ought to hold the name, the authority, and the conduct of God, and the obedience and reverence which his word enjoins us to pay to the king and government of our country, are all too commonly forgotten or neglected. Such evils also, are not, like their causes, commonly of a transitory nature. The effects of momentary agitation and sudden passion, are but too often permanent and progressive. Neighbours and fellow-Christians remain alienated from each other, not only long after the public contest has subsided, but even after the heads of the respective parties have coalesced: as mothers, who have taken part in the quarrels of their respective children, remain at enmity, after the children have forgotten their mutual squabbles, and returned to their play. Such a conduct is equally incompatible with the fear of that God whom we all profess to serve; and with the honour of that king under whose dominion we all ought to be at peace among ourselves.

The privilege of choosing proper persons to constitute the most important, though not the most exalted, branch of our national legislature, is a sacred trust committed to us by the providence of God; and it ought to be conscientiously and circumspectly discharged. Christians cannot consistently pledge themselves to vote as a powerful neighbour desires them, except they are fully satisfied that he is more adequate to judge in the maiter than themselves. Engagements of this kind should not be formed without due consideration, whether they may not involve us in improprieties of conduct: but, when made, they should be scrupulously fulfilled, at whatever inconvenience to ourselves; for Christians must "put away lying, and speak truth one with another;" they must "speak truth in their hearts," and "not change, though they have sworn to their own hurt." Psalm xv. 2-4.

With few exceptions, contested elections originate in some other motive than the love of our country. They are attended with so many, and so great evils, and are maintained at so enormous an expense, that a real lover of his country, in most cases, would rather withdraw from public life than involve himself, his friends, and his neighbours, in the damage that is certain to be produced. It is, therefore, usually of little importance to the nation which of two ambitious candidates shall be chosen. Whatever may be their political views, or comparative talents, it is very unlikely that either of the antagonists would pay so dearly for his seat in parliament, if he did not design to turn it to his own interest. Yet it would be hard for disinterested electors to be deprived of a representative whom they approved, whenever an enterprizing upstart or a predominating family chose to withstand his claims. In these cases, the guilt ob viously lies on the promoters of innovation and discord; and it behoves Christians not to be partakers in that guilt. It becomes

them to support the injured candidate; and, if they can afford it, to concur in indemnifying his expenses.

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Deficiency of information, or of judgment, private partiadities, or public sentiment, may sometimes expose Christians, conscientiously to oppose one another in contested elections. Here, then, is a plain and important occasion of letting their moderation be known to all men." Let them not act as if their ultimate trust was reposed, not in God, but in a fellow-mortal; or, as if they judged that the success of their respective candidates one thing needful." Let them not use toward others that influence which they would deem an insult on themselves; nor deny to them that liberty of conscience, or of conduct, which they would claim for themselves as an indefeasible right. They may, indeed, but too probably, have just ground of complaint against some of their brethren or neighbours, either for prevarication, or for intemperate behaviour. Such conduct they ought to disapprove and discountenance; - but they ought likewise to forgive it, as they hope for forgiveness of their own sins; and they should be careful that "the sun go not down upon their wrath."

Kings are men, and they are to be honoured as well as prayed for, in both capacities. If, on account of some supposed, or real, impropriety in the discharge of their high office, we withdraw from them, either the honour which is due to all men, or that which is especially due to them, wc, in fact, withdraw our fear from God, who has commanded us to honour them. To concur in sending to parliament any person who, avowedly, or evidently from his conduct, aims to dishonour the king, either by reviling his character, or by depriving him of the prerogatives assigned to him by the constitution of the realm, is certainly offending against this precept. Christians should be cautious against being drawn into this evil; whether by private interest, personal attachment, political prejudice, or urgent persuasion.

It may be unnecessary to admonish Christians against sharing in the profaneness, the drunkenness, or the riots, that generally occur at contested elections; but it certainly is requisite to be strictly and constantly on our guard against that agitation, that anxiety, and intolerant zeal, which are naturally excited by such events. Contention, exertion, hurry, and confusion, are their unavoidable concomitants; and great reason will a Christian have for thankfulness, if, in passing through scenes of this kind, he has "escaped those corruptions that are in the world."

Ministers, above all, have need to watch over themselves, and their flocks, at so dangerous a juncture. If they set others a bad example in the day of trial, they may expect long to suffer the effects. If they betray, on such occasions, an activity and a fervour, which would be justifiable only in the concerns of religion, how will they demonstrate their superior, or even their sincere, regard to the latter? They have need, not merely to be

unblameable in their own conduct, but diligently to restrain that of their people. It becomes them, also, to turn to a profitable purpose, events which necessarily attract so much notice, and produce so strong and lasting an impression on the minds of their hearers.

