ascribed to faith, but because it is in the strictest sense, Christ himself, the power of God, living and working in us. It never would have been said of faith, that every power of the world, the flesh, and the devil, must yield to it, but because it is that very Christ within us, "without whom we can do nothing." But if without Christ we can do nothing, and yet all things are possible to our faith, can there be a fuller demonstration that our faith is nothing else but Christ born and living withinus? Whatever, therefore, there is of power within us, that tends to salvation, call it by what name you will, either faith, or hope, or prayer, or hunger after the kingdom of God and his righteousness, it is all but one power, and that one power is Christ within us. If, therefore, faith and its good works are but one and the same Christ living in us, the distinction between a good faith and its good works, and all the contentious volumes that have been written about it, are as mere ignorant jargon, as a distinction made and contended for, between life and its living operations.

When the holy church of Christ,. the kingdom of God come among men, was first set up, it was the apostle's boast, that all other wisdom or learning was sunk into nothing. "Where," says he, "is the wise, the Scribe, the disputer of this world? Hath not God made them foolishness ?" But now, it is the boast of all churches, that they

are full of the wise, the Scribes, the disputers of this world, who sit with learned pomp in the apostles' chair, and have the mysteries of the kingdom of God committed to them.

Hence it is, that from a religion of heavenly love, built upon the redeeming life and doctrines of a Son of God dying to save the whole world, division, bitterness, envy, pride, strife, hatred, and persecution; nay, every outrage of war and bloodshed, breathe and break forth with more strength in learned Christendom, than ever they did from a religion of Pagan idolatry set up by Satan.

It may perhaps be here said, Must there, then, be no learning or scholarship, no recondite erudition in the Christian church? Must there be nothing thought of, or got by the gospel, but mere salvation? Must its ministers know nothing, teach nothing, but such salvation-doctrines as Christ and his apostles taught; nothing but the full denial of self, poverty of spirit, meekness, and humility, and unwearied patience; a never-ceasing love, an absolute renunciation of the pomps and vanities of the world, a full dependance upon our heavenly Father, no joy or rejoicing but in the Holy Ghost, no wisdom but that which God gives, no walking but as Christ walked, no reward or glory for their labours of love, but that of being found in Christ, flesh of his flesh, bone of his bones, spirit of his Spirit, and clothed with the wedding-garment when

the bridegroom comes, "when the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first ?"

To this the first answer is, happy, thrice happy are they, who are only the thus learned preachers of the gospel, who through all their ministry seek nothing for themselves or others, but to be taught of God; hunger after nothing but the bread of life that came down from heaven, owning no master but Christ, no teacher but his Holy Spirit; as unable to join with the diggers in Pagan pits of learning, as with those that "labour for for the wind, and give their money for that which is not bread."

Secondly, With regard to the demand of learned knowledge in the Christian church, it may be answered, that all that has been said above, is only for the increase and promotion of it, and that all ignorance and darkness may be driven quite out of it. The church of Christ is the seat or school of all the highest knowledge that the human nature is capable of in this life. Ignorance is everywhere but in the church of Christ. The law, the prophets, and the gospel, are the only treasures of all that can be called the knowledge either of God or man; and he in whom the law, the prophets, and the gospel are fulfilled, is the only well-educated man, and one of the first-rate scholars in the world.

But now, who is he that has this wisdom from these rich treasures? Who is he in whom all is known and fulfilled which they teach? The lip of truth has told us, that it is he, and he alone "who loves God with all his heart, with all his soul, with all his mind, and with all his strength, and his neighbour as himself." This is the man that is all wisdom, all light, and let into full possession of all that is meant by all the mysteries contained in the law, the prophets, and the gospel. Where this divine love is wanting, and a diabolical self sits in its place, there may be great wits, shining critics, orators, poets, &c. as easily as there may be a profound Machiavel, a learned Hobbos, or an atheistical Virtuose. But would you divinely know the mysteries of nature, the ground and reason of good and evil in this world, the relation and connection between the visible and invisible world, how the things of time proceed from, are influenced by, and depend upon the things and powers of eternity, there is but one only key of entrance; nothing can open the vision, but seeing with the eyes of that same love which began and carries on all that is, and works in visible and invisible nature. Would you divinely know the mysteries of grace and salvation? would you go forth as a faithful witness of gospel truths? stay till this fire of divine love has had its perfect work within you; for till your heart is an altar, on

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which this heavenly fire never goes out, you are dead in yourself, and can only be a speaker of dead words about things that never had any life within you. For without a real birth of this divine love in the essence of your soul, be as learned and polite as you will, your heart is but the dark heart of fallen Adam, and your knowledge of the kingdom of God will be only like that which murdering Cain had. For every thing is murder, but that which love does. If love is not the breath of your life, the spirit that forms and governs every thing that proceeds from you, every thing that has your labour, your allowance, and consent, you are broken off from the works of God, you have left his creation, you are without God; and your name, and nature, and works, can have no other name or nature, but that which is called pride, wrath, envy, hypocrisy, hatred, revenge, and self-exaltation, under the power of Satan, in his kingdom of darkness. Nothing can possibly save you from being the certain prey of all these evil spirits, through the whole course of your life, but a birth of that love which is God himself, his light and Spirit within you.

There is no knowledge in heaven, but what proceeds from this birth of love; nor is there any dif ference between the highest light of an angel, and the horrid darkness of a devil, but that which love has made. But now, since divine love can have no beginning but from a birth of the divine