SECOND PART.

HAVING by the light of revelation endeavoured to show the necessity of securing personal religion; I proceed to illustrate the progressive, generous, and diffusive nature of Christianity, which teaches us, that even the hope of personal salvation, and the peace and joy which arise from that hope, are not to engross our attention, limit our exertions, bound our views, or absorb our feelings, these being no longer selfish, but social. We are now to participate in all the vicissitudes of that visibly separated, yet invisibly united body of which our Lord is the HEAD. Do you ask what causes produce visible separation, and what invisible ties unite the members to their head, and to each other? Human names, opinions, and inventions separate what is visible-love, obedience, and purity, unite what is invisible to the whole family in heaven and on earth. These being the only ties acknowledged by God, they only can survive that jealous flame which shall in

the last days make inquisition of every visible association: the wood, hay and stubble shall be consumed, and that which cannot suffer loss shall remain.

There is a time, dear youth, to be instructed into the rudiments of revealed truth; and there is a time when we are expected to bring forth out of the treasures which we have laid up, things new and old, for the use of the less privileged members of our Lord's household. Paul sharply reproves certain characters, whom he characterizes as silly, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; the whole counsel of God being revealed for our instruction of such persons our Lord said, "I have many things to say, but ye cannot bear them now." To such persons Paul alludes, when he would trace the nature of the divine priesthood of Christ which the mysterious king and priest of Salem prefigured many ages before. "Of whom," says he, “I have many things to say, and hard to be understood, seeing ye are dull of hearing; for when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and are such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat; for every one who useth milk is unskilful in the

word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age-those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.”

What must we think of that student who, instead of progressing to the varied, luminous, and. decisive demonstrations contained in a self-illustrating science, should never attain to more than the knowledge of those scattered elements, without connection or result, which are found in its alphabet or rudiments? The Apostle John characterizes three stages of attainment: little children-young men and fathers.

In the former part of this little book I have fed you with the milk which belongs to babes in divine knowledge; but remember, the same progress which takes place in the natural, is expect ed in the renewed life: "Leaving, therefore, the principles of the doctrines of Christ, let us go on to perfection;" let us not be of those whom tho apostle reproves as silly-ever learning, and never taught; since the Word of God is revealed for the instruction of the lowest and least of the flock.

The glorious expectation of the latter-day renovation and restitution of all things, to which

prophets, apostles, and our Lord have especially directed the attention of believers, as an incitement to fidelity, watchfulness and patience, claim a full share of our regard.

With reference to this blessed hope of his second coming, our Lord's command is, "Let your loins be girded about, and your lamps burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching."

At midnight, the season of darkness and security, when professors are slumbering, and the children of this world are fast asleep as to this expectation, the cry shall be heard, " Behold the Bridegroom! go forth to meet him!" This anticipation of latterday glory was once the delightful experience of his servants, from the days of Enoch to John, whose vision in the isle of Patmos was a revelation of Messiah's Kingdom on Earth. The warnings, exhortations, promises, and consolation of the prophets and apostles, were all with reference to this reward of Messiah's sufferings, this crown of his glory, this consumination of his triumph. Our Lord, who knew the end from the beginning, foretold that there would be great blindness on this animating subject, in the latter times,