tion. "If our Gospel be hid, glorified in his saints and admired it is hid to them that are lost, in all them that believe-when in whom the god of this world he shall be revealed in flaming bath blended the minds of them fire, with all the armies of heaven which believe not, lest the light in his train-when they shall hear of the knowledge of the glory of his trump summon heaven, and God in the face of Jesus Christ earth, and hell to his bar-shall should shine unto them." Where- see his lightnings kindle up the fore then, O sinner, do you spend flames that shall enwrap our world, your money for that which is not and shall behold these heavens bread, and your labour for that passing away as a scroll-then, which satisfieth not? Why do you oh! then what would they not reckon this Lord Jesus, with all give for this knowledge of the his grace and truth, with all Lord Jesus? But it is too latehis loveliness and beauty, with the Judge is upon the throne-the all his kingdom and glory that he sentence is passed-and the thunholds out for your acceptance, as derbolts of his wrath hurl them altogether beneath your regard, down to everlasting horror? But in comparison with the poor, pal- they who here counted all things try, perishing objects of earthly but loss for Christ, shall then find ambition? Wherefore do you their choice to have been infinite even sacrifice your immortal souls wisdom, and their loss infinite in chasing these bubbles that gain-shall come forth from the vanish when they are grasped? fires of the last day, shining with the When this Lord Jesus, whom effulgence of celestial beautysinners now consider unworthy of their thoughts or their pursuit, shall come to take vengeance on all that know not God, but to be

shall swell the shout of victory from the Captain of their salvation, and mount up with their triumphant King to the paradise of God!

COTTAGE PHARISEE.

Selected.

like extraordinary piety, may astonish more, but may accomTHE following sketch of a Cot-plish less. As the one seems to tage Pharisee will, it is hoped, be, be above imitation, so the other is by God's blessing, useful to some supposed to sink below it; and of our readers. It is a sketch of they, who are yet far from the a very common character; and kingdom of heaven, take courage therefore, in my estimation, more from the exhibition of such piclikely to be beneficial. Anec- tures of deformity, and affect to dotes of extraordinary depravity, thank God that they are not as

such men are. They are not presently followed him, and resuch drunkards; they are not sumed our discourse. Still he such adulterers; they have not, maintained his integrity-still he like them, hands stained with considered his salvation sure. human blood. They trace in Not a bar was loosened, not a bolt them no likeness to themselves; was drawn ; and at length we left and, therefore, the awful truths him, as we had found him, “a deduced from such narratives, deaf adder;"-a hard, ignorant, often make no wholesome im- self-righteous man. pression on their minds. In the following sketch, alas! how many may see a representation of their own character! May it be blessed to the everlasting good of their souls!

About a week ago, my friend heard that he was sick, and went to his assistance. This, thought he, may be God's time, for working on his heart, and it ought to be improved. As he proceeded Not many months ago, a friend on this visit of Christian benevoled me in one of those walks, in lence, he implored of the Lord which we have often taken sweet that the efficacious blood of his counsel together, and conversed Son might be applied to his guilty upon those things that belong to soul. Upon reaching his bedsalvation, to the cottage of a pea-side, he entered again upon the sant; the chambers of whose former topics, but found him as mind seemed barred and bolted unbelieving and as determined against the admission of Christian against the truth as ever. With truth. He told us," he had equal vehemence he denied his pretty regularly attended his sinfulness-with equal confidence church, had lived an honest, in-he boasted of the innocency of. offensive life;" and, therefore, his life. He was strong in hope; though ignorant of the first principles of the oracles of God, he doubted not he should finally be saved. It was in vain, that the Scripture declarations of the cor- To convince him of his error, ruption of human nature, and of the spirituality of the law was the necessity of a Redeemer and pressed upon him, and the puSanctifier, were laid before him. nishment denounced against the "All this might be in the Bible, smallest breach of it:-it was but the Bible he could not read; proved that he was under the and the Lord did not expect curse-that a sentence of congreat things from one who was demnation was passed against no scholar." him ; and that, while he remained

but that hope was built upon the supposed excellence of his own conduct, and his pretended freedom from sin.

