very power of serious reflection and meditation.

I have explained my appre

period of my residence with Theophilus is nearly expired, and in a few days I must leave my invaluable friend and bene-hensions to Theophilus, who is factor, and return once more to pleased to find that I entertain the mixed society of the world. them; he tells me to be strong I am too well acquainted with in the Lord, and in the power the power of long established of his might, praying always habit not to feel some apprehen- with all prayer and supplication sion of danger from the tempta- in the spirit, for the support of tions to which I may be exposed, divine grace. He has promised to on revisiting the scenes of my write to me frequently, and to former dissipation. Of all my introduce me to the aquaintance life, I can only reckon the last of a most respectable clergyman six months as in any degree de- in London, as well as of another voted to God, and to the care of friend of his, with an assurance my own soul, and I feel there- that I may depend on their asfore my want of constant aid sistance and advice, in whatever from the society, encouragement relates to my spiritual concerns. and example of those who live I shall leave him with unfeigned by the rules of the gospel. This regret, but with this consolatory aid I am not to expect from my hope, that a few months will enaold friends and associates. My ble me to finish the business newly acquired principles are, I which calls me to the metropotrust, too firmly fixed, to be sha- lis, and that I may then return ken by ridicule or sarcasm; on to his society; for the benefit I this account I have no alarms; have already derived from which but what I most dread is the con- I most devoutly return thanks to tagious influence of the society God. of those, who though not professed infidels, and even nominal Christians, live without God in the world. The danger of such a society is the greater because it is not as much suspected as it ought to be, and there is a natural tendency to accommodate

EDWARD ASIATICUS.

March 24.

An Explanation of Scriptural Types.

NO. VIII.

ourselves to the dispositions and Abraham and his Family Typical. conversations of those with whom we associate, particularly

when we are not disgusted by ITHERTO in God's gra

open profaneness, immorality, or indelicacy. Our principles are thus gradually undermined, for want of due care to invigorate and confirm them, for the daily recurrence of frivolous and worldly conversation naturally tends to produce idle habits of thinking, and in time, if not Counteracted, to annihilate the

cious dispensation, we are furnished only with typical representations of the person and work of our divine Redeemer ; but in the patriarch Abraham the subject is varied and extended, and the character of his immediate posterity is metaphorically exhibited. Though the patriarch may be considered as a type of Christ in being called

from his native country and kin- | promise on covenant made with dred-sojourning in a strange Abraham, and which comprised land-dwelling in a tabernacle all the subjects of the gospel; or tent-receiving the promise so Hagar represented that covof a numerous seed, &c.-yet it enant which God made with the is his family especially which Israelites in the wilderness by will be produced as typifying the hand of his servant Moses. evangelical subjects. That this This Agar is mount Sinai in was so designed is very manifest Arabia, and answereth to Jerufrom the declaration of the apos- salem which now is, and is in tle, Gal. iv. 22. For it is writ- bondage with her children. This ten, that Abraham had two sons; is frequently termed, the law.— the one by a bond-maid, the oth- The law was given by Moses. er by a free woman-which This was the system of carnal things are an allegory. The a- ordinances imposed on them, postle himself hath given such the Jews, till the time of reforman explanation of this allegory, ation. As Hagar was the maid that we cannot misapprehend of Sarah, it was her place and the subjects designed by it, if use to aid her mistress, assist in we divest ourselves of prejudice training up the promised son and candidly consider his appli- and heir, and subserve the gencation. The following subjects eral interest of the family, so it are particularly contained in it. was the design and use of the law, the covenant made at mount Sinai, to subserve the promise, the covenant made with Abraham, by instructing and disciplining the chosen seed, the covenant people, and so preparing them for the adoption of sons. Gal. iv. 1-7. In allusion to Hagar, a maid, who was under the yoke, and from the servile state to which the law reduced the seed of Abraham, it is termed a yoke of bondage, and the Jews submitting to its restraints, and obeying its precepts, are said to be under bondage to weak and beggarly elements. Gal. iv. 9. II. Isaac and Ishmael.

