are, confessedly, not religious, are not sufficient to disprove the fact of the Spirit's special agency in producing them, in opposition to the plain and solemn declarations of the word of God.

That religious education, in eliciting and directing the natural susceptibilities of a child, may have an influence in shaping its character and feelings, we freely admit. And so important is that influence, as we believe, that no christian parent can neglect the religious instruction of his children, without subjecting himself to the charge of worse than murderous barbarity, towards the souls of his offspring. But, in making this admission, we affirm, that whatever influence it has in the permanent formation of truly christian character, is owing to the special agency of the divine Spirit, and not to any general law of nature, by which that agency is universally and equally diffused. For, if it be a general influence, according to a fixed and undeviating law of nature, on the result of an appeal to it, we may cálculate with the utmost certainty. We may, undoubtedly, and most legitimately expect, that, in all cases, the same appeals will secure the same results. This, however, is not the fact.

But, even on the supposition of the efficiency of a religious education, should we admit that on its result in the conversion of children, we may calculate with the utmost certainty, it behooves the objector to shew, whence that efficiency is derived, and whether it is not wholly from the ageney of the gracious Spirit of God. The truths of the Bible, constitute the materiel of a religious education. But these truths constitute the instrument of the Spirit's agency. It is "by the word," we are begotten to a lively hope, and it is "through the truth," the Spirit sanctifies. It is, therefore, begging the question, to refer the conversion of children to religious education, as the appropriate

efficient cause, when the sacred Scriptures so explicitly declare, that the truths of the Bible which constitute the materiel of a religious education, are rendered efficient, wholly by the agency of the Spirit; the very thing for which we plead.

Of the

That, in itself considered, what is ordinarily called a religious education is inefficacious, there are abundant facts to prove. It fails under the very same circumstances precisely in which it takes place. It takes effect in others, where less advantages are had than where it fails. former we may refer to an Ishmael in the family of Abraham, and an Absalom in that of David;-and of the lat ter, to a Samuel among the sons of Eli, and a Josiah in the wicked house of Amon. And similar instances occur in almost every direction. How many pious parents have to bemoan the froward, ruinous conduct of some one or more of their children, notwithstanding all their care, and all the impressions of an early religious education! And how many lovely youth, like plants of paradise, may be seen flourishing and yielding the fruits of holiness, in direct opposition to parental influence or domestic example! It is a miserable begging of the question-an involuntary surrender of the point in dispute, to talk of delicacy of organization, sensitiveness of mind, puriency of imagi nation, precocity of understanding, irritability of nerves, constitutional malady, and such like things, as being peculiar in the case of this, and the other child renewed by the blessed Spirit, and urge them as satisfactory solutions of the change. Will any one, can any one, making the least credible or decent pretensions to a belief in the sacred Scriptures, undertake, by such means, to account for the powerful and revolutionizing impressions which religious truth often makes on the heart of children and youth? The blessed Saviour's own solution of it is plain and satisfactory, though it does offend the pride of

such as disbelieve the special agency of the Divine Spirit, in the work of conversion. "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes; even so Father, because it seemed good in thy sight."

And if the vivid imaginations, and warm feelings, and what some are pleased to call the false associations, of childhood, cannot satisfactorily account for the conversion of children, much less will a sound logician be satisfied with an attempt to account for those which take place in more advanced life, by saying that they are but the revival of early associations, which had long faded from the mind, and "which disappear from the memory at one period, to re-appear at another."

2. To resist the evidence which this second class of facts affords, in favour of the special influence of the Spirit in the conversion of the sinner, the philosophic formalist summons to his aid, "THE DISCIPLINE OF CIRCUMSTANCES." It is sometimes asserted, that there is a wise and salutary provision, in the established system of Providence, for correcting any preponderance of evil, which may arise out of imperfections, in the work of nature, or process of education; and that this provision, is nothing but such a general disposition of the course of human events, as "to produce an experimental conviction of the ill effects on the individual himself, of conduct which is mischievous to others." To this is attributed, by some, the sudden conversions which take place in men of dissipated habits. It is somewhat singular however, to hear a strenuous opponent of human depravity, impeaching the perfection of nature's works. Nature and education are not sufficient. It would be folly to expect so much from these "architects of the

1, Mat. ri, 25, 26.,

mind," as a character in which good preponderates over evil, and therefore the discipline of circumstances must supply the defect!

Now, admitting, for the sake of argument, the general position above noticed,-which we are by no means prepared to do, in its full and unqualified extent--it is a question of some moment, and one which our antagonist is bound to answer, whence does the discipline of circumstances derive its efficiency? That the Spirit of God operates on the human mind, in accordance with the natural exercise of its faculties, and the established laws of human thought;--that He adopts His influence to the outward circumstances which, in the providence of God, are combined, and calculated to make impressions on the heart;that the whole process of thought and feeling which goes on in the mind of a sinner brought from darkness into light, may be shewn to be consistent with all the laws of association, which regulate the production of thought;and that the common means of moral improvement, are rendered efficient without that kind of agency which may be strictly termed miraculous, may be freely admitted. But what then? Does the admission of these things necessarily imply, that the efficiency of the whole, or any part of them, in bringing about the result, the conversion of the sinner, is not to be referred to a special agency of the Spirit? It is assuming the very point in dispute, to talk confidently of the discipline of circumstances as possessing an efficient power in changing the sinner's heart from a preference of sin, to a preference of holiness; from the love of the world, to the love of God. Especially so, when the instances, in which the salutary and saving issue. of this discipline, are comparatively so rare. If it be a general law, or provision of providence for correcting the defects of nature and education, why are the effects so special and singular? We are in no wise concerned to answer

this. Let him that objects to the agency of the blessed Spirit do it, and do it satisfactorily, if he can.

So far from this sort of moral discipline, being in itself effectual to secure the sinner's conversion, it derives its whole virtue, from the co-operating and saving grace of the Divine Spirit. The objector is constrained to admit, that there are different results flowing from the very same cause, for the diversity of which, by the way, he is bound to account. To say, that this discipline corrects, in some, only the offensive display of vice, leaving the principles unchanged, that in others it gradually improves the heart, as well as the conduct,—that in a few, it produces an entire and sudden moral change, is saying just nothing at all to the purpose. Whence this diversity? General laws have uniform results. And to refer us to differences in degree, or peculiarity in the combination of circumstances in special cases, is a mere begging of the question.

We deny the objector's assertion, however, in the broadest and most unqualified manner, and appeal to endless facts, in support of the negation. Hundreds and thousands perish, and are goaded to destruction, by this very discipline of circumstances. In itself considered, there is nothing saving or salutary in it. It only serves to enrage and exasperate, in a multitude of cases. "Why should ye be stricken any more?" said the prophet, to rebellious but afflicted Israel, "ye will revolt more and more:" Nay, if there is efficiency in such discipline, we must look to Hell for the most remarkable conversions-for there the sinner will know vastly more of the ill effects, on himself, of his conduct, which is mischievous to others, than is or can be known in this world. But if afflictive circumstances have no saving virtue, it is altogether absurd to allege, as is

1. Isai. i, 5.