tracing its causes, ends, and necessary adjuncts to the utmost of our power, we shall still find that, had it not been connected with something else both past and present, it possibly could not have been at all. To say nothing, therefore on the subject of the general laws regulating the divine adminstration, how much more difficult must it be to comprehend the system of God's moral government, which extends to both worlds!

You see, then,

1. That many things prove the idea of our ceasing to exist at death to be palpably absurd. Our being destined to pass into another state of life, involves nothing paradoxical, any more than that the child in the womb should pass into this. Our being now, indeed, living existences, affords a strong probability that we shall continue so; nor has the contrary conclusion any other ground than the idle imagination that our gross bodies are ourselves, or that, from the circuinstance of the body and soul mutually (though not invariably) affecting each other, the dissolution of the former must necessarily be the destruction of the latter. Even if that event could be supposed to suspend the exercise of the faculties of the soul, such suspension would by no means imply extinction, as we may be convinced by sleep or a swoon.

2. We find that, amidst this unbounded prospect of futurity opened to our hopes and fears, there is no presumption whatever against the inference of our eternal interests depending upon our present behaviour as we perceive our present interest does so-and perceive, likewise, that the happiness and misery naturally annexed to our actions, frequently follow those actions at a considerable distance, what relates both to this world and the next, in short, we are equally trusted with ourselves-our own conduct, and our own welfare.

In

3. We discover, in the very confusion and disorder of the world, the rudiments and beginnings of a moral government of it; as deducible, particularly, from the comparative satisfaction and uneasiness which are the natural consequences of a virtuous and a vicious course of life, the love of good characters, and dislike of bad ones, &c.

4. We infer from the temptations to be unfaithful to our temporal interests, and our consequent difficulties and danger, arising out of the constitution of Nature (especially as coupled with that course of things which is owing to mankind), that there may be similar difficulties and danger, with regard to our chief and final good.

5. That our present state was intended to be a school of moral discipline, is rendered highly credible by the considerations that we are plainly made for improvement of all kinds; and that, by the general appointment of Providence, we are ordained to cultivate practical principles, and form within ourselves habits of action (in our preparatory stages, for instance, of childhood and youth), in order to become fit for what we were unfit for before.

6. It is obvious, from the evidence as it were of experience, that all objections against Religion, founded on the scheme of Necessity, are delusive and vain, And,

7. It appears that God, in the incomprehensibleness of his natural government of the world, hassupplied an answer to all our narrow and purblind objections against his moral government.

Surely then the credibility of Religion, arising from experience and the facts above stated, is fully sufficient in reason to recommend to mankind the general practice of virtue and piety, under the serious appre hension of a righteous adminstration established in nature, and a future judgment in consequence of it; particularly, when we reflect how very questionable it is, whether any thing at all can be gained by vice; how unquestionably little, as well as precarious, the pleasures and profits of it are at the best; and how soon they must be parted with at the longest.

P. Very true, Sir; but I will trespass upon your patience no longer at present. You have pointed out to me matter for much and serious reflection; and, if I do not profit from it, assuredly it must be my own fault.

SUNDAY SCHOOL PRAYERS,

PRAYER III.

Blessed Lord, "teach us to pray." Let us not only, kneel down before thee, but let our hearts also ascend to thee in earnest supplication. Lord, thou knowest that of ourselves we cannot understand and love thy will. O Lord, we ask for the aid of thy Holy Spirit to teach us thy holy and blessed will, and to incline our hearts to obey it. Lord, we thank thee for this day of rest. Let us remember that thou hast commanded us to keep it holy; and let not one of us ever dare to disobey thy just command. Let not one of us.dare to break the sacred rest of the sabbath day. O Lord our God, make us very serious and attentive both here, and when we are in thy house of prayer. We know that thou dost see all that we do:-thou knowest all that we think and say. Thine eye will be upon each of us this day, and we pray that we may remember that thou, God, seest us. O, make us always glad to pray unto thee, and to praise thee, and make us always anxious to hear about Jesus Christ, our gracious Saviour. Almighty God, look upon these children, and bless them, We bring them, Lord, to thee:-take their hearts, and convince them of sin, and lead them to the Lord Jesus. Help them truly to be. lieve in Him, that they may have life through his name. Put away far from them every wrong disposition, and make them willing and thankful to be instructed in those ways which are ways of pleasantness, and in those paths which are peace. Let our sabbath school, O Lord, be watered with the dew of thy blessing, and let the conduct of both teachers and children shew forth the meekness and kindness taught by the precepts of the gospel. O heavenly Father, in coming before thee we would desire to confess that we have greatly sinned against thee. Often we leave undone those things which we ought to do, and we do those things which we ought not to do; but we beseech thee to take away all our sins, and save us for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ, for nothing but the blood of Jesus can cleanse us from our sins, And, Lord, we would not only pray to thee for what we need, we would also praise thee for what we have re

