there will be no conviction of the understanding; for there can be none. They may, indeed, say, and perhaps truly, " my teacher is a great divine, has studied these things, and surely ought to know; and I have nothing to do but to surrender my understanding to his opinions and doctrines." But, alas! the mind drawn up to this tension is like an elastic bow, which owes its figure to the cord which holds it; its strength is overpowered, but not its tendency.

Many of the doctrines of revelation are such, as human reason would never reach, unaided by divine light; but being revealed, there is no doctrine of revelation apparently absurd or repugnant to reason. The three grand points, however, which form the triangle, are not the only ones which, in their conviction on the mind, remind me of the bended bow: their notion of faith is inexplicable, and their idea of justification covered with mist. As for faith, it is not opinion, assent, reason, knowledge, nor love; it is nothing which properly belongs to human perceptions, nor exercises: I have sometimes heard them call it a divine principle, but never could learn what principle was, or wherein it consisted. If I have been able to learn what they mean by justification, it is, that a certain quantity of Christ's righteousness is taken and put into the Christian, on account of which he is justified. The scriptures teach us that Christ has atoned for sin, and the sinner is fully pardoned and freely justified, in consideration of what Christ has done to magnify the law of God: but the notion of a transfer of Christ's righteousness, so as to make it the righteousness of the sinner, is using words without ideas.

Opposition to the doctrines which have almost uniformly marked the course of reformations in this country, and, in the hands of God, have been the cause of those reformations, can be regarded in no other light than as a deadly aim at reformation itself. He who strikes at the cause, strikes with a bolder hand, and with higher aim, than he who strikes at the effect. He who proves that a reformation, so called, is but an excitement of natural passion, and that its subjects may apostatize from their profession, proves little; at least, but a local fact: but he who makes war on that strain of preaching and scheme

of doctrine, which has been followed by nearly all the revivals of religion in a nation, if he succeed, will not be troubled with apostacies, for he will see no reformations; he will have the pleasure, if it may be called a pleasure, of seeing people go carelessly on through life, with no troublesome anxieties about religion, or the life to come: he will tell them, from sabbath to sabbath, that “Christ died for none but the elect; that he died for them, because they were the elect; and that when he makes known to them their election, then they ought to love and obey him :" they will make their own improvement, "that all anxieties about salvation are useless and vain. Why should we borrow trouble, or anticipate evil? Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die. If he has died for us, he will make it known to us in time; if not, then we owe him no gratitude; and as we were all condemned in Adam, we have nothing on our own account to regret.”

That people will quiet their consciences, and repose calmly, and sleep soundly on this triangular bed, is as sure as that the sun rises and sets. This tripłe, nay, quadruple thraldom, in which their own voluntary agency is in no way implicated, soothes their slumber, and not a little gratifies their pride; still more so does the soporific dose " descend into their bowels like water, and like oil into their bones," when a religion is held up before them which is no business of theirs; which gives them a happy passiveness, and is every whit, and in all respects, as distinct from their moral feelings and powers, as the state to which it offers a remedy is without their accountability or blame. As they had nothing to do in bringing themselves into sin; nothing to do in getting themselves out of it, so they are highly satisfied to learn, that they have nothing to do when fairly out of it. As for faith, which is the body of their religion, it is no exercise of theirs, and has no connexion with their moral exercises in its origin, nature, or object, for it is neither perception nor volition, knowledge nor love. They have no virtue, for there is no such thing; and, in fine, they seem to be allowed to have nothing on earth, properly to be called theirs, but a little selfishness.

Such a strain of preaching will scarcely be followed by a spirit of reformation. The process of conversion and of Chris

tiänizing under these tenets will, indeed, make little noise: a person goes to his minister, and tells him he has some thoughts about religion. The clergyman asks him, "Do you verily believe that all men are justly condemned for the sin of Adam?" "Yes." "Do you acknowledge yourself worthy of endless misery for what he did?" "Yes." "Do you believe yourself totally incapacitated to obey God, or do any thing which he requires ?" "Yes." "And can you not love Christ, who has been so good as to die for you, and has done, and will do every thing for you, and will carry you to heaven, and make you eternally happy there?" "O yes, I should be very ungrateful not to love one who died for me, and will save me." "Very well! you have nothing to do but confirm yourself in these sentiments; you had better join the church; there is reason to believe you are one of the elect."

