and learned age, with profound illustrations of sacred history, or doctrinal or critical elucidation; or as connecting, with unexampled felicity, the sublime and beautiful expressions of material nature with the glowing conceptions of Gospel truth; or as mild and paternal in pastoral admonition; or as earnest in piety and prayer; or as deeply feeling the Christian rights and duties of nations ;-it is in these and similar exhibitions of clerical faithfulness and ability, within my daily observation,—whether under the crown of hoary hairs,—or in the maturity of their exertion,-or newly rising among us with unabated and increasing vigour,—that I am thankful to be enabled to trace the scattered features of that ardent zeal for divine truth,-that sound and extensive learning,—and that enlightened charity which, in a form, it may be, more concentrated and harmonious, have formerly blessed, or are yet to bless, the happier ages of the Christian Church. And although I cannot look upon the picture without much conscious shame and self-humiliation, I yet delight to behold it; and when such seems to be the advancing character of a Church so little dependent upon any strength or might of man,-and whose very name is almost buried amidst the moun tains which surround it,-I cannot but see, dawning upon these my native mountains, the promise of that brighter day of Gospel light, which is yet to spread over the Churches of reformed Christianity, and I see that day beforehand, "and am glad.”Amen! NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. Note A. page 18. THE representations made of Jupiter by Homer and other poets, though often very indecorous and irreverent, yet always suppose him to be supreme over the other gods, and approach, at times, almost to the truth and sublimity of inspiration.-Homer's μεγαν δ' ελελιξεν Ολυμπον” reminds us of the expressions of Haggai-"Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land.”—Ch. ii. 3. And of those of Isaiah, " They shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.”—Ch. ii. 19. It is this deity, too, in the language of Horace, And "Qui res hominum ac Deorum, Qui mare ac terras variisque mundum Temperat horis, Unde nil majus generatur ipso; Nec viget quidquam simile, aut secundum.-Lib. 1. Ode 12. "Qui terram inertem, qui mare temperat Ventosum, et urbes, regnaque tristia, Divosque, mortalesque turbas, Imperio regit unus aequo.-Lib. 3. Ode 4. |