Tired of a conversation which in his present state, the expectawas intended, under God's bless-tion of salvation was vain. Still ing, to convince him of sin; and he maintained his conviction of angry at the attempt to show him security, and " laughed," as it his danger, he abruptly turned were, "at the shaking of the" away, and sought to hide himself Lord's "spear." He was then in an adjoining orchard. So, how-asked, whether he had not freever, he did not escape. Though quently confessed at church, that he was tired, we were not. Welhe was a miserable offender

a miserable sinner-and that who are in Him;-that it is a there was no health in him," true saying, and worthy of all acand, as such, cried to God for ceptation, that Jesus Christ came mercy. He confessed that he to save even the chief of sinners— had used those words, but con- the vilest and most abandoned of demned the church for putting the human race. About this pethem into his mouth. Such ex-riod of the discourse, the sick pressions, he said, ought not to man, as if struck with sudden have been introduced into the conviction, exclaimed with a loud prayer-book. It was very pro- voice, "Blessed be the Lordperly and forcibly urged, that, blessed be Mr. for the whether the church was right or word, and for the light that is now wrong in using such language, come into my mind ;" and this be one thing was clear; he, in ut-repeated again and again. It was tering it, proved it strictly appli- not a little surprising, however, cable to himself-he proved him- that when prayer was now proself to be that miserable sinner, posed, he declined it; seeming which was there described; for to wish rather to be left to his he uttered before God words, meditations on what had passed : which he did not believe to be or, perhaps, as he was in great true. He had been, by his own pain, he needed rest. confession, a liar, and had little right therefore now to insist upon his own righteousness. But even this observation seemed to weigh light on his mind.

Let my readers, however, know, that no time is lost by prayer, and that even bodily pain may be lessened by the exercises of devotion. Freedom or deliverHe was then assured, that itance from it may be, with subwould be no difficult matter to mission to the Divine will, made prove, that he had broken every a part of our supplications; and one of the commandments of God. the Lord, who delights to answer Still he remained immoveable. prayer, may grant us the request My friend, therefore, entered on of our lips. But the poor sufa new topic, naturally resulting ferer, of whom we are now from the subject of his former speaking, if truly impressed, (as discourse. He showed him, that we hope he was) had yet much to Jesus Christ came from heaven learn. His vision was indistinct. to save sinners; that, if he thought He resembled the person, on he was not a sinner, he was not whose " sightless eyeballs" the one of those whom Christ came to Lord "poured the day," and who seek-whose business was not to saw men, like trees walking. He call the righteous, but sinners to had but that moment began to repentance. At the same time live; the offices of life, thereit was distinctly stated, that, if he fore, were scarcely known to renounced his self-righteousness, him. He was like one but just and believed in Jesus, though his born; no wonder then, that his sins had been as scarlet, yet spiritual faculties were weak; should they become as white as" his senses," for want of exerwool-that the Redeemer's blood cise, were unable to "discern cleanseth from all sin, and that both good and evil." (Heb. v. there is no condemnation to those 14.)

Under this impression, my from him, and went on his way friend left him for the present. rejoicing. O then, ye ministers Having administered medicine to of religion, and all who plead the diseased soul, he went home religion's cause, fail not to exhibit to provide for him such things as evidently before the eyes of might be necessary for his sick sinners, Jesus Christ crucified." body. But he soon returned to Denounce the curse, but forget him; for much he needed his not the blessing. It is the Recare. He found him still in great deemer's cross, that alone can pain, entertaining the same sen- captivate the sinner's soul, “I, timents, and using the same lan- if I be lifted up from the earth, guage, as he had entertained and will draw all men unto me." His used just before he had left him. blood has a wondrous power to When asked, whether he thought soften the hard heart. to purify himself a sinner, he replied, that the sinful, and to humble the he was a great sinner: yet his proud. This will effect, in one manner seemed, in some degree, moment, what not all the moral to qualify the confession: for lectures delivered from the founwhich we account as before-his dation of the world could accomchange was but just effecting; plish; it will deliver from the his eyes had but just been opened love of iniquity, as well as rescue on the spiritual world. He ap- from its power.

