of the wolf is the language of disquietude and of blood, ftriking terror into the boldeft heart; while the cooing of the turtle-dove, the bleating of the fleecy lamb, speak the language of innocence and peace. We may vifit the manfions of the rich, the caftles of the powerful, or the palaces of kings, yet if holiness be wanting, in vain do we fearch for happiness. It is not there. We may visit the abodes of the poor, the cottage of the afflicted, the hovel of the dying. If we find the inmates in poffeffion of holiness, there also we find happiness; poverty does not expel her, affliction does not drive her away, death even cannot pronounce a divorce; united are they in life, undivided in death, inseparable to all eternity.

"We have also a more fure word of prophecy."-2 PET. i. 9. THE WEIGHT OF GOD'S WORD.

Look where the impartial balance hangs on high,
The Almighty's word against weak man's to try;
Huge folios rare, and many a bulky bale,
Are brought, and laid upon the even scale :
Of" Council's" records many a tome is fent,
From the great Nicean down to that of Trent;
"Creeds,' ""'ifms," creatures of the human thought,
Ancient and modern, are together brought;

And "fathers" numerous, a learned line,
From Pfeudo-Barnabas to Auguftine;
The Bible now, of proteftants the pride,
Is placed alone upon the other fide:

Creeds, councils, fathers, 'ifms, twenty ream,
Fly up like chaff, and ftraightway kick the beam.

THE above engraving reprefents a pair of fcales of equal balance, one fide of which is loaded with books, packages, and parchments.

Here are the minutes of eighteen general councils, beginning with that held in Nice, in the year of our Lord 325, and ending with that of Trent, which began in the year 1545, and closed in 1563, with many others. There are alfo the writings of the "Fathers," from thofe afcribed to Barnabas, but confidered fpurious, downward. Then there are Creeds without number, both of ancient and modern date; next follow the various isms of the day, that set themselves up against the word of God. These are all placed on one scale, the Bible is now brought and placed on the other; when, lo! "Creeds, Councils, Fathers, and 'ifms" are but as the duft of the balance. Lighter than vanity, they fly up and kick the beam; one Bible outweighs them all.

This emblem is defigned to show the authority of the Bible over the doctrines and commandments of men. When the lion roars, the beasts of the forefts keep filence; when Jehovah speaks, the inhabitants of the world ought to ftand in awe. During the space of fifteen hundred years, God uttered his voice in the ears of the children of men. He has declared his will, and fanctioned fuch revelation by the repeated manifeftations of his almighty power. He employed holy men as the authorized recorders of his laws; and closed the whole with the denouncement of a curfe against all who fhould add to or diminish therefrom,

Notwithstanding this, there have been men in all ages who have set up their will against that of

C

the great Jehovah. They have made a record of the fame, forbidding what God has commanded, and ordaining what God has prohibited. Thus,

by their traditions, they make void the laws of the Eternal. What folly is this! what blafphemy! what rebellion! The words of the Lord are tried, pure, and everlafting; thofe of man are fhort weight, corrupt, and are paffing away. By the laws of God, not by the opinions of men, we fhall be judged at the last day.

Terribly has the curfe fallen upon those who have established human opinions in oppofition to the Word of God; witnefs the Jews, who, fince the fatal overthrow of their city, have been vagabonds over all the face of the earth. Witness the poverty, ignorance, and mifery of those parts of the world where human creeds prevail, and where the Bible is rejected; yea, witness in the cafe of every man who fubftitutes his will for God's. To the law and to the teftimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

"All fcripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for inftruction in righteousness."'-2 TIM. iii. 16.

"Search the fcriptures."-MATT. xxii. 29.

"We thank God without ceafing, because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is of truth, the word of God."-1 THESS. ii. 13.

"Ye fhall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish aught from it."-DEUT. iv. 2. "If any man fhall add unto these things, God fhall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book." -REV. xxi. 18.

"So run that ye may obtain."-1 COR. ix. 24.
THE CHRISTIAN RACE.

Behold! the race-courfe here before us lies;
See! many running for the glorious prize;
Some fweat and toil, and maugre all their pains,
Small is their progrefs, fmaller ftill their gains.
With weights oppreff'd, of fordid gold and care,
They run awhile, then give up in despair.
But one is feen whofe fpeed outftrips the wind,
The laggers all he quickly leaves behind;
Conformed to rule, he cafts all burdens down,
And preffes forward to receive the crown.

In his exhortations to Chriftians, the great apostle of the Gentiles very often alludes to the Olympic games. These games were celebrated in different parts of Greece, particularly on the ifthmus which joined the Morea to the main land; hence called the Ifthmian exercises. They were held on the banks of the river Alpheus, near Olympia, a city of Elis. They were con