I. Sarah and Hagar.

These saith the apostle, are the two covenants. Of these the first, represented by Sarah, was the gracious promise which God made to the patriarch, Gen. xii. 2, 3. I will make of thee a great nation and thou shalt be a blessing, and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed. This was renewed, chap. xv. 5, and xvii. 11, reduced to the form of a covenant, and ratified by a significant token. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. This covenant thus ratified, by way of distinction and eminence, is called, the promise. Gal. iii. iv. chap. According to the apostle, Gal. iii. 8. in making this promise, God preached the gospel to Abraham, and Abraham in believing it, believed in the Lord, who counted it to him for righteousness.

As Sarah represented that

God promised Abraham a son by Sarah his wife, and to multiply his seed as the stars of heaven. This son Isaac, with his numerous seed, the immediate objects of the promise, were types of Christ and believers in him, that spiritual seed and holy nation, which were the great objects of the covenant ultimate:

ly. Hence saith the apostle, | bond-maid mocking. This mockGal. iii. 16. Now to Abraham ing of Ishmael typified the conand his seed were the promises tempt with which his fleshly, made. He saith not, And to unbelieving seed, especially the seeds, as of many; but of one. chief priests, rulers, and the And to thy seed which is Christ. whole multitude of the people, Rom. iv. 18. Who against hope would treat Christ and believers believed in hope that he might in him, that spiritual seed prombecome the father of many na-ised to Abraham in that everlasttions according to that which ing covenant which God made was spoken, So shall thy seed with him. Hence saith the abe. As Isaac, who was born af-postle, As then, he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit, even so it is now.

ter the promise, and his numerous posterity, represented the ultimate objects of the covenant, Christ and believers in him; so Ishmael the son of Hagar, the bond-maid, who was born after the flesh, represented that natural seed or posterity of Abraham which proceeded indeed from his loins, but was destitute of his faith, and alienated from his holy obedience in life and practice.

IV. The remonstrance of Sarah and the ejection of Ishmael.

The derision and contempt with which Ishmael treated Isaac were very offensive to Sarah, and remonstrating against it, she said to Abraham, Cast out this bond-woman and her son; for the son of this bond-woman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. And Abraham rose up early in the morning and sent her away. As the mocking of Isaac by Ishma

III. The weaning of Isaac. The child grew and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned. However pleas-el procured the dismission of ing it might have been to Abra- Hagar, and his ejection from the ham and Sarah, that the prom- family of Abraham; so the deised son should have so far pro- rision and persecution of Christ gressed in life, as to be taken by the unbelieving Jews his nafrom the breast; yet the unu-tural seed, occasionally excited sual hilarity and joy of the occa- by the law of carnal commandsion were the effects of a divine ments, procured the abolition of impulse, and designed to typify the Sinai dispensation, and their the joy and gladness which excommunication from the viswould pervade the family of ible family of God. NevertheGod when his seed, progressing less what saith the scripture, from its infant state, should be Cast out the bond-woman and weaned from weak and beggar- her son, and the covenants esly elements, and be nourished tablished at mount Sinai, and his and invigorated with the more fleshly unbelieving seed were substantial food of the gospel. ejected from his visisible famiThis event, so joyful to Abra- ly, and only Sarah, the covenham and Sarah, was by Ishmael ant made with him, and Christ made an occasion of the deri- the promised seed remained.— sion and contempt of Isaac. As the ejection of Hagar and Ishmael reduced the family of.

