the world, and introduce a scene of happiness, which has never yet been displayed, among all nations. Hitherto the history of the world presents to our view little else than wars and commotions, contentions and animosities, and "garments rolled in blood." Along with such evils and calamities, ignorance, superstition, and idolatry, and the principles of pride, ambition, and revenge, have, for the most part, reigned triumphant. But as the maxims of Christianity are directly opposed to such principles and practices, were they universally recognised, "wars would soon cease to the ends of the earth, love would cement the whole brotherhood of man in one harmonious union, and the nations would delight themselves in an abundant peace." Those treasures which have been long wasted in warlike preparation and in human destruction, would be consecrated to the diffusion of knowledge, the improvement of society, and to the extension of the Gospel among all the tribes and families of the earth, till the kingdoms of this world should become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Messiah. Even the physical aspect of our world might be renovated, and its deserts and marshes transformed into fruitful fields, for the comfort and accommodation of all its inhabitants, so as to bear a near semblance to its paradisaical state, when it first came from the hands of its Maker. Knowledge and moral principle might be communicated to all ranks and kindreds of men, till “all might know Jehovah from the least to the greatest," and idolatry and wickedness be extirpated from the earth. The antipathies of hostile tribes might be subdued, and "righteousness and praise" be made to "spring forth before all nations." Under the agency of the Divine Spirit, all these and many other glorious effects might be produced, with the treasures which we at this moment possess, were the principles of pure and undefiled religion to be imbibed and acted upon by the majority of mankind. And what a glorious prospect would be presented to the eyes of the world, were such scenes to be realized! Love would descend from heaven to dwell on earth. "The wilderness and the solitary place would be glad, and the desert would rejoice and blossom as the rose." "The tabernacle of God would be with man, and he would dwell with them;" and there would be no more sorrow, nor slaughter, nor crying, for "the former things should have passed away." We trust, there are many who may read these lines, who "have fled for refuge to the hope set before them" in the Gospel, and who are actuated by the holy principles and dispositions to which we have adverted. To such we would say, Persevere in the good path on which you have entered, and "adorn the doctrine of your God and Saviour by a walk and "Give thanks to the conversation becoming the Gospel." Father who hath made you meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light;" and consecrate to his service all the powers and faculties, natural and acquired, of which you are possessed. Walk as the lights of the world, and "let your light so shine before men, that others may see your good works, and glorify our Father who is in heaven." you But it is too probable, that there are some into whose hands this tract may come, who have never thought seriously on the subject to which we have adverted, who are living without God and without hope in the world, and are altogether unconcerned about their everlasting interests. With regard to such, we would say, Oh! consider the danger to which you are exposed, while remain in such a careless and ungodly state; you can enjoy no real and substantial happiness while you remain in this condition; you run the risk of losing for ever the heavenly world-the enjoyment of the blessed God, and all those pleasures which are at his right hand, for evermore; you run the risk of being banished for ever from his blissful presence, into those regions of sorrow and doleful shades where peace and hope can never come. For we are assured by Him who cannot lie, that the wicked "shall go away into everlasting punishment, where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth;" and that "they who obey not the Gospel shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." All that interposes between you and eternal misery, is the brittle thread of life which is liable to be broken at every moment. Time, like a rapid river, is sweeping you along towards the ocean of eternity; and while you are reclining on the lap of ease, or rioting in vicious indulgence, ere ever you are aware, you may be plunged into the unfathomable gulf, to rise no more. Every day that passes over us, more than sixty-eight thousand souls pass from this world into the eternal state, and two thousand eight hundred every hour; and you know not how soon you may be called to follow them to the world unknown. You need not be told that your life is uncertain. You have no assurance, that before tomorrow's dawn your soul may not take its flight to the world of spirits, and you be placed irrecoverably beyond the reach of salvation. Every day you behold Death cutting down both young and old, without giving warning of his approach. A flash of lightning from the angry