ployments not inconsistent with rest) the social pleasures and the mutual delights of the blessed abovebut this would exceed our limits.

If the prospects which faith opens to the believer, when he shall have finished his course in this world, are so animating-if the rest of the grave be so desirable—if heaven be thus glorious, what folly is it that we should dread to die and go from hence? On the whole, we may well envy the happiness of the dead who have died in the Lord, for they, with the utmost propriety, may adopt the well-known verses of the poet,

"I was a stricken deer that left the herd
Long since; with many an arrow deep infixt,
My panting side was charged, when I withdrew
To seek a tranquil death in distant shades.
There was I found by one who had himself
Been shot by th' archers. In his side he bore,
And in his hands and feet, the cruel scars.

With gentle force soliciting the darts,

He drew them forth, and heal'd, and bade me live."

SERMON XIII.

(Preached before the Bible Society, Petersburg, Vir.)

The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding to the simple. Psalm cxix. 130.

IT is natural that we should wish to save from the vortex of revolution whatsoever interesting scenes or great events have been blended with our history, or have formed the pride of our character. Hence the recurrent festivals, and permanent monuments, which have been celebrated and erected in the world. Now, it seems to me, that if ever man might be indulged to feel any thing like elevation, and to rejoice in approximation to the God of love, it is when he has laid successful plans to unrol the volume of eternal truth, which, clear as the sun, discloses to the eye of faith the interesting prospects and realities of eternity. Yes, when we look at the members of the British and Foreign Bible Society, who first set on foot the plan, we can but regard them as men, who, under God, have followed the world, and prepared it for the seed of regeneration, which shall, ere long, produce the harvest of universal peace and righte

ousness.

While we applaud their noble charity, and pray for the speedy accomplishment of their wishes, we acknowledge our efforts to be less ostensible, but not less laudable. If our little Institution have not, like the boundless ocean, washed the shores of distant nations; it may be fitly represented by the stream which is apparently lost among the herbage, but which nevertheless betrays its course by its salutary effects.

Our object has been to put into the hands of some of our fellow-creatures, who could not, and of others, who would not, procure it, the Bible; of which it was said by David, “It is a lamp to my feet, and a light unto my path." Nor is it merely calculated to benefit those only, who, like David, are wise and experienced; for it is said in the text, that its very entrance giveth light, and that it giveth understanding to the simple.

It is, doubtless, unnecessary to observe, that by the term words, in the text, we are to understand the Holy Scriptures. The slightest attention to the context, will convince us that nothing else could have been intended. By the entrance of the words, in a general sense, we are to understand, its becoming accessible to any from whom it was before secluded. Or, in a special sense, it means, that where God's words enter the soul, being read, or heard and understood, they give a satisfactory light to the mind, on subjects of which they treat. The happy effect of a proper reception of the word of God is beautifully set forth by the figure of light. By no avenue of corporeal perception, is knowledge, in her full

extent, so accessible to the soul, as through the glorious and delightful medium of light. There is much beauty, therefore, as well as truth, in representing the Scriptures as shedding light on whatever surrounds us that is connected with our happiness.

The psalmist adds, it giveth understanding to the simple. As far as relates to spiritual science, all men are simple by nature: "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." But if we understand the term simple literally, we may observe, that a mere novice, by a careful attention to plain scriptural truth, can, in a short time, gain an understanding of those things which for ages bewildered the fullest light and strongest powers of philosophical acute

ness.

In the further improvement of this subject, we shall briefly speak of some of the general advantages of revelation,

I. As it relates to matters of faith; and,

II. As it relates to practice or duty.

I. 1. In the pursuit of knowledge we are well aware, that in reference to any particular subject, some primary or first principles are generally, if not always, admitted; and the result of our further research is, either a more decided conviction of the correctness of those principles, and their more extended application, or a rejection of them as conceptions found

to be inconsistent with truth. If we admit the following principles to be intuitive, namely, a belief in the existence of a supreme and governing power in the universe, and that this being should be the object of our worship; that, as accountable to him for our actions, and expecting an existence after the present life, we may presume a future state of reward or punishment; if these principles are so universally received among mankind, as to give us reason to believe they are necessarily connected with the mind of man; we shall soon perceive, that it is only by the revelation which the Almighty has vouchsafed of himself, we can attain correct information on these momentous subjects.

2. Now, the inherent idea of a God, although indelible in the minds of all, is nevertheless connected, in many cases, with the most barbarous ignorance. I add, in all cases it is connected with low and confused views of the perfections of God, where it has not been enlightened by Revelation.

3. This ignorance of the perfections of Deity must lead to extravagance and absurdity in his worship. Of some of the wisest of the heathens it was said, that they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and into birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Their foolish hearts were darkened, and they contemplated God as one of the most petulant and peevish of beings; and the worship paid to him was of a piece with the ideas formed. Hence thousands of human victims have been sacrificed, in order to appease a God, made angry by the most trifling oc