indiscriminate hand, may be productive of evil instead of good. The human frame is so blended with inclinations to vice and virtue, that, to depress the bias to vice, and raise it to virtue, requires discrimination. The poor and ignorant are so apt to indulge in indolence, inebriety, and intemperance, which adds fuel to their passions, and throws in the shade any spark of virtue that may lie concealed in their souls; that, to feed these with a bountiful hand, would be nursing their vices, instead of bringing to view their virtues. Industry produces wealth, comfort, and independence; by its means mankind not only provide for their own wants, but likewise contribute to the general good. The most lasting charity we can do our fellow-men, is by encouraging them to industry; and by that means they acquire a habit that will provide for their wants through life.

Let them who are constrained by the gentle bands of love to attend to the miseries of their brethren of mankind; instead of carelessly giving away their property to the indolent, cherish the sick and infirm, and find employment for the young .and healthy; let their fellow-men be made useful to society, instead of a burden; let them, by their own exertions, contribute to their wants, and by that means they rise in the scale of usefulness. The labourer's hire is more beneficial to him, than

if it had been the gift of indolence; by his labour his time has been virtuously occupied, and his hire he claims as a right, not as a gift, and he will distribute it with a more economical hand than if it had come to him without toil.

The Christian religion, notwithstanding its unbounded charity, inculcates, in the strongest terms, industry. They who will not labour are not entitled to eat the fruit of the industry of others. It enjoins, along with its fervency of spirit, diligence in business; it gives a new impulse to the industrious, when they know that only such are held honourable. It is only when the individual buries his soul in his worldly labours that he becomes an object of contempt; and none are more contemptible than they who make gold their chief good. sensualist is hurried away by the force of his passions; but the miser, in the cool calculation of his soul, voluntarily prefers his gold to the riches that are in Christ.

The

From general observation of mankind it will be found, that more become indolent and vicious from the want of one to guide them in the pursuits of life, than from a malicious desire to injure their neighbour. How valuable then must the labours of that man be, who, when he sees men turning from the path of righteousness, points the way where they should go! And none have it in their

power to do it with more grace and effect, than they who are set up as watchmen over the souls of men. How awfully responsible is the character of a clergyman, when he neglects to warn those who are turning from a life of holiness! By his imitating the conduct of Nathan to David, he may save a soul from death. Little is the hope, when he has allowed the individual to run the full career of wickedness, that he will be reclaimed. He may denounce from the pulpit the wrath of God against the impenitent sinner; but is his conscience clear in this matter, if he has stood aloof from privately warning the sinner of the dire enchanting road he was running? Perhaps the vain frivolity of the world's ceremony kept him back from doing his duty. That love must belong to the frigid zone that does not burn up ceremony when there is a soul to save. They claim the title of fathers, and do they neglect the admonishing of their children? With what pain does the father of a family behold the son that walketh disorderly! How many private admonitions does he give him! And how often does he remember him in prayer!

Even, though fallen, he forsakes him not; his love follows after him, to try to win him to the paths of virtue; and, if he succeed, how he rejoices over him! It would be well were ministers of the gospel to imitate the paternal character, in leading their flock to the

great Shepherd. It is by gentleness and love that they may expect success. If they stand aloof from their flock, however high their talents may be, they will not be esteemed with such love as the kind and affectionate pastor, who makes himself familiar amongst his hearers as a father does amongst his children.

LETTER XVIII.

Thus with the year

Seasons return; but not to me returns
Day, or the sweet approach of ev'n, or morn,
Or sight of vernal bloom, or summer's rose,
Or flocks, or herds, or human face divine;
But cloud instead, and ever-during dark
Surrounds me, from the cheerful ways of men
Cut off, and for the book of knowledge fair
Presented with a universal blank.

Of nature's works, to me expunged and razed,
And wisdom at one entrance quite shut out.
So much the rather thou, celestial light,

Shine inward, and the mind through all her powers
Irradiate; there plant eyes, all mist from thence
Purge and disperse, that I may see and tell
Of things invisible to mortal sight.-MILTON.

Edinburgh, 14th May, 1821.

To live by faith is the life of a Christian. The men of the world act upon the faith of experience, and why should not the Christian act on the faith of promise? The mariner boldly ventures to sea in his vessel, he trusts it will bear him in safety to the distant port, as it has done many times before. The traveller passes a bridge with confidence, be