At length Christ himself, the great propnet of his church appeared in the world; and spake as never man spake. Yet he recorded nothing with his own hand. The only authentic information we have that he ever wrote, relates to the fact that "he stooped down and wrote with his finger on the ground." But the faithful record of many of his discourses and doctrines, as well as of his public acts and miracles, is given us by the four evangelists, under the guidance of the Spirit of infallible truth.

After the death of Christ, Luke, who wrote the gospel which bears his name, penned also the Acts of the Apostles, containing a short history of the establishment of the primitive church. And several of the apostles, among the chief of whom was Paul, the great apostle of the Gentiles, gave a far more full and extensive exposition and detail of the Christian doctrines and principles, than it was proper to give during the life of our Redeemer. Some have been disposed to consider the writings of the evangelists, as of higher authority than those of the authors of the epistles. But there is no ground whatever for this distinction: all are of equal authority, for all were equally given by a plenary inspiration.

Last of all, we have the Revelation made to St. John: in which a prophetic view is exhibited of the state of the Church, to the very end of time. At the close of this book an intimation is given, accompanied with an awful commination, that the canon of Scripture is complete; from which nothing is to be subtracted, and to which nothing is to be added. All subsequent pretensions to prophecy, therefore, are false and vain. Christ, as the great prophet of his Church has, in that sacred book, THE BIBLE, revealed all that is necessary to salvation, and will never make an addition. And remember, my young friends that, as it all came from him, so it all points to him. "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." HE is the centre of all, and to lead us savingly to the knowledge and enjoyment of him, is the design of all. But in order to this, be careful to remember that you

must be taught inwardly by the Spirit of Christ, as well as outwardly by his word. You perceive that this the Catechism distinctly affirms and inculcates. It affirms that Christ, as the great prophet of his Church, not only reveals his word for salvation, but that he also reveals it to us by his Spirit. The meaning is, not that he gives us personally any new revelation, but that he reveals to our hearts effectually, the spiritual import of the revelation contained in the Bible. To look, therefore, on the one hand, for any new revelation, is rank enthusiasm or presumption. And to expect, on the other, that the revelation given will save our souls, till it is effectually set home by the Spirit who indited it, is ruinous self-sufficiency and delusion.

The Holy Spirit, by whose inspiration the sacred Scriptures were penned, opens the eyes of the human understanding to perceive the moral glory, beauty and excellence of divine truth, beyond any attainment ever made by mere learning or study, without this heavenly aid. The same Almighty agent also gives divine truth, when thus perceived, a transforming influence on the heart, agreeably to our Saviour's intercessory prayer, "Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth." "The entrance of thy words," says the Psalmist, "giveth light; it giveth understanding to the simple." Under the influence of the Holy Spirit, inwardly revealing the truths of sacred Scripture to the minds of men, the gospel method of salvation is seen to be so suitable, so excellent, so complete, so worthy of God, and so desirable to the sinner, that language can scarcely express the perceptions which are then entertained; and the heart, at the same time, is most powerfully, but most sweetly persuaded, inclined and enabled, to fall in with and embrace the offered grace of the gospel. At different times, the various parts and passages of Scripture are thus presented to the view of the mind; and with such evidence, force, and fitness to the wants of the believer, that the most happy practical effects are produced. Practical Christians, indeed, are those only who are acquainted with these

blessed effects of revealed truth, effects which, after all reasoning, afford the fullest and most gratifying and satisfying conviction, that the source whence they are derived must be divine, that the Scriptures are given by the inspiration of God. On the whole then, my dear youth, expect no new revelation, nor credit any pretences that such a revelation has been receiv ed; but earnestly and constantly look to God, to reveal savingly in your understandings and hearts, by the power of his Spirit, the revelation which he has caused to be recorded in the sacred volume.

