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comes the Lord in such a solemn and glorious manner, taking the world at unawares, and spreading consternation and alarm among all the tribes of its population? He comes to judge the world. A tribunal shall be erected; all mankind, both the quick and the dead, shall appear before him. The angels shall be sent forth to gather his elect from the four winds, and their trumpets shall ring an equally irresistible summons to those who are his foes. Then shall the time of the harvest be come, when the tares are to be separated from the wheat. The righteous and the wicked are now mingled in indiscriminate fellowship, inhabit the same place, are bound together by numerous ties of kindred and relationship, partake the same joys, and suffer alike the ordinary infirmities of humanity and ills of life; but then a complete and final distinction shall be made between them. Read in the fortieth verse:-" Then shall two be in the field, the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill, the one shall be taken, and the other left." According to their different characters shall men be ranged on the right hand and on the left." Then shall the King say to them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life everlasting."

Remember, then, Christians, that in proportion as you conscientiously perform your part in preparing for this event, you will have the privilege of looking forward to it, not only without fear, but with exultation and joy. "Let the sun be darkened, and the moon refuse her light, and the stars fall from heaven, and all the powers of the heavens be shaken," these prodigies may speak terrors to others, but they are omens of approaching bliss to you. They are the budding of the fig-tree, which tells that the cold and cheerless winter of time is past, and that the summer of eternity is nigh. They are the sweet sounds of the evening bell, announcing to the weary labourers the hour of repose, and the approach of the Master to pay them their hire. They are signals of victory, cheering the faint and drooping soldier with the assurance that his warfare is now past, and that the Captain of his salvation is at hand with the crown to reward his bitter struggles. Surely such a hope as this should have a powerful effect in strengthening and consoling the Christian's heart. What duties so difficult, which this will not enable us to perform; what trials so severe, which this will not enable us to endure; what burden so heavy, that it will not lighten; or sorrow so piercing that it will not soothe? "Be patient, therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and the latter rain. Be ye also

patient; stablish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”

NOTICE OF MRS WELCH,

They

DAUGHTER OF JOHN KNOX. "MRS WELCH seems to have inherited no inconsiderable portion of her father's spirit, and she had her share of similar hardships. Her husband was one of those patriotic ministers who resisted the arbitrary measures pursued by James VI. for overturning the government and liberties of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. Being determined to abolish the General Assembly, James had for a considerable time, prevented the meetings of that court by successive prorogations. Perceiv ing the design of the court, a number of the delegates from synods resolved to keep the diet which had been appointed to be held at Aberdeen in July 1605. merely constituted the Assembly, and appointed a day for its next meeting, and being charged by Laurieston, but the commissioner, having ante-dated the charge, the king's commissioner, to dissolve, immediately obeyed; several of the leading members were thrown into prison. Welch and five of his brethren, when called before the privy council, declined that court, as incompetent to judge the offence of which they were accused, according to the laws of the kingdom; on which account they were indicted to stand trial for treason at Linlithgow. Their trial was conducted in the most illegal and unjust manner. The king's advocate told the jury that the only thing which came under their cognizance was the fact of the declinature, the judges having already found that it was treasonable; and threatened them with an

azize of error' if they did not proceed as he directed them. After the jury were empanneled, the justiceclerk went in and threatened them with his majesty's displeasure, if they acquitted the prisoners. The greater part of the jurors being still reluctant, the chancellor went out and consulted with the other judges, who promised that no punishment should be inflicted on the prisoners, provided the jury brought in a verdict agreeable to the court. By such disgraceful methods, they were induced, at midnight, to find, by a majority of three, that the prisoners were guilty, upon which they

were condemned to suffer the death of traitors.

"Leaving her children at Ayr, Mrs Welch attended her husband in prison, and was present at Linlithgow, with the wives of the other prisoners, on the day of trial. When informed of the sentence, these heroines instead of lamenting their fate, praised God who had given their husbands courage to stand to the cause of their Master, adding, that, like him, they had been judged and condemned under the covert of night.

