truths of Christianity, besides its essential doctrines.  But some of these are of more consequence than others.  If a post or a beam is taken away, the building is greatly marred and in danger of falling; yet, if well covered, it may still be a comfortable dwelling.  Again, although a brace or a pin is of service to strengthen the building, yet either may be taken away without very serious injury.  But a frame may be complete in all its parts, and yet be no building.  Without a covering, it will not answer a single design of a house; and just in proportion as it is well covered, will it be a comfortable residence.  Just so with Christianity.  The covering of the house is the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart, producing gracious affections, which manifest themselves in a holy life.  But the covering of a house cannot exist without some kind of frame-work.  So experimental and practical piety cannot exist without a belief of the principal doctrines of the gospel.  The Holy Spirit operates upon the heart through the truth.  He gives it a personal application; brings it home to the heart and conscience, and makes it effectual in changing the heart and life.  “Sanctify them through thy truth:  thy word is truth.”  “Of his own will begat he us, with the word of truth.”  “Seeing ye have purified your souls, in obeying the truth through the Spirit.”  “Being born again by the word of God.”  Thus, the agency of the Spirit is always acknowledged in connection with the truth.  Any religious feeling or experience, therefore, which is not produced by the truth made effectual by the Holy Spirit, is not genuine.  There is a kind of indefinite religious feeling, which many mistake for Christian experience.  They feel, and perhaps deeply; but they know not why they feel.  Such religious feeling is to be suspected as spurious.  It may be the delusion of the devil.  By persuading people to rest upon this spurious religious feeling, he accomplishes his purpose as well as if he had kept them in carnal security.  And the clearer our views of truth, the more spiritual and holy will be our religious affections.  Thus, godly sorrow arises from a sight of our own depravity, with a sense of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, as committed against a holy God, and against great light and mercy.  Faith is produced by a spiritual view of the atonement of Christ, and of his infinite fulness as a complete and perfect Saviour.  Love is excited by a discovery of the excellence of God’s moral perfections.  Holy fear and reverence arise from a sight of the majesty and glory of his natural attributes, and a sense of his presence.  Joy may come from a sense of the infinite rectitude of his moral government; from the sight of the glory of God, in his works of providence and grace; or from a general view of the beauty and excellence of divine truth.  Comfort may be derived from evidence of