turning to her, he added, "Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. and Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."

"Thus acted the great exemplar of Christiaus, on that interesting occasion. What then would he have done, had he been on the earth, and witnessed the proceedings against the unfortunate Matilda; knowing, at the same time, all the circum stances of the case; how she had been treated by her husband; how she had been surrounded with spies, and calumniators, and slanderers; what infinite pains had been taken to form grounds, against her; how unfairly she was dealt with, both in the construction and proceedings of the tribunal; that her accusers were her jugdes; that her husband's relations, friends, companions, and dependants, formed the majority of the court; that the charges brought against her, were vague and undefined; that all knowledge of the wit nesses to substantiate those charges, was peremptorily refused her; and that though she might have, convicted them of conspiracy, she was not allowed that just advantage? Being present, and knowng all these circumstances, what would have been the conduct of the Saviour of the world, the Instructor of mankind, the Great Head of the Church? There can be no doubt, Philander, that he would have

reprobated the proceedings, and quashed them with indignation; as eruel, as unjust, as infamous.

"But what would he have said, Philander, had he seen there, holy men, aud men of God; professed men of God; sitting in judgment on an unfortunate woman, and aiding in her destruction, by the most abhorrent of means? Conceive, Philander,ifthou canst; for grief and amazement check my utterance."

The Genius ceased. Philander was silent, struck with astonishment. Such was the poignancy of his feelings, at the discovery of this fatal truth; so dishonourable to the holy profession, so scandalous to the Christian name; such was his compassion for the frailty, such his abhorrence of the depravity of man; that for some time, he remained in a complete stupor. He at length gave ventto his afflicted feelings, in the following terms. "Oh, heavenly Genius, said he, I am lost in astonishment! I am: overwhelmed with grief! I will erase from my memory, every trace of recollection of those mistakenly, called holy men; and their far more mistakenly-called holy conduct. ("By their fruits ye shall know them")

“But is there indeed a providence; and can these things be so? Why is not virtue always honoured? why is not vice always abased? Why does the one endure a series of afflictions, of undeserved obloquy, of unrelenting and malignant persecution; and the other live in ease and prosperity!

E

and triumph in iniquity? My heart is ready to sink within me, my faith to fail. In the bitterness of my anguish, I cannot but exclaim, Is there indeed a providence; and how can these things be? Is it wise, is it just, is it benevolent, in God, to suffer virtue to be overwhelmed and crushed; vice to oppress and triumph? If he were the patron of goodness, would he not extend his shield? If he were the avenger of innocence, would he not punish the guilty? Oh, heavenly Genius, solve me these difficulties; reconcile them with the existence, the perfections of a providence, and I am happy."

"Philander, Philander, replied the Genius, judge not too hastily. Take another and a more extended survey; and in an affair of so great importance, let not the feelings of the moment, influence the judgment of thy soberer reason.

"Look around thee; contemplate the vast, the stupendous, the grand system of the universe. Behold its complexity; see, at the same time, its harmony. View its mighty operations. With what certainty do they take place! With what reguJarity and uniformity! See its innumerable proofs of infinite wisdom, almighty power, unbounded goodness.

"When thou beholdest these things, must thon not acknowledge the existence of a providence? must thou not acknowledge that that providence is perfect.?s

"What, if vice is not now invariably punished? What, if virtue is not now invariably rewarded? Can providence be perfect in the natural, and must it not be so likewise in the moral world?

"But remember, that what thou now seest, is but a part, not the whole of the plan of providence. It is the season of action, not of examination. It is the scene of trial, not of rewards, and punishments. Let the one be completed, and the other will follow. It would not be wise to unite them; it is not deemed so by man. They are always kept distinct; both from a principle of policy, and a principle of justice.

"What, if with men, the one follows the other in quick succession; and with God, it does not appear to be so? Recollect, that with God, one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day, Recollect, that so it will appear to mortals hereafter, when, by the enlargement of their mental vision, they will be enabled to take a comprehensive view of the whole plan; see it perfect in every part, and proceeding by infallible principles, to its ultimate completion.qalan "Virtue, continued the Genius, is always pleasing to God; vice is always abhorrent. The one he will assuredly reward; the other he will assuredly punish. Mortals might infer this, from their own feelings; from a sense of what is amiable and abhorrent,

right and wrong, in their own estimation. And they cannot, Philander, be morė perfect than their Maker.

Ax

"But they should remember, that the present is only a preparatory state. Here they are placed on their trial. Hereafter they will be examined as to the nature of their actions: and as those actions shall have been good, or evil, so will they receive at the hands of their judge.

"It is the doctrine, Philander, of christianity; taught in every page; in the plainest, as well as the most impressive manner; so that he who runs may read. "And recollect, on what abundant evidence Christianity is founded; how clear and convincing, how decisive and complete; of the most minute fulfilment of prophe cies, of the most astonishing displays of miracless of the character of the prophets, Jesus Christ, and his apostles; of their whole conduct in their public ministra tions; of the excellency of the precepts which they taught; and of the obvious interposition of providence in their mis sions. ma

Recollect, also, that even now, provi dence justifies its proceedings. Vice may triumph for a time; but its end is generally miserable. Virtue may suffer for a season; but its end is generally happy: The portion of the one, sooner or later, is disgrace and infamy; that of the other; honour and renoun. It were vain to select