cxxxiv. 1. When temptations come upon me, these are very nice things to think of, for they do comfort me a great deal. One night, the temptations were so great, that I sat up in my bed; and I was so unhappy, I was almost raving, and Jenny read to me in the Bible, and I went to sleep. Once I had such temptations, that I put my knife to my throat; but it was the back, and God kept me from doing it. Is not God kind to me? What could I do without him? No, we could not live without him. "My temptations were a great deal better to-day. How kind it is for; Jesus to die on the cross for us, and save us from hell-for wicked me! And by nature what devils we are! There is not any hour in the day that man is not doing wrong. "To-day (a Sunday) I saw some boys playing with pennies on the road to Charlecombe. Would it not break the hearts of those who love God?(oh, how it did me!)-God, who created heaven, and earth, and the stars, and all living creatures, in six days! And we do such things! We cannot do the least thing without the help of Christ. Jesus did not die for all men; but he died for his lambs. For the wicked, when they die, are cast into burning fire, and there is no end to it. But the righteous shall go to heaven. Oh, what a blessed thing to have! "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but my people do not consider.' "If you believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, you shall go to heaven, without doing our own good works. 'Jesus kept the whole law.' When I hear of those immediate deaths, or of those who were struck by our God for doing those wicked things, I am tempted to do them. I do not read my Bible, and I wish that God would make me like it more. I do not praise him, and I am not fond of my Bible as I ought to be; when I had temptations, I used to read more than I do. Oh, that I could praise him more ! Only think the greatest that lives should die for such reptiles as we are! Ought I not to love him? "No temptations to-day; in my mind, we are not a minute without doing something wrong. Every man is as bad as another, so we ought not to boast; we are all alike by nature; we all tell stories, but we ought not to tell them, if we can help. "Some time ago, I thought I was telling a lie very often, which made me very unhappy; but, blessed be the name of the Lord, he has made me more happy. "I think too much of myself. Lord, take away the heart of pride, but give me a heart of flesh. Wash me, make me clean with the blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. "Although I am so proud, God is, I hope, going to take me to heaven at last. Oh, Lord, make me to pray with my heart. “Oh, what an Almighty God, not to send me to hell for ever and ever, where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth only fit for the devil and his angels. I ought to love God Almighty with all my heart; but all his people will be taken to heaven to live with him, for they all go to glory, where there is no sickness. "Sometimes when I am in the garden, or playing, I feel like some one telling me to go and read my Bible, and something telling me not; it is like two roads, I cannot tell which way to go; but I ought to read my Bible. "I felt great temptations, and I prayed to Jesus to help me.' About three weeks before his death, he was seized with a severe headache, with feverishness. The surgeon who attended him, directed that leeches should be applied to his head, and other remedies to be used. The relief he received from these was but temporary. Leeches were again applied to his head, after which he was put to bed, where he remained in general, till his happy spirit left this world of sin, to abide in the land where the inhabitants shall no more say, "I am sick." Before he was confined to his bed, he begged earnestly to have a map of Scriptural pictures, which appeared to afford him pleasure for an evening; but after he was put to bed, he was scarcely capable of attending to any. thing. The Thursday night before his departure, which was the following Monday, he prayed, "Come, Lord Jesus, come!" And on the following night he seemed very anxious to depart; he repeatedly lifted up his right arm, then put out both his arms, and said, "Here I am-here! Oh, Jesus! come!-do make haste!" On Monday, the 30th November, between eight and nine o'clock, A.M., I went into his room. I thought he was asleep. I touched his cheek, which was warm. Soon afterwards, on meeting the nurse, she told me that he died about ten minutes past eight o'clock, which was previous to my entering the room. And thus Samuel fell asleep in Jesus-thus did the good Shepherd gather the lamb with his arm, and carry him in his bosom. To Him be the glory for ever. Amen. HENRY. Henry had for a long time been afflicted with sickness, in consequence of a blow he received from a ball when at play, owing to which he was generally confined to a sofa, and unable to take air and exercise, except in a chair or a carriage. Though we were alarmed at his protracted illness, we were yet encouraged by his medical attendants, to hope for his ultimate recovery. He was graciously supported under his tedious affliction, so that he seldom expressed impatience or discontent; he had meekness, gentleness, and sweetness of temper, and was very grateful for the marks of attention and kindness which were shown to him. In respect to vital religion, we could not observe those signs in him that