saith the Lord:" good sense will hesitate to push what is said to all its apparent conclusions, forIt is written again. Here ends all dogmatism with

a wise man.

A MOUSE that had lived all his life in a chest, says the fable, chanced one day to creep up to the edge, and, peeping out, exclaimed with wonder-"I did not think the world was so large."

The first step to knowledge, is to know that we are ignorant. It is a great point to know our place: for want of this, a man in private life, instead of attending to the affairs in his "chest," is ever peeping out, and then he becomes a PHILOSOPHER! he must then know every thing, and presumptuously pry into the deep and secret councils of God-not considering that man is finite, and has no faculties to comprehend and judge of the great scheme of things. We can form no other idea of the dispensations of God, nor can have any knowledge of spiritual things, except what God has taught us in his word; and where he stops, we must stop. He has not told us why he permitted the angels to fall why he created Adam-why he suffered sin to enter into the world-why Christ came in the latter ages when he will come to judgment-what will be the doom of the Heathen nations nor why our state throughout eternity was made to depend on such a moment as man's life: all these are secrets of his council. Where wast thou, when I laid the foundations of the earth? God urges it on us again and again, that sin HAS entered—and that we must flee from the wrath to come. Christ, in the days of his flesh, never gratified curiosity: he answered every inquiry according to the SPIRIT of the inquirer, not according to the letter of the inquiry: if any man came in humility for instruction, he always instructed; but, when any came to gratify a vain

curiosity, he answered, as when one said Lord, are there few that be saved?-STRIVE TO ENTER IN AT THE STRAIT GATE! or, as when another inquired, Lord, and what shall this man do?—What is that to thee? FOLLOW THOU ME.

WE are too ready to say, in trouble, All these things are against me! but a Christian should say, "This or that may seem against me! but there is merty for me: there is a Savior: there is God's word: and there are his ordinances." He should be more careful to enumerate what is FOR him, than what is AGAINST him. He should look over the list of his spiritual and temporal mercies, as well as that of his sorrows; and remember, that what things are AGAINST him are so on account of his sin. Our pilgrimage is but short:-let us make use of our helps and means. God has given us a guide, and a support to lean on: when the clouds gather, we have only to look to Jesus. We are not to expect the joys of heaven while on earth:-let us be content that there is a highway for us to walk in, and a leader to conduct us in that way.

Ir is a Christian's business, as much as possible, consistently with his duty, to lessen his cares and Occupations in the world. It is very common to I hear Christians complain what a hindrance business is, while they are, perhaps, at the very time, too anxious to increase it! There is some fallacy, too, in the complaint: for, where there is a principle of grace, it will prevail even in a multitude of engagements. There is much difference between SEEKING busy situations,and BEING FOUND in them.

WHAT we call "taking steps in life," are most serious occurrences;-especially if there be, in the motive, any mixture of ambition. Wherefore gaddest thou about to change thy way?

THE dispensation of grace to some, is little more) than a continual combat with corruptions: so that, instead of advancing, a man seems to be but just able to preserve himself from sinking. A boat, with the tide full against it, does well if it can keep from driving back, and must have strong force indeed to get forward. We must estimate grace by the opposition which it meets with.

How blessed is the Christian, in the midst of his greatest troubles! It is true we cannot say he is perfect in holiness-that he has never any doubtsthat his peace of mind is never interrupted—that he never mistakes Providence: but, after all, his is a blessed condition; for he is supported under his trials, and instructed by the discipline: and, as to his fears, the evil under the apprehension of which he is ready to sink, frequently does not come→ or it does not continue-or it is turned into a blessing.

ONE of the greatest impositions of Satan on the mind, is that of quieting a man in the pursuit or possession of what is lawful. So that it is not murder, or adultery, or theft which he is committing, all is well! Because a man's bed is his own, he may idle away in it his inestimable time! Because his business is lawful, a man may intoxicate his mind with the pursuit of it!

THE very heart and root of sin, is an independent spirit. We erect the idol SELF; and not only wish others to worship, but worship it ourselves.

We must take care when we draw parallel cases, not to take such as are not ar cannot be made

parallel. For instance-we may ask, before we act, "What would Jesus Christ do in this case? or what would St. Paul?" but we cannot be guided by this rule in every thing, because Christ's mission was peculiar: it was an unparalleled event: it was for three years only: and, like a great fire, he was always burning-always intent on one point. St. Paul also was in peculiar circumstances: he was sent on an especial errand. In every thing which is in any degree sinful, we should turn to these examples; but, in the conduct peculiar to our station, our application of these examples must be governed by circumstances.

MANY inexperienced Christians are apt to look for wrong kinds of evidences, and so distress themselves about their state. The questions which we should put to ourselves, in seeking the best evidences, are "Do I hate sin? Is it my grand fear?-Is it my grief, that, while I have a good hope of pardon, I yet should make such ill returns? Have I brokenness of spirit?"Godliness is analogous to the principle of gravitation, in that it reduces every thing to its proper centre.

THE difference between what is called FATE, and PREDESTINATION, is something like that of a house without a governor, and a house with a governor. The Fatalist says, "Every thing must, of necessity be as it is as a stone must fall to the ground, fire must ascend, &c. The Predestinarian says, that every thing is determined by a wise Governor, who inspects, orders, and superintends the whole machine; so that a sparrow does not fall to the ground, or a hair of the head perish, without permission.

WE are so accustomed to see sin within and without us, that we seldom deeply feel it, or are so shocked at it, as we should be were it less frequent. If an inhabitant of the court were to walk through some of the filthy streets and alleys of the Metropolis, how would he be disgusted and terrified! while the poor wretches, who live in them, think nothing of the matter. Thus a clearer view of sin and of the holiness of God, made the prophet cry out, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts.

It is much easier to SETTLE a point, than to ACT on it.

I ONCE said to myself, in the foolishness of my heart, "What sort of Sermon must that have been which was preached by St, Peter, when three thousand souls were converted AT ONCE?"-what sort of Sermon!-such as other sermons. There is nothing to be found in it extraordinary. The effect was not produced by St. Peter's eloquence; but by the mighty power of God, present with his word. It is in vain to attend one Minister after another, and to hear Sermon after Sermon, unless we pray that the Holy Spirit accompany his word. Neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

THAT humility which courts notice, is not FIRSTRATE. It may be sincere, but it is sullied. Do not sound a trumpet, nor say "Come and see how humble I am!"

We should be careful never to discourage any one who is but searching after God. If a man begins