memories. No one has ever reached the mansions of eternal bliss who was not, while here, obliged to meet and encounter the innumerable difficulties which present themselves to every one that travels through the rugged path of affliction. Welcome, doubly welcome, then, should be even the piercing shafts of calamity, if they humble and fit us for the skies! Surely it were better for us if our eyes, during our residence here, were continually overflowed with tears; that our every fountain of enjoyment were dried up, and that our every path, however flowery, should be strewed with thorns, than that we should sink irretrievably into the region of everlasting misery, where nothing is presented to the astonished eye but damned spirits, and where nothing is heard but the sighs of woe and the shrieks of despair. Did this earth exhibit an appearance of perfect loveliness to the christian, Heaven would cease to retain the most elevated place in his affections,-it would be divested of all its charms, and he would no longer render unto its ruler the sacrifice. of prayer and praise. It is when the world casts its ungenerous scorn upon him, when its shafts of ridicule are aimed at him, that he pursues his pilgrimage with a more heart-felt joy and brightening hope,—that he makes greater advances toward the celestial gates. One of the greatest advantages arising from affliction is, that it leads us to pour out our souls with more earnestness and importunity to the great Author of our existence. For instances of this, we need only revert to the Bible. There we shall behold with what earnestness the prayer of the patriarch ascends to the throne of Grace; there we shall see, with how much greater strength he strives to lift himself above the debasing objects of time and sense, when he is surrounded by trouble, and what “a stream of glory is let down upon the consecrated hour." No matter, how correct a person may be in his daily walk and conversation; no matter, with what scrupulous exactness all his duties may be performed, his devotions will yet be tinctured with poisoning formality; and perhaps afflictions are the best means of rekindling their ardour. Considering then, how much benefit may result from adversity, with what sincerity it often inspires our confessions before God, and with what holy importunity it arms our supplications to his throne, ought we not, instead of permitting a murmur to escape our lips, to rejoice, and exclaim, "Lord, it is good for us that we are afflicted!"

C.

TO BE CONTINUED-TO BE CONCLUDED.

THE most frequent use of the phrase to be continued, is in periodical works, when part of a dissertation or communication of any kind is inserted, and the remainder reserved to a future number. But there are other circumstances in which we may apply it with equal justice. We may say of many things with which we are acquainted, they are to be continued. When we see the brightness and beauty of summer fading from before us, we ask, shall they never return? Many a spring and summer have passed away; is this the last season of loveliness which is to revolve upon our world? No; they are to be continued. Seasons like those which are gone, will again return. The trees will blossom, and the flowers will open to the morning sun. All the changes and revolutions of the year will be continued.

In the intellectual world many have made deep researches. Philosophers think that they have learned a great deal concerning the mind some, perhaps, that they have learned all, or nearly all that can be known. But attention to the phenomena of the mind will not cease with the present race of philosophers. It is to be continued.

Many of our friends have fallen beneath the stroke of death. Many bright luminaries of the world have been extinguished. Recollect the pious Worcester: Heaven was in his heart, love to wretched man filled his soul. Yet he was called from earth before his desires, by his own active labours to promote the future glory of Zion, could be accomplished. Early and suddenly, he went to stand in the presence of the Saviour. Think of Martyn. He laboured with all his might to teach the untaught heathen; to convince the bigoted Mahommedan. In his short day, he performed labours worthy of a missionary. But he had scarcely reached the meridian of his usefulness, when he was summoned to that holy country which he delighted to consider as the land of his eternal rest. And may we not hope that deaths so deeply affecting will cease to occur? Will not the time come when genius and beauty and piety shall live forever? No; former experience teaches us not to hope for such a season. These mournful events will be continued.

We are frequently called upon to endure trials. Our favourite projects are often disappointed, and our hopes blasted. But we can more cheerfully bear the evils of to-day, when we reflect that they are perhaps as few as they will be at any future period. Disappointments are to be continued.

It is natural to feel ourselves of so much importance in the world that when we are gone, nothing will be excellent or lovely. We imagine that because we live, the earth must have arrived at its zenith of beauty and knowledge, and that with us all other things will decay. The harmony of nature must be destroyed because we can no longer behold it. But our death will effect no very great change in the universe. The world was not made for us. It is not for us alone that the vernal morning wakens its thousand melodies. It is not for our instruction alone, that autumn comes, writing upon

the fading glory of the year, "So it passes We indeed shall have a resting place in the earth. Our successors will afford one humble sod to cover our heads. Else all things will continue in the present state. Science will flourish long after our inquiring heads are laid in the grave. The monarch will sit upon his throne, directing at pleasure the nations, and the subject will still owe allegiance to his king.

There will still be those who feel the vanity of things below, and still the gay, who drown in pleasure's fatal cup each anxious thought concerning futurity.

But events are not only to be continued, they are to be concluded. Philosophers in future times will indeed continue their researches into the nature of mind, and each in succession will far outshine his predecessor. Yet all these researches will have an end. Men will no longer form erroneous theories, and others arise to prove them false; and then to form new ones, perhaps nearer the truth, perhaps farther from it. All systems of philosophy will be concluded. Although each succeeding age will have to lament over its scholars, its christians, and its missionaries, yet the time will come when there shall no longer be any to mourn, nor any for whom to mourn. The long succession of those who are to submit to the power of death, will be concluded. As we have already experienced many disappointments, so we find that they are to be continued: but it is a happy reflection, that they are at last to be concluded. We shall forget to cherish delusive hopes, and to indulge our fancy in anticipating future delight, and consequently shall suffer no disappointments. There will be no rose to wither by the blast of autumn, no verdant summer fields to fade beneath the wintry sky. Our hopes and fears, our pleasures and our pains will alike be concluded.

