adopt the psalmist's motto, "Hope thou in God: "-then we shall expect the best, and prepare for the worst.

No. LXXV.-FALSE DELICACY.

THE interesting policy of neglecting our duty for fear of offending any one, is nothing else than a determination to do no good in that case, for fear of disturbing our own ease.

No. LXXVI. FEAR.

FEAR, often disqualifies the mind for duty and comfort: it magnifies our difficulties, and discourages exertion. The same person who would not venture to cross a wide ditch on a strong but narrow plank, and a rail to hold by, will in his sleep walk on a piece of timber equally narrow on the top of a house, where he can only guide himself over it by his fingers! This can be accounted for by his being divested of fear in his sleep.

No. LXXVII. FALSE PEACE.

IT has often astonished serious and reflecting minds, how some professors of religion can maintain their peace. It may be accounted for by the power of sin over them. If they have long been familiar with sin it will darken the mind and harden the heart. Conscience neglected, its convictions stifled,-imposed on by a false rule of deciding on right and wrong, may become in different degrees hardened, as the hand by constant exercise in the use of some instruments; and as flesh is seared and rendered past feeling, by a hot iron.

A second cause is a trifling spirit. It is truly awful, to observe some persons of evangelical sentiments, exhausting all their thoughts, passions and time, on politics or village news. They find so many pleased with slanderous surmises and tales, that to collect them seems a mode of gratifying society. This levity of spirit regulates their choice of books, and is productive of unmeaning jokes, childish laughter and much nonsense.

A sinful temper long indulged, destroys tenderness of conscience. Some persons imagine injuries and wrongs designed, which were never thought of, kindle evil passions and pass sentence on the absent and the innocent, as if all were certainly true, which they suspect to be so; they vent their spleen in private, confide their wicked secrets which will not bear the light. Thus, at home and where they can be free, they sin, habitually, without being sensible of it, and even whilst passing sentence against others, in great

severity. A mind so constantly occupied, has little leisure,-is seldom at home. Objects insignificant or sinful, gradually indispose the mind for spiritual enjoyments and exercises.

There are some sins which abound among the professed followers of Christ. If one of them should swear profanely, he would lose his character; but covetousness may be indulged in without loss of character, because it is so generally overlooked, and is" cloked," by so many excuses. A person may be guilty of misrepresentation and conceal it. He may wear two faces, be double tongued, seem the friend of two persons at variance, and secretly act as an enemy to both! Pride, is too conspicuous in the visible church, to all except those who are under its power. Many seem to estimate their consequence in the visible church from their property: they expect their judgment should decide and their inclinations be gratified. They are easily offended, and pleased with difficulty. They smile on their flatterers and frown on all that contradict them.

Such sins may reign long, without loss of character; but not without loss of peace. Money is sometimes of more weight than the authority of Jesus; and a man is sometimes made of more weight than that authority-by exalting himself as necessary to support the cause, or the minister of Christ-professing a wish to conceal his liberality whilst he labours to make it known!

No. LXXVIII.-DEATH OF FRIENDS.

CONFORMITY to this world, in its spirit, maxims and customs, the death of relatives, is sinful in itself, injurious to ourselves, and operates on the world by our example to confirm their errors. Why imitate their parade in expensive funerals? Why keep from God's house, when most in need of the consolations of God, and best prepared to receive useful impressions from the word? The law of fashion governs us! This law governs alike those who are inconsolable, and those who rejoice in the departure of relatives. Our concern ought to terminate in our immediate duty to Jesus, to our relatives, and to society. In this we should live to the LORD, "and not to ourselves," nor to " the will of man".

To treat the death of a fellow creature with levity, betrays an awful absence of the feelings even of humanity; to manifest indifference on the death of a relative or friend, exposes the power of some selfish or evil passion; and either instance proves us too insensible of our obligations and our frailty, and for the time, "dead while we live." We ought to feel, to sympathize, to mourn.

The other extreme should be avoided. To abandon ourselves to grief and inactivity; to neglect our food, our rest, our living friends, or our God, will expose us to temptation.. Whilst, brooding on death, as if the gospel afforded no instructions to duty, no cautions

against danger, no consolation under bereavement-is dangerous an impious. Nor should we be inattentive to "satan's devices" on such occasions. We must watch and pray that we enter not into temptation, to assume the appearance of sorrow which we do not feel; or to dispute the wisdom, the equity or kindness of God, in our bereavement. This is an interesting season, in which we should review our lives, examine our hearts, study our bibles, listen to the rod, double our diligence in trimming our lamps, and in preparing" to meet the bridegroom" ourselves. Inattention to present duty, may occasion us to grieve, to utter bitter lamentations, to shed unprofitable tears, to engage in useless conversation, and in the event, we shall “suffer in vain," and harden our hearts, if not provoke the Lord to leave us to ourselves, and plunge us into deeper waters. Whether therefore our sorrow be great or moderate, we must judge of its lawfulness by its tendency, and its effects. If it unfits us for duty, it injures us; if it leads to God, to the redeemer, to his word, to his house, and to "abound in the work of the Lord," it is a blessing. The mind may be dissipated in grief as criminally as in laughter; and "the house of mourning" is better to us than "the house of feasting," so far only, as by our grief," the heart is made better."

No. LXXIX.-FAITH.