"The sentence of death having been changed into banishment, she accompanied her husband to France, where they remained for sixteen years. Mr Welch applied himself with such assiduity to the acquisition of the language of the country, that he was able, in the

course of fourteen weeks, to preach in French, and was chosen minister to a protestant congregation at Nerac, from which he was translated to St. Jean d'Angely, a fortified town in Lower Charente. War having broken out between Lewis XIII. and his protestant subjects, St. Jean d'Angely was besieged by the king in person. On this occasion, Welch not only animated the inhabitants of the town to a vigorous resistance by his exhortations, but he appeared on the walls, and gave his assistance to the garrison. The king was at last admitted into the town in consequence of a treaty, and being displeased that Welch preached during his residence in it, sent the Duke d'Espernon, with a company of soldiers, to take him from the pulpit. When the preacher saw the duke enter the church, he ordered his hearers to make room for the marshal of France,

and desired him to sit down and hear the Word of God. He spoke with such an air of authority that the duke involuntarily took a seat, and listened to the sermon with great gravity and attention. He then brought Welch to the king, who asked him, how he durst preach there, since it was contrary to the laws of the kingdom for any of the pretended reformed to officiate in places where the court resided. 'Sire,' replied Welch, if your majesty knew what I preached, you would not only come and hear it yourself, but make all France hear it; for I preach not as those men you use to hear. First, I preach that you must be saved by the merits of Jesus Christ, and not your own; and I am sure your conscience tells you that your good works will never merit heaven. Next, I preach, that, as you are king of France, there is no man on earth above you; but these men whom you hear, subject you to the pope of Rome, which I will never do.' Pleased with this reply, Lewis said to him, Very well; you shall be my minister;' and addressing him by the title of father, assured him of his protection. And he was as good as his word; for St. Jean d'Angely being reduced by the royal forces in 1621, the king gave directions to De Vitry, one of his generals, to take care of his minister; in consequence of which, Welch and his family were conveyed, at his majesty's expense, to Rochelle.

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Having lost his health, and the physicians informing him that the only prospect which he had of recovering it was by returning to his native country, Mr Welch ventured, in the year 1622, to come to London. But his own sovereign was incapable of treating him with that generosity which he had experienced from the French monarch; and dreading the influence of a man who was far gone with a consumption, he absolutely refused to give him permission to return to Scotland. Mrs Welch, by means of some of her mother's relations at court, obtained access to James, and petitioned him to grant this liberty to her husband. The following His singular conversation took place on that occasion. She replied, majesty asked her, who was her father. John Knox.Knox and Welch!' exclaimed he, 'the devil never made such a match as that.'-' It's

a spouse and daughter worthy of such a husband, and such a father.”

[The above is extracted from the Life of John Knox, oy the late Dr M Crie.]

TO A LADY IN DISTRESS OF MIND.
LETTER II.

BY THE REV. HENRY DUNCAN, D. D.,
Minister of Ruthwell.

DEAR MADAM,-Since I wrote you yesterday, I have been favoured with your very interesting letter, which I have read over more than once. As I go from home to-day, it will not be in my power to express myself so fully as I could wish, on the various points on which you require my opinion, but you may be sure I will devote the first leisure hour to you, and meanwhile will comply with part of your request, by hastily and concisely running over some of the more important truths of Revealed Religion, as they appear to my own mind.