would encourage us to hope that the Lord had wrought that change in him, which is needful before we are made "meet for the inheritance of the saints in light." He was correct and amiable in his conduct, true to his word, generous and charitably disposed; yet was there one thing lacking. Our Lord hath said, "Verily, verily, except a man be born again (or from above) he cannot see the kingdom of God." Henry had no objection to family prayers, the reading of the Scriptures, hearing Gospel sermons, and reading religious books on a Sunday; but the word of God, which is the incorruptible seed, and which is sown in the heart renewed by the grace of God, by the power of the Holy Ghost, did not appear to have taken any root in the heart. Henry would at times read and hear the word of God, but I could not observe that he delighted in the word. During this long illness I never, till towards the close of his life, heard him express any anxiety about his soul. When opportunity occurred, I spoke to him as I felt liberty, upon the great truths of the Bible. Indeed, when the family met in the morning and evening of each day, for the purpose of reading the Bible and prayer, I generally made some remarks; yet I could not observe as yet in our dear Henry, that which both his mother and myself so ardently desired. But, blessed be God, our labour was not in vain in the Lord. Our dear Henry did not seem to think that his illness would prove fatal, until a very late period, though we could not conceal from ourselves that his constitution was rapidly giving way; and consequently our anxiety as to his eternal state was much excited. About a month before the Lord took him to himself, he told the nurse that he thought he should not live long, and that he hoped to go to heaven; at the same time he said he wished his mamma would come and talk to him about his soul. When his mother conversed with him, he told her he wished to have his sins forgiven him in Jesus. At this time he was very weak. He said to his mother, "My mouth is much parched." She answered, "Jesus's tongue was parched, and they brought him vinegar to drink." This seemed to affect Henry very much. On the 7th of February, I went into his room with his mother and nurse. I spoke of Jesus to him, that he never cast out a coming sinner. Henry answered, "He must give me the knowledge of the forgiveness of my sins." I told him that looking unto Jesus, he would reveal himself unto him. He told the nurse he believed that Jesus was God. We knelt down by his bedside in prayer, and the Lord was with us. Feb. 18. Henry said he had a hope that his sins were a little while he revived, and could attend to the Gospel. I read a part John xvii. and Rev. vii. I asked him if he was happy; he said, "Almost." I asked him if he believed that Jesus died for him. He smiled sweetly, and said, "I hope he did." I asked him what he thought the happiness of heaven consisted in. He answered, "The love of God." At one time he laboured under great bodily pain; he said his pain was so great he could not think of Jesus or anything. He asked to see the doctor; he was told that only Jesus could do him good now. After that he smiled and looked up. Nurse asked him what he saw-if he was going to Jesus; he said, "I hope so." He smiled, and, 66 Oh, Jesus!" she thought he said"Oh, dear Jesus, now I am happy! Once, when asked if the Lord had shown him his sins, he answered, "I have never done one good thing.' Soon after eight o'clock I was informed that he was departed. I went into his room and closed his eyes. I was not only sweetly supported, but my heart was filled with joy unspeakable, and full of glory. Not a shadow of a doubt was upon my mind respecting our dear departed son's acceptance in Christ. pardoned, and that he believed the 66 Such is the narrative of Major Young, which will strike a chord in many a heart, creating strong and touching vibration. While he will not fail to command deep and general sympathy amid such a succession of bereavements, he will yet receive congratulations on the signal favour which has been shown him by the "Father of lights," "the God of all comfort." The case is one of a very extraordinary character. The number of parents, throughout the Christian world, who have a like tale to tell, is not great. Many, alas! have! lost an equal number of children, but only a few have had such a measure of consolation from the thought, that "absent from the body," they were present with the Lord." Popery. PROTESTANT TRUTHS. I.-That there is only one rule of faith. THE Holy Scriptures alone contain the revealed will of God, and are the only perfect and infallible standard of doctrine, and directory of practice; and they make known all things necessary to salvation. So This was the ancient faith of the early Christians. Augustine says"In the Holy Scriptures are all those things which contain our faith and rule of life." Basil declares-"It is a manifest falling from the faith, and a mark of arrogancy, either to reject any of those things that are written, or to bring in any of those which are not written: " such are traditions. also Chrysostom -"All Christians ought to have recourse to the Scriptures. If any man be desirous of knowing the true Church, how will he be able to do it but by the Scriptures alone? Wherefore, our Lord foreseeing that such a great confusion of things would take place in the latter days, orders the Christians to have recourse to nothing but the Scriptures." Such, also, are the sentiments of later Christians-"The Bible, and the Bible alone," says the learned Chillingworth, "is our religion. I profess plainly that I cannot find any rest for the sole of my foot but upon this rock only. I see plainly that there are popes against popes, councils against councils, some fathers against others, the same fathers against themselves, a consent of fathers of one age against a consent of fathers of another age. In a word, there is no sufficient cer tainty, but of Scripture only, for any considering man to build upon." II. That there is only one Mediator. