love, which seeketh not her own, but the general good; and which, as well under the heaviest pressure of afflictions, as in

ity, seeks for repose, and comfort only in the bosom of his Father and his God, is expressed by the Psalmist in the most concise and striking point of view. Aware of what objections would at once arise in the worldly mind, from a superficial and disconnected view of the present mingled and varied state of things, and how readily the reply would be made, what wisdom or goodness is evidenced by a world that is full of sin and wickedness, of suffering and sorrow? what ground of rejoicing in that government in which all things come alike to all-the good and evil of life are promiscuously distributed to persons of all charactersin which the little happiness we enjoy, is constantly embittered and spoiled by a thousand evils we daily see, or feel, or fearwhile losses and crosses, disappointments and vexations, pain, sickness and death are the common lot of all?-aware, I say, of all such reasonings of the carnal mind, he proceeds to describe,

heart. With respect to outward and worldly circumstances, there is scarcely a more complex character on scripture record, than that of David.the brightest seasons of prosperFrom the humble situation of an obscure shepherd, it is true, he was advanced to the power and dignity of a throne-but what trials did he encounter by the way, and indeed through the whole course of his life? At times he appears almost overwhelmed with affliction, and his own account attests that tears had been his meat, day and night. Like his divine Lord, of whom he was an eminent type, he was, notwithstanding his high advancement, in worldly prosperity and honor, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with griefs. But what more natural] to the man after God's own heart, than to rejoice in the universal government of God, and build all his happiness and his hopes upon that foundation? He, who, with humble sincerity of heart, could join with Asaph and say, "Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth, whom I desire besides thee," breathes the same self-denying spirit and would readily adopt the same language with that of the proph-in a word, the general excelet Habakkuk "Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vine, the labor of the olive shall fail, and the field shall yield no meat, the flocks shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stall, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation."

lency of the divine government, as the special and substantial ground of his joy. And nothing more was necessary, in order to remove every objection. It needed only to be seen just as it was, for every caviling mouth to be stopped, and every benevolent heart to be filled with joy. The Lord reigneth, the The same spirit of self-deni- Psalmist had declared, and calal-the same humble devoted- led on creatures to triumph with ness of soul to God-the genu-him in this joyful assurance.— ine breathings of that divine But, how doth he reign? Are

dom of that government, whose reason and measures we are un

able to comprehend-saying "The Lord reigneth, let the

the measures of his government | implicit confidence in the wisdictated by an imperfect view of things, by prejudice, passion or caprice? Are they such as the frailty of human reason would prescribe, or the short sighted earth rejoice"-fully confiding powers of creatures can com-in the universality of a Divine prehend? Shall man presume Providence that infinite wisto enter the pavilion of his ma- dom which cannot err, orders ker, scrutinize the propriety of and disposes all things, in the his government, and dare to wisest and best manner; and say, what doest thou? Shall he though "clouds and darkness who is but of yesterday, and are round about Him, yet, rightknows nothing teach infinite wis- eousness and judgment are the dom how to rule? Shall he that habitation of his throne. is nothing, lend assistance to almighty power? And shall he that deserves nothing but destruction, censure the conduct of infinite goodness, and feel himself aggrieved? No. Let us be humble and be wise. Let us be still and know that He is God."Clouds and darkness are round about him, yet righteous-to our highest interest; and ness and judgment are the habitation of his throne."

