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THE MONTHLY

same question; and the two parties were also designated by the same appellatives. They designated themselves the "Constitutional Associate Presbytery;" and seem more strictly to consider the binding obligation of the covenant; and that the ordinary exercise of civil authority is necessary to the better promoting of the interests of morality and religion, and may warrantably be employed in settling, not only secular affairs, but also the peace, order, and security of the church of Christ, in the permanent enjoyment of her own peculiar liberties and government.




THE REFORMERS.

What an inexhaustible subject, is the deformity of vice and the loveliness of virtue! how incontestible, how convincing, are the proofs! but, if moralists were in earnest, they would find, that the surest mode of amending others, is first to reform themselves.

Two citizens, who were neighbours, often indulged themselves with a morning's walk in the vicinity of the metropolis, before the hurrying hours of business came on. In one of these early perambulations, after ordinary conversation had ceased, one of them lamented the deluge of vice, which like an inundation, had overspread the whole land; that virtue was driven to the very confines of these once-happy realms; and that even charity herself was preparing to depart: yet, amongst the general dearth of beneficence, he himself had a heart so very compassionate that it uniformly melt-