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tions take place so rapidly, that we do not notice them, and perhaps can hardly be said to be conscious of them. We perform them by habit. We say that habit has rendered them easy and natural, and this is undoubtedly true. Yet we know that when we began to acquire the habitas in learning to write, or to play on a musical instrument-we did use our wills, and with their best and most distinct efforts too, in order to effect every motion, which we afterwards practise so readily, rapidly, and almost insensibly.

But I shall not at present examine farther the theory, or philosophy of habits. My principal object in writ ing is to show the importance of taking care of our habits while they are forming, and of correcting them speedily and resolutely when they are wrong. As we acquire many of them too early in life to know at the time whether they are good or bad, I wish, if possible, to impress on the minds of parents, that it is of infinite moment to watch the habits which their children are contracting, to point out the evil consequences of those which are pernicious or unseemly, and to inculcate on their offspring, as soon as they can understand what is meant, the deep interest which they have in guarding themselves against bad habits-in forming good ones, and in correcting what is wrong before it becomes inveterate. It is surprising how soon many habits attain their full force and influence. At ten or twelve years of age, children have frequent ly acquired habits which they never relinquish, although their injurious effects are seen and acknowledged. On the other hand, to the same early period, old men may sometimes trace back many of the most useful habits of their whole lives: and they ought always to do it with gratitude to God, and to their good parents, that they were so early taught what was right, and made to practise it till it was easy and delightful.

As a good habit always consists in doing a thing in a manner the

most proper and right in itself, it is plain that it must be even easier in the observance than a bad one. He who has become habituated to the graceful use of his limbs, is certainly much more at ease in his own feelings, while he pleases all who observe him, than the awkward fellow whose attitudes and behaviour are altogether ungainly and disgusting.

It is difficult to correct or change a habit of long standing, because nature-for habit is not only a second nature, but often much stronger than the first-has taken a very powerful set in a particular direction, which of course is very hard to be altered. Habit has taught nature to make demands, not originally necessary, but which it is now very painful to refuse. Hence fixed habits are so seldom changed. Let it, however, be remembered, after all, that they are not unchangeable. The change may and will require a very unpleasant effort, but he who has virtue enough to make and to continue it, will always be successful. It is only because such virtue is not often found, that bad habits are so rarely relinquished. The relinquishment, it should be recollected, must not, in most cases, be attempted gradually, but all at once-by a decisive resolution, entirely, immediately, and immutably to abandon and avoid what is wrong. When was there ever an instance of a drunkard who was reformed gradually? Of such an instance I have never heard. But I have known a good many instances where reformation was complete and permanent, when all intoxicating liquors were totally, and immediately, and for ever renounced. If this page should ever catch the eye of a drunkard, let him remember what is here said.

There may perhaps be some casesalthough that of intemperance is certainly not one-in which a bad habit cannot prudently be laid aside at once. It must, I think, have been by a gradual amendment, that the celebrated Mr. HOWARD changed his

early habits. That distinguished philanthropist said of himself, that "at the age of twenty-five he was a perfect whimpster." He was so delicate and frail in his health, or thought himself so, that whenever he made a short journey-and he then never made a long one-he always sent forward a servant to the inn where he was to lodge, to make sure of a room well warmed, and of a bed most carefully prepared for his accommodation. Yet this man so changed his habits, that he at length preferred to sleep in wet sheets rather than in dry ones; walked through the hardest showers of rain without an umbrella-observing that a smart shower was the best brush that could ever be put upon broadcloth. In pursuing his errands of benevolence, he outtravelled all the posts of Europe; not getting out of his carriage, on one of his journeys, for fifteen successive days and nights, longer than while the horses were changing at the post-houses. The case of CoNARO, an Italian nobleman, is still more remarkable. At the age of thirty-five, he had indulged in what he calls "sensual brutality," till his constitution was so completely shattered, that without a change, he was confident he could not live five years longer. He then made a total alteration in his habits, and in consequence lived beyond his hundredth year. At the age of ninety-five he wrote thus of himself" All the faculties of my mind are in the greatest perfection; my understanding clear and bright as ever; my judgment sound; my memory tenacious; my spirits good: and my voice, the first thing that fails others, still so strong and sonorous, that every morning and evening, with my dear grandchildren around me, I can address my prayers to the Almighty's gracious throne, and chaunt the praises of his redeeming love." Religion was plainly, in this instance, either the cause or consequence of reformation; which it appears was not effected by slow advances, but was nearly completed by a single and decisive effort.

