the reach of human skill, and none but the Great Physician can effect a cure, and restore it to spiritual health and vigour.

One miracle is recorded in Scripture, and but one, which has the nature of a curse rather than a blessing-the withering of the Jesus Christ expelled the de- barren fig-tree. Yet what a somons from their hold on those who lemn admonition does that miracle were possessed. And although in-convey; and what a fearful doom fernal spirits are no longer permit- may not we anticipate, if we are ted to tyrannize over the body, found "barren and unfruitful in they still exert a most malignant the knowledge of our Lord Jesus and pernicious influence upon the Christ!" Unless we bring forth mind. There is an unclean spirit the fruits of righteousness, unto harboured in many a bosom, which the glory and praise of God, we pollutes the imagination and in-have reason to tremble lest the flames every base propensity of withering blast of divine displeaour nature. There is a spirit of sure should, in an unexpected pride, and envy, and discontent, moment, light upon us, and our and malice, and hatred, and re-barrenness should prove our evervenge; in short, their name is Le-lasting ruin.

gion, for they are many, and none The miraculous draught of fishes but a divine power can drive them is the only work the Saviour from their strong hold in the human heart.

There is not only a natural, but a moral death. The human race are represented as being "dead in trespasses and sins." No glow of grateful feeling warming the bosom; no holy animation lighting up the countenance; no sacred activity in the service of God; nothing, in fact, to indicate that the feeble spark of spiritual life is not quite extinct. The heart is cold; the pulse of piety has ceased to beat; all is chill and motionless, and insensible as death. But there is a voice which can awake the dead to spiritual life. "The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live."

When he calmed the rough and boisterous winds, and the rolling billows were obedient to his command, was it not to intimate that he can speak peace to the troubled conscience, and quell the turbulence of the passions, and diffuse a sweet serenity through every thought and feeling of the human heart?

wrought after his resurrection.— And in that work there appears a peculiar propriety, when we regard its symbolical nature. The disciples had been toiling all night, and had caught nothing; but in the morning Jesus appeared to them, standing on the shore, and directed them to cast the net on the right side of the ship; and in an instant it was completely filled. And might they not look on this as an omen of the success which should attend them in their higher and nobler employment, as "fishers of men?" The outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, was the appointed signal for them to cast the gospel net; and what an astonishing success attended this first effort! No less than three thousand souls were, on that memorable occasion, added to the church! And in all their subsequent labours, the abundant blessing of the Most High rested upon them; and through their honoured instrumentality, innumerable multitudes were converted to the Christian faith.

I have thus thrown out a few slight and imperfect hints on an

extensive and interesting subject. A wide field of observation opens before us; on which, I trust, some abler Correspondent may be induced to enter, and more largely expatiate.

ON PREACHING THE LAW.

n

Better be censured by men for having employed "Shag," than to be condemned by the Great Shepherd, that notwithstanding he saw the danger to which his hearers were exposed, he did not give warning; so that the wicked man perished in his iniquity. Paul testified "repentance towards God," and he was able to say, "I am

"I do not like to have Shag sent after me; pure from the blood of all men." I do not at all like Shag."

Let it, too, be considered, for what purpose the law is preached THE above remark was made by by evangelical ministers. A shepa gentleman lately, who was rid-herd does not send his dog to tear ing, with the writer, on the outside and worry the sheep, but rather of a stage-coach, in reference to that he may drive it into the fold, the Evangelical Clergy; to which the place of safety. By the he added, "I am a regular mem-law is the knowledge of sin,” and ber of the Church of England." till the impenitent have a proper The allusion was to the shepherd's dog, which is employed to drag or drive the refractory sheep into the fold; the meaning was, that the above-mentioned class of ministers were in the habit of denouncing the curses of the law upon sinners, and were not like those of the clergy who prophesied to their hearers "smooth things."

view of the danger to which they are exposed as sinners, they will not ask with suitable feelings what they must do to be saved. It was the sense of danger from the avenger of blood, on the mind of the manslayer, that led him to flee for safety to the city of refuge; and it is the sorrow felt on account of sin, and the hope of obtaining deBut the solemn question is,- liverance from the condemnation Whether it be not right that minis- of the law, and from the wrath to ters should regard the divine in- come, that impels convinced sinjunction- Say ye to the wicked,ners to flee for refuge to the Lord it shall be ill with him?" and, in Jesus, the end of the law for righimitation of the Lord Jesus, to say, teousness, that they may obtain Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.' In this case a faithful watchman will regard what is his duty, and not what those whom he may strive to awaken from their slumbers, and to alarm in regard to their danger, may like or admire. The worth of souls, and the blood of souls, are considerations too solemn, and the responsibility of "watching for souls as those who must give account," much too awful, to admit of trifling.

