ply; yet I will offer you a few thoughts on that part of his discourse which has most forcibly struck you,-SUDDEN CONVERSIONS; which his Lordship, with many other modern divines, ranks among the follies of Methodism. Though you are not inclined to adopt, in its full extent, the opinion of his Lordship on this subject, yet you seem willing to concede more than I think Candour demands, or Truth admits.

It is of importance in all cases, to commence with a clear definition and full understanding of the terms in which the subject itself is expressed. What then are we to understand by the terms to convert, or conversion? In the English language it signifies two things: First, To bring over from idolatry, or avowed infidelity, to a belief and worship of the true God (1 Thess. i. 9); and, secondly, To recover from a state of prac tical unbelief and actual impenitence to the love and fear of God. The conversions recorded in the New Testament generally include both. There was a change both in opinion and temper. This is sometimes the case now; but we commonly understand the latter. Few among the more zealous profes sors of Christianity confound proselytism with conversion; and, therefore, we take for granted, that the term, in the present instance, means a change from impenitence to faith and holiness.

I wish you barely to glance at some of the conversions recorded in the New Testament. Of individuals: Peter, in Matt. iv. 18; Philip and Nathaniel, in John i. 43, 49; the Ethiopian eunuch, in Acts iii. 6; Saul, in Acts ix. Of households: Jailor, Lydia, &c. in Acts xvi. Of multitudes, in Acts ii. 41. Whether these conversions affect the argument, as it applies to modern cases or not, they clearly prove the possi bility of the thing for which we contend, and that it is no novelty in the church of Christ. Great and general conver sions were, it is true, commonly preceded by miracles; but the immediate cause has nothing to do with the matter of fact, which, if once established by proof, which even his Lordship admits, must, prima facie, have an unfavourable ef fect on an argument, which considers such a thing as borderng upon, if not actually within, the confines of impossibility. The divine writers at once pronounce them conversions; and indeed the converts gave, instantaneously, all the evidences of sincerity which could be given in their circumstances. They forsook Judaism, or Heathenism, for a profession of Christianity: they submitted to its rites, - admitted its great facts, embraced its doctrines, and hazarded the loss of all things but supposing (what is universally admitted) that conversion meant also a change of disposition and habits, these evidences amounted only to a high degree of probability; and it was left for their future conduct to prove, beyond

rational doubt, the truth of that change; now these conver sions were, at most, but the beginning of their Christianity. Time only could actually bring out, and give substance, form, and expression to their principles. Had any man objected to these accounts of sudden conversions, and maintained that the characters of good men were gradually formed under the influence of powerful principles, the apostles would have felt no hesitation in admitting the truth of the assertion, without ceasing to maintain the truth of their own accounts; and this argument, if good in their cases, is equally so in ours.

The question between us and our opponents on this subject, must be kept carefully distinct from another, which has been commonly confounded with it, namely, The cause of these supposed conversions.' The question is not, Are they effected by the ferment and tumult of the passions, wrought into action, and rouzed so powerfully by the unmeaning clamour or terrific representations of some mad enthusiast?-or, by the natural operation of evangelical truth on the understanding and the heart? - or, by the influence of the Holy Spirit in preparing the mind to receive and act under the influence of truth? These belong to a different part of the subject; on which, if time permit, I may hereafter offer you my opinion. Placing the causes of this supposed change out of view, the whole reverts to a question of fact: Is conversion sudden, or is it not? And if it be a fact, can it be accounted for on any known principles of reason or religion?

