sons—allowing me that the pineal gland is the seat of the soul—that however fair and perfect the form, the man wanted the essence of his being, in wanting that apparently insignificant part of his body. Such men would say, “Here is a striking and perfect form—all parts are harmonious life animates the frame--the machine plays admirably—what has this little, insignificant member to do with it ??And yet this is the essential and characterizing part of the

man.

Every man has a peculiar turn of mind, which gives a colouring and tinge to his thoughts. I have particularly detected this in myself with respect to public affairs. I have such an immediate view of God acting in them, that all the great men, who make such a noise and bustle on the scene, seem to me like so many mere puppets. God is moving them all, to effect His own designs. They cannot advance a step, whither He does not lead; nor stand a moment, where He does not place them. Now this is a view of things, which it is my privilege to take as a Christian. But the evil lies here. I dwell so much on the view of the matter, to which the turn of my mind leads me, that I forget sometimes the natural tendencies of things. God uses all things, but not so as to destroy their natural tendencies. They are good or evil, according to their own nature; not according to the use which He makes of them.

The mind has a constant tendency to conform itself to the sentiments and cast of thinking with which it is chiefly conversant, either among books or men. If the influence remain undetected, it-grows soon into an inveterate habit of obliquity. Even if it be detected, it is the most difficult thing in the world to bring back the mind to the standard, especially if there be any thing in its constitution which assimilates itself to the error. I was once much in the habit of reading the mystical writers: a book of Dr. Owen's clearly convinced me that they erred: yet I found my mind ever inclining toward them, and winding round like the biassed bowl. I saw clearly the absurdity of the notions in their view of them, and yet I was ever talking of “self-annihilation" &c.: and am not even now rid of the thing.

ON THE

CHARACTER OF ST. PAUL.

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I DELIGHT to contemplate St. Paul as an appointed pattern. Men might have questioned the propriety of urging on them the example of Christ: they might have said that we are necessarily in dissimilar circumstances. But St. Paul stands up in like case with ourselves—a model of ministerial virtues.

We consider him, perhaps, in point of character, inore the immediate subject of extraordinary inspiration, than he was in reality. And this mistake affects our view of him in two different ways. We

suppose, at one time, that his virtues were so much the effect of extraordinary communications, that he is no proper model for us; whereas he was no farther fitted to his circumstances than every Christian has warrant to expect to be, so far as his circumstances are similar.

At another time, perhaps, though we acknowledge and revere his distinguished character, yet our view of his virtues is exalted beyond due measure.

We should remember, that, as he was fitted for his circumstances; so he was, in a great degree, made by them. Many men are, doubtless, executing their appointed task in retirement and silence, who would unfold a character beyond all expectation, if Providence were to lead them into a scene where the world rose up in arms, and they were sent forth into it under a clear conviction of an especial mission. The history of the Church seems to show us that the effects of grace, ordinary or extraordinary, have been the same in all ages.

In speaking of St. Paul, it has been usual to magnify his learning, among the many other great qualities which he possessed. That point seems never to have been satisfactorily made out. He was an educated Pharisee ; but, farther than this, I think we cannot go. His quotations from the Greek Poets are not evidences of even a school boy's learning in our day: for we forget, when we talk of them, that he was a Roman quoting Greek. Nor do I see any thing more in his famous speech in the Areopagus, so often produced as evidence on this subject, than the line of argument to which a strong and energetic mind would lead him. If we talk of his talents, indeed, he rises almost beyond admiration ; but they were talents of a certain order and the very display which we have of them seems a strong corroborative proof, that he is not to be considered as a profoundly learned man of his day. For instance, had he studied Aristotle, it would have been almost impossible but he must have caught some influence, which we should have seen in his writings. But there is nothing like the dry, logical metaphysical character of that school; which yet had then given the law to the seats of science and philosophy. Instead of this, we see every where the copious, diffusive, declaiming, discursive; but sublime, and wise, and effective mind.

THERE is a true apostolicism in the character of St. Paul. It is a combination of ZEAL and LOVE.

The zeal of some men is of a haughty, unbending: ferocious character. They have the letter of truth, but they mount the pulpit like prize-fighters. It is with them a perpetual scold. This spirit is a reproach to the Gospel." It is not the spirit of Jesus Christ. He seems to have laboured to win men.

But there is an opposite extreme. The love of some men is all milk and mildness! There is so much delicacy, and so much fastidiousness ! They touch with such tenderness and, if the patient shrinks, they will touch no more ! The times are too flagrant for such a disposition. The Gospel is sometimes preached in this way, till all the people agree with the preacher. He gives no offence, and he does no good!

But St. Paul united and blended love and zeal. He MUST win souls : but he will labour to do this by all possible lawful contrivances. I am made all things

теп, that I might by all means save some. Zeal, alone, may degenerate into ferociousness and brutality: and love, alone, into fastidiousness and delicacy: but the Apostle combined both qualities; and, more perfectly than other men, realized the union of the fortiter in re with the suaviter in modo.