二

-a Benjamin to your Joseph, which yet shall prove a B Roni. His "entrance" will prove your exit; his life your death.-Gen. xxxv. 18. Better were it for David to be without Michal, than that she should, being enjoyed, become a snare.-1 Sam. xviii. 21.

5. SEEM IT EVER SO ILL, YET IT IS REALLY WELL. On these two accounts:

In these I could have

(1.) It cannot but be well with him with whom God It was not ill with the three children, though in a fiery furnace, so long as God was there.-Dan. iii. 25. Suppose David, walking in the suburbs of death and danger; yet it is not ill with him, because God with him.-Ps. xxiii. 4. When God says: "I will be with you" (as he has, Isa. xliii. 2), "And I feel aim," saith Faith; "it is infinitely more to me than f he should say: Peace, health, credit, honour, plenty, shall be with thee. God being with me, is All these, and infinitely more. but a particular good; in a single God I have all good." Now God, who is with his people at all times, s most with them, and most sweetly with them in the worst times. As their afflictions increase without, so do their consolations within.-2 Cor. i. 5. When the child is most sick, then it is most dandled on the mother's knee; when it begins to faint, then is the closet ransacked for the choicest cordial. This blessed Baynham found, when at the stake he told the bloody Papists: "Oye Papists," said he, “you talk of miracles; behold here a true one: these flames are to me a bed of roses." God is wont to give believers, in such a time, their exceedings, their "five messes." That part of the army which is upon action in the field, and upon hard service, shall be sure to have their pay. What are all the promises, but vessels of cordial wine, tunned on purpose against a groaning hour, when God usually and speedily broacheth them?-Ps. 1. 15.

(2.) All is well that ends well.-" Now," saith Faith, "all sad and gloomy dispensations have sweet ends, whether I respect God or myself:

1st, In respect of God.-And that,

[1] For the manifestation of his infinite wisdom. God so contrives the passages of his providence as that one shall qualify another. God knows, that should I always prosper, I should have been apt to swell and presume; and therefore he pricks my bladder. Had I been always fed with sweatmeats, it is very probable I might have surfeited; and therefore he mingles my sweets with these tart ingredients. Were not this bass added to my treble, I should never have made any harmonious music.

[2.] For the declaration of his Almighty power.— God many times brings his people into such a condition, as not to know what to do, that they may know now what the Lord can do. Thus: "The Lord shall judge his people, when he seeth that their power is gone." "See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no God with me."-Deut. xxxii. 36, 39. Thus: "Nevertheless he saved them for his name's ake." But what name? even that glorious one of his power: "that he might make his mighty power to be known."-Ps. cvi. 8.

2d, In respect of believers.-The life of every saint is a tragi-comedy, and the last act of it crowns the whole play. "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.”Ps. xxxvii. 37. Out of the eater shall come meat. This affliction and that affliction, yea, the whole series of them, "shall work together for my good."-Rom. viii. 37. Saints' good is God's aim. As love is the principle which he constantly acts from, so the saints' good is the end which he propounds and aims at in all his dispensations. From this he never swerves. The fire of love never goes out of his heart, nor the saints' good out of his eye. When he frowns, chides,

27:

strikes, yet then his heart burns with love, and his thoughts are to do them good.-Jer. xxiv. 6, 7; xxix. 11; Deut. viii. 2, 16. But what good? Much every way, chiefly with respect to their corruptions, graces, services, glory.

[1.] Saints' corruptions, to purge and sul due them. This is all the fruit, the taking away of their sins."-Isa. xxvii. 9. Afflictions are God's brine and pickle to preserve the saints from putrefying. Paul's thorn in the flesh was given him to prevent and mortify pride.-2 Cor. xii. 7. All the harm which the fiery furnace did the young men, in Dan. iii. 24. 25, was but to burn off their cords. Our lusts are cords, cords of vanity; fiery trials are sent on purpose to burn and consume them. Adversity, like winter weather, is of great use to kill weeds and vermin, which the summer of prosperity is wont to breed. God is fain to rub hard many times, to fetch out the dirt that is ingrained in our nature. This thunder serves to clear the air from infectious vapours. the teeth of thy troubles ever so many, ever so sharp, it is but to file off thy rust. This tempestuous tossing in the sea will more purge the wine from its lees. It clarifies the soul: according to that: "I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined."-Zech. xiii. 9.