Let it not be understood that I here pretend to give all the words that pass between the catechist and his catechumen, but I give the great features, and the leading points. Enough more words are used; but as he is never made to feel the true blame of his condition, he never feels a proper repentance, neither can he have just conceptions of the nature or application of the remedy. These convictions are sufficiently silent for the most fastidious, and are followed by conversions to a selfish, opinionated, intolerant temper and character; even, sometimes, to that degree, that a candid observer is at a loss whether such a conversion is more the subject of felicitation than of regret. If not twofold more a child of hell, he is, at least, twofold more a child of prejudice, bigotry, and persecution.

If some men shall flutter and flounce remarkably in reading these remarks, let them see to it, lest they confirm the suspicion that they are the "wounded birds."

As this Number is an appeal to the eye of the public respecting the usefulness and importance of revivals of religion, I deplore that I am compelled to add, that the instances which have come under the inspection of this city, are mournfully few. Look into those large congregations whose fame has been

spread wide by the splendour of the great names of the men, who are "the angels of those churches." And, I ask those "angels" whether they would not rejoice to see one general reformation pervading all their assemblies, and spreading through the hundreds and thousands of their congregations ? I am certain the angels of heaven would rejoice. Would they not be glad to see all their people roused at once, to secure the interests of their souls? Would they not rejoice to see the whole population of this capital moved, as by one spirit, to secure one grand object? Surely, such a moment would not be greater than the weight of the concern depending. A heathen monarch, of a much greater city than this, once rose up from his throne, and covered himself with sackcloth-was followed by his court and nobles, and by all the people; even food was interdicted, in a solemn fast, for three days. This was done because God had declared that Nineveh should be destroyed. And is there no reason to believe that God's anger burns against this city? Has not the cry of its wickedness gone up to heaven? And would not a reformation that should visit every house, and forcibly seize every mind, be desirable? Would it not occasion joy in heaven? What if all the immense crowds that move through the streets were suddenly and strongly impressed with the belief that they were infinitely vile in the sight of God; that they were hastening to the bar of judgment, and to an eternal world of retribution? What sudden alterations should we see! Would our streets resound by night with horrible oaths and execrations? Would hundreds of houses be crowded with scenes of drunkenness, debauchery, violence, and obscenity? Would our docks, and vessels, and lanes, and alleys, teem with wretched people in whom the last efforts of vice have left the semblance of humanity, but identified with every thing loathsome and detestable? Would even crowds of children be heard profanely vociferating the awful name of God in their common sports and pastimes? Alas! it is not considered that the interests and destinies of every one of these souls are as truly great as those of the first rank of people. The shadowy vale of death once past, and the soul discumber

ed of its adventitious advantages, there will appear little distinction between the prince and beggar.

But what would be the effect of such a reformation as this? Would it not be the theme of general conversation? What crowds would throng the churches? And would it be admirable, if, under the strong impulse of a general sensation, it should become what may be termed a public passion? Perhaps even business, for a while, might be, in a manner, sus-. pended; and the ordinary, even the innocent, amusements and diversions of the city would be forgotten.

A gloomy scene! methinks I hear some one say; and yet, reader, every one of these gay people will soon see gloomier scenes thanthis. The hour of death, and the solemn audit before the throne of judgment, will be more gloomy and dreadful, and, without reformation, there will be eternal gloom and horhor. Nor yet would such a scene as this be attended with so much gloom and misery as now pervades the city. Ineffable joy and pleasure would fill every pious mind at the prospect of thousands of people forsaking wickedness and turning to God. Religion is not of a gloomy, melancholy nature, and the concern and anxiety attending reformations is caused, not by religion, but by a consciousness of the want of it.

Be it that such a reformation, in this city, would be attended with some instances of delusion—some indications of fanaticism; how much deeper is the delusion that now reigns over the great mass of people, while they neglect their eternal interests, and despise, and dishonour the God that made them. A stronger fanaticism hurries them onward towards eternal ruin than attends the religious enthusiast in the favour of his devotions. The stern and lofty front of wickedness everywhere displayed -everywhere menacing-everywhere daring and obtrusive, defies every thing short of almighty power. But before the spirit of God be sent " to reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment," it shall melt like wax-it shall vanish like smoke," for strong is his hand, and high is his right hand."

Such an event could not take place but with a general and strong sensation. Any judge of human nature will perceive