WE

E have here the whole fum of human happiness, both here and hereafter, comprised in two words.

Contentment draws in all our unruly defires, which are the great difturbers of life-it makes us fatisfied with what we have, which riches alone cannot do-it roots out envy, anxious care, competitions, and other invaders of our quiet; and, in fhort, fets us at reft with the world.-When godliness is added to contentment, the ladder reaches from earth to heaven. Our affections are purified,

and our thoughts are expanded with the hopes of a bleffed immortality.-The refult of this union between godliness and contentment is certainly great gain. What can be more? It is the gain both of heaven and earth,

ΧΧΧ.

LUKE, viii. 18.

TAKE HEED HOW YOU HEAR.

THE Scr

HE Scriptures are the great fource of all our religious knowledge. They are alfo the great fource of all our religious errors. We are cautioned therefore to take care how we hear, or how we read, as we find we may imbibe error, as well as truth. In fhort, the difficulties of Scripture feem to be among the means of a ftate of trial, and, like the other means of a state of trial, fhould continually exercise our diligence, integrity, and care.

Now the most probable means of reading the Scripture with advantage is, conftantly to attend to the general scope of it-not to particular paffages. It is an attention chiefly to particular paffages, which

which gives occafion to moft of the errors that men have fallen into.

In order, therefore, to have fuch a fund of fcriptural knowledge, as may enable us to collect the general fenfe of Scripture on every occafion, we should read it over and over, and make it fo familiar to us, that when any doctrine is touched, the general scope of Scripture, on that fubject, may rife at once to our memory.The primary ufe of reading Scripture, no doubt, is to improve our hearts by the precepts it enjoins. It is, however, of great ufe to read it, in the manner here recommended, with a view to obtain a general knowledge of the contents of it.

Thus, for inftance, the doctrine of predeftination refts on a few texts, fcattered about in different parts. These texts are capable of easy interpretation when confidered apart.-But the grand answer to this mifchievous doctrine does not fo much lie in explaining texts, as in oppofing to it the general fenfe of Scripture. We find every where exhortations to purity and holiness, which are abfurd, if every man's fate is already determined.

The fame mode of anfwer may be given to those who confider faith, and other evangelical doctrines,

doctrines, as ends, rather than as means. The

J

general scope of the gospel fhews us, that all its precepts are intended to lead us to that state of purity from which our first parents fell. On that great event, Chriftianity was introduced. As in Adam all die, fo in Christ shall all be made alive. They must be restored to that purity of heart and life, which alone can make them acceptable in the fight of God. Hence therefore we should liften with caution to fuch doctrines, as lay the stress of religion on any thing but a holy life, through faith in Chrift.-If Chriftians would keep this point conftantly in view, and lead holy lives in conformity to it, they might vary, and perhaps err, in matters of lefs moment, but could never fall into any fundamental errors.

THEY WENT

XXXI.

MARK, Vi. 12.

OUT, AND PREACHED THAT

MEN SHOULD REPENT.

A Paffage, which I think rather exception

able in an excellent book, (and therefore the more exceptionable,) gave occafion to the following remarks. Holiness, fays this pious writer, does not precede a man's reconciliation to God, and is its caufe; but follows it, and is its effect*. This feems to be faying, in other words, that God will be reconciled to unrepenting finners. If not, holinefs muft precede reconciliation.

The whole tenour of Scripture, from one end to the other, is an exhortation to repentance.-But,

Mr. Wilberforce on the Chriflian Religion, p. 328. fecond edition.

Lays