to sacrifice the prospect of gain for the reputation of honesty and uprightness. In short, the Christian should strive, by the grace of God, not only to be a fair talking, but a fair dealing man in all things; and whatever he may gain, or whatever he may lose by it in a worldly point of view, should endeavour so to "let his light shine," so to walk continually "in all godliness and honesty," that "they who are of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of him." A. T.

VYVYAN ON REVIVALS.

(LIDDELL, BODMIN.)

WE hail with thankfulness, and recommend with earnestness to our readers the seasonable publication noticed in this article. Every Minister of a Parish who, in addition to the other trials of his high and holy calling, has to contend with the influence and effects of those 'Religious Excitements, commonly called

Revivals," (and there is scarce one, in Cornwall at least, that cannot speak feelingly on the subject,) is deeply interested in its contents; and would do well to provide himself with, and to extend as far as possible the circulation of this sermon. The subject is indeed a difficult and a delicate one; but it has fallen, we conceive, into the hands of the very man of all others that we know, qualified to undertake and accomplish it. He that would take in hand a matter such as this, must be a man plainly and manifestly living under the genuine influence of that holy Spirit, the counterfeit of whose work it is his aim to attack

man of

and expose he should be a man of that singular moderation and Christian temper which may preserve him from mixing up the passions of the man with the holy cause he undertakes; he should be a whom the contrary part have no evil thing to say, save in the matter of his faithfulness to his Churchand such a man is the Rev. V. F. VYVYAN. And as is the man and his qualification, so, we conceive, is the work before us answerable thereto The Author begins as he should, with describing the manner of the Holy Spirit's acting upon man in the work of real conversion: The holy Spirit (page 4) is a rational agent in the work of conversion, and throughout the growth of grace, in the humble and true believer. In other words, he acts rationally and reasonably; he acts on his understanding, on his desires, hopes, and fears, and in all the graces of the Divine Spirit, the same reasonable and genuine influence is observable.' In citing this passage, while we cannot help observing that the term, rational agent,' is perhaps not the fittest to be applied to God the Holy Ghost, (for the word Agent, in its popular use at least, does not convey to the mind a correct idea of Him concerning whom we confess, as the Father is so is the Son, and so is the Holy Ghost,) His method of working upon the mind of man is here accurately expressed. The understanding must be first enlightened or religion will be the sacrifice of fools," instead of "a reasonable service;" his desires, hopes, and fears are so acted upon by the holy Spirit as that he is able to give a reason of the hope that is in him,'—a reason of his repentance; a reason of his faith; a reason of his joy; while his daily walk is seen in humility, sub

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mission, love and obedience; and his "path is as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day."

From this consideration of the genuine work of the holy Spirit, we pass, (page 6) to that of Satan's counterfeit. Satan will be on the watch to counterfeit all the master-graces of the Spirit: if he can find a soul willing to be deceived, it will not be difficult for him to perform his part to perfection.' Of the truth of the former clause of this sentence no Christian will doubt; and every one that knows the deceitfulness of his own heart will see the need of working out his salvation" with fear and trembling," when he thinks of the latter. A few groans, sighs,—a little terror and tears,' unquestionably pass with many, to our certain and painful knowledge, for true repentance. Boldness, strong assurance, and presumption are the fearful works of that which many in these days call faith-ay, and are bolstered in this fearful mistake by the system which teaches them to define faith a personal assurance of pardoned sin, instead of being what it really is,-an act of childlike dependence upon a pardoning God. 'Does the sinner (page 6) wish to lay hold on some easy way of walking, without much difficulty to flesh and blood, in the road of holiness?' And how common, how natural, a desire is this to our fallen nature! He will excite his desires, his hopes, his joys and his love, and intoxicate him with draughts of fancied assurance; and these transports, and bursts and gusts of delight, will be eagerly caught at by the willingly deluded soul, and substituted, (owing to Satan "transforming himself into an angel of light,") for self-denial, delight in

the commandments of God, humility, and pure, holy, and disinterested love to Christ.' 'Such,' adds Mr. VYVYAN, at the close of this part of his subject, (page 7,) such being the deceits of Satan, and such the counterfeit that he makes of true religion, deceiving "if it were possible the very elect," it becomes me, as your Minister, in all love and faithfulness to make you aware, and warn all of you, of the possibility of deluding yourselves.'

He next alludes (page 9) to the Revivals, or rather, Religious Excitements,' which had taken place in his parish during his residence among them. The way in which the superintendance of the spiritual progress of those who had been awakened to a reasonable religious enquiry' was wrested from the hands of their appointed Minister by their being taught to look upon him as unfit to guide them; because he could not favour the vain fancies, or countenance those irregularities which he knew full well from the natural conceit of man would foster extravagance and false religion-his being called "the blind leader of the blind," unconverted, unenlightened, and every opprobrious name,' -are methods too well known to every Minister of a parish in Cornwall, be he never so sound in doctrine, or diligent in practice.

Again, (page 10,) What where the fruits exhibited at the time of that revival? Were there not great irregularities of hours, when the conscientious and quiet amongst us wished for sobriety? Were not masters and mistresses complaining of their servants, that they could not control them? Was there not selfwill,-pertness to those above them-a desire to put others right, a censorious and rash judgment about

those who did not feel as they did, and would not encourage such proceedings ?

Again, the question is worth attending to, Where are all the numerous converts now? Where is the holy walk, the consistent carriage, and humble demeanour of the upright believer before God? Where is the majority of those who professed so loudly, and were so violently agitated that it was impossible for them to listen to sober-mindedness and reason? Have they not either fallen away into immorality, or remain in a formal deadness, without vitality and earnestness about their souls? Depend upon it, that which begins wrong must end wrong; and that building which has only a sandy foundation must fall when the winds and rain pour upon it.'

Having examined the effects of these scenes as they passed before his eyes, this Minister of God, like St. Paul of old, not courting an idle popularity, but bent on being faithful to his trust, though the more abundantly he loved them the less he should be loved, bears this solemn testimony,-(page 12,) I do denounce this so-called Revival, which is at present at work in this parish, as sinful in the eyes of a holy and pure God, both in the manner it is kept up, and in the fruits it is exhibiting.'

1. 'It is sinful in the manner it is kept up. God is an "author," we are told in the Scriptures, "not of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of bis saints," 1 Cor. xiv. 33: but in these meetings there is lamentable confusion and discordant noises, violent screams and agonizing terrors; every man is praying without order or decency, and does what his present feeling and religious passion prompts him. Can a holy and pure God be pleased with this?"