their heads at that day, because their redemption draweth nigh? We read in the word of prophecy, not obscurely, but in the plain words of Jesus Christ, that the advent will be foreshadowed by signs-by events happening upon earth which will instruct the wise and confound the unwise. "There shall be signs in the sun and in the moon and in the stars, and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity. Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.” Some uncommon distress or commotions-some fearful adversities, together with signs in the heavens, will teach them that a great change is approaching, and although they will be struck with fear, they will have no wisdom to know that prophecy is being fulfilled, and no mind to prepare for the coming of their Judge. Men will go on as usual, buying and selling, planting and building, as if the world was to continue. But the signs increase in number and magnitude-the terror of the world increases with them-yet still they do not seek to be at peace with God. At length all becomes plain and evident; the sign of the Son of Man Himself is seen; He is coming in the clouds with power and great glory. The trump of the angel is heard, and the saints are gathered together from the one end of heaven to the other. They rise in glory and bliss, and shine, as they were told, like the stars around the great sun, from which they have their light. At this time comes in the dreadful description of the terrors assailing the unprepared. They fly into the holes of the rocks and the caves of the earth--they leave their pleasant habitations, the places of their daily occupation, even the light of day itself, to choose darkness and concealment. No sooner do they see Christ in the clouds of heaven drawing near the earth, approaching them and looking at them, than this takes place they will seek out every hidden cave and subterraneous vault that may enable them no longer to see the Saviour's form, and may, they hope, conceal them and all their sins, now so deeply felt, from his piercing sight. But enough of description. It is needless to say that concealment will be in vain, violently will they be dragged forth to receive their sentence by some ministers

of vengeance sent to arraign them at the awful tribunal. Rather let us dwell on the cause which will make this attempt at concealment necessary. It is "for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his majesty." Fear is the cause of their distress and flight; it is a feeling which can persuade men to do or undergo any thing; but it is one of the most miserable feelings we can know. Even fear of want or earthly troubles only is painful; how much more so, then, the fear of the Lord, when so great and mighty an one is felt to be an enemy coming in like a flood against us! It is a reasonable, as well as strong, fear. He can destroy us both in body and soul, render both eternally miserable; and conscience tells the lost that it will be thus with them. Let us contemplate in ourselves the misery of such a fear-at such a timeso intense as to drive the tribes of the earth to seek refuge in such haunts. Oh, how awful the sight of such intolerable woe, in such innumerable multitudes! We ought to fear the very possibility that we may be thus unprepared fer the advent of Christ. But, alas! there is much too little salutary fear among us of that event, and of God altogether. Infidelity, unbelief, is the cause; callousness and hardness of heart to believe what the Scriptures have spoken. Satan labours to make us disbelieve, and not feel terror, or fear of God; lest we should go to Christ for relief, and so be saved alive. How artful and destructive are his various devices to overcome and ruin immortal souls! But let us think of the fear and terror that will at last overtake the wicked, and seek to be redeemed from so great a misery. Why should we live in a state in which we ought to be in terror, if we saw our danger, and which will lead to the awful terror described in these words of the prophet? What will our earthly comforts profit us then, when every man shall "cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, to the moles and to the bats ?" What defence will indifference, or fearlessness, or courage be, which are now so much felt and even boasted of, against the terrors of the Lord? We are told what will then be done by the proud, and haughty, and lifted up: they will be changed to trembling fugitives, flying from the face of the Lamb

moment, if the sign of Oh, wise, and true, and

to dens and caves of the rocks. What they are there described, they would be at this the Son of man could be seen. faithful are those who fear the Lord, and flee from the wrath to come! They will have rest and peace in the day of evil-they will be courageous and bold when the heavens are dissolved and the earth trembles; safe in the love and promised care of the mighty Judge Himself, nothing will move them from peace, or mar their happiness; God will arise to shake terribly the earth, but not to shake their confidence. It will be strengthened by the destruction of things seen, for the things which cannot be shaken will remain. Faith, love, trust in Christ, will not then be tried, they will be triumphant. Reader, compare this happy state with the other, and can you hesitate in choosing? What are the pleasures of sin compared with its terrors? What are the trials of godliness compared with its reward? Bear now to be familiar with the thoughts of judgment to come-of the advent of Christ-of your own eternal state; overcome and beat down the unwillingness of the natural heart to dwell on them. You will find them blessed subjects when they come near to be fulfilled, for they have no terrors to those who wait for them.

