ospel, and practising them in their lives. Or, in
other words, having both the _form_ and _power_ of godliness. Without
these, no body of men have any right to be called the church of Christ.
If you observe this, you will relieve yourself from much perplexity of
mind, which the careless reader experiences from, supposing that all the
evils described in any period of the history of the nominal church, do
really exist in the _true_ church. These very evils prove that it is not
the true church of Christ.

(2.) RELIGIOUS BIOGRAPHY, or the lives of individuals of eminent piety,
is perhaps the best kind of practical reading. It is in many respects
very profitable. It furnishes testimony to the reality and value of the
religion of Jesus, by the exemplification of the truths of Revelation in
the lives of its followers. It also points out the difficulties which
beset the Christian's path, and the means by which they can be
surmounted. Suppose a traveller just entering a dreary wilderness. The
path which leads through it is exceedingly narrow and difficult to be
kept. On each side, it is beset with thorns, and briers, and miry pits.
Would he not rejoice to find a book containing the experience of former
travellers who had passed that way; in which every difficult spot is
marked; all their contests with wild beasts and serpents, and all their
falls described; and a beacon, or _guide-board_, set up, wherever a
beaten track turns aside from the true way? All this you may find in
religious biographies. There, the difficulties, trials, temptations,
falls, and deliverances of God's people are described. You may profit
from their examples. But, one caution is necessary. Bring every
religious experience described in these works to the test of the Holy
Scriptures. If you find anything contrary to this unerring standard,
reject it. Satan is ever busy, and may deceive even good men with false
experiences. I would advise you, so far as practicable, to keep always
the biography of some eminent person in a course of reading, and devote
to it what time you can spare from your ordinary pursuits, one day in
the week.

(3.) In relation to doctrinal reading, I have already given general
directions. If you devote to it the spare time of one day in the week,
regularly, you will keep alive your interest in the investigation of
truth, and yet avoid becoming so much absorbed in abstract speculation
as to overlook present duty.

(4.) Under the head of