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for the salvation of his soul.

We know well that, in the full sense of words, God does every thing; we know well that it is a real absurdity to speak of any cause (in philosophical words) out of the Divine mind. But philosophical language is not always the best practical language. And if you talk thus in this affair, you commit two errors: (1.) you reject the language of God's word, which always addresses man as if he could repent and believe; and (2.) you make man a mere machine, to which exhortation to amendment is useless. In practice, for the purposes. of actually directing the sinner, we must tell you, that though you cannot give yourselves the thing itself, whether it be repentance, or faith in Jesus Christ, yet you can resort to the means for obtaining them. In this view, we hold the language of the text is perfectly safe to be used. "Turn away from your wickedness; do what is lawful and right; and you shall save your soul alive." The actual point of your obedience to God is, not in repenting of your sins, and believing in the sacrificial offering of Jesus Christ; because you cannot render that obedience, for repentance and faith are the gifts of God. But your obedience, and the only obedience you can manifest, and the only obedience, we believe, upon which the transactions of the day of judgment, with regard to you, will go, -the obedience required of you, we say, consists in your using God's appointed means for obtaining a given end. And what are these means? Are they so complicated, and mysterious, and impracticable, as to put them beyond your reach? Our text mentions one, and clearly implies others to be sought for elsewhere. "Turn your back upon sin and upon the temptations that lead to it; give up all sin, by keeping out of the way of it." Other means are, prayer to God for his Spirit's help reading the New Testament, especially, for two purposes; (1.) in reference to the sufferings of Christ for you, and his meritorious death; and (2.) in reference to yourselves, as guilty by thousands of known sins, that you may see them, as God sees them, in the broad light of eternity. To these means we add others, well known and of easy practice keeping holy the Sabbath; attendance upon God's house to join in public prayer, that you may also share the advantages of the prayers of God's people, and to listen to his prescribed word; the partaking of the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ. Such as these, we say, are all the acts of obedience you can render to God for obtaining blessings connected with saving your soul alive. And if you are damned at last, you will be damned for neglecting these plain, simple, and easy means and points of obe

dience; and not because you did not give yourselves repentance and faith. We think an injury is done to the cause of religion by telling men they will be condemned, if they repent not and believe not. We should state the truth more practically and literally, if we said, You will be condemned, if you do not use the means in your power, appointed by God, for your obtaining these blessings. Reason cannot comprehend why you should be condemned for not performing impossibilities, i. e. for not repenting and believing; but reason can comprehend, and must be fully satisfied with the justice of the sentence which consigns you to punishment for not doing what you could.

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Strictly speaking, we have as little right to talk to the believer to do what is lawful and right, as we have to the sinner: but we cannot thus stop to split words. You have a great work to do, and we must urge you on to do it-to do it as if it were your own work. In the use of God's means, you have been enabled to repent and believe in Jesus Christ. These are the stepping-stones. In the words of the text, the great work is yet before you, to save your soul alive." You have got the vantage-ground; the chains are off your legs (to use the former illustration), and you can walk. On-on-on, then; and prove the solidity of the foundation by the growing size and just proportions of the spiritual building you are daily raising. Prayer to almighty God, now your heavenly Father in Jesus Christ, for the increasing power of his Spirit's influences in your hearts;-watchfulness and courage to obey all his impulses, as, in the deep and unseen solitudes of your heart, they urge upon you to give up this and the other indulgence, which, in time past, was allowed you (concessions, it may be, to the weakness of your faith, or the "hardness of your heart"), but which can be allowed you no longer, lest they should hinder the growth of your spiritual manhood in Christ Jesus ;the untiring study of God's holy word, upon which, in your advance onwards, light will be found to shew you what you saw not before, (or but dimly,) and to make you feel what you felt not before; diligent attendance upon all the means of grace, most reverently respecting, and placing your faith in, such as are of God's own appointment; taking care to distinguish between God's means of grace and between man's means, which may be no means at all, but, in the long-run, hinderances;-these-we address the followers of Jesus Christ-these are some of those things which are so "lawful and right," that in doing them " you shall save your soul alive."

We have no time for explaining the peculiar sense of the phrase save the soul

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alive."

The general sense, however, is quite sufficient. He who forsakes his sins, and does that which is "lawful and right," as has been explained, shall live in the enjoyment of God's favour here, and live in his own presence for ever in the eternal world. May this salvation be given to us; may the prospect of such happiness, whatever the peculiar words may mean, urge us on afresh to use the appointed means for obtaining it. And then we may safely leave it to God himself to explain, in the eternal world, what he means by our "saving our souls alive."

