These borderers are frequently disposed to be benevolent, partly from a warm temperament, partly from a conviction that charity is a duty. They profess to give whatever they can spare, but of that proportion they allow vanity, and not piety, to be the arbiter. If personal ornament, if habits of luxury, did not swallow up their money, charity would have it. Charity is the next best thing to self-gratification.

obliged to associate so much with neighbours | a little incongruous to hear the language of one from whom, they confess, there is not much to of the countries spoken, even with a strong acbe learned, while they own there is something cent, by ladies in the full costume of the other. to be feared; but, as they are quite sure their inclination is not of the party, they trust there is no great danger. They regret, that as they must live on terms with the world, they cannot, without singularity to which ridicule would attach, avoid adopting some of their manners and customs. Thus they think it prudent to indulge in the same habits of luxury and expense; to conform to many of the same practices, doubtful at the best; and to attend on some places of diversion, for which, indeed, they profess to feel no great relish, and which, for the sake of propriety, are rather submitted to than enjoyed! One would not be particular, one does no good by singularity.'

Should they continue their present course, and their numbers increase, or, as is commonly the case, should continual motion accelerate progress, the land-marks of separation between the several countries will insensibly be lost, and it will be difficult to divine the exact limitations of the invading neighbours.

By an invariable discretion, they thus gain the confidence and regard of both parties. The It has frequently been regretted that an amiold settlers on the fashionable side are afraid of cable accommodation between the adverse parlosing them, by opposition to their occasionally ties could not be accomplished by the interjoining their enemies; while the religious colo- ference of this intermediate region. But whennies are desirous of retaining them, and render-ever it has been attempted, it has not always ing them service by courtesy and kindness, still charitably hoping their intentions are right, and their compliances reluctant. Thus their borders are every day extending, and their population increasing. As they can speak, as occasion requires, the language of both countries, they have the advantage of appearing to be always at home with each, who never suspect that the same facility in the dialect of the other, equally secures their popularity there.

In one respect, they carefully comply with the Apostle's injunction, applying to it, however, a meaning of their own, They let their mode. ration be known unto all men.'-They scrupulously avoid extremes. They keep a kind of debtor and creditor account with religion and the world, punctually paying themselves for some practice they renounce, by adopting some other which is a shade or two lighter: between these shades they discriminate nicely; and the pride they feel in what they have given up, is more sincere than the gratification at what they retain.

Thus, though hovering on the borders of both countries, they do not penetrate into the depths of either. The latitude they happen to be cast in varies according to circumstances. An awakening sermon will drive them, for a time, beyond the usual geographical degree; an amusing novel, or a new Canto of Childe Harold, will seduce them to retreat. Their intentions however, they flatter themselves, are generally on the right side, while their movements are too frequently on the other.

But though their language can accommodate itself to both parties, their personal appearance is entirely under the direction of one of them. In their external decorations, they are not be hind the foremost of their fashionable friends; and truth obliges us reluctantly to confess, that their dress is as little confined within the bounds of strict delicacy, as that of women the rest of whose conduct is more exceptionable. The consequence is not unnatural; for to those who must do like other people, it is also necessary to look like other people. It does, however, scem

been successful. The coalition, it has been found, could not readily be brought about. Prejudices on the one part, and rigorous demands on the other, have hitherto perpetuated the separation.

Terms of peace, indeed, cannot easily be made where one side expects so many sacrifices, and where the other has so much that must be parted with. The worldly territory, having, beyond all comparison, the larger population, is of course the stronger, and therefore most likely to hold out.

But though no actual flag of truce has yet been sent out for a general peace, yet alliances are frequently contracted between individuals of the hostile countries, but on very unequal terms; for it unfortunately happens that the party from the more correct side, who come out to visit the daughters of the land,' have been seduced by the cheerful music, splendid banners, and gay attractions of the other; and have been prevailed upon to settle in the enemy's camp. To them it more frequently happens that they gradually forget all they learnt in their father's house, and insensibly adopt the manners of the strange country, than that they bring over the other party to their side. It may, therefore, perhaps be safer not to contract these unholy alliances till there is a conquest obtained by the small territory over the great one; an event which, if we may judge by the present state of the parties, seems at a very considerable distance.

