was shown, that the christian had reason to triumph over sin and death, from the evidence he has, that Christ has risen from the dead; that all mankind will be raised, and that he shall finally be received into eternal happiness in heaven. These doctrines, like those just mentioned, are peculiar to revelation. Though they lie more out of the reach of common experience, because they are founded wholly on testimony; yet they are not less true, nor less firmly believed by the christian. It is sufficient for him, that they are contained in a system of doctrines exhibiting the most prominent features of a divine original. He assents to the ressurrection of Christ, because he thinks it attested by a sufficient number of adequate witnesses; he assents to the resurrection of the body, because it is abundantly asserted in the testimony of God. For the same reason, he assents to the final happiness of the believer. It is not essential to a christian, that he should be able to comprehend the manner in which theological truths consist; nor the manner in which prophecied events and facts will take place. To all those things contained in the scriptures, beyond human comprehension, the christian assents solely on the testimony of God. This assent is denominated faith, and its full extent implies a surrender of the heart and intellect to God. And hence it is that so much importance is attached to faith, and that it is ranked first in the catalogue of all moral and divine virtues. The exercise of faith, is perfectly reasonable and consistent. For man in his present dark, imperfect state of existence, cannot comprehend all the truths which it is essential to his happiness to admit and practise. Hence Paul says, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for." It attaches on things invisible; it realizes their existence, so that they exert a governing influence on the heart and become principles of action. Hence the apostle says, "We walk by faith, not by sight." From what strong and exalted motives must he act, who firmly believes, that he shall be raised from the dead; and that if he endures to the end in virtue, he shall be saved? The preceding doctrines are calculated to alleviate the sufferings, sorrows, and calamities of the present life. Receiving, experiencing and believing the truth, we shall be persuaded that "if this earthly house of our tabernacle were dissolved, we have

a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."

Of what vast importance then, is it, that we embrace the doctrines contained in the pages of inspiration? Here only, shall we find an unerring directory to the kingdom of eternal glory. Here only, are exhibited motives the most powerful to excite us to virtue, and to deter us from sin. Are there any here, whose views of happiness are limited to the present transitory scene? What will become of those pleasures, you so eagerly pursue? Of those honors in which you exult? Of those riches you amass? Of those splendors in which you shine? Can these support you on the couch of disease, or in the hour of dissolution? Alas! all, all will vanish. They will leave you in sorrow and in death. How much better to embrace the gospel! to be governed in time by motives drawn from eternity! You will then find a Saviour, whose presence will be the strength of your heart; whose love will disarm the king of terrors; whose glory will shine through the gloomy valley. His almighty arm will support you in your departure from time, and his hand will place on your head a crown of eternal life.

CONCERNING the death with which Adam was threatened, theologians have entertained various and opposite opinions. These, so far as I can recollect from the course of my reading, may be comprehended in the following summary.

The first maintains, that the threatened death, implied, temporal (or natural,) spiritual and eternal death.

The second, that it implied natural death only.
The third, that it implied spiritual death only.
The fourth, that it implied annihilation.

The second of these opinions has, on the whole, appeard to me the most rational and consistent. I am not, however, disposed to be so rigidly tenacious of my own sentiments, as to imagine I may not be in an error. All men have full liberty of opinion, and ought to enjoy it without subjecting themselves to the imputation of heresy. For my own part, I can safely say, that I have never been disposed to confine myself to the peculiar tenets of any sect of religionists whatever. Great and good men have appeared among all denominations of christians, and I see not why all do not deserve an equal share of attention and regard. My object has been to examine with candor the sentiments of all, and to receive whatever appeard to be consistent with truth.

In that part of the following Sermon to which objections have