E.

EXCUSES FOR NEGLECTING SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP.

SIR,-Although I know that many excellent books and tracts have been lately published, to answer the different excuses which are made for neglecting the duty of regular attendance at church, yet I have had so many wicked and foolish ones brought before me in my own neighbourhood, that I hope you may allow me to write a word or two on the subject to your readers.

In country villages, it does most painfully grieve our minds, to find so very often, that the services of our Church are thinly attended, notwithstanding that they are performed by the minister with serious and devout earnestness, and that the teaching from the pulpit is in strict accordance with the pure doctrines of the Bible and the pious spirit of the Prayer Book.

There is, indeed, always some good effect produced where this is the case. The labours and piety of the Christian pastor are never in vain. He may seem to teach for a long time without fruit; but his work is not thrown away, and is seldom without good results which may be witnessed and known by all. But when we think of the importance of religion to every immortal soul, and the comparative nothingness of all other concerns; and when we count up the number of immortal souls in each parish, how small is the proportion of those who receive real benefit from all the means of grace, which the Church is enabled by Divine Providence to offer to those who were baptized into her fold. How few, compared with the whole number, are regularly seen worshipping in God's house as often as it is opened for divine service! In country parishes, how thin is the congregation at morning service, which is even the most important of the two! The service is then longer and more complete; the beautiful Litany so suited to our changeable and afflicted state, the holy commandments of God's Law, are then only to be heard; but how few are present, to benefit by these portions of the Church service, to join in those supplications against the manifold ills to which we are all exposed!

Nothing can be more lamentable than this feature of our country parishes. And what can be the cause? Are there any valid and good reasons, why those who call themselves Christians, should be always absent at that solemn worship? Why should they be able only to assemble in the afternoon in the house of their God, when He has claimed the whole of the seventh day as his own, and has hallowed and blessed every hour of it without exception? The same people find themselves quite able, on a market day, or a fair, to finish their household work, and put on their best clothes, and walk several miles to the town, at an earlier hour in the morning than the Sunday morning service commences. They find no difficulty then in even leaving their little children in the care of a neighhour, who is ready to stretch a point, and take the trouble of helping them, just to let a friend go to the fair. Everything is made to yield to that pleasure.

Nobody pretends to be so burdened with work, or to have so many children, or to require to prepare so good a dinner, that they cannot walk to the market, even if it is five or six miles off. But all these excuses are urged continually, to show they really cannot go to church in the morning on Sundays. It is truly painful, to have to allude to these excuses, when we know how untrue and insincere they generally are. It is shocking that those who use them, should be so indisposed to go to worship and serve their Creator and Saviour, and so ready to invent a false reason for neglecting Him.

Let us first see if there is any justice or truth in the excuse about a Sunday dinner. We know that the labourer looks for a better one on that day than another. And there are two ways of letting him have one, if he looks for it, without his wife staying once from church.

She may either leave it boiling on the fire, as she never scruples to do, again and again, on a week day; or she may take it early to the bakehouse, which is generally open on the Sunday, whether that practice is right or wrong. When there are two ways of getting a dinner without losing the morning service, can there be any real difficulty in the case? The rest of their household work can easily be finished long before church time; and it always is finished when they want to go out working, or sticking, or acorning, or anything else that will bring them in money; or even when they have a mind to go and foolishly spend their money at an idle fair. Let the truth be told. All these things are little better than excuses. They are known to be excuses, when they are told. Almost every poor person who is in health, and has not got an infant to mind, can go twice to church, if they will: and those who do so, are regularly present at morning, as well as evening service. Some can do it; and if some can, all can, unless these special hindrances prevent. The real evil is this,-that it has become habit and custom with the multitude not to make the effort, or even to think of it. Habit is second nature. The first nature is evil as well; so that, it seems, two natures, both the first and the second, are all against it. In some few, habit has been by early education turned into the right