with this considerable advantage, that in the interim of death the soul acts more vigorously than before, as being released from the weights and entanglements of the body.

First, it is but a longer and closer binding up of the senses-nature's long vacation. The grave is a bed, wherein the body is laid to rest, with its curtains drawn close about it, that it may not be disturbed in its repose; so the Holy Ghost pleaseth to phrase it, "He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness."—(Isa. Ivii. 2.) Death is nothing else but a writ of ease to the poor weary servants of Christ, a total cessation from all their labour of nature, sin, and affliction: "Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, that they may rest from their labours," &e.-(Rev. xiv. 13.)

While the souls of the saints do rest in Abraham's bosom, their bodies do sweetly sleep in their beds of dust, as in a safe and consecrated dormitory. Thus death is but a sleep.

Secondly, and then again, as they that sleep in the night do awake in the morning, so shall the saints of God do; this heaviness may endure for a night (this night of mortality), but joy cometh in the mornning: in the morning of the resurrection they shall wake again. (Ps. xvii. 15.) It will not be an everlasting night, an endless sleep; but as surely as we awake in the morning, when we have slept comfortably all night, so surely shall the saints then awake, and shall stand upon their feet, and we shall behold them again with exceeding joy.

O blessed morning! How should we long and wait for that morning, more than they that watch for the dawning of the day!

Let this teach us to moderate our sorrow over departed Christian friends; for, do we sigh and lament when any of the family are gone to bed before us in the evening? Do we cry out, Woe and alas! my father is fallen asleep, my mother is laid to rest; my sweet child, the delight of mine eyes, the joy of my heart, his eyes have closed, and the curtains are drawn close about him? Do we, I say, thus take on, and afflict ourselves in this case? No, surely. Why, then, do we so here?-the case is the same; only, if the night be a little longer, the morning will be infinitely more joyous, and make us more abundant compensation for our patience and expectation. We call also the absence of our friends by a wrong name. We say, My father is dead, my mother is dead, my Isaac

is dead. Dead! the letter killeth. Death is the most terrible of all terrible things; the very name of it strikes a chilness and coldness into our hearts. Let us, then, call things as God calls them; let us make use of the notions which God hath suggested

likeness of the Rev. John Wesley. "This bust," said Culy, "struck Lord Shelburne in the same manner it does you; and there is a remarkable fact connected with it, which, as I know you are fond of anecdote, I will relate to you precisely in the same manner and words that I did to him. My lord," said I, perhaps you have heard of John Wesley, the founder of the Methodists?' "O yes!' he replied; 'he-that race of fanatics 'Well, my lord; Mr Wesley had often been urged to have his picture taken, but he always refused, alleging as a reason, that he thought it nothing but vanity; indeed, so frequently had he been pressed on this point, that his friends were reluctantly compelled to give up the idea. One day he called on me on the business of our church. I began the old subject of entreating him to allow me to take off his likeness. Well, said I, 'knowing you value money for the means of doing good, if you will grant my request, I will engage to give you ten guineas for the first ten minutes that you sit, and for every minute that exceeds that time you shall receive a guinea.' 'What!' said Mr Wesley; 'Do I understand you aright, that you will give me ten guineas for having my picture taken? Well, I agree to it.' He then stripped off his coat, and lay on the sofa; and in eight minutes I had the most perfect bust I had ever taken. He then washed his face, and I counted to him ten guineas into his hand. 'Well,' said he, turning to his companion, 'I never till now earned money so speedily; but what shall we do with it?' They then wished me a good morning, and proceeded over Westminster Bridge. The first object that presented itself to their view was a poor woman crying bitterly, with three chil dren hanging round her, each sobbing, though apparently too young to understand their mother's grief. On inquiring the cause of her distress, Mr Wesley learned that the creditors of her husband were dragging him to prison, after having sold their effects, which were inadequate to pay the debt by eighteen shillings, which the creditors declared should be paid. One guinea made her happy! They then proceeded on, followed by the blessings of the now happy mother. On Mr Wesley's inquiring of Mr Barton. his friend, where their charity was most needed, he

to us; let us say, My parent is at rest, my beloved replied he knew of no place where his money would

babe is fallen asleep, and, behold, the terror of death will cease.

