be at best but a feeble instrument of the divine will. If you look to your minister to build up this church, you will crush him with your expectations, and prepare for yourselves a sad disappointment. The ways of our Zion will mourn from one month to another, and year after year, because no new friends come to her solemn feasts. Let your eyes then be lifted to God. On him let all your hopes be fixed. Expect nothing from me, without constant prayer to God in my behalf. Let me derive encouragement in every labor, and support under every trial, from the assurance that you daily intercede with God, that I may ever enjoy the teachings and consolations of his Spirit. When in the retirement of the study, I sit down to the investigation of truth, to be proclaimed in your hearing, let me feel that you are praying for me. Let me feel it in the shining of heavenly light into my mind, and the kindling of heavenly love in my heart. O let me feel that an unction from the Holy One is poured out upon me, in answer to your united and fervent supplications. When I come to this house of God to declare his word, let me feel that the way is prepared before me by the prayers of my people. Then may we both look for the blessing of God upon our services. pp. 226, 227.

The second of these discourses is a first rate specimen of scriptural preaching; that is, the full disclosure of the testimony of God's word on a given subject; which at every step in the progress of discussion produces the impression on the mind of the hearer or reader, not, thus thinks and reasons the preacher," but " thus saith the Lord." We rise from the reading of this discourse, with the reflections, how full and satisfactory is the testimony of the Scriptures to the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ: and how well the faithful searcher of the Scriptures is rewarded in the abundance and clearness in which evidence is disclosed, upon the great and fundamental truths of religion. In constructing an argument on a religious doctrine, nothing satisfies the mind of a preacher like the test mony of the Scriptures; and nothing "tells on the conscience" of the hearer, like this. We regard this discourse also as a good specimen of the way of preaching a doctrine practically. The humble and tender spirited Christian can hardly fail of having his feelings, as a believer in a divine Saviour, strengthened; and his steps in the Christian course quickened; and of being prepared to enter deeply into the feelings of Paul, when, with his eye of faith on the Lord Jesus, he said, "I know in whom I have believed."

The concluding reflections are adapted to lead the hearer forward to eternal things, and to compel him to feel. To the mind of a candid and considerate Unitarian, there are addressed some powerful appeals in the first reflection.

The divinity of Christ will not be denied at the day of judgment. Though many may deny it in this life, while he is pouring down blessings upon the earth, in the character of a Redeemer and Intercessor, will they be able to do it when he shall appear as the Judge of the quick and

the dead? Though the pride of false philosophy and a hatred of the light may, at present, lead men to reject all the evidence derived from the divine titles, the divine attributes, and divine works of Christ, as the Creator of all things and the Saviour of a lost world, will it always be thus? Will it be thus when he comes to bring all things to their destined consummation, and to judge the world which he died to save? If to have made the principalities and powers of heaven, to have spread out the sky as a molten looking-glass, and to have laid the foundations of the earth amid the song, and shouts of all the morning stars, will not convince men of the divinity of Christ, will they not be convinced when he shall come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, and all his holy angels with him, to reward his saints and render vengeance to his enemies, and doom the earth and the works that are therein to be burnt up? I they see no evidence of this truth, while all things are subsisting by him in grand and peaceful order, while he preserves suns and planets in their courses, bears the earth forward through its daily and yearly changes, and holds the ocean in the hollow of his hand, will they see none when he shall rend the heavens and come down, and the stars shall be quenched in the flood of glory around him, the earth shall be stopt in its course, the elements shall melt around him, the mountains flow down at his presence, the sea shrink away, and every island flee out of its place? If they can discover nothing divine in the Son of God, as he expires on the cross amid the sympathetic changes of nature, the fading sun, the rending rocks, and the opening graves, will they discover none, when, awful in majesty, he takes the throne of judgment amid the convulsions of a dissolving universe? Will they then see any occasion for looking up to him, and saying with contemptuous mockery, "Save thyself, and come down, and we will believe?" When they hear the voice of the Son of God, calling upon the great congregation of the dead, to rise and come to judgment, will they be able to persuade themselves that they hear only the voice of a man like one of themselves? And when they behold the work of judgment proceed till the last sentence is pronounced on the divided multitude, can they believe it to be any being but God, who is thus measuring out the rewards and punishments of eternity, and fixing the destiny of a world of immortals? When they behold the King of Zion riding on his chariot of clouds to the New Jerusalem, with all his redeemed children shouting "Hosanna to the Son of David! Hosanna in the highest! Lift up your heads, ye everlasting gates, and the King of glory shall come in," will it be necessary to bring any more arguments to keep men from stripping him of his divine honors? No, brethren, we shall have to plead for the Son of God no more; he will arise, and plead for himself with the terrors and glories of the last day, till every knee shall bow to him, and every tongue confess that he is Lord to the glory of God the Father. PP240, 241.

