lxviii MEMOIRS OF THE REV. DAVID M'NICOLL. life, together with the glories of the heavenly state; he, with great solemnity and strong feeling, stated his willingness and readiness to go, whenever it might please God to call him. This was not the only conversation of the same kind; but, on several occasions, he entered most delightfully into these subjects, and spoke of religion and heaven, as a man on the verge of another world. The impression was so deep on my own mind, that I went home from one of these interviews, and said in my own family," Our friend Mr. McNicoll will not live long." Being asked, why I thought so, the reply was, "His soul is mellowing for heaven: God is preparing him for himself." So it has proved. But, after all, sudden death is always unexpected at the time. He was peculiarly happy on the evening of his decease, in the bosom of his family. His elder son had come from London, on a visit; one or two younger ones from the schools; and, by a merciful arrangement of Providence, the whole eleven were present. With smiles of delight, he beheld them around his table; spoke freely and cheerfully to them; and then, in the spirit of the patriarch Jacob, when he leaned on his staff, and blessed his children before he died, he knelt down, entered into their several cases, earnestly and pathetically besought the Divine blessing on them, commended them to His care and love, and then went up stairs, and in a few moments expired. "How many die as sudden, not as safe!" AN ESSAY, &c. I. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. THE division of the passions into two great classes, the irascible and concupiscible, has, no doubt, in a philosophical point of view, some material advantages. But with regard to the passions in their character of vices, the inspired writers, addressing all ranks of society, have adopted a more obvious and profitable classification. They describe those evils-by the source from which they spring: "From within, out of the heart of man, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness:"-By their objects: "The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life:"-And by their seat and subject: As "filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit;""the fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind." This last distinction points to a difference in the two kinds of vice, which perhaps will partly account for the paucity of practical writings, on one kind, while we happily abound with powerful and valuable pieces on the other. The vices of the mind have less of the garb of vice, are less gross and palpable, than those of the flesh. They are therefore less the subject of attention, less understood, and less revolting in the first recognition of them. Though the character of their secret and operative principles is positive, that of their appearances and effects in many instances is negative. They are so mixed up with the ordinary, as also indeed with the laudable, transactions of life, as in no small degree to escape blame, and even observation: And, in almost every view, the treatment of such subjects is peculiarly difficult. It is less easy, as well as less pleasing, to paint an Ugolino than a subject of perfect regularity and beauty. Such vices-always more or less aërial and evanescent, unless when carried on to extreme consequences-seem to pass from the hands of at least an inattentive writer, as if they had scarcely an existence; as if, however, they were nearly incapable of definition and description: And should he partly succeed in holding up to view the evils themselves, the chances are still greatly against him in attempting to fix them with conviction on the guilty mind. Practical authors are not, perhaps, sufficiently aware of the greatness of such sins; hence they seize, with a prompt but becoming zeal, on excesses of the appetites, and of some passions, by which they are struck with disgust and indignation; while the "desires of the mind" are left to work their secret demolitions by slow and steady sap. Of these most dangerous vices-so concealed and cowardly, so sinuous and dissemblingwe might particularly mention unbelief, ingratitude, envy, and covetousness. With regard to this last-named crime, one reason, perhaps, why it has not more frequently been treated with vigour and effect, either by the press or from the pulpit, has been the hopelessness of success on the part of many who would gladly be of service in a matter of such importance. Locke observes, with equal truth and discouragement: "Let never so much propability hang on one side of a covetous man's reasoning, and money on the other, it is easy to foresee which will outweigh." But divines ought not to be discouraged. The sanction of omnipotent grace is promised to their dutiful endeavours. Some have also thought that the vices are always touched with best effect by the attractive exhibition of the contrary virtues. The inspired writers were, however, of an opposite opinion, as their constant practice proves. Besides, man is furnished with a sense of revulsion and abhorrence; which, when awakened by just and striking views of vice, very powerfully impel the inclination to bend towards goodness. The current of religious writings seems to be on the side of doctrines and experience, to the partial neglect, at least, of practical duties. The effective plan, undoubtedly, is to unite the whole in every individual effort, as St. Paul has exemplified in his epistle to the Romans. The foundation without a superstructure is futile; the superstructure without a foundation is impossible. The just and necessary connexion between principle and practice should be invariably shown. "I have not shunned," says an apostle, "to declare unto you all the counsel of God." |