1. In the season of this poor widow's greatest difficulty, that very oil was in her possession, by means of which Providence intended eventually to extricate her out of all her trials. In a spiritual sense, this has been the case with many. Beføre renovating grace obtained entrance into the soul, the man felt no fear, discovered no concern; all was at ease. But God having now put his fear in his heart, conviction is roused, conscience alarmed, the law of God appears spiritual in its nature, awful in its threatenings, and tremendous in its curses. It denounces the man cursed that offends but in one point: its claim is, "Pay me what thou owest." The transgressor is convinced of his desert of eternal destruction, and need of salvation. His enquiry is, "How shall I escape the damnation of Hell?" or, "What must I do to be saved?" Do you wish to know the cause of the alteration that has taken place? Like the prodigal, he is beginning to come to himself. He has acquired so much light as is necessary to discover his danger. He now feels, fears, and falls as a suppliant at the footstool of mercy. His convictions, faith, and repentance, are effects of regeneration. There may be grace in the heart, like the oil in the widow's house, where deep distress and great perplexities oppress the mind: but this secret treasure, hid in the heart, eventually breaking through every difficulty, has issued in complete deliverance and everlasting triumph. Convictions of sin, sorrow for it, and a concern to avoid its consequences, frequently discover to others the grace of God operating in the heart, much sooner than it becomes manifest to the person himself.

2. This oil remained in the vessel unnoticed, and unim proved, till her attention was called to it by the prophet's enquiry. Grace, like that oil, is laid up in the renewed heart, to be brought out into exercise by the ministry of the word.This poor woman, probably, had already parted with almost every thing to her creditor, before she thought of going to the Lord's prophet: but the pot of oil was overlooked. This never entered her thoughts till the question was put, "What hast thou in thine house?" She now recollects the pot of oil. Thus faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. So God opened the heart of Lydia, that she attended to the things spoken by Paul. Something also was found with this widow, on which God's power operated, while her faith was exercised upon the prophet's word. Real religion is an internal and vital principle. Oil, we know, is softening, spreading, and increasing in its nature so grace penetrates the obduracy, sofrens the stubbornness, spreads through all the pow ers, and really grows in the heart. The fulness of all grace dwells in Christ; but to every member, a measure of that is imparted. It is a treasure in earthen vessels; but, though

grace

the vessels be mean, the treasure is invaluable. How would the prophet rejoice, when he heard that the woman was a possessor of this oil! So did the churches in Judea, when they saw the grace of God in Saul of Tarsus.

3. While pouring out this oil, it increased in quantity! It had remained inactive and useless while in the pot; but as she poured it out, God's power uniting itself with the stream, it increased with the increase of God. Thus, by the exercise and actings of the several graces, they increase. Faith exercised

upon the truth, promise, and power of God, groweth exceedingly; patience is strengthened, hope rises superior to trials, humility is promoted, and love abounds. St. Peter exhorts us to" grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ;" and the Psalmist points us to the most effectual way to do this:" Trust in him at all times, ye people; pour out your hearts before him: God is a refuge for us.' Faith in him, prayer to him, and resting upon him, conduces to the growth of the several graces. In this way God giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might, but keep pouring out their hearts before God, he increaseth strength. Christian graces, like earthly fruits, attain their full growth, flavour, and perfection, only by degrees; and the inward man is renewed day by day. In every distress, like this' woman, let us pour out our hearts unto God.

4. There was to be no ostentation shewn in the execution of the prophet's orders. She was to shut the door. Neither the curiosity of her neighbours, who had lent her their vessels, was to be excited, nor was pride to be permitted to have any thing to feed upon. The only guests allowed to accompany her and her sons, were Faith, Admiration, and Praise. Grace always seeks for secrecy its chief concern is with God. It loves retirement, and seeks to be hid.

"A soul in audience with its God, is Heaven !”

Prayer is the soul's secret intercourse with God. Isaac went

into the field at even-tide to meditate. After the business of the day he retired, and stole away from the intercourse of dearest friends. When this woman and her sons retired, she had nothing with her but a believing heart, and nothing around her but empty vessels; but before she had closed her converse with God, they were all full, and she could hide the very grace which she had been exercising under this proclamation, "All this have I received of the Lord!" Grace does its works seeretly, not letting the left hand know what the right has done. St. Paul, when he finds himself under a kind of necessity to declare how he had laboured more abundantly than others, immediately adds, "Yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me." The happiest moments of the Christian are, when

he is privileged to hide himself in the secret place of the Most High. Blessed seasons! when the soul can shut itself up with God! alt engaged with him, and all excluded but him!But this woman's sons were with her. True, they were; but how did they behold their mother engaged? Literally labouring (as every godly parent should spiritually) for the liberty of her children. Truly it may be said, her's was a work of faith, and a labour of love,

5. "The increase of her oil furnished her with the means of discharging both her debt and her duty." It is by the increase of grace the Christian is enabled to discharge that debt of love and duty which he owes both to God and man. The grace which is accompanied with salvation teacheth to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the world. His love to God and love to men, constrain to obedience; and the soul, under the influence of grace, with delight obeys both the law and the gospel, saying," I esteem all thy commands to be right, and would obey from the heart the form of the doctrine. I obey thy law, by believing the gospel; and, believing the gospel, I consider myself as under the law to Christ."

