Maker. He is thankful for this approach to God, and feels the influence of the divine presence in every future action of his life.

'Tis most true,

"That masing melancholy most affects
"The pensive secrecy of desert cell,
"Far from the chearful haunts of men and herds,
"And sits as safe as in a senate house."

But it is no melancholy impression, in the harsher acceptation of the word, which religious meditation makes upon the soul. No dark thoughts, or perplexed imaginations settle upon the contemplative mind. Clear are the prospects, sweet are the musings of the meditating Christian. With the book of revelation in his hand, every cloud of doubt or error gradually disappears. Heaven opens on his view; and his penetrating eye searches the regions of eternity.

In recommending religious meditation as a mean of acquiring divine wisdom, unnecessary will it be to point out the proper subjects of contemplation. If the mind be properly disposed, begin at any point in the circle of heavenly knowledge, and it will finally rest, where only it can rest with com

fort,

fort, in the bosom of the Almighty. This is indeed devotion. This is to receive the Holy Spirit within us, and dispose him to guide us into all the truth.

But while I recommend meditation, carefully let the heart of the good Christian avoid the dangerous raptures of enthusiasm. In an immoderate indulgence of these feelings, the mind runs wild, and branches out into mazes of contemplation which end only in confusion. Christ and his apostles give no countenance to unreasonable fervours. All is calm and composed which we meet with in the scriptures; rational and steadily devout. There, we belhold no inflation of mind, no unnatural extension of the faculties. The religion which is there taught is the religion of men, ،، full of “ mercy and good works, without partiality, ،، and without hypocrisy. ”.

.

Neither should the hours of pious reflection be dedicated to the unravelling of the cobwebs of controversy. Pure and rational devotion lies at a great distance even from polemical discussions; vain and unprofitable will those moments be found,

which are appropriated solely to these purposes. Take the scriptures in their plainest sense. Discover there the will of God, displayed in the redemption of man, and be satisfied with such religious knowledge as may be extracted from these records of salvation. I mean not by this observation to check the ardour of study, or prevent a serious and impartial investigation of sacred subjects. I would only suggest, that men of learning ought not to think those hours devoted to religion, which are spent in vain contentions about words, or in attempting to be wise above what is written.

Religious meditation, though in its proper place with sweet retired solitude, will often find itself usefully employed even in the offices of public devotion. I know not that that is the most exceptionable part of the public worship of a particular sect, which is dedicated to silent meetings. And in our own church, where voluntaries upon the organ are introduced, the mind wil often harmonize with the music, and the concord of sweet sounds will dispose the heart of the devout to elevated thoughts, and

sublime

subline conceptions. Such I have often experienced to be the fact when attending to instrumental music. Distinction of tune is frequently lost in the general harmony; whilst the thoughts are not mechanically employed upon the sweeping strings, but are wandering abroad in quest of distant and agreeable objects.

But to produce this pleasing effect the performer should be attentive to the melody of his music. Solemn strains alone are suitable to the dignity of public worship. What impression these mark upon the mind, let Milton say.

"There let the pealing organ blow
"To the full voic'd quire below,
"In service high and anthems clear,
"As may with sweetness through mine ear
"Dissolve me into extasies,

"And bring all heav'n before mine eyes."

I shall long remember the solemnity of the pause in the ordination service of our church, when the congregation is desired secretly in their prayers to make their humble supplications to God to grant strength and power to the candidates for orders, to enable

them to perform the important office to which they are appointed: "for the which prayers," says the rubric, "there shall "be silence kept for a space.

Every man must be sensible of the importance of religious meditation for the regulation of his conduct, and the general discharge of the duties of his life. Reficction tempered by religion will act like a guardian angel on his heart; it will prepare his mind for every arduous undertaking; it will remove a thousand impediments which would obstruct or retard his spiritual, as well as temporal, attainments; it will sweeten his cares, and promote his pleasures; it will gild the gay hours of youth with satisfaction, will smooth the pillow of declining years, and open a tranquil and easy passage to the world of spirits.

N° XXI.