UPPER CANADA CLERGY-SOCIETY. THE following are extracts from the journals of the Rev. F. A. O'Meara, the third missionary sent out by the society, from Jan. 1, 1838, to Nov. 29, 1838:

May 1.-Went along with the Rev. Mr. Osler to a small congregation on the borders of Essa and Tecumseh, which enjoys the privilege of that gentleman's periodical visits. And here I cannot avoid taking occasion to express my thankfulness to the Giver of every good gift, for having put it into the heart of this his faithful and devoted servant to settle in this province, as his sphere of usefulness; and my fervent prayer, that many such may be added to the band of faithful men in this country, whose desire it is to know nothing among men, but Jesus Christ and him crucified.

It was truly delightful to witness the pleasure of this little congregation in the bush at meeting their minister, after the lapse of another month, and the disappointment which they evinced when informed that a stranger was to preach to them; so great is the love and esteem which Mr. Osler's faithful preaching and affectionate demeanour have won from these rough backwoodsmen, and that under disadvantageous circumstances, as the inhabitants of those townships which are under his charge are chiefly Irish, of the lower order, and were at first rather prejudiced against Mr. Osler, merely because he did not happen to be a countryman of their own-(a clannish spirit, which I am sorry to say pervades most of my countrymen who have emigrated to this province.) After service, Mr. Osler catechised the children of the Sunday-school on the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, which they had repeated by rote; and I was surprised and delighted to hear their answers, displaying, as they did, so much knowledge of the Gospel-plan of salvation; and this is the more pleasing, when we consider that, before the arrival of Mr. Osler in these townships, those very children were without the means of instruction, and in a state very little, if at all, superior to that of the children of the savage aborigines of the country.

If the friends of Canada in England and Ireland could be placed in the heart of this district, and compare these two townships with those in their immediate neighbourhood, which are less privileged, they would see good reason to thank God and take courage, because their labour of love has not been in vain.

Sunday, 27th.-Read prayers, and preached at Shanty Bay. It was very cheering to see, when the time appointed for service was drawing near, the bay as it were studded with boats, carrying whole families across the water, to hear the everlasting Gospel; and once more to join in publicly approaching the footstool of "Him in whom they live, and move, and have their being; and praising him for their creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all, for his ines

timable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory." Could parents in England,-who value the privilege of being enabled to lead their little ones, at the sound of the church-going bell, to the house of God every Sabbath, to hear the word of life from the

lips of a beloved pastor, and to bless God, not for an occasional mean of grace, but for a constant ministry of his word, but behold this sight, surely it would move them to throw, out of the abundance which God has committed in trust to them, somewhat to promote the establishment of regular Gospel-preaching in this spiritually destitute colony.

In taking a review of the labours of the past quarter, I feel grateful to the Father of mercies, who has counted me worthy, putting me into the ministry, that he has caused my lot to be cast in this country. Doubtless many and great are the difficulties which an ambassador of Christ has to encounter here; and perhaps the greatest of these is the want of Christian communion. But what are all these, yea and many more, when weighed against the glorious privilege of being the bearer of the glad tidings of peace to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death? What are all the inconveniences and discomforts which the wildest desert on earth could inflict, when compared with even the slightest prospect of being the means of delivering one immortal soul from the wrath to come, and inducing it to take shelter under the covert of the Rock of ages?

The spiritual harvest in this country is plentiful, and ready for the sickle of the labourer. May our friends at home pray the Lord of the harvest to send labourers into his vineyard; and may they not be satisfied with praying only, but themselves put their hands to the work, and give of the abundance which God has given them to promote the Gospel among these poor destitute exiles from their native land.

In my last journal, bearing date July 6, I mentioned that his Excellency the Lieutenant-governor had, during our interview with him, expressed a desire that Mr. O'Neill and I should go up with the chief superintendant of Indian affairs to the Manitonhir, a large island in the northern part of Lake Huron, where the various tribes of the aborigines of the continent assemble once a-year, about the beginning of August, in order to receive the presents of clothing, &c., which are distributed gratuitously among them at the expense of the British government. His Excellency's object was, that while these interesting people were reaping the fruits of England's gratitude for past services, they might hear of Him whom England professes to worship as her God, and whom she professes to regard as the source of all the national prosperity that she enjoys.

