worthiness, before the great and holy Governour of the universe. It must necessarily be a very fearful and distressing consideration, to be at enmity with him, in whose power we are, and on whom depends our destiny forever. For the same reason, there must be unspeakable comfort and solid joy in a total surrender of the heart to this infinitely glorious being; and in a conscious willingness to obey his laws, and submit to his empire."

Of an admirable discourse, entitled Sinners without excuse, we give the conclusion.

"If the condition of sinners will soon be desperate;-if the condition of God's children will soon be unspeakably glorious, how ought this consideration to affect us, who are now in our state of trial? What anxiety;what concern can be disproportionate to such an object? What can justify our stupidity? What reason can be assigned, why creatures just entering on eternity, and soon to be made unalterably happy or miserable, should shrink from inquiring into their own spiritual concerns,-and shut their eyes against the object which, it would be reasonable to suppose, would be always in their view? Will nothing but death convince us that we are mortal? Will nothing but the beginning of eternity convince us that we are designed for eternity? Will nothing but the terrours of the last day convince us, that we must all stand before the judgement seat of Christ? It is not the religious-it is not those who are deeply engaged in religion, who act the irrational part; but it is such as walk in the way of their heart, and in the sight of their eyes, forgetful that for all these things, God will bring them into judgement, those who quietly pass down the stream of iniquity, not considering that this stream falls into the boundless ocean of despair. Such will be constrained, when too late, to say: We fools counted his life madness, and his end to be without honour: Now is he numbered among the children of God, and his lot is among the saints!"

Among those discourses which had before been published in the form of pamphlets, is one well worthy of preservation, on "the perpetuity and importance of the Sabbath." The argument for the perpetuity is very lucidly and forcibly given and the views which are presented of the importance of the institution, indicate a mind very deeply impressed with the conviction, that the blessing of God is to be secured only by obedience to his laws.

"Let us then for a moment compare a community, in which this day is religiously observed, with another community, in which it meets no pointed opposition, but general neglect:

"On the one hand, behold a people who greet the Sabbath's return, and consider it as a season sacred to God and religion; a day which renders transparent the veil which hides the world to come; a day in which we are, in a peculiar sense, to assume the character of pilgrims and strangers ;when our vices are to be opposed, our passions subdued, our spiritual state examined, the world excluded, and the great economy of grace investigated; a day when our fears are to be alarmed, our hopes enlivened In another community, let it be supposed, the Sabbath is spent somewhat more leisurely, but altogether as irreligiously as any day in the week, Public worship is neglected, or attended without seriousness or constancy. The

remaining hours are devoted to business, pleasure, literature, or perhaps to politics-a subject which, in our country, and in the present state of political parties, never fails to produce an interest, and seldom fails to array those passions, which are peculiarly hostile to that calmness and devotion which the Sabbath demands. No high responsibility is felt. No deep views of God and religion are entertained. Nothing is cherished of that faith which is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.' Will Christianity flourish alike in both these communities? Will moral character in both be equally hardy, unyielding and vigorous? Will liberty, property and life be in both equally secure?"

"Were a collection of wanton persons scattering fire and combustible materials in the lanes of a city, would it be officiousness in the inhabitants to take active measures for preventing a conflagration? Would it, in that case, be sufficient that every master of a family kept his own children and servants within doors? But in this case, you reply, there would be immediate danger. Danger of what? I would ask. Why, that the habitations and property of the citizens might be consumed. True; but are these more precious than moral character and moral habits-more valuable than those principles of virtue and the fear of God, for which no human inventions can be an adequate substitute-and without which society itself is a mass without cement, ready to crumble whenever assailed by the hand of violence?"

"With all our vices about us, it is not consistent with the nature of civil society, nor the constitution of divine government, that we should, as a nation, be either prosperous, secure, or honorable. Counsels may be added to counsels, and measures heaped on measures, intriguing politicians may double their activity and zeal; still, while there is no moral reformation, though private passions may be gratified, the country will not be saved. It is something more permanent than the occasional rise of one party and depression of another, that fixes the destiny of a nation. It is that moral spirit, which is diffused through the whole mass. There will forever be a sympathy between the head and the members. Come, therefore, and let us return unto the Lord; for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up."

The following excellent remarks upon the right manner of preaching are from a sermon at the ordination of Rev. E. Merrill.