On the disclosures of the deeds "both of the just and the unjust," at the last day, we find some interesting observations.

It may be asked, if the infinite knowledge of their Judge can afford Christians any comfort in the expectation that their sins, even the most secret, will be disclosed. The concern manifested by some Christians, at the thought of such a disclosure, and that trembling interest with which they endeavor to limit the meaning of the divine declarations, "that every work shall be brought into judgment with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil"-and-" the secrets of all hearts shall be revealed," can be accounted for on no other ground, but that of an erroneous

opinion respecting the design and effect of this universal disclosure, so far as it relates to them. Deeply impressed by a sense of their vileness in the sight of God, they may not be able to rid themselves of the idea, that such a disclosure must bring upon them the scorn and derision of the ungodly, particularly of those who in this life were accustomed to regard them as eminent saints. This they suppose, would fill them with such shame and confusion, as would be inconsistent with a state of perfect happiness. But when Christians consider, that their judge will not publish their sins to give them pain, or to condemn them; but to magnify the wonders of his own redeeming mercy in the eyes of the whole universe of intelligent beings, why should not their distress be turned into joy? Should they not rejoice to see their Saviour honored to their own confusion.

What if the impenitent of their acquaintance, do behold their secret sins! They will also behold their secret repentance. What if they do behold them stript of their own righteousness! they will also behold them clothed in the perfect righteousness of Christ. What if they behold them speechless! they will see their Saviour and Judge open his lips and plead for them. "I was an hungered and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger and ye took me in.

Well then may Christians rejoice, though with trembling humility, in view of the infinite knowledge of Christ. pp. 242, 243.

The third sermon is a good specimen of that kind of preaching, which leaves on the heart and conscience, convictions of deficiencies in past life; of something more to be done; of the necessity of higher attainments in grace; and connected with these convictions, a desire to enter the closet, approach the footstool of divine mercy, and seek forgiveness and assistance. That is a good sermon which produces such effects as these. The following extract is worthy of frequent perusal, as indicating the duty of the Christian to seek the advancement of the kingdom of Christ in this world.

But he takes a peculiar delight in the enlargement and glory of that reign of righteousness and peace, through Christ Jesus, established in this fallen world. This delight, pure in kind, and great in measure, is also uniform in duration. It does not burst into a flame at one time, and die away into nothingness at another. The interest that he takes in the success of divine truth, the spread of the gospel, and the conversion of sinners, is not a transient passion, but an abiding principle. It does not rise to enthusiam to-day, and sink into indifference to-morrow. It is not a paroxysm of feeling, that works up his mind to the sudden resolution of making sacrifices of which he soon repents, and entering upon undertakings in which he soon comes to a stand. It is not the occasional fervor of a heated imagination, under the influence of which he for a while sees visions of glory in the prospects of Zion, and seems to be looking for the new heavens and earth to burst upon his view, and afterwards shuts his eyes in sleep, or turns them away from these coming realities, to cast them on the fleeting shadows around him. It is a light of the mind and a warmth of the heart blended in one steady flame, which leads his eye onward continually to the future enlargement and beauty of the church, and keeps it fixed on these objects, with the calm expectation of faith in the promise of an immutable God. This enduring interest in the prosperity of Zion, enters so deeply into all his habits

of thinking and feeling and acting, and is so much a constituent part of his character, as to become his own interest. In the daily supplications of his closet and his family, and in his constant breathings of silent devotion, he remembers, in intimate connexion with his desires for blessings on himself, he always remeinbers, to pray that the kingdom of his divine Saviour may come, in the fulness of its extent and glory. To hasten its coming, he is steadfast in the systematic employment of the means, that Heaven has put into his hands. His labors and charities have the regular flow of smooth and peaceful streams sent forth from a perennial fountain. Thus in all that he does for the good of the church, there is a consistent uniformity, which could proceed from no other source but the deep interest of unfailing love.

pp. 254, 255.

