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especially at the first approach of any gloom or mental change.

Formerly the major part of my thoughts centered either upon the darkness I felt, or the light I enjoyed; now they are mainly directed to Jesus, what He has done, suffered, and promised. And I do find, when the eye is thus single, my whole frame is full of light.

This deliverance was the era of Mr. Campbell's real usefulness. He had done much good before, and that too from right motives, but not until now, as a son in the gospel. He was from this time forward a happy, as well as a holy and devoted man. Not, however, that he was now altogether free from clouds or changes. He still had to fight his way, but he was better armed than formerly.

Extracted from the Life of Rev.J. Campbell, by Rev.R. Philip.

ON ETERNITY.

What is Eternity? can aught
Paint its duration to the thought?
Tell every beam the sun emits
When in sublimest noon he sits-
Tell every light-wing'd mote that strays
Within his ample round of rays—
Tell all the leaves, and all the buds
That fill the gardens and the woods,
When spring's luxurious tints appear
To crown with joy the rising year-
Tell all the sands the ocean laves
Tell all its changes-all its waves-
Or tell with more laborious pains,
Each drop its mighty mass contains-
Be this astonishing account
Augmented with the full amount
Of all the drops the clouds have shed,
Where'er their watery fleeces sped,
Through all time's long-continued tour,
From Adam to the present hour-

How short the amount, the' attempthow vain
To reach duration's endless chain;
For when so many years have run,

Eternity is but begun.

Attend, O man, with awe divine,
For this eternity is thine!

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OCCASIONAL MEDITATIONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.. UPON THE HEARING OF THE STREET CRIES IN LONDON.

WHAT a noise do these poor souls make in proclaiming their commodities! Each tells what he hath, and would have all hearers take notice of it; and yet (God wot) it is but poor stuff that they set out, with so much ostentation. I do not hear any of the rich merchants talk of what bags he hath in his chests, or what treasures of rich wares in his store-house; every man rather desires to hide his wealth, and when he is urged, is ready to dissemble his ability. No otherwise is it in the true spiritual riches: he that is full of grace and good works, affects not to make show of it to the world, but rests sweetly in the secret testimony of a good conscience; and the silent applause of God's Spirit witnessing with his own; whiles contrarily, the venditation of our own worth, or parts, or merits, argues a miserable indigence in them all. O God, if the confessing of thine own gifts may glorify thee, my modesty shall not be guilty of a niggardly unthankfulness; but for aught that concerns myself, I cannot be too secret; let me so hide myself, that I

TRACT MAG., THIRD SERIES, NO. 102, JUNE 1842. G

may not wrong thee, and wisely distinguish betwixt thy praise and my own.

UPON BEES FIGHTING.

What a pity it is to see these profitable, industrious creatures fall so furiously upon each other, and thus sting and kill each other, in the very mouth of the hive! I could like well to see the bees do this execution upon wasps and drones, enemies to their common stock, this savours but of justice; but to see them fall foul upon those of their own wing, it cannot but trouble their owner, who must needs be an equal loser by the victory of either. There is no more perfect resemblance of a commonwealth, whether civil or sacred, than in an hive; the bees are painful and honest compatriots, labouring to bring wax and honey to the maintenance of the public state: the wasps and drones are unprofitable and harmful hangbies, which live upon the spoil of others' labour, whether as common barrators, or strong thieves, or bold parasites, they do nothing but rob their neighbours. It is a happy sight when these feel the dint of justice, and are cut off from doing further mischief. But to see well-affected and beneficial subjects undo themselves with duels, whether of law or sword; to see good Christians of the same profession shedding each other's blood, upon quarrels of religion, is no other than a sad and hateful spectacle; and so much the more, by how much we have more means of reason and grace to compose our differences, and correct our offensive contentiousness. O God, who art at once the Lord of hosts and Prince of peace, give us war with spiritual wickedness, and peace with our brethren!