The fuct is not to be decided by idle declamation, by real or pretended affrights at a doctrine so horridly unphilosophical as the admission of the fact would involve. His Lordship has, perhaps, contemplated Man only in books, or in college and high life. He has here met with few, if any, instances of the kind for which we contend: but his ignorance will not, I hope, be admitted as an argument, either in mat ter of speculation or of fact. We know and can produce numerous instances of persons, who have had such a wrench in their intellectual and moral powers,' that there has been a visible, immediate, mighty, and permanent change wrought in their views, tempers, and habits. If these are fucts, they are facts independent on any man's opinion, and however unable his Lordship may be, on any principles which he receives, to account for them. Go to Kingswood, to many parts of Cornwall, and to many estates in the West Indies, and you will find thousands who were once every thing that want of principle, that ignorance, associated with savage brutality could render them, now the ornaments of their neighbourhood; they deny all ungodliness and woridly lust, and live soberly, righteously, and godly. So general have been the effects, that the very face of society has in these places been changed; and this has been accomplished by many sudden and striking

conversions, as well as by the equally powerful, though less striking influence of education, and early habits of industry and sobriety. Let our opponents, with all the liberality for which they are distinguished, exclaim,' These are all the ef fects of enthusiasm!' Were it even so, it would not affect my argument. I am not now enquiring into a cause, but simply contending for a fact.

Now, admitting the fact of real conversion in any case, which even his Lordship does not affect to deny, the question is, Does it involve any absurdity to maintain that such a conversion may be sudden? We admit, indeed, that the formation of moral character in many men, who have been converted from perfect indifference, or from a state of actual, visible vice, has been gradual, and its progress almost imperceptible; yet it will here be fairly enquired, Must there not have been a moment in their existence, which, in the language of the schools, we may call the terminus a quo, the bound from which their retrograde moral movement commenced? This, though accompanied with no violent commotion of mind, is as really a sudden conversion as any for which we plead. The history of the theatre, amidst the ten thousand victims, whose ruin it does or might record, presents us one solitary instance . of moral conversion. A youth, rushing on, through expensive habits and profligate manners, to utter destruction, saw and heard the tragedy of George Barnwell. Anticipating from his present pursuits a fate equally tragical, he was affected with a sense of his guilt, while he beheld the consequences to which it might ultimately lead him. He became, it is said, sober, virtuous, and industrious. If this were a fact, who does not instantly admit that it was a sudden conversion? From that night he became a different man. Will his Lordship, will any man who professes the Christian religion, refuse to the sacred eloquence of the gospel a moral agency equally powerful? But in this and similar cases he might, perhaps, even admit our views of the subject.

His objection, I apprehend, is principally, if not exclusively, against a conversion powerful, strong, marked; and which, with most of its attendant circumstances, the person actually does, or at least pretends distinctly to remember. That such a thing is neither impossible nor unlikely, is, I think, clearly proveable, both from reason and revelation. Does Reason maintain that every man who turns from vice to virtue, must retreat in the slow imperceptible way which his Lordship approves? Does Reason demand an extinction of the passions in religion?- or, Does it forbid a man, who may have been rouzed by the terrors of the Lord, to remember his past feelings? Does Reve ation forbid us to expect it? Ancient converts were ' pricked to the heart;' and, with an anxiety which a modern bishop might treat as enthusiasm, cried

out, What must we do to be saved?' Should it even be granted, though it certainly need not be granted, that these were extraordinary cases, yet, unless human nature, or our mode of preaching be essentially changed, I do not see why the same effects may not be expected now. That his Lordship has witnessed none of these effects in his ministry, I can readily believe. Judging from the writings which have been ascribed to him, and especially from this Charge, I should imagine he possesses little of that fervent animated spirit ; and displays little of that direct, powerful appeal to the understanding and the heart, on which, under God, such effects depend. A tame insipidity of preaching, which treats all mankind as good Christians; and merges, rather than exhibits, the grand peculiarities of the gospel, together with a gentlemanly pliancy of manners, and sufficient zeal against evangelical fanatics, may mount a man to an episcopal throne, in the absence of those powers which might have secured the approbation of an apostle, and have produced effects in which an apostle would not have been ashamed to have gloried. [To be concluded in our next.]

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Evangelicana.

HINT TO HEARERS.

DIONYSIUS, of Sicily, being extremely delighted with a minstrel that sung well, and played admirably on the harp, promised to give him a great reward. This so encouraged the man, that it made him play still better but when the music was done, and the man waited for the fulfilment of the promise, the king dismissed him empty, telling him, that he should carry away as much of the promised reward as himself did of the music; and that he had paid him sufficiently with the pleasure of the promise for the pleasure of the music; both their ears had been equally delighted, and the profit just none at all. So it is with many people hearing sermons: they admire the preacher, and he pleases their ears; but neither of them get any good. The hearer forgets the sermon, and the preacher is little profited by unmeaning applause, while what he has said is not reduced to practice. C. B.

SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATED.

THE ASWAMEDHA JUG.

THIS is an ancient Indian rite, in which a horse was brought and sacrificed, with some rites very similar to those prescribed in the Mosaic law. The horse so sacrificed, is in place of the sacrificer, bears his sing with him into the wilderness, into which he is turned adrift (for, from this particular instance, it seems that the sacrificing-knife was not always employed) and becomes the expiatory victim of those sins. Mr. Halhed observes, that this ceremony reminds us of the scape-goat of the Israelites ; and, indeed, it is not the only one in which a particular coincidence be tween the Hindoo and Mosaic systems of theology may be traced.

See Halhed's Preface to the Code of Gentoo Laws, p. d

JUVENILE DEPARTMENT.

SERMONS TO YOUNG PEOPLE.

THE next class of books to which we shall direct the attention of our young readers, is one particularly devoted to their use: we mean Sermons, and other Serious Addresses to Young People. To notice the single sermons, and sermons in miscellaneous volumes designed for them, would be endless. We shall begin therefore with Mr. Henry's beautiful little work, on The Pleasantness of a Religious Life;' of which nearly 17.000 have been circulated by the Society for promoting Religious Knowledge among the Poor;' and we have the satisfaction to learn that an abstract of it, as a cheap Reward Book in Sunday - Schools, is just ready for publication. Every Christian must be glad to give circulation to sentiments so important, in language so engaging. Of similar character is a small volume by the excellent Dr. David Jennings, on The Beauty and Benefit of Early Piety;' which contains sermons addressed to young people, on several successive New Year's Days.

Dr. oddridge published Seven Sermons to Young Persons,' on several very interesting subjects, which have heen held in the highest esteem for many years; and these also are widely circulated by the Society above referred to.

A few years since, the Rev. G. Jerment published a small volume of Discourses on Early Piety,' which may be confidently recommended, both for the matter and the style. They are all founded on that striking precept of Solomon, Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth; and the preacher particularly states and answers the objections which young people are too apt to raise against religion at their time of life.

Mr. Fawcett's Advice to Youth,' written before the preceding, and now in a sixth edition, is founded on the same passage of Scripture; only, instead of being in distinct sermons, the book is thrown into sections, in the manner of a treatise. The style is good, and enriched with many striking poetical passages.

The Rev. Mr. Thornton has very recently added to the variety of our sermons to youth, A Series of Plain Discourses,' as he calls them, but very sensible, judicious, and affectionate, on The Advantages of Early Piety; the last of which will particularly interest our young female readers, as having been originally addressed to a boarding-school of Young Ladies.

Many of our readers would not perhaps excuse our omission of Dr. Hawkers Paraciesis,' tho' not in the form of Sermons; but of Letters from a Father to his Children,' recommending spiritual religion as the only source of Consolation in a Dying Bour.' The very tender and affection ate strain of these epistles, makes them highly interesting to young minds; and it is hardly necessary to say of any of the Doctor's Works, that they abound with unction, and with evangelical truth.

Though, in these literary sketches we do not make Sunday-School books a primary object, it may not be unacceptable to point out a few works, under this department, peculiarly suited to them. At the head of these we may place Twelve Addresses to Sunday-Schools,' by a Minister of the Gospel, which were actually delivered to a school of that kind at C— ; and must be highly interesting to such an auditory, as they enter into the sentiments and circumstances of youth in a peculiar manner. A miniature volume of sermons, published by a Lady, possesses peculiar merit, in the chaste simplicity of style; and there is a companion volume, by Messrs. Burder, Keader, Mason, &c. Two small volumes of Sermons, by on the Lady, possess some merit; but they are less evangelical, and much dearer, than the former. On the subject of Reward Books in geperal, we cannot now enter, though we may find a future opportunity.