according to his promise, raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus." And Genesis xxxviii. 8: "And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother." And Deuteronomy xxv. 5: "If brethren dwell together, and one of them die and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her."

1 Timothy iii. 12: "Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well." And 1 Corinthians vii. 39, 40: "The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. But she is happier if she so abide after my judgment; and I think also that I have the spirit of God." 2 Peter iii. 15, 16: "Paul also, according to the wisdom given unto him, hath written unto you; as also in

all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."

Matthew v. 17: "Think not that I am come to destroy the laws or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."

We may, in reading the Scriptures, distinguish the Spirit of God by its wisdom and adaptation to the circumstances of the human race, from the frailties incident to human utterance and human prepossessions. Men may be sincere and believe what they write to be truth, yet differ in some degree from each other in relating what they have seen or heard.* Had it been necessary to

Matthew xii. 27, alludes to the Jews being in the habit of casting out devils!

Mark xvi. 15-18, Christ commands his apostles to preach, and mentions the signs of conversion-read them! and point out a Christian!

2 Timothy ii. 8, says, that Christ was the seed of David. Matthew i. 1-17, traces Joseph to be of the seed of

teach more than what "those who run might read," and what the common sense and aspirations of man would adopt, the benevolence and justice of Deity would have prevented any apparent inconsistency, or any thing" hard to be understood.”

From the texts quoted, (and many more might be added,) it will appear that man must use his reason on Scripture to judge for himself; that "he must read, mark, and inwardly digest;" that he must "prove all things, and hold fast that which is good;' that we are "not to judge another man's servant; to his own master he standeth or falleth;" that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down

*

David. But how could Christ be of the seed of David unless Joseph was his Father, and his mother Mary a wife? Matthew i. 16, contradicts Luke iii. 23, the one making Joseph the son of Jacob, the other making him the son of Heli! There is no use in calling contradictions miracles; we must use our reason upon Scripture, or, leaving Scripture aside, prostrate our minds to have faith in the traditions of men.

* 1 Thessalonians v. 21,

from the Father of lights, "with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning,"* and that we should be humble, and obey the clear and often-repeated injunctions of Christ to "HAVE FAITH IN GOD,"† and "love to one another." His simple, yet clear illustration of what is necessary to produce peace of mind and innocent affections, speaks to the bosom even of a savage, and requires no lengthened harangues, nor abstract disquisitions, to develope its meaning. His language is the language of love, and is re-echoed from every unsophisticated heart he says, "suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of Heaven;" and I may in conclusion add, that without such feelings of innocence and love, there can be no situation, however elevated, worth procuring, no delightful enjoyment, no earthly elysium.

On nature also we must use our reason;

* James i. 17.

+ Mark xi. 22; John xvii. 3.

K

as some Deists may say, if the spirit which animates animals and plants is a portion of the spirit of the Deity, and the infusion of this spirit into matter produces the variety in animals and plants which we behold,+ inducing one animal to make food of another, and one plant to contain poison, and another plant to contain nutriment,—is not the great source of spirit, the source of evil, as well as of good? And, admitting this, whatever is must be right, as man only follows his inspiration from Deity, by doing what he pleases, whether it be considered right or wrong by his fellow-creatures; and is amenable only to human institutions for infringing the regulations of society.

In reply: it does not follow from Deity having infused His Spirit into matter to produce every variety of animation and vegetable life, that He is the source of evil, as well as of good. As well might it be said, that the sun is the source of the poisonous effluvia that arise from the decomposition of animal and vegetable substances, because