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Holy Ghost, and his prayer is, Let me be sanctified by his influences; guide me by thy Spirit, and after ward receive me to glory; let me serve thee faithfully here below, and after death sing thy praises forever beyond the skies. The Spirit of God gives him faith. He no longer infers that because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily it will therefore never be executed he knows that it will; for God has told him so and he believes his word. He believes that though sin may delight for a time, yet at last it will bite like a serpent and sting like an adder. He believes that though his Lord may delay for a season his coming, yet he will appear at last in awful grandeur, call up the nations to his judgment-seat, and make an eternal separation between the righteous and the wicked. With this scene in view he shrinks from every evil work with horror, and lives a life of devotedness to God. Thus you see the man is renewed and sanctified by the Spirit of God, and fitted for heaven. And, my hearers, you must be renewed and sanctified, if renewed and sanctified at all, by this same Spirit.

But as the Spirit of God operates only by means of the truth, I must present the truth to your minds, hoping by so doing he will make it effectual. God has not yet come out in judgment against you; and are you taking encouragement to sin from this delay of punishment? Pause and consider what you are doing. What should you say of a criminal who had been condemned to die, but who through the clemency of the government had been put upon probation for a few months, and who on condition that he pursued particular course of conduct, should be pardoned, and restored to the privileges of society-what should you think of him,

if you saw him attending to every thing rather than the course of con

duct prescribed; wasting his precious hours in pursuits foreign to the object of his trial: would you not pronounce him--deranged. And what do you think of men who have been condemned by the law of God; who are now here on trial for a short time; who on condition that they pursue a particular course of conduct; viz. that they repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and lead a holy life, are at the end of this life to be freed from all punishment, and made eternally happy in the presence of their Maker ;what do you think when you see such probationers trifling away their days in vanity and sin; neglecting all the first duties on which their everlasting destiny hinges? Are they not so far as this subject is concerned deranged? But, my hearers, am I not speaking to a number in this house to each of whom I can say, Thou art the man. Are you the man fellow-sinner? how then do you regard that in yourself which you would call derangement in another? How do you look upon your conduct, and how do you think it is looked upon by Him who is lengthening out your days that you may repent; how does he feel towards you when he sees your heart fully set in you to do evil, because sentence against your evil works is not executed speedily; when he sees you abusing his goodness, appropriating his mercies to purposes directly the opposite of what he intended? Is not his heart grieved and his indignation roused, and must not your destruction when it comes, come indeed like a whirlwind. After a life thus spent will it not be a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God? How will you dare to meet your judge? But now he is on the throne of grace. Return fellow-sinner to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon you, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon you.

For the Christian Spectator.

principles, seem not to be aware that the social affections are equal

GENERAL AND EQUABLE culture OF ALL THE FACULTIES OF MAN.

In the developement and cultivation of the human faculties, great errours have in all ages originated, from not considering man as a whole. Endowed by their Creator with various classes of faculties, mankind have, almost universally, paid a disproportionate attention to some, and treated others with unmerited neglect. In warlike nations, and in the ruder and more barbarous ages of society, corporeal strength is the foundation of greatness, and, as an auxiliary to martial prowess, obtains an ascendency which renders intellectual, social and moral culture, comparatively insignificant. How often has the hand which could wield the battle axe, been unable to guide the pen of a ready writer. How often has the valiant champion been an infant in intellect, or cold-hearted, selfish, and corrupt.

As civilization advances, the importance of intellectual culture is more generally admitted, and strength of mind now claims the honour once assigned to mere muscular power. But here, as in all other cases, men are prone to run into extremes, and to devote themselves so exclusively to intellectual pursuits, as to neglect their social, moral, and corporeal powers. A man may become an eminent student, and yet be entirely destitute of moral excellence; or he may be cold in all his social feelings; or he may be frail as a reed shaken by the wind. Nor are instances of this kind uncommon. Many who discipline their intellectual faculties on well-digested

cordance with laws which may be developed, and arranged in a regu lar system. That there is a native difference of social character, cannot be denied; but is there not also a native difference as it regards intellectual powers? And if no one concludes that the intellect is to be neglected, because some are by nature superiour to others in this respect, let us decidedly reject the opinion, that our social affections cannot be rendered, by systematic and persevering cultivation, more ardent, refined, and constant.

