fect his own popularity; being at the same time totally regardless of what is injurious or useful, right or wrong. The man who is desirous to be good, rather than to seem good, is fit for promotion. But it is triumphantly alleged, that even Solomon has said, "a good name is better than precious ointment," & has thus sanctioned the love of praise. There needs not, however, much perspicacity, to see an essential difference between the good name of the scriptures, and the honour of the world. The one can be attained by every man, however humble his station or talents; the other requires brilliant powers of mind, and a splendid stage of action; the one tends to the happiness of all; the other looks at the aggrandizement of a few; the one injures no man, depresses no man, tramples on no man, the other exalts only by comparative degradation; the one has the promise of the praise of God, and the other strives, though with many disappointments, for the praise of men. Wise, then, is their choice, and happy their portion, who neglect the boasted treasures of this world, and look for durable riches and righteousness; who disregard earthly promotion, which is so uncertain and dangerous, in hopes of glory, honour, and immortality in heavC. Y. A.

en.

ters; but a fear which implies love and reverence. It is a dread of offending God, because he is great and good. In the possession of this feeling, the soul is not in bondage, but enjoys that freedom and happiness, which are peculiar to the children of God. This fear of the Lord is heaven begun in the soul. It is that purity of heart, which sees God; that singleness of eye, which makes the whole body full of light; that spiritual discerning, which apprehends the things of the Spirit of God. As many as have this fear are prompt in acknowledging the greatness of God, and the vileness of their own characters. Under the influence of this fear, the patriarch, Jacob, was led to exclaim, I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant.

They, who possess the fear of the Lord, have that revealed to them, which may with propriety be called a secret. On finding this remark, will not a certain class of readers begin to reason in their hearts, and to say, (6 Are there secrets in that religion, which we are called upon to embrace? If there are, we may well proceed with cautious steps; for it is hard to subscribe to conditions, which we do not understand. We are unwilling to bear the Christian name, until we have obtained a knowledge of all the peculiarities of Christianity. If there are secrets, we wish to know what they are; and we have a boldness in making this claim."

The writer of this essay, having introduced the idea, that they who fear the Lord have that re

vealed to them, which is hidden from the wicked, feels an obligation to be more explicit; and is led to observe,

1. They have no secrets revealed to them, as truth is respected. The word of God, which is their only guide, and to which they look to know what truths to believe, is open to the inspection of all. The mind of à Christian does not dwell on a single truth, respecting the way of salvation, which the sinner has not opportunity to examine and weigh for himself. The commands, the calls, the invitations, the promises and the threatenings of God, to which the Christian takes heed, and which have an influence on his conduct, are precisely the same with those, which are exhibited to the mind of the sinner. Truth is uniform; the same at all times, and in all parts of the world. The great source of moral truth is the BIBLE, to which the gospel sinner has as free access as the Christian. God has revealed nothing respecting his character, his holy law, or the way of salvation by the blood of his Son, which is not open to the full examination of the wicked, as well as of the righteous.

It may also be remarked, that the exhibition of truth from God's works is made with equal clearness to the saint and the sinner. This was urged by the apostle Paul, in his reasoning with the Romans, particularly when he said, For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are with out excuse. Because that, when

they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. They, who fear the Lord, stand ready to acknowledge, that there is no new reveIation made to them, and that, as truth is respected, they are entrusted with no secrets. The same doctrines, which to their own hearts are so interesting and comforting, they can freely present to sinners, without any colouring or disguise. They can invite them to search the same Bible, which has their daily attention, and to behold the same displays of God's character in his works, on which they look with so much pleasure. It is, therefore, plain, that there are no secrets in the creed of those, who fear the Lord. They pretend to none; for the sources, whence they derive their instruction, are free of access to the wicked.

2. They, who fear the Lord, are entrusted with no secrets in regard to the motives of God in creating and governing the world, and in providing a Saviour for lost men. These motives are explicitly avowed in the holy scriptures, and they are as much open to the examination of the wicked, as of the righteous. God declares that he created, and that he governs the world, for the purpose of glorifying his own excellent name. To promote the same end, he gave his Son to die on the cross. The righteous never pretend to have any other views of the intentions of God, in all his great operations, than what they have learnt from the oracles of truth. of course, in regard to the overtures, which God makes to men,

through the mediation of his Son, there are no secrets. Nothing is kept back, which sinners may consider as desirable for them to know.

3. They, who fear the Lord, are entrusted with no secrets, as to the manner of having the gospel pressed upon them. In this respect they are not made to differ from the wicked. The gospel comes to all men with the same things to recommend it. God addresses the saint and the sinner with the same clearness, and with the same earnestness. Heaven and hell are exhibited to the view of each, and the consequences of believing and rejecting the gospel are stated without any reserve; so that neither the one, nor the other, will be able to plead ignorance of these things. They, who fear the Lord, and they, who fear him not, have opportunity to hear the gospel proclaimed from the same preachers. As to the manner in which the gospel is recommended to their acceptance, there is no difference, The engagedness, which the Christian discovers in those, who are set for the defence of the gospel, the sinner has full opportunity to notice, They are both conversant with the same afflictive and instructive providences. As far, therefore, as instruction and the manner of communicating it, are respected, the Christian is not exalted above the sinner. The conclusion, therefore, is obyious, that the secret of the Lord has no respect to any external advantages.

