fear, are living as it were on the confines of the two kingdoms, with out any very lively apprehension of the immense space that lies between them. You have probably no intention of passing the boundary line; but should you not remember that the nearer you approach it the more likely it is that you will overstep it at last? The question is not, or ought not to be, How far may you resemble the world without losing your Christianity? But, How far may you differ from the world, and yet be destitute of the vital principle of religion in the soul?-What, then, you ask, is to be done? If you cannot flee altogether from the land of Egypt, where all is darkness, to some little "Goshen, where the children of Israel have light in their dwellings;" if, as is most probable, the duties of your calling and relative circumstances detain you a considerable portion of your time in promiscuous society, at least endeavour and pray that, after the example of Moses, you may be enabled to renounce the pleasures and pursuits of the world for "the recompense of reward," and like him bear a strong and decided testimony for God, and be found "blameless and harmless," "holding fast your profession with out rebuke in the midst of a crook ed and perverse generation." For this purpose I need scarcely intimate, that unremitting vigilance is indispensable. In the common affairs of life men may quit their business for a time, and find it on their return as they left it but in religion the case is quite different; the world is within us and around us; it is on the right hand and on the left; the current flows so deeply and strongly that without unceasing application and persevering effort we must be carried down the stream. Indolent desires will never supply the place of action: they are wholly insufficient for the emergency.

But it is quite time to bring to a

close this protracted letter. I trust you will do me the justice to believe that, however it may have failed in discrimination, it has been dictated by a real concern for your best interests, and you will not expect an apology for what I have ventured to say. I have a double warrant for writing as I have done; my affectionate regard for you, and the peremptory command to "exhort one another daily whilst it is called to-day, lest any of us should be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." Indeed, how can we fulfil the law of love unless we point out to each other what appears to us erroneous in each other's principles or practice? Well I know how difficult it is either to give or to receive, in a right spirit, any thing in the form of reproof. I have attempted the former, and shall be glad to have an opportunity to exercise the latter. I only ask the reward of a reciprocal friendship to that of which I have endeavoured to give you the present proof.-I remember, in Dr. Hawksworth's Voyages, an account of Dr. Solander, the physician and companion of Captain Cook, who-after having warned the whole party, while exploring an extremely cold region, that they would probably experience great drowsiness, and an almost irresistible propensity to sit down and sleep, but that, if they yielded, death would be the consequence-was himself the first to exemplify his own anticipation, and became extremely angry because they would not suffer him to indulge in the fatal repose which he desired. Like this physician, I may require to be warned by you respecting the multiplicity of evils to which we are all exposed in the dangerous region of this world: I may even be so insensible, on account of some lethargic influence, as to be wholly unaware of my danger; and therefore I greatly need some kind friend to apprize me of it. "What, therefore, I would that others should do

in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”

The Apostle in this passage is speaking more immediately of the doctrine of the resurrection; but we may consider his words in a large sense, as applicable generally to the fall and sinfulness of man and the atonement of Jesus Christ. Is there then a spiritual death? there is also a corresponding life-the life of the soul. Are we subject to natural death? This indeed is not taken away; but, to the believer in Christ Jesus, it is more-it is converted into an unspeakable blessing and, above all, the second death is swallowed up in life and immortality. Let us consider these ideas somewhat more particularly, contrasting the curse withi the blessing; the fall with the atonement; and the death entailed upon us in consequence of the sin of Adam, with the life which we enjoy through the merits and righteousness of Jesus Christ.

:

With regard then, in the first place, to natural death, its sting is extracted, and the hopes of a blissful immortality far outbalance this light affliction, which is but for a moment, Hence the separation of soul and body is called in Scripture by no more terrifying expression than that of "sleeping in Jesus." The loss of relatives and friends, which constitutes so much of the bitterness of natural death, is, among truc Christians, but a momentary separation: for they die in certain hope of a blessed resurrection, and know that all those also will be partakers of it who with them have chosen that good part which cannot be taken away. The expiring believer is but as a traveller in sight of his home, those blessed mansions where dwells the object of his highest af fections, whom, having not seen, he loves, in whom though now he sees him not, yet believing he rejoices with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

1

Even in this world bis soul has

been already made alive: he has been raised from the death of trespasses and sins; and he exhibits infallible signs of this life in his conduct. He has felt his need of the bread of life, and of that fountain which flows from the river that makes glad the people of God. The Scriptures, for which he had naturally no true relish, begin now to be the object of his regard and diligent study; and prayer and holy thoughts, which before were irksome to him, have become his delight. There is much in every respect to distinguish such a man from others. His views and feelings and motives are changed: be is a new creature; old things are passed away, and all things are be

come new.

The soul thus made alive longs for its heavenly destination. It would not live here always. Death, which it once so much dreaded, is now but the beginning of neverending life. While in the body, the enlivened soul was surrounded with many obstacles to its progress, and threatened with innumerable evils, which seemed every moment to en danger its spiritual existence; but in that happy world which awaits it, every thing shall tend to its perfection. Well then may we say of such an one," Blessed is he; for on him the second death shall have no power." He is made alive by a spiritual existence here, and he shall live for ever by a heavenly existence hereafter. In comparison with this, nothing else is worthy of the name of life.

