the gospel is intended to effect redemption from the power of sin, as well as from its curse, is evident from the passage, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works," Titus ii. 14. The Holy Spirit carries on the work of sanctification by enlightening the mind, and more clearly and fully revealing the evil of sin, in its nature and consequences. He shows that, as a violation of God's law, it is a heinous act of impiety; and, as necessarily involving painful and affecting consequences, not less an act of folly. By the light of the cross both its loathsomeness and inexpediency are seen. He shows that it deposes the soul from its rightful supremacy over the body; prostitutes the intellect to the senses; leads the creature to insult the Creator; and produces discord, and confusion, and misery in the world. Thus exhibiting its moral deformity, its utter opposition to God and holiness, he excites an abhorrence of it in the believer's mind. In contrast to this he exhibits the beauties of holiness. He unveils the purity of God, as it beams on the millions of adoring spirits in the celestial world; and the transcendent glories of that holiness so elevate the soul, that it no longer possesses a relish and love for what is vile. A nobler taste is created. Its aspirations are after conformity to the all-perfect model. It strives and prays for a complete transformation into the Divine image; and a positive hatred of sin will become a settled principle of the soul, although it may not be always alike operative. Its language will be, "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness," Psa. xvii. 15. Having thus taught the soul to estimate and hate sin, the Holy Spirit helps the believer to carry on his opposition to it. Evil associations will be broken up. The path of sin will be forsaken; the way of death avoided. The world will look on amazed, and mock, or, perchance, threaten; but all in vain. And equally | in vain will it breathe its syren music and spread its fascinating snares. The eye has been touched by a ray from heaven, and all things are seen in a new light. The awakened one exclaims "My soul forsakes her vain delight, And mischievous as hell." Sins will be resisted; those which most easily beset as well as others. Before, they were yielded to and loved. Now, opposition, although it may be unequal and unsteady, becomes the habitual effort of the soul. Sin is effectually dethroned, if not entirely destroyed; agreeably to the Divine promise, "Sin shall not have dominion over you." Greatly does the Christian rejoice when he gains a victory; he triumphs "as one that findeth great spoil." Watchfulness and prayer will be observed. The Saviour enjoined these. He knew the subtlety and power of the enemy, and taught his disciples how to ensure success against him. By the exercise of these duties the ascendency of sin is prevented, and the soul holds on its way rejoicing. It must never be forgotten that while redemption from the curse of sin is the work of Christ alone, deliverance from its power is effected by Divine agency conjointly with human instrumentality. Thus, while we are told, "Sin shall not have dominion over you," we are also entreated, "Let not sin, therefore, reign in your mortal body;" we are commanded "to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling," while we are assured "it is God which worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure," Phil. ii. 12, 13. cease to With redemption from the power of sin, there are associated in the experience of every believer positive acts of holy obedience. We are not only to do evil," but to "learn to do well." "We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." We are to "walk after the Spirit," in "all holy conversation and godliness," and are to be "careful to maintain good works," Eph. ii. 10; Rom. viii. 1; 2 Pet. iii. 11; Titus iii. 8. How glorious is the spectacle that is presented to the world, when, in the midst of the ungodliness and impurity that abound, a man under the influence of the Spirit of God walks as a child of the light, diffus, ing around him the savour of the gospel and showing that it is "the power of God unto salvation!" Most marvellously must this strike the world. Like flowers blooming in the desert, or stars shining amid the gloom of night, do such persons appear, attracting the eye, exciting the admiration, and making even the ungodly acknowledge" how awful goodness is." The principle that influences the believer in pursuing his Christian course is a noble one; not one of fear so much as of love. It is by the cross "the world is crucified unto him, and he unto the world;" and thence he derives the most powerful motives to self-denial and holy obedience. "The love of Christ constrains him." He will delight to do the will of God. While the worldling calls him a hard task-master, the Christian exclaims, "Thy service is perfect freedom." Now, nothing but a continued supply of Divine grace will enable the child of God to persevere. But this grace is promised, and it will be sufficient for him. The honour and glory of the Saviour are intimately connected with the holiness of his people, and to effect that, nothing on his part will be lacking, that he may at last present the believer "faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. It is not said that sin shall not assail the Christian, but that it shall not have dominion over him. As long as he is on earth "the spirit will lust against the flesh, and the flesh against the spirit.' The conflict will continue until the land of eternal repose be gained; and this it is which often leads the soldier of the cross to long for the blessed period, when "Sin, his worst enemy before, Shall vex his eyes and ears no more; Reader! you may be a child of God, and yet you often find evil thoughts arise, and evil desires excited. But do not unchristianize yourself on this account. Be of good cheer, if, when tempted, you can say, "Get thee behind me, Satan." If, notwithstanding all your failures and feebleness, you still strive to press forward, you shall be ultimately successful; "more than a conqueror through Him who hath loved you.' It was this assurance that buoyed up the spirit of Paul, when assailed with the floods of temptation and sin. He was encouraged in the severe effort necessary to keep his body | in subjection, by the conviction that he should ultimately realize an incorruptible crown. A Christian must have this hope, that he may be kept from yielding to despondency. It is ever found a powerful stimulant to holiness of life. "C Every man," says the beloved disciple, "that hath this hope in him," that of being ultimately like Christ, "purifieth himself, even as he is pure," 1 John iii. 3. All who have