The whole necessity of the scheme of salvation rests on our being fallen and guilty creatures; and a clear view of our condition, as the apostate children of Adam, is therefore necessary for our cordial reception of the other doctrines of the Gospel. I must not stop, at present, to say any thing of the appalling mystery which hangs over the introduction of moral evil into a world governed by a God of infinite power, and wisdom, and goodness. In this world we find it, in whatever way its introduction may be accounted for; but I do not hesitate to say, that no account which ever was given, or which can be given, is so satisfactory, even to human reason, as that which is recorded in the Bible,-viz. that man was formed holy and happy, but, that being a free agent, he fell by the abuse of his freedom; "God hath made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions." The fall of our first parents entailed sin and misery on their offspring, not only by the immediate appointment of the Almighty, but in what is usually called the common course of providence, if, in the present instance, there be any difference between these modes of divine agency. The moral, as well, perhaps, as the physical powers of Adam, had, by his apostasy, undergone a great and unhappy change, and as it is a law of nature that a parent should produce his like, that derangement was communicated to his posterity. Adam and Eve constituted, in fact, the whole of the human race, and their descendants may be considered, in some sort, as a part of themselves, so that all mankind sinned in them and fell with them. The prince of darkness, the great origin of evil, thus gained dominion over the soul of man, and instead of a child of God, he became a child of Satan. God had permitted this awful "Welch was soon after released from the power of the despot, and from his own sufferings. This month defection for some wise purposes, in part, doubtless, concealed from our feeble understandings, but, in part, of May, 1622, says one of his intimate friends, received intelligence of the death of that holy servant also explained in his Revealed Word. His purpose, in so of God, Mr Welch, one of the fathers and pillars of far as it is revealed, was to give an extraordinary manithat church, and the light of his age, who died at Lon-festation of his grace, by the deliverance of his fallen creadon, an exile from his native country, on account of his opposition to the re-establishment of episcopal governDent, and his firm support of the presbyterian and synodical discipline, received and established among us; and that after eighteen years' banishment a man full of the Holy Spirit, zeal, charity, and incredible diligence in the duties of his office.' The death of his wife is recorded by the same pen. This month of January, 1625, died at Ayr, my cousin, Mrs Welch, daughter of that great servant of God, late John Knox, and wife of that holy man of God, Mr Welch, above mentioned;

right like, sir,' said she, for we never speired his
advice.' He asked her how many children her father
had left, and if they were lads or lasses. She said three,
'God be thanked!' cried
and they were all lasses.
the king, lifting up both his hands; for an they had
been three lads, I had never bruiked my three king-
doms in peace.' She again urged her request, that he
"Give him his
would give her husband his native air.
native air!' replied the king, 'give him the devil! '—
Give that to your hungry courtiers,' said she, offended
at his profaneness. He told her at last, that if she
would persuade her husband to submit to the bishops, he
would allow him to return to Scotland. Mrs Welch,
lifting up her apron, and holding it towards the king,
replied, in the true spirit of her father, Please your
najesty, I'd rather kep his head there.'

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tures from their degradation, and by their restoration to
Of this scheme of mercy He
dignity and happiness.
made an intimation, immediately after the fall, when He
declared that the "seed of the woman should bruise the
head of the serpent."

For the accomplishment of this astonishing plan Abraham was selected, and a promise was expressly made to him that the Great Deliverer should appear "In his seed," among the number of his descendants,

he was assured, "all the families of the earth should be blessed." After a long train of prophecies and supernatural events, Christ, at once the Son of God and the Son of man, was born, and suffered, and died; the Son of God, because it required a being of absolute perfection to make atonement for sin,-the Son of man, because it behoved this atonement to be made in the nature that had offended.

This introduces you to a very mysterious doctrine, but one of unspeakable importance, which is, in fact, the crowning point of Revealed Religion. It would occupy much more time than I can at present spare, to give any thing like a clear and intelligible explanation of all the bearings of this doctrine which have been revealed to us; but I think I may, in a few words, convey to you a simple view of it. God is infinitely just, and such justice must necessarily be unbending and inexorable to transgression. He is also infinitely holy, and such holiness is directly opposed to, and is incapable of reconciliation with sin. It follows from this, that pardon of sin is inconsistent with the nature of the Eternal. But God is also good and merciful, and these attributes plead for fallen man. Here the perfections of God appear to be at variance, but through the incarnation and death of his own eternal Son they are reconciled, for He voluntarily subjected himself to the punishment which our sins had incurred, substituting himself in our stead, and thus displaying, in astonishing union, at once the justice, the holiness, and the mercy of the divine nature. This act of substitution, or of one living creature bearing the punishment due to another, was, by previous Revelation, rendered quite familiar to men's minds; it was, in fact, the principle on which all sacrifices were instituted, the victim being the substitute of the person offering it, and thus typifying, under the Mosaic law, the great sacrifice of Christ, from which all other sacrifices derived their efficacy.