ceived. We bless thy holy name for every good motion of thy Spirit within us. We praise thee for all the good we have thought, or said, or done. O Lord, go on to do great things for us. Send thy Holy Spirit to teach us wisdom, and to make us holy. Bless all for whom we ought to pray, and bring us all to thy glorious and happy kingdom through Jesus Christ, our blessed Lord and Saviour.--Amen. M. P. H.

THE TENDENCY OF CHRISTIANITY TO PROMOTE HAPPINESS.

ALL competent judges admit that if the Christian Religion were acted upon by mankind, the result would be an unexampled degree of general happiness. Men of all characters, statesmen and legislators of all ages since the promulgation of the Gospel; philosophers and moralists of almost every school, unite in their admissions of the excellent tendency of the Christian Religion. They would have all men Christians from mere regard to the peace of the world; they admit that if mankind were under its practical guidance, the earth would present a scene of happiness such as has never yet been witnessed or conceived of.

Of any other religion or remedy for human evils, who would wish for the universal diffusion, or would augur from that diffusion universal happiness? Who would wish all mankind Epicureans, Stoics, Jewish Pharisees? Who would wish to see any form of polytheism, ancient or modern, universally prevalent? Who would wish to see all the human race Mahometans? Who would wish infidelity or human philosophy to establish itself every where as the sole guide of man? Conscience speaks plainly enough where such a supposition is made. But who that knows what Christianity is, but would most heartily wish that all the world were Christians?

Suppose only one nation truly under the government of Christianity : what would be the consequence? Passions and selfishness being subdued, men would be placed in the stations for which from their talents they were really adapted. Party-spirit, faction, private ends would be unknown. United wisdom would devise, and united strength would execute every national project. All would be equity, temperance, sympathy, peace. It is impossible to conceive of a nation in circumstances of such perity as this Christian spirit would disseminate. Liberty in its purest forms, commercial enterprize without is hazardous speculation, prudence without covetousness, active zeal and exertion without contention, honour done to religion-love to his fellow creatures animating each member of the community-virtue embodied, or rather happiness itself would be the result.

pros

United

And what would be the relation of this state with others? wisdom and united strength would put in fear surrounding nations. Craft, ambition, private ends, covetousness would have little force against such defences. Other nations would court the friendship, rely on the promises, engage in the projects of this unexampled and singular people. Discoveries would be pushed all around; beneficial institutions formed; inventions in the arts communicated; religion diffused.

Suppose the whole world by degrees to become Christians, what would

be the effect? There would be no idolatry and all its abominations. There would be no profaning of the name of God, no perjury, no hypocrisy, no despising of those that are good, no arrogance, ingratitude, pride, self-complacency, no murmuring, sullenness, nor suicide. There would be no wars, antipathies, rivalships, breaches of trust, strife, wrongs, slanderers, litigations, deceit, murder. There would be none of those streams of death, one or more of which now flow through every vein of society, and poison all its enjoyments. The result would be, that the world would become a scene of general peace and prosperity; and abating the chances and calamities to which flesh is inseparably heir, would wear one unvaried face of complacency and joy. The prevalence of Christianity is the triumph of that vast scheme of mercy which the Almighty has revealed, to supply the darkness of reason, to enlarge and purify moral virtue, to define and establish and fill up natural Religion. Christianity indeed is reason purified-virtue exalted and rendered practical-natural religion sustained by redemption. When Christianity triumphs it is the victory of the highest reason, of the loftiest and most spiritual virtue, of essential and unmixed religion.

