thought of bringing their reason to the investigation of the scriptures, are in reality afraid only of its being applied in a bold, reckless, and self-dependent spirit, and not of its being used in the way, which, we have endeavored to show, is strictly right and conscientious. We cannot but hope that the candid and modest, though not distrustful use of our understanding, in the search after a right faith, will find something in every one's conscience and sober judgment to recommend it; and, what is more, to urge it home upon him, as one of the first great duties which belong to him as a rational and accountable being, and which cannot be neglected without fearful consequences to his peace and happiness in his future life.

We have seen that the right use of our thinking faculties in religious inquiries consists in exercising them with fairness and ingenuousness of mind;—with a sincere love for the truth, and an entire openness to conviction ;— with the caution and modesty which belong to an habitual just sense of the weakness of our faculties and of our liability to error;-and with a resolution perseveringly to follow the guide God has given us, heedfully and prayerfully indeed, but still to follow it, as the Giver of it meant we should. We would now remark that this guarded and conscientious employment of our reason will always lead us into a right faith;-in other-words, that a right faith, one that is acceptable to God, is that, whether absolutely true or not, unto which this application of our powers may lead us. God requires of us the best and most perfect exercise we can make of the faculties he has given us. But as these are always imperfect, he will never demand of his creatures that which, in their very constitution, he has put it out of their power to attain to,--a faith absolutely

and abstractly true. The morality of having a right faith consists therefore not in the positive correctness and truth of its articles, but in the qualities of the mind and heart with which we arrive at it. We may hold to a faith which the future enlargement of our faculties will discover to us to be full of errors, and yet be accepted of God; and we may hold to one absolutely free from error, without being accepted of him. Let this doctrine bring comfort and courage to every humble and inquiring soul; —that with a fair and honest mind, a modest and circumspect, though persevering use of their faculties, they can never go wrong; without them, they can never go right.

Again, we have observed that God will assist the natural feebleness of our reasoning powers, in those who ask it in sincerity and humility, by the imperceptible aids of his good spirit. It is as reasonable as it is scriptural to suppose that we may receive additional strength and light to our minds from the same source whence comes originally the mind itself and all its native endowments. We have reason moreover to believe that we are made with our faculties so limited and imperfect, in order to teach us our continual dependence on God, and our constant need of support and succor from him;-in order to prevent our hearts becoming swoln with pride and self-conceit, and to keep our carriage towards others from becoming haughty and overbearing. Wherefore, with a sincere mind and an humble heart, let us constantly approach the throne of the heavenly grace, and seek the light which we need in searching after truth, and in conducting the investigation with right dispositions and qualities of mind and heart. Let us implore the strength which we need

to conduct ourselves towards others with the same bearing of candor and charity which we desire from them, and which is meant to be the great bond of union and love among Christians. Then, though, as imperfect beings, we still may not be free from error, yet as the humble followers and disciples of Christ, we shall be accepted of God, and admitted to the happiness of his king. dom.

FRAGMENT.

[From the Christian Observer ]

THAT after-world! which, who that thinks

Can doubt; which, preach'd by heaven's authentic voice,
Yea, by its own light manifest, makes plain,
And wise, and comfortable, aught that else
Were misery, were vanity, were grief:
That after-world is all. There let me send
My heart, my treasure; deeply there forecast
My cares, my hopes, my happiness, my all.

I should have more and earlier look'd to this,-
Reckless too long of being's awful end;
Too much enamor'd of each way-side charm;
Studious with man's vain lore to load a mind,
Dead in its guilt-unvivified by grace,
And godliness; to trick as 'twere with flowers
A corse, meet only for the worm or fire.
Yet what had I to do, in this brief state,
But work out my salvation for the next,
(That world interminable of weal or woe!)
With fear and trembling; not by vexing cares
Cumber'd, or by dissatisfying joys,

But single-sighted,-on my one great task
Fix'd ;-and athwart the obtrusive gaudes of sense
Stretching my gaze to faith's eternities.

Years have been lost;-up-stir thee to redeem
All that of life may yet be thine; who knows
How little life is but a scanty ledge

Where the poor traveller walks suspended o'er
A fathomless abyss !

Oh let him heed his footing-heed his side!
Chances play round him momently-and each
May sweep him to destruction.

IS THE CONDUCT OF MEN ESSENTIALLY AFFECTED BY THEIR OPINIONS ON THE THEORY OF MORALS?

We are so constituted that we cannot, if we would, entirely divest ourselves of the feeling, which leads us to inquire respecting our conduct, whether it be right or whether it be wrong. We cannot, if we would, go carelessly forward, quite regardless of the consequences of our actions. There will be times, when it will be peculiarly interesting to indulge in reflections on the nature and tendency of our conduct. And this desire to learn what actions are right and what are wrong, very naturally leads on to another inquiry; it prompts us to seek the reason why certain actions are approved and considered right, while certain other actions are disapproved and considered wrong. But this inquiry is of a speculative nature, and, though highly interesting to all, presents peculiar attractions to speculative minds. Accordingly, men of this turn of mind have delighted to employ themselves, in investigating the reason why one course of conduct is esteemed virtuous, and another vicious; and this inquiry into the reason why certain actions are approved and certain others disapproved, has given rise to various theories of morals. These theories have had, each its followers.

The question then arises, can the opinions, which men entertain on these theories; or to take the subject more generally, can their opinions on any mere theory of morals essentially influence their conduct?

In order to come at an answer to this question, I would point out what appears to me a plain and important distinction between a system and a theory of morals. By a system of morals, I understand an enumeration of moral duties, a classification of actions into virtuous and vicious, a body of moral precepts, intended as a guide to the conduct. By a theory of morals, I understand a speculation concerning the reason why some actions and not others are enumerated as moral duties,-why, in the classification of actions, some are ranked among the virtuous and others among the vicious,-why a body of moral precepts inculcate the actions, which are inculcated by them, rather than others; and, still further, a theory of morals would embrace any inquiry into the nature and reasons of duty and obligation in general. A system of morals determines my doubts as to what actions are virtuous and what vicious. A theory of morals determines my doubts as to the reason why certain supposed actions are virtuous and not vicious. The one answers the question what ?—the other, answers the question why? This may be still further illustrated. Our Saviour, while in the world, classified human actions into two kinds,-he gave an enumeration of moral duties, delivered a body of moral precepts; and from his life and preaching, as recorded by the evangelists, may be gathered a system of morals. But he advanced no speculations, no reasons to show why the course of conduct he inculcated was proper, consistent with our own natures, and with the will of God. Since the days of our Saviour, men