But enough, and perhaps the scrupulous Christian will say too much, of this light manner of treating a serious subject. We acknow. ledge the charge; we bow to the correction: confessing that we scarcely knew how to ap proach this important and interesting class of persons, without the thin veil of something be tween fiction and fact, between allegory and true history. We felt an almost sinful reluc tance to say any thing which might seem re. volting to those pleasing characters who have shown some disposition to religion, who love its disciples, without having courage to imitate

them. But real concern for their best interests | imputation of narrowness or enthusiasm. 'In will not allow those who assume to advocate the short, they go with the multitude that keep cause of Christianity, to conceal the distance at holiday,' not, indeed, in the Scriptural sense, which they at present appear to stand from its but in direct conformity to the vulgar acceptaconstraining power, and from its practical con- tion of that term. sequences.

Perhaps your creed is not very erroneous. Probably the rectitude of your religious friends, whose doctrines are sound, and the indifference of your fashionable friends, who care for none of these things,' have preserved you pretty clear from errors of opinion. Whilst the occasional society of the pious has kept your sentiments in order, the amusements of the worldly have indemnified you for the severities of the other quarter. But opinions do little till they are ripened into principles. It is reputable to say with one party, 'strait is the gait and narrow is the way;' but the company of the other lets you see that it is not so easy to enter in at that gate, and to walk in that way, as you had flat tered yourself you should have found it.

Worldly allurements find in the unrenewed heart a willingness to meet them, a disposition accommodated to them by temperament, a readiness to pursue them, increased by habit. The natural heart is already on the world's side, Before the world has time to begin its attack. the citadel is disposed to yield. Before the assault is made, there is a mutual good understanding, a silent connivance between the besiegers and the besieged. As soon as the trenches are opened, the disposition to parley and to submit is nearly the same act.

You appeared, however, to take the first step in what is right, by occasionally joining reli. gious society, and by the pleasure you expressed in it. By that introduction you seemed not undesirous of ranging yourself partly on that side. Having broken through that first obstruction, it was hoped that every subsequent step would have become less irksome.

To you the world is by far the most formi. dable foe of the triple alliance, of the three confederated enemies, which the Scripture tells us war against the soul. We have presumed that opinions may not be very erroneous, but there are moral as well as speculative heresies, of which worldliness is the originating principle, and in which it is the practical operator. The WORLD is the grand heresiarch. There are many more who love the world, and the things of the world,' than who care whether doctrines are true or false. While they themselves are let alone to follow their own devices; while they are left undisturbed to their own pursuits; you may propound, or controvert, or adopt any opinion, sound or heretical, with equally little dan-you have attained that entire consecration of ger, or equally little benefit to them.

To the devotee of pleasure there is something harsh and repulsive in doctrines and dogmas; to take part with them would be going out of the way while to those who can contrive to make right opinions live on friendly terms with wrong practices, it would be a gratuitous folly to add to the faults of conduct the errors of speculation.

That religion has its difficulties, we do not pretend to deny; but with a hearty concurrence of the will, nurtured by cordial prayer, strengthened by a full reliance on the Saviour, and sustained by the aid of His Spirit, which is offered you, the difficulties will daily diminish. Rest not, then, in that low state of religion which is satisfied with the hope of escaping punishment; calculate not how small a measure may suffice to effect that escape. Search not out for an imaginary intermediate state between the children of wrath and the children of God. Rest not till

heart, whose object, aim, and end, is eternal life. Forget not that they who run in a race, though they may come closer to the goal, yet, if they come short of it, fail of the prize as completely as those competitors whose distance is greater: and, if we come short of heaven, whether we lose it by more or fewer steps, the failure is equally decisive, the loss equally irreparable.

