kindness to them; if, in fine, instead of assuming the being of an awful Deity, which men, though they cannot deny, are always unwilling, sometimes unable, to conceive, we were to show them a near, visible, inevitable, but allbeneficent Deity, whose presence makes the earth itself a heaven, I think there would be fewer deaf children sitting in the market-place. Ruskin.

As awe is softened into Reverential Wonder when the understanding is sufficiently enlightened to save us from vain and degrading fears, so the latter sentiment warms into Admiration when we discern the Beauty which invests the infinite world. As a glimpse of life beyond the grave, and a glance of the eye into the depths of space, are adapted to calm stormy passions, so a tranquil resting of the soul, on whatever form of beauty, tends to impart cheerfulness, elasticity of spirits, and mute thankfulness. The child who gazes on the colors of the sunset, on the light which ripples with the water, or on the deep blue of the sky, is often ready to bound with speechless and unanalyzed delight. Nor need adults any higher beauty to call forth the same feelings, though the magnificent scenery of some favored spots is appreciated by them with still keener zest. Thus, in short, to call forth the heart into admiration, and prepare it for love, is the appropriate function of all natural beauty.

He who has a keen sensibility for natural beauty, is not forthwith to be called a religious man; yet he has a temperament on which true religion may be happily superin

duced, with more substance and grandeur of devotion than is to be found where only the moral sentiments are in any active life. F. W. Newman.

Two great and principal passions are evidently appointed by the Deity to rule the life of man; namely, the love of God, and the fear of Sin, and of its companion - Death. How many motives we have for Love, how much there is in the universe to kindle our admiration and to claim our gratitude, there are happily multitudes among us who both feel and teach. But it has not, I think, been sufficiently considered how evident, throughout the system of creation, is the purpose of God that we should often be affected by Fear; not the sudden, selfish, and contempti- * ble fear of immediate danger, but the fear which arises out of the contemplation of great powers in destructive operation, and generally from the perception of the presence of death. Nothing appears to me more remarkable than the array of scenic magnificence by which the imagination is appalled, in myriads of instances, when the actual danger is comparatively small; so that the utmost possible impression of awe shall be produced upon the minds of all, though direct suffering is inflicted upon but few. Consider, for instance, the moral effect of a single thunder-storm. Perhaps two or three persons may be struck dead within a space of a hundred square miles; and their deaths, unaccompanied by the scenery of the storm, would produce little more than a momentary sadness in the busy hearts of living men. But the prepara

tion for the Judgment, by all that mighty gathering of the clouds; by the questioning of the forest leaves, in their terrified stillness, which way the winds shall go forth; by the murmuring to each other, deep in the distance, of the destroying angels before they draw forth their swords of fire; by the march of the funeral darkness in the midst of noonday, and the rattling of the dome of heaven beneath the chariot-wheels of death; - on how many minds do not these produce an impression almost as great as the actual witnessing of the fatal issue; and how strangely are the expressions of the threatening elements fitted to the apprehension of the human soul! The lurid color, the long, irregular convulsive sound, the ghastly shapes of flaming and heaving clouds, are all as true and faithful in their appeal to our instinct of danger, as the moaning or wailing of the human voice itself is to our instinct of pity. It is not a reasonable, calculating terror which they awake in us; it is no matter that we count distance by seconds, and measure probability by averages. That shadow of the thundercloud will still do its work upon our hearts, and we shall watch its passing away as if we stood upon the threshingfloor of Araunah. I understand not the most dangerous, because most attractive form of modern infidelity, which, pretending to exalt the beneficence of the Deity, degrades it into a reckless infinitude of mercy, and blind obliteration of the work of sin; and which does this chiefly by dwelling on the manifold appearances of God's kindness on the face of creation. Such kindness is indeed everywhere and always visible; but not alone. Wrath and threatening are invariably mingled with the love. Ruskin.

The certainty of possible death always overhanging man, probably does more to induce serious thoughts, and thus to promote virtue, than all other causes put together. Dr. Walker.

It is true that religion is often expressed in the Scripture by the fear of God, and fear hath been said to be "prima mensura Divinitatis," the first measure of the Divinity in us, or the first impression that religion makes upon men in this obnoxious and guilty state, before they have arrived to the true love of God and righteousness. It is an aweful regard of God, as of one who is essentially just, and as well a punisher of vice and wickedness as a rewarder of virtue. Cudworth.

Fear is the great bridle of intemperance, the modesty of the spirit, and the restraint of gayeties and dissolutions; it is the girdle to the soul, and the handmaid to repentance, the arrest of sin, and the cure or antidote to the spirit of reprobation; it preserves our apprehensions of the divine majesty, and hinders our single actions from combining to sinful habits; it is the mother of consideration, and the nurse of sober counsels, and it puts the soul to fermentation and activity, making it pass from trembling to caution, and from caution to carefulness, from carefulness to watchfulness, from thence to prudence; and by the gates and progresses of repentance, it leads the soul on to love, and to felicity, and to joys in God that shall never cease again. Fear is the guard of a man in the days of

prosperity, and it stands upon the watch-towers and spies the approaching danger, and gives warning to them that laugh loud, and feast in the chambers of rejoicing, where a man cannot consider by reason of the noises of wine and jest, and music; and if prudence takes it by the hand, and leads it on to duty, it is a state of grace, and an universal instrument to infant religion, and the only security of the less perfect persons; and in all senses is that homage we owe to God, who sends often to demand it, even then, when he speaks in thunder, or smites by a plague, or awakens us by threatenings, or discomposes our easiness by sad thoughts, and tender eyes, and fearful hearts, and trembling considerations. Jeremy Taylor.

By inspirations are meant all those interior attractions, motions, reproaches and remorses, lights and conceptions, which God excites in us, preventing our hearts with his blessings, through his fatherly care and love, in order to awaken, stimulate, urge, and attract us to the practice of every virtue; to heavenly love; to good resolutions; in a word, to every thing that may help us on our way to eternal happiness.

Now, though the inspiration should continue during our whole life, yet we could not render ourselves pleasing to God, if we took no pleasure in it, and gave not consent to it.

Resolve, then, Philothea, to accept with cordiality all the inspirations it shall please God to send you; and, when they come, receive them as ambassadors sent by the King of Heaven. De Sales.