with regard to religious effects, even did they appear satisfactory, yet we are, in fact, no judges at all on this subject; the next world only can shew this: here we walk by faith, not by sight. Certainly the silence of Scripture should make us cautious how we allow too much to this instrument. The great importance now attributed to these means is sufficient to show the tendency of the system; it is one of expediency, it looks to man; that of the Church is one of faith, and looks to GOD. Their principle is to speak much and loud, because it is to man; that of the Church is founded on this, "that God is in Heaven, and we on earth;" therefore, "keep thy foot in the House of GOD," and "let thy words be few."

8. This system a worldly system.

It is very remarkable, how much this new scheme of religion is an instance of an observation which has been made, that they who set out with the profession of principles holier, or wiser, or purer than those of Holy Scripture, do ultimately tend to the virtual denial of those very truths which they professed most strictly to uphold. They who maintain that the Church does not sufficiently preach the dependence of man upon GOD, and trust in the Atonement, do practically, in their whole system, tend to derogate from those truths themselves, while the Church continues to hold them. They consider, for instance, that the efficacy of a preacher consists in human eloquence and activity, and not in the power of his Divine commission, which is, in fact, to set up something else, which may be sensibly felt, for the Divine gifts of the SPIRIT. By disparaging the efficacy of the Sacraments, they have come to substitute for them something like a meritorious act, or opinion, on the part of an individual. Professing to be guided exclusively by the written Word, they have established a method so opposed to it, as to render the greater part of it superfluous. Requiring us to speak loudly of Spiritual assistance, they have set at nought all those practices, whose sole end and object was to live in that invisible world, and to partake of its gifts. For men have been led to reflect censure, and even ridicule, not on the su

perstitious and wrong observance of Sacramental Ordinances, and Creeds, and Prayers, but on the punctual observance of them at all; and sentiments are expressed which would brand with superstition the devout Daniel for his unbending adherence to times and circumstances of devotion; and the widow Anna, who departed not from the temple, with formalism. And all this arises from the fact, that these opinions are not thoroughly and unreservedly based on Holy Scripture, and therefore look almost entirely to external support, and popular effect.

The very principle of sound Religion is that the world "knoweth it not, as it knew Him not:" its rules of action are so essentially opposed, that they cannot understand each other, from something of an essential nature different. The system, on the contrary, of which we speak, has ever the indirect object of making a league with it,-not externally, on the contrary, it has devised externally strongly-marked lines of demarcation and distinctions, which do not extend to the thoughts or character; and in every way has substituted a great unreal system, nominal, superficial, formal, though in name spiritual, and the more formal in reality, because in name spiritual. It does away with religious fear. Where God is, there must be the fear of Him.

For this reason it has come to pass that names of the most awful and holy import have been so used habitually, that they carry not with them their own high and awful meaning, even the Names of the ever-blessed Trinity. Not only have they become used without reverence, and very much as the distinctive signs of a party, but the very use of them tends to keep up this feeling of unreality, and without bearing on the heart and conduct. Whereas homefelt natural expressions in which any one who is in earnest is apt to clothe his sentiments, and which touch the heart and conscience of another, as they come from his own, are disliked; because they break through this unreal web, and bear more upon the daily life and conscience.

All this is substituting a system of man's own creation for that which God has given. Instead of the Sacraments and external ordinances, it has put forth prominently a supposed sense of the Atonement, as the badge of a profession. That which is most

thoroughly internal, most thoroughly spiritual, secret, and holy, it has made the external symbol of agreement; and therefore has completely (so to speak) turned people inside out, wherever it is received: and thus it has lost the essential peculiarity of Christianity, that purity of heart which is directed to "the Eye that seeth in secret." This spirit has thoroughly imbued their whole system, in the same manner that it has prevailed in the corruptions of Rome. In the case of the latter, the use of external symbols the most sacred has lost much of its power, by rude exposure to the gaze of the world; so is it with this system in the use of words; they have lost their proper sense and meaning, and have a peculiar signification. That dread doctrine, so essential as received into the heart, the very foundation of life and actions, has come with them to consist in that which can be called up from time to time, and satisfy the professor in sensible emotions and satisfactions. Works, as performed strictly in secret, and directed to the eye of GOD, cannot but be life-giving and good: the corruptions of Rome have substituted for these external actions; and this system external professions. The eye of man is on both, unhallowing the holy things of GOD, and engendering pride. Hence has arisen among them that rejection of natural modesty, and sacred reserve, on the subject of religion in discourse and writing: attempts to remedy certain effects and symptoms of the want of religion, instead of that want itself.