[2] Saints' graces. And that,

Be

1st, For their trial and experience.-"That the trial of your faith," &c.-1 Pet. i. 7. The fire tries the gold as well as the touch-stone. Diseases not only need, but try, the art of the physician; and tempests, the skill of the pilot. The saints' sufferings are but as so many touch-stones. Now, now shall the saint clearly know, whether the conscience be sound or foundered, if it will pace well in rough ways. Here, "here is the faith," that is, the trial of the saints' faith and patience.-Rev. xiii. 10.

2d, For their increase and growth.-The snuffing of the candle makes it burn the brighter. Hence it is that the saints "glory in tribulations" (Rom. v. 3), because their sufferings add strength to their graces. Never are God's spiritual nightingales apt to sing more sweetly than when the thorn is at their breast. Saints are indeed made of precious metal; and yet they are, too, too apt to lose their edge. Hence it is that God by afflictions whets and sharpens them. He beats and bruises his links, to make them burn the brighter; loads his choicest ships with sufficient ballast, to make them sail the steadier; bruises his spices, to make them send out an aromatic savour.— Jer. xxii. 21; Isa. xxvi. 16; Heb. xii. 10.-Lye. (To be continued.)

AXIOMS.

(Translated from the German of Gossner.) EARTHLY things have a dazzling show, but heavenly things deprive them of all light. Therefore, he who with clear eye beholds these, can better judge of the darkness of those.

Persecutions are beneficial to the righteous. They are a hail of precious stones, which, it is true, rob the vine of her leaves, but give her possessor a more precious treasure instead.

As often as we bring to light the infirmity of another, we set our own on the candlestick with it.

The less the learning, the greater the eloquence with which the saint preaches; for his countenance preaches too, and more powerfully than great learning without holiness.

Let the faults of others be a mirror to thee of thine own.

Forget the way which is behind thee, and stretch out toward that which lies before thee, and every day with as much assiduity as if to-day for the first time thou wert entering on thy course.

The tempest which has risen against us without our fault, is to me a foretoken of great blessings. Persecution is nothing more than a winnowingshovel to purge the threshing-floor of our grace. No syllogism gives us so much wisdom, as does the humble look upwards to God.

The more lynx-eyed in the investigation of the faults of others, the blinder in the observation of our

own.

Wilt thou reform the world? then begin the reformation on thyself.

All the honey from the flowers of the earth hath not so much sweetness as gall and vinegar in the school of Jesus.

If God undertake the teacher's office, then canst thou learn much more in one hour than all the teachers of all ages could have taught thee.

No wood is more fit for enkindling the fire of love toward God in the hearth of the heart, than the wood of the cross.

Never must one trust God more than when things assume a doubtful aspect; for where all human help gives way, there divine help makes its opportunity.

He who first cares for the kingdom of God, for his well-being careth God, much more than he could have cared had he first cared for his own well-being. How I loathe the earth if I look at heaven! Let it be the struggle of the rich man that he may possess his goods-not they him.

Few follow the Lord to the Mount of Olives, still fewer to the cross on Mount Golgotha, but fewest die with him on the cross. The true history of Christianity.

Of all Christians, the most self-willed are the most numerous and most dangerous; and this sect comes best through.

Wisdom is in God, comes from God, leads to God, rests with God. Therefore, also, she makes nothing but friends of God, and where she puts up, there hath God taken lodging.

The heaven's ladder has seven steps-hearing, believing, loving, doing, suffering, striving, conquerng. When the battle becomes triumph, then we need the ladder no more.

Tares grow among the wheat until harvest, but the wheat is not to blame for that, for the tares do not grow out of the wheat, but among the wheat, out of the after-seed of the enemy.

Thou must serve God with God, if thou wilt please God; for God taketh delight only in himself.

