the religion of his own soul, or of making himself more good than he ought to be. There is no danger of a man's having too much religion for Heaven but there is very great danger of his having too little, and the cry of fanatic has made many content with too little-has made many think themselves good christians, who had nothing to do with religion but going to church and paying their debts -who were afraid to open a religious book except on Sunday, or to go into their closets at all, lest they should stay in them too long, or be affected too deeply; and it has occasioned multitudes, since Paul, to be thought "mad," when they were only giving decent heed to the "words of truth and soberness."

We know indeed that religious zeal may become extravagant and dangerous. Fanaticism has given proof that it is not from God; and we do not wonder that men should avoid it. But is it necessary in order to avoid it, to fly to the opposite extreme ? Cannot we escape the scorching sun of the equator, except we rush to the polar snows? It is true, that an undisciplined and uncontrolled imagination raves as wildly and as loosely when fastened on religion, as it would on any other subject; and perhaps more so, from its superior importance. It rushes to extravagance and irregularity. But what then? Must these, because mingled with certain religious sentiments and feelings, bring into dis

It

credit those sentiments and feelings? Is it reasonable, because a weak mind has used a thing intemperately, to ascribe the evil to the thing itself? and therefore to imagine that all attachment, all warmth and earnestness must be suppressed? as if it were not pos→ sible to be warm, without being consumed, to glow, without scorching; as if the only security for a rational being must be cautious and guarded coldness? Certainly there must be, there is, a medium. can be no more reasonable from the fear of excessive enthusiasm, to check religious feeling and keep down the ardour of devotion, than it can be to rush headlong into fanaticism from the fear of lukewarmness and indifference. There is an equal want of right judgement in each. God is to be loved as well as obeyed; and we pity those men who have trained themselves to look without emotion on all that is grand and delightful in his providence and promises; who will not be touched and who refuse to feel; and whose best feelings have been so perverted, that when any thing like ardour or interest in personal religion is recommended, they have no ears to hear, because they think you mean to recommend overmuch righteousness.

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The inconsistency of the world is most melancholy. A man may be concerned about business, pleasures, politics, but not about religion." He may be an enthusiast in literature, in science, in arts, and in war, may devote to them

all the faculties of the spirit which was made to live forever, and it is honourable. But if he deeply engage the pow ers of his immortal soul, on interests equally immortal,-if he employ the high faculties, which can search through nature and grasp the most amaz ing truths, in the service of Him who gave them, with a little more than common anxiety to prove their alliance to Him, how many are prepared to wonder at and pity him!

But we must check our remarks, and only detain our readers while we present them a passage respecting perpetual and indiscriminate quotation from the Scriptures, which we think well deserving their at tention, and particularly the remark, with its fine illustration, which we have marked with italics. We hope they will think of it when they read the Bible in future.

1.

"The incessant use of scriptural phrases, in whole or in part, disjointed or connected, does not appear to me to be favourable to perspicuity. I have the highest reverence for the majesty, and the noble and beautiful simplicity of the scriptures. The language of them may often be directly quoted with great propriety and effect, but the indiscriminate use of it is not always to be approved. It deserves to be considered, that the language of the common transla tion of the scriptures is not the language of our times; that the scriptures are often highly figurative and abound with allusions to circumstances,

customs, and rites, of which many hearers have but very imperfect conceptions; that the force of these allusions therefore is not always perceiv ed; and that, when improperly applied or understood, they may convey very erroneous impressions. Thus the epistle to the Hebrews is filled with references, often misinterpreted, to the rites, sacrifices, and institutions of the Jewish economy. We may add that phrases of this kind come to the mind accompanied with a sentiment of their sanctity which leads us to assent to them without examination; and, the language of the scriptures having become very familiar, we often think we understand it when we do not, and it is frequently heard and read without producing any distinct or vivid impression. Thus it often happens that members of our own family, for whom we entertain the highest respect and affection, may pass through the room in which we are sitting, without any distinct consciousness on our part of their entrance or departure, their manners or observations : whereas, if they were only occasional visitors, we should receive them with particular courtesy and attention. Nothing, which I have said, will be construed into a want of respect for the scriptures, but by those persons who wish to misunderstand me, and I am persuaded there are none such present. The scriptures arc occasionally quoted with an aptness, elegance, force, and effect, singularly striking, but

ledge. You have not now to learn the comprehensive and progressive character of religion. You was not satisfied with the imperfect ideas im bibed in the nursery. You indulged a spirit of search; and with the same reason, at this more advanced age, if humble, you will doubt of the fullness and perfection of your faith, and expect new discoveries from the study of the sacred scriptures, the treasury of wisdom and truth. Here on earth we see but in part; we are disciples in the christian school, and must receive the kingdom of God with the docility of children. A humble and docile temper will afford the best security against the fickleness of those who are always changing without improving. It will prevent from pertinaciously adhering to prepossessions, and obstinately refusing confession of error. It will secure against the delu sion of sudden impulses and the conceit of intuitive knowledge; against superstition which, by plunging the human mind into despair, utterly paralizes its searching power. Consider yourself a learner,and not vainly imagine that your sight now extends to the whole system of divine truths, but discriminate that horizon which bounds the visible and invisible hemispheres of things known and unknown.

"But while you humbly sit at the feet of Jesus Christ, yet in the presence of your brethren, and especially in the company of profane and immoral men, you may assert the char

acter of a teacher in Israel, and use the boldness of a prophet. You will frown on the cold and lukewarm christian, on the backsliding and unstable, on the perverse disputer, on the irreligious and unbelieving who see no form or comeliness in our divine Master, that they should desire him."

We would call the particu lar, attention of our readers to the following extract; and request them seriously to reflect upon it; and we earnestly wish that some might be led by it to become "occasional preachers" of the truth, and bear witness to the value of religion, though the vows of ordination are not upon them,

"You have been, ever since your profession of christiani ty, tacitly considered a member of the society of christians for the suppression of vice and advancing the reformation of manners; but now you are specially recognized as such; for what else is the christian priesthood but a holy fraternity for these very purposes. When you are invited to subscribe your name as a member of any particular institution established for religious and moral purposes, you may say with the Quaker in his reply to the invitation to join the Peace Society," I belong to your society already.' All ministers of Christ from the very nature of their profession, should con. sider themselves as one body, whose joint and several duty it is to devise and execute the best means of breaking up the evil customs of, the world,