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WHAT ARE YOU THINKING OF?

OBSTA PRINCIPIIS.

MR. EDITOR,

I believe it is a subject of very sincere regret to all true Christians, that those truths which they know and acknowledge are unspeakably glorious, and should produce on the heart and the character a powerful and abiding influence, are yet, comparatively to their dignity and importance, so little felt in their transforming and sanctifying efficacy. It is then deeply interesting to enquire what are the causes of this? what are those little foxes which prey upon the tender leaves of the Christian vine, and so weaken this plant of the Lord, as to prevent it from bringing to maturity the fruits of Christian holiness ?

In cases of declining or infirm bodily health, one enquiry which is frequently made is, what atmosphere does the patient breathe? and often without medicine, a change of air is fully sufficient to re-animate the powers of the constitution; to restore the bloom of health to the cheek; to give lustre to the eye, and to invigorate the whole man with unwonted health and strength. Now, Sir, thought and meditation, with their usual result conversation, are to the soul what breathing is to the body, and it is a serious question how far this atmosphere of the soul is impregnated with wholesome principles, or how far it is either vitiated or destitute of virtue.

Our thoughts are our most constant companions, they are in themselves a great test of character, and in their re-action on the feelings and the affections, they exercise a considerable power over the character itself, either of improvement or deterioration. It may also be added, that with a reasonable degree of watchfulness, we have considerable controul over our thoughts; and, if conscience be alive, we may arrest the traitor as he passes the first threshhold of the little city within, before he has had time to corrupt the garrison and rouse the passions into mutiny. I am well aware that through the senses, and perhaps through spiritual influence, a host of feeling is often at once excited which it costs much exertion to subdue, but, I believe, it very frequently happens that it is while we are musing, the fire kindles which excites the affections, and inflames the passions,can we then too scrupulously enquire, what are those familiar spirits with which we hold converse in the very important hours of retirement and solitude-do they bring airs from Heaven or blasts from hell? are they holy and spiritual, or are they of the earth, earthy?

It is not my intention to dwell much on those trains of thought which are plainly sinful. He who indulges his imagination and his mind in the contemplation of sensual and vicious images, breathes a pestilential atmosphere, which, like the dense vapours

which emanated from the lake of antiquity, must arrest every lofty aspiring of the soul; must render futile, every attempt to soar to heaven, and must sink the poisoned spirit lifeless in deep waters of misery and ruin,—such images brutify the soul, give awful advantages to the powers of temptation, and lay the first foundation of that awful process described by the apostle, "when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin, and sin when it is perfected bringeth forth death."

In the same manner, he who occupies his secret hours in building castles of great wealth and worldly advancement, and their consequent means of self indulgence, encourages every tendency of his nature to that covetousness, which is idolatry, he lays the foundation of discontent, and not only renders losses more needful, in order to wean the soul from selfish worldliness, but also by the dispositions thus strengthened, makes those losses more bitter and

severe.

Thus also, whosoever permits himself to meditate, and dwell on the unreasonableness, unkindness, or injuries which he has experienced from others, encourages dispositions contrary to that charity which covers, as with a veil, the multitude of sins, and grieves or quenches that spirit of love which characterises the Christian here, and is the very climate in which he will live hereafter; and by fostering the feelings of resentment, envy, and strife, strengthens and confirms the very features of hell within him.

With respect to these and every such train of thoughts, the only rule which a Christian should adopt is plainly, touch not, taste not, handle not.

Even with respect to subjects which are not only sinless, but in many respects desirable, the desire of home, the endearments of family affection, the charms of literature, the chivalrous romance of youth, the beauties of nature, and the exercise of intellect; these all spread a richness and a tenderness over the character, which make it peculiarly attractive, and furnish the mind with the materials of innocent enjoyment; and yet, let the Christian beware lest they beguile him of his reward, by fixing him down contented in a paradise merely terrestrial, and lest they so soften his mind as to unfit him to endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. —It was said, I have heard, of one who met death with a hope full of immortality, when snatched away in the full bloom of youth and health, by the hand of the executioner, that she felt her soul completely unmoved a few days before her execution, by giving full sympathy to the seducing charms of a beautiful prospect.

