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beheld, and lo, there was no mān, and all the birds of the heaven were fled. I beheld, and, lō, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord', and by his fierce anger," Jer iv. 23-26.

20. Emphasis. Emphasis is of two kinds, absolute and relative. Relative emphasis has always an antithesis either expressed or understood, as: "We can do nothing against the truth', but for the truth," 2 Cor. xiii. 8. Absolute emphasis takes place when the peculiar importance of the word or sentence is only considered, thus: "Of sin, because they believe not on me," John xvi. 9.

Though pauses in reading, (upon which much of the beauty, and perspicuity, and force of what we read, depend,) must, in general, be regulated by the taste of the reader, yet it may be proper to give the following rules for general use :--

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21. When the nominative consists of more than one word, it is necessary to make a pause after it, thus: "The earth-is the Lord's, and the fulnessthereof; the world-and they that dwell therein," Ps. xxiv. 1.

22. But even when the nominative consists of only one word, if that word be emphatic, a pause is not only admissible, but required after it, thus: "God is love," 1 John. iv. 8.

With the following observation, and also with the acknowledgement of MR. KNOWLES, MR. M'DONALD perfectly agrees: "I am convinced," says he, "that

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a nice attention to rhetorical punctuation, has an extremely mischievous tendency, and is totally inconsistent with nature. Give the sense of what you read-MIND is the thing. The orator, who, in deli, vering himself, is studiously solicitous about parcelling his words, is sure to leave the best part of his work undone. He delivers words, not thoughts. Deliver thoughts, and words will take care enough of themselves. I repeat it-RE IN EARNEST, cannot leave this subject, without acknowledging the obligations which, in common with every other teacher of Elocution, we owe to the researches of MR. WALKer. If we have improved upon his system, we give him still the merit of our corrections. He led us to them-nay, it is but the economy of his system which we have attempted to improve. The system remains the same-and most probably would have remained unknown, but for the eager spirit of inquiry, and indefatigable activity of perseverance, which distinguished the labours of its eminently me、 ritorious discoverer."

CHRISTIAN

DOCTRINE AND DUTY.

Í. OF THE EXISTENCE, NATURE, PERFECTIONS, AND GOVERNMENT OF GOD'.

I. THAT THERE is a God proved from CREATION AND PROVIDENCE.

1. From Creation.—Job xii. 7-10, Ask now the beasts', and they shall teach thee'; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee': or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee`; and the fishes of the sea' shall declare unto thee'. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this`? In whose hand' is the soul of every living thing, and the breath' of all mankind'. Ps. xix. 1-4, The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament' showeth his handy-work`. Day' unto day uttereth speech', and night` unto night' sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their

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voice is not heard'; their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world`. Ps. xcvii. 6, The heavens' declare his righteousness', and all the people' see his glory`. Jer. xiv. 22, Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain'? or can the heavens give showers'? Art thou not he, O Lord our God'? therefore we will wait upon thee; for thou hast made all these things'. Rom. i. 20, For the invisible things (of God') from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood' by the things that are made`, -his eternal power and godhead, so that they are without excuse'. Heb. iii. 4, For every house is builded by some man'; but he that built all things is God.

2. From Providence.-Gen. xxxix. 2, 3, And the Lord was with Joseph', and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master' the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did' to prosper in his hand. 1 Kings, xviii. 37-39, (Elijah said) Hear me, O Lord', hear me; that this people may know that thou art the Lord God', and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burntsacrifice, and the wood, and the stones`, and the dust', and licked up the water that was in the trench`. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces, and they said, The Lord', he is the God`; the Lord', he is the God. Ps. ix. 16, The Lord is

known by the judgment which he executeth': the wicked is snared in the work' of his own hands'. Ps. lviii. 11, So that a man shall say', verily there is a reward for the righteous`: verily he is a God' that judgeth in the earth'. Jer. ix. 23, 24, Thus saith the Lord', Let not the wise man' glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man' glory in his might`, let not the rich man' glory in his riches': But let him that glorieth' glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord' which exercise loving-kindness', judgment, and righteousness, in the earth': for in these things I delight, saith the Lord'. Acts xiv. 17, Nevertheless he left not himself without witness', in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven', and fruitful seasons', filling our hearts with food' and gladness`.

II. THAT GOD IS POSSESSED OF EVERY PERFECTION.

1. He is Spiritual.—Job ix. 11, Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not; he passeth on also', but I perceive him not`. John iv. 24, God is a Spirit: and they that worship him' must worship him` in spirit' and in truth`. 1 Tim. i. 17, Now, unto the king eternal, immortal`, invisible`, the only wise God', be honour and glory' for ever' and ever`. Amen.

2. Eternal.-Deut. xxxiii. 27, The eternal God' is thy refuge, and underneath' are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from be

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