experimental knowledge of the truths they preach, are the most miserable. They are miserable in this life, their service being a perfect drudgery, and alas! their prospects as to futurity, how dark and melancholy!

Perhaps no single circumstance can more strongly prove the blindness and deceitfulness of the heart than the fact that men will continue through the whole course of a long life to act the part of teachers, and yet they themselves know neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.-Still they go on with as much ease and self complacence as if they were doing God service! What are we tosuppose the views and feelings of a minister of the gospel to be, whose principal concern is to get the duties of his calling performed, but who feels no greater solicitude as to the effects to be produced, than if the gospel he has preached were a cunningly devised fable. Such preachers are not merely cumberers of the ground-there are no neutrals in this case, "He that is not for us is against us."What thinkest thou, reader, would be the advice of an unconverted minister in case one of his flock were to be convinced of sin, and brought to enquire "What must I do to be saved?" Would he give the same direction that was given by an apostle in a similar case, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved?" No, very differen't would be his advice-he knows of no such exercises as are experienced by the convinced and enquiring sinner; and, therefore, he would be seen to send the poor awakened soul to the world for comfort; or, if the case appeared to admit of no other cure, he would probably recommend the person as a fit subject for bedlam.

Thus will such blind watchmen not only not see the danger, and give warning of its approach, but, like unskilful workmen, they will daub with untem

pered mortar, or sow pillows under the arm-holes of the slothful, saying, "ye shall have peace, though ye walk in the imagination of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes to add drunkenness to thirst.”

These are teachers who are ever thorns in the sides of the people of God. They are themselves blind, and they not only hate the light, but likewise all who have been brought to see the light.

Nothing will, perhaps, more excite the enmity and opposition of such, than to hear of revivals of religion of souls being awakened, converted, and comforted. Such things are as smoke in their nostrils, and they cannot bear them. Revivals of religion have appeared to us as a very important test of the truth and reality, or the absence of christian faith in the professor, whether ministers or people. Piety will ever be concerned for the honour of God, and the advancement of his cause, and even where there is something to regret, as is often the case in revivals, there will be joy and rejoicing at what appears to be the work of the spirit of God. But formalists, who can never bear to hear of others going beyond their own line of things, will be on the look out only for flaws and failings; and, like flies, will leap over all the sound parts, and alight only on the sores. We knew a formal professor who was relating with an air of triumph the case of a religious man who had been overtaken in a fault. While this circumstance caused self-gratulation to the formalist, a pious man who was present, and in nowise concerned but for the honour of God, on the bare recital of the tale, shed tears of sympathy. The truly pious man is always concerned for the cause of God; he has bowels of compassion for a fallen brother.-How then can he exult at the success of the enemy of God and man?

Another grievous consequence of the neglect of the agency of the Holy Spirit in our churches and

families, is that of which the prophet complains, "They have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying peace, peace, when there is no peace. The popular sentiment, nów-a-days,

seems to be, that conviction for sin is hardly neces sary to prove the conversion of the soul to Godwhereas both scripture and christian experience teach another lesson. Like blossoms in the spring precedeth fruit, so conviction must precede conversion. "The whole need not the physican, but they that are sick.”

How often are the fairest prospects blasted, and where there appeared many blossoms no fruit is to be found. Many have been almost christiansmany have put on the form, but are ignorant of, and even deny the power of godliness-many for a time run well, but do not continue to obey the truth. That master in Israel, Mr. Flavel, says, "The soul that is thoroughly convinced of sin, will have as different views of it from those it had formerly, as a person would have, who formerly seen only the lion painted on the sign-post, and should now meet the living lion roaring against him in the street." "You are likely," continues the same pious author, "to have some sick days and restless nights. That frothy heart must be smitten, if you are ever brought savingly to close with Christ by faith. How can it be otherwise, when we consider the native pride and obstinacy of the human heart? Will the healthy send for the physician? Will the rich beg for bread? Will any but the destitute seek covering or shelter? Or, will any but the weary and heavy laden long for rest?-surely

none.

The work of conviction by the Holy Spirit answers now, in some respects, to that of John the Baptist-to prepare the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight. What preparation must

E

there not be wanting in a heart in love with sin and the world, and averse to all that is spiritual and good? The law of God applied to the conscience, is often a severe, though necessary teacher in this case; and, even under its most powerful operations, how will the proud heart cleave to its own boasted performances, until it is fairly beaten off from all its resting places and refuges of lies, when at length it is brought to the brink of ruin, and in the act of sinking, is enabled to cry, "Lord, save or I perish," where is boasting then? it is excluded. Then is the prey taken from the mighty, and the lawful captive delivered. "The Mount of Danger is the place where sinners find surprizing grace." In persons grown to years of understanding, without any saving knowledge of God, we can conceive of no probable way in which they can be brought to a saving acceptance of Christ, but through the operation of the Holy Spirit, convincing them of sin, and reducing them to the happy necessity of seeking refuge in Christ. "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power." "They shall be all taught of God." "The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and hearing, they shall live."

How little danger now appears to be apprehended with regard to foundation-principles! A profession of religion-a mere outside appearance is enough; and, for a moment to doubt, or call in question the truth and reality of a work of grace, even where there are no visible evidences of it, would. be to violate the great law of Christian charity! We would not encourage, or even countenance a censorious spirit-no, where there is any tenable ground, charity hopeth all things. But is there no criterion by which we are to judge for ourselves, and even by which we may with safety direct others? Is there no danger of building a stately fabric on a sandy foundation? Of spending our mo、

ney for that which is not bread, and our labour for that which satisfieth not? Of saying peace, peace, when there is no peace? Of having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof? Of saying, 1 am rich and increased in goods, and have need of nothing, when at the same time the poor self-deceiver is, in reality, wretched, and miserable, and blind and naked? Where is now the skilful hand of an Edwards,* of a Flavel,t of a G. Tennent, of a Whitefield? Alas! is the heart less dutiful than formerly, or are there but few who are sufficiently aware of its wickedness and deception, and care for such things?

We had good assurance of the truth of the following facts and circumstances, which happened about twenty-one years ago; and we now give them as an evidence of the honour which God hath been pleased to put upon his faithful servants and their labour of love, even after they themselve have entered into the joys of their Lord.-A young man who had received a religious education, and had been brought up in a regular attendance upon religious duties, after having passed through the regular forms of catechising, examination, &e. was re ceived into the communion of the church, and had been for several years a regular and orderly professor of religion-was frequent in the performance of religious duties both in public and in private, and at times was much under the impression of the truths of the gospel. He had however, considerable doubts and misgivings with respect to the truth of his religious experience, and had no recollection of any particular work of grace upon his heart. He was conscious, however, of having never intended to deceive any by the profession he had made, but he generally felt an unwillingness to en

*Edwards on the Affections. + Touchstone of Sincerity.