In concluding what I have to offer on this topic, it may be proper just to mention, that in reading pious writers on the subject of experimental religion, you will probably sometimes meet with the record of inward impressions, urging them to duty. In all such cases, it must be understoood that the duty to which they were urged, was one clearly warranted by the written word. Otherwise, the impression must be regarded as altogether fond and delusive. The divine Spirit may, and certainly does, incline and draw us to the practice of Scripture truth, but never to any thing which is contrary to that truth, or inconsistent with it.

In concluding this lecture let me exhort you,

1. To meditate, with lively gratitude to God, on his great goodness in revealing to us his mind and will in "the lively oracles" of inspiration. Without these, all history shows that mankind, however otherwise improved or enlightened, have uniformly been polytheists and idolaters. How thankfully then ought we to receive those blessed communications, which a gracious God has been pleased to make by his Son, through his own blessed Spirit, communications relative to his own nature and will, the manner in which we may worship him acceptably, the whole duty which he requires of us, the way of return to him through the intervention of a Redeemer, and the certainty of eternal happiness beyond the grave, to all who truly accept and rely on Christ, as he is freely offered in the gospel. The world witnesses no com

bination of folly, ingratitude and impiety, equal to that which is manifested by those who cast from them with. contempt the unspeakable gift of God, the volume of his revealed will. Be it yours, my dear youth, to act a wiser and a better part. Reverence profoundly, and study diligently and carefully, those "holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus." In ordinary circumstances, let no day of your life pass without reading a portion of these Scriptures, attentively and devoutly. Make them, in all cases, the man of your counsel, and endeavour to govern your conduct and your feelings by their sacred dictates.

2. Learn from what you have heard, to accompany the perusal of the Scriptures with earnest prayer for the influences of that Holy Spirit by whom they were indited; that the truths they contain may enter your understandings and your hearts with a saving efficacy. Believe me, it is the want of this, which is the reason that some knowledge of the Bible, in many instances a very considerable intellectual knowledge, is entirely unproductive of the fruits of holiness, the great end for which God has revealed his will, and to attain which should be our main purpose in becoming familiar with it. Revealed truth, like other truth, may enlarge our intellectual stores, without having much, or any influence, on the moral powers of our minds, on the conscience and the affections. To produce this effect, there must be, if I may so express it, a second revelation. The Holy Spirit, agreeably to the distinct intimation of the Saviour himself,-the great prophet of his church,-must "take of the things which are his, and show them unto us;" must bring home the truths which relate to him, and to our eternal well being, with a light and a transforming energy, which shall render us "new creatures in Christ Jesus." Pray for this in the devout daily reading of your Bibles,— for I verily believe that this practice was never long continued without the most sensible benefit; never persisted in, without being ultimately productive of that faith, the end of which is the salvation of the soul.

LECTURE XXII.

HOW DOTH CHRIST EXECUTE THE OFFICE OF A PRIEST?

THE subject of the ensuing lecture is the answer to the twenty-fifth question of our Catechism, which is thus expressed

"Christ executeth the office of a Priest, in his once offering up of himself a sacrifice, to satisfy divine justice, and reconcile us to God; and in making continual intercession for us."

My dear youth, no part of theological truth is more closely connected with what is essential to our salvation, than the priestly office of Christ, the subject which is now before us. Give it therefore your most serious attention.

"A priest is a public person, who, in the name of the guilty, deals with an offended God, for reconciliation by sacrifice, which he offers to God upon an altar, being thereto called of God that he may be accepted. No man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that was called of God, as was Aaron.' Thus, under the Mosaic dispensation, the high priest, in performing his most sacred duties, was the representative of all the tribes of Israel; and in token of it, he was commanded to bear their names on the shoulders of the ephod, and on the breast-plate of judgment upon his heart, whenever he should go into the holy place, "for a memorial before the Lord continually."

In all this, the legal high priest was nothing more than a type of Christ, the true high priest of his church, who appears before God in the name of sinners, to make reconciliation for them; and who, in this trans

*Erskine and Fisher.