These things being premised, with a view to take from the sinner all ground for caviling; it may be remarked positively,

1. That the loveliness of truth is one of the secrets revealed to those, who fear the Lord.

The Christian discerns that in God's character, to which the unbeliever is totally blind; although they both look at the same character, and acknowledge the same' attributes. What a mystery is this! To what can this mighty difference be owing? Certainly not to a different exhibition of the perfections of God; for, as has been observed, truth is uniform. It is owing to the different tastes of the persons. The Christian loves the character of God, because it is excellent and lovely. The sinner sees the same character, but such is the corruptness of his heart, that he discerns no loveliness in it. As to what is truth, respecting the divine character, they may see alike; they differ in regard to the beauty and loveliness of truth. The same observations may be made with regard to the divine law, the character of the Mediator, and the whole system of divine truth. Christians are entrusted with an important secret; and the whole secret, important as it is, consists in their discerning moral beauty, where the sinner discerns none. They have eyes to see, and ears to hear; and when the great system of divine truth is exhibited, whether in one general view, or in its parts, it is food to their souls. But it is not so with the wicked. They have eyes, but they see not; ears have they, but they hear not.

By these expressions, it is meant, that there is an awful blindness in their minds, or in other words, that their hearts are totally corrupt.

That Christians love and admire the character of God, is to sinners a great mystery; because it is so contrary to their own experience. They like not to retain God in their knowledge. That Christians should say, with David, Thy law is my delight, is to the wicked a great secret; for their unsanctified minds are not "subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." That Christ appears precious to Christians, and that they are willing to count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of him, is a dark and mysterious affair to the wicked; for in their view, he hath no "form nor comeliness," and when they look upon his character, they see no "beauty that they should desire him." In the minds of the wicked, there is the same blindness with regard to the whole system of divine truth. Between the truth and their hearts, there is no more agreement, than there is between light and darkness. Of course, it is mysterious to them, how Christians can be pleased with the exhibition of those truths, which are so entirely crossing to the reigning principle of their hearts.

The attainment of the Christian, in discerning the loveliness of truth, may be called a secret; because it is something of which the unrenewed are as ignorant, as the man born blind is of colours, and of which they will forever be totally ignorant, unless their hard and flinty hearts are taken from them by the power and grace of God. Christians themselves cannot communicate to the wicked the idea of the loveliness and transcendent beauty of God's character. They may

speak to them of all his perfections, and by the aid of the holy scriptures, may describe them, in a just and clear light; but, it is not in their power to make them appear to the unsanctified to be beautiful and excellent. As many, therefore, as are brought to fear the Lord, have a secret revealed to them. It may be said of them, that they know the Lord, in a peculiar sense. Agreeably to this sentiment the apostle John says; Every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God.

2. Believers have a secret revealed to them respecting sin. The Spirit of Christ, which is in their hearts, has taught them the odious nature of sin. Having their eyes opened, they discern that evil in it, of which they could not have a sight by mere speculation, and which never could have been communicated to them by the force of argument. Persons, in a state of nature, may have a conviction, that an ungodly life exposes them to evils; and when they are made to realize that these evils are coming upon them, they wish they had pursued a different course. But, to the mind of the Christian, something more is revealed. He sees that sin is odious in its own nature, aside from all the evils to which it exposes him. To him iniquity appears to be hateful; because it is opposition to that holy God, whose character he loves. He has been taught, by the Holy Spirit, to loathe himself. Conscious of his proneness to transgress, he is often led to humble himself before God, on account of sins, of which no one has a

knowledge, but the great Judge of the world, and himself, and which have been committed, only in his wicked heart. To have such feelings in view of sin, especially of sins, which are private, is a secret to those, who are in unbelief. They may have experienced a multitude of evils, in consequence of their transgressions, and their consciences may have often smitten them; yet they are total strangers to godly sorrow. They have never intermeddled with the feelings of that heart, which has been broken for sin. Of the secret respecting the odious nature of sin, to which reference is now had, the finally impenitent will not make the least discovery, after having endured the anguish of being cast off, thousands and millions of ages. It will be a secret to them forever and ever. Nothing but the Spirit of the Lord, in his sanctifying influences, will give that sight of sin, which is implied in brokenness of heart.

3. They, who fear the Lord, have a secret revealed to them respecting his covenant faithful

ness.

It is recorded, in the sacred volume, of this happy number, that God "will shew them his covenant." To have confidence in God, and to learn to commit ourselves, and all our concerns to him, and to be happy in doing it, is a great attainment. It is an important art; yea, infinitely more important than any art, which is ever taught by men. Through the infinite grace of the Redeemer, some of our fallen race are enabled to acquire this heavenly art; and they are often found in the lower walks

of life. Such have been taught of God. Having tasted and seen that he is good, they can joyfully commit to his keeping and disposal their own lives and souls, as well as those of their children. They believe him to be faithful; and believing this, they know that all things will work together for the good of those, who love him. They feel assured, that every event is a part of the great and perfect plan of Him, who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will, and that every event, however melancholy in itself, will, in some way, promote the interest of that kingdom, to which they have devoted themselves. Truly, they have an inheritance made over to them, which is more valuable than all this world.

The Lord open the eyes of those, who may peruse these thoughts, that they may see the beauty and glory of his character; and, "beholding, as in a glass, his glory, may they be changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord."