sealed with their blood. Those who are themselves unsteadfast and wavering, and who wish to influence spirits akin to themselves, may do so; but those who desire to say, let us go on to perfection in finishing a testimony, will not cast away the labors and attainments of ancient times, until they have better to put in their room; or until they condense the past, with well digested additions, amendments and improvements. But so it is--one man is famous for saying, hold fast the form of sound words, and another for crying down creeds and confessions ;-one for lifting up his axe against the thick trees to prepare materials for the temple of truth; another for going a.. gainst the same magnificent fabric, with axes and hammers to destroy the carved work.

We must not, however, make them worse than they are. It is not that their followers should have no professional lodging or creed at all; but it is that they may not have one so high, so lumiBous, as ancient mansions. Like the very wise and sympathetic Tartar, living in his cell, his door. and chimney all the same, when he hears of two story houses, he pities the folk that are so scarce of ground that they must build houses in the air.. In general you will find those reformers, that want to destroy all confessions and forms of sound words, making such as the following their confession: Art. 1.-There should be no confession of faith but the scriptures. 2.-Christ died for all men, to open a way for the salvation of all who will repent and believe. 3-If any should not

agree with the foregoing confession he may unite with us, if he comes possessed of a christian spirit, i. e. be friendly towards us in our loose way. Such are always very much opposed to rational. deductions, if they militate against their favorite. opinions; but have no objections to infer, perhaps. sometimes wreck inference, and wrest scripture, forge terms and manufacture logic in order to carry a point. Upon such novices, however, the evangelist must not speedily lay his hand. They are like Jannes and Jambres, who withstood Moses. So do they also resist the truth, men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. Hi. Tim. iii. 8.

In like manner, Paul exhorts Titus, when employed in furnishing the churches with proper teachers. Thus they are described as-" Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine, both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers."-Titus 1, 9. Now what was that faithful word in which they had been taught? I do not say that it has no reference to the New Testament, but if it excludes the Old, it would be well to prove, as well as to say it. It must be remarked too that there are elders who are spoken of. Nor are we to suppose that Paul in all this was judaizing from the prejudice of his own education. No; he charges them against giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. v. 14. These two epistles may be considered as lessons apostolical and divine, ads

dressed to the teachers of the Church in every age, and if there be any thing in them which so much as implies disrespect to the authority of the Old Tes tament scriptures, I really cannot see it. I do not think Timothy or Titus did, and I question very much if Paul intended it. But the subject is rather solemn, and we are all so fallible in our judgments, that there should be great allowance,' if men would keep in any bounds; but when men will cry and cut themselves with knives, saying, Baal save us, what can we do but say 'cry aloud.' What are we to say on the epistle to the Hebrews?

This is by all considered the great bond which visibly connects the Old and New Testament writings. Mark its beginning. God, who at sun. dry times and in divers manners, spake unto the prophets, hath in these latter days spoken to us by, his own Son. Heb. i: 1, 2. Although the scrip-tures were given at different times, and in divers manners, still it was God that spoke, perfectly cor roborating what we ought to have noticed before. in the 16th verse of Timothy iii. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. In the most of Paul's epistles he asserts his Apostolic authority, but in this he is reason ing with those who believe the Old Testament scriptures, and therefore he immediately joins issue with those in proving the divinity of Jesus.

His eminence as a teacher above Moses, as a priest above Aaron, as a king above David. He is Lord of the house, and so above all the builders and above the house itself. Note, we say, he proves all these from the Old Testament scriptures, and could the Apostle reason from a book whose authority he, or any partaking of the same spirit, with which he was endowed, would deny? Yea, he proves, particularly by a citation from the xxxi of Jer. that God would ratify a new covenant with them. Not new as to its substance, as we design afterwards to shew, but in the mode of its application, being more eminently inward. He would write his law on their heart. He would be their God and they should be his people indeed and in truth! For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them. Heb. iv. 2. If it be thought necessary we can shew that James and Peter speak in the same style about the old Testament scriptures, that we have seen Jesus, Luke, and Paul do. Jas. ii. 23. And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith-" Abraham believed God; and it was imputed to him for righteousness, and he was called the friend of God."

What scripture is this which Jas. quotes with suchresp ect? The first assertion is found in the book of the Old Testament. Gen. v. 6. The sec ond is found in a book which, if any of the old Festament writings should be considered obsolete, it should, viz. 2 Chron. xx. 7. Yet from both of these ancient books the apostle James quotes and calls them scripture, and that to prove a doctrine at

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once evangelical and practical. Jas. iv. 5 citing apostolic authority for the Old Testament scriptures, we must not altogether neglect Peter. Hear then what he says, referring to Isa. xxviii. 16. and Psal. cxviii. 22.-Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture; Behold I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect precious, and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you then which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient. 1 Pet. ii. 6, 7, 8 In the iii. chap. 12 v. he quotes also from Psalm xxxiv. 154For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. He expressly declares that the same spirit by which these elect strangers were quickened, preached by Noah to the disobedient Antedeluvians, whose spirits were now in prison. v. 18, 19, 20. He calls the Old Testament administration and scrip-tures the gospel. chap. iv. 6-"For, for this cause^ was the gospel preached unto them also that are dead, that they might be judged accordingto men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." This passage contains a mass of information and proof of our plea. He is encouraging the believers of his own time to patience and christian fortitude under the sore persecutions and fiery trials of their time. 1. From the example of