Whilst they who regard Christianity as a religion founded on divine revelation, (as is the case with all who think rightly on the subject,) must necessarily consider that to be the only true religion, which makes the several parts of that revelation duly harmonize; on the incontrovertible priuciple that the gracious Author of the revelation in question can, on no occasion, be at variance with himself.

For," as it has been justly observed, "in all the works of God, and most par"ticularly in that process of salvation, of “which, from the beginning of the world, "the Old and New Testament are the "continued and connected history; so "much prevails of general harmony, that "no single feature or period can be other"wise than most imperfectly compre "hended, unless such period be consi"dered as a part of, and in reference to "the whole."

In tracing then the divine scheme of redemption, as it immediately respects the great hinge, on which it was determined that it should principally turn, from that main head or fountain of pro

phecy,

phecy, opened by God himself, in the sentence pronounced upon the Tempter în Paradise; "I will put enmity between

thee and the woman, and between thy "seed and her seed, &c. ;" and to the actual incarnation of that seed by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin, which seed of the woman, the man Christ Jesus, at the commencement of the work he had to perform for man, bruised the Serpent's head, by the issue of his personal conflict with the Tempter in the wilderness; and then after the work which his Father had given him to do, as he himself said on the cross, was finished," completed his triumph over him by his resurrection; this tracing the divine scheme of redemption, from its prophetic opening in Paradise, to its appointed close in the character and office of the great Mediator of the New Covenant, the testimony of whom, we are told by an Apostle, is the spirit of prophecy; is the only way, it is conceived, in which the Bible, so far at least as it bears on this most important subject, can be rendered an intelligible book. And when from this work of the Son of God in human flesh,

We

we pass on to the consideration of what remained to be done to render his gracious undertaking effectual to its intended. purpose; we become qualified to appre ciate the essential office of the Holy Ghost in the divinely covenanted plan for man's salvation; that of reversing the evil which had been wrought in human nature, by transforming it, so far as might be, through his renewing power, into the image that had been lost; for the purpose of bringing fallen man into a fit condition to partake of the inheritance which had been purchased for him.

This connected view of the divine plan, for the recovery of man from the power of Satan, and the consequences of the Fall, will best prepare us, in our character of redeemed sinners, to adore "the mani "fold wisdom of God, according to his "eternal purpose, which he purposed in

Christ Jesus our Lord. In whom all," who have been called to the knowledge of God in Christ, have boldness and ac❝cess with confidence by the faith of "Him." Eph. iii. 10. &c,

It

It is to be lamented that, in these latter days, when the scenes of divine Revelation, so far as man in his present state is concerned in them, appear to be drawing to their close; any religion, differing from that which the Bible teaches, should be obtruding itself into notice. More particularly is it to be lamented, that that repeatedly exploded heresy, against which, in the infant days of the Church, the writings of St. John are supposed to have been immediately directed; that blasphemous heresy, which takes from sinful man his anchor of hope, and leaves him unsupported on that falling ground, on which Adam placed him; should be now putting on a face of bolder confidence than it has hitherto assumed in this Christian country. Deeply is it to be lamented, that under the mid-day shining of the Gospel, that proud self-sufficiency which first made man a rebel to his Maker, should continue to make him reject the plan which graciously has been provided for his restoration to the divine favour; by virtually declaring that he wants neither a Christ to redeem, nor an Holy Spirit to sanctify

him; thus living a stranger to the cove nant of promise in Christ, and, so far as respects that covenant, living it may be said, without God in the world. And whilst the innumerable multitude of professing Christians, whatever may be their degrees of knowledge, or their differences of opinion on religious subjects of minor importance, are looking in faith for salvation through the sufferings of their incar nate Redeemer; the UNITARIAN, alas ! is self-excluded,

It is some consolation, however, to reflect, that whilst that established religion, which has been providentially derived to us from the primitive Church, through the channel of our Reformers, appeals with confidence to the plain unsophisticated letter of the Bible for its truth; the facts recorded in the sacred writings being illustrative of the doctrines derived from them; whilst the doctrines professed bear their corresponding testimony to the facts recorded; that imperfect system of divinity, which the self-sufficient reasoner is now imposing on the uninformed mind, is obliged to depend for its occasional support,