Those worldly persons with whom you associate are intrenched on every side by numbers; they therefore act as if they thought that the evil, supposing it to be evil, which is shared among so many, cannot be injurious to the in. dividual; forgetting that every man must bear his own burden, and suffer for his own sin; for, though multitudes may give countenance to your errors here, they will not answer for you hereafter.

In this affectionate remonstrance, we allude not to what might be called palpable and tangible offences; these the decorums of their condition set them above any temptation to commit. We speak not of any disbelief or contempt of religion; these are not the immediate perils of their position: it is not infidelity but indifference -a disinclination to Christianity, not as opposed to unbelief, but as it contradicts the maxims, the manners, the habits of their associates.- Do not follow those who have no settled course Their danger consists in a supreme attachment of their own-who are hurried to and fro by to present objects, and a neglect of such as are every breath of custom-whom fashion leadeth future; it consists in preferring the pleasures withersoever it listeth. The persons against and the interests of the world to the service of whom we would guard you, though confident, Him who made it. They are governed by other are not without their fears; but it is worth ob. principles than those of that gospel which has serving, that their fears seldom lie on the same proclaimed that the friendship of the world is side with their dangers. They fear not great enmity against God.' They are influenced by practical errors; these they soften down and its opinions, misled by its example, enslaved by treat with complacency; these are tenderly its amusements; they fear lest any deviation mentioned as the infirmities of nature-weakfrom its prescribed code should bring their good nesses to which we are all liable. Almost every sense and good taste in question; lest withdraw-excess in personal gratification is thus kindly ing from its practices should bring on them the palliated: Why did God give us both the dis

position and the means to indulge it, if indul, even more admired, when they are known no gence were a sin?' There is but one excess they guard against-an excess, indeed, of which they are in little danger, we mean a high degree of religion; for surely excess is little to be feared, where the thing has not yet even been entered upon!

to be the best things you have. When you set less value on them yourself, they will be more pleasing to others; who, though they will not estimate them above their worth, will not depre ciate them below it.

We are persuaded that you are too reasonable Be assured, that whatever serves to keep the to expect that Christianity will change its heart from God, is one and the same spirit of character, or lower its requirements, or make irreligion, whether it appear in the shape of the strait gate wider, or the narrow way broader, coarse vice, or whether it is softened by the or hold out false colours, in order to induce you smoothness of decorum, and the blandishments to embrace it. It is not that easy and superof polished life. We are far from comparing ficial thing which some suppose, as requiring them together, as if they were equally injurious little more than a ceremonious attendance on to society, or equally offensive to decency; but its forms, and a freedom from the gross viola. we must compare them together as equally tion of its commands. This may be nominal, drawing away the heart from the worship and but it is not saving Christianity. It is not that the love of God. Courteousness, which is un- spiritual, yet practical religion, for which the accompanied by principle, will stand the most Son of God endured the cross, that He might courteous in no stead, with Him who is a dis-establish it in the hearts of His followers,cerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Some of these well-bred persons, who exercise this large and liberal candour towards practical offences, and treat with tenderness certain vices, not thought disreputable by the world, and who even put a favourable construction on things very unjustifiable in the sight of God, lose ali their kindness, put no favourable interpretation, when sound religion is in question. They are, indeed, too discreet to reprobate it under its own proper name, but the ready appellation of enthusiasm presents itself is always at hand to vindicate the hastiest judgment, and the most contemptuous construction.

But though we think far better things of you, whom we are addressing, yet may you not, in this society, be tempted to disavow, or, at least, to conceal, even the measure of piety you actually have, for fear of exciting that dreaded suspicion, of being righteous over much?" May not this fear, strengthened by this society, keep you back till your pious tendencies, by being suppressed, may gradually come to be extinguished?

