“ Another method to amend the times is, by removing the cause of our evils. I do not mean removing ministers, or dethroning kings—this remedy has been tried from the beginning of the world, and has been eminently unsuccessful, since things go on worse than ever-so it is said. Whoever be the instrument, the cause of national evil is the anger of God: we need but read the Bible history to be fully assured of this. The people sinned, then God allowed their rulers to do wrong ; and then he visited the wrong upon the people. Whether our rulers act wisely or otherwise, we are not always so good judges as we think ourselves; but a mistake on this point would be of no consequence, if whenever we think