the pardon of their sins, and the salvation of their souls. Better for a sheep to have been driven by the dog into the sheepfold, than to become the prey of the "roaring lion." "And others save with fear, plucking them out of the fire,” says the Apostle Jude. A person who was asleep in a house on fire, will not be angry on finding himself in safety, even though he had been "plucked" out of it by violent hands.

The writer, to whom the singular remark at the head of this paper was made, was much struck with

ESSAYS ON DIVINE REVELATION.
No. III.

On the necessity of Divine Revelation as
the only unerring Guide.

the sentiment, though he thought it did not apply in the sense in which it was employed. That there should be a conviction on the minds of the swearing and dissolute members of the national IF the human race be considered church, in regard to the evangeli- as rational and accountable creacal clergy, that they are as much tures, endowed with a capacity to in earnest to save souls as a shep- know the character, enjoy the herd to fold his sheep, is indeed a friendship, and glorify the name high encomium on their character; of their Creator, their views of diand that they preach the necessity vine truth cannot be too clear and of repentance in order to salvation, extensive, nor their faith in its reand that their hearers must bring alities established too firmly. Every forth fruits meet for repentance, species of information should be and follow after holiness, in order deemed valuable; no opportunity to see God, is one proof that they or means of finding out truth should are "able ministers of the New be disregarded; but all the aveTestament;" not "shunning to de-nues of wisdom, opened to us by clare all the counsel of God." divine providence, should be diliThe writer, in reply to the gen-gently explored.

66

tleman above mentioned, said, what So important are the consehe believes to be the truth in re-quences involved in the doctrines gard to the evangelical clergy, that of the divine government, human they by no means preach "the accountability, and a future state, terrors of the Lord," without at that a clear perception of their nathe same time declaring "the mi- ture, and a firm persuasion of their nistry of reconciliation;" nor with- reality, combined with proper feelout beseeching sinners "in Christ's ings and manners, seem in the stead to be reconciled to God." highest degree essential to the true He is persuaded, if they are liken-happiness and settled tranquillity ed to Boanerges, as sons of of the soul. It is possible indeed, thunder," they are also to be re-to drown the thought in sensuality, garded as Burnabas, "the son of or obliterate the impression by exconsolation." And is not this the treme ignorance and stupidity; by happy medium-avoiding, on the which means however, the mental one hand, the dry essays of the and moral dignity of our nature orthodox clergy, and on the other, would be destroyed. But if we the speculative discussions of those reflect at all on the feelings which who think it sufficient to make a pass within, and the events which statement of evangelical doctrine, take place around us, we shall perwithout urging it upon the consci-ceive the impossibility of inward ences of their hearers to "repent repose, when our faith in God and believe the Gospel." "Whom wavers, or the prospect of immorwe preach," says Paul, "warning tality becomes dubious or obevery man, and teaching every man scure. in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working which worketh in me mightily."

IOTA.

It cannot be supposed then, that the Author of nature formed us susceptible of these solicitudes and attainments, without providing in the arrangements of his wisdom, means of knowledge suited to our

capacities, and grounds of faith | the order and uniformity of the equal to the importance of our material world, afford indubitable final destiny. It cannot be ima- evidence that there is only one gined that he who provided in na- God. But to persons unacquaintture those ample resources of pre-ed with this doctrine, the unity of sent good, has left the mind in plan perceivable in nature, might total indigence, debasement, and appear nothing more than a proof distress, or furnished no means to of the unanimity and co-operation ascertain or secure that fitness for of different divinities. The imthe world to come, which must mense variety of the divine works form the chief end and final glory might likewise tend to confirm this of our being. Every idea we can notion, while the prevalence of form of the divine wisdom, con- evil, natural and moral, might seem strains us to believe, that the same to indicate among the Gods a difdesign which formed us with intel-ference of nature or an opposition ligence and moral powers, arranged likewise means sufficient to ascertain and accomplish the purposes of their bestowment.