I would carry this caution further, and apply it to cases on which duty calls upon us to meditate, but in which the danger is excess. It is surely right at the close of the day to review the past, and to consider what we have done,-how we have done itand whether we have left any thing undone so far is well; and yet how often do we see the Christian, when the string which has bound him to his worldly business has been cut, instead of speeding

his flight with joyful wing and cheerful song towards heaven, linger here below, like some Ghost hovering round its much loved and much lamented treasure of this world's business; or, with heart and head bent down to earth, chewing the cud of his earthly hopes of successful enterprise, or his anxious fears of losses and disappointments,and this often, when compelled by no necessity to weigh and determine any measures to ensure the one, or avoid the other.

It is also right for the Christian to take lively interest in the great events which day after day occur, and to watch the Providence of God, as he ordaineth all things according to his own wise counsels, to feel for the interests of his fellow citizens, and to desire the welfare of the entire community. And yet, Sir, how often have we seen the Christian injured by letting his mind dwell amidst the shifting uncertain element of this world's politics, his temper ruffled, his charity limited, and his spirituality impaired; he begins, perhaps, by reviewing politics as connected with the interests of religion, but he learns after some time to consider religion chieffy in its bearing upon the more pressing measures of politics; he begins to weigh men by this new standard; to undervalue the preaching of the Gospel, and the dissemination of the Holy Scriptures as less effectual for the regeneration of the country, than some favourite measure of political expediency. He forms connexions with men destitute of spirituality, but of kindred political principles; and under such circumstances, it is difficult for piety to prosper, even perhaps to retain its hold; but even when the subject is decidedly religious, caution is needful, lest we keep comparatively low company, and thus fail to exercise the nobler powers of the soul. I can imagine a true Christian living in this world of sin and folly, to be so struck with the madness and absurdity of the frivolous or covetous worldling, as to make his case the principal subject of his thoughts. I can conceive his imagination and his understanding tasked to their utmost force, to depict in true colours the paltry pursuits, the unsatisfactory pleasures the shadowy possessions, and the real meanness of soul, for which the wretched slaves of this world barter an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away and surely all this is religiously true. But, Sir, while thus occupied, our Christian friend holds converse wholly with the worldliness he condemns, it furnishes his subject of meditation, even while he reprobates it; and there is danger, lest in secret and in social intercourse, he should seldom let his heart and his tongue dwell on those higher and more glorious subjects, which cherish true spirituality there is danger, lest adopting ridicule as his weapon, he should be led into a petty warfare of light and 'pointed jesting-there is danger, lest mistaking satire for the weapons of Christian charity, he should acquire a cynical indifference as to the pain he inflicts; and lest, instead of administering the unwelcome medicine of Christian counsel, blended with the soothing kindly voice of Christian sympathy and love, he should seem to

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look for the tenderest part, in order that at least the truth may be felt most poignantly. But I am rather led to remark the evil which acrues to himself, than the injury done to others, from the low subjects over which the best powers of his mind spend themselves, and with which the best faculties of his soul are conversant.