These impressions and views of the divine government are not calculated to lead us astray, bus to conduct us in the path of true wisdom, and enable us to make progress in divine knowledge. Being the language of truth, and the dictates of indispensible duty, they are no less conducive

whether in prosperity, or adversity, are alike necessary for the enjoyment of any real comfort. "Behold," saith the inspired Prophet, "his soul which is lifted up, is not upright in him, but the just shall live by his

This may well check a spirit of restless inquietude, from vainly seeking to pry into the depths of the eternal mind, and examining the purposes of God by the standard of human wis-faith." Hab. ii. 4. From this dom, blinded as it is by the sel- it is plain, that both the experifish feelings and corrupt affec- mental knowledge, and the comtions of a depraved and wicked forts of religion, are the fruits heart. It is from this quarter only of faith; and that to judge only, that our danger arises.- aright of the ways of God, we In humility, our wisdom and must first realize our own true safety consist. Without this, characters as dependent, sinful, all our researches will be vain weak, and fallible creatures. and fruitless, and the further we This most surely is necessary, proceed, the further shall we when we consider the perfection wander from the right path, and of God's reason, and the weakthe more difficult and uncertain ness of our own. And even in will be our return. As pride is matters which are, as it were, the very essence of folly, it is just within our reach, what the fruitful parent of all evil. In would become of the world, if the present dark state, we are to the practice of all moral duties, walk by faith and not by sight, and the foundations of society, and to content ourselves with an rested upon having their reasons

made clear and demonstrative | for it is built upon the wisdom to every individual? We may and rectitude of an infinite, an be satisfied that a mind, which unchangeable God.

has no restraint from a sense of This gives us full assurance its own weakness, of its subor- of a Divine Providence, both dinate rank in the creation, and universal and particular; and of the extreme danger of letting though God's ways may to us the imagination loose upon some appear dark, mysterious and unsubjects, which being the most accountable, yet righteousness sublime, are for the same reason and judgment are the habitation the least comprehensible, might of his throne. There is no convery plausibly attack every tingency in the system-nothing thing, even the most excellent takes place by chance; but diand venerable-that it would vine counsel determines and dinot be difficult in this way, to cri- rects all events, and will finally ticise, even the government of bring good out of evil, light out God; and that, if we were to of darkness, and order out of examine the divine conduct, confusion. An infinitely wise by our ideas of reason and fit- and powerful being, though ness, and to use the same me- invisible in his essence, and enthod of attack, by which many throned in heaven, is yet conpeople assault the dearest and stantly present with all his most important doctrines of re-works-in him we live and move vealed religion, we might, with and have our beings. He who as good color, and the same suc-first created, hath ever supportcess, make the wisdom and pow-ed and governed the universe. er of God in his providence, He first bade the wheels of naappear to many, no better than ture roll. He conducts the infolly and injustice. How im- finitely various parts of the great portant, then is this practical machine, to an inimitable beauty instruction of his word, to crea- and perfection. tures so exceedingly liable to err, and to forsake the real object of happiness, for a delusive and imaginary good? How necessary is such a divine declaration, on the one hand, to point out the proper limits of our enquiries, and, on the other, to direct

our views, establish our faith;

ASAPH.

(To be continued.)

Manual labor a branch of the duty which God requires of man.

S

As the greater part of the

of mankind is usually employed in labor, to obtain the necessaries and comforts of life, or to advance their worldly interests; and as many consider it a mat

and comfort our hearts! Clouds and darkness are round about him; righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. This, while it holds forth a solemn reproof to our pride speaks peace to the hum-ter of importance, to labor with ble soul, suggests the noblest motives of consolation, and lays the most permanent foundation for support to the afflicted;

diligence, and to employ their time to the best advantage, for these purposes; it is thought it may be proper and useful, to

attempt some exhibition of what may be learned from the scriptures, respecting the duty and obligation of laboring to obtain the things of this world. For it is undoubtedly of importance to understand and comply with the will of God in this particular.

subjected to hard and wearisome labor, to obtain from the earth the food necessary for his sup, port, till the time arrived for his return to the dust. Hence, the painful exertions and fatiguing labors, which the bulk of mankind find necessary, to obtain the means of a comfortable subsistence, are to be viewed as a consequence of our apostacy from God, and regarded as a constant testimony of his righteous displeasure. Again. It is written in Exod. xx. 9. "Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work.” This passage in its connection, if it does not command us to employ six days out of every seven in doing our own work, allows us so to do: or rather, it forbids our doing any of our own work on the seventh day, the sabbath, and pre-requires us to perform all the labor requisite about our worldly affairs, for our temporal support on the other six days of the week, and grants a liberty to spend the six days, in ordinary cases, or when not otherwise en

