scarcely any armour of defence beyond a few pious counsels, and a multitude of good wishes. They soon come to see what they never saw before, and meet with what they never heard of. Ungodliness sets its fashion, and adduces its ingenious argument, but they have nothing appropriate to reply: and what can they do when worsted in argument, especially when propensity is on its side, but give way to the victor's ruinous conclusions, and fall into the course which he points out to them? All this, and much more than this, is often the result of resisting reason, or neglecting to bring it fully into exercise in the details of a youthful education. And what else could be expected from an error so gross and flagrant? Reason must be owned as the glory of man, the sole preeminence of his nature, that which raised him up to God through the medium of creation and providence, so long as his nature was innocent, and that which is now to raise him up to the knowledge and enjoyment of the same blessed object, through the dispensation of his grace in the gospel. It is at once the instrument and recipient, the residence and the guardian, of all saving knowledge, without which we are not in any measure susceptible of the religious enjoyment provided for us; and if this same reason shall be crippled in its energies, or curtailed in the range of its legitimate operations, by any prejudice or inadvertence, a serious injury must be done to our present religious well-being,

Let no one take alarm at the latitude of this language, We know the helplessness of unsanctified reason, and the indispensable necessity of spiritual influence, in order to render it productive: but these

are not the topics at present before us, and no damage can be done to them by keeping the topic which is before us prominent in its own place, and giving it fearlessly all its due.

It is objected, we know, to this view of the subject, that the Bible is not a system of divinity even in our sense of the word, and that it ought ever to be regarded, not only as the perfect standard of religious truth, but also as a perfect specimen of the best mode of exhibiting the truth. The first part of this statement we admit. The Bible is not, in respect of form, a system of divinity; and we can discover some of the reasons, although perhaps not all of them, why its Author chose to give it forth in the form in which we find it. The many ages which were required to complete it, and the diversified circumstances of the church and world at the times when its portions were severally given, must necessarily have influenced the form in which it now appears. Besides, the form of a regular system is too like the weakness of man, and too unlike the mind that is infinite, to be adopted in a revelation from heaven; and, perhaps, it was a chief reason for avoiding this form, that man, being furnished with matter and directions. for the work, might enjoy the healthful and muchneeded exercise, as prompted by his own necessities, of forming it into system for himself. But while we admit that the Bible is not a system, although it contains one, and while we hold it as indisputably the perfect standard of religious truth, we cannot see that it was ever intended to be a perfect specimen of the best mode of exhibiting the truth to the minds of ignorant men. From this opinion we decidedly dis

sent, and we go to the Bible itself for our reasons of dissent. It no where claims the kind of perfection which is thus so hastily ascribed to it; and it contains an express provision, which, by clear and easy inference, is seen to be inconsistent with any such claim. Independently altogether of the inspired men who were raised up each in his day to make additions to its treasures, it contains the appointment, by solemn divine ordination, of an order of uninspired men, possessing certain qualifications which it specifies, and having it for their specific work to go with the Bible wherever it goes, nay, to carry it forth, explaining and enforcing it, in its spirit and tendency, to the guilty and ignorant children of men. This order of men are set up, and commanded to keep their place, as pastors and teachers, between the Bible and those to whom it is sent: not to keep them away from the Bible, but to conciliate their love to it, by unfolding its truth and excellence; to form and strengthen, and render general, the habit of enlightened intercourse with it. Much might be said of the contents of the Bible, its chronology, its connection with the history of the world, its prophecies, its abrupt poetic style, its manner of stating doctrines, to show that this order of men was necessary; but we need not go into disquisition when we have the fact before us. The very appointment of these men, and the sphere to which they are assigned, must stand forth till the end of time as an undeniable proof, that the Bible is not, and never was, intended to be sufficient without them, for bringing men generally to the knowledge of salvation. The Bible has its place, and it fills that place in the high perfection

of its Author's purpose; but they too have their place in relation to the Bible, which must also be filled, in order to bring it out to the plenitude of its usefulness. But how are they to fill their place? Not by literally following the Bible in the order in which it lies, nor by simply repeating portions of it, however well selected; but by copying its order, or deviating from that order as circumstances may require; by amplifying or abridging its lessons of instruction to suit particular cases, or meet particular necessities, in the progress of their ministrations; by freely but judiciously modifying the Bible, so far as official dexterity is concerned, into an adaptation to the several stages of ignorance or depravity, or Christian attainment; and thus making it suitably to bear on the variously modified states of society, in which they may be called to proclaim its tidings. Their commission is to evangelize and feed, by teaching from the Bible, as, in every instance, their guide and text-book-thus holding it forth in its purity and entireness; but they never can teach with any thing like clearness or effective force, without obeying the dictates of their own educated reason, and thus adopting the mode of procedure which we are endeavouring to recommend. They must employ their own language, as well as that of the Spirit of God. They must exercise their own judgment, and make use of their own experience, and be influenced by their own knowledge of human nature, in its varied circumstances and conditions; but they must also secute their own devices of method and arrangement, in order suitably to fill the sphere which God has marked out for them. This they necessarily must

pro

do, just because they are uninspired human beings, ordained to teach their human brethren the knowledge of God in Christ. They cannot elucidate a single topic without digesting it into regular method; and, in proportion as the digest is clear and consecutive, the better is the topic taught, and the better reason have they to expect the blessing of God on their labours. Well, this is system; but if system be thus necessary to elucidate a part of the grand scheme of Christian doctrine, it is yet more necessary to elucidate the whole; for it is obvious to every one who thinks at all, that, in proportion as a subject becomes enlarged and complicated, the inquirer feels it the more necessary to be rigid in his adherence to logical method, as the only possible means of carrying him correctly through it. It is this which strengthens his weakness, and relieves his conscious helplessness, amidst the mazes of gathering thought; obviating that which is dubious, simplifying that which is complex, reducing to order that which is confused; and thus inviting him onwards, with confidence and delight, in his career of sacred research. But if the exercise of this faculty be so necessary to the man who is ordained to educate Christians, its advantages ought to be sedulously cultivated by those who are the subjects of Christian education. They, as well as he, are uninspired, and therefore left dependent on it. It is chiefly as an instrument of good to them that he is bound to use it; and if they shall allow themselves to dislike it, or to remain incapable of appreciating its use, either in books or oral instruction, they are chargeable with defeating the chief end for which he was appointed over them.