The Archdeacon of York having previously expressed his wish to the same effect, neither Mr. O'Neill nor myself felt at liberty to decline. Having completed my journal for the quarter ending July 6, 1838, I waited at Onillia, on the shore of Lake Simcoe, where Mr. O'Neill had appointed to meet me on the 21st or 22d of July; but owing to some unavoidable delay, the government-party did not arrive there till the evening of Wednesday the 25th.

July 25.-Held divine service in the evening at the village of the Narrows, where the Rev. Mr. O'Neill preached. This gentleman had travelled in this neighbourhood about two years since; and I am rejoiced to bear testimony to the fact which became known to me during my sojourn in this and the adjacent townships, that more than one individual who now eminently adorns the doctrine of God our Saviour, consider his faithful declarations of the Gospel as having been, under God, the means of leading to the experimental knowledge of that truth in which they now rejoice. It may therefore be supposed that his appearance again among them was the cause of joy to those who had heard him

on his former visit. Instances such as this, in which the labours of others have not been in vain in the Lord, cheer the heart of the servant of God, and encourage him "in the morning to sow his seed, and in the evening to hold not his hand;" remembering the promise, "that in due season he will reap, if he faint not."

Thursday, July 26.-Early in the morning left for Coldwater, a village on Lake Huron, where the canoes, in which we were to traverse the large expanse of water that lay between us and our point of destination, were waiting our arrival.

As no doubt Mr. O'Neill has in his journal given the committee all the information with regard to the peculiar habits and superstitions of this interesting people, which we have been enabled to collect during our short sojourn among them, in a much more masterly way than I could possibly expect to do, I shall not attempt to make any preliminary remarks, but proceed to give you the substance of my journal for the four months ending November 20.

Sunday 29.-Held divine service in the open air on one of those myriads of islands, or rather rocks, which line the northern shore of Lake Huron: we were attended by the Indians and Whites who formed our party. The Rev. Mr. O'Neill preached through an interpreter. It was truly interesting and delightful to

hear these sons of the forest raise their voices in singing the praises of God in their own native tongue, and to mark their serious attention to the truths declared to them by the mouth of an authorised minister of the Gospel. May He who is no respecter of persons, or nations, or colours, bring many of those into the fold of Christ; so that at the last we and they together may be permitted to walk in our Father's house, where their Saviour and ours has gone to prepare a place for all those in every clime who hear and believe the glad tidings of salvation.

Among the islands that we passed on our way, was one called Turtle Point, which deserves notice as serving to throw some light on the superstitions of these people. This is a large rock, projecting from the main part of a large island, so as to present the appearance of the head of the animal from which it derives its name. Here the Indians stopped the canoes, and those among them who had not embraced Christianity made an offering of whatever article in common use they happened to have with them. On inquiring of one of the Christian Indians, I was told that this rock, which they call Squdesh, i. e. turtle, is an object of adoration amongst most of the tribes, and that it is considered highly improper to pass it without placing a gift in the mouth of the deity.

Wednesday, August 1st. Arrived at Ma-ni-towah-ning, which is the name of that part of the island of the Great Spirit at which the presents are issued, where upwards of three thousand of them had already congregated. The cleared ground on which these were encamped, not being of greater extent than about fifteen acres, presented a most interesting scene. As soon as our canoes were recognised, all flocked to the shore to receive us. There were natives of the forest far north mixed with those from the western parts of the United States, and altogether presenting every variety of costume, from the deerskin dress of the remote tribes, to the more civilised habits of those who had mingled more with Europeans. On our arrival, we found that popery had raised its viperous head even here; for, in fact, there were no less than a bishop and two priests in the field before

us.

From what I have observed, I am led to believe that nothing tends more to obstruct the progress of Gospel-truth among these people than the proselyting system universally adopted by Romanists; for their whole influence is exerted, not to improve their condition, either spiritually or temporally, but to induce them to assume those galling chains in which all her

votaries are held; and therefore they require nothing more than a mere assumption of their name, and give open permission to continue in the practice of those vices which destroy the Indian's body as well as his soul. When you endeavour to lay before a heathen's mind the claims of Christianity to his serious attention, he frequently points out some one whom he knows, who has become a Christian (Romanist), and who is living as wicked as he was before. Thus is the Gospel injured in the hands of those who traitorously call themselves its friends, only that they may aim a surer and deadlier blow at its advancement in the world.

Thursday, 2d.-We held divine service in a large wigwam belonging to the chief of the tribe of Chippewa Indians, inhabiting the southern shore of Lake Superior; who, with his family and tribe, had embraced, and for some time been instructed in, the doctrines of the Gospel as taught in our venerable and apostolic Church; and never did I see the superiority of the mode in which her instruction is conveyed to her children more strongly portrayed than it was in this old chief and his whole family.

