sinners. One of its noblest ends is, "the perfecting of the saints;""the edifying of the body of Christ;" "a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing." It were easy to demonstrate, by undeniable facts of recent occurrence, how preposterous is the attempt to gain these objects by expatiating on the power of the Church, and enforcing alls orts of duties except the mortification of sin. How many sermons have issued from the press, within twenty years, with such titles as "The Real Christian," "A Higher Standard of Holiness," the true object of which is, to press larger contributions from the Church, or to urge on in some way the vast complex machinery intended for the reformation of the world. To stimulatet hose just entering on a religious life with glowing representations of the splendid achievements which the Church expects of them on the open field of benevolent enterprise, is, no doubt, less difficult than to lay open the unsearchable and baneful corruptions of the heart; but is it equally scriptural and safe?

Under the captivating power of sin," our author remarks, that "success is the greatest evidence of power, and leading captive in war is the height of success. The apostle treats not here of our being captivated unto this or that sin, but unto the law of sin. This leading captive manifests our condition to be miserable and wretched. To be thus yoked and dealt withal, against the judgment of the mind, the choice and consent of the will, how sad is it. When the neck is sore and tender with former pressures, to be compelled to bear the yoke again, this pierces, this grieves, this even breaks the heart. What more dreadful condition? Hence the apostle cries out, as one quite weary and ready to faint."

"Sin riseth up in the heart, is denied by the law of grace, and rebuked; it returns and exerts its poison again: the soul is startled, casts it off, it returns again with new violence and importunity; the soul cries out for help and deliverance, seeks round about to all springs of gospel grace and relief, trembles at the furious assaults of sin, and casts itself into the arms of Christ for deliverance."

"The great wisdom and security of the soul in dealing with indwelling sin is to put a violent stop unto its beginnings, its first motions and actings. Venture all on the first attempt. Die, rather than yield one step unto it. Hadst

thou not brought up this slave delicately, it would not now have presumed beyond a son."

"The deceitfulness of the law of sin is seen in its efforts to divert the mind from a due apprehension of the vileness, abomination, and danger of sin. It separates between the doctrine of grace and the use and end of it. This is the trial and touchstone of gospel light. If it keep the heart sensible of sin, humble, lowly and broken on that account; if it teach us to water a free pardon with tears, to detest forgiven sin, to watch diligently for the ruin of that which, we are yet assured, shall never ruin us, it is divine, from above, of the Spirit of grace. If it secretly and insensibly make men loose and slight in their thoughts about sin, it is adulterate, selfish, false."

"A stable, solid, resolved mind in the things of God, not easily moved, diverted, changed nor drawn aside, a mind not apt to hearken after corrupt reasonings, or pretences to draw it off from duty; this is that which the apostle exhorts believers unto; 1 Cor. xv. 58."

"The power of indwelling sin is "demonstrated by the effects it hath had in the lives of believers; and that too in men not of an ordinary size, but higher than their brethren by the shoulders and upwards in profession, yea, in real holiness. Such were Noah, David, Hezekiah, and others. And surely that must needs be of a mighty efficacy, that could hurry such giants in the ways of God into such abominable sins as they fell into. An ordinary engine could never have turned them out of the course of their obedience. It was a poison that no athletic constitution of spiritual health, no antidote could withstand."

"An habitual declension from first engagements unto God, from first strictness in duties and obedience, is ordinary and common among professors. How is it with the best? Are not almost all grown cold and slack? Were not their souls solicitous about the interest of Christ in the world, like Eli's about the ark? Did they not "contend earnestly for the truth once delivered to the saints," and every parcel of it? And do now the generality of professors abide in this frame?"

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To see men living under and enjoying all the means of spiritual thriving, yet to decay, not to be fat and flourishing, but rather daily to pine and wither, this argues some secret powerful distemper. This is indwelling sin."

"The end of all communications of grace and supplies of life from the living Head is the increase of the whole body, and every member of it, and the edifying of itself in love. His treasures of grace are unsearchable, his stores inexhaustible. His life, the fountain of ours, full and eternal; his heart bounteous and large, his hand open and liberal. Whence then is it that they do not all flourish and thrive exceedingly?"