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When I look upon these flies, and gnats, and worms, I have reason to think, What am I to my infinite Creator more than these! And if these had my reason, why might they not expostulate with their Maker, why they are but such; why they live to so little purpose, and die without either notice or use; and if I had no more reason than they, I should be (as they) content with any condition. That reason which I have is not of my own giving; he that hath

given me reason, might as well have given it to them, or have made me as reasonless as they; there is no cause why his greater gift should make me mutinous and malcontent. I will thank my God for what I am, for what I have, and never quarrel with him for what I want. Bp. Hall.

"HE LOVED TO LINGER ON THAT LEAF."

SOME time ago I stood bending over a paper of silk-worms that a friend of mine had placed in the sun, watching them with interest as they crawled along the edges of the fresh lettuce-leaves which had been given them. A man may be worse occupied than in watching the motions, and reflecting on the natures, of the lowliest of God's creatures.

Now it happened that a leaf from a mulberry-tree growing in the adjoining garden was carried by the wind over the wall, and fell near the window at which I was standing; knowing that silk-worms are fond of mulberry-leaves, I went to pick up the fallen leaf, and soon after placed it near the lettuce-leaves. I pity him who, having the power, would not have some pleasure in adding to the enjoyment of even a silkworm.

It was not long before a worm found his way to the edges of the mulberry-leaf, and oh! how greedily did he banquet thereon! For some time I went away, but when I returned he was eating of it as heartily as before. He might, if he would, have crawled away and mingled with his companions, but no! " he loved to linger on that leaf.”

I like to apply the little occurrences that I meet with to the affairs of common life: let me then so apply this occurrence of the caterpillar.

I saw a little girl sitting on the ground with a pictured book beside her. She had been very fond of a playfellow of hers, a favourite kitten, but the kitten died, and the child mourned for it. The book was given to her because it had in it the picture of a kitten, and the little mourner sat by the half hour together prattling to the picture. The book contained twenty other pictures, but the little girl hardly noticed them. It was the leaf with the kitten on it that won her regard." She loved to linger on that leaf."

I saw a fair maiden, who had been brought up in the fear of God, sitting in a summer arbour; the sun shone above

her head, the birds sang around her, and the painted flowers flung their perfume on the passing gale, but neither sun, nor bird, nor flower was regarded by her; and why? she had received a letter from her lover, who was worthy of her love. Nature was lovely, but she was absorbed in her occupation, her eye and her heart were fixed on the letter. "She loved to linger on that leaf.”

I knew a poor widow, whose son was a sailor, and her heart yearned towards him. Often at midnight, when the blustering wind shook the lattice of her chamber, she watched and wept. For a time no news came to give her comfort, and to tell her that her son was alive, but at last came a letter written by his own hand. He was well, and had prospered, and was returning home with curiosities, money, and what was still better than both, a heart full of duty and affection. I saw her sitting in her cottage wiping her eyes as she read her letter. She had read it a dozen times before, but what did that signify, it did her good, it made her happy, and "she loved to linger on that leaf.”

I saw a serjeant, for such his scarlet dress and the stripes on his arm bespoke him, with a newspaper in his hand. It gave an account of a battle in which a son of his had distinguished himself by his bravery, preventing the colours of the regiment from falling into the enemy's hand, and saving the life of his captain. I like not battles, and abhor bloodshed, and yet I regarded the sergeant with interest, for the affection of the father mingled with the pride of the soldier. The newspaper he was reading to his comrades told of the gallantry of his son, and " he loved to linger on that leaf."

I saw an aged man bowed down with years, and infirmities; the grey hair was thin upon his head, and time had graven wrinkles on his brow. He sat in an old arm-chair, with the Bible opened before him. His eyes lacked lustre, but they seemed to sparkle as his faltering voice read the words, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest," Matt. xi. 28. He found the word of God as oil to his joints, and marrow to his bones, and the page was a precious one that told him where to go for rest and peace. "He loved to linger on that leaf."

And now I have told you of the silkworm, the little child, the fair maiden, the poor widow, the sergeant, and the aged

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