THREE WONDERS IN HEAVEN. IF I ever reach heaven," said the eminently pious Dr Watts, "I expect to find three wonders there. 1. To meet some I had not thought to see there; 2. To miss some whom I had expected to meet there; but 3. The greatest wonder of all will be to find myself there!" If such were the views and feelings of such a man as Dr Watts, who lived so near the verge of heaven, and breathed its holy atmosphere as it were on earth, so as to be able to say with the most

cheerful confidence, "I bless God I he down at nigni unsolicitous whether I awake in this world, or ar other," how much greater will be the wonder in the case of many careless and almost prayerless Christianto find themselves in heaven at last? There is the gay and fashionable Christian, who thinks more of the circles of pleasure than the praying circle, more of robing the perishing body in costly attire, than obtaining the richer ornaments of a meek and quiet spirit for the undying soul.

What a theme of admiring wonder it would be for such a professor of religion, who had spent the evening in some gay circle of pleasure, or in the ball-| room, where God and the interests of the soul are little thought of, to return home at midnight, and lie down to rest, and wake up in heaven! What a wonderful contrast between the conversation and and the ushering in of an eternal sunrise and a blissemployments of the evening party or the ball-room, ful and never-ending day in heaven! How wonderfully different, too, is the dress of a modern ball-room from that white and unsullied robe of righteousness which all must have on before they can enter heaven!

What a wonder it will be for the man who has toiled all his life to lay up treasures on earth_with-|| out being rich towards God, to find himself in heaven at last, and with treasures there which he had thought little of, and for which he had not laboured! Heaven will, indeed, be full of such wonders, and it will be even more wonderful that any one of our race, so sinful, so imperfect, so guilty, so ungrateful, so fickle and inconstant to the most solemn vows and covenant engagements, has finally arrived safe in heaven.

It is wonderful indeed, even now, that the Spirit and grace of God is not utterly discouraged in trying to change, and mould, and fit for heaven's society, and heaven's employments, such creatures as sinful men. All other beings but God would give up all! efforts in a month's trial as hopeless of success, in fitting such polluted souls as men's for an atmosphere so pure and holy as that of heaven! But the patience and grace of God never tire in the good work when once begun. The process may require severe discipline, deep affliction, the tearing asunder the tenderest ties, and stripping the soul of all earthly dependences, in order to unclinch its grasp of earthly good, and make it lay hold on heaven as its only enduring and cherished good; but what God undertakes in the way of saving the soul, he will accomplish by a hand graciously severe. Thus it will come to pass that every one of our race who finally reaches heaven. will be filled with adoring wonder to find himself there, and be filled with praise and wonder to find any and every other redeemed sinner there, saved by the wonderful grace of God through atoning blood.

But there will be other wonders in heaven. Many will be missed whose professions did not bear the test of the last hour-of the final judgment. They had no oil in their lamps. If it were possible, there would be grief and weeping in heaven, because many who expected to meet in heaven are disappointed. But, it cannot be. Grief, and tears, and disappointments cannot travel across the grave with the pilgrim to heaven. This sadness and these sorrows are found among the travellers in the other road across the grave. There will be wonders in one other world

besides heaven-wonder that when the way and the gate to eternal glory were open, that man's guilt and folly were so great that he did not enter there.-New York Evangelist.

PRAY FOR YOUR PASTOR. Of course, every good pastor will pray for himself, but the best need the prayers of the Church; and the

nore spiritual and devoted they are, the more highly will they value these prayers. If any minister of Christ could safely dispense with them, it would seem as if the Apostle Paul might; yet see how earnestly he entreats the Churches to remember him: "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; withal praying also for us, that God will open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds; that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak. Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: and that we may be delivered from wicked and unreasonable men."

Just think, dear brethren, of the sacred relation which your pastor sustains, not only to you and your families, but to the whole Church and congregation. "He watches for your souls as one who must give account." What an awful responsibility! How fatal to you and yours may be the consequences of his mistakes, or his unfaithfulness!

Pray for your pastor, that he may be directed every week to the choice of such subjects as are most needed, and as are "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction, in righteousness."