Equally remote from that wild fanaticism on the one hand, which betrays its votaries into extravagancies which are little, if at all, removed from the practices of savage life; and from that dumb, lifeless parade on the other, which is only calculated to captivate the senses without engaging either the affections or the understanding,-theirs appeared to be the calm devotion of those who were sensible that they were sinners needing a Saviour, and therefore delighted to hear an accredited ambassador of Christ point them to the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world.

Sunday, 26th.-Preached for the Rev. Mr. Osler at the church of West Guillemburg, to a large congregation. It is truly cheering to see what has been done in this township by the faithful ministry of this one indefatigable labourer in his Master's vineyard. Here is a populous tract of country, which, but for the existence of your Society, would be entirely destitute of the means of grace, and in a state bordering on heathenism, where you might now behold the inhabitants on the Sabbath crowding to the place where prayer is wont to be made, to hear that word which is able to save their souls. If such are the blessed fruits of the labours of one minister of our Church, what might we not look forward to, were there one such in every township in the province ?

The Cabinet.

EVIL TEMPERS INCOMPATIBLE WITH A PRAYING SPIRIT. It were doubtless unnecessary to argue at any length, that the indulgence of evil tempers-of irritable, jealous, and revengeful feeling; that "envy, hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness," not only unresisted, but indulged,-indispose the mind for prayer. To enter upon this sacred duty, under the present influence of any of these tempers, it will readily be admitted, would be but a blasphemous mockery of God. It would be but to desecrate the temple, and insult the Majesty of heaven. God can make no covenant with man which would accept of any service and compromise to permit, or connive at, any allowed or cherished sin. No man can come unto Christ, except the Father draw him; and in

From "Watch unto Prayer: a Series of Lectures on 1 Pet. iv. 7." By the Rev. John M. Hiffernan, Curate of Fethard, in the Diocese of Cashel. 12mo, pp. 280. London, Hatchards. 1839. A very excellent series of lectures, which are seventeen in number, and of which the greater part have appeared in the "Christian Observer." The sentiments are sound and scriptural, and the language frequently very forcibly eloquent. The volume is dedicated to Mr. Woodward, rector of Fethard, to whose conversation and preaching, during a ministerial connexion of eighteen years, the author ascribes the "best thoughts and sentiments" which the volume contains.

effecting this, he ever breaks the heart of stone, and horribly afraid;" that "they are utterly consumed causes the tears of penitence to flow. There is a with terrors." They may have found a short-lived penitence which must precede even prayer. Man peace in the paths of sin and darkness which they prays only so far as he mourns with penitence over have chosen. The service of Satan may for a time those sins and infirmities, in deed, word, and thought, afford them satisfaction, but the pleasures which he into which the frailty of a nature but imperfectly allows his servants to taste are as deceitful as they are renewed, and the urgency of temptation, may have short. Like the fruit of the tree of knowledge, they betrayed him; and as he sincerely and fervently im- convey a subtle poison to the soul, more pernicious and plores the Divine aid to emancipate him from their destructive than the most deadly poison of a serpent. hated tyranny. Will, then, the habitual indulgence The taste may intoxicate and stupify, and bring on an of those tempers produce and cherish that penitential insensibility as to their danger; but it is the torpor sorrow for this very indulgence; that holy abhorrence and lethargy which come before death. They are of those very sins; that earnest desire of deliverance roused from such a state only by the voice of God from a tyranny to which he willingly succumbs; that speaking to them by his Spirit, by his word, by his hunger and thirst after the opposite graces,-all of ministers, or by some heavy and afflictive calamity; which prayer indispensably requires, or rather, which and then, however desirous they may be to close their are themselves the essential ingredients, and form eyes again in sleep, it is impossible. Troubled and the very life and substance of prayer?... Command dismayed, they may endeavour to drive away their torthe heaving volcano that it cease to vomit the foul menting reflections-their attempts are fruitless. Like vapour from its convulsed bowels upon the balmy Adam, they may try to flee from the Divine presence; fragrance of the summer-breeze; that it no longer but, like him also, they must stand before their God hurl the weapons of its impotent defiance against a "when he appeareth." If even paradise could afford serene and smiling heaven; nor shed that lurid, sickly no hiding-place, no consolation, no peace, to the first light which the meridian sun obscures by its lustre; transgressors, how can those who sin" after the simi-or adventure your frail bark upon winter's tem- litude of Adam's transgression," hope that a world pestuous ocean; and while the lightning's glare illu- which "lieth in wickedness" can yield them any mines the midnight desolation, and shews, in fearful" refuge from the heat," any covert from the storm" array, the watery mountains, which the hurricane has uptorn from its agitated bosom; and while the sails flutter, and the timbers creak, and the masts crash, and the labouring vessel heaves, and settles, and goes down, stand upon her sinking prow, and speak to the bellowing winds and raging sea, Peace, be still;" and when "even the winds and the sea obey" you; when the wild war of nature's physical elements conflicting, obeys your voice,- then say to the wilder passions of the undisciplined and unregenerated heart, Pray!