The words " in Christ," used by the Apostle in the text, are very emphatic: they attribute the praise of our recovery from a state of death, not to our own natural powers for these, being corrupted with the infection of original and actual sin, would only have been productive of dead works but to a far higher Agent," the Second Adam, the Lord from heaven." It was He only who could say to fallen and guilty man," I will rau

som thee from the power of the grave: I will redeem thee from death. O death, I will be thy plague : 0 grave, I will be thy destruction." It is He who, even in this world, by means of his Holy Spirit and his word, breathes into us the breath of spiritual life; and it is only by His death and merits that we become entitled to the life eternal. While therefore with the Apostle we exclaim, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" let us not forget to add with him, "Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Yet let us beware of the fatal error of supposing that this life will become ours, while we are careless and indifferent about it. Salvation is indeed offered to us freely; it is" without money and without price;" but it will not be bestowed upon the thoughtless or hard-hearted sinner. To know our selves to be in a state of spiritual death, and to be deeply anxious and alarmed on account of it, is usually the first token of returning life. Till we liave thus experienced our need of a Saviour, and have been changed by his grace and power to newness of life in this world, we have no scriptural ground to hope that eternal life will be our portion.

In conclusion; from the passage before us we may learn several useful lessons ;—and,

First, the folly of self-righteousness and spiritual pride. For what is man? He is a being fallen and corrupt in his nature, descended from an ancestor who had broken the law of God, and prone himself to break it every moment of his existence. His body, on which he is wont to lavish bis regards, is soon laid in the grave, saying to corruption, Thou art my father, and to the worm, Thou art my mother and my sister. Nay, even while in life, already he exemplifies the truth of the assertion, “ Iu Adam all die," by an incipient

death; by pains, and sorrows, and diseases, the forerunners of actual dissolution. Nor is this all: his soul is by nature dead; dead to God; dead to all hopes of a blessed immortality. His restoration also was brought about in such a way as to exclude boasting: he is indebted to the mere mercy and favour of God in Christ Jesus for all his hopes: he cannot say, As in Adam I died, so by my own powers I am made alive. No : the Gospel effectually shuts out every self-righteous claim; and 'humility of heart and life is thus rendered the genuine mark of a true believer in Christ Jesus.

We may learn, secondly, a motive for gratitude to God for his inestimable gift, and consequently for renewed dedication to his service. We might have been justly left to perish, but God commended his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. "God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us." He manifested his love, by sending his only begotten Sou into the world, that we might live through him. Our Lord himself expressed the object of his mission by saying, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." This love is enhanced by every circumstance. The dignity of the Person who became our ransom; the greatness of the sufferings He bore in our stead; our sinfulness, and our inability to have helped ourselves; the awfulness of the punishment from which He redeemed us; and the joys of that heavenly state to which He introduced us, ought to inspire us with earnest gratitude to Him by whose death and sufferings we are thus admitted to a new and everlasting life, and ought moreover to redouble our zeal for his glory, and our devotedness to his service.

Let us learn, thirdly, a subject of constant self-examination.-Are

we alive to God? Is our heart renewed by his grace? Are we dead to the world; and are we looking forward to a better state of existence? And have we scriptural reason to hope that when about to suffer the penalty attached to the sin of the first Adam, we shall enjoy a well-grounded hope that we are interested in the merits of the Second? Shall we then be able, like the Apostle, to call death life, and loss gain? Let us examine ourselves whether we are in the faith let us try our own selves, knowing that Christ is in us, except we be reprobates, and that if Christ is in us, the spirit will be life because of righteousness; that is, we shall partake of that character which has been described, and which is called in the sacred writings the new man. Let us then prove ourselves on these. points, that we may not be like, those of whom our Lord when on earth said, "Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life;" for it is the want of will that can alone finally seal our doom, since God has promised his Holy Spirit to cleanse and renew all that ask him.

The text unfolds to us, finally, a source of perpetual joy to the true Christian.-Even on earth, the believer in Christ Jesus has just occasion to rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. The very pains and sorrows he experiences, are only hastening on the period when his mortal body shall be no longer a burden to his renewed mind, and when, freed from every earthly incumbrance, his spirit shall triumph in that endless life which is procured for him by the death and merits of his Saviour. Let us look forward to this bright prospect with devout gratitude; and may it animate us to walk in the commandments of God, and to exhibit in our conduct that faith, and zeal, and love, and humility, and devotion, which become our holy profession!

For the Christian Observer.

A DIALOGUE BETWEEN DIACO. NUS AND PASTOR, ON THE SUBJECT OF THE MINISTRY.

Diaconus. I AM glad to see you, my dear sir; I much wished to have half an hour's conversation with you. I was ordained yesterday, and am now on my way to my curacy: and I am glad that I have found you at home. I very much want you to give me some instruction relative to the ministry which I am now entering upon. I am very desirous to know how I shall discharge this sacred office to the greatest advantage.

Pastor.-But do you expect, my young friend, that I can go through such a subject as this in half an hour? Half a year were scarcely sufficient to enter into all the branches of it, and much less half an hour. The whole state of your own soul before God must be the first point to be considered: for if you yourself are not in a truly spiritual state of mind, and actually living upon the truths which you preach to others, you will officiate to very little purpose.

D.-I thank you, sir, for that hint: but I humbly trust that those matters have been well considered by me. It was but yesterday that I declared before God, that I believed myself moved by the Holy Ghost to take on me the sacred office of the ministry; and I am determined through his grace to take heed to myself, as well as to. my doctrine, that I may both save myself and them that hear me. Yes; through God's help, I am resolved to give myself wholly to these things, and never to rest till I can say to my people, "Whatsoever ye have seen in me, do; and the God of peace shall be with you."

The points on which I wished particularly to consult you were, the best mode of forming aud of delivering my discourses. 1 hear so many clergymen, whose delivery