And Sarah saw the son of the

Abraham to its genuine simpli- of God, and enlightened by his

city and purity consisting only Spirit, carefully determine what of Sarah his faithful wife, and is to be believed and to be done. Isaac the promised son; so the Memory. Let it treasure up the abolition of the covenant made word of God, the sins I have at mount Sinai the spiritual Ha- committed, the mercies I have gar, and the excommunication received.-Conscience. Let it be of his natural, unbelieving pos- exquisitely tender, without unterity, those mocking Ishmaels, necessary scrupolosity.Invenrefined his visible family, from tion. Let me endeavor to disthe earthly typical alloy and spu- cover new methods of doing rious members which adhered to good, and how I may do the it, and exhibited his covenant utmost possible good with the and seed in their original puri- means I possess.-Imagination. ty and beauty. Hagar and Ish- Let my imagination delight to mael being cast out, we see trace the similitudes used in Isaac established the unrivalled scripture; such as where a soul heir of his promises and bless- dead in sins is compared to a ings; so the ritual being abol-dead body; and where spirituished and the unbelieving Jews al things are illustrated by the rejected, we see Christ appoint- objects of creation.---PASSIONS. ed the heir of all things, the an--. Admiration. Let it be emcient promise of blessing all na- ployed upon God's attributes and tions in his seed, fulfilled-and works.-2. Anger. Let it be if by faith in him, we become turned against myself for sin.— the children of Abraham, and 3. Contempt. Let it be of worldexperimentally realize his bless-ly pleasures and vanities.--4. Let it be of the true riches, and of the best gifts. -5. Fear. Let me have a filial fear of offending God, a fear of coming short of the heavenly rest, of the misery hanging over the wicked.-6. Grief. Let it be for my own sins, and those of others.-7. Gratitude. In reference to God, let it be exerted as in the case of the cleansed leper:* in reference to men, as in the case of Elisha towards it be of the heavenly happiness, the Shunamite.-8. Hope. Let of attaining greater conformity

ings, convinced of divine fidelity and grace, we shall devoutly acknowledge, a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and right is he, and blessed are all they that wait for him. Amen.

From the London Evangelical
Magazine.

Thoughts on 1 Cor. vi. 20.
"Glorify God in your body,
and in your spirit, which are

God's."

The powers of the Mind.

A FRAGMENT.

HE WILL. Let it chuse God in Christ, in preference to all things.-Judgment. Let it, as instructed by the word

Covetousness.

to Jesus; of the further extension of Christ's kingdom: of men's not being so wicked as they seem to be.-9. Jealousy. Let me have a godly jealousy of my own heart. 10. Joy. Let it

* Luke xvii. 18. +2 Kings iv. 13.

on account of sins committed, From the (Edinb.) Religious Monitor.

ANECDOTE

Of an Italian Bishop.

HERE was an Italian Bish

THE

op who had struggled through great difficulties, without repining; and who met with much opposition in the discharge of his episcopal function, without ever hetraying the least impatience. An intimate friend of his, who highly admired those virtues, which he thought it impossible to imitate, one day asked the prelate, If he could communicate the secret of being always easy. "Yes, replied the old man, I can teach you my secret, and with great falicity: it consists in nothing more than in making a right use of my eyes." His friend begged him to explain himself. "Most willingly, (returned the

66

duties omitted, the strength of indwelling sin, and my little knowledge of God.-14. Zeal. Let my zeal be for God's honor and for good works.- SENSES. -Sight. Let my eyes continually look up to God in prayer, faith and humble dependence. Let them be employed in reading his word, and other pious and useful writings. Let them gaze upon his wonderful works of creation.-Hearing. Let my ears be attentive to God's word read, or preached. Let them be swift to hear the instruction of the righteous. Smelling. Let the fragrance of every sweet flower, or other odoriferous substance, lead me, as it did the ancient Israelites, to return thanks" to that God who could as easily have made every scent in nature ungrateful to my nerves.-Taste. Let the pleasant flavor of my food lead me to thank the Lord who could, with equal ease, have made all my food nauseous. -GIFT OF SPEECH. Let my tongue be talking of God, get there. I then look down and for God; let it be employ- "upon the earth, and call to ed in praying to him, and sing"mind, how small a space I ing his praises; let my discourse" shall occupy in it, when I be always gracious, wise, rea- "come to be interred. I then sonable, and kind.--Hands. Let" look abroad into the world, and them be raised towards Heaven "observe what multitudes are in prayer; let them write for "there, who are, in all respects the instruction and comfort of "more unhappy than myself.

Bishop:) In whatever state "I am, I first of all look up to "heaven, and remember that 66 my principle business is to