"more generally useful, or necessary to be explained, and which may best admit of such a comment or explanation, without presuming to pry too far into the profound secrets and awful mysteries of the Almighty." This limitation is the result of wisdom and humility. There are things, we know, which the angels themselves, not perfectly understanding in all their parts and bearings, desire to look into; and I can scarce imagine that such a desire, which is said to inhabit the bosoms of celestial beings, can be in itself sinful; because no censure is passed upon it, or even implied, in the words of the Apostle. To muse, indeed, upon the wonderful works of the Almighty, whether in nature or in grace, is one of the noblest employments of the human imagination; and to stretch out our faculties to the utmost, to discover the reasons and modes of the divine operations, till, wearied with conjecture, we sink back to earthly things, and confess our utter inability to comprehend the height, and breadth, and depth of the Almighty Mind, may be made one of the best of schools, in which to learn the lesson of intellectual humility. But this is not "to presume to pry into the profound secrets and awful mysteries of the Almighty." It is rather to adore and profit by them. To pry into heavenly things, is, when a man would measure the wisdom of the Deity by his own, and vainly attempt to assign the causes

and course of all those actions and dispensations of God, which have a reference to the whole sphere of creation, and comprehend the interests of endless worlds and beings, of whose nature and destination we have no knowledge whatever. Even in judging of a fellow creature's proceedings, we must often perceive how inadequate our powers are to estimate the motives and ends for which he acts; and even in the more complicated systems of human invention, we are sometimes compelled to confess our ignorance of the mechanism by which a curious or useful result is produced. Surely it much more becomes us to be cautious in tracing the processes of the Creator's thoughts, which are not as our thoughts, and to be content to be baffled in our researches into the propriety of the means which he has employed to effect the most glorious and blessed work of our own redemption. Man may conceal the secret of his knowledge from his fellow man, either to retain the distinction of superiority, or to secure the reward of his successful industry. But God keeps his creatures in ignorance, not for his own benefit, but for theirs; not to hold them in a state of degrading inferiority, but to reward them for their submission to his inscrutable will. It is the dictate of humility, therefore, to abstain from presumptuous inquiries into mysteries. It is the part of wisdom also; for no great degree of useful knowledge can ever be

looked for from such discussions. The vain pursuits of Alchemy were certainly the parents of some few useful discoveries; but the progress of science has been much more rapid, and it has imparted information of a far more solid and important nature, since the labours of its disciples were directed to legitimate and attainable ends. It will be the same too, and in a much higher degree, in the pursuits of Theology. For, even were we to lay aside out of our consideration all reasoning from the usual course of God's providence in other things, we could never, in consistency with gospel principles, expect the blessing of the Holy Spirit to guard us from error, or lead us into truth, whilst presumptuously endeavouring to scan the deep and hidden things which God has put within his own power. A similar remark may also be made upon that other restriction which we have already considered. If we refuse to follow the steps of our blessed Saviour, and choose, when reviled, instead of being meekly silent, to revile again, how can we hope that God will give efficacy to those words of bitterness, which are so contrary both to the spirit and commandments of his will? Exclusive, therefore, of the natural tendency which intemperance in language has to irritate the mind, there seems to have been a positive bar placed to its success, by the express revelations of God's providence. We have no promise whatever that

the grace of the Holy Ghost, which alone can touch the conscience, will empower those who bring "a railing accusation" against any man, to melt the stony hardness of an unbelieving heart. Neither can we entertain any reasonable expectation, that the wanderers from the fold of Christ will ever be allured to their home again, by the voice of him who would call them back to the deserted flock, rather by the rudeness of wrath, than the accents of kindness.

The end of the commandment is charity. The end of all inquiry and discussion upon the principles of faith should be, the practice of the precepts of pure and undefiled religion. Now it is of the nature of the reasoning processes of the mind, to turn away our thoughts from the application, and to fix them only upon the establishment of truth. Thus we may often speak to the head without moving the heart; or, on the other hand, we may frame the most earnest appeals to the affections; but if we have not previously laid a solid foundation in the knowledge of the rudiments of Christian instruction, our exertions will terminate only in a few faint and transitory emotions of godliness, But if, after having first sown the seeds of righteousness in a clear establishment of the truth of Christianity, and a pure elucidation of its saving doctrines, we then pour over our labours the re

freshing waters of holy reproof, correction, and exhortation, we may look forward, with a lively confidence, to beholding the fruits of righteous ness grow up under our eye. It were impossible, therefore, that Mr. Hulse could better have concluded his statement of the duties of the Christian Preacher, than by enjoining that" in all the said twenty Sermons, such practical observations shall be made, and such useful conclusions added, as may best instruct and edify mankind." It is not necessary that, in obedience to this injunction, we should formally subjoin to every Discourse, a regular list of those moral inferences, which may be successively deduced from the substance of our argument. It is only necessary that we should avoid such a dry and didactic treatment of the evidences and difficulties of Revelation, as can have no effectual influence over the affections. It is absolutely necessary that we should pour out the fulness of the heart, as well as of the understanding, upon these sacred subjects, and endeavour to prepare an easier and a readier way for the reception of truth, and the conversion of the inward man, by aiding reason with the unction of godliness.

I feel considerable hesitation in mentioning the last observation I have to offer, as it implies a doubt at least of the wisdom of the provision to which it