enjoy in their acquirements come from God.

The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. All consolation is from the Spirit of God. The most splendid wealth, the most powerful friends, the most exalted fame, with the richest stream of sensual delights, with the most elevated privileges for intellectual and religious improvement, unless God bless them, will leave the heart cold, and cheerless, and dead. Did the money of Gehazi comfort his heart? Was he happier for his bags of silver, and his changes of raiment? The leprosy was in his silver, the poison of death in his garments. Was Ahab, or Haman happy in their numerous children, or ample possessions? In the proud palace, and at a royal banquet, one hears the sentence of death, the other pines and sickens for his neighbor's vineyard, and instead of being crowned with victory, is borne dying from the field of battle." p. 233-4.

But to avoid the inference which

sluggish impiety might draw from this view, the author, towards the close takes occasion to say that

"the Spirit of God more generally blesses men according to their manifest diligence, their discretion, perseverance, and fidelity.”

'What a man soweth that shall he reap.' Every man assumes the complexion of his own character, chooses his own course, carves his own portion, secures his own reward. The measure of our sincerity, of our faithfulness, and wisdom, is the general measure of our success, and of our felicity. In those instances where the sovereignty of God seems to exclude not only all merit, but all worth or agency of man, it may possibly be found that their character, what they are and what they do, has more influence than is generally supposed. God blesses men, by first making them good and wise, to prepare them for subsequent favors, and to render them the instruments of his own felicities. Joseph has been mentioned; but after all the interpositions of Providence, and the displays of divine sovereignty, in

his behalf, may it not be said that the conduct or personal worth of the man was the germ of his flourishing honours? Piety was the basis of his repu tation and success. His innocence in

his master's house, his integrity in prison, received the divine favor and the inspiration of wisdom. Hence his capacity of explaining mysteries; hence his fame, his power, his riches, his greatness. p. 236.

The XVIIth sermon is the sketch of the character of Elias. James v. 17, 18. The perusal of this discourse would, it is believed, with most men be attended with a kind of surprise, that with the Bible in their hands, they had known so little of the character of this man, one of the most interesting personages whose name and character has been handed down to us, when it was possible to know so much. In delineating his character, the author directs our attention to the follow

2.

ing particulars. 1. That Elijah was a man of remarkable faith. That he exercised a remarkable influence over the minds of others, possessing a wonderful talent of persuasion. 3. That he had a singular vein of bold humour and

sarcasm. 4. That he was variable in his temper, and subject to a melancholy depression of spirits. 5. That he was remarkably ardent and successful in his devotions. By way of illustrating the second particular he introduces the history of the poor woman of Zarephath, of Obadiah, of Ahab, and the events which happened in the hill of Carmel. The author's statement of this last circumstance I will introduce here.

Excepting in one instance, we have not heard Elijah address a public assembly, then his power of persuasion surpassed all example. Nothing equals this in the history of eloquence. In imagination pass to the land of Canaan, lift your eye to the hill of Carmel, covered with the thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand of Israel.

Behold the prophet of God rising in the midst of this boundless multitude. His person is uncouth; he seems more like a hermit, than a powerful orator; he is a hairy man and has a leathern girdle round his loins, surveying the immense throng, his eyes affect his heart. He exclaims How long_halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God follow him; but if Baal, follow him.' His words are armed with power; they produce conviction; the people are silent; they answer him not a word; the doctrine appeared reasonable. Having made such progress, he pursues his advantage and proposes an experiment to settle the dispute. "The God who answered by fire, let him be God." If Baal answers by fire, I will join you in his worship. If Jehovah answers by fire, then you will unite with me and worship him.' Never did an orator succeed better. The people, all the people answered and said, "It is well spoken." Their confidence is gained. With anxiety they now wait the trial by fire. The prophets of Baal proceed to the experiment and utterly fail. Elijah then erects an altar, calls upon God, and he answers by fire. The people are satisfied; they are overcome with the force of truth, they fall on their faces and cry, "The Lord, he is God; Jehovah he is the God;" they abandon idolatry. Was not this the triumph of human eloquence? What was the trembling of Caesar, addressed by Cicero, in behalf of Ligarius? What were the shouts of the Athenian rabble, when Demosthenes spoke? How feeble and trivial was the speech of St. Paul, before the Areopagus, compared with this overwhelming address of Elijah to the tribes of Israel? Those orators influenced an individual, or a few persons, or a common assembly, at most; but the millions of Israel are swayed by the voice of Elijah, as a field of wheat bows before the gale, or a forest, before the wide-spreading conflagration."-p. 322–3.

