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habitual course of sin. No, sin is their grief, their burden
[1 John. iii. 8,9.; Rom. vii. 23,24.]; and when through temptation, or
unwatchfulness, they are drawn aside, like the dove sent out of the ark,
they can find no rest, till by hearty repentance, and true faith, they
obtain a new sense of forgiveness.

I now proceed to offer you some directions, with which if you comply, I
trust, that by the blessing of God, you will enjoy peace in your souls,
and be enabled to regulate your conduct and conversation, as becometh
the gospel of Christ.

Read and study the scriptures. This was our Lord's direction to the
Jews. Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have
eternal life, and they testify of me [John v. 37; Acts xvii. 11.]. The
Bereans were commended for their attention and diligence in this respect.
They received the word with all readiness of mind, not with a blind and
implicit faith in what they heard, even from an apostle, but they searched
the scriptures daily, to know whether what he taught them was agreeable to
the word of God.

The Bible is our only sure and infallible guide. It was given by
inspiration of God. All other books, however good and useful, are but
of human composition, and are therefore not perfect.
[2 Tim. 8-16.; Isa. viii. 20.]

This sacred book, as I have already observed to you, contains all that
is needful to make us wise unto salvation. It informs us of our
original, how pure and innocent; and our present condition, how
guilty, polluted and miserable! and the happiness or misery which
awaits us in a future state. From this book we may learn, the malignity
of sin, the holiness, spirituality, extent, and sanction of the law of
God; and consequently, the just and certain condemnation due to our
disobedience. It shews us, likewise, the way of our recovery. How
perfectly the mediation of Christ is suited to vindicate the honour of
the law, and to display the justice of God, in harmony with his mercy,
and thereby to give peace to the consciences of convinced sinners.

I intreat you, therefore, to read the word of God carefully. Many of
you have had Bibles or New Testaments given to you, and others might
have them, if they had but an inclination to read.

Some of you will perhaps object, and say, as you have already said to
me, We cannot read. Others, We have no time given us. If you
cannot read yourselves, you might prevail on some of your comrades to
read to you*. As to your havin