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CONVICTION OF SIN.*-When God's Spirit brings the least ray of light to the benighted soul, and tells the sinner to prepare to meet his God, how is he alarmed and confounded! It requires but little examination of himself to convince him, that he is unfit to appear before a holy and righteous God. He is soon awfully sensible that "his house is not set in order," and he trembles at the thought of being called away from a world which he had made his resting-place, where he had long taken his ease, and looked for happiness, to a world where none of the things in which he delights can accompany him. Conscience is awakened, and it speaks to him in a voice as terrible as that which brought Adam from his hiding-place. Sinner, what is thy condition? where art thou going? what is thy hope? The time is short, and the fashion of this world passeth away. The things on which thy affections are placed must speedily be as if they were not, and a new world must open on thy bewildered eyes. What preparation hast thou made for that world? How wilt thou appear in the presence of a pure and holy God, who has commanded thee to devote thyself to his service, to set thy affections not on earthly things? If it is a wearisome and distasteful task to think upon God, to read and meditate upon his word, to pray to him, to visit his temple, and to join the congregation of worshippers in offering him thanks and praise, what hope, or even desire, canst thou entertain of being admitted into his kingdom? The pleasures, the employments of " the spirits of just men made perfect," are all of a spiritual nature, while thine are all " carnal, earthly, sensual." What hope or prospect, then, canst thou have beyond the grave? It is no wonder, when thoughts like these enter the hearts of men who have been living careless and unconcerned about the things of eternity, that "they are

From "The First Adam: a course of Sermons," &c. By Rev. Samuel Hobson, LL.B., Curate of Kirstead, Norfolk.

66

of God's righteous displeasure!

INFIDELITY. When once infidelity can persuade men that they shall die like beasts, they will soon be brought to live like beasts also,—South.

Poetry.

JERUSALEM.

BY CHARLES BAYLY.

(For the Church of England Magazine.)

WHEN Jerusalem wept o'er her Temple profan'd,
And the legions of Rome had encompass'd her
round-

When the blood of her children their city had stain'd,
And the war-horse her daughters had dash'd to the

ground,

Midst the shout of the warrior, the scream of the child,
The agonis'd cry of the female bereft,

The despis'd Nazarene, through the elements wild,
Saw a city and temple more beautiful left.

O Jewry! thou city once favour'd of old,
Thy Temple and palaces splendid and rare,
Though once deck'd with jewels and blazon'd with gold,
Are view'd by thy children in silent despair:
Yet how often thy judgments by Him were foretold,
Whom thy sons in their pride and their ignorance

slew,

Who yearn'd to have gather'd them all to his fold,
Ere that day had arriv'd which his wisdom fore-
knew.

O England! my country, thy blessings are great,

Thy glories more splendid than Jewry or Rome;
The nations lie prostrate and bound at thy feet,

And Fame points her finger to ages to come :
May thy trust be in Him who alone can sustain

The strong and the weak in the hour of their need ;
Then the storms which assail thee shall gather in vain,
And the blast of destruction be stay'd in its speed.

Frome.

A PRAYER.
LORD of the glorious realms above,
Lord of the earth and sea,
Fountain of everlasting love,
Deign to look down on me.

Humbly before thee now I kneel,
Be this sweet mercy's day;
Help me my numerous sins to feel;
Teach me, O Lord, to pray.

Full many an hour-nay, many a day-
Since first I saw the light,
Have pass'd without true love or fear
Of thee, who gav'st me sight.

Pardon I ask for time misspent,
Pardon do not refuse;

Into my heart let grace be sent,
And grace that grace to use.
Jesus, henceforth vouchsafe to keep,
Watch over, succour, aid,

One of thy weak and wand'ring sheep,
Who oft from thee has stray'd.

In thine own blood wash out my sin,

With peace my conscience bless; Give me that robe so pure and clean

Thy spotless righteousness.