clouds, the starting of a horse, the overturning of a carriage, the fall of a tile, the bursting of a blood-vessel, or even the most minute accidents, may be sufficient to overturn the tabernacle of clay, and to place your souls in the midst of all your sins before the Judge of all. You are like heedless children, sporting themselves on the edge of a tremendous precipice in the gloom of evening, whom the least gust of wind, or a single false step, may precipitate to the bottom, to be dashed to pieces and to rise no more. O, consider what is included in that one awful word, ETERNITY! Duration that has no boundaries or termination, and which, when ten thousand ages have rolled away, and ten thousand times ten thousand more, will only be beginning. Connected with this vast eternity is happiness which will never be diminished; and misery, anguish, and torment which will never be assuaged. Hasten, then, ye deluded and careless men from the coming wrath. Betake yourselves to the city of refuge. Hearken to the declarations of the Gospel-" "Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and besides me there is no Saviour." Incline your ear and come unto me; hear, and your souls shall live. Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world; for God hath set him forth as a propitiation to declare his righteousness in the remission of sins. Break off your sins by righteousness; forsake the foolish and live; quit your sinful pursuits and your vicious companions; consecrate yourselves to the service of God; avoid every known sin, and perform every known duty. And, in order to this, set apart some time to reflect with seriousness on your sin and danger. Apply to God by fervent prayer, and implore the assistance of his Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth, to subdue your corruptions, to purify your souls, and to direct you in the paths of righteousness. Peruse the Holy Scriptures with reverence and attention; for they are the oracles of God, and the only sure guide to eternal blessedness. Frequent the company of the godly, and attend on the public ordinances of Divine appointment. "If thou criest after wisdom, and liftest up thy voice for knowledge and understanding, if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hidden treasures, then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God." Then shall ye find joys and comforts which the world cannot give nor take away. Then shall ye experience "strong consolation," even in the prospect of the awful realities of the eternal world; you shall "stand with boldness at the day of judgment," and "not be ashamed nor confounded, world without end." THE ENGLISH MONTHLY TRACT SOCIETY, AND J. F. SHAW, BOOKSELLER, SOUTHAMPTON ROW, LONDON. J. & W.Rider, Printers, Bartholomew Close, London. DO NOT TRIFLE WITH THE SOUL. Ir we had seen one of our neighbours struck dead by a flash of lightning, just after he had been committing one of our own often indulged sins, it is to be supposed it would make a serious impression upon our minds. If we afterwards beheld two or three more of our acquaintances blotted out of life in the same way, and for the same reason, we should probably bring the case a little more home to ourselves. If there should afterwards fall another, and another, and another, and we were in the habit of seeing God's wrath executed every day, the moment it was provoked, it is surprising what a change we should presently observe among all the careless and bold-faced sinners of society;-drunkards shrinking from the flowing bowl, as if it were filled with poison; the impure rushing from the threshold of sin and pollution, as they would from the flames of hell; liars, swearers, and blasphemers setting their finger upon their lips, lest they should perish before the evil word was fully pronounced; misers and extortioners flinging away their darling profits, lest they should be struck dead as they touched them. Then, too, when men should see sentence executed speedily against evil works, they could not think of the sin without thinking of the punishment along with it. How cautious should we find them of venturing too near sin, even in their tempers and conversation! We should see a man turn pale whenever an evil thought or an evil wish came into his mind; for how could he tell but the thunderbolt would fall at that moment, if he ventured to indulge in it? Then should we see men watching and praying, that they might not fall into temptation, who never knew what it was to pray before; and it is probable, that those who were witnessing the wrath of God coming down every day upon the heads of sinners, would be so sensible of their danger and their weakness, that they would renounce all trust in their own powers and their own righteousness, and seek for His glorious strength, who is able to shelter us from the storm and tempest, and to give us the victory over sin, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and to make us "more than conquerors through him who loved us, and gave himself for us." It seems to be very plain, that something like this would be the case if God were to interfere every day to execute sentence upon evil works. Now, mark the difference. Only observe |