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Mediator and Advocate. Our Divine Redeemer when on earth freely received all who came unto him. Not one who sought to him in faith was sent away unblessed. He "came to seek and to save that which was lost." His love was manifested to the guilty and miserable. He was the Intercessor for his disciples when on earth; and assuredly his love has not abated now that the heavens have received him out of sight? As the intercession of Christ is completely effectual, there is no need of any other advocate. Nothing can be added by the mediation of creatures. Have the Virgin Mary and departed saints more love and compassion than Christ ? Or can they urge more powerful pleas than He "who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification?" Protestants regard Mary as "blessed among women;" but they dare not give her the honour and glory which belong to the Divine Redeemer alone. They respect the memory of all those who have departed in the faith, and would follow them so far as they followed Christ; but they consider it idolatrous, and therefore highly sinful to pray to them, or to bow before their images. Neither dare they render any homage to angels. III. That there is only one way of ob- gun to work in his days. See Rev. xiii. taining remission of sin, and accept-1, 5-7; xvii. 3—5. ance with God. Even in the times of the apostles the professing church gradually de parted from the pure and simple Gospel. In the fourth and several following centuries errors were successively was completely formed, and had spread its corrupting influence over nearly the whole Christian world. PROGRESS OF ERROR. began to be preached about the fifth Purgatory and prayers to the saints century. In the eighth century imageworship got footing after much opposition; transubstantiation was invented in the ninth; the clerical orders were compelled to an unmarried life in the eleventh; the denial of the cup to the laity in the Lord's Supper came into of the Virgin Mary was authorised in practice in the twelfth. The worship 1431; Cardinal Bonaventure, many years before, had composed a work The Scripture doctrine is, that "we have redemption through the blood of Christ, the forgiveness of sins, accord-introduced, until the Romish system ing to the riches of his grace," Eph. i. 7. The sacrifice of Christ is a full, perfect, and sufficient atonement and satisfaction for sin: and "we are accounted righteous before God only for the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, and not for our own works or deservings." Salvation is all of grace, and the blessings connected with it are to be had "without money and without price." To attempt to add anything to the work of Christ, for a sinner's justification, is highly dishonourable to the Saviour, and very wicked. "Being justified freely, we are made the sons of God by adoption; are made like the image of his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ; we walk religiously in good works; and, at length, by God's mercy, we attain to everlasting felicity." True faith works by love, and the true believer is enabled by the Holy Spirit, whose grace and aid are promised to him, to follow after holiness and to walk according to the commandments of his Lord in all things. THE EARLY CHURCH. The Lord Jesus Christ foretold that the enemy would sow tares among the wheat, Matt. xiii. 24-30. The apostle Paul also declared that "the man of sin " should be revealed "who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God," -"whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,' 2 Thess. ii. 3-13. See also 1 Tim. iv. 1-3; 2 Tim. iii. 1, 5. "The mystery of iniquity had already be called "The Mary Psalter," in which he had profanely substituted her name for that of "God" and "Lord" in the Psalms. Apocryphal books were admitted as of equal authority with the rejected by the early Christians, and sacred writings, although they were by the Jews, in all ages. Auricular confession, or the confessional, was introduced in the thirteenth century. This practice of the Romish Church has led to the most scandalous conduct ever since its introduction; and it is still the source of the greatest evils, whether viewed in a moral, social, political, or religious point of view. These inventions of men, many of them derived from the practices of the pagans, sank the professing Church lower and lower in superstition and vice. THE POPES. The early Bishops of Rome had a limited authority. Phocas, who killed the Roman emperor, his master, and usurped his throne, received encouragement from the bishop in this act of murder and treason, and in return conferred on him the title and power of "supreme head and universal bishop of the Church." Many of the Popes have been noto |