he has vouchsafed, in such a manner as best to promote the gracious purposes of his mercy, the display of his own glory, in the salvation of our immortal souls.

At a time when blasphemy and infidelity are raising their impious and unblushing fronts on every side, it becomes those who love the truth to be the more zealous in its defence, and the more active in the discharge of the duties, which the belief of the truth demands. These two considerations must never be separated, in our endeavours to combat with the enemies of Christ: our arguments from external evidence must be supported by the exhibition of the internal tendency of the gospel: we must be ready not only to show the strength of our fortress, but the order and beauty of the city which it defends.

In these days, the dangers which beset Christianity appear to require at our hands, not perhaps so much the examination and discussion of objections ten times refuted, and of calumnies ten times repelled; but, rather, are we called upon to show the actual influence of the doctrines of Christianity upon the heart: rather ought we to dwell upon the moral effects, than solely upon their abstract truth; we ought to address the affections of the soul, as well as the conviction of the understanding. This we shall do, by exhibiting in ourselves the genuine results of the Christian faith. This we shall do, by

showing openly to the world, that we believe the doctrines which we profess, because we adopt them as the principles of our lives. This will set aside many of the difficulties, which some would draw around our most sublime and most influential truths, by demonstrating practically, that though these truths belong to the deep things of God, in as far as they relate to his existence and his perfections, yet do they come home to the wants and necessities of our own hearts, as they relate to the manifestation of his purposes of love towards us, in the work of human redemption and restoration. A sincere, honest, and zealous Christian, is one at whose rebuke a thousand infidels must flee. If all who name the name of Christ would indeed depart from iniquity, what an irrefragable testimony would be afforded to the efficiency of that gospel, by which this moral renovation had been effected. How would this exhibit that full radiance of divine. truth, before which every servant of darkness would shrink appalled, conscious of the fulfilment of that purpose for which Christ was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

The text appears to display the connexion of the doctrine of the Trinity with the plan of human salvation. I would endeavour, first, to show that the doctrines of the gospel, propounded to us as matters of revelation, are not to be rejected on the ground of their difficulty to finite reason;

and, secondly, state how the admission of the doctrine of the Trinity has a practical influence upon our own condition and prospects.

I. It can afford no reasonable objection against any truth of revelation, that it transcends our comprehension; for it is, in the very nature of things, impossible that all these truths can be within the reach of our finite capacities. A revelation from God must comprise much information respecting his divine character; and, since "he is in heaven, while we are upon earth, no searching on our part can ever find out the Almighty to perfection." One glance must convince us of the utter impossibility of success in such a search: one moment's serious reflection must convince us, that while we are thus bound down to objects of matter and of sense; while our ideas must necessarily be, in a great measure, drawn from other objects, and measured by their finite standard, we cannot presume to limit the mind of God, or mete out the perfections of the Eternal. The mind of man, with all its boasted powers, is incompetent to judge of these subjects. The mind can only form an opinion respecting the truth of any proposition, as far as its relations and properties can be discerned. When this complete knowledge cannot be acquired, it is by no means a necessary conclusion, that those things which are above our compre

hension, are therefore contrary to our reason. If, indeed, this were allowed to become a principle of reasoning upon the subject of religion, it must, of necessity, be equally valid with respect to other subjects, which involve difficulties arising from the same cause, the imperfection of human wisdom. If we become sceptics as to certain doctrines, because they appear incomprehensible, consistency demands that we should reject many other acknowledged truths, which reason and experience admit. Now it is not because our opponents dispute the evidence of the divine origin of Christianity, that they reject these doctrines; their objection is not derived from the insufficiency of those proofs of authenticity which the gospel brings: but it is raised, independently of any thing like external evidence, upon this sole ground, that the doctrines themselves are not to be comprehended by our finite If this be allowed to be a valid argument in one case, it must be equally valid in others; and thus it follows, as a necessary consequence, that no evidence can establish a fact, the causes and the reasons of which we are unable to assign. Grant but this, and universal scepticism must follow; nay, it cannot be denied, that upon similar grounds a man might argue against his own existence, because he cannot fully understand the exact mode in which that existence was begun, or the means by which it is supported.

reason.

But further is it not, at the same time, perfectly consistent with the object of revelation, that it should contain truths, which God has not seen fit to explain fully to our comprehension? Is it not suited to such a discipline of our affections, as may fit us for a higher world, that humility and submission to the will of our Creator should be enforced upon us? May we not suppose that the feelings of pride and self-conceit are greatly repressed, by a due consideration of these doctrines? Is it inconsistent, moreover, with the object of God's paternal government; or can it be thought more than he has a right to demand at our hands, that we should credit his testimony, and accord our faith upon the single ground of his authority? The child that should refuse to obey parental discipline, till the propriety of that discipline could be argued, would justly deserve punishment. The child that should reject a parent's instruction, till the full bearings of that instruction were made known; or that would refuse to profit by a portion of a parent's knowledge, because the whole of his information is not communicated at once, would surely be accounted deficient in the first of filial duties. Yet are not we too apt to fall into this error? Are we not too ready to follow the visionary fancies of our own imagination rather than the stedfast words of truth eternal? Like the Syrian leper, do we not seek our health and