If God hath clothed this horrid thing death with softer notions for our comfort, let not the consolation of the Almighty be a small thing with us. What comfortable lives might we live, had we but the right notions of things, and faith to realize them.Case.

JOHN WESLEY AND HIS LIKENESS. MR DUDLEY was one evening taking tea with that eminent artist, Mr Culy, when he asked him whether he had seen his gallery of busts. Mr Dudley answering in the negative; and expressing a wish to be gratified with a sight of it, Mr Culy conducted him thither, and after admiring the busts of the several great men of the day, he came to one which particularly attracted his notice, and on inquiry found it was the

be more acceptable than in Giltspur-street Compter. They accordingly repaired thither, and on asking the turnkey to point out the most miserable object under his care, he answered, if they were come in search of poverty they need not go far. The first ward they entered they were struck with the appearance of a poor wretch who was greedily eating some potato skins. On being questioned, he informed them that he had been in that situation, supported by the casual alms of compassionate strangers for several months, without any hope of release, and that he was confined for the debt of half a guinea. On hearing this, Mr Wesley gave him a guinea, which he received with the utmost gratitude, and he had the pleasure of seeing him liberated with half a guinea in his pocket. The poor man, on leaving his place of confinement, said, 'Gentlemen, as you came here in search of poverty, pray go up stairs, if it be not too

late.

POWER OF CHRISTIAN LOVE.

They instantly proceeded thither, and beheld a sight which called forth all their compassion. On a low stool, with his back towards them, sat a man, or rather a skeleton, for he was literally nothing but skin and bone; his hand supported his head, and his eyes seemed to be riveted on the opposite corner of the chamber, where lay, stretched out on a pallet of straw, a young woman in the last stage of consumption, apparently lifeless, with an infant by her side, which was quite dead. Mr Wesley immediately sent for medical assistance, but it was too late for the unfortunate female, who expired a few hours afterwards from starvation, as the doctor declared. You may imagine, my lord, that the remaining eight guineas would not go far in aiding such distress as this. No expense was spared for the relief of the now only surviving sufferer. But so extreme was the weakness to which he was reduced, that six weeks elapsed before he could speak sufficiently to relate his own history. It appeared that he had been a reputable merchant, and had married a beautiful young lady, eminently accomplished, whom he almost idolized. They lived happily together for some time, until, by failure of a speculation in which his whole property was embarked, he was completely ruined. No sooner did he become acquainted with his misfortune than he called all his creditors together, and laid before them the state of his affairs, showing them his books, which were in the most perfect order. They all willingly signed the dividend except the lawyer, who owed his rise in the world to this merchant; the sum was two hundred and fifty pounds, for which he obstinately declared he should be sent to jail. It was in vain the creditors urged him to pity his forlorn condition, and to consider his great respectability; that feeling was a stranger to his breast, and, in spite of all their remonstrances, he was hurried away to prison, followed by his weeping wife. As she was very accomplished, she continued to maintain herself and her husband for some time solely by the use of her pencil, in painting small ornaments on cards; and thus they managed to put a little aside for the time of her confinement. But so long an illness succeeded this event, that she was completely incapacitated from exerting herself for their subsistence, and their scanty savings were soon expended by procuring the necessaries which her situation then required. They were driven to pawn their clothes, and their resources failing, they found themselves at last reduced to absolute starvation. The poor infant had just expired from want, and the hapless mother was about to follow it to the grave when Mr Wesley and his friend entered; and, as I before said, the husband was so reduced from the same cause, that, without the utmost care, he must have fallen a sacrifice; and as Mr Wesley, who was not for doing things by halves, had acquainted himself with this case of extreme misery, he went to the creditors and informed them of it. They were beyond measure astonished to learn what he had to name to them; for so long a time had elapsed without hearing any thing of the merchant or his family, some supposed him to be dead, and others that he