Pray for your pastor, that when he goes into his study, his thoughts may flow in the right channel, and be imbued with love to Christ, and love to the souls of his flock; that he may prepare every sermon, under a solemn sense of accountability to his divine Master; that he may be "enriched with all wisdom and knowledge; and that he may bring forth out of his treasures things new and old."

Pray for your pastor, that when he enters the pulpit he may "speak boldly as he ought to speak;" that he may not "shun to declare" to his congregation all the "counsel of God, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear." And be sure that when your prayers are answered, you do not turn round and complain of him for being too pointed and personal-for preaching hard doctrines, which he might know would hurt the feelings of half his stated hearers, Hand for making the way to heaven so narrow, that you almost despair of ever getting there. If you think he goes too far in anything, or that he does not go far enough, pray for him that he may see the truth more clearly, and have more skill in dispensing it. This will do him and do you a great deal more good, than to go away and complain and lay it up against him.

Pray for your pastor, if at any time he grows dull in the pulpit; if his sermons are common-place; if his prayers are not spiritual and fervent; if his words do not come glowing and burning from his lips, as they used to come. He knows it he laments it; but perhaps you are to blame as well as he. Perhaps you have ceased to pray for him, or your remembrance of him at the throne of grace is so infrequent, and cold, and formal, that God cannot regard it.

Pray for your pastor, that when he is called to visit the sick and dying, and to comfort the mourners, he may "have a word in season" for each. Did you but know how incompetent a young pastor feels for the proper discharge of these duties, and how anxi

27

ous, even those who have been long in the ministry are, lest they should not say the right things in the right manner, you would pray for them without ceasing. When a good pastor is called to visit the sick. he will lift up his heart in prayer to God on the way, for wisdom and grace; and O how often, when he sits by the bed of the dying, does he tremble lest he should say too little or too much; and when he retires, how fearful is he that he may have failed in the discharge of his duty! You can rarely be with him to aid him by your advice, and if you could, you would hardly ever know what advice to give; but you can pray to Him who teacheth man knowledge, that he will give all that wisdom which is profitable to direct; and if you pray aright you will be heard.

If it is a time of general stupidity, and the word falls month after month, like good seed upon the beaten path, pray for your pastor, that he may not become discouraged, and exclaim, in the bitterness of his soul, "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed ?" If it is a "time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord," pray for your pastor, that his strength fail not; that he may be instant in season and out of season; that he may be taught of God just what the state of the Church and congregation requires, and just what he ought to preach; that both in his public and private instructions, he may be "wise to win souls;" and that in guiding the inquiring he may not, on the one hand "heal their hurt slightly," nor on the other, "break the bruised reed, and quench the smoking flax." No individual of his charge in a time of revival needs the prayers of the whole Church half so much as the pastor himself.

Pray for your pastor, then; pray for him in your families, morning and evening, and in all your social meetings, not incidentally, or by way of parenthesis, in half a sentence, but directly, earnestly, constantly. Especially pray for him in your closets, where you can aid and encourage him who is "set over you in the Lord," but in no way so much as by your continual remembrance of him at the throne of grace.

ARE YOU IN EARNEST? SCARCE anything is a greater blemish to religion, or disreputation to them that profess it, than their passionate and over-eager pursuit of temporal things, eternal; when they can rise up early and sit up late, with a coldness and visible indifferency in seeking and eat the bread of carefulness-spend their time and strength in labouring for the world, nay, lose the comfort of their lives by scrambling for the things of this life; and in the meantime put God off with some little superficial service, neglect some duties, their spiritual work into a corner of their time, if and hurry over others-let the cloud of business thrust not quite out of it. The world, indeed, jostle God and Christ and heaven out of their discourse and conversation, which savours of nothing but trades and bargains, and adventures, and getting estates, and tends to nothing but the promoting a mere worldly interest. "Are these men," think their carnal neighbours, "in good earnest for religion, when they are so mad upon their business? Doth their happiness lie in heaven, when their labour is only for the earth? Can their treasure be above, when their hearts are