foundation deep and strong in your own hearts. But I will Suppose this foundation already laid; that your hearts, renewed by divine grace, glow with love to God and charity to man; that you are rooted and grounded in a lively faith; and that your whole souls and hearts are given to your profession. Then your labours in the service of Christ are, and will be, blessed. Easily will you obtain the victory over a world lying in wickedness; and nothing can deprive you of the present rewards of piety and virtue-peace of mind; the joy of doing, and being good; the strong persuasion that you are working together with God; that you are protected by an omnipotent arm; assisted and directed by unerring wisdom; and that the fidelity of God is pledged to make all things work for your present and everlasting good. The fate of the unfaithful and insincere in the work of the ministry, it is necessary fre quently to recal to your thoughts; that, by the terrors, as well as the goodness of the all-seeing Judge, you may persuade your selves and others to strive against languor and remissness, and to be in all respects worthy of your exalted privileges and hopes.

"In the good old paths, in which the first reformers walked; in which your forefathers found peace; in which I am fully convinced the blessed apostles themselves and their successors walked, until a great corruption overspread the Christian world, and its rulers were inflamed by love of riches, and the ambitious projects of domination even in temporal concerns-in this good

way, continue yourselves, and exhort others to continue.

"We cannot too often recur to first principles, if we would preserve purity in faith and prac+ tice.

In this age, especially,

when many, alas! even of professing Christians, have erred from the faith; when many books are thrown upon the world, and eagerly read by the thoughtless, in which the origi nal depravity of man is carefully concealed, and an apology made for the greatest crimes, under the names of sensibility and refinement, when, in the form of novels, of natural philosophy, or travels, many attempts are made to lead the incautious into the snares of vice and irreligion, it becomes you, my reverend brethren, to warn the rising generation especially, of these insidious foes. To your office a high responsibility is annexed. That you may counteract the devices of the evil one, be firm, be intrepid, put on the whole armour of God. Often place before your hearers the leading truths of Christianity, the corruption of our nature by our fall from innocence, the necessity and influence of the mediation of Jesus Christ, of preventing and assisting grace, of man's free will in rejecting or in complying with the gracious cove nant, into which we were admit ted by baptism: In short, the essential truths of the everlasting gospel, which, as they are nesessary to all, may by all be understood, so far as to become the articles of their faith. The union of morality and devotion, of faith and good works, is an object so momentous, and so ev ident, that it needs only be men

tioned; indeed, as the oracles of truth are, in this age of free inquiry, open to all, sincerity and warmth in recommending practical truths are rather required in teachers of Christianity, than abstruse and elaborate disquisitions.

"While, therefore, I exhort you to remain faithful to your ordination vows, and not only to cultivate a regard to the articles of our church, but in your sermons to recommend a diligent perusal and acceptance of them, by the people committed to your charge, let it be your main concern to nourish them with the bread of life, to make them wise unto salvation. Remembering that you speak, and they hear, for eternity, you will endeavour to suit your discourses to particular ages and conditions, without giving offence, by any marked designation of individuals.

"Gentlemen of the vestries; in order to give due effect to the labours of clergymen, and in a great measure to make the person who is your rector a respectable character, very much depends upon your exertions. Your aid is necessary in many respects. You are more in the world than your minister is or ought to be. When per sons notoriously immoral are found among our members, you will see, by our canons, that it is your duty to inform the incumbent; that such persons may be warned of their sinful, destructive courses, and that, if possible, they may be brought to such a serious way of thinking, as may be attended with lasting good; or that, if incorrigibly Vol. II. No. 3.

wicked, they may be excluded from communion with the church. And while you consider yourselves as guardians of the church, watching over its temporal concerns, and the regularity of its lay members, allow me to call your attention to those canons which respect the conduct of your ministers. It has often happened, either through ignorance of the mode of trying clergymen who are guilty of any immorality, or breach of our rules, or from delicacy and compassion for one justly liable to censure, or through a wilful and perverse contempt of ecclesiastical government, that offending clergymen have been retained in their parishes by their vestries. The hurtful effects of this illjudged conduct are evident. affords to men careless of religious duty, a just cause of withholding pecuniary aid from clergymen thus situated. It brings our discipline into disrepute, and may drive some from a church, in which such irregularities seem to be countenanced.

It

"It must occur to you, that in an age when innovations are so common, there is danger lest a daring and restless spirit, impatient of control, may seek to break through the decent forms appointed for the orderly, and devout celebration of public worship; and schisms be introduced, by which the unity and peace of the church may be violated, and the consciences of the honest and sincere be ensnared.

"That in many parts of my diocess a great revival of serious and devout impressions has taken place, is to me cause of joy and thankfulness to him, who holds in

his power the hearts of all men, and who has promised to be with his church to the end of the world. May he enable and direct us to have a zeal, tempered with prudence and knowledge, and conducted by his love and fear.

"Ministers and people should be mutually helpful in labours of love. The relation which subsists between them is a very sacred one. It only begins now; it is indissoluble, and forms a link in that chain which binds the church on earth to the church in heaven; which shall be gloriously unfolded at last, when the faithful servant of Christ shall present that portion of his fellowtravellers, now entrusted to his care, to the great Bishop and Shepherd of souls. Every consideration, natural, moral, and religious, suggests the duty of decently supporting those who labour among you in holy things, that they may give themselves to this work. As they cannot now, without good reasons, such as the Convention may approve, Feave their flocks, so, if you give them a competent support, dur ing good behaviour, it is firmly believed that you will experience the happiest result.