We are ready to acknowledge, and to love, all that is amiable in you: but we must not forget, that the fairest and most brilliant creature, the most engaging manners, and the most ac. complished mind, stands in the same need of repentance, forsaking of sin, redemption by the Son of God, and renovation by His Spirit, as the least attractive. The more engaging the manners, and the more interesting the acquirements, the more is it to be lamented, that those very attractions, by your complacency in them, may have stood between you and heaven,-may, by your resting in them, have been the cause of your not pressing towards the mark for the prize of your high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Bear then in mind, that you may be pleasing to others, while you have an unsanctified heart; that politeness, though it may put on the appearance of humility, is but a poor imitation of that prime grace; that good breeding, though the beautiful decoration of a pious mind, is but a wretched substitute for the want of it.

Be assured, however, at the same time, that true religion will in no wise diminish your natural or acquired graces; so far from it, those graces will be more estimable; they will be

which He is pleading with His Heavenly Fa ther, to establish in your heart. He did not suffer that His children might be excused from self-denial; nor that, because He was holy, they might be negligent. He suffered, that the wo men that are at ease might rise up; that the careless daughters might hear His voice, and give ear unto His word.'

If you are disposed to think that what you must give up is great, compare it with what you will gain, and you will be ashamed of your miscalculation; you will think the sacrifice as small as the objects sacrificed were worthless; for Christianity, though a self-denying princi. ple, yet denies you nothing which, even now, adds to your real happiness. It only disenchants you from an illusion, and gives you substantial peace in exchange. It will rob you of nothing which good sense and sound reason do not condemn, as well as the New Testament.

Perhaps you have just religion enough to render you occasionally uneasy. The struggle between the claims of the world and your casual convictions, is far from being a happy state. The flattery which delights, misleads; the diversions which amuse, will not console: the prospect which promises, disappoints. Continue not, then, working in the fire for very vanity.' Labour not to reconcile two interests, which, spite of your endeavours, will ever remain irreconcileable.

A life governed by Christianity differs in every thing from the worldly system. It is free from the turbulence and the agitation of its pursuits: it has none of the anxieties and jealousies of its competitions; consequently none of the lassitude and the vexation of its disappointing results. The further you proceed in its paths of pleasantness, the pleasanter they become. Its difficulties diminish, its delights increase. It has pleasures of its own, higher and better; satisfactions which depend not on human admiration, but on His favour, whom to know is eternal life.

Continue not, then, to live as if the great end for which you were sent into the world, was already accomplished. Continue not to act as if you thought you had done all for which God gave you an intelligent mind, reasoning facul ties, aspiring thoughts, capacities for endless

happiness. Let not those powers which were | rational, unsuited to an accountable, and altomeant to fit you not only for the society of an-gether unworthy of a never-ending being! Regels, but for the vision of God, be any longer nounce them for objects more becoming a canwasted on objects the most frivolous; on things didate for an inheritance among the saints in which, at best, must end when this world ends. light, better adapted to an immaterial, immorOh! renounce pursuits, some of them below a tal spirit, and commensurate with eternity.

REFLECTIONS ON PRAYER,

AND ON THE ERRORS WHICH MAY PREVENT ITS EFFICACY.

prayer, to which, in this same Divine history,, and thus by doing the will of God, he comes to such gracious promises are made? know of the doctrine whether it be of God.' Had the Holy Scriptures kept back from man Christianity hangs on a few plain truths; the faithful delineations of the illustrious cha-that God is, and that he is the rewarder of all racters to which we have referred, the truth of that seek him;' that man has apostatised from the doctrine in question, though occasionally his original character, and by it has forfeited felt, and in spite of his resistance forced upon his original destination; that Christ came into him, would not have been believed; or, if be- this world and died upon the cross to expiate lieved, would not have been acknowledged. sin, and to save sinners; that after his ascension into Heaven, he did not leave his work imperfect. He sent his Holy Spirit, who performed his first office by giving to the Apostles miraculous powers. His offices did not cease there; he has indeed withdrawn his miraculous gifts, but he still continues his silent but powerful operations, and that in their due order,-first, that of convincing of sin, and of changing the heart of the sinner, before he assumes the gracious character of the Comforter. What need, then, of heresies to perplex doctrines, or of philosophy to entangle,or of will-worshippers to multiply them?