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6. When a sufficient supply of oil was obtained, it stayed.The vessels were all full, and her work was done. So the sent means of grace, and the exercise of the mind respecting them, will soon be over. At present, in private, in the family, in Christain society, and in gospel ordinances, there are certain duties to be filled up, by application to God, affection to each other, or commanion with the Sacred Throne; but the season approaches when, as to their present form, all these will cease. There will be a final address to the throne of grace, and a last visit to the sanctuary. Faith will have finished its course, prayer its application, and hope lie safely moored in the port of glory. Every Sabbath, and each religious exercise, is another vessel set aside, whether we have filled it or not.Opportunities to obtain grace, or to lay up for glory, will soon be closed, and then it will be made manifest how we have attended to that work which the heavenly Father gave us to do. How, if all the vessels should then be found empty, instead of being filled!!!

Once more. After she had discharged the debt, a sufficiency still remained for the support both of herself and her sons. If like manner, when grace has discharged that debt of duty, proper to the life that now is, it will still remain the support and supply of a life in glory, and of that delightful fellowship which is to be maintained amongst the sacred family in eternity. While upon earth, by grace they walk toge ther, and by grace they shall stand united in glory; where faith no longer sees through a glass darkly, but enjoys an unclouded vision. Delight is satisfied, desire is filled, hope

realized, and perfection possessed. At present, the believer in Jesus is only an heir to that grace which is to be revealed, and which is styled "the fulness of joy." There grace in each will have attained its full perfection, while all unite in ascribing blessing and honour, and glory and power, unto Him that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb, for ever and ever!

AGNUS.

ON THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG MEN

FOR THE MINISTRY,

As Protestant Dissenters have no royal charters, legislative grants, national patronage, nor extensive endowments belonging to their seminaries and literary institutions, so they ought to be the more economical, liberal, and careful in the application of such means as they have in their power to pro-, mote the beneficial designs of such institutions. It is not necessary that they should incur the reproach of being contented with an illiterate ministry in general.

As the literary and scientific furniture of an academy, consisting of books, philosophical apparatus, &c. is very expensive, it would be more eligible, therefore, to contribute to the, support and respectability of a small number of these institutions on a large scale, than to increase their number, under the manifest disadvantage of wanting such furniture, except merely such small institutions or grammar-schools as are designed to initiate young men not previously educated in the rudiments of classical learning, preparatory to future academical studies. The more this last sort of seminaries are multiplied, perhaps, the better, provided they are conducted by ministers of adequate learning, prudence, and piety.

All this must be attended with great expence; but the expence is incurred for the benefit of the public; therefore the public are solicited to concur in defraying the expeuce. Out of more than twelve hundred regular dissenting congregations in the kingdom, it may be presumed that a thousand of them will be for a succession of respectable ministers, in regard to literature and service. In addition to what is already done, let each church become a subscriber of one or two guineas annually; also in every congregation let one hundred of the hearers subscribe one penny a week constantly, which will amount to upwards of twenty pounds cach congregation annually; and the whole, on this plan, will amount to more than two-and-twenty thousand pounds a year: a sum adequate to

the maintenance and education of more than five hundred young men. Let every congregation thus contribute towards the support of whatever institution they think fit. Thus a sufficient number of ministers would be provided for all the churches, and the period of their academical studies might be prolonged.

Perhaps, if each denomination were to send about half a dozen young men of learning and genius to some of the Scotch universities, every three or four years, to complete their education, it might be of considerable utility. Is there any thing peculiarly extravagant in this plan? or, if conducted with prudence and perseverance, is there any great difficulty that would attend or retard the execution of it? H. H W.

The remarks of this writer, " On building Places of Worship," and On the Support and Maintenance of Dissenting Ministers," will ap pear in our next.

Sir,

IMMORALITY OF THE EAST INDIANS.

To the Editor.

To confute our modern Infidel Writers, who are wont to extol the wis. dom, good disposition, policy, and manners of the Heathen, and especially those in the East Indies, I thought it expedient to translate from the German, lately published, some striking passages from the Diary of the Missionaries, on the coast of Malabar; on whose veracity we may rely. I am, yours, &c.

“THIEVING and highway robberies are among the natives very common; and they esteem these no crimes. Just below the city of Tanschaur lies a tract of land, part of which is tributary to the English Nabob, but the rest belongs to the King of Tanschaur. The inhabitants of this land are called Kaller, which signifies Thieves and Robbers by Profession; and all these live by theft: they have a patent, or licence, and pay a regular tax for the same. A single village is obliged, at different times, to give several hundred pagodas (about 88. each in value); and they pay likewise 100,000 pagodas; which tax gives them the liberty of plundering with impunity *. When we consider the above crimes, and the propensity the Indians in general have to all kinds of wickedness, such as deceit, slothfulness, lying, &c. we must conclude that the accounts

The Nayars, all the way to the south of Tellicherry, aye of a similar description; but the English government has lately clipped their wings. Travelling, in most other parts of India, is reckoned sale.