been redeemed from the curse of sin will assuredly be delivered from its power. Christ was called "Jesus," or a Saviour, because he " saves his people from their sins." All who trust in him will be purified by the Spirit. The best evidence that we have been freed from the curse of the law, is, that we are in Christ Jesus, and therefore delivered from condemnation, that we walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Reader! may this evidence be multiplied a thousand fold in your experience! As you journey onward in the pilgrimage of life, may you be found "laying aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset you;" "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, as the illustrious example in whose footsteps you are to tread. Baptized anew, daily, with the richest influences from on high, may you fight the good fight of faith, and when the last conflict is ended, exult in the final and complete conquest obtained over hell and sin, exclaiming with the rejoicing and triumphant apostle, "Thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." Happy then your transit to the world of spirits! Having escaped the dangers and foes that on earth track the steps of the struggling disciple, you will become a holy and happy spirit before the throne of God. T. A. RULES ARE NOT FETTERS. Ir may be laid down as a maxim, that he who begins by presuming on his own sense, has ended his studies as soon as he has commenced them. Every opportunity should, therefore, be taken to discountenance that false and vulgar opinion, that rules are the fetters of genius,—they are fetters only to men of no genius; as that armour, which upon the strong is an ornament and defence, upon the weaken and mis-shapen becomes a load, and cripples the body which it was made to protect.-Sir J. Reynolds. ENGLISH HISTORY. GEORGE III. THE period now coming under observation presents much that is painful. Its history recounts the ill-judged and unavailing efforts of a mother country to retain a number of powerful colonies under constant and disadvantageous dependence: the more ill-judged, because the rulers of England, for many years, had seen and felt the increasing difficulties of the relations between these countries, and had, unwisely for the future welfare of both, evaded the settlement of many matters, when difficulties began to arise, which might, with care and temper, have been easily settled in an early stage. The rapid progress of these disputes has been already noticed; the crisis was now arrived when one or the other must give way. The expedients of mild government, which might have delayed the separation, had been disregarded; right principles were forgotten, or neglected. A foolish national pride underrated the American character and resources; while high principles of government, aiming at a sovereignty beyond the Atlantic, not exercised in Britain; narrow and blind selfishness in the landed interest, thinking they could diminish a paltry portion of their own share of burdens, by imposts on commerce, and the direct taxation of the colonies; with an entire misapprehension of the real relation between the countries-all these were causes which hurried on the warfare now to be described. But it has been well asked, "Why was a great continent, a country of lakes, into which our island might be thrown and buried; of forests that might overshadow our principalities and kingdoms; of falls and cataracts which might sweep away our cities; and of descending seas, to which our noblest streams might, in comparison, be thought but rivulets and brooks; why was such a country, which the God of nature had clothed with all his highest forms of magnificence and grandeur; why was such a country, though, in the mysterious dispensations of his providence, it was to be raised into existence by an island in the old world; why was it to be impeded in its career by the manacles that were to be thrown over its giant limbs by the selfishness of its parent; why prevented from rushing on in its destined race, to become itself the new world, as Europe had been the old, teeming with the life, and glowing with the business of human society, and doubling, trebling, multiplying to an indefinite extent the number of sentient beings F to which our planet may give support; why prevented from journeying on with all the accumulating resources of its independent strength, till the same process of things, which had thus ripened the colony into a kingdom, and a kingdom into the new Europe of the western hemisphere, should have advanced the planet itself to its final consummation; and the labours, and the grandeur, and the happiness of man, on this side the grave, should be no more?". This seems not unfairly to state the question as it really stood, though not even. the wisest of the rulers of England so viewed it. Certainly, wholly on their part, and also too much on the other, the scriptural maxim, "Do unto others as you would that others should do was forgotten. Such neglect ever will bring punishment on nations as well as individuals; and on the former punishment can only be inflicted in timein the present world. unto you, while it was evident that the Americans were encouraged by the declarations in their favour, both in and out of parliament. The earl of Coventry had not hesitated to point out the folly of supposing that such a country as America could be expected to continue in subjection to England, urging the establishment of a firm and friendly alliance, instead of seeking conquest, and wasting resources in a useless struggle. It would have been well if the English monarch and his advisers had adopted this view, and thus had established a friendly, instead of a hostile feeling between the two countries. But this contest has left an example, from which it may be hoped future rulers and statesmen will profit, when the period arrives for other colonies to seek independence, which will assuredly be the case from time to time. Among other disastrous anticipations, which perhaps accelerated their own fulfilment, was the warning that France and Spain were about to take advantage of the unnatural contest in which Britain was engaged. That such would be the case could not be doubted. The leaders of congress were already in communication with those courts. The ministry rejected such ideas; but, unless infatuated, they must have expected such a result. The year 1776 began with increased efforts to carry on the war with the Colonies. These were much in accordance with the course long pursued in British warfare, considerable enough to cause much expense and embarrassment, but not on a sufficient scale to bring matters to a speedy decision. Even some of the ministry urged the inexpediency of an army being employed to carry