The wide spread, and diversified operations of religious exertion, and the glorious warfare, which under various forms, Christian zeal now wages against sin, ignorance, and irreligion, furnish the pious mind with matter for the deepest interest-the keenest anxiety, and at times the purest triumph, that God should be glorified in the enlarging kingdom of his Blessed Son, and that many should remember themselves, and should turn to the Lord; this adds warmth to the rejoicing hymns of Angels,-well may it then gladden the heart of the Christian pilgrim here; and yet, while we take our stand in the ranks, and inspect the field of battle, as we take our view and form our estimate of the embattled hosts, amidst the bustle of preparation, the din of war, the marching and countermarching, and all the various circumstances of success and failure, do we not often lose sight of the cause which has engaged us in the contest-of the great Captain under whose banner we are enrolled, and of that eternal sabbath prepared for the people of God. -The mind is apt to place its hopes-its fears-its plans-its treasure on earth, not in heaven, and though we cannot say that at death his thoughts perish; yet we can almost imagine him to cast a longing, lingering glance behind, in search of that element to which he had been most used, and even when admitted to the presence of the Saviour, whom he sincerely loves, to cast a side glance to earth, to ascertain how the warfare prospers here.-Unquestionably there is much in Christian exertion, which assimilates it to the prosecution of any earthly business, and if the only thing which can sanctify it be absent, the upward eye, and the heart fixed by faith, on Him whose grace alone can make even his own service safe, our religion will grow worldly, and we shall manifest the tempers and the character of those engaged in the business of this world, those who are careful and troubled about many things." Even when the mind turns inward, and lives much in the close inspection of self, brooding over the manifold sins, negligences, and ignorances, which the Christian has daily to lament; investigating the low and selfish motives which too often mix themselves with even our purest feelings: I would say, this may be too exclusively the occupation of the mind. One object of Christianity is, to raise us out of self; to let the mind expand in a desire for the glory of God supremely, and the true happiness of others; and yet, have we not seen the Christian narrowed and starched into a mere pursuit of his own well being and improvement, looking at every thing in the light of how does it affect self? insomuch, that I have even heard a Christian whom I could not but believe sincere, when stating her motives for her love of a near and valued relative, say, "He was so profitable to me,"-By meditating too ex

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clusively on our own sin, we are apt to grow reconciled to its existence, to view it as a sort of necessary evil, and to consider our mourning over it as the great mark of true religion-instead of the Scriptural test,-to him that overcometh, will I give to sit upon my throne.-The mind thus dwells too exclusively amidst the ruins of our fallen nature, and too little on the ennobling and exciteing privileges or acquirements, to which, by grace, and the indwelling of the Spirit, we attain.

I would also briefly mention the critical, professional, and controversial investigation of the holy Scripture, which deservedly, but often too exclusively, occupy the attention of biblical students. Dr. Allison, in his work on taste, remarks how little critics, or those who read with any specific object, enter into the spirit, and are influenced by the feeling, of the author before them, and thus in reading the Sacred Volume, how often do we miss the unction of the Spirit, and the influence of the solemn truths which we read, when our understanding, our wit, and our acuteness is exercised, either to solve some difficulty, to instruct some parishioner or friend, and find a weapon to demolish the arguments of some antagonist.

And now, Sir, to bring all my long, but I trust not needless, illustrations to a point, we have found an answer to the question asked in the hymn of a dear and much loved friend,

"Why should believers when they meet

Not speak of Christ, the King they own?"

simply because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, and because they so little think of Christ at other times -so little "abide in him "-dwell with him-live upon him. To the same cause must it be attributed, that often when the Christian places himself in the immediate presence of Him "whom his soul loveth," he feels as if he had nothing to say-no praise to offer— no heart to mourn for sin, or to pant after holiness. To the same cause it is, that true Christians enjoy so little pleasure in looking forward to death, and feel such a shrinking from that which even a heathen acknowledged as the birth-day of eternity. It is the same cause which makes the Christian so easily shaken by the changes and chances of this mortal life-so little at peace within, and so little qualified to do good to others; and be it remembered, that while he justly moans over the sluggishness and inaptitude of his nature for these holy exercises, that much of this arises purely from his own fault; it is his spiritual sloth which makes his way as a hedge of thorns. Oh, that it were otherwise-that Christians would embrace every moment of leisure as a precious opporturity of rising on the wings of heavenly contemplation, and by faith piercing the veil which covers eternal things, to enter into the presence of the Most High, where Jesus sitteth at the right hand of God, to enjoy the sweetness of the Saviour's love, and holding high and intimate fellowship with Him: to receive of his abundant fulness grace for grace: the inner man renewed after his likeness, and possessing features corresponding to every

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