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had left the country. Among the rest he called on the lawyer, and painted to him, in the most glowing colours, the wretchedness he had beheld, and which he (the lawyer) had been instrumental in causing; but even this could not move him to compassion. He declared the merchant should not leave the prison without paying him every farthing! repeated his visit to the other creditors, who, conMr Wesley sidering the case of the sufferer, agreed to raise the sum and release him. Some gave one hundred pounds, others two hundred pounds, and another three hundred pounds. The affairs of the merchant took a different turn: God seemed to prosper him, and in the second year he called his creditors together, thanked them for their kindness, and paid the sum so generously obtained. Success continuing to attend him, he was enabled to pay all his debts, and afterwards realized considerable property. His afflictions made such a deep impression upon his mind, that he determined to remove the possibility of others suffering from the same cause, and for this purpose advanced a considerable sum as a foundation fund for the relief of small debtors. And the very first person who partook of the same was the inexorable lawyer!"|

This remarkable fact so entirely convinced Lord Shelburne of the mistaken opinion he had formed of Mr Wesley, that he immediately ordered a dozen of busts to embellish the grounds of his beautiful residence.

POWER OF CHRISTIAN LOVE.

O DIVINE love! The sweet harmony of souls! the music of angels! the joy of God's own heart! the very darling of his bosom! the source of true happiness! the pure quintessence of heaven! that which reconciles the jarring principles of the world and makes them all chime together! that which melts men's hearts into one another! See how St Paul affections towards it: "Love envieth not, it is not describes it, and it cannot choose but enamour your puffed up, it doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." I may add in a word, it is the best-natured thing, the best-complexioned thing in the world. Let us express this sweet harmonious affection in these jarring times, that so, if it be possible, we may turn the world into better music. Especially in matters of religion, let us strive with all meekness to instruct and convince one another. Let us endeavour to promote the gospel of peace, the dove-like gospel, with gospel was first propagated in the world. Christ did a dove-like spirit. This was the way by which the not cry, nor lift up his voice in the streets-a bruised reed he did not break, and the smoking flax he did not quench;" and "yet he brought forth judgment unto victory." He whispered the gospel to us from Mount Zion in a still voice, and yet the sound went out quickly throughout all the earth. The gospel at first came down upon the world gently and softly, like the dew upon Gideon's fleece; and yet it quickly soaked quite through it; and, doubtless, this is still the most effectual way to promote it further. Sweetness and ingenuity will, doubtless, more command men's minds than passion, sourness, and severity, as the soft billow sooner breaks the flint than the hardest marble. Let us follow the truth in loveand of the two, indeed, rather miss of the conveying

of a speculative truth than to part with love. When | dern Festus, who applauded the eloquent advocate we would convince men of any error by the strength in the court-room, pronounces this man "mad;" and of truth, let us withal pour the sweet balm of love upon their heads. Truth and love are two of the preacher was somewhat "beside himself," from the even many a frigid professor thinks that the worthy most powerful things in the world, and when both go together, they cannot easily be withstood. The golden ardour of his emotion. beams of truth and the silken cords of love, twisted together, will draw men on with a sweet violence, whether they will or no.-Cudworth.

WHILE ON THY JOURNEY, OMIT NO OPPORTUNITY OF | keeps holy the Sabbath. He thus makes his humble

bers of the Roman communion in different places, I do not hesitate to say that it is my sober opinion that, in the minds and hearts of the people generally, Mary has a far higher place than the Lord Jesus Christ! The idea of Christ as our tender-hearted and sympathizing Saviour-our "High Priest who can be touched with the teeling of our infirmities,** unto whom we can at all times come "with bold