of design. And though a patient enquirer after truth would be able to detect these fallacies, the great majority of mankind, it must be But if the light of nature in the owned, might readily receive them discovery of these principles, had as undoubted truths. In all ages afforded such clear and convincing men have shown themselves apt evidence, is it not unreasonable to to mind only earthly things; deaf suppose the light of revelation or inattentive to the voice of nahas at different times been super-ture when it speaks of God, and added? In the works of God prone to cherish deep-rooted prethere is neither deficiency nor ex- judices and sinful passions. Hence, cess; but the provisions of his the opinions entertained by the wisdom are ample without being greatest sages were exceedingly superfluous, and in no respects re-discordant, changeable, or obscure; dundant, though complete. But while the great mass of the people the least acquaintance with the even in the most civilized and enmoral history and religious charac-lightened period of antiquity, fell ter of mankind, will convince us into the grossest possible absurdiof the desirableness and necessity ties, believing in gods many, and of greater knowledge and a purer lords many, superior and subordifaith, than reason has disciplined nate, celestial and infernal. or tradition gathered from the works was left for divine revelation, thereof God. Though it is certain fore, to disperse the thick darkness therefore, that the invisible things which, in reference to the divine of God, even his eternal power unity, had overspread the world; and sovereignty, are clearly seen teaching us, as it does, in terms from the visible creation, yet a devoid of ambiguity, "that there divine revelation is necessary to is one God, even the Father, of give us a consistent view of his whom are all things, and to whom moral character, to direct in di-are all things; and one Lord Jesus vine worship, to fix a standard of Christ, by whom are all things, morals, to discover the medium of and we by him." forgiveness, and to restore the guilty to penitence and faith, to purity and happiness.

In our apprehension of things,

It

If, from the supremacy of God, we turn our attention to the notions formed by men in general of his moral attributes, the nature and

purposes of his government, or himself a painful apprehension of the kind of worship that we should the consequences, and is anxious pay to him, the insufficiency of the light of nature will more strikingly appear. Instead of supposing the Deity to be the centre and source of all possible perfections, whose government is wise and good, and who delights only in a spiritual and holy worship, they ascribed to their divinities the worst of passions, and sought to render them propitious by pompous forms, or the meanest and most disgusting ceremonies. If a few sages saw and deplored the degrading rites, the bloody sacrifices, and infamous impurities, to which in civilized and savage times all classes of the community were addicted, they had no light or authority sufficient to institute a nobler or more spiritual kind of worship, or to communicate to the world those sublime views of the purity and excellence of the divine character, which are conveyed to us in the sacred volume.

to know by what means the displeasure of an offended God may be removed. Hence the sacrifices to which men in all ages, impelled by a sense of guilt, have had recourse, in order to propitiate the Deity, and avert those judgments which they deserved. But though the divine goodness, as displayed in nature, might seem to justify some reliance on his clemency for the pardon of our sins, yet many considerations would induce a reflecting mind to question the acceptance of such offerings on the part of God, or the security arising from them to the sinner. And though the desire of existing in another world might keep alive some expectation of its reality, and in some measure mitigate the agony of a dying hour, yet its evidence would rise only to a strong probability of the fact, while many circumstances in the phenomena of death would weaken its effect, and Conscience has always suggest-produce in the mind the most pained to men the difference between ful anxieties. Even in the best good and evil, and urged the mind state of confidence to which the to virtue and religion; but its dic-light of nature could carry us, it tates, even in persons of great would necessarily leave a person knowledge, are often wrong, while uncertain respecting the nature of its voice forms but a feeble barrier that destiny which awaited him, against the impulse of passion, the and the means or conditions of violence of temptation, and the obtaining its glory and happiness. perverse sophistry of self-love. The Gospel was therefore necesHence the pernicious practices and sary, to give us the assurance of depraved morals of mankind shew divine love, and to discover those the necessity of a written law, en- methods of infinite condescension forced by the sanctions of divine and sovereign grace, for the reauthority. By this alone can the demption and happiness of a fallen standard of virtue be established, world, in which God hath aboundor the peace and happiness of this ed toward us in all wisdom and world be promoted, by the hopes prudence. By this alone we are and fears of the world to come, or taught both the possibility of forby the secret influence of faith and giveness and the medium of its piety. bestowment, and the terms on which it may be hoped for and enjoyed. It therefore assures us, that "God so loved the world, as

When a man reflects upon his own conduct, or when conscience accuses him of sin, he feels in