Under the fourth head, after having given some general remarks

pow

on the extent and limits of the er and faculties of man, the author proceeds to observe :

Elijah had just manifested the most astonishing force of character;

he had assumed the direction of the king, he had superseded the royal authority, and ordered four hundred and fifty prophets to execution. At the close of this wonderful scene, he learns that Jezebel was angry, and threatened him with a woman's revenge. A sudden panic strikes his spirit, his resolution is gone; his spirit dies within him, he flies for his life to Beersheba, in the kingdom of Judah. Here he was perfectly safe, beyond the jurisdiction of Ahab, and under the protection of the pious king Jehosaphat. Indeed, it is not probable that any danger was near him. All Israel had just raised their voices in his favour. Would the Queen have dared to touch a hair of his head? She was afraid of Elijah, and wished to frighten him from the great work of reformation, which he had so triumphantly commenced. Therefore she sends him word that she will slay him. Her plot succeeded. The melancholy prophet fled from Beersheba alone, a days journey into the howling wilderness. His terrors seem to have deprived him of his reason. He sits down under a juniper tree and prays that he may die. Men are seldom in the best state of mind when they are forward to die. From the wilderness he travels a hundred and fifty miles to Mount Nebo. This occupied him forty days, going through by-ways and hiding himself in secret corners; his progress was less than four miles a day. Is this my lord, Elijah, who just now swayed the hearts of Israel with the breath of his divine eloquence? Lord, what is man!

The XXth, which is the last we mentioned as peculiarly noticeable for a kind of pleasing novelty, is an attempt, and in our judgment a successful one, to show that some of the most important and difficult doctrines of revelation are supported by the events of Providence. The text is Ps. xviii, 3, "as for God, his way is perfect," and Ps. xix, 7, "The law of the Lord is perfect." In the fourth division of this discourse, the author's object is to show that the doctrine of Election to eternal life is in accordance with the doings of God, with respect to many things in this world.

How successful he was in this particular, the following passage will in part show.

Probably no person in this country, attaches the least personal merit to the circumstances of a man's birth. No child is better or worse, born in a palace or a shed. No matter whether

he be" below the dome, or above the hut." Yet on this single circumstance of birth, commonly depend, in a great measure, the knowledge, the religion, and happiness of the person. One is born in the cottage of vice, and endures hunger and cold, and generally, though not always, exhibits the vice and ignorance of his father. Another is born in the sober mansion of piety and knowledge, and often, though not always, acquires the knowledge, the virtue, and happiness of his parents. One poor babe, without any fault of his own, is born in Africa, and is a slave. Another receives existence in the wilds of America, and of course is a pagan and a savage. Another first sees the light in Arabia, and spends his life following his flocks from one spring and pasture to another, often scorched with the burning winds of the desert, often mad with hunger and thirst, his hand against every man and every man's hand against him, a robber on land, and a pirate on the sea, Mahomet his prophet, and the koran his Bible. You are born in a Christian land, of Christian parents, who are faithful and kind, who instruct you by precept and example, to be a disciple of Jesus. What an immense difference is here made by the providence of God, between man and man. Is not here a display of divine sovereignty, disregarding all personal merit, as evident as in election to eternal life? Indeed where can you look and not witness a manifestation of this divine attribute?

Who gave to Buchanan his spirit of sacred enterprise, to the apostolic Elliott his willingness to labour for the salvation of savages, to Whitefield his overwhelming eloquence, to Edwards his fervent piety and wonderful energy of mind? Does not God as well in

his providence as in his word, say, "I will do all my pleasure, and my counsel it shall stand?" His word and his providence agree, and are perfect. He is of one mind in the kingdom of grace and providence, in the events

which we witness, in the doctrines which we read.-pp. 399, 400.

An attentive perusal of this discourse, would, I apprehend, lead most men who are capable and willing to receive the most obvious meaning of scripture and Providence, as that which the Holy Ghost intended to set forth, to the same conclusion, to which the author came; "That we obtain no

relief by rejecting the deep and difficult doctrines from revelation. Though you blot them from your creed, Providence spreads them before your eyes, sounds them in your ears, reveals them from every quarter. Though you erase them from your Bibles, they are written in capitals on every page in Providence."

The seventh is a very interesting and important discourse. The subject is the influence of education. committed an error in first assuming In this discourse the author has as a fact, that of which he afterwards occupies the whole discourse, as an illustration or proof. Yet it is an error which will be easily overlooked, if not forgotten, long the pages which this discourse fills. before any one shall have read half Individuals may make exceptions to particular statements, they may not understand the relevancy of some particulars; for instance, what is said of the possession of iron; they may doubt the extent of the influence of some of the causes here referred to; but if, after all these and whatever else may be said in the way of deduction from the sterling merit we believe it to possess, the reading does not leave upon the mind a great additional dread and fear of what can warp the judgment, taint the morals, or corrupt the heart, the cause, I must seriously believe would be found, were investigation made, in the lamentable fact that the individual has not that holy and pure principle which makes him dread

every false way. I must be indulged in furnishing the reader with a paragraph containing a part of the reasons suggested by the author, why, if education has such an influence over men, those who are brought up in the same school, in the same neighbourhood, and under the same roof, do often exhibit principles and dispositions so ́entirely unlike.

