when he looketh upon it, shall live.' Το look upon the serpent in reliance on the promise of God, and in obedience to his command, is an act of faith; and as many of the people as perform this act are healed of their wounds.

But we can easily suppose the case of an unbelieving Israelite, who should aver that his wound was by no means mortal; and even supposing it to be so, that it could not, in the nature of things, be affected by his looking on a serpent of brass-that such a mode of healing was unintelligible, and therefore incredible. The result is obvious. He turns his head away from an object which is a mere offence to him; the poison performs its office without interruption, and in a few short moments he is numbered with the dead.

Now we are all wounded by the devil-the serpent who deceived our first parents, and the natural, necessary, consequence of sin-the poison which he has injected-is the death of the soul. God beholds us in our desperate condition, and in his infinite compassion provides us with a remedy. The Son of man is lifted up on the cross, and the proclamation goes forth on divine authority to a world of sinners-Believe and live. The Christian obeys, and is healed; but what says the unbeliever? "Your gospel to me is foolishness; for in the first place, I am not, as you uncharitably pretend, a sinner; and secondly, if I were so, what possible connexion can there

be, between the crucifixion of Jesus, and the forgiveness of my transgressions? Such a system does not accord with my notions, either of wisdom or rectitude, and I cannot be responsible for not believing a doctrine which it is impossible for me to understand." Thus, in the pride and folly of his heart, he rejects the appointed remedy-the only possible means of his recovery. And what is the consequence? Sin and Satan work their own way without impediment. He dies, and dies for

ever.

To walk by faith and not by sight, is in various respects, the lot of humanity-a provision wrought into the whole constitution and order of Providence-the rule by which we act, in a countless multitude of the occasions and exigencies of life. Since then we know it to be an appointment of every day's experience, it is absurd to object to it in matters of religion. In spite of all our cavils, that great principle of godliness remains unaltered and unalterable "The just shall live by

FAITH."

But not only has God graciously proposed his truth to us. He has accompanied the revelation of it with indubitable vouchers of its divine origin. What sceptic will dare to pretend, that he is not morally responsible for an examination of these vouchers? Christianity is fraught with tidings of such unutterable importance, and is distinguished, even at first sight, by such broad marks of truth, that a doubter is bound by the most obvious moral

principles, to investigate the grounds on which it claims our credence.

Bishop Butler has justly remarked, that "the same character, the same inward principle which, after a man is convinced of the truth of religion, renders him obedient to the precepts of it, would, were he not thus convinced, set him about an examination of it;" and that "inattention, negligence, want of all serious concern about a matter of such a nature, and such importance, when offered to men's consideration is, before a distinct conviction of its truth, as real immoral depravity and dissoluteness, as neglect of religious practice after such conviction."2 Disobedience to the law in the one case, and neglect of evidence in the other, equally constitute punishable guilt.

But we are morally responsible, not only for examining the evidences of Christianity, but also for conducting our inquiry in a right spirit-with calmness and impartiality, with zeal and industry, and above all, with deep dependence on God and earnest prayer. The pride of our hearts must be abased, and truth, however humbling, must be permitted to exercise its genuine influence over our minds. If our prejudice or vanity obstructs its progress, we are condemned as transgressors and must abide by the consequence.

But a man may plead inability to pursue an enlarged inquiry into this all-important subject. Then let him confine his attention

2 See Butler's Analogy, Part II. Chap. VI.

to the Scriptures themselves; for the internal marks of their divine origin cannot be mistaken; they are numerous, palpable, overpowering. Let him give himself up to the practical efficacy of the principles unfolded in Scripture; and the comparison of his own experience with the contents of that sacred volume, will soon furnish him with irresistible evidence that it is the book of God.

A class of persons is indeed sometimes to be met with, who are at once desirous to believe the truths of Christianity, and prone to doubt them. While such persons are objects of sincere sympathy, they ought nevertheless to be clearly informed, that to continue in such a condition of mind, is extremely dangerous; and if a cure for it be at hand, and yet be neglected, they are morally guilty in the sight of God. Now such a cure may unquestionably be found in the patient, daily, investigation of Scripture, with supplication and prayer. Christ unfolds himself to us in the Scriptures; and at the same time, he knocks at the door of our hearts by his Spirit. If we open the door and receive the heavenly guest, he will soon display his beauty and glory to our mental vision. We shall behold him in his divine majesty, in his boundless power, in his matchless condescension, in his perfect fitness to all our need, and we shall no longer be able to doubt, that he is God, our SAVIOUR.

It is never to be forgotten, that the guilt of unbelief is infinitely heightened, by the worth

and dignity of Him, who is proposed to us in the gospel, as the object of our faith. "He that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD." 3 To reject so glorious a Redeemer, because of that garb of humiliation, which he has assumed in pity to ourselves—to meet him at his coming, with cold, contemptuous, infidelity, or even with unworthy doubts and scruples-is folly and ingratitude indeed!

Here I would venture to warn the younger class of my readers, against the insinuating nature and progressive influence of unbelief; and to beseech them, as they value their immortal souls, to guard with jealous care against its first arising.

Unbelief is frequently occasioned in the first instance, by our not marking with sufficient precision, the boundary line between reason and faith, in matters of religion. When we prove from abundant testimony, and from the effects which they have produced in the world, the reality of the Christian miracles; when we show that these miracles being real, afford indubitable evidence that Christianity comes from God; when we plead the ever germinant fulfilment of prophecy; and

3 John iii, 18.

4

4"Allowing nevertheless that latitude which is agreeable and familiar unto divine prophecies, being of the nature of their author, with whom a thousand years are but as one day, and therefore are not fulfilled punctually at once, but have springing and germinant accomplishment