrines of Scripture may be received by a dead faith into the understanding as true, whilst the heart does not embrace them as good; and then they will “be held in un"righteousness." But a real and living belief of them is the proper root of true holiness. By regeneration the heart is prepared for thus receiving the truth, which then becomes the principle of progressive sanctification: "a whited sepulchre" is the emblem of all that can be attained to, where

this is proudly rejected or treated with indifference? and every man's spirituality, piety, humility, and enlarged, disinterested, unostentatious, philanthropy, will bear proportion to the degree in which he knows and cordially embraces the great doctrines of the Bible.

It must, therefore, be evident, that every person to whom the Scriptures are sent, ought to study them, and acquaint himself with their contents. For if God, in compassion to our ignorance and love to our souls, as well as in regard to the honour of his own name and government, has given us a book, penned under the inspiration of his Holy Spirit; and if the truths revealed in it be of the greatest importance; it must be most reasonable, that we should bestow pains to acquire the knowledge of them. Whether we consider the Scriptures as a revelation which the Lord hath made to us of himself, that we may know, worship, and glorify him; or of his law and government, that we may submit to and obey him, and learn our true condition as sinners; or of his mercy and salvation, that we may find acceptance with him; or of the privileges of his children in this life and that which is to come: in every view of the subject, the duty of " searching them" must be manifest. Nor can we neglect it, without avowing that we despise the knowledge of God and of heavenly things; that we do not desire to serve our Creator; that we neither value his favour nor

fear his frown; or that we can discover the way of peace and happiness without his instruction. Nothing, therefore, can be more expressive of ingratitude, rebellion, and alienation from God, than the general neglect of the Bible, which prevails among those that profess to believe it to be his word.

Does He speak from Heaven to us sinners, about the way of eternal salvation, and shall we refuse to hear his gracious words? Does He give us a book to guide us to happiness in this world and for ever, and shall we not study it? Does He make known to us mortals those glories which angels adore with unceasing rapture, and shall we turn away with contemptuous aversion? Has He provided for us sinners such a redemption, as sinless "angels desire to look into;" and shall we think the subject unworthy of notice? Who can pretend to justify such conduct? Yet how much more pains do lawyers, physicians, and other students, who desire to excel in their professions, bestow in poring over voluminous authors, than men called christians do in searching the Scriptures! Yea, how many give a decided preference to amusing and ingenious trifles, or political discussions, (not to say publications suited to corrupt their principles and morals,) above the sacred word of God! They would be ashamed not to have read some admired or popular author, though the work perhaps be wholly useless, if not worse;

yet they remain year after year, unacquainted with the holy Scriptures!" Surely in vain is the word"of the Lord given to them; the pen of the "scribes is in vain!""

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It cannot be necessary, in such a compendious Essay, to show particularly, how the study of the Scriptures is inculcated in every part of the sacred volume. Let the more attentive reader turn to what Moses said to Israel, what the Psalmist teaches, and Solomon, and what is contained in many passages of the New Testament. Indeed the apostles and evangelists always reasoned from the Scriptures of the Old Testament; appealed to them, and supposed the Jews to be acquainted with them; and in their writings assure us, "These things were written that we might be"lieve that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; " and that believing we might have life through "his name?""

The case then is plain, that our obligation to search the Scriptures is indispensable; and that it is a duty of the greatest importance. Every person who allows them to be the infallible word of God, must be convicted in his own conscience of acting in an unreasonable and criminal manner, if he do not diligently study them; and the negligence of most men in this great concern, mani