It is not believed that the greatest number of lessons, or the longest lessons, will always have the greatest ef fect. No. You cannot calculate the effect of education from its quantity, as you do of nitrous grain in a rock. No. The temper,and the force,and the adaptation, and the time, and the place, and the character of the parties, all come in for an incalculable share of the influence. Sometimes one book will triumph over all the impressions made by whole libraries, one companion will make a deeper impression than the whole circle of friends had done. Sometimes one word may do more to form the character, than all the sermons, all the lectures, and all the conversation ever heard. A youth who has been frank, open, unguarded, may by the reading of one book, become prudent, cautious, circumspect. A youth who had been sedate, reserved, serious by a change of companions may become cheerful, gay, and humorous. Some such incidental cause may produce the difference of virtue and vice in the same house. Children of the same house do not all receive the same impressions, they do not hear they do not see, the same things. They are very far from receiving the same education. One is at home, while his brother or sister is abroad. In those different places they see and hear things very different. One child reads this book, another, that. One child is sickly, and finds in his parents, a nurse and a physician. One is wilful and headstrong, and views his parents as two officers of justice. One is mild, modest, docile, and finds his parents delightful companions. In these different circumstances must not the character of the children be formed in a different manner, be imbued with a different spirit? While these things unite to show the difficulty and

the danger, in executing the business of education, they have no tendency to lessen its importance. While we discover the delicacy of the task, we also learn how powerful are impressions, and how necessary are wholesome discipline and a uniform system of instruction and example."-p. 176 -7.

The closing paragraph is solemn, and worthy to be impressed on the mind and heart of every parent and every child.

The

"Finally, how important are the periods of childhood and youth. In these periods, education is chiefly acquired, the character is then formed, the person generally becomes what he is to be forever and ever. What is sown in Spring will be reaped in autumn. impressions and passions of childhood and youth will be experienced in old age. Every thing, my young friends, is important to you. As the atmosphere, in some places, conveys health, in others, death, so the place where you live may cause moral health, or spiritual death. The books which you read, the sermons which you hear, may convey saving truth or fatal error. One wicked companion may be as fatal to you, as the serpent of Paradise. One evil example may disturb your judgment, may fascinate your imagination, may influence your

passions. One alluring word, one enticing look, may, like enchantment, relax the vigour of your resolution, and plunge you down the gulf of ruin. Take heed then to all your ways, your labours, your amusements, your studies, your words, your thoughts;-the objects which you see, the sounds which you hear. He that walketh with the wise shall be wise, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed."-pp. 184,-5.

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The discourses about the correctness of which, there will probably exist as much doubt in the minds of evangelical people as any, are the first and eighth.

The first,on Luke ii. 14, was preached before the convention of Congregational ministers in Boston, 1821. Then the copy was presented to the Mass. Peace Society, and had, under the direction of that body, passed through several editions. In regard to the general doctrine maintained, "That God designs by the gospel to establish lasting peace on the earth and good will towards men," there can be no question. But there does remain a question as to the inferences drawn from this, that nations should make no provision for war, and that all excitements to war should be done away-such as military honours, titles, and rewards, martial music, and the war song of the poet. Destroy, says he, the means of mischief, and you destroy the mischief itself. It is to be apprehended that the author overrated the effect of these things. They, we doubt, do much to keep up and foster a spirit for war, but they do not create the disposition to it. As long as the passion reigns within, individuals and nations, when their resentment is kindled, will contend, as if they are not supplied before hand with weapons, they will find them afterwards. “Furor, ministrat arma.” I do not intend by these remarks to countenance war, or to inculcate the belief that much would not be done to prevent its occurrence, were the suggestions of the reverand author attentively regarded. All means calculated to prevent the occurrence of this greatest curse of our race, should be used, and used too, rigorously and extensively. And no man should think he had done enough till the peaceful spirit of the gospel shall pervade every heart or fill every land. And in view of the blessings connected with the approach of that happy day, how thankfully should we receive every effort of such men as the author of this sermon, to hasten its arrival.

The other sermon in respect to the doctrine of which there will be a diversity of sentiment, is that in which the author labours to show that what is familiarly called the prayer of faith will be answered. What he means by this will perhaps be best expressed in his own words. "The doctrine taught here, does not contradict a common opinion that the prayer of faith will obtain the very thing, or something which is better, but proceeds farther, and asserts that we may by prayer obtain the very thing desired."

I should too far trespass on your pages, to exhibit the argument constructed by the preacher to support his doctrine; or to state the views which to my mind, render the argument inclusive. But while I express a doubt respecting the correctness of the point attempted to be established, or of its great practical utility, if it could be proved, and also of the bearing of the text, upon the point at issue, and of many of the other scriptures introduced to support the doctrine, I would be far from intimating that the sermon itself is not important, and calculated to do much good. It was evidently written with great labour, and after much investigation, is full of the most solemn and affecting truths; and it is not easy to conceive how any pious individual could read it and not feel an increased sense of the importance of continuing instant in prayer; or how those who have hitherto neglected this service should not be convin ced that they are in a great transgression. The subject of prayer was one on which the reverend author, when he referred to it, spoke with great force and solemnity; and it would be easy to gather up many instances of the deep and lasting impressions which his discourses on this subject produced upon the minds of some of his hearAnd those who read this discourse,, and indeed, others in this

ers.