the cause of this! "For the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith," and as the reverse of these have appeared among Friends, it is certain that some other spirit than the Spirit of God, has found its way among them, and that spirit, no doubt, is a spirit of Infidelity.

It is well known also, that in the Presbyterian church a fearful division has taken place, accompanied, as all such divisions are, with a sad alienation of affection in the living members of that powerful community; and it will be well if, in the "New Divinity," and "New Measures," as they are called, there be not found, at least, in a qualified sense, something that springs from, or leads to, Infidelity.

And in the great political and party strifes that now agitate the community, it will be well if there be found none of this "leaven of malice and wickedness;" if the love of party and party measures does not prevail above the love of the truth.

Here is the true Antichrist-the enemy of Christ, and the enemy of man-more to be dreaded than the power of either Pagan or Papal Rome. It is one of those "unclean spirits like frogs" which St. John saw in vision, that came "out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet." (Rev. xvi. 13.) This description is remarkable, and answers well to the spirit of Infidelity, which, like a frog, being an amphibious animal, can live in different elements; so this can live as well in church as state, on land as on the water, among the ignorant and vulgar as

among the refined and learned. Like those noisy, impudent, and disagreeable animals, this evil spirit is loquacious, bold, and offensive, and often as troublesome as the plague of frogs in Egypt. This is that seed of the serpent that lives through all generations; it is the root of the carnal mind which is enmity against God. It is an evil influence, which, every where, except in heaven,

"Lives through all life, extends through all extent,
Spreads undivided, operates unspent."

To check the growth of this noxious weed-to repulse this common enemy, these lectures were first written, then read, and are now published. Of their merits the reader must judge.

LECTURE I.

ON THE PENTATEUCH.*

"I will show thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth."-Dan. x. 21.

THE Pentateuch, or five books of Moses, whether inspired or not, is certainly a most wonderful production. No other writings with which we are acquainted, claim so high an antiquity as these. No other books contain so great a variety within so small a compass. Here we have history the most ancient, narrative the most interesting, biography the most entertaining, poetry the most sublime, prophecies the most veritable, precepts the most just, events the most astonishing, circumstances related and characters described, the most remarkable in the world.

Who can peruse the records of the world before the flood-of the patriarchal age-of the life and times of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob-of Joseph and his brethren of the sojourning of the children of

*The word Pentateuch is a name derived from two Greek words, IITs (Pente) five; and Truxos (Teukos,) books, and signifies "five books." This is the reason these books are called the Pentateuch.

Israel in Egypt, and of the travels of Israel in the wilderness-of the miracles of Moses--of the giving of the law, and of the whole history of the Jews until the death of their great lawgiver, without becoming wiser, if not better?

Some account of these books may now be interesting and profitable to us; for, on the supposition that God has spoken to us in these venerable writings, we cannot but feel interested to know on what subjects he has been pleased to reveal his mind. The book of Genesis gives an account of the creation of all things,-the institution of the Sabbath-the history of Adam and Eve, and of their shameful fall-the history of the antediluvians, and of Noah's flood, and of the moral state of the world at that period-God's covenant with Noah, the second representative of all mankind-Noah's prophecies—the confusion of tongues-the dispersion of mankind, and founding of empires-the histories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and his brethren-Jacob's prophecies concerning the twelve patriarchs-the death of Jacob, and of Joseph, and of that generation.

This book is called GENESIS, because, as that word imports, it contains an account of the production or generation of all things. It embraces the history of a period of about 2,369 years. It contains, also, some direct prophecies concerning Christ, and other predictions which have since been fulfilled, and are still fulfilling. It is the oldest record in the world, and contains a clear, though short history of those remote ages which profane authors have vainly endeavored to rescue from oblivion.

This book was received by the Jews with the full conviction of its truth, on the authority of that inspiration under which Moses was known to act. But when the book was first delivered, many persons then living, must have been competent to decide on the fidelity with which he relates those events which were subsequent to the creation; for the longevity of man, in the earlier ages of the world, rendered tradition the criterion of truth; and the tradition was conveyed from Adam to Moses, through only seven intermediate persons. The Israelites, therefore, must have been well able to judge how far these records were consistent with truth. If the memory of man reached beyond the period assigned to the creation, they must have rejected the Mosaic history; but if, through so small a number of immediate predecessors, they could trace up the origin of man to Adam, we need not wonder at the implicit veneration which ratified the records of Moses.

The sacred authority of this book is established also by the internal evidence of its inspiration, and by the suffrages of our Saviour and his apostles, who have cited largely from it; by the practices of living Jews; by the testimony of heathen authors, and by the impossibility of a forgery at any period subsequent to the time of Moses.

The book of EXODUS contains a history of the Israelites, from the death of Joseph to the erection of the tabernacle in the wilderness, including a period of about 145 years. It records the cruel persecution and oppression of the Israelites in Egypt, under the Pharaohs; the birth, exposure, and preser