peared, however, to cast himself Another lesson we may learn on Jesus for salvation, exclaim- from the above sketch; and it is ing, "Blessed be my Saviour." one, which we cannot too often At this time no danger was ap-study, or too carefully practise. prebended; though his bodily It is this; let us not delay to do sufferings, added to other circum- the good which it is in the desire stances, still prevented the exer- of our hearts and in the power of cise of prayer; but on the next our hand to do. The opportunimorning, having told his wife that ty, which is presented to-day, he should soon be quite at ease, may not be offered to-morrow. he expired. Had my friend put off his visit to From the foregoing circum- the sick cottager till the next stance a few useful hints may be morning, his visit had been paid collected. If, as we hope, a work to a lifeless corpse; the ear had of grace took place in this cot-been for ever closed against intager, it commenced, when, after struction-the heart had been the terrors of the law had been incapable of receiving converting set before him, a Saviour was and sanctifying grace through the proclaimed when Jesus was re- countless ages of eternity. presented in all his bleeding, dy- Further, we may learn from ing love, offering himself up a hence, "not to be weary of wellsacrifice for sinners. Thus mer- doing," nor to give up in despair cy won the heart, which justice the most perverse and obdurate. could not subdue. The traveller, Though often disappointed in our who only wrapped his cloak the attempt to convince and to percloser about him, while the tem-suade, let us return to the charge, pest raged, no sooner felt the as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, beams of the sun, than he cast it again and again. Though yester

day the enemy was too mighty for guilt and danger, and cause you us, to-day may be "the day of to make that confession of your God's power;" "to-day may be own vileness, which sooner or the day of God's salvation:" now later ye will be compelled to may be the accepted time;"" now make! From the example bethe prince of this world may be fore you, do ye also learn not to cast out.' Let us remember, delay the time-harden not your how long we ourselves were heart from day to day against wooed before we were won, and conviction, turn not a deaf ear to let us patiently endure the con-him that pleads the cause of tradiction of sinners, and hope Christ. In this cottager ye see even against hope. just enough to excite a languid

Lastly, ye self-righteous, see to hope: but that hope is mixed what ye must come at last. Either with a degree of doubt, of fear, in this world, or in the world to and of trembling. He died, become, ye must be forced to ac-fore it could be unquestionably knowledge yourselves, not form- evident, that his heart was indeed ally (as now perhaps ye do,) but changed, and his soul truly confeelingly and sorrowfully, "mi-verted to God. May the Lord serable sinners." Jesus will be deal more mercifully with you. exalted, and all who exalt them-While health and strength are selves against Him must be abased. allowed you, may His work of Empty forms and lifeless cere- grace begin. May ye heartily monies will nothing avail. The feel and acknowledge your deconfession of the lips, however pravity betimes, and live long to often made, if unaccompanied by glorify the Saviour, who bled to contrition of spirit, is but solemn death for sinners. So when ye mockery of God. Prayers, in depart, may your own minds be which the heart has no share, established in a full persuasion of are an abomination in His sight. entering into eternal glory, may Ye men of proud looks and not a doubt distress you, nor a stubborn spirits, whose bosoms fear sadden your soul; and thus swell with the conceit of your your friends around you will own dignity, and who claim hea-mix smiles of joy with the tears ven as the due reward of your of sorrow for your loss, and exdeeds; ye dishonour our churches, claim over your grave, "This and pollute our altars. How can our brother is happy-he died in ye offer up your prayers? Those the Lord, and he is blessed. For prayers are prepared for men of many a year his life proved that humble hearts :-to use them, he lived by the faith of the Son of while the soul is filled with self- God. He knew himself empty, righteousness, is to bring down a and therefore lived upon the Sacurse and not a blessing. God viour's fulness of grace; and now grant, that this humble sketch of he is gone to receive the end of one, who though poor in purse, his faith, even that fulness of was as proud in heart as the pleasure and glory which is at richest noble in the land, may Christ's right band for everawaken and convince you of your more!"

VOL. II....No. 6.

18