need proof, that the soul of man is a distinct substance from his body. The body, of itself, is but senseless matter: made of the dust, to the dust it returns. The soul is spirit and life. How, then, did these two natures, so evidently different in themselves, become so intimately united as to form one person? How is it that the vital principle, the soul, communicates life and vigour to a mass of clay, so as to make it capable of serving and assisting that soul in many of its most important functions? This we know to be the fact. We see the body animated by the soul, without which it has in itself no life. Surely, then, what has been may be again. The separation of the constituent parts of the body, when corrupting in the earth, when severed and consumed by fire, or devoured by other creatures, furnishes no argument against the doctrine of the resurrection. A simple experiment in chemistry will show that matter may be transmuted into many different forms, and yet, by mere human skill, brought back to its original condition. But with God "all things are possible." He knows all things; he can do all things; and nothing can be more foolish, or more impious, than for a vain and feeble creature to measure the knowledge and the power of the Creator, by the scanty conceptions of his own intellect. Do not the Scriptures tell us that "in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth;" that "He said, Let there be light, and there was light;" Let there be bodies of men, of fishes, beasts, birds, and it was so? So when he shall say to the sea, and to the grave, Give up your dead," the dead shall all stand before him, both small and great. "But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain; it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain but God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." He shall change these vile bodies, and make them like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." "And these, new-rising from the tomb, With lustre brighter far shall shine; Safe from diseases and decline. "Let sickness blast, let death devour, If heaven must recompense our pains; If firm the word of God remains!" 3. This miracle may be considered as illustrating, in connexion with the doctrine of the general resurrection, that of a future state. "Life and immortality are brought to light by the Gospel;" not in theory only, but in fact. Here is life after death placed visibly before our eyes, as a type of our own destiny. And for what purpose must we live hereafter but to receive the reward of our conduct in the present life? No one who believes the doctrine of a future state of existence, and of the immortality of the soul,-and all who believe the doctrine of the resurrection must believe these doctrines also, can entertain a doubt concerning the day of judgment. "The times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." As surely as he was raised from the dead, so surely shall he come "to judge the world in righteousness." "Then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory; and before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on the right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." But to those on his left hand he will address the fearful sentence, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." Then every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Then all the distinctions created by the pride and policy of man shall cease for ever; and the only difference that shall remain will be between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not,-between him that believeth, and him that believeth not. The present is a state of probation; the future is a state of retribution. This is the seed-time; that is the harvest. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. If we sow to the flesh, we shall of the flesh reap corruption; but if we sow to the Spirit, we shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." If we believe in Christ, and live to Christ," when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." But if you reject his doctrines, and despise the riches of his goodness, you shall perish with all his enemies, on whom he will" rain snares, fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest," to consume and to destroy them. They must endure devouring fire, and dwell with everlasting burnings. "I therefore pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." 66 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little." And, now, may our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the resurrection and the life, quicken all our souls, and raise us from the death of sin to the life of righteousness; that, when he shall come in his glory, to judge the world, we may have a resurrection to eternal life. Amen. CONVERSION OF A NEOLOGIST PASTOR. THE spread of Infidelity in the Lutheran Churches, under the name of Neology, is a fact which is equally notorious and lamentable. Ministers, Pastors, Theological Professors, and even Biblical critics and Commentators, have regarded the Scriptures as merely human compositions, and have endeavoured to divest them of every vestige of miracle, and of divine inspiration and authority. An interesting account of the conversion of one of these misguided men is given in the following narrative, written by the French Correspondent of "the NewYork Observer," and recently inserted in that publication. One principal cause of the evil in question appears to be, the bringing up of young men to the Christian ministry, simply as a profession, without any regard to their personal piety. The employment of irreligious men in the exposition of the Scriptures, the pastoral charge of souls, and the ministry of the Gospel, is one of the greatest calamities with which the church of God can be afflicted. When such men are placed under no efficient ecclesiastical control, and find that novel and bold speculations are the direct road to fame, the consequences to religion may be expected to be the most disastrous. Such, unhappily, is the present state of things in many parts of Protestant Germany; and the evil has infected others of the Continental Churches, both Popish and Reformed. LUCIUS. AN AUTHENTIC NARRATIVE. Bolbec, (Lower Seine,) YOUR readers all know the meaning of the word Neologist, which is applied in Germany to a certain class of Pastors and laymen. The Neologists, also called Rationalists, reject all that is supernatural in the Bible, the miracles and mysteries; they will admit nothing but what seems to accord with their feeble reason, and try to reduce the whole Scriptures within these narrow limits, distorting the plainest passages by forced and strange expositions. One of these Neologists, a young man who had forgotten his Catechism, and laid aside his Bible, while at the University, came to a town in Germany to perform the duties of a Pastor. He found there not a complete and living faith, but a traditional belief in the historical facts and the miracles of the Bible, which he regarded as an old superstition. He published then, to enlighten this people, as he said, a little work, in which he avowed the most extravagant principles of Neologism. He attempted to show, in this work, that agitation of mind, remorse of conscience, and serious thoughts upon death and eternity, are the results only of bad health, an unhappy temperament, or a weak mind; and that the true remedy which would restore peace to the soul, was to take exercise and diversion, and regulate the diet, &c. The pamphlet of the Neologist Pastor met with great success, because it flattered the pride, sensuality, and other natural propensities of man. But as some members of the flock objected against his principles, and appealed to the Bible, the Pastor believed that he could easily derive from the Bible itself arguments in his own