the pulpit, both to expose and improve the wrong spirit and the wrong manners of the age-tha. all who have been "cast in the mould of the Gospel" may be polished, as well as moulded. 1 Peter iii. 1, 6. Thus, as women were the first at the Sepulchre of Christ to see him alive, so they are chiefly charged to copy His meekness and gentleness, both for their own sake, and to win others.

Now (without joining issue with the sweeping charges just referred to) it must be acknowledged that some of the avowed followers of Christ are unamiable both in their spirit and deportment. Some of them are consequential, and others capricious; some reserved, and others morose; some irritable and others peevish, some rash, and others captious. These things ought not to be. But still, whilst we deplore and condemn them as unchristian, we ought to bear in mind how much worse the persons chargeable with them must have been if they had had no religion; for if they are disagreeable notwithstanding all the restraints of con

science, they must have been intolerable without them. As a good man once said of his wife, when a neighbour wondered how he could bear her unhappy temper, "I keep thinking how much worse it would be if she had no grace." And the fact is, it is with some minds as with some fields-there are thorns and briers in them even after much pains has been taken to cultivate the soil; and, although this cannot be too deeply lamented, we must not forget what the soil would have been without cultivation.

It is not intended by these remarks, to palliate, or apologize for, wrong tempers, but simply to present the case in all its bearings and aspects. It ought, therefore, to be stated explicitly that it is the difficulty of conquering them, rather than reluctance to relinquish them which keeps so many serious persons in bondage to bad tempers. They have tried to overcome them, and failed; and, therefore, they are tempted to invent, or avail themselves of excuses for what seems, in their case, unconquerable. But the fallacy of these excuses is demonstrable,

and ought to be demonstrated to all professed Christians, that they may not have recourse to them, either openly or secretly.

Some excuse their bad tempers upon the plea that they are constitutional or natural. But, if this were a valid excuse for any wrong temper, it would be so for any vice, and might be employed to palliate lust, intemperance, and revenge; for the slaves of these vile passions find them equally constitutional,—if that could justify them. We ought, therefore, to be exceedingly cautious how we sanction a maxim which may be interpreted in behalf of any sin; for although we may want it only to excuse a failing, others may employ it to excuse a gross fault.

It is certain, however, that some temperaments are naturally sweeter than others, and that some persons, without any effort, can be both meeker and gentler than others who make great efforts to "rule their spirit." Immense differences, in this respect, are discernible in the same family, and show themselves in chil

dren, before temper can be an acquired habit of the mind. Now this obvious truth may be allowed to have all the weight, both as fact and argument, which any one, who has not a selfish purpose to answer, can desire; but what then? If the natural temper of my mind be irritable, or peevish, or capricious, the Gospel is able, and intended to subdue it,-demands its subjugation to "the mind of Christ;" insists upon it as an essential part of Christian character. Unless, therefore, I watch and pray against the besetting sin of my spirit, either my professed allegiance to Christ is mere pretence, whatever reliance upon him I may avow; or if it be not, I am preparing for myself, like Rachel, some 66 vengeance on my inventions," which may be as trying, if not so startling, as her leprosy.

ALLEGORY. No. 2.

RACHEL'S EXILE.

FROM the moment that the leprosy fell upon Rachel like snow on Lebanon, the moral leprosy of her spirit began to melt and pass away, like snow from the golden pinnacles of the Temple. Like Miriam, the sister of Moses, she understood and bowed to the rebuke of Jehovah at once. Whilst Esrom only exclaimed with Job, "Show me wherefore Thou contendest with me," Rachel meekly said, “I will bear the indignation of the Lord, for I have sinned against him. There is no need, ESROM, that God should speak from the whirlwind, in order to explain this visitation. It explains itself in a loud voice; and that, not from the 'secret place of thunder.' It is vengeance on our inventions!" Esrom then felt that he had