Much indeed of this may arise from a natural craving after sympathy on the highest of all subjects, and from having lost the legitimate expressions of it. External visible Communion must be preserved by external visible means; when these are withdrawn, sacred principles or sacred feelings will be outwardly substituted. In proof of this, it may be observed, that a Sect which has least of all to distinguish it in doctrine or discipline as a separate body, the Wesleyans, are most under the influence of what is here condemned, to the great injury of their moral character: words with them do not signify what they do with others. Instead of visible means of grace, and participation in the same Sacraments, being the bonds of union, something in external speech or demeanour becomes substituted. A still more remarkable instance may be seen in

the Sect denominated the Society of Friends, who, after labouring to divest themselves of all the appearances of a visible Church and visible Sacraments, have become from external garb and mode of speech, the most visible of all Societies.

It must be allowed that this modern system did for a time partake of" the reproach of CHRIST," and did in that strength prevail for a season. In that reproach, all good Christians will be glad to share with them. Doubtless the very name of CHRIST must ever carry with it a blessing; and earnestness in religion, in views however mistaken, seems ever to have annexed to it the reward of GOD. And for a time this earnestness of mind carried with it incidentally much good, and led men to embrace other great truths of Christianity, and perhaps that of CHRIST Crucified, in reality as well as in name; being far better themselves than their system, and better in their practice than in their opinions, which they held rather speculatively and controversially, than practically but these things for a while corrected by the sincerity of individuals have gone by, and left the legitimate fruits of the system. The evils it has led to in various forms of dissent are too evident wherever we turn our eyes, leading men to the neglect of honesty and plain dealing, and at length to indifference, unsettledness, and infidelity. In the Church it excludes with jealous eagerness all things that may alarm the consciences of those who heartily adopt the system, obedience to Church authority, practices of mortification, the fear of God, and the doctrine of judgment to come. It sets forth religion in colours attractive to the world, by stimulating the affections, and by stifling the conscience, rather than by purifying and humbling the heart. Hence its great prevalence in places of fashionable resort. And to those who have in any way forfeited their character for religion and morality or sound doctrine, instead of the process of painful secret self-discipline and gradual restoration, or the open and salutary penance of the Ancient Church, it affords an instant and ready mode for assuming at once all the privileges and authority of advanced piety. And the consequence is, that real humility of heart, and a quiet walking in the ordinances of GOD, finds not only the world in array against it, but that which

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considers itself as Christianity also. Through all its appearances it is marked by a want of reverence; and therefore it can use worldly instruments and worldly organs. It may serve as a ready cloak to cover an unsubdued temper and a worldly spirit, concealing them as well from the individual himself as from others. It may offer a convenient refuge to those who would cling to the Establishment, rather than the Church, if she should be spoiled and persecuted. But the effect of these opinions is not confined to those who profess and receive them; but as a great part of the office of the Gospel is to be a witness to all nations, even to those who receive it not, the witness itself, or the voice which is heard from it, becomes altered in its character. or two great truths are thus put forth exclusively as the whole of religion; and this has a vast effect on the whole of society, among those who do not openly avow, nor are even secretly conscious of, these opinions; the world accepts them, not even as the professors of them would themselves intend, but as palliatives to an uneasy conscience, as an assistance to throw off the sense of responsibility, and as false easy notions of repentance. Therefore it is that these peculiar views in religion amalgamate so readily with the liberal notions of the world, and both will be found readily to unite against principles of a more unbending There exists a secret affinity between them.

nature.

There was one impediment in the Jews throughout, which prevented their receiving the truth; they trusted in their being of the seed of Abraham. From this point as a centre, the evil one wove around them a web of external and specious observances, from which the great Teacher of repentance, and our LORD Himself, and St. Paul, in vain endeavoured to extricate them they bore leaves, but no fruit. The Baptist had laid the axe to the root of the tree our LORD had interceded for three years with the FATHER, till He should dig around it and dung it: St. Paul had endeavoured to graft within it the better stock; but in vain ; it still bore leaves, but no fruit. The present age is one of affected refinement in sentiment combined with loose morals; one of expediency rather than principle, of rationalism rather than faith; one that will take all that is agreeable and beautiful