I lately read a story in a publication of Sir John Malcolm, which struck me as illustrative of the atonement. The particulars I do not very distinctly remem ber, but I can recal as much of them as will answer my purpose. A Persian chief had the mortification to find, that notwithstanding all his zealous efforts to suppress the lawless practices of his subjects, a caravan had been plundered, and the whole band of travellers had been murdered, under the very walls of his castle. He was determined to inflict on them the full rigour of bis vengeance, as an example to deter others, and he bound himself publicly by an oath, that if he could discover the perpetrators, not one of them should escape, even although they should be his dearest friends. They were discovered, and it turned out to his great distress, that they belonged to his own immediate dependants, and even to his own household. They were seized, however, and summary punishment was about to be inflicted on them all, when a hoary veteran, a particular favourite of the chief, rushed forward, and embracing his knees, pleaded in the most pathetic terms, that he would spare the life of his only son, who was implicated in this horrid affair, and was doomed to suffer along with his associates. "I know you have sworn," he exclaimed, "and the sentence is just, alas, too just; but if ever I found favour, O take me in his stead, my life for the life of my son,--spare him to his family, he is their only prop,-O spare him to his poor help,

less broken-hearted mother,—my palsied arm can no longer defend or support her, spare the young sapling, and take the withered tree!" The chief listened to this earnest appeal of his favourite, and it was done to him according to his own earnest supplication,-the old man died for his son!

You can yourself make the application of this interesting anecdote, and will easily perceive that it would be most unsafe and injurious to run the parallel too close. The cases are analogous only in so far as there was here a substitution of one for another, by which the determined purpose of the chief to punish delinquency was even more strongly marked than if the law had ta ken its usual course; whereas, if he had suffered the young man to escape, without such substitution, he would have been guilty of a weakness, which would have tended materially to diminish the terror and salutary effect of the example, and, by an act of glaring partiality, to relax the hand of justice. As to the right which one human being had thus to deal with another, even at his own earnest request, it is a different question, on which I shall not enter. Here the parallel does not hold.

Sin is seen no where to be so tremendous an evil as when viewed in connection with the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, and, on the other hand, the mercy and grace of God never appear so unspeakably great and lovely as when we remember that he so loved the world as not to spare his only begotten Son, that "whosoever be lieveth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life."

You will observe that the total incompetency of hu. man efforts to entitle to the blessings of salvation, is necessarily involved in this doctrine. Could we have saved ourselves, there would have been no need of an atonement for our sins; and the unqualified declaration of Scripture is, that do what we will, we are still sinful creatures, and, after all our endeavours, have no services to plead, and no rights to demand; and that the only sentiment, befitting the very best of Christians, is that of humility and self-abasement, when the question comes to be as to the attainments which he has wrought out for himself. We must therefore cast ourselves, without reserve, at the foot of the cross of Christ, exclaim ing "God be merciful to us sinners."

But, then, this, instead of leading us to despair, ought to make us rejoice, and renew our diligence, for we are assured that we shall be enabled to "do all things through Christ who strengtheneth us." We must "work out our own salvation," with fear and trembling indeed, but still with confidence, because "it is God who worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure."