If we look around, we shall find that every scheme for guiding man in his moral and religious duties, except Christianity, has a pernicious tendency upon the temporal and spiritual welfare of individuals and nations. Contrast the tendencies of the various offsprings of human weakness and folly, with the lovely and salutary working of Christianity. Contrast with Christianity mere human and external restraints. Contrast with it a proud and false philosophy. Contrast with it a reliance on mere conscience and natural light. Contrast modern infidelity. Contrast the figments of the political economist, and the schemes of diffusing knowledge without religion. Contrast with it the absurd rules of the law of honour, of a mere respect to fame and human authority, of the notions of chivalry, as guides of life.

any

None of these put forth any distinct end bearing upon human happiness. None of these fulfil the conditions by which we demonstrate a tendency towards the highest welfare of mankind. None of these have facts to produce; nor do they form any distinct religious doctrine professing to come from Almighty God for the benefit of mankind. So that we may search in vain for any religion to contrast with Christianity in its tendencies upon human happiness. The inmost soul of man feels that every one of these pretences, i. e. reason, natural light, human philosophy, infidelity or Mahometanism, carries its own condemnation in its mischievous operations; and concludes that that religion cannot but be the true one, which wants only to be universally received, to remedy all the evils that fill the earth, and render men as much like holy and happy angels, as most of them are at present like deceitful malignant apostate demons. The need in which the world stood of such a remedy, its evident tendency to promote in the highest degree the true welfare of men, and its actual efficacy as they rightly make use of it; proclaim its divinity in the most decisive manner, even apart from miracles, the fulfilment of prophecy, and all other external marks whatever.-Bishop D. Wilson's Evidences of Christianity, Vol. 2. p. 144-9 of the 12mo. Edition.

I would only say here, in addition to what the Bishop has so well said on the tendency of Christianity to promote human happiness, that from my intercourse with mankind, I have invariably found it to be a fact, that those families whose members are under the influence of religious principle, and as far as they are under it, are always the happiest, and the best. There is an order, a regularity, in all the concerns of a truly Christian family, not seen in any other. The law of love and kindness is not only seated in the hearts of all its members, but is heard in their words and seen in their actions. The influence of such a family extends itself far and wide, and while each attends to his own duties, each at the same time lays himself out for the good of others and the comfort of the whole. Selfishness the great embitterer of human life—is in the heart of every man of every religion, and can only be kept down in the heart of any one, by the power of that divine principle of Love or Charity which is poured into men's hearts by God the Holy Spirit, and which, in the language of a divinely inspired Apostle, "Seeketh not her own." When it is thus kept down in individuals or in families, the consequences are visible in an increased attention to the welfare of others, and a more faithful imitation of him who when in the world "went about doing good," and who taught all his followers to "do good to all men.” Jan. 11, 1840.

J. S.

EXTRACTS FROM THE JOURNAL OF A COLPORTEUR.

(Continued from page 61.)

OCT. 18.-Went to day to see the three individuals who wrote to me last week, requesting me to have some conversation with them on religion. They are shoemakers, and work together. They told me at once that they wished to leave the Catholic Church, because they found nothing in it to satisfy the wants of their souls, that they wished to enjoy some sentiment in worship, and they could find none in the gross absurdities of their religion, particularly they felt obliged to renounce the doctrine of absolution, for it was impossible that one sinner could absolve another sinner in the name of God-and they knew the Priests to be great sinners. And how could they believe in pennance. Was it credible that the justice of God would be satisfied with sacrifices of such little value. I told them that all their difficulties would be solved, and all their desire of information satisfied in the Scriptures, if they studied them with sincere and earnest prayer for the divine aid of the Holy Spirit. I read several chapters to them, and explained that which they could not comprehend; they promised to follow my advice, and to frequent our religious meetings; they expressed a strong desire that I should often visit them, and we separated with much affection.

19.—I visited an aged female of 86 years of age. I saw she was on the borders of the grave, ignorant of her state and destiny. I said, "Madame, you draw near the moment of your deliverance, are you not very happy ?" "Comment Monsieur. What do you mean, Sir?" "Why, Madame, I should feel happy to be as near eternity as you are." "But I am not very old, Sir; besides I should prefer much to exchange with