testants have unwarrantably conceded practically to the Romanist the monstrous principle, that the word of God is so ambiguous that it cannot be trusted directly as a standard or rule, and therefore they have substituted human standards and rules, which are considered more explicit and effective for preserving unity of faith, and uniformity of practice. These have been the fruitful sources of Protestant divisions and of strifes; they have lured men away from the fountain of truth and of knowledge, they have substituted human fancies for the wisdom which cometh from above, and have been the endless sources of strifes and debates. Men in their earth-born wisdom, animated, no doubt, by a sincere desire for the glory of God, have cast divine truth into the mould of their own language, deeming the expressions which they used more explicit and less liable to abuse than the terms employed by the inspired penmen. These they not only exhibited as expressive of their own views, but bound upon the consciences of others, not satisfied with truth as divinely expressed, but demanding an absolute submission to truth as represented by them. I ask my intelligent and candid hearers if this be not a deviation from the great Protestant principle, that the Bible, and the Bible alone is the standard of religious truth? We ask, Why not subscribe the Bible itself, and not any mere human epitome of its truths? No answer can be given but such as concedes to the Romanist his fundamental principle, that the Bible is not of itself sufficient, and there must be other expedients to secure the ends designed by the gospel. We

repudiate this principle even in the modified form sanctioned by Protestant practice,* we would stake the whole question upon the experience and present state of all those churches which have adopted other standards subordinate to the Bible. Have these expedients produced uniformity and secured harmony? What says the church of England? The friends of evangelical truth find nothing within her articles and liturgy but what is in harmony with the word of God; while the advocates of Popery find, in the same standards, the most explicit sanctions to the worst errors they have imbibed, and which they so strenuously labour to propagate. And what says the church of Scotland? Is peace within her walls, and prosperity within her palaces? Does the Bible sanction the principles or the spirit of moderatism? No: but the standards embrace both parties; both evangelicals and moderates can sign them without explanation or reservation; and, with principles mutually destructive, they can tolerate each other within the same ecclesiastical enclosure. we feel persuaded that better days are approaching; days of peace and purity, whose dawn already gilds the horizon. The ground of our hope is this, that the

But

* Mr. Campbell did not object to Confessions or Declarations of Faith in all circumstances. He did not reckon it profane or an affront to the perfection of the Bible, to sign a declaration of his present faith in human words, or in a human form. The reader can return to his remarks on this subject in the preceding lecture, page 99. The remarks which follow, however, sufficiently indicate the line of proof by which it may be established that no confession or human standards suffice to secure unity of belief, or to preserve purity of doctrine.-ED.

great principles of the exclusive authority and sufficiency of the Bible, as a rule of faith, is gaining its due ascendancy. This is the happiest spiritual omen of our times. The question with individuals and churches is, What saith the scripture? Every principle and ordinance of religion, and every system of ecclesiatsical polity, is beginning to be brought to this standard, and the stamp of reprobation put upon every thing not according to it, however venerated for its antiquity, or dearly cherished from prejudice. The result must be glorious. We do not anticipate a time when, in regard to every minute point of doctrine and observance, all the children of Zion shall see eye to eye, but we do anticipate a time, when, on the leading doctrines and ordinances of the gospel, they shall be at one-when their hearts shall be knit together in love -when Ephraim shall not envy Judah, nor Judah vex Ephraim-when the cloud which hangs over our horizon shall pass away, and the varied hues of the rainbow shall fade into the transparent light of purity and love. There is so much uniformity and identity in the mental constitutions and faculties of men, that when directing their attention to the same sources of information, without prejudice, they will, for the most part, arrive at the same conclusion. The Bible is adapted to the lowest capacities as well as the highest, its great and essential truths are exhibited with a clearness and simplicity which cannot be surpassed; it points to a path in which the wayfaring man, though a fool, cannot err. We pray that the attention of all men may be directed to the

only safe and divine rule; that whatever we ourselves hold contrary to its dictates may be abandoned, however venerated and cherished; and that the knowledge of the glorious salvation it reveals may be speedily diffused to the utmost ends of the earth.

ZION'S CLAIMS UPON HER CHILDREN:

OR,

THE DUTY OF BRITISH CHURCHES TOWARDS THE IGNORANT AND IRRELIGIOUS POPULATION AROUND THEM, WITH PLANS FOR PROVIDING, AND REGULATING, IN THE SAFEST AND MOST BENEFICIAL MANNER, GRATUITOUS LAY AGENCY, FOR HOME MISSIONARY OPERATIONS. ADDRESSED TO THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES OF THE UNITED EMPIRE.

"Not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many that they may be saved."-PAUL.