In the experience of christians, we find they too often show more regard to the actings of faith, than to the object of faith. This is an error in experience. The scriptures principally direct our attention to the testimony of God,-the report of God by his messengers,— the record which he hath given of his Son. They testify of him, in his wonderful person, his perfect character, his mediatorial offices, his saving power, his great salvation, his faithful promises, his inconceivable love, his all-sufficient grace. They invite, exhort, intreat and urge sinners to believe in him; and promise pardon, justification, holiness, peace and eternal life, to all that believe. They dwell rather on what we believe, than how we believe; the truth believed, rather than the manner of believing it. They make no promise to a "feigned faith," a dead faith-that is to a heart destitute of real faith; but to a believing unfeignedly, with the heart, in the Son of God. There are differences of this faith, both in degree and in effects, but the quality of the principle is the same. It is a "like precious faith" in all believers,-in its object, warrant, kind and effects. Instead, therefore, of making distinctions on the nature of faith, as to its actings, we shall be more profitably employed, in considering the truth, the gospel, the glad tidings of God; and, on the evidence of revelation, endeavour, in dependance on the holy spirit, to believe "the faithful saying." The truth really believed, will produce its effects, corresponding to its own nature.

No. LXXX.-HEAVEN, FUTURE.

If a caterpillar were capable of considering and enjoying its future state, in which instead of crawling on the earth, it shall expand its wings and fly through the air, the thought would reconcile it to that intermediate state of death, or sleep, resembling death. And could a rational soul by faith in Jesus, possess a full persuasion of the advantages of dying, it would reconcile it to death, and by realizing its future glories, secure it from the delusive charms of its present state. A believing glance at objects unseen and eternal, through the medium of revelation, makes "the best estate of men," in this world, appear altogether vanity."

No. LXXXI.-SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS.

Ir is really difficult to perceive with clearness, the truth and connection of the doctrines of the gospel, and at the same time believe one's-self blind to their spiritual glory; and yet, this is evidently the state of mind in which thousands of professors are found; they, seeing, as rational creatures" see not,' "as new creatures;" they hear and read the gospel; they sing and pray; they talk well, "do many things," subscribe to the support of the gospel, may be acquainted with and esteemed by ministers, partake of the Lord's supper, and yet have “ never SEEN God, never SEEN Jesus, nor (spiitually) KNOWN him!"

The passions of such persons may be agitated, by the gospel They may fear and hope, rejoice and grieve, as rational creatures, and remain the slaves of pride, selfishness, covetousness, vain glory, or fleshly lust. They may grow in the knowledge of the doctrine of grace, and continue the slaves of the vilest tempers. Indeed, they often grow worse, more irritable, conceited, aud miserable. They talk much of inconsistency, in other professors, but are accustomed to overlook their own. They are at one time, in very fine spirits, and then would persuade themselves, that they are lively christians but "a spiritual man," can trace their gaiety of spirits, to a regular pulse, the animal feelings, cheerful society, a piece of pleasing news, or the gratification of some passion. Remove these causes and they sink into a desponding frame, if not into a fretful one; and they rise or fall, according to the state of the NERVES! How deceived-to attribute natural effects to spiritual causes! And yet how partial, to ascribe nervous affections in others, to the want of faith! They laugh at nervous disorders in other persons, and demand sympathy from all, if their own spirits are low. They are very poorly indeed, you must believe, when perhaps they are under the dominion of mortified pride, or some ill humour. The fact is, that neither their dejection, nor their elevation of spirits, is to be assigned

to the grace of God in the soul; but to a healthy or unhealthy state of the body. When we see a professor vain of his property, his gifts, his liberality, his usefulness, does it not indicate great darkness of mind? And are not levity of spirit, frivolous conversation, worldliness of affection, and bad tempers, when these things are predominant, striking proofs of blindness of mind? Can such persons see themselves? Or can they see such sins ruling other persons, and not censure them as inconsistent and doubtful characters, if not as carnal and graceless? Can more gross self-deception be found than to condemn another person as graceless, because some sins seem to reign over him, and yet not suspect myself to be graceless, although under the dominion of the same sins? If it be suffcient to render any person's religion questionable in my esteem, that he is a gossip, a slanderer, or a whisperer? does it not prove, with equal clearness, that if I " bridle not my tongue," that "my religion is vain?"-Can any thing but foolish self-love, blinding my understanding, occasion me to think that to be sinful and dangerous in another, which is not so to me? Mrs. Haughty thinks her neighbours very proud, and although of low parentage herself, is fond of tracing the low origin of others. She allows one to be worth ten or fifteen thousand pounds; but adds, "I do not call that a fortune: and sometimes asks if you know how he came by it? And you are sure to hear, that it was ill-gotten by themselves, their parents, or grandfathers; and, therefore, cannot spend well. She affects gratitude to a kind providence for granting to her what it denies to others; and should you happen to acknowledge the same providence, for your own competency, she will not fail to remind you, that prosperity is no mark of divine favour; for it is granted to the worst, and denied to the best of men. How awful, that such pride and blindness, conceit and perverse inconsistency, should govern the soul of any person that professes to believe in, and imitate Jesus Christ!

The elect of God are described as "blind," Isai. xlii, 7, 18. This describes their unconverted state, their comparative blindness after conversion, "knowing but in part." And how just the term here applied to them! How obscure their views of the plan of the divine government, the multiplied dispensations of Providence, the mysterious operation of the spirit within them, the passage from this world into the next, and the nature of heavenly glory, “to be revealed in us."

This darkness renders a principle of faith necessary. "I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not: I will lead them in paths that they have not known-make darkness light, &c.crooked things straight." Here is the promise God has fulfilled in part, to every christian. Will he stop here? No, "These things will I do, and not forsake them." Enough! If he knows the way, and will still lead us by it!