Doctor Johnson has somewhere made a remark of this import, “that some men throw away one half of life in doing wrong, and the other half in despair of amendment." Let every man who has contracted bad habits, especially such as are ruinous, or disgraceful, or injurious to his usefulness, look earnestly to God for his gracious help, and determine solemnly and firmly on reformation; then let him make a few resolute efforts, and he will find that success is practicable. Let him continue the same efforts, and his victory will be complete and permanent. Religious principle is not always the cause of reformation, when bad habits are corrected; but it will always be found a most powerful auxiliary, and in most cases it is that which first operates, and at last triumphs.-In another paper I am desirous to say a little more on this very important subject.

MENTOR.

From the London Evangelical Magazine for September, 1823.

Infidelity. It is well known that Mr. Hume himself was never SO much puzzled as when peremptorily asked by a lady at Bath, to declare upon his honour, as a gentleman, whether he would choose his own confidential domestics from such as held his own principles, or from those who conscientiously believed in the truths of revelation. He frankly decided in favour of the latter.

A Word to Students.-"Rest not, for the Lord's sake, and for your own soul's sake, in the bare fruits of your own study; but seek to be taught of God, that you may at once grow in grace, and in the knowledge of God. Beware of curiosities and novelties in religion."-Life of the pious Halyburton.

A Word to Preachers.-"How often shall a plain sermon, (wherein the preacher aims not to be seen, but rather to show his Lord,) be

blessed to the conversion, establishment and happiness of immortal souls; while pompous orations and laboured performances shall evaporate in sound, or produce no spiritual good; or, if they are remembered for a while, they are remembered not for God's glory, but for the praise of those dying creatures who made them. A poor employment this, to speak and write for the breath of worms, which is at first corrupt in itself, and soon vanishes into nothing."-Serle's Horæ Solitariæ, vol. ii. p. 431.

Learned Trifling.-Theophilus Raynaud was born in the county of Nice in Italy, and admitted into the society of the Jesuits at eighteen years of age, in 1602. He wrote a prodigious number of books, which have been printed in twenty volumes, folio. The titles of several of his books are very odd. He wrote a treatise concerning the Seven Anthems beginning with an O, that are sung before Christmas; and made Seven Discourses upon O, consider ed under these seven heads: 1. As a Letter of the Alphabet; 2. As a Noun; 3. As a Cipher; 4. As a Verb; 5. As an Adverb; 6. As an Interjection; 7. As a symbol of several things. He took great pains to adapt all these significations and symbols to Jesus Christ!

Another of his treatises is entitled, Calvinismus Bestiarum Religio; "Calvinism is the Religion of Beasts!"-Memoirs of Literature, 2d edit. vol. 3. p. 30. A Jesuit who could make the letter O both a verb and an adverb, was no doubt capable of making any thing of any subject.

What an admirable model this for allegorical expositors!

On the Existence of God.-"See here, I hold a Bible in my hand, and you see the cover, the leaves, the letters, and the words; but you do not see the writers, nor the printers, the letter-founder, the ink-maker, the paper-maker, nor the binder. You never did see them, you never will

see them; and yet, there is not one of you, who will think of disputing or denying the being of these men. I go further; I affirm that you see the very souls of these men in seeing this book; and you feel yourselves obliged to allow that they had skill, contrivance, design, memory, fancy, reason, and so on. In the same manner, if you see a picture, you judge there was a painter. If you see a house, you judge there was a builder of it; and if you see one room contrived for this purpose and another for that, a door to enter, a window to admit light, a chimney to hold fire-you conclude that the builder was a person of skill and forecast, who formed the house with a view to the accommodation of its inhabitants. In this manner examine the world, and pity the man, who, when he sees the sign of the wheat-sheaf, hath sense enough to know that there is somewhere a joiner and a painter; but who, when he sees the wheat-sheaf itself, is so stupid as not to say to himself, This had a wise and good Creator!-R. Robinson's Vill. Disc. ii.

An Important Discovery.-"Returning from the village of Kenton," says a clergyman, "where I had been assisting the Sunday-school, and addressing the children, teachers, and parents, I passed a man, who very courteously accosted me; the compliment was returned, and I went on. Soon after, I heard a person behind me quickening his steps. I therefore walked a little slower, supposing that he might have something to communicate; he soon came up with me, and I found him to be the same individual whom I had recently passed. Upon entering into conversation, he observed, You have, sir, been speaking on the necessity of parents setting their children good examples. I am sure it is of great consequence; for I can tell you that when I went to the ale-house on Sundays, my lads used always to go with me; and now, when I go to worship God, they go with me there

also. Ah! sir, (said he,) what pains are now taking to what there used to be when I was a lad! Do you know, sir, I was thirty years of age before I knew I had a soul: and, sir, I'll tell you how I knew it. One of our lads was out one Sunday to play, and he was brought home with one of his ankle bones out of joint.

