in the best men, when they come before them in the line of duty; for the former seems forbidden by our SAVIOUR,-for many shall arise, saying, "Here is CHRIST, and there," but the practical rule is given, "Go not after them '.")

As every thing in nature seems to decline and die away when it has done its work-such as the bodily faculties, natural gifts, and the like-so do animal feelings gradually subside when they have done their part in the probation of the soul, which may be seen in the circumstance of passive impressions becoming weaker by repetition. And perhaps this may be the case, as men advance in holiness of life; that a calm equability of soul is produced, (as in St. John,) and such sensible feelings exist less, as having done their part in the state of trial.

8. That the whole subject contains something analogous in each particular to the circumstances of our Lord's life.

That, as our LORD manifestation of His

Now the inference from the whole of this view of the subject is, that the HOLY SPIRIT, in every way in which His dealings with mankind may be ascertained, is ever wont to throw a veil over His presence from the eyes of the world. avoided the more public places for the Divine power and goodness, and went into the retired and despised Galilee, and hid His Divinity under the garb of humble and common life, so does He in the persons of His disciples, producing in them a tendency to withdraw themselves from the eyes of man; so that of each of them it may be said, as it was of Him, "He doth not strive nor cry, neither is His voice heard in the streets."

That, as our LORD wrapt up the most sacred and divine truths in parables and mysterious sayings, so we find, that in good men there is a natural reserve of expression, which is apt to veil from the world holy sentiments; in both cases the end is observed,

1 Perhaps all persons may be, more or less, liable to this religious enthusiasm, as here described, according to their different constitutions, circumstances, and habits; and, of course, it is not to be expected to be thus always fully developed, or to be such as to mark the character of a person.

of keeping "that which is holy from dogs." And that such reserve is apt to give vent to its own feelings, especially in such similitudes and dark sayings, as partake of the nature of what is infinite, and, therefore, to the world mysterious.

That, as our LORD concealed His divine miracles, and could not perform them because of men's unbelief, and commanded others not to mention them; so does He now, in that He makes known to a good man a daily increasing weight of evidence, similar to the attestation of miracles, in disclosing to him those confirmations of his faith, which are opened to an obedient life, and by the harmonious language of all nature: all of which testimony He reveals not to others because of their unbelief. And, in addition to this, He has commanded His disciples not to promulgate to the world those good works which He Himself still works in, and through, and by them.

That, as our LORD left the curious and worldly-minded Jew to his own delusions, and answered him not, but left him to the difficulties which Scripture had thrown before him, in the solving of which alone, with a serious mind, could he find the truth; and did not explain to him his misconceptions concerning Himself; so is it also now with those who speculatively consider religious truth (the knowledge of which is the gift of God alone); they are beset with insurmountable difficulties, suggesting to them that "this is not the CHRIST," or leading to other practical errors.

That as our LORD disclosed the greatness of His divine Power and Person to a chosen few obedient and teachable spirits, limiting even that disclosure more and more; first to twelve, then to four, then, still further, to three (as in the Garden of Gethsemane, and at the transfiguration, &c.): so does it appear, that in morals, both when considered as separate from, and also when considered as including religion, there is something, which is called knowledge, which is infinitely great and good, which is concealed from all others, who are universally represented as being in a state of darkness and ignorance, and is thus disclosed to these alone.

That, as He, who spake by the Law and the Prophets, veiled the Gospel therein in type and figure; and because of men's

disobedience, " gave them statutes which are not good, and judgments by which men should not live," but led them on, by laws which satisfied not, to a secret wisdom, which good men perceived beyond; so also are there in morals, things which have led to much difficulty with speculative moralists, which are good and right to the natural man, but wrong in a Christian, on account of a further knowledge disclosed to the eye of faith: these are circumstances in which all that can be said is, "this is He, if ye can receive it." For, to the natural man, it is his boast 66 to covet honour" of men, but to the Christian his shame. Thus also the Fifth commandment contains the germ of all piety; and yet to the Christian it is said, he must hate father and mother.

Lastly, that as the manifestation of our LORD was seen to imply some very great and peculiar danger, when the heart was not prepared to receive it; so do we find that whenever these feelings, which are natural to a good man under the protection of the SPIRIT, are violated, as by enthusiasm, it is accompanied with dangerous consequences. Not to adduce other proofs of this, we have the memorable one in this country, when there broke in upon us an age, which has been well called one of "Light, but not of Love;" when the knowledge of divine truths was forced upon men of corrupt lives, and put forward without this sacred reserve. The consequence of this indelicate exposure of religion was, the perpetration of crimes almost unequalled in the annals of the world.

PART III.

SOME REFLECTIONS ON THE FOREGOING OBSERVATIONS.

1. That the present aspect of the world is much opposed to this principle.

It is well known that the general principle upon which the foregoing remarks are founded, pervades the whole religious system of the Ancient Church, and appears so much in various shapes throughout the works of the Fathers, that it would of itself form an entire subject of discussion to trace and exemplify it. Here, therefore, again the conduct of our blessed LORD might be traced, as illustrating this subject, viz. in the catholic consent of His Church, in which He has promised to be present always.

But, after being engaged in such contemplations, when we lift up our eyes upon the present state of the world, an extraordinary aspect of things meets our view. The knowledge of GOD, hastening to cover the earth, as the waters cover the sea; and a remarkable combination of circumstances at work, to produce effects the opposite to what has been hitherto witnessed in the world. The art of printing, bringing home this knowledge to all; the means which Providence has formerly allowed to hide it, not only from the Heathen and the Jew, but also from the Christian, (by a mysterious economy, which has been long permitted in the Church of Rome,) we see now removed; men of various creeds, opposed in principles and opposed in discipline, one might almost say Christians and unbelievers, combining together in the circulation of the Scriptures. Add to this, preachers and teachers of various parties and from various motives, all busily engaged in imparting religious instruction. Schools more

over, and many on an extensive national system. Churches and altars thrown open to all, from the loss of Church discipline; and, what is worthy of notice, Christianity acknowledged as true, by persons of the worst principles. Discoveries of science too, opening to us the boundless extent of the material world, which we cannot but suppose may have some bearing on the religious condition of mankind, as manifestations of God. Add moreover a new principle, unknown to former ages, prevailing throughout the world, in the shape, not only of an Article of Faith, but as the one and only Article; indeed, as one so important, and requiring to be received with such authority, as to supersede the very fabric of the Church; dispensing with her Sacraments, her Creeds, her Liturgies, her Discipline; and this principle is, that the highest and most sacred of all Christian doctrines, is to be brought before, and pressed home to, all persons indiscriminately, and most especially those who are leading unchristian lives.

Such are some of the most prominent features of the case. And so much does the opinion prevail of the value of religious knowledge merely and of itself, that when public attention was lately called to the commemoration of the familiar use of the Scriptures for the last 300 years, we heard no expressions on the subject which implied any thing like that feeling of apprehension, which the foregoing remarks would have led us to attach to it. Nor was it at all looked upon as that trying dispensation which the Baptist spoke of, as of the axe laid unto the root of the tree, and the coming wrath, and the sifting of the wheat. Nor was the awful import of those words considered, "be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you" (Luke x. 11), and "for judgment I am come into this world" (John ix. 39). Nor was our case at all alluded to in conjunction with that of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, or of them to whom our LORD said, "if I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin." There seems also an impatience at any book being held back from any person, as too high and sacred for them; it is a thing not understood. And so far from it being considered necessary to keep persons from church on account of irreligious lives, it is usually thought that every thing is done, if they can be brought