In Gen. ii. 15, it is written, "And the Lord God took the man, and put him in the garden of Eden, to dress it, and to keep it." By these words it appears, that man, in his original state, was formed and designed for labor. God's putting him in the garden of Eden, to dress it, and to keep it, certainly implies, that he was not to be occupied wholly and exclusively in the exercises of devotion and religious contemplation; but that some care and bodily labor and exercise, in watching or serving and cultivating the garden, were required of him.

Bodily exercise appears to be necessary for the health and comfort of creatures possessed of a body, consisting of flesh and blood. But if Adam had pre-joined by God, in transacting our served his original rectitude and perfectly obeyed the will of God, it is not to be supposed, that any irksome or fatiguing labor would have been required of him; but only such as he would have performed with ease and satisfaction, as an agreeable

amusement.

But after Adam transgressed the command of God, the ground was cursed for his sake, and God said to him, " In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground." Gen. iii. 17, 18, 19. From this passage in its connection it appears, that in consequence of man's disobedience it was the will of God, that he should be

worldly business. This plainly imports, that it is the design of God, that a large proportion of our time should be employed about the things of this life, though, as will be hereafter shown, with an ultimate view to a higher good.

From the scriptures of the New Testament it is also manifest, that men by becoming Christians, and interested in the benefits of Christ's redemption, are not exempted, during the present life, from the obligation to labor for their living; but that this is enjoined upon them by the authority of Christ. Tho' theft was allowed by many of the pagan nations, and considered.

but little if at all criminal; yet | time in idleness, he should not Paul directed, if any one, who had been converted from paganism, had been guilty of it, that he should wholly desist from it, and apply himself to labor, that he might, in an honest way, obtain what was necessary, not on ly for his own support, but likewise, to afford relief to such as stood in need, and by reason of age or infirmity or other impediment, were unable to provide for themselves. He said, "Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth." Ephes. iv. 28.

be supported at the expense of the church, or allowed to eat of the provision made by the church for the support of their poor. He suggested that he was particular in reminding them of this, because he heard there were some who walked among them disorderly, working not at all, but were busybodies-some who neglected their proper business, and turned aside, like disorderly persons, from the rule and command which had been given for the regulation of their conduct. Their disorderly walk consisted in neglecting to work for their support, and, as is common with idle, lazy persons, in The same apostle, in 2 Thess. being busybodies, going about iii. 8, 9. signified, that he and from house to house, intruding his companions in the ministry into the affairs of others, tattling, had eaten no man's bread for and making remarks tending to nought; but wrought with la- mischief." Now (said he) them bor and travail night and day, that are such we command, and that they might not be chargea- exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, ble to any of them: not because that with quietness they work, they had not power, or authority and eat their own bread. But and right to demand a comfort- ye, brethren, be not weary in able support from those to whom well-doing. And if any man they ministered; but they did obey not our word by this episit, to make themselves an exam-tle, note that man, and have no ple to the Thessalonians, to teach company with him, that he may and encourage them to obtain be ashamed." A more plain and their bread by honest industry. Texplicit command for Christians He then added, in the following to labor, that they may support verses, "For even when we themselves by honest industry; were with you, this we com- or clearer evidence that it is the manded you, that if any would will of Christ that they should not work, neither should he eat. do so, and that their refusing is For we hear that there are some very displeasing to him, than which walk among you disor- these words contain, is hardly derly, working not all, but are conceivable. We have then the busybodies." In these words he most clear and decisive proof, reminded them, that he and his not only, that mankind are alfellow-laborers, when they were lowed to employ the greater part with them, commanded them, of their time in labor; but also, that if any professed Christian that it is the will and command who was capable of laboring, re- of God that a large proportion fused to work, and spent his