Luke i. 3, 4.--It seemed good to me, also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, that thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed. LECTURE XXXIII. JOHN ix. 29.--We know that God spake unto Moses; as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. LECTURE XXXIV. 1 COR. xiv. 20.--Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit, in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. LECTURE XXXV. MATT. xxvi. 45, 46.--Sleep on now and take your rest; behold the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going: behold he is at hand that doth betray me. LECTURE XXXVI. 2 COR. v. 17, 18.--Old things are passed away; behold all things are become new, and all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ. LECTURE XXXVII. EZEK. xx. 49.--Then said I, Ah, Lord God! they say of me Doth he not speak parables? LECTURE XXXVIII. ISAIAH v. 1.--Now will I sing to my well-beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. LECTURE XXXIX. COL. iii. 17.--Whatsoever ye do in the word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him. NOTES. INTRODUCTION. The contents of this volume will be found, I hope, to be in agreement with its title. Amongst the helps of Christian life, the highest place is due to the Christian church and its ordinances. I have been greatly misunderstood with respect to my estimate of the Christian church, as distinguished from the Christian religion. I agree so far with those, from whom I in other things most widely differ, that I hold the revival of the church of Christ in its full perfection, to be the one great end to which all our efforts should be directed. This is with me no new belief, but one which I have entertained for many years. It was impressed most strongly upon me, as it appears to have been upon others, by the remarkable state of affairs and of opinions which we witnessed in this country about nine or ten years ago; and everything since that time has confirmed it in my mind more and more.