"It seems sometimes to be imagined, that, unless evangelical truth is conveyed in language known to be most offensive, and in a manner the least conciliating and gracious, a criminal sacrifice is made to the prejudices of men, or to our own ease and reputation. In this sentiment, permit me to ask, whether there is either truth, or justice, or wisdom? Sounds, in themselves considered, have no connexion with piety or salvation. Is the eternal welfare of men more secure, because the truth is conveyed to their minds in one set of arbitrary signs, rather than in another? Every upright minister of Jesus Christ, may feel himself bound to preach that, which, he has reason to fear, will, to some, be matter of offence. But he, who chooses to give offence, chooses to excite prejudice against the gospel.

And what is this but choosing that the very design of his ministry should be frustrated? A condescending prince, let it be imagined, commissions his servant to offer a full amnesty to disorderly subjects, on condition of their becoming obedient to the government in future. This servant may, to these subjects, represent, in plain terins, their present danger and the certainty of punishment, should the terms of forgiveness be rejected. But surely, the lord of this servant will not applaud him, for executing his commission in a manner the most offensive, and least favourable to the great object for which he was sent.

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Nothing tends so directly to disarm opposition, as a conviction, that the only reason why a preacher exhibits unwelcome doctrines, is because he dares not suppress them; because he would, by all means, save his own soul, and the souls of them who hear him; and because he is impelled by feelings similar to those of the prophet, when he said: I have not desired the woeful day, O Lord, Thou knowest. Different, indeed, is the character of that minister, and different will be the impression, which he makes on the minds of an audience, who, through the medium of sacred truth, gratifies some of the most unhallowed feelings of the human heart, and then congratulates himself on his own fidelity and boldness, in defending sound principles, and in exhibiting to sinners their true character.

"You will ask, perhaps, is it not important that sinners should be made to feel? I answer, yes. But what should they feel? Displeasure and prejudice against the speaker, or conviction of their own demerit, and contrition on account of having violated the divine law? You ask again, whether the sinner's character is not to be carefully investigated, and his wounds thoroughly explored. I answer, yes. But there is a great difference between the necessary operations of a humane physician, who participates the pain which he occasions, and the work of an executioner, who pleases himself with every opportunity of showing how much address and apathy his vocation has taught him."

Probably no sermon in the collection will be thought superiour to that on Conscience. It is a discourse of great power; and could scarcely have been heard by any one living in sin, without an effect similar to that of Paul's preaching upon Felix. In illustrating the power of conscience the author has thus expressed himself.

"It is not easy for a man to bring himself to abandon all claims to a rational and moral nature. Even pride will remonstrate against so base a relinquishment. A man cannot easily be induced deliberately to say, 'As for the dictates of reason and the obligations of morality; all that is sublime in the one, or beautiful in the other, I renounce forever. Ye rational beings, whether angels or men, with you I will no longer lay claim to alliance. Whatever pleasures you have, either in possession or prospect, they shall be exclusively your own. From this moment I cease to be a competitor.' But so long as reason is not renounced, it will support the claims, both of Christian morals and Christian piety. He that wastes his time, follows his passions, or neglects his soul, acts as certainly against his own judgement-against his own conviction of right and wrong, as against the commands and principles of divine revelation. Infinite responsibility is attached to the possession of intellectual and moral powers. Whether time or eternity is regarded, reason demands a life of sobriety, caution, and self denial. Now, is it possible, that a man should be other

wise than miserable, who is forever at warfare with himself; who pursues habitually the very course which he condemns? In the full enjoyment of youth and of health unimpaired, in the midst of gay, splendid and fashionable vices, many persons-even those who have been thought as happy as vice could make them, have even wished to exchange their species; have wished to be divested of their rational nature, that they might be no longer tormented with the anticipation of a judgement to come! Individuals, who have rendered themselves conspicuous by ridiculing serious religion, calling its sorrows moroseness, and its joys enthusiasm, have been alarmed even by the sound of a shaken leaf, and have fled to scenes of dissipation, as their only retreat from terrour.'

The conclusion of the sermon is as follows.