This would naturally lead me to give you some account of the doctrines of faith and repentance, under the operation of the Holy Spirit, but I must, for the present, be excused from entering on these subjects, and from complying with the other requests you make, as I find it is necessary for me now to conclude. You shall, however, certainly hear from me again the first leisure hour I can spare. It will give me pleasure to attend to your wish that I should put in writing a few thoughts which you may make use of in prayer. Meanwhile, you have my most earnest prayers for your spiritual welfare, and especially for the presence of the Comforter in your

heart, who alone can teach you how to pray, and lead you into all truth. Under his enlightening influences, I trust you will have much consolation in pouring out your soul before the Searcher of hearts, although you may not be able to express yourself in a set form of words. It is not the utterance of the lips, but the aspiration of the heart which he regards. I am, &c.

open your mouth wide, and I will fill you with all that heart could wish of worldly things,-only this, you shall never see my face;" would you think you had a if heaven fight against us; if the wrath of God hang over good offer? would you accept of the condition? No; our heads; if he hide his face, and be angry; yea, but a little; happy are all they that put their trust in him. Many say, "Who will shew us any good? Lord! lift thou up the light of Thy countenance upon us." Let our CHRISTIAN TREASURY. house be a prison-a dungeon; but let the light of Thy Intercessory Prayer.-When we consider how pro- countenance shine in at some little opening, and that minent a place in the constitution of our nature has been shall make it a palace, a court, a heaven! Let our bread assigned by its Divine Author to those affections which be the bread of affliction, and our tears be our drink; link us closely together in all those endearing ties of but let the light of Thy countenance shine upon us, and earthly love, for which "Home is a name so dear;" that bread shall be changed into the food of angels, and and when we reflect how much of our happiness or that water turned into wine! Let friends, and goods, misery depends on the due regulation, and legitimate | and life, and all forsake us; but let the light of Thy indulgence, of those affections; and also, how fatally countenance shine upon us, and that shall be life, and prone we are to indulge them to an idolatrous excess, friends, and goods, and all unto us! For as Noah, when and thus defeat the gracious purpose for which they the deluge of waters had defaced the great book of were bestowed, perverting what God designed for a nature, had a copy of every kind of creature in that blessing into a curse: Oh, surely it bears a special famous library of the ark, out of which all were restamp of the loving-kindness of our God, that he should printed to the world; so he that hath God hath the have provided, in intercessory prayer, a way by which || original copy of all blessings, out of which, if all perishthe poisonous sting of idolatrous love may be extracted ed, all might easily be restored. God is the best storefrom our hearts; and a channel opened, in which our house that a man can have; the best treasury that a affections may not merely flow in safety to our spiritual kingdom can have. God is the best shield of any welfare, but become a medium of conveying to our souls person, and the best safeguard of any nation; if God a rich supply of spiritual blessings. Yes, it is sweet to be our enemy, nothing can secure us; if God be our think that there is one place at least, even before a friend, nothing can hurt us; for when the enemy girds throne of grace, where our love for those twined round a city round about with the straightest siege, he can our heart-strings cannot be too warmly or tenderly not stop the passage to heaven, and so long as that is cherished-where the language of its fond and fervent open, there may come relief and succour from heaven, if feelings cannot be breathed forth with too intense an God be our friend. Let Pharaoh be behind, the Red ardour of affection, or earnestness of entreaty,-where Sea before, the mountains on each side, the Israelites all our happiness, connected with the objects of our can still find a way: and when there is no other way to love, if they are fellow-sharers with us in a Saviour's escape a danger, a Christian can go by heaven! But love, can catch a glow of celestial radiance from that if God be an enemy, for all their walls and bars, God Saviour's smile, and all anxieties on their behalf be lulled could, as he did on Sodom-rain on us fire and brimto rest, by being reposed in the bosom of their Father, stone from heaven.-OLD AUTHOR. and our Father,-their God, and our God.-WHITE.