"Indwelling sin oftentimes prevails to the stopping of the springs of gospel obedience, by false and foolish opinions corrupting the simplicity of the gospel. False opinions are the works of the flesh. From the vanity and darkness of the minds of men, with a mixture, more or less, of corrupt affections, do they mostly proceed. The apostle was jealous over his Corinthians in this matter; he was afraid lest their minds should" by any means be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." Hence John cautions the Elect Lady and her children to take heed they were not seduced, "lest they should lose the things that they had wrought." We have innumerable instances hereof in the days wherein we live. And as this is done grossly and openly in some, so there are more secret and plausible insinuations of corrupt opinions, tainting the springs and fountains of gospel obedience, and through the vanity of men's minds getting ground upon them. Such are all those that tend to the extenuation of special grace, in its freedom and efficacy, and the advancement of the wills, or the endeavors of men, in their spiritual power and ability: they are all the works of the flesh, and howsoever some may pretend a usefulness in them to the promotion of holiness, they will be found to taint the springs of true evangelical obedience, insensibly to turn the heart from God, and bring the whole soul into a spiritual decay.”

On rising from the perusal of Owen's work, we are confirmed in the belief, that a disproportionate share of effort is at present devoted to the correction of political wrongs and open vice. Thousands are running to and fro, hot in their zeal to rid the world of the "grapes of gall," by attacking the clusters themselves; while few adopt the more certain method of aiming a mortal blow at the master root.

This treatise also renders very manifest the folly of "trusting in man and making flesh our arm," for the support of the great interests of religion. Our most trusty leaders have not altogether quelled the motions of the flesh. The

subtle poison of indwelling sin still lurks in the eloquent preacher and the accomplished divine.

In the following mournful testimony of Baxter, too many living witnesses must concur. "Truly the sad experiences of these times have much abased my confidence in man, and cause to have lower thoughts of the best than sometime I have had. I confess I look on man as such a distempered, slippery and inconstant thing, that as I shall never more call any man on earth my friend, but with the supposition that he may possibly become my enemy, so I shall never be so confident of any man's fidelity to Christ, as not withal to suspect, that he may possibly forsake him. Nor shall I boast of any man's service for the gospel, but with a jealousy that he may be drawn to do as much against it."

ART. XI.-РHRENOLOGY.

PERHAPS Some of my readers may remember a very well-dressed, tall, dark looking gentleman, who has been frequently seen, the past season, walking up and down Broadway near the Astor House. There was something so remarkable in his looks as well as his air and manner, that he became the object of no ordinary degree of interest, and as no one was acquainted with his name, he was generally known by the designation of "the man in whiskers." His gait was remarkably erect, and his countenance exceedingly grave and solemn; he sometimes wore an air of deep abstraction and sometimes of severe and laborious thought. His eyes were generally a little raised, and it was evident that they were fixed on none of the objects about him. His thoughts must have been intently employed on very high and interesting subjects, or it might have been supposed that the beauty and fashion of Broadway must sometimes have called them down from their lofty elevation. But though nothing had sufficient attraction to arrest his attention, the man in whiskers himself was an object of universal interest. The ladies bestowed upon him glances which might have gone far to unpoise his philosophy could they but have been seen. How they came to take so much interest in this stranger has

always been a mystery. He certainly seemed to have few of the qualities which are usually held in much estimation among them. His hat was evidently set some degrees from the fashionable cock. He had not the martial flourish of the cane and the look of defiance, his coat had not the rich gloss, nor his gloves, pantaloons and boots the exquisite fit which are so sure to affect the female heart. For myself, as 1 am unwilling to suppose that the fair sex ever lavish their admiration except on a suitable and sufficient object, I have had no difficulty in tracing his power to an immense pair of dark bushy whiskers, which had been suffered to extend themselves till they had almost concealed the features of his face. Nature seemed to have fairly exhausted herself in producing this enormous excrescence, and his whole countenance, on a near inspection, seemed to be exceedingly lean and shriveled. This luxuriant harvest of hair had been so curiously trimmed and disposed as to form two very graceful arches, the first under his chin, the second under his nose. This last appendage did not as is usual bend down over his mouth like the trunk of the elephant, but had taken a contrary direction and curved gently backwards like the horn of the rhinoceros. All my inquiries respecting this remarkable individual have always been unsuccessful, and the most that I could ever gather was an obscure report, that he was some distinguished philosopher, who had purposely sequestered himself from society in order to have more leisure to pursue his speculations in retirement.

Just before the last departure of the Great Western, as I was sitting by my fire, the door was suddenly opened, and the man in whiskers abruptly entered. The suddenness of the visit, together with the character of the visitor, I must confess somewhat discomposed me. But before I had crossed my room to reach him a chair, he had vanished as abruptly as he entered. On returning to my chair I found he had left a small package containing some loose sheets of manuscript, together with a letter, which last I shall now proceed to lay before my readers.

Sir-After a long and laborious search among those that have charge of the public press, I think I have found in you, at least, that quality which has been the object of my search, and which I prize above all price, I mean a love of truth for its own sake. This, together with the sympathy which always subsists between congenial spirits, has induced me to