Although the changes in the natural world, the varied seasons of the year, will continue to recur when we shall have ceased to know them, yet finally they will all be concluded. The spring shall no longer return to bestow life and joy upon the vegetable and animal creation. The flowers shall no more waken at her approach to refresh us with their fragrance, or the gentle dews distil to water the fainting earth. The ruler of the nations will have ceased to exercise his mighty power, and the subject to tremble and obey.

There will not then be any to feel that things of time are passing away, or any who will wish to drive this melancholy reflection from their minds. Each reflection of the past and each anticipation of the future, each passing scene, and time itself shall be concluded.

ON CONSISTENCY OF CHARACTER.

1 KINGS XVii.. 21.-" If the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him."

WERE an inhabitant of some other planet, who was well acquainted with our Bible and our religion, commissioned to travel

over New-England, and take a minute survey of the manners, cus-
toms, characters, and conduct of the citizens, it is believed he would
be scarcely able to determine, when his labor was accomplished,
whether we professed the religion of the Bible, or not. He would
observe several things, which might lead him to suppose that we
did profess it. As he passed from house to house, he would find
Bibles lying on the shelves; and he might occasionally lodge with
a family who offered up the morning and evening sacrifice of prayer.
He would perceive that one day in the seven was not spent any
where exactly as the rest; and that in some places it was observed
with a tolerable degree of conformity to the scripture institution of
the Sabbath. He would find a multitude of houses for public wor-
ship; and a class of men who were called preachers of the gospel.
He would also see rites resembling the instituted ordinances of the
gospel occasionally administered; and he might at times meet with
a fellow pilgrim, who was free to converse with him respecting the
true religion.

These things, and perhaps some others, he would set down as indications that we were a christian people-that we professed to receive the Bible as truth, and to conform our characters to its holy precepts.

But this evidence, far from being conclusive in itself, would be greatly weakened, if not destroyed, by much that was of an opposite kind for though our supposed visitant would observe Bibles in our houses, he would be satisfied that many of them were kept more for ornament than use, as they had the appearance of being little read; and though one day in seven was not spent in the same manner as other days, yet in most places he would see it spent so differently from the design of the Sabbath, that he would be in doubt whether it was considered a season of sacred rest, or a season of amusementa holy day, or a holiday; and though he would hear something which was called a preached gospel, still, he would find it, in many instances so different from the gospel of the New-Testament, that he would conclude it must have been learned from some other source besides the volume of inspiration; and though he would see rites administered resembling the ordinances instituted by Christ, he would find the subjects of these rites living so much as others live, that he could hardly determine whether any thing was intendHe ed by them or not. Nor would this be all the evidence presented to him, that the Bible was little, if at all, regarded among us. would see many things allowed and practised, which this holy book forbids; and many others neglected which it solemnly enjoins. He would know the awfully interesting nature, and immense importance, of the religion of the Bible; and yet he would find this religion, in most cases, exciting but little attention, taking no hold of the feelings, and exerting a scarcely perceptible influence on the life. Instead of every thing being made subservient to it, as he might reasonably expect on supposition it was cordially received, he would find it cast into the back ground, and almost every thing attended to, sooner and more than this.

On the whole it is concluded, that such a visitant would hardly

know what to make of us. He would not find us just what he might expect, on supposition we received the Bible; nor just what he might expect, on supposition we rejected it. He would have much occasion to reproach us with inconsistency; and were he authorised, at his departure, to give us any advice, it might be that of the prophet to the children of Israel," If the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. If the Bible be true, receive it, and be consistent; but if it be false, reject it, and be consistent. At least be consistent somewhere. Come to some fixed conclusion in regard to this momentous business, and act accordingly.”

It is a fact, as is here suggested, there are only two conclusions we can adopt respecting the Bible. It is either true or false; and it must be either received or rejected. And whatever conclusion we honestly form, we shall all see the propriety of being consistent in it, and of being prepared to act up to it. Let it be considered then in the following discussion what would be consistent with a determination on either side. And,

First, what will consistency require of us, on supposition we reject the Bible as false?

In this case, obviously, we ought to destroy all our Bibles. If there is no truth in them, why retain them? Surely we have suffered imposition from them long enough. If we will not receive them as the word of God, we owe it to ourselves, and we owe it to after generations, to blot out the name of Bible from under heaven.

On the supposition now before us, we ought also to abolish the Sabbath, at least so far as it is considered a Divine institution.This institution is founded on the Bible. If therefore the Bible is rejected, the Sabbath must be rejected with it. Some of us, to be sure, may have been accustomed to have set a high value on our Sabbath; but if the institution has really no foundation, then let us be imposed upon by it no longer.

And if the Bible and Sabbath are all a delusion, then let us proceed to demolish our Meeting-houses; or at least, let them be devoted to different purposes. Why should temples be erected, or why should any remain that are erected, for the purpose of inculcating falsehood and imposture? These stately monuments of their father's folly should not be permitted to descend to other generations.

And not only so, on the supposition we are now considering, every minister of the gospel ought to be silenced, if not punished. They should be suffered to say no more in support of their idle, unfounded superstition-they should be suffered to do no more mischief-if indeed they escape punishment for what they have already

done.

Nor is this all, if the gospel has no foundation in truth, then let the ordinances of the gospel be at once swept away. Let there be no more churches or pastors, sacraments or religious means; let the voice of prayer be forever hushed; let it be a crime so much as to mention the name of Jesus; in short, let every thing possible be done, to wipe away all trace and vestige, and blot out all remembrance, of the religion of the gospel.