Peace. Peace of Conscience-which he that hath, all outward losses or crosses cannot make him miserable, no more than all the winds without can shake the earth. A child of God, with a good conscience, even in the midst of the waters of affliction, is as secure as the child that, in a shipwreck, was on a plank with his mother, securely sleeping till she awaked him, and then sweetly smiling he sportingly beat the naughty waves, and at last when they continued boisterous for all that, he began sharply to chide them as though they had been but his play-fellows. O the comfort of peace! the tranquillity of a mind reconciled! And Ở the rack, the torment, the horror of a guilty conscience !-STOUGHTON.

The Privileges of the Believer.-I durst not have thought of the saint's preferment in this life, as Scripture sets it forth, had it not been the express truth of God. How indecent to talk of being sons of God; speaking to him; having fellowship with him; dwelling in him, and he in us, if this had not been God's own language; how much less durst we have once thought of shining forth as the sun; of being joint heirs of Christ; of judging the world; of sitting on Christ's throne; of being one in Him and the Father, if we had not all this from the mouth, and under the hand of God? But "hath he said, and shall he not do it? Hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" Yes, as the Lord God is true, thus shall it be done to the man whom Christ delighteth to honour. Be of good cheer, Christians, the time is near, when God and thou shalt be near, and as near as thou canst well desire. Thou shalt dwell in his family. Is that enough? It is better to be a doorkeeper in the house of God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. Thou shalt ever stand before him, about his throne, in the room with him, in his presence

chamber.

Peace-peace with God.-An ancient said, that he would rather have the king's countenance than his coin, -a good look from him rather than gold. And I dare say, that a Christian thinks himself richer when he is able to say, God is mine, than if he had a thousand mines of gold. If the sun were wanting, it would be night, for all the stars; so, if the light of God's counteWouldst thou yet be nearer? Thou shalt nance be wanting, a man may sit in the shadow of death be his child, and he thy father; thou shalt be an heir of for all the glitter of worldly contentments. I beseech his kingdom; yea, more, the spouse of his Son. And you tell me Suppose the houses were paved with what more canst thou desire? Thou shalt be a mempearls and walled with diamonds, still, if the roofs were ber of the body of his Son; he shall be thy head; chou open to the injuries of heaven, would these shelter you shalt be one with him, who is one with the Father, as from the storm and tempest? Would you chuse to be he himself bath desired for thee of his Father, "that so lodged in a hard winter? Suppose the king were to they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I set you in the chair of state, at a table richly furnished, in thee, that they also may be one in us; and the glory royally attended, but with his sword hanging over you which thou gavest me I have given them, that they may by a thin thread, would that honour make you merry? be one, even as we are one; I in them and thou in me, Suppose God himself should make you this offer: "crown that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world your head with rose-buds; clothe yourself in purple; may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them fare deüciously every day; take your fill of pleasures; as thou hast loved me."-BAXTER,

SACRED POETRY.

A SABBATH NIGHT'S REFLECTION. BY THE REV. PETER M'MORLAND, LONDON. Upon the solemn night of God's own day,

When my heart tells me from the heart I've spoken His word, whose blood was shed, whose body broken; How sweetly on my bed myself I lay!

Wearied my frame,-oppress'd my heart may be ;

But when I think it may, perchance, have been,
That some one deathless soul, has Jesus seen ;-
Such weariness feels happiness to me!

Oh! when life's short and chequer'd day is past,
And sleepless worldly cares to slumber go,
And 'neath the coffin lid we rest at last,

In lonely grave, once dark, but now not so;
May mine be then the feeling of to-night,
Weary to fall asleep-hoping for REST and LIGHT.

ON READING A BIBLE SOCIETY REPORT.
BY MISS ANNA L. GILLEspie.

"The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and
the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose."-IsA. XXXV. 1.

All hail to the prospect, unclouded and bland,
See the Gospel illumines each far distant land,
And nations long wilder'd rejoice in the light,

That have wandered so long in the shadows of night.
Yes, numbers unnumbered shall bless the glad hour,
When God gave the thought, and when God gave the
power,

By means, ah! how feeble, such splendour is shed,
A spark, and unfading effulgence is spread.