Help me to live to thee alone,

Though here I linger long; All other lords may I disown,

And Jesus be my song.

And when the hour of death shall come,
O then, dear Lord, be nigh,
Bear me to thine eternal home,
Thy mansion in the sky.

REV. J. HARVEY.

Miscellaneous.

OPIUM. The use and potency of opium as a medicine are well known. It is in skilful hands one of the

greatest alleviations of bodily suffering and anguish that a merciful Providence has vouchsafed us; yet every physician knows that it needs to be used with skill and caution. In some painful diseases, which might seem at first sight to demand its use, the effects would be highly injurious, or even fatal; and there are many constitutions to which a very moderate dose of opium, even under the circumstances which would commonly call for its exhibition, would be fearfully deleterious. Perhaps there are few persons who (looking round among the range of their acquaintance) cannot find one or two who know, by experience, that they must not venture upon the use of opium at all: the most moderate dose would cause them severe suffering. What, then, must be said to the use of this potent drug as a mere luxury, at the will and pleasure of the ignorant individual who takes

• From "The Iniquities of the Opium-Trade with China." By the Rev. A. S. Thelwall, M.A. of Trinity College, Cambridge. London, W. H. Allen and Co. 1839.-The subject treated upon by Mr. Thelwall, in a very masterly style, deserves the serious consideration of every friend of humanity, although there is reason to believe that most persons are entirely ignorant concerning it. Mr. Thelwall sets forth some authentic and valuable documents to prove the incalculable misery resulting from the importation of opium into China, which in 1886 amounted to 27,111 chests, valued at 17,904,248 dollars: the import in 1837 amounted to 34,000 chests. Some of these documents will be inserted in future Numbers of this Magazine.

a fancy to indulge in it? I put the question plainly to one of the most eminent physicians in London, and his unhesitating answer was, that no one could thus use it without shortening his life. Yet, as a mere stimulant or luxury, it is used in various countries to a vast extent. Some swallow a certain dose of it raw, to produce the desired excitement; others smoke a preparation of it, to produce the same effect. In whichever way it is used, the first indulgence prepares the way for a second; the second for a third; and so on till it becomes habitual. There is something peculiarly ensnaring in the use of opium, not only on account of the high excitement of the imagination, which is the immediate result of the stimulus, but more especially because that high excitement is soon followed by a correspondent lassitude and intolerable depression, which scarcely any thing but a repetition of the dose can relieve. Thus the habit grows upon the wretched victim, till he becomes entirely enslaved to it; and so strong is the necessity of having recourse to the stimulus at the regular hour, that it has even been affirmed, that fatal consequences might result from sudden and total abstinence.

NATURAL THEOLOGY, if properly studied, and not mixed up with the silly inventions of ignorant and designing men, would teach us that this noble universe, every part of which displays the hand of omnipotent power, the contrivance of infinite wisdom, and the provision of unbounded benevolence, is the work, and under the guardian care of a good and almighty Being, who created and governs it,that to Him our adoration is due. It would teach us likewise, that the only way by which we can effectually shew our gratitude to, and love of, Him, is by promoting the comfort and happiness of our fellowcreatures, and observing those rules and laws which are necessary for the well-being of society. It would shew us that our own happiness is intimately connected with that of others, and that our true interest consists in doing unto all men as we would they should do unto us; that the acts of dishonesty, chicane, and fraud; that lying, profaneness, intemperance,- in short, all the vices that disgrace human nature, are devoid of true pleasure and profit, and tend to the injury both of those who practise them, and all who are within the sphere of their influence.

PROMISES was the ready money that was first coined, and made current by the law of nature, to support that society and commerce that was necessary for the comfort and security of mankind; and they who have of distinctions and subtle evasions, have introduced a adulterated this pure and legitimate metal with an alloy counterfeit and pernicious coin, that destroys all the simplicity and integrity of human conversation. For what obligations can ever be the earnest of faith and truth, if promises may be violated? The superinduc

tion of others for the corroboration and maintenance mises had still preserved their primitive vigour and of government had been much less necessary, if proreputation; nor can any thing be said for the non-performance of a promise, which may not as reasonably be applied to the non-observance of an oath; and in truth, men have not been observed to be much restrained by their oaths who have not been punctual in their promises; the same sincerity of nature being requisite to both.-Lord Clarendon.

From "Nature Displayed," &c. By W. Pinnock. London, S. Cornish and Co. 1839.-A very pleasing and useful little volume; the illustrations are interesting..

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