of his merey, in all the omnipotence of his love? The gospel is this manifestation; and when it is fully displayed in its simplicity and extent, it so alarms the conscience, and moves the affections, that multitudes exclaim, "Is not this the Christ?"

5thly, We may observe of this species of evidence, that as it necessarily includes an exhibition of the essential and distinguishing doctrines of the gospel, so it is accompanied with that measure of Divine influence which the Saviour has pledged himself to vouchsafe, as the attestation of his presence and power in the diffusion of his religion. Reasoning alone never yet formed a true Christian.

The philosophy of Christianity, its metaphysics, and its external evidence, might be dwelt upon for centuries, and investigated with intense interest by millions of minds; and yet not one of them all would by these means be converted to Christ. Only the truths which convey the knowledge of salvation are ever attended with a saving efficacy; and this efficacy is not alone to be sought in the truths themselves, but in the influence of that Holy Spirit whose Divine agency accompanies them, as "a Spirit of knowledge, of understanding, and of might, and of the fear of the Lord." Christianity as a system is indeed founded on argument, and shrinks not from the closest examination of its pretensions. If in this view it rested on any different basis, it would be ill-adapted to the human mind; and could have no other than a miraculous existence in the individuals to whom it might be supernaturally revealed. But as a religion of power, carrying forward the great designs of the moral government of God in the redemption of mankind, it is indebted for its progress and success not to human reason but to Divine energy: "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power." They are made willing not by coercion, but influence; and the truths of the gospel are the medium through and the instrument by which it operates. There is no essential moral difference between the

mere speculative believer and the unbeliever of Christianity. It is this Divine influence, renovating the spirit and moulding it into new forms of which it was before un susceptible, and which no reasoning, argumentation, or persuasion would have effected, which constitutes the grand distinction between the true follower of Christ and every other description of character. Whatever therefore in the shape of evidance is most favourable to the exercise of this discriminating and supernatural influence, must be of the greatest value and importance; and such is that evidence which exhibits the gospel as its own witness, and derives its greatest force from its distinguishing and peculiar doctrines. In farther strengthening this position, I remark,

6thly, Finally, That the species of evidence for the superiority of which I am contending, converts every individual believer who feels its power into a dispenser of the blessings with which it has enriched him.

It is one thing to be reasoned into a persuasion that Christianity is from heaven; another to imbibe its holy and beneficent spirit, to feel its worth, and to be zealous in making it known. The first impression produced by a cordial reception of the gospel as it affects our own prospects and destiny is a sentiment of devout, animated, and humble gratitude to its Divine Author and glorious subject; the second, an intense desire to benefit others by the celestial communication. What a dreary and appalling spectacle does the moral state of the world present to one who is powerfully affected by a contemplation of its alienation from God, its ignorance, guilt, and ruin! How degraded in his view is the lot of his fellow immortals! How sunk in abject wretchedness is the whole family of man! The impulse of principle is excited, the new convert becomes a preacher to his family and his neighbourhood. Fraught with the tenderest compssion, he says to each and all, "Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did. Is not this the

Christ?" Come, behold him in the sanctuary, where I have beheld his power and glory. Come and see the trophies of his grace, the wonders of his redeeming power and mercy. Come, for unless you see him for yourself and not another, you will remain unblest by the manifestation of his love which passeth knowledge. He is the Christ, the Saviour of the world: believe in him, for he is able to save to the uttermost. O hear his voice as I have heard it! Even now the enchanting sounds linger on mine ear like the melody of heaven: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." O listen ; now is the accepted time, this is the day of salvation! Hear him-hear him for yourself, rely not on my testimony alone. Arise, he calleth theeeven now his heart yearns over your misery. Is not this the Christ? Come, see the man! Behold him bright with the Father's glory: behold him touched with the sympathy of your own nature, yet undefiled-the man without sin, overflowing with love to sinners. Come, and faith will make you whole! The good Shepherd is ready to enfold you in his arms, to number you with his flock, and to lead you to green pastures beside the still waters of comfort. Wander no more. In him there is life, everlasting life; come and let experience prove his wondrous power to save. To this spirit Christianity was mainly indebted for its early and amazing triumphs. Every new convert became, under its influence, invested with the character of an evangelist. Thousands thus took up the burthen of John the Baptist, and, addressing their fellow-men, exclaimed, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." What good

