est friends; whereas the apostles, though highly spoken of amongst us, were accounted, while they lived, the filth and offscouring of all things; they were despised for their poverty and the meanness of their appearance, and detested as bigots and enthusiasts; so that it required some degree of faith and grace not to be ashamed of them.

Let not the reader be offended, if I close this book, as I did the former, with entreating him to reflect on the importance of having right views of the Gospel of Christ, and of the spirit of Christianity. These are topics of universal concern. A believer in Jesus, however obscure, unnoticed, or oppressed in the present life, is happy; he is a child of God, the charge of angels, an heir of glory; he has meat to eat that the world knows not of; and from the knowledge of his union and relation to his Redeemer, he derives a peace which passes understanding, and a power suited to every service and circumstance of life. Though weak in himself, he is strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus the Lord, upon whom he relies, as his wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and expects from him, in due time, a complete redemption from every evil". His faith is not merely speculative, like the cold assent we give to a mathematical truth, nor is it the blind impulse of a warm imagination; but it is the effect of an apprehension of the wisdom, power, and love displayed in the redemption of sinners by Jesus Christ; it is a constraining principle, that works by love, purifies the heart, and overcomes the world; it gives the foretaste

Rom. viii. 14. 17. " 2 Tim. ii. 1.

Phil. v.7.
w 1 Cor. i. 30,

12 Cor. xii. 9.

and evidence of things invisible to mortal eyes, and, transforming the soul into the resemblance of what it beholds, fills the heart with benevolence, gentleness, and patience, and directs every action to the sublimest ends, the glory of God, and the good of mankind *.

But whatever is styled religion that is not thus pure, thus peaceable, thus operative, or, at least, that does not lead the soul to desire the graces of the Spirit, and to seek them in God's appointed way, by faith in his Son, is unworthy the name. If you have not the Spirit of Christ, you are none of his '; whatever else you may have, you have no interest in the promised blessings of the Gospel; whatever else you can do, you cannot please God". If you do not count all things. loss, and of no value, in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus the Lord, you certainly do not understand the word Gospel in St. Paul's sense; if you you did, you would be of his mind. And are you not in danger of incurring that anathema, which, under the influence of the Spirit of God, he denounces against all who love not the Lord Jesus? Search the Scriptures, if you really think that in them you have eternal life. If, indeed, you could prove them to be cunningly devised fables, you might neglect them without danger; but, if the Scriptures are true, there is a day coming when God shall judge the world. I need not appeal to Scripture to convince you that, whatever your situation in life is, you must leave it, and expe

* Gal. v. 6.; Acts, xv. 9.; 1 John, v. 4.; Heb. xi. 1.; 2 Cor. iii. 18.

rience a moment, when the pleasures or honours of this world will afford you no comfort; but, if the Scriptures are true, you must then appear before the judgementseat of Christ; you must stand either at the right hand or the left. Important alternative! For to those on the left hand the King will say, Depart from me, ye cursed!" If hitherto, while you have professed his name, you have had your heart filled with enmity against his doctrine and his people; if you have accounted his wisdom foolishness, and reproached the operations of his Spirit as enthusiasm and madness; it is to be hoped you have done it through ignorance, you knew not what you did."; there is then forgiveness with him; as yet he is upon a throne of grace. May the Spirit of God lead you to him before he takes his seat upon the throne of judgement! otherwise you are lost for ever. My heart's desire and prayer to God, for my readers, will be, that not one of them may fall under that awful sentence, "Behold, ye despisers, and wonder "and perish! for I work a work in your days, which you shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it "unto you."

f 2 Cor. v. 10.

b 1 Tim. i. 18.; Luke, xxiii. 34.

Matth. xxv. 41.

i Acts, xiii. 41.

OLNEY HYMNS,

IN THREE BOOKS.

BOOK I.

ON SELECT TEXTS OF SCRIPTURE.

BOOK II.

ON OCCASIONAL SUBJECTS.

BOOK III.

ON THE PROGRESS AND CHANGES OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE.

Cantabitis, Arcades, inquit,

Montibus hæc vestris : soli cantare periti

Arcades. O mihi tum quam molliter ossa quiescant,

Vestra meos olim si fistula dicat amores!

VIRGIL, ECL. X. 31.

And they sung as it were a new song before the throne:-and no. man could learn that song, but the-redeemed from the earth.

REV. xiv. 3.

As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing.-2 COR. vi. 10.