granted, that he might die from home and at an inn. He considered such a place as suitable to the cha racter of a Christian, to whom the world is an inna place of accommodation by the way-not his home. He thought also that the care and concern of friends were apt to entangle and discompose the dying saint, and that the unfeeling attendance of strangers weaned the heart from the world and smoothed the passage to heaven. It was while halting for the nightness," and "find grace to help in time of need "—is at a distant inn in North Wales, and while musing wholly unknown in the Roman church, and Mary is in a lonely mood, that passage in Jer. xiv. 8–“0 | every where presented to the people as holding prethe hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of cisely this relation to the sinner. They are instructed trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the to look to her as the only mediator through whom land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to they can be sure of being heard. It is not denied arry for a night?"- -arose with a considerable that Christ is a Mediator (for who could have the sprightfulness and vigour, affecting my own heart, temerity to deny this?) but he is represented as being and leading me to look from the daily changes to the Mediator of saints rather than of sinners; and chat last and great change, and to Him who changeth the latter class, who, according to the Roman creed, ot. Every time we lay down our head and all the compose almost the whole body of living men, whether nore when on a strange pillow, we have the memento in the church or out of it, are exhorted to look to of our mortality in the ceaseless motion of the heart, Mary as the refuge of sinners, always placable, never incessantly hasting to its appointed period-incerta angry (as Christ is oftentimes), and always able and certa mortis hora-the uncertain certain hour of death. willing to procure for them the pardon of their sins, "Our hearts though stout and brave, and every gift and grace which they may need. Like muffled drums, are beating Funeral marches to the grave."

REFRESH THY SPIRIT WITH THE PROSPECT OF A JOYFUL HOME-COMING.

One spot of earth there is which every one knows, where the kindly smile awaits us, and the welcome hand is ready to receive us: thither the mind returns untravelled after all its wanderings; and in its endeavour to reach a loved home, it outstrips the speediest locomotive, and thinks "diligence itself to be lazy." Thus having placed him amid the endearing charities of life, we would take leave of our Reader, wishing him well. And well it will be, if, after having finished the journey of life, and laid aside the pilgrim's staff and the pilgrim's scrip, we are received at last into everlasting habitations.

WORSHIP OF THE VIRGIN MARY.

1.-EXTRACT LETTER FROM MALTA.

I have now before me a book written by "Saint Alphonsus Liguori," one of the most esteemed theologians of the Romish church, who wrote near the beginning of the eighteenth century, from which I will make a few quotations. The book is called The Glories of Mary; and it has gone through many edi. tions in different languages, and is always published by the sanction of the highest church authorities. The author begins by addressing a prayer to Jesus and to Mary, in the midst of which he turns to Mary as his "most sweet mistress and mother," and says, "I acknowledge that all my good, my conversion, my vocation to leave the world, and all the graces which I have received from God, were given me through your intercession." On a subsequent page he says, "It is the opinion of many (and I hold the opinion to be true and indubitable) that all God's graces are dispensed through the hands of Mary, and that all the elect are brought to salvation through this divine mother. In conformity with this opinion, it may be said that the salvation of all depends on preaching devotion to Mary, and confider ce in he intercession." In another place he quotes from S Arnaud, who asks, "Why should not the Mother enjoy conjointly with the Son the honours of royalty?" and upon this he remarks, "Mary is the Queen of the universe, since Jesus is its King; thus, as St Bernadine observes, as many creatures as obey God, so many obey the glorious Virgin; every thing in heaven and on earth which is subject to God, is also under the empire of his most holy Mother!" Again he says, that" Mary offered this only Son to his Father as a holocaust for our sins." Again, "Mary spared not her own son, her own soul, for the salvation of

ROME may attempt as much as she likes to explain away the homage paid to saints and images, so as to make it appear not to amount to the sin of idolatry; but it is all in vain. If this is not idolatry, then there is no idolatry in this world, and never was. And this is the crying sin of Rome against God. She teaches her children to bow down to images, the work of men's hands, and she deifies the saints, and particularly the Virgin Mary. The Mariolatry of the Romish church is one of its most prominent and offensive features. There is no disguising it-Mary is not only every where put in the place of Christ, the only Saviour of sinners, but divine attributes and honours are ascribed to her, both in the preaching of the priests and in the religious sentiment and prac-many," and that Christ "was pleased that she might tice of the people. This is indeed a sad picture of a community claiming to be not merely a church of Christ, but the only church of Christ in this world; but it is just the sadness of the truth itself. After an intimate acquaintance of many years with mem

co-operate with him by the generous sacrifice of his life;" and on the same point he quotes the saying of St Bonaventura, that " Mary so loved us that she has given us her only Son."

It is painful to me in the extreme to copy such