That the subjects thus impressively introduced on these several occasions exhibit a striking affinity, and are readily apprehended to have a close connexion with each other, must be obvious to every attentive reader; yet a diversity of aspect is no less observable between them.

In the first instance they allude, according to the experience of the truly spiritually minded, not only to the breaking of the human body, and the shedding of the human blood of Christ without the gates of Jerusalem; but also, and more especially, to the partaking of the spiritual nature and living virtue of Christ, which may be justly called his spiritual body and blood, poured forth as it was and as it still is, to the reception of all true believers. In the second instance, as an institute of the former dispensation, the outward bread and wine were employed as figures of the true.

The Scriptures without the enlightening Influence of the Spirit operating on the mind of the reader, are not sufficient to "make wise unto salvation;" because they cannot impart that living faith, though they testify of the objects and the subjects of it, through which alone salvation is to be obtained, or any qualification received for

pleasing the Lord, whose gift it is through the operation of that Holy Spirit; of which this gift is also described as a fruit. The Spirit without the Scriptures, though the source from whence all Scripture has proceeded, and sufficient, if the great Giver so please, to supply every need; is not however dispensed in any measure sufficient to supersede the necessity of Scripture testimony, so far as to make the man of God perfect, in knowledge, thoroughly furnished unto all good works;" except in those instances in which the Divinely inspired records, were first dictated to mankind and this probably in no instance so extensively as in that of Moses. Nevertheless it is fairly deducible from Scripture testimony, and most consistent with a due consideration of the attributes of the Divine and transcendently perfect Creator, that such a measure of his saving gracehis sanctifying Spirit-his redeeming virtue, is communicated to every accountable creature, as may be sufficient to constitute this life, that probationary condition by which the future distinction of all will be determined, as lovers of darkness or of light.

Allow me then, dear friends, to exhort you in the language of the apostle: "So run that ye

may obtain." Sedulously endeavour to cultivate those dispositions which are favourable to the reception of the truths of the Gospel-humility, meekness, docility; and thus, through the Divine blessing, you will happily experience the fulfilment of the promise made to Nathaniel by the blessed Jesus: "Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig-tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these." So may we go on from strength to strength, "till we all come, in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ."

MEDITATIONS, &c.

Lecture E.

THE RIGHT ESTIMATE OF HUMAN KNOWLEDGE, AND TEMPORAL ACQUISITIONS.

"Of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness to the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and

keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."

Not only the concluding clause of this passage, but the whole of the chapter, and indeed much of the book of Ecclesiastes, as well as that of Proverbs, is replete with appropriate instruction for the youthful mind; being the deliberately approved result of a long course of extensive and diversified experience, both of the most highly estimated good that this transitory world can afford-and of its vanity and insignificance, when brought into competition with the immeasurable