Page 5

Observations, & c.

TRUTH has its foundation in the nature of God ;
and is copied out in his word. Like the Eternal
himself, it is one ; and is as necessary to the preserva-
tion of the foul, as food to the body, or heat and moj
future to the plant. And yet, alas ! that best and only
preservative of the noble mind, is unnaturally despised
and rejected of men.
The Saviour of sinners, who calls himself the truth,
was made flesh, and dwelt among us ; but how few,
comparatively beheld his glory. The men of the world
knew him not, therefore they did to him what they lis
ted. But though he was put to death in the flesh, yet
he was quickened by the spirit, and now liveth forever
more. The world seeth him not, but Christians see
him ; for he is in them, and shall be with them : and
because he lives they shall live also. He is the same in
his word that he was in human flesh ; and in every
form his treatment has been the same. How often,
even among us, has he been crucified afresh, --and put to an
open shame ; pronounced powerless, dead,-- and buried
among the rubbish of human tradition. But amidst all
this infamy. the blessed truth has been preserved, that
not a bone of him is broken. And has not a great stone
(the confession of faith) been rolled off him ? Has he
not risen indeed ? and has not the earth quaked at his
resurrection ? Surely the word of God could not be
bound ; it was impossible that he should be holden of
death. He is risen indeed, and we are witnesses of his
resurrection, and do testify that this is he whom God
has appointed to be the judge of both the quick and the
dead.
We have already shewn in our view of the gospel, that
it is by the eternal word that we are to be new created ;
the inquiry now before us is. How are we to be gover-
ned ? Must we be kept by the same power through faith