"Lastly, let all of us, whether of the clergy, vestry, or of the people at large, remember that we form a part of that great family, of which Jesus Christ is the head; that we have been admitted into this family by baptism; and that the vows of God are upon all of us. Be persuaded, my *dear friends of the laity, to do all in your power to aid the endeavours of your ministers and vestries in this good work; adhere to your church, built upon

the foundations of the Prophets and Apostles, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone. Bless God that the light of the Gospel yet shines among us. Prize it as the greatest mercy; dread its removal as the worst of evils; and think, if we all improve our talents as Christians should do, how joyful and happy our meeting will be, when the Lord of heaven and earth shall have gathered, from this world's pollutions, all the souls found worthy of eternal life! Amen.

"Your affectionate Diocesan,

THOS. J. CLAGGETT, Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church, Maryland. Croom, 29th July, 1805."

REMARKABLE SAYINGS OF MR. PHILIP HENRY.

THE devil cozens us of all our time, by cozening us of our present time.

That is always best for us, which is best for our souls.

If the end of one mercy were not the beginning of another, we should be undone.. New mer eies call for new returns of praise; and these will fetch in new mercies.

When the mind and the condition meet, there is contentment. Haman was discontented at the court, Ahab on the throne, Adam in paradise, and the angelsthat fell were discontented in. heaven itself.

Four things he was most anxious should not be against him, the word of God, his own conscience, the prayers of the poor,

and the account of godly ministers.

He that hath a blind conscience, which sees nothing, a dead conscience, which feels nothing, and a dumb conscience, which says nothing, is as miserable, as man can be out of hell. Life of Mr. Henry.

man returned to his companion, he found him really lifeless! Immediately he began to exclaim aloud, oh, Sir, he is dead! oh Sir, he is dead! On this the archbishop returned; and discover ing the fraud, said, it is a dangerous thing to trifle with the judgment of God.

Scot's Miss. Mag.

ANECDOTES.

ONE day, in which there happened a tremendous storm of lightning and thunder, as Archbishop Leighton was going from Glasgow to Dumblaine, he was descried, when at a considerable distance, by two men of bad character. They had not courage to rob him; but wishing to fall on some method of extorting money from him, one of them presently said, I will lie down by the way side as if I were dead; and you shall inform the archbishop that I was killed by the lightning, and beg money of him to bury me. When the archbishop arrived at the spot, the wicked wretch told him this fabricated story, who, having sympathized with the survivor, gave him money, and proceeded on his journey. But when the

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

WHEN the enemies of England, stung with disappointment at the defeat of the Spanish Armada, in the year 1588, and wishing to detract from the honour of the brave defenders of their country, loudly exclaimed that the English had little reason to boast, for that, if the elements had not fought for them, they would certainly have been conquered, the enlarged and ready mind of Elizabeth instantly improved the hint. She commanded a medal to be struck, representing the Armada scattered and sinking in the back ground; and, in the front, the British fleet riding triumphant, with this motto around the medal; "Thou didst blow with thy wind, and the sea covered them." A striking instance this, among thousands, that "salvation is of the Lord."

4 Discourse before the Society for propagating the Gospel among the Indians and others in North America, delivered Nov. 7, 1805. By JOSEPH ECKLEY, D.d. minister of the Old South

Church, in Boston. E. Lincoln, Boston. 1806.

DISCOURSES, on occasions similar to this, have, of late years, become very frequent. Missionary Societies have been greatly

multiplied both in Europe and America. To communicate the knowledge of Christ to those who sit in darkness; to establish the kingdom of light in the region of the shadow of death is an object exceedingly interesting to all the friends of human happiness. They who have an unwavering belief of the promises which God has made in favour of the church, and duly consider the means, which must be employed to accomplish those promises, have the most animating motives to abound in the work of the Lord. A very encouraging motive results likewise from the success which has attended the pious efforts of God's people. What benevolent mind can survey that success, and anticipate the time when the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, without humble triumph in the power and glory of redeeming love. With what peculiar propriety may every believer, at this day, adopt the holy resolution of Isaiah; For Zion's sake I will not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.

sion to consider the nature and effects of reconciliation through the Gospel. Under the first head he remarks,

"That making peace or reconciliation involves the concession of a preexistent state of disorder and offence. duced into the world by our first par ents in the garden of Paradise, and pervading the hearts of their numer. ous descendants from that melancholy season to the present day. It has fair fruits, blighted her aromatic flowshut the gates of Eden, nipped her ers; and instead of angels with smiles of love, and accents of celestial joy, has placed cherubims, and a flaming sword, turning every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. I cannot ade. quately describe it. It consists in contrariety to the nature, opposition to the will, and disaffection to the government of a perfect God. It has produced a kind of war between heaven and earth."

The disorder or offence is sin, intro

The author has good reason to consider the following observation of importance; viz;

"That the same ideas must necessarily be entertained in the mind of God concerning the evil of sin, when he pardons it, as when it exists in the first instance. No alteration in Divine Being. On any other supposi this respect, is ever possible with the tion, our views of the nature of pardon must be entirely obscure. To the contemplation of the sanctity compris. ed in forgiving love, must be attributed the reciprocal enjoyment between the reconciled sinner, and his Maker: For, as repentance cannot fail to in, volve the disapprobation of sin, the effect will be realized not in the mere demning power of a perfect law, desire of emancipation from the conwhich even the impenitent might experience; but.....in the admiration of the character of the Legislator, the love of divine holiness, and the cor.

The subject of Dr. Eckley's discourse is interesting in itself, and suited to the occasion: From Col. i. 20, he takes occa

Under the second head we notice the following correct views