was thus instrumentally effected by the woman of Sychar. Her single efforts roused a whole city, and multitudes listened to her earnest persuasions, and felt the power which bowed and sanctified her heart. By the same simple means will the gospel gain the victories of the millennium. The decay of this spirit is the decline of religion. Where it is no longer cherished, the gospel instead of advancing, retires. When ministers of the sanctuary suffer themselves to be drawn away from its simplicity and energy, they may be learned, they may be orthodox, they may even be popular, but they will lose their reward! They will not, they cannot win souls to Christ. When congregations and churches forget the claims of their Redeemer and Lord, and leave the task of evangelizing to those only who are clothed with the sacred office, the great end of their conversion and of their continuance upon earth is defeated; while they give too much reason to fear that they have never been penetrated by the power of that wonderful evidence of the infinite value of the gospel, which if truly felt must render it the all-absorbing consideration of their moral being; the perpetual theme of their converse; the object of their unwearied solicitude. The demonstration of the Spirit is the only demonstration which sends its converts throughout the world, each exclaiming, "Come, see a man which told me all things that ever I did. Is not this the Christ?" It was thus the chief of sinners became an apostle, and the most polluted of the sons and daughters of men have been elevated to the dignity of saints;—a dishonoured appellation in the world; but the only one that will survive its proud distinctions and shed lustre upon the glories of eternity! J. S.

WHY not Christians, if anybody? We would not advise a sinner to dance. A sinner is an enemy to God-and shall he

dance? A sinner must repent, or perish -and shall he dance? A sinner is on the road to hell, and may be there in an

every other sabbath. In the other you may be the only domestic kept; or you may have to take the whole of the work; or the wages may be lower than you hoped to obtain: but in that household God is daily worshipped, and the sabbath is sacredly kept holy. Under such circumstances, which situation ought you to choose? Remember the solemn admonition, “What shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall he give in exchange for his soul?"

A few weeks since, I called on a pious woman who had lately been left a widow with a large family. After conversing some time, I inquired about her eldest daughter, and asked if she were in place now? "Not exactly, ma'am," was the reply; "she is stopping with a lady whose servant has gone home ill. If she do not recover, Elizabeth will take her place; and if she do, the lady will look out for a situation for her." "I can tell you of a good one," observed I, and named the neighbourhood in which my friend lived. "A lady from that neighbourhood called a few days since," replied the mother; "but when my daughter said she would like to attend her own place of worship once every sabbath, the lady only laughed at her, and said the thing was out of all reason. And so Elizabeth declined the offer, though the wages were very tempting; they were much higher than where she is gone to." I told the good woman that if her daughter did not stay where she was, she must come to me for my friend's address; but she did not need it, and is now comfortably settled in a family who like her the better for wishing to "keep holy the sabbath day." This young person did not forget the exhortation of our Saviour, in his sermon on the mount, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." Let me advise

you to follow her example. Another incident of a contrary kind, I may mention as a warning. A young woman who had been for some years a

zealous and active member of a Christian church, and who had been allowed, when living with a religious family, to attend public worship at least once each sabbath, was so inconsistent as to take a situation in a decidedly worldly family. Here she never heard the Bible read nor a prayer offered from week to week. At first this was a painful trial to her; but she soon became indifferent to it. She had been promised a "Sunday out," and she thought it would be very pleasant to take tea with a friend, and then go to chapel in the evening. But she found that, work as hard as she could all Sunday morning, it was very late before she could get out in the afternoon; so that, by the time she had taken tea it was quite service-time. Still she went, though late, for a few weeks; but as winter advanced, she felt so tired with her work and her walk, that she preferred sitting and talking with her friend at the fireside, to waiting with the worshippers of God in the appointed place. When I saw her first she had not been in any place of worship during several months. When I talked to her seriously on the subject, she said that she felt quite indifferent about religion now, and had no comfort or pleasure either in reading the Scriptures or in private prayer. By repeated conversations, she was brought not only to confess but to feel that she had acted a very wicked part, in thus forsaking and in effect denying Him who had bought her with His precious blood. We very soon found her another situation, where she had again an opportunity of observing the sabbath: but it is much to be feared that she has never regained the ground she lost whilst she so entirely neglected all religious ordinances. In this instance, as in many others, one false step led to others; and, but for the watchful care of a kind Providence, there is no knowing how low she might have fallen. This is a solemn warning to those who may be inclined to look upon religious privileges as a secondary consideration in the choice of a situation.

As far as possible, you should keep