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God. And it may seem superfluous, at first view, that their attention should be solicited to any remarks which may be offered at this late day, touching the importance and claims of Sabbath schools. But when we consider the various avocations in life of even Sabbath school teachers themselves, and the thousand items of labour and care which go to make up those avocations; when we reflect upon the tendencies of our nature, our proneness to become lax in respect to things which have become familiar by continuous association and use, and our liability to lose sight of the advantages of our several stations and the opportunities which are open to us to do greater good, by suffering our minds to become blinded by some little success or an absence of palpable retrogade motion, (any or all of which calamities, our experience and observation teach us may befal us,)-surely it does not appear improbable that any friend of Sabbath schools may be benefited by a careful examination or review of the advantages of these institutions.

But should there, perchance, be one among your readers who is a stranger to Sabbath schools, or who is but partially acquainted with the operation of the Sabbath school system; or should there be one, who, awed by the depth and grandeur of their design, has suffered the risings of his nature to generate a prejudice against them; -surely, to such, a few remarks cannot be out of place. And it is trusted, that the importance of these institutions,-important from the fact that they are calculated to exert a most powerful influence upon the destinies of our country and the world, by pre-occupying and training the intellect which is to wield those destinies,-we trust, we say, that the manifest importance of

these institutions will elicit from every such person an earnest attention, and a candid examination of any remarks which may be made respecting them.

With these preliminary observations, your correspondent proposes to offer, through your publication, a series of communications upon the Moral, Political and Religious advantages of Sabbath schools, and the obligations of Christians and the world to sustain these inestimable institutions. Should you assent to the design, his next number will be forthcoming.

(To be continued.)

Yours, &c.

FINAL PERSEVERANCE OF THE
SAINTS.

There is much imperfection in the believer as long as he continues in the body. Like the Apostle, he " sees another law in his members, warring against the law of his mind, and bringing him into captivity to the law of sin." On this account the believer may fall into sin, and for a while appear as though he were an apostate; but, whenever the work of regeneration has taken place, the process of sanctification has begun, and it must, in the nature of things, and according to the testimony of Scripture, be carried on to its completion. For, consider who is the agent in this great work-the Spirit of God -the omnipotent Spirit. Will he abandon his own work? If he does, it must be because he does not choose, or is not able to complete it: But

neither of these suppositions can be admitted for a moment; it is a work in which he much delights, and, able as he is willing, a work he cannot abandon.

Add to this the declaration of Christ: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." If they are his property, the gift of his Father, the purchase of his blood -is it possible that he should ever resign them to be a prey to the wolf, and fuel for the flame ? Nor is this doctrine friendly to licentiousness, when only such as give evidence that they are his sheep, by obeying his voice and following him, have any right to take the consolation it affords.-Dr. Raffles.

God will never leave the believer until he has accomplished what he has promised concerning him; and God will never leave the sinner until he has accomplished what he has threatened concerning him.-Romaine.

CONFORMITY TO THE DEATH OF CHRIST.

Was Christ "manifested to destroy the works of the devil?" If we be made conformable to his death, we also shall wager war with them. If we live in sin, we are "of the devil," and must needs be at variance with the death of Christ, sparing that which he was manifested to destroy. The finished work of Christ upon the cross did

not supersede the necessity of our being active in overcoming evil. We must set our feet upon the necks of these spiritual enemies, taking a part in their destruction. Neither did it supersede the necessity of our active perseverance in the use of all means by which we may disengage our souls from the entanglements of sin, praying and struggling from under its dominion, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. It is thus that we have to "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling ;" and which, instead of superseding the death of Christ, is being made conformable to it. From his having died for sin, we are exhorted to die to it and live unto God. cannot enter into the end of Christ's death, which was to make an end of sin, unless we become dead to it; nor into his resurrection, without rising with him into newness of life.-Rev. A. Fuller.

We

It is delightful to follow the Saviour, as he advances through his sufferings to that bliss and that glory into which he hath gone as our forerunner. If for us he hath gone to heaven by the path of affliction, ought not we to follow him? Shall we seek for glory, and refuse or be unwilling to go to it in the way in which he went to it? Is there not a happiness in sharing his lot? Ought not every principle of generosity to induce us cheerfully to follow him in his course of tribulation? Nor is this all. In the day when his glory shall be revealed, how shall we rejoice in being called to communion with him in his exalted bliss! The disciple who bears the greatest resemblance to him, who is the firstborn of the redeemed family, and the express

image of the divine character, is the child whom the king delighteth to honour. With this prospect in view, we may well be reconciled to our trials here; and rejoice in the demonstrations of the divine goodness given in embracing our eternity in the events of time; and in afflicting us, that we may be made partakers of his holiness. What, then, is it to seek, by patient continuance in well doing, for glory, honour, and immortality? It is not to look for mere pomp or empty dignity. It is to seek to add knowledge to knowledge of the most exalted and hallowed nature, strength to strength in every holy principle, feature to feature of the divine character; in a word, it is to persevere in advancing to the highest intellectual and moral perfection. What is this but to aim at the possession of genuine excellence of character, and of that heavenly glory, which is not merely something without us, but is the union of the soul with God, and such communion of views, such endearing intercourse, and such oneness of heart with Him, as will assimilate our nature to His, and admit us to fellowship with Him in his blessedness.-Rev. David Russel.

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DR. COTTON MATHER.

When but fourteen years old, this excellent youth began to keep days of secret fasting and prayer when he was seventeen, he made a public profession of his love to the Saviour, and made a solemn surrender of himself to the service of the Redeemer. At that time he wrote as follows:"I can perceive no other way for my salvation,

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