The next Sunday another of my boys got lamed, and so I determined to send them to a Sunday-school, to be out of the way. I took them to the Orphan-House Sunday-school, and it was there, sir, that I learned that I had a soul."-Sund. School Gleanings, p. 97.

FOR THE CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.

HARP OF DAVID.

Harp of David! peal thy thunders,
Harp of Israel! pour thy dread
On the heart so hard to break,
On the soul so hard to wake,
Though the vengeance of a God,—
All the terrors of his rod,

All the gathering storm of wrath
Darken o'er the downward path,

And Sina's awful fires flash round the guilty head!

Wake thee, sinner! canst thou slumber
When the tempest is so nigh?

When the LORD that made thee-
When the Hand that stayed thee,
Brandishes the burning spear,
Bares the red right arm of fear,
Beckons Ruin to prepare

Cells of horror and despair

For thee, sin-hardened soul!-Wake! wake! why wilt thou die?

Hope of Israel, holy JESUS!

Hope of sinners when they grieve,

Send thy quickening Spirit down;
Lay aside the Judge's frown,
And assume the Saviour's smile;
Pour thy grace's healing oil
On the sinner's broken heart;
Bid his fear and grief depart;

Unfold thy love immense, and bid the sinner live.

Light of Israel, holy JESUS!
Hope and safety of the lost!
If on earth-and if in heaven,
They, who greatly are forgiven,
Love thee much;-O then must I
Soar with seraph-wing on high,
And of all, who harp and crown

Cast aside, and bending down,

Adore before thy throne, my soul must love thee most!

Harp of David! how I love thee!
How I joy thy notes to hear!

When the theme is Love Divine

Love to this poor soul of mine,
Then could I hear forever-

Then would I weary never,
Though the song of love should last
Till the heavens away have past,
And old eternity grow gray in his career!

B.

FOR THE CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE,

No. II.

Reviews.

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"Unitarians believe, that the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments contain

authentick records of the dispensations of God, and of his dispensations* to men. Several Unitarian writers of celebrity have written, expressly, in their vindication and defence."-Abstract, page 2.

Mr. Emory's Reply silences the writer of the Abstract, on the subject of making the books commonly called scripture, the foundation of Unitarian belief. In his Remarks, that author makes not so much as an allusion to the following paragraphs of the Reply.

"I knew a Unitarian preacher and author, who published this same profession, and yet afterwards attempted, publickly, to invalidate, as spurious, several chapters of the New Testament. And why? Because they support the doctrine of the miraculous conception of Christ, a doctrine which he did not believe. That the scriptures contain authentick records will be readily admitted by some, who, if brought out, will notwithstanding contend, that the commonly received scriptures contain records also which are not authentick. Whether there was any such mental reservation on the part of the author of the Abstract, I do not pretend to say."

"But if several Unitarian writers of great celebrity have written in vindication and defence of the scriptures, it is equally certain that others have written against such parts as oppose their system. Dr. Priestley, one of the Unitarian writers of great celebrity, went still further, and not only denied the authenticity of those chapters in Matthew and Luke, which establish the miraculous conception of Christ, but maintained that even admitting their authenticity, the gospel history is like any other credible history, depend. ing on testimony."

Revelations, we should suppose to be the proper word here. VOL. II.-Ch. Adv.

"That these men (the Evangelists), without any particular inspiration, wrote according to the best of their knowledge of the facts of which they were the proper witnesses; yet like other men subject to prejudice, might be liable to adopt a hasty, ill grounded opinion, concerning things which did not come within the compass of their knowledge."—Emory's Reply.

That the author of the Abstract adopts Dr. Priestley's opinious on these points, is rendered more than probable from his silence, in his Remarks on the Reply. To develop his real opinions more fully than we find them displayed in the Abstract, I take the liberty of offering some quotations from Dr. Priestley.Speaking of the four gospels he says:

"That the books were generally rethose to whom they were addressed, is a ceived, and not immediately rejected, by proof that the history they contained is in the main authentick, but by no means proves that every minute circumstance in them is true."—History of Corruptions, Vol. 3, page 369.

Whilst we feel assured that, in every thing of importance the Evangelists in writing their gospels were directed by the unerring Spirit of God, an error in some very minute circumstance, may probably have very little effect upon our reliance on their writings, as a part of Divine revelation. But Dr. Priestley has left us no ground of assurance for the infallibility of these writers, in the most important, more than in the minutest circumstances, of their history. Hear his own language

"I have frequently avowed myself, not to be a believer in the inspiration of the Evangelists and Apostles as writers.-I therefore hold this subject of the miraculous conception to be one, with respect to which any person is fully at liberty to think as the evidence shall appear to him, without any impeachment of his faith or character as a Christian."-Letters to Horsley, page 132.

This places the gospels in point of historical verity, upon a level with D

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