other relations of life, for in all these the relative circumstances and duties are equally plain, and are universally known and acknowledged.

Again; a man's character, in a religious point of view, his conduct, as an accountable being, having but a transient stay upon the's earth, and looking forward to a life of just retribution, may be compared with the rule we have laid down. From the circumstances in which such a being is plaeed, one might expect to see him, at all times acting under the influence of his professed belief of these things. If, independently ofcd regular, diligent, and honourable performance, of the proper business of his worldly vocation, he be care ful to discharge those duties which devolve upon him as an intellectual being, if, in providing for the necessities and conveniences of the bodily estate, he do not neglect the mind, if, in seeking the means of comfort, with respect to this life→→→ and, in adding house to house, and field to field, he be also mindful of that one thing needful' to a perishing creature the securing of the favour of God, and of the future reward of a virtuous and useful life, if, in accumulating riches, he be not forgetful of the apostolical precept, to do good, and to be rich in good works; ready to distribute and willing to communicate,' as a steward of the Divine bounty thus laying up in store for himself a good foundation against the time to come,' he has regard to the nature and circumstances of the rational life, and to his future accountability at the bar of God. Of such a one, we say, the acts according to the rules of truth, and approves him

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self a useful and worthy member of society. But on the other hand, if he disregard the circumstances of his condition, as an agent of divine Providence, and have no respect to that law of his nature, which constitutes him a transient and accountable being, if he neglect the claims of duty arising from the faculties and talents entrusted to him, and from the means and opportunities occuring to him for doing much good in his day and generation,-if he suffer his days to be devoted to worldy cares, and his nights to b be consumed in trivial relaxation, or in mere sensual indulgence, if the chief object of his industry and perseverance be to increase in wealth, that, like the sensualist of old, he may congratulate himself on having laid up much goods for many years, in order that he may the more fully command the gratifications of this present fleeting life:—we need not hesitate to say of such a one, that, he disre gards the rule of truth-the truth of the case in which he stands, as a being designed for nobler purposes and more worthy pursuits. It requires no laboured investigation of principles, no learned researches, no tedious comparison of facts, to pronounce upon the vanity, and the delusion, and the ultimate consequences, of such conduct. Yea, the life of such a man is a lie-his pursuits are a lie-his hopes are a lie: therefore, how dazzling soever may be his career, how flattering soever his prospects, his gain cannot be happiness, his end cannot be peaceful, nor his reward the inheritance of the just.

Again; a man's opinions on the doctrines of

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Whatsoever reason in

voice has been disregarded the most distressing consequences have been the result." Why should nied it be thought, that there is any greater difficulty in ascertaining truth and detecting error, in religious, than in natural things? Let it not be said, that light sheds its beams upon every science, "except the science of religion, that the discovery of truth is the reward of diligence and perseverance, in every pursuit, except that, which is designed to prepare man for the future stages of his preux being that reason and nature are intimately associated with every branch of human knowledge, except that only for which man lives! do

It would assist us much towards the attaining of been ow Memoire careful to have a due truth in religion, if we

regard to the character of the Divine Being, as it is displayed both in his works and word. And in these, power, power, and wisdom, and goodness, are conspicuously set forth, as the prominent characteristics of the Deity: Power belongeth unto God; also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy. The Lord is good to all-and in wisdom hath he made his works. These attributes, indeed, belong to the Creator and Preserver of the vast system of nature, in their most comprehensive degree. The mode of their operation cannot perhaps be better exbus ad pressed than the words of an

these great truths in view when we speak of the divine dispensations, and then we shall not go far bstray; because, either, we shall not cadmitqinto our religious belief or, we shall not deem im portant to our present welfare and future happiness, any thing, which, to the eye of sober reason and confiding piety, may seem to be inconsistent with infinite wisdom, aided by unlimited power, and directed by unbounded goodness.dt ai dɔidw of Again; the relation of the Supreme Being to his rational creatures, is beautifully set forth, in the parental character: deund od of red ton liv That God is the Universal Father, isianfunda mental principle of both natural and revealed religion. Both agree in proclaiming the essential, unbounded, goodness of the Deity: both declare that God is our Father that God is Love Here we are again presented with a standard whereby we may ascertain the state of our opinions. If they be true, they will agree with these declara tions of nature and scripture. When therefore we speak of the means which God liath instituted for the education and discipline of his rational family in this childhood of their being methods of his grace for their gradual/progress in the chief properties, and best distinctions, of the spiritual life of the provision made for the recovery of the sensual-the encourage ment of the virtuous the punishment of the sin ner, and the reward of the righteous, we should. 'be especially careful to entertain no view of his dealings towards the human race, but such as may agree with the well-known characteristics of

of the

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a Father, who, in all his appointments and decreest has a constant regard to the final perfection and happiness of his offspring; who both punishes and Fewards in justice and in mercyfoed anoigiler wo -igNow, as it seems to me, much of the popular beliefrespecting the divine government and dispensations, will not bear to be tried by the rule of truth. For instance; the doctrine of the Fall/ which is the foundation of the reputedly orthodox system of faith, and by which, it is attempted to account for the introduction of evil into the world, will not bear to be brought into juxtaposition with the principles we have laid down. And, first, as to the manner of the Fall. Man, having been made upright, was assailed by the arts of an almost omnipotent adversary, and yielded in the disproportionate struggle. By attempting thus, to explain the origin of evil, do we not render it a more intricate subject? Do we not cast, by implication, as it were, a stain upon the wisdom of God, in permitting such an attack to be made upon his noblest earthly creature? Does it not throw, a shade around that watchful goodness, in which we live and move and have our being? Does it not give occasion for doubt as to the extent of that power which, we are taught to believe, ruleth supreme in the heaven above, and doeth according to its will in the earth beneath? Surely if the testimony of nature and revelation, with respect to the dominion and paternal character of God, be a faithful testimony, this fundamental tenet of the popular faith, cannot be true. What adversary durst oppose the Omnipotent, and attempt the