favour, and that for this purpose he need only give a better interpretation to certain passages which they misunderstood. He took down his old dust-covered that treat of peace of mind, to show Bible, and looked out the passages that the Saviour and his Apostles had recommended the same remedies as he had. But his attention was soon arrested with this text: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew xi. 28, 29.) Full of surprise, he examined the verses preceding, to see in what connexion these words stood with the whole chapter; and he read: "I thank thee, O Father, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes." (Verse 25.) This is still more obscure, said the Neologist to himself. How? the wise and prudent! but they are the very persons who know best the will of God! Thinking to throw light on this verse, by consulting parallel passages, he came to this text: "Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?" (1 Cor. i. 20;) and he read on to the end of the chapter, where it is written, "Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." (Verse 30.) Truly, said the Neologist to himself, the Apostles pushed the matter too far; Jesus himself did not so speak of his own person; we will go back to the Gospels. But he found in the Gospel according to John, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father, but by me." (xiv. 6.) And in another place, "I and my Father are one; """whoso ever hath seen me hath seen the Father." "This is the true God and eternal life." Our learned Divine now found himself more and more embarrassed. He knew not how to reconcile these declarations of Scripture with his "rational" ideas of Jesus Christ, according to which the son of Mary was only a superior man, a sage like Orpheus or Confucius. But, after all, said he, I need not busy myself with these things; I am now searching for passages which relate to sadness and joy, trouble and repose : let me not wander from the question. Accordingly he read the following declarations: "Godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of; but the sorrow of the world worketh death." (2 Cor. vii. 10.) "The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians iv. 7.) "The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." (Romans xiv. 17.) "As the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ." (2 Cor. i. 5.) The Neologist Pastor then became dissatisfied with having opened his Bible, and, shutting it impatiently, went to bed. But sleep did not visit his eyes. His mind was beset with painful thoughts; the passages he had read continually recurred to his memory. Ah! said he, if I had let the old Bible stay in its corner, how quietly I should have slept! But soon a more alarming text came to his mind: "If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, though it should be we or an angel from heaven, let him be accursed!" (Gal. i. 8, 9.) Unable longer to remain in bed, he arose and sought to divert himself; but in vain. The terrible word, "accursed! accursed!" followed him every where, and unceasingly, like the accusing voice of God. Finally, on the third day, a messenger sent by the Pastor of announced that the daughter of this Pastor, to whom he was engaged to be married, was at the point of death, and that she desired to see him before she died. He remained dumb with stupor, as if a thunderbolt had fallen at his feet. But before he could recover himself, procure a horse, and reach twentyfour hours of anguish had elapsed, and his betrothed was no more. his despair, the unhappy man threw himself on the cold remains of his idol; his empty and barren religion could not secure him from excessive sorrow. The young lady had died of small pox: the despairing young man took, in a few days after, this frightful malady, and was in the greatest danger. In The father of the young lady, a pious and faithful Pastor, took the utmost care of his sick friend, neglecting nothing which could contribute to his recovery. Nor was this all. The salvation of the young man's soul was the principal object of the pious Pastor's solicitude; and when he saw him disposed to listen, he sat by his pillow, and, looking ful than mere advice or arguments. 66 affectionately upon him, observed, You are out of danger at last, my young friend! but I read in your eyes and in your countenance that your soul is in continual anguish. This afflicts me. My affection for my daughter was as strong as yours. I have suffered an irreparable loss. I feel deeply grieved to be separated in this life; but I receive with filial obedience this trial from the hand of the Lord. Do you the same, and try to recover your peace." The young man looked for some moments around him, with a silent and gloomy air. "Yes," he replied at last; "I grieve to lose her; but what appears to me most bitter, is the thought of never seeing her again! How then can I be composed? Who would be so in my situation?" These words gave occasion to a conversation, in which the worthy old man drew gradually from his agitated soul the secret of his anguish. Alas! the unhappy man doubted of every thing, feared every thing, despaired of every thing. His Neologism was but the mask of a deep Infidelity. The breath of misfortune had made the white coating fall from this tomb, and revealed the hideous corruption within. Then the Pastor, in a tone breathing the most ardent love and compassion, anounced to him the Gospel. He showed that nothing was less solid than to build our faith on the sole foundation of reason; for reason leads but to doubt, and abandons us to our weakness in the day of misfortune. He taught him, beginning with Moses and the Prophets, that Jesus Christ is the Saviour; that every man must be born again, and become a little child to receive the teachings of the Holy Spirit; that the Christian religion is a religion of experience; and that, to feel its truth, we must submit our hearts to God. "But what must I do to obtain this experimental conviction, and to be born again?" asked the young I was from my youth what is called a virtuous man. After completing my studies with care, I left the University, and was associated with my father in the work of the evangelical ministry; when one day I was struck with these words of St. Paul: They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.' (Rom. iii. 12.) This appeared to me too hard, too universal; and I thought that they who, like myself, had done already so much good, and had only committed sins of weakness, could not be reproved by God like the robber and the murderer. But the more I searched the Scriptures, the more I was persuaded it really established the doctrine, that there is no differ ence. (Rom. iii. 22.) Alarmed to see my boasted righteousness crumb. ling beneath me, I prayed earnestly that the Lord would open the eyes of my understanding. While I prayed thus, my eyes fell upon these words: Thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.' (Rev. iii. 17.) Involuntarily, I prostrated myself on the ground, and cried to the Lord with tears, 'Have pity upon me; make me know my misery, and deign to deliver me!' From that day, the Holy Spirit shed more and more light into my mind. I discovered my pride, my presumption, my natural inclination to all evil, my innumerable sins. I learnt my folly, in despising others whom I regarded as greater sinners than myself; I felt that I was awfully ungrateful to my Saviour; and I prayed to God night and day, to grant me the pardon of my iniquities, and a living faith. At last he who had loved me first heard my prayer. One night, the sweet remembrance of which will never be effaced from my mind, as I was imploring earnestly the grace of God, these two passages became the instruments which He made use of to give me life: 'I will blot out thy transgressions for my name's sake.' 'The blood of |