John Bunyan.-Bunyan, with irresistible zeal, preached throughout the country, especially in Bedfordshire and its neighbourhood; until, on the restoration of Charles II. he was thrown into prison, where he remained twelve years. During his confinement he preached to all to whom he could gain access; and when liberty was offered to him, on condition of promising to abstain from preaching, he constantly replied, "If you let me out to-day, I shall preach again tomorrow."

Comfort in the Work of Christ.-The Rev. John Brown, of Haddington, addressed this exhortation to his sons in the ministry with his dying breath: "0, labour-labour to win souls to Christ! I will say this for your encouragement, that whenever the Lord has led me out to be most diligent this way, he has poured most comfort into my heart, and given me my reward in my bosom. But He is our great example, whose life, as well as lips, said to all his disciples, Work while it is day; for the night cometh when no man can work.'"

Bishop Jewel.-When Bishop Jewel, by his laborious course of life, had much impaired his health, his friends observed a sensible alteration in his appearance, and endeavoured to prevail on him to relax from his incessant application, and to desist for a time, at least, from pulpit services. He replied to their friendly remonstrances, by saying, that "A bishop should die preaching.' These words were almost literally fulfilled in his own case; for, a short time before his death, having promised to preach at Lacock, in Wiltshire, he was determined to go, although a friend, who met him on the way, strongly urged him to return home, telling him, that the people had better lose one sermon than be altogether deprived of such a pastor. The bishop could not be prevailed upon to return, but proceeded to the

The heart wrung with anguish, the tear streaming eye, place appointed, and there preached his last sermon, from Awakes from despair to the fulness of joy,

For the beams of salvation enliven the gloom, And glory transcendant awakes from the tomb.

MISCELLANEOUS.

A Hint to Christians.-For some years before his death, Mr Hervey visited but few persons belonging to the higher classes of society in his neighbourhood; and being asked why he declined visiting those who were always ready to shew him every token of respect, he replied, "I can hardly name a polite family where the conversation turns upon the things of God. I hear much frothy and worldly chit-chat, but not a word of Christ, and I am determined not to visit those companies where there is not room for my Master, as well as for myself."

Missionary Zeal.-Mr Elliot, when near fifty years of age, learned the language of the American Indians in several of its dialects; a language more difficult than any in the world to acquire, on account of the length of its words. He could preach in that language with great facility. He translated the whole Bible into it; and when he had finished the translation, he exclaimed, "Prayer and pains, through faith in Christ, will do any thing!" He went through incredible pains and hardships in visiting the several tribes. "I have not," to use his own words, "been dry night nor day from the third day of the week until the sixth, but so travelled, and at night pulled off my boots, wrung my stockings, and on with them again, and so continue. But God steps in and helps. I have considered the word of God in 2 Tim. ii. 3. Endure hardness."" Christians had the half of his spirit! All we do and O that suffer in our work is but trifles to what he did and suffered for Christ,

Galatians v. 16. "Walk in the Spirit," which he finished with great difficulty. He died a few days after.

A Call to the Ministry.-It has frequently been proposed, as a question of considerable practical importance, how a person may know that he has a call to the ministry the following observations, by Bernard, who lived in the twelfth century, may perhaps be useful :— and not by his own ambition; and what is this call, but "He who is called to instruct souls, is called of God, for the salvation of our brethren? So often as he who an inward incentive of love, soliciting us to be zealous is engaged in preaching the Word, shall feel his inward him assure himself that God is there, and that he is inman to be excited with divine affections; so often let vited by him to seek the good of souls. Truly, I love to hear that preacher, who does not move me to applaud his eloquence, but to groan for my sins. Efficacy will be given to your voice, if you appear to be yourself persuaded of that to which you advise me. That cominon rebuke will not then at least belong to you, 'Thou who teachest another, teachest thou not thyself?""

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