RECOLLECTION is the life of Religion. The Christian wants to know no new thing, but to have his heart elevated more above the world by secluding himself from it as much as his duties will allow, that Religion may effect this its great end by bringing its sublime hopes and prospects into more steady action on the mind.

I KNOW not how it is, that some Christians can make so little of Recollection and Retirement. I find the spirit of the world a strong assimilating principle. I find it hurrying my mind away in its vortex, and sinking me among the dregs and filth of a carnal nature. Even my ministerial employments would degenerate into a mere following of my trade and crying of my wares. I am obliged to withdraw myself regularly, and to say to my heart "What are you doing?-Where are you?”

ON

A SPIRITUAL MIND.

DR. Owen says, if a man of a carnal mind is brought into a large company, he will have much to do if into a company of Christians, he will feel little interest: if into a smaller company engaged in religious exercises, he will feel still less: but if taken into a closet and forced to meditate on God and Eternity, this will be insupportable!

The spiritual man is born, as it were, into a new world. He has a new taste. He savours the things of the Spirit. He turns to God, as the needle to the pole.

This is a subject of which many can understand but little. They want spiritual taste. Nay they account it enthusiasm. Bishop Horsley will go all the way with Christians into their principles: but he thinks the feelings and desires of a spiritual mind enthusiastical.

There are various CHARACTERISTICS of a spiritual mind.

SELF-LOATHING is a characteristic of such a mind. The axe is laid to the root of a vain-glorious spirit.

It maintains, too, A WALK AND CONVERSE WITH GOD. Enoch walked with God. There is a transaction between God and the spiritual mind: if the man feels dead and heartless, that is matter of complaint to God. He looks to God for wisdom for the day-for the hour-for the business in hand.

A spiritual mind REFERS ITS AFFAIRS TO GOD. "Let God's will be obeyed by me in this affair! His way may differ from that which I should choose but let it be so! Surely, I have behaved and quieted myself as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child."

A spiritual mind has something of the nature of the SENSITIVE-PLANT. "I shall smart if I touch this or that." There is a holy shrinking away from evil.

A spiritual mind enjoys, at times, the INFLUX OF A HOLY JOY AND SATISFACTION, which surprizes even itself. When bereaved of creaturecomforts, it can sometimes find such a repose in Christ and his promises, that the man can say "Well! it is enough: let God take from me what else he pleases!"

A spiritual mind is a MORTIFIED mind. The Church of Rome talks much of mortification, but her mortification is not radical and spiritual. Simon Stylites will willingly mortify himself on his pillar, if he can bring people around him to pray to him to pray for them. But the spiritual

mind must mortify itself in whatever would retard its ascent toward heaven: it must rise on the wings of faith, and hope, and love.

A spiritual mind is an INGENUOUS mind. There is a sort of hypocrisy in us all. We are not quite stripped of all disguise. One man wraps round him a covering of one kind, and another of another. They, who think they do not this, yet do it though they know it not.

Yet this spiritual mind is a SUBLIME mind. It has a vast and extended view. It has seen the glory and beauty of Christ, and cannot therefore admire the goodly buildings of the Temple: as Christ, says Fenelon, had seen his Father's House, and could not therefore be taken with the glory of the earthly structure!

I would urge young persons, when they are staggered by the conversation of people of the world, to dwell on the characteristics of a spiritual mind. "If you cannot answer their arguments, yet mark their spirit: and mark what a contrary spirit that is which you are called to cultivate."

There are various MEANS of maintaining and promoting a spiritual mind. Beware of saying concerning this or that evil, Is it not a little one? Much depends on mortifying the body. There are silent marches which the flesh will steal on us-the temper is too apt to rise: the tongue will let itself loose: the imagination, if liberty is given to it, will hurry us away. Vain company

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will injure the mind: carnal professors of religion especially will lower its tone: we catch a contagion from such men. Misemployment of time is injurious to the mind: when reflecting, in illness, on my past years, I have looked back with self-reproach on days spent in my study: I was wading through history, and poetry, and monthly journals; but I was in my study! Another man's trifling is notorious to all observers: but what am I doing? Nothing, perhaps, that has a reference to the spiritual good of my congregation! I do not speak against a chastized attention to literature, but the abuse of it. Avoid all idleness: Exercise thyself unto godliness: plan for God. Beware of temptation: the mind, which has dwelt on sinful objects, will be in darkness for days. Associate with spiritually-minded men: the very sight of a good man, though he says nothing, will refresh the soul. Contemplate Christ: be much in retirement and prayer: study the honour and glory of your Master.