The fourth sermon is a discussion of the doctrine that "all true repentance springs from a clear view of God." We must make but a single extract,-the concluding paragraph on the sinner in heaven. To quote all the beauties of Wilcox's sermons would be to reprint the sermons entire. This passage furnishes a good correction of the erroneous ideas of sentimental religionists, on the nature of religious enjoyment, and on the happiness of the heavenly state.

Were an unsanctified being to steal unseen into the midst of heaven's holy worshippers, his own sense of unfitness for their employment would betray him there; he would throw off the mask and stand exposed to every eye; and though his presence should suspend the songs of the happy myriads 'around him, there would be no need that all heaven should rise to cast him out; no need that every eye should look to the insulted throne for sudden wrath to blaze forth against him; no need that every voice should call for his banishment; his own conscience would pass the sentence on himself, and he would feel in his inmost soul the necessity of its immediate execution. He would himself hurry away from a world where "Holiness to the Lord" is written on every object, and where "Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Hosts" is sung and echoed and re-echoed by all the companies of pure and blessed spirits. p. 282.

The reader may compare this extract with a passage in the "Religion of Taste," beginning at the eighty-fourth stanza. The fifth discourse we should like to see in the form of a tract, for the benefit of youth: as being a comprehensive description of the motives to early piety. The death-bed scene, (pp. 294, 295,) is a very impressive one, happily introduced, and adapted to fasten upon the heart the counsels of the whole discourse. Facts which illustrate divine truth are of great importance in sermons. The providences of God often give a solemn and arousing emphasis to the instructions of his word. And they deserve more attention and use in the pulpit than they have. We by no means advocate story telling in the pulpit. But we think that well chosen facts, properly introduced, and of a serious and impressive character, may be of great use

in fastening more didactic instructions upon the minds of hearers. Some preachers, it is true, can safely give themselves more latitude in this thing, than most others. Such men as Rowland Hill, Dr. Backus, "Father Mills," and Mr. Hallock, can say things in the pulpit which not one man in a hundred could say, to good effect, without their pecul.ar character and habits of mind. Still every preacher can interweave facts of a purely serious character into his discourses, which shall be of powerful effect. Every minister would find benefit to himself and his hearers, from keeping on his table a fact-book,a much better article, by the way, than a common place book, -in which he might note every day, something which will be of use in the illustrations of the pulpit. Some hearers will perceive and remember a thought which is illustrated by a fact, when without any such means to fix their attention, they may not understand it, or may not remember it, for an hour.

The sixth discourse is an interesting collection of considerations for parents, who have before them the great work of forming young minds and characters. Though the author was not himself a parent, he contemplated the subject of religious education with the eye of a faithful and anxious m nister; and he has in this discourse gathered around a young immortal, circumstances of high interest, and pointed forward to possibities, on the one hand pleasant, on the other painful, which are likely to make a parent think and feel much, on his own responsibilities, and the momentous destinies of his children.

The seventh discourse. on love to God. is a good specimen of doctrinal preaching divested of the abstractness into which we have known some preachers fall, in discussing this subject. It is here exhibited in the simple practical form in which the Scriptures present it.

The eighth, on the disconsolate Christian, is an interesting discourse, on an important and somewhat difficult subject. The author is here on ground where he had more than common measures of experience; as appears from some of his letters, in the memoir, and as we happen to know from some acquaintance with him. He has discussed the subject as extensively as it could be done in a single discourse. We cannot help wishing, however, that he had given it his attention and his pen for a year, rather than a week; and prepared a series of essays upon its different branches, adapted for use by private Christians of the particular class contemplated in the discourse. From the close of this discourse turn, if the reader please, to the concluding stanzas of the poem on the Religion of Taste.

The physical causes of that peculiar depression and dark