of the imagination which is not content with simple notions, but catches at a few obscure phrases and texts in the scriptures, and forms an indistinct idea, and then fancies that a greater degree of solemnity is attached to this image of the Almighty. The proper question for the Christian inquirer to ask is, 'What did Jesus Christ teach me of God? Jesus Christ is my instructer. What idea did he give me of the Supreme and Everlasting One? He constantly held Him up to view as his Father and our Father, as his God and our God, as the Great Being who provides for our wants, who governs the universe by his Wisdom and Goodness, and without whose knowledge not even a sparrow falls to the ground. Here is knowledge enough for me. I want no more knowledge of God's character either for the time of prosperity, or the day of adversity, for life or for death. The detail of human life requires no more than this. It is simple and intelligible, but it is also full of hope and grandeur and consolation. I will be grateful for this much, and not dim the light that has been given me by fruitless attempts to know more.'

Again, what Christianity teaches respecting the future life is clear and simple. The great and all glorious reality of an eternal life is fully brought to light. Jesus has risen from the dead, and his followers who believe in him have, therefore, a sure ground of hope and joy, and in respect to this truth of our religion we have an instance of that tendency to value what is obscure which we have noticed. Here is a plain fact stated, the consequences of a belief in which are of the utmost importance to us; a fact which was continually

in the miuds of the Apostles; for their epistles are full of the great fact of Christ's resurrection. And yet men are inclined to pass this by, with an acknowledgment perhaps of its truth, but without dwelling upon it as the main part of Christianity. They prefer to fill their minds with systems and doctrines of human invention, rather than to look steadily at a few facts which are revealed with the brightness of the sun. It is important for us to bear in mind that with respect to the future life, Christianity does not go into particulars. Its great aim seems to be to establish in men's minds, first, the certainty of another life, and secondly, that it will be a life of retribution, tha is, that nen's actions, considered as morally good or bad, will affect, will have a bearing upon, will determine the condition of that future life to each individual. On these simple points, we repeat, the attention and aim of Christianity are concentred. To enforce these upon human belief and consequently upon human practice, is the main purpose of our religion. There are many other points with regard to a future life which have always exercised, and which still are exercising the curiosity of mankind. But all these are inferior points, and therefore not touched by our religion. Christianity would not distract men's attention. It would fasten it upon the principal f. cts, and if the attention is fixed upon these facts, and the whole energy of .the soul is confined to the consideration of these facts, the practice, the character, the life must inevitably be improved. The bad effect which follows from complicated systems of theology, is, that the interest of the mind is weakened by being divided among a multitude of objects. The

ence.

most important objects of thought, instead of standing out in bold relief, and occupying the foreground in the picture that is presented to the mental vision, are mingled with the inferior objects, and when their prominence is lost to the mind, their importance dwindles, and they fail of exerting their due and intended influThe truth of this may be seen in the history of those religions which have prevailed in different ages of the world. It was so in Judaism. The important point in the religion of Moses was the Unity of God; as long as the attention was confined to this grand truth, and every thing else in the system made subservient to this, the religion of the Jews was pure and operative. But as soon the prominency this great article of faith was lost, and the rights and ceremonies of their system were elevated to a place in their regard beside it, the people were corrupted and the design of their religion was unanswered.

Again, what Christ has taught us respecting our duties to God, to our fellow men and to ourselves, is clear, simple, intelligible. The dispositions we should cherish to one another, and which, if cherished, would purify and strengthen society, are plainly declared to us. Those rules are laid down in the Gospel, which are the foundation of all equity and justice among men. Those principles are set forth which, if adopted, would produce the most amiable, the. most firm, magnanimous and sublime character that can be conceived. But instead of confining their attention to these simple principles and endeavoring to conform their hearts and lives thereto, men prefer to amuse themselves with strange fancies and intricate speculations, till at last religion

grows to be so strange and mysterious in its visage and form, that it will not mingle with every day duties and the usual concerns of mortals; it has no affinity to to the little detail of every day life, and thence arises the fatal imagination that religion is profaned by contact with ordinary business; it is something, as is conceived, for the Church, something to be brought out once a week with ceremony and parade, something that belongs to the minister, not to all mankind equally All this may be traced to mystery and want of simplicity in men's views of religion. That this effect has been produced, the history of the corruption of all religion proves. In proportion as the simplicity of religion has been lost, it has become less and less practical and more and more splendid in its external rites. In proportion as religion becomes weaker as a practical principle, men seem inclined to atone for this defect by building splendid churches, by instituting imposing services, and by framing creeds with many hard words. All this serves to give an air of mystery and strangeness to the subject, and in the same degree separates it from common life. And this is a most unfortunate effect. Religion was meant by Heaven to be the companion, guide, counsellor of man; to be his attendant at all times, not an occasional and ceremonious visitant; to mingle her solemn warnings in the familiar scenes of business; to reprove, animate, restrain, and strengthen in all the concerns which engage us. And we say with emphasis that in proportion as religion loses its simplicity, becomes involved, mysterious, complicated; in proportion as it is worked up into a system of technical theology;—so far it loses its practical character and influence becomes disinined from the simple and

familiar detail of life, and refuses to harmonize with common scenes and duties.

Again, the simplicity of our religion is conspicuous in the rites which it directly institutes. Of these there are only two, as we know, Baptism and the Lord's Supper, each of which is simple, consisting in one single act.

We have considered a few points in which the simplicity of Christiainity is apparent. But there is a double task to be performed in managing this subject. We have not only to show men that obscure, mystical systems of doctrine do not belong to the Gospel, that all which our Saviour taught is simple and intelligible; but there is a farther task to be accomplished, namely, to convince those whom we address that these simple truths are of the highest importance, of all absorbing interest. This is a difficult task. For one of the worst effects that obscure doctrines of theology exert upon the mind, is, that it is incapacitated in a degree, at least, to comprehend, to appreciate, and to cherish with ardour and satisfaction, plain, simple truth. Plain truths and simple ideas appear tame and without worth, to such a mind. They are acknowledged indeed, because if they were openly given up, Christianity and all religion must be given up with them. But they do not awaken and interest; they do not stir the energies of the spiritual man; they are not, as they seem calculated to be, powerful motives of action; they do not ' work in the soul both to will and to do.' The persons with whom we reason will say to us that we have destroyed the essence of religion. It is a mere system of morality we are offering them; and it may really appear so to them. It may seem to their minds that