hostilities In February, Chatham recalled his into the interior; but the king was bent son, whom he had not long before sent to upon the reduction of those whom he serve in Canada, thus offering an insult considered rebels against his crown, and to the king, and acting with the inconlord North, with lord George Germaine, sistency he had usually shown of late. recently appointed secretary of state, In Canada, the American army continuadopted this plan. The opposition stilled before Quebec during the winter, but contended that the Americans were not aiming at independence; while Mansfield showed that it had long been anticipated by leading political economists, that the American colonies would seek to be independent as soon as they were strong enough. It was also notorious that, during the late reign, Walpole and his successors had studiously avoided whatever might bring on disputes between the mother country and her dependencies; even allowing many important subjects to be unduly neglected, rather than enter upon matters that might lead to increased difficulties. The ministry still commanded large majorities in both houses of parliament, but dislike to this civil warfare was extending. It was not without difficulty that the troops voted could be levied; and 17,000 foreign troops, chiefly Hessians, were included for the service, early in May, when preparing to retreat, succours arrived from England; the forces of congress were then compelled to flee with considerable loss. The English army advanced so that the Americans were soon obliged to leave Canada. At Boston, Washington was more successful; he blockaded the town, and in March obliged general Howe to evacuate the place by sea, sailing to Halifax in Nova Scotia. The British commander left large stores behind, and not taking any precautions to prevent the arrival of ships with stores, then on their way from England, several vessels sailed into the port and were taken. Clinton arrived off the Carolinas in May, but was too late. The royalists had been beaten and dispersed after an ineffectual attempt to resist, some months before. In the following month Charles ton was attacked by the English fleet, but without success. Congress meanwhile had shown its decision for independence by voting in May a recommendation to the states, to establish such a constitution as should be most condueive to the public welfare and security. The popular feeling had been stimulated to this by the publications of Thomas Paine and others, strongly urged on by Franklin. A pamphlet by the former, entitled "Common Sense," had, in particular, a very great effect. In June, Lee proposed in congress that all political connexion between the united colonies and Great Britain should be dissolved, and that the assistance of foreign states should be immediately sought. On July 4th, the congress then sitting at Philadelphia, passed the declaration of independence, which organized the thirteen colonies as a separate nation, though the adhesion of New York was not carried till some days later. This celebrated document, drawn up by Jefferson, enumerated the acts of the English monarch, on which the separation from the mother country was defended. That there were many causes for complaint cannot be denied, but these were unfairly exaggerated. The conclusion was, that separation had become necessary, and that the united colonies were, and of right ought to be, free and independent states. It is now known, that some months previously, the leaders had been encouraged by a secret agent, who gave them verbal assurances that they should be supported by arms and money from France, which hastened these proceedings and led to the appointment in November, 1775, of a secret committee for corresponding with the friends of America in `Great Britain, Ireland, and other parts of the world, by which agents were sent to various courts of Europe. They also hoped for aid from insurrectionary proceedings in Ireland. The result of the declaration at the time, certainly was, to exasperate Britain. It did not convince the rulers of their mistakes, while it united the country to support their efforts against American independence; it was received as a proof at once of rebellion and ingratitude. In England the declaration was considered a direct act of rebellion; in America it was represented as necessary in consequence of acts of tyranny and oppression. The separation of the colonies from the mother country ever must be regarded with different views by those whose political ideas are wholly different. Many of the violent proceedings of the leaders of congress must be decidedly condemned and exposed, as indicating that they were prepared to press forward their independence, without moderation in the means they used. Yet it must be admitted that the rulers of England, on their part, not only acted contrary to what was politic under their circumstances, but certainly pressed many measures which, though perhaps not immediately very injurious, involved principles quite as much as the unlawful proceedings of Charles I., and might have been still more oppressive in future years. Still, every right mind must regret the contest between descendants of the same race. A few days previous to the declaration of independence, general Howe appeared before New York, but his forces were not concentrated for some time. After an ineffectual attempt at negotiation, which Washington evaded in a manner that showed the determination to be satisfied with nothing short of independence, Howe landed his troops on Long Island on August 22nd. After a short struggle the Americans were defeated; but Washington, who had made a great mistake in contesting this position, withdrew his army, with comparatively little loss. He was extricated from the consequences of his error by the unaccountable negligence of the British commanders, who might easily have cut off his retreat. The people of New York were mostly favourable to the British, so that Washington found it advisable to retire from thence on September 12th. Howe then entered, but a fire kindled by incendiaries who had remained concealed, destroyed more than a fourth of the town a few days afterwards. A succession of actions now convinced Washington, that however ardent might be the feelings of his troops, they could not stand before a regular army, unless brought into a more perfect state of discipline. He wrote to congress in terms of despondency, urging the necessity of speedy and effectual measures for establishing a regular army. Regular pay and bounties were voted, though mostly in prospect; thus an end was put to many proceedings which had been ludicrous and disgraceful, as well as most destructive to the service. Howe, meanwhile, had endeavoured to Lord |