Patriarchs, both before and after the flood; that he selected the descendants of Abraham as depositaries of divine truth; made them, by a special revelation and law, a peculiar people, for the preservation of the first principles of religion; and through them communicated to the whole world a full declaration of his will, a free dispensation of grace, and a promise of life eternal to all his faithful servants, by the mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Impressed with the sentiments, which these convictions should excite, a person of this description will study the records of these revelations with reverence.

He will, however, distinguish the history from the divine communication. He will see, that the narrative has been composed by fallible men, but under such direction and superintendence, that, though left to themselves, as to peculiarities of style, the relation of ordinary facts, and the insertion of occasional reflections, they hand down the revelation itself as it was actually made. He will see, that the Mosaical law, though intermingled with every incident in the history of the Jews, is always consistent with itself; and that the doctrine of Christ, though incorporated with the narrative of his life, and explained by so many unconnected witnesses, is always fundamentally the same. The Divine doctrine he will discriminate from the infirmities of the authors and the

actors; and will not impute to either revelation, the errors, follies or crimes of those, who take a part in civil transactions; much less will he be disposed to vindicate or excuse his own faults, by the example even of the most distinguished characters in sacred history. Thus he will avoid those occasions for captious criticism and profane mockery, which mislead so many, who involve themselves in discussions, to which their learning and talents are unequal, and render their perusal of Scripture not only unprofitable, but pernicious, by wresting the word of life to their own destruction.

One, who is ignorant of the original languages, must at once see the folly of spending his time in critical disquisitions. Were he even, in some degree, acquainted with them, he would be incapable of deciding on controversies, on which the most able and learned men differ, or doubt. On such questions, he may receive information from persons of ability and candour; but he must still be sensible, that, on those obscure points, his acceptance with God cannot possibly depend. All these considerations will shew him the absurdity of being a bigot or zealot for such doctrines; and will convince him, that these are not the subjects, that should occupy his time.

Were a person of ordinary acquirements to begin his Bible with a view to study those unprofitable questions, as they occur, he would find two

or three chapters of Genesis sufficient to employ a great portion of his life. Considering the little time, that most men can bestow upon such studies, he would be far advanced in years, before he had made himself master of the various points, critical, philosophical, and theological, that have been started on the Creation, Fall and Deluge. He would be approaching the term of his life, or perhaps have passed it, before he had decided on the nature, person and office of Christ. Thus he would be justly obnoxious to the sarcasm levelled against the aged philosopher, who was lecturing on the search after truth: "If this old man be only now inquiring after truth, when is he to practise it?"

When, on the other hand, the pious and practical Christian opens his Bible, the first thing, that catches his eye and arrests his attention, is, that "in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Some may make the account of the creation a subject of cavil; while others more truly contend, that it is consonant to our latest discoveries and most improved philosophy; but with neither of these is he at all concerned. mind is filled with awe and admiration of the creative power, wisdom and goodness of the Almighty, and with his own relation and obligations to the Supreme Being, so as to exclude every irreverent sentiment, or captious cavil.

His

Instead of being misled by the various critical

and theological discussions on the fall of man, he sees in it the dreadful consequences of disobedience to a divine command. The same conviction is still more deeply impressed by the history of the deluge. Instead of questioning the possibility of that event, or contriving means, by which it may have been effected, or dwelling on those recent observations, which evince its reality, he only reflects, that a whole world may be ruined by obstinate perseverance in profligacy and impiety.

In the lives of the Patriarchs he finds an inexhaustible scource of instruction, religious, moral and prudential, whether he reflect on the faith and resignation of Abraham, the piety and mildness of Isaac, the art and duplicity of Jacob, or the liberal, affectionate and forgiving character of Esau. Above all, the story of Joseph and his brethren will long detain him with the most grateful and edifying contemplation.

In the history of the Israelites, he will behold the providence of God displayed in a manner, different from its ordinary course, but adapted to the singular and important object to be attained, the maintenance of true religion, and the future restoration of our incorrigible race. While others are gratified or scandalized by the vices and crimes of the actors, he will admire the wisdom, with which they are all made subservient to the unchangeable purposes of the Eternal mind; and

will be edified both by the virtues which adorn, and the sins which pollute, the most distinguished characters.

He will guard against a promiscuous or a partial adoption of their sentiments as laws of God, and of their actions as rules of life: for this practice has been a pregnant source of war and persecution, bigotry, uncharitableness, and fanaticism. A scriptural name has been the watchword for a sanguinary war or a fiery persecution; has roused the fury of hostile armies, and inflamed the antipathies of contending sects. The meek and humble disciple will, therefore, look to the New Testament for the rule of life and the criterion of truth; and adopt the sentiments, or examples recorded in the Old Testament, only when they correspond with those of the New.

While he thus traces the course of Providence in the conduct of nations, he is not inattentive to its influence on the lives of individuals. Thus he is prepared for the doctrine of him, who taught, that "not a sparrow falleth to the ground without our heavenly Father, and that even the hairs of our heads are all numbered;" and thus he learns to repose an entire confidence in his Maker, with respect to his personal concerns, and to submit with resignation to all his dispensations, studying only, that his own "heart shall not reproach him, as long as he has being."

The grandeur and sublimity of the book of