The period of a general election in our country, has some resemblance to that of the Olympic games in Greece. Of the general attention which these excited, the apostle Paul frequently availed himself, to enforce the superior importance of spiritual objects; particularly, 1 Cor, ix. 24-27. So the earnestness which is discovered in a contest, equally uncertain, and nearly as unimportant as that of the Olympic games, may remind us of an exhortation by that inspired writer, whose words are prefixed to this paper: "Wherefore, the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for, if ye do these things, ye shall never fall; for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." 2 Peter i. 10, 11. PUBLICOLA,

Mr. Editor,

RELIGIOUS FASHIONABLES,

THE season of fashionable emigration from the metropolis to a watering-place is arrived. The long train of fashionable disorders must now yield to the balsamic influence of marine breezes. Rosy Health loves to walk on the sea-shores; where she scatters, with a profuse generosity, life and joy among her expecting votaries. But, Mr. Editor, I am sorry to observe, that a certain class of invalids, in the habit of visiting watering-places, wh they recover from one malady, are strongly affected with another. To describe these persons, I am obliged to associate words which, perhaps, have never been joined since the confusion of languages at the erection of Babel. The combination will sound oddly; but, I think, it is a pity that an increasing part of the community should not be honoured by a characteristic description. I shall, therefore, denominate these, Religious Fashionables. They are those, Mr. Editor, who endeavour to reverse the maxim, "No man can serve two masters ;" and whọ feel a strange antipathy to the declaration of Scripture, "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." These persons, I am told, are tolerably regular in their attendance at a place of worship where they more statedly reside. Though they love the fashionable amusements of the age, they do not abandon their religions connexions: indeed, they affect to be quite as serious as other Christians; and, when they bow in

the house of Rimmon, the ball-room, or the theatre, they hope the Lord will pardon them in this thing. What is by no means common in the religious world, these people are taken periodically sick their disease is at its climax about the 4th of June; and nothing will restore them to health but sea-breezes and country-air. Now the phenomenon which I have noticed in reference to these unhappy beings is, that while they are visibly recovering from the indisposition which was their apology for a trip to the sea-side, they are attacked by a disease which is of a moral rather than of a physical nature. The first symptom of this strange malady is, the patients affect to forget that they ever made a profession of religion. Instead of enquiring after the good cause, they wish to know if there be not a subscriptionball, and who are the most fashionable, not the most virtuous, people in the town. They express no solicitude that the gospel should be preached in a place of fashionable resort; and, if they learn that it is, the minister is neglected. They may, perhaps, attend once or twice to gratify curiosity,-but then it must be in the evening; nor must it be generally known that they approve of a vulgar declaimer, who talks of temperance, righteousness, and a judgment to come. Indeed, Mr. Editor, some of these creatures have been known to reside for five or six weeks together in a town where the means of religion are enjoyed, and where their presence and influence might have greatly served a cause, without their being once suspected of attachment to evangelical, or to any religion:-and, I am told, which is very strange, that their disorder only continues while they are at a distance from home; that, as soon as they return, they fall again into the routine of service, without any awkwardness, and without any

shame.

Will you have the goodness, Mr. Editor, to enter their extraordinary case in your Magazine; and, if you have any skill in moral discases, do, prescribe for them; though folly is often incurable, and inconsistency and hypocrisy invulnerable *.

I am, Sir, yours &c.

The Editor hopes that the case described by this correspondent. is not very common; but, supposing its existence, which is certainly possible, he would venture to prescribe a careful perusal of Ps. cxxxix. 1—12, and Mark viii. 38.

* The conduct of such persons, justifies the sarcasm long ago composed by a profane wit.

"Some people carry things so even

"Between this world, and Hel, and Heaven,

SIR,

LEARNING RECOMMENDED.

Ir gave me great pleasure lately to hear that the Dissenters in England are taking measures for the establishment of a Grammar School, and that it is the desire of some among them to institute also a University.

If the following thoughts, which have occurred to me, shall be deemed to have a tendency to promote these important objects, I beg you will indulge me with a place for them in your widely-circulating Publication.

It has ever been the glory of Christianity to contribute to the diffusion of general knowledge. The philosophy of the Heathens was confined to a few, compared with the multitudes of the disciples of Jesus, who have in all ages devoted themselves to study, from religious motives. Learning has languished when Christianity has been corrupted, has revived when Christianity has been reformed; and, in general, flourishes or fades according to the degree of purity and vigour in which Christianity is maintained.

While learning follows the gospel, it serves to adorn and defend it. Some well-meaning Christians have indeed been known to undervalue learning. But these have been little aequainted with that which they disregarded; and have probably been prejudiced against it by the treacherous behaviour of learned, but false, brethren. It may be safely affirmed, that no Christian, who was learned himself, ever despised learning, or thought the acquisition of it unimportant to the cause of Christianity.

No kind of learning is more immediately connected with the success of the gospel, than that which is commonly called Classical. One of the most remarkable gifts of the Holy Spirit, on the day of Pentecost, was the Gift of Tongues; and, now that miracles have ceased, the use of means for obtaining a measure of that gift (that is, the study of tongues) is evidently the duty of all who would be extensively useful in preaching the gospel. The Scriptures have been given, by inspiration of God, in two different languages; with which the preacher ought ever to be able to compare the translations which have been made of them by men. To be "apt to teach," requires equally a knowledge of the original languages of Scripture, and of the language which the teacher is himself to use; and if this language should be even his mother-tongue, he cannot understand it thoroughly, or preach the gospel in it with a desirable degree of clearness and precision, unless he be accustomed to the critical study of language, and have some acquaintance with those languages in particnlar, into which the earliest versions of Scripture were made, and from which the modern languages of Europe have borrowed so many of their words, especially of those words which express the doctrines of revelation.