It is, then, one great end of the oracles of Divine truth, to humble man, under a sense of his inherent and actual corruptions. The natural man feels it repugnant to his pride to suppose this doctrine is addressed to him.

It is very true that this all-important doctrine of human corruption, is, like many other truths, both in the natural, moral, and spiritual world, liable to certain speculative objections, and metaphysical difficulties.-Laying hold on these, which, often, a child might discover, and no philosopher be able to answer, even upon merely philosophical subjects, we excuse ourselves altogether from studying the Divine book, and fearful, in secret, of the discoveries we should make, pretend that its Author has left truth so obscure, as to be impervious to human eyes; or so lofty, as to be above human reach.

But is it not making God unjust, and even the author of that sin which he charges on ourselves, to suppose that he had put truth and knowledge out of our reach, and then threatened to punish us for failing in that which he himself had made impossible? Is it probable that He, whose eyes you say are so pure, that he cannot look upon iniquity, should tolerate it, by tying our hands, and blinding our eyes, and thus abandon us to the unrestrained dominion of that which he hates ?

The only real question which concerns us in our present imperfect and probationary state, is this:-Are the statements of revelation sufficient to establish this or that doctrine? And is the doctrine so established, a sufficient ground for the duties required? If this be answered in the affirmative, then to ask for fewer difficulties, clearer light, or stronger motives to action, is only to enter a vain contest with Almighty wisdom, and Divine supremacy. Our present disobedience proves that more light would only increase our guilt, stronger motives would only render us more inexcusable. We should reject then what we neglect now. To refuse what we now have, is not for want of light, but of eyes; not for want of motives, but of faith; not for want of rules, but of obedience; not for want of knowledge, but of will. Let us then pity those blind eyes which do not see, and especially those wilful eyes which will not see.

The Christian revelation, as far as respects its professed practical purpose, is brought within the reach of the plainest understanding. We speak of the Gospel itself, and not of those me. taphysical perplexities with which the schools have endeavoured to meet metaphysical objections; we speak of the fundamental truths on which God has made salvation to depend. The unlettered Christian lays hold on those truths which the philosopher misses. The former looks to the Holy Spirit for his teacher, the latter to his own understanding. The one lives holily,

We do not deny that there are, in Christianity, high and holy mysteries; but these secret things,' though they belong to God,' have their practical uses for us; they teach us humility, the prime Christian grace; and they exercise faith, the parent attribute of all other graces.

This religion of facts, then, the poorest listeners in the aisles of our churches understand sufficiently, to be made by it wise unto salvation. They are saved by a practical belief of a few simple, but inestimable truths.

By these same simple truths, martyrs and confessors, our persecuted saints, and our blessed reformers, were saved. By these few simple truths, Locke, and Boyle, and Newton, were saved; not because they saw their religion through the glass of their philosophy, but because theirs was not a philosophy, falsely so called; nor their science, a science of opposi tion;' but a science and a philosophy which were made subservient to Christianity, and because their deep humility sanctified their astonishing powers of mind. These wonderful men, at whose feet the learned world is still satisfied to sit, sat themselves at the feet of Jesus. Had there been any other way but the cross by which sinners could be saved, they perhaps, of all men, were best qualified to have found it.

The wise and the weak, the illiterate and the learned, cannot, indeed, equally discuss or expound these doctrines, but they are equally saved by them. In view of the simple means of salvation, talents lose their superiority, learning its dignity, and power its pre-eminence. While the sober Christian keeps on his safe, because prescribed course; the wise, and the disputer of this world, by deserting it fall into absurdities which plain men escape; they make the difficulties they do not find, and wander in the endless mazes of presumptuous deviation.

To return, then, to the particular doctrines under consideration:-Let us believe man is corrupt, because the Bible tells us he is so. Let us believe that such were so by nature, even the best, since we learn it from the Divine source. Let us from the same authority, trace the disorder to its source from a fallen parent, its seat in a corrupted heart, its extent through the whole man, its universality over the whole race.