myself without power to relieve it, I should for this reason alone, be delighted to make my escape from this changed city! A few weeks ago the streets were full, and all ranks of people were cheerfully busied in their daily occupations; the carriages were so numerous by night and by day, that the constant noise was really troublesome; the shops looked gay and thriving; the banks all open, and doing regular business; the people cheerful, and in spirits. And now what a contrast! the streets are deserted, except when some procession goes up with their complaints to the Provisional Government: the carriages have ceased; no noise is heard, save an old rumbling omnibus, the heavy strokes of the pavior mending the streets which the people had torn up to form their barricades, or the slow step of a national guard. These guards have been kept on, because to them the peace of the city is entrusted. They, however, permitted the very lowest of the people, the most dissolute and depraved, both men and women, to get into the Tuileries, and there they kept their scandalous orgies for some days; till at last, they consented to come out provided they were not searched, but allowed to bring out whatever pillage they had collected. The government allowed this, and these wretches came forth triumphant!

"Oh! what a miserable state of things. Anarchy and confusion are increasing every day, and what will, what must, be the end?

"I have just heard a new resolution of this mob government, that all English servants are to be forthwith discharged, and this under the penalty of being forcibly torn from the carriages or the houses of their masters, if suffered to remain. The Prince de B. has a fine stud of race-horses, with English grooms to attend them. He is told that he must immediately turn off these grooms, and he has done it; but here, again, the mischief is returned upon their own heads; for this nobleman not only discharged the grooms, but sold all his horses; and thus another large establishment is broken up in Paris. It is true, a few Englishmen were employed, but many more Frenchmen in different ways, and who but French

men were employed to supply these very Englishmen with food and clothing?"

Do not these letters read us an awful lesson, my friends and neighbours? Shall we not take warning by the sins and calamities which are so heavily fallen upon the nations round us? Wherever we turn our eyes we see the words of our blessed Saviour's prophecy fulfilling, << And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places "." St. Luke adds, " And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming upon the earth." Do not these words apply well to the present state of the world? Look around, where is peace to be found? The newspapers are full of reports of revolutions, and counter-revolutions, in many other countries. We are, indeed, reminded of the words of the Prophet Isaiah, xxvi. 21. "Behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof." And let us not forget the Prophet's exhortation to those who are trembling at the sight of such judgments. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy door about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast." So, likewise, does our blessed Saviour exhort us, "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man 5 " St. Paul tells us why it is these perilous times shall because come; 66 I men shall be lovers of their ownselves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemous, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy; without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, 5 Luke xxi. 36.

3 Matt. xxiv. 6.

4 Luke xxi. 25.

fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness; but denying the power thereof:" and are not these the crimes of our own time especially if we examine carefully into our own hearts, shall we not find the beginnings, at least, of these crimes, and much temptation to indulge in them? Do we not often follow our own interest to the injury of our neighbour? Do we not often feel proud, and boast of our good deeds? Alas, do we not often blaspheme God, by showing disrespect to his name, to his house, to his word? Do we not often disobey our parents, and show an unthankful and unholy spirit? Beware then, lest we also become "traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;" and so bring down upon ourselves the awful judgments of God. St. Paul says, "From such turn away.' Turn away from the sins, and turn away from those who would make you companions in such sins. As yet our country is spared. Who can tell whether God will be gracious to us? He calleth us mercifully, by the warnings around us, to amendment, and of His endless pity, promiseth us forgiveness of that which is past, if with a perfect and true heart we return unto Him. Let us then accept his gracious invitation; let us come unto Him with faithful repentance; let us sub

mit ourselves unto Him, and from henceforth walk in his ways; let us take his easy yoke and light burden upon us, and follow Him in lowliness, patience, and charity; let our lives be ordered by the governance of his Holy Spirit; seeking always his glory, and serving Him duly in our vocation with thanksgiving. Then, indeed, shall we be able to abide the day of his coming, and to endure when He appeareth. É. A.

RULES FOR HOLY LIVING.

(Continued.)

VI. OF PRAYER.

"Pray without ceasing."

OBSERVE fixed seasons of religious retirement. Jesus Christ "continued all night in prayer." Never proceed to any business or engagement till you have first implored

the Divine blessing. Exercise exalted thoughts of the greatness and goodness of the Divine Being addressed in prayer. Rest firmly on the intercession of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Humbly depend upon the aid of the Holy Spirit.

Use no expression with the lips which you do not first strive to feel at heart.

Beware of cold, formal, abridged seasons of prayer. Prevailing prayer is called "wrestling."

“Strive to enter in at the strait gate."

Labour to preserve the spirit of prayer when not engaged in the act; continually desire the sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit in your heart. Let your prayers be engaged in as for the last time.

VII. OF HUMILITY.

"Be clothed with humility."

Cultivate a deep sense of your own indescribable unworthiness in the sight of God.

Dwell upon your origin and end; "Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."

Think of the purity of angels; contrast with it your own sinfulness.

Mortify personal pride by remembering the infirmities and liabilities of your earthly frame.

Mortify spiritual pride, by remembering the vast imperfections of your best attainments, and the tendencies to evil, and backwardness to good, yet lurking within. Mortify a fondness for human praise, by remembering its worthlessness.

Remember how many rise vastly above you in every good thing.

VIII. OF MEDITATION.
"I will meditate in thy precepts."

Endeavour after an even tranquillity of mind on all occasions, and in all circumstances. Strive to get accustomed to this frame. Meditate, at least for a short time every evening, on death and heaven.

Meditate frequently on the strict and solemn account which you must one day give at the judgment-seat of Christ.

IX. OF SELF-EXAMINATION.

"Examine yourselves."

Use it every evening for the day which has past, and every Sabbath for the week, and more at large both monthly and annually.

Be searching and practical, remembering always to take the Holy Scriptures for a standard and guide.

Keep the mind close in this duty from wanderings and unfaithfulness, as you would dread formality and hypocrisy, ever bearing in mind that He who searcheth the hearts, and trieth the reins of the children of men, can never be deceived by any outward professions or pretensions to godliness."

X. OF THE SCRIPTURES.

"Search the Scriptures."

Read the Scriptures daily with earnest prayer, that you may understand and profit by them" Read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them."

Study them with fixed attention to discern their spiritual meaning, connexion, and application.

Remember the spirituality of God's holy law, that it reaches to the thoughts and intentions, the purposes and imaginations, as well as to the words and actions.

XI. OF THE SABBATH.

"Hallow my Sabbaths."

Carefully abstain from all but spiritual conversation. "Not speaking thine own words." Strive to be in the Spirit on the Lord's day, "not doing thine own ways." Do no work on the Sabbath-day, which you would not do on your dying day.

Have at least a Sabbath hour in every day, as well as a Sabbath-day in every week.

XII. OF TIME.

"Walk in wisdom, redeeming the time.”

Be regular in the disposal of time, be careful of moments. Let every part of the day have its allotted employment. Be able to look back in the evening on every hour's engagement.