"We cease to be surprised at the great effort, which the gay and thoughtless often make, to keep up their spirits; in their own language, to expel the glooms-to banish sorrow. These glooms and this sorrow, are very likely to be the result of solitary and calm reflection. On such occasions, reason begins to speak, and her voice becomes distinct and audible. The sinner is alarmed; he dreads this assiduous monitor. I hate him, said Ahab; for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. Scenes and employments must be devised, in which the passions will be interested, and reflection silenced. But this tumultuous state of the feelings cannot always be preserved,-nature herself will not endure it. Nay, reflection may obtrude itself, in the midst of splendid and loud festivity. In the midst of mirth the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness. Who could have been less exposed to care and anxious thought-who could have been in a better condition to enjoy a night of revelling, undisturbed, than Belshazzar, when he had made a feast to a thousand of his lords, and was drinking wine before the thousand; when he sent for the golden vessels, which had been taken from the house of God, and suffered his lords, his wives and concubines, to drink in them. Yet in that same hour, came forth the fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace; the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. And the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosened, and his knees smote, one against the other.

"But whether conscience can now be silenced or not, the time is coming when there will be no amusement-no expedients for effecting this. Its twinges, of which the sinner is so much afraid, are premonitions of something to come. They are the gentlest corrodings of a worm, which never dies; they are scintillations of that fire, which never can be quenched.

My hearers, in order to be secure, we must be Christians; in order to be rational, we must be pious; peace must be restored between the intellect and the heart. We must cease to be our own enemies; to expose ourselves to our own reproaches: For if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things."

The sermons are followed by an Address on Intemperance, delivered at Boston in 1816; We have here a portrait, which all will acknowledge is drawn by the hand of

a master.

"The difficulty of subduing a propensity to immoderate drinking, is known by painful experience to many persons, in capacity of parent, brother, or friend. Parents may view with more indulgence than alarm, occasional irregularities in a favourite son. By a repetition of these, some uneasiness is produced, in spite of parental partiality. They begin with suggesting cautions, rise to mild remonstrance, and as the case becomes more urgent, they make warm and reiterated appeals to his regard to interest, his love of character, his affection for them, his sense of moral obligation, and the well known effect of irregular habits in shortening human life. They flatter themselves, that all these efforts are not abortive. Some tender emotions, some ingenuous relentings are perceived. These are gladly hailed as the witnesses of penitence, and the harbingers of reformation. Hopes thus suddenly formed, are found to be premature. The anxiety of the parents is renewed and augmented by recent evidence of profligacy in the son. To reclaim him, their affection prompts them to make new exertions-to repeat arguments, which have hitherto been found ineffectual-to exhibit these in new and various connexions. From remonstrance they proceed to entreaty, to supplication, and tears. The old bow before the young; the innocent pray to the guilty.

"As a last expedient, they will change his place of residence. New scenes and new companions may be more propitious to virtue; at least, they will exhibit fewer temptations to vice. The experiment is made, and with apparent success. His mind is so occupied with new associations, as, for a time, to yield little attention to the cravings of appetite. His friends again indulge a trembling hope, that, notwithstanding past irregularities, all may yet be well, Delightful, but vain illusion! The novelty gradually disappears; but the strength of inclination is unsubdued. The taste, which has been so unhappily formed, is now incorporated into his constitution-it has become a permanent part of his character; it is always ready to be acted upon, when circumstances are presented, favourable to its indulgence. He becomes callous to shame, and deaf to remonstrance. Or, if there are some remains of moral sensibility, to avoid the stings of solitary reflection, he seeks relief in the excitement produced by dissipation. That which he denominates pleasure, is nothing but a tumultuous agitation of the passions. As if visited by the curse of Kehama, 'there is fire in his heart, and fire in his brain.'

"Of the sufferings endured by the parent of an intemperate son, that cruel suspense already suggested, is not the least. His expectations, which to-day are gathering strength, will be dead to-morrow. With tormenting rapidity, he passes from hope to fear, and from fear to hope. Nor because it will be unavailing, can he divest himself of all anxiety. Natural affection prevents it. He is therefore chained to a load, which is always ready to recoil upon him.

"In the case which has been supposed, the disease was not suffered to become inveterate, before remedies were applied. Proportionably greater will be the difficulty of recovery, should the disorder be confirmed by long indulgence. To reclaim the inveterate drunkard, reason acknowledges the inadequacy of her powers. The object of reasoning is to produce conviction. But the sinner in question is convinced already. With intentions, the purity of which he cannot call in question, you remind him of his estate, already embarrassed and partially squandered; of his family, either corrupted or impoverished, degraded, mortified, and comfortlessof his limbs, become feeble and tremulous-of his countenance, inflamed, disfigured, and rendered at once the hideous image of sin and death; and of many, whom habits similar to his own, have brought prematurely to the grave remind him, that in the death of these, he has a sure and direful presage of his own. In aid of all these motives, appeal to his faith in rev