The neglect of the systematic cultivation of the corporeal faculties, is still more common. Many acknowledge in general terms the importance of the subject, and admit the claims of duty. But how few have a well-digested system of rules, founded on principle and experience, and conscientiously observed. How few overcome the enchantments of sloth, and resist that aversion to muscular effort, which invades the system, when vigorous exercise is most indispensable? How many are desultory, and without perseverance in their efforts, sometimes rashly overacting, as though the beneficial effects of muscular exercise could be accumulated in large quantities by extraordinary efforts, so as to supersede the necessity of daily repetition? How many reduce themselves by a long continued course of intellectual effort and by intense emotions, and finding that the effects of exercise are not a miraculous and instantaneous recovery, rashly conclude that exer cise is not adapted to their constitution: forgetting that when the system has been reduced gradual

ly by a long continued series of exhausting efforts, it can be restored only by degrees to its original vigour and perfection. The effects of this neglect, I have exhibited more at large in a former essay on the connexion between the mind and the body.*

Not only is too exclusive a cultivation of the intellect injurious, but great evils also result from an inordinate exercise of the social and other instinctive emotions. This is alike adverse to intellectual and moral greatness, and is of ten highly pernicious to the corporeal system. Those who are unused to control such emotions, and to depend on their own intellectual and moral resources for happiness, are mere children of impulse, without decision, without energy, and always failing in the hour of trial. Such a mind, unsustained by vigour of intellect, not controlled by moral principle, and connected with a frail body, is always under the dominion of inordinate emotions, and exhibits a miserable spectacle of the pernicious effects of abusing and deranging the goodly workmanship of our benevolent Creator.

The evils arising from injudicious and misdirected efforts in cultivating the moral powers, are less common. Alas, the majority of mankind neglect them entirely. Some live as mere animals: others attain a good degree of social and intellectual excellence, but in all ages, what multitudes of mankind have been utterly ignorant of those more pure and benevolent emotions, which result from the communion of the soul with the Creator, and are supreme towards him and impartial towards all his creatures. These emotions so pure, so ennobling, so unspeakably delightful, are the life of the soul, the essence of happiness, the source of perfection. Still, however, those

*April, 1826.

who have sedulously and sincerely endeavoured to cultivate their moral powers, have often through inattention or ignorance, violated the laws of the human constitution; and with the best intentions, have defeated their own designs, by deranging their other faculties. For man must be considered as a whole, and if we weaken and exhaust some parts of the system for the sake of cultivating others, we shall gain nothing and lose much. Our Čreator has not given us a superfluity of faculties, some of which must of course be neglected. Every part of the human constitution was designed to accomplish some benevolent purpose. Man, if perfect, would not be merely a social, or an intellectual or a moral, or a corporeal agent; all his faculties would be equably adjusted; none in their exercise would interfere with others, but all would unite in harmonious action, and exhibit in its glory, that ideal perfection of human nature which, with one exception, has hitherto existed in the mind of God alone.

That all ought to aim at such perfection, none can deny. The reasons why so few approximate towards it cannot at this time be fully stated. But I have no doubt that the want of correct views, is one of great influence. Men are not inclined to reflect, to analyze their own powers, and to develope and arrange principles of action: they float with the current of received opinions and common practice.

The fundamental maxim in the science of self-improvement, and self-government is this: give those faculties or emotions the ascendency which, whilst ascendant, tend in their own nature to perfect and regulate the rest. In an exquisitely constructed machine we need a main spring and a regulating power. If either of these is wanting, the machine is useless. It is either inactive or acts irregularly.

So in the human mind we need an exciting impulse and a regulating power. And if either class of faculties has both these properties, then that class so long as it is ascendant, will impart energy to the whole system and yet prevent an inordinate movement in any part. That there is in the human mind such a class of faculties cannot be doubted, nor can any one long hesitate to assert, that these are the moral powers. The chief exercise of these powers, is with reference to the infinite Creator: but, as he regards all his creatures with impartial benevolence, no one can truly love him, who does not in this respect imitate him; so that emotions of supreme love to God, in their own nature, tend to produce impartial love to all his creatures; and it might be easily demonstrated that impartial love to man never does exist, and never can exist, except as a consequence of supreme love to God. It is a grand peculiarity of our moral powers, that they cannot become inordinate. Because it is impossible to estimate the character of God too highly, or to love him too ardently; since any views however exalted, and any emotions however intense, bear no proportion to his infinite excellence. We are therefore required to love God with all our heart, and with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength; and this command so accords with the philosophy of the human constitution, that we know not which most to admire, the wisdom, or the benevolence of the requisition. Many are satisfied with believing that what God requires must be right in its nature, and beneficial in its tendencies, without investigating the principles, on which his requisitions are founded. But the works of the Lord are great, sought out of all those that have pleasure therein;" and truly, it is a delightful employment, to examine that system of faculties

which God has so fearfully and wonderfully arranged, and to find his requirements most manifestly and powerfully tending to harmonize, regulate, and perfect every part of his exquisite workmanship. It brings home to the mind a new conviction of the goodness of God, and causes emotions of love more ardent, and an act of self-consecration more entire.

To exhibit therefore, the operation of our holy emotions upon our other faculties, I proceed to show that they are superior to any other class, as affording an impulse to action. Beyond all doubt, the main spring of action in any being must be feeling, emotion, or desire. Intellect is properly speaking a medium by which views of truth are presented to the soul; but we can conceive of perception of truth without emotion; a mind however, consisting of mere intellect, would be ever inactive: desiring nothing, fearing nothing, without susceptibilities of pleasure or pain, it would be an intellect of ice. We must, therefore have susceptibilities and emotions, or man will remain for ever inactive.

Now no emotions are in their nature so vivid, so exhilarating, so invigourating, as emotions of ardent love to God. Those who have felt them, well know how they refresh and renew every faculty. There is, if I may use the expres sion, a sensation of harmony, combined with energy, and nothing can exceed the ease and power with which the faculties now operate. To think, is no labour, to investigate and to plan is almost the spontaneous movement of the soul. The social and other subordinate affections, are at once refined and regulated, and the pleasures resulting from their exercise rendered more exquisite. And the body, sympathising with the soul, partakes of the general joy. Every faculty is invigorated, and a healthy energy pervades the system. Tru

ly it is good to draw near unto God. In this state all our faculties operate with augmented power. They are not indeed changed, but strong moral emotions have given them an unwonted impulse which nothing else can communicate. We acknowledge the operation of the same principle in numberless other cases; the social sympathies, unless inordinate, refresh and invigourate the mind, though in an inferiour degree. Who that has ever felt strong social affections, has not known this? Often, even where the love of God is unknown, the excitement of an unwonted class of social affections, has caused unusual efforts of intellect, and developed a strength of character scarcely suspected before; if then, even earthly love can cause an ardour of emotion which shall almost double the native energies of the soul, who shall limit the power of divine love? On what other principle has a public speaker a brilliancy of conception, a richness of illustration, and a power of execution, before an auW dience, which he has not in his closet? As his feelings kindle, all his other powers act with intenser energy. But emotions excited by communion with God, are, in many respects, superiour to all others. For these, we do not depend upon an audience, nor upon times and seasons, nor upon the changeable feelings of earthly friends. God is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him; and whither can we go from his spirit, or flee from his presence? Those who depend upon an audience, or upon external circumstances of any kind, for energy of feeling, seem to forget that they may have daily and hourly access to the presence of Him, the ardour of whose love can kindle the coldest heart. They seem to forget that the word of God glows with his own intensity of feeling, and that he who would obtain the spirit of heaven, cannot do it more effectually than

by sympathising with men who spake and felt as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

We

The exercise of our moral faculties also involves an habitual contemplation of motives the most elevated and powerful which can be presented to the human mind. In exercising the social affections, we view only a limited circle of beings; nor do we contemplate their relation to their Creator, or to his universal government. Nor has the exercise of the intellect, however intense, any necessary connexion with correct views of the true end of our being, or of our connexions with the universe. But when we exercise our moral faculties, we cannot but recognize our relations to God, and to all his creatures. Immortal ourselves, and daily connected with other immortal beings, the character which we are forming will be of eternal consequence to us and to them. We ought therefore to desire to have access to them in every way possible. ought to be able to meet them and to sympathise with them as moral beings, to enter into their Christian experience, and to understand all the workings of their hearts, that we may instruct, warn, comfort, and console. If they are not accessible on this ground, we ought to be able to meet them as social beings, to take an interest in their welfare, to rejoice with those who rejoice and to weep with those who weep, and by constant kind offices to win their affections and gain their confidence, that we may be enabled by an influence thus acquired to lead them to the source of all happiness and peace. We ought to be able to meet others on the ground of intellect. Some are cautious, deliberate and fearful of yielding to feeling without conviction. Removing a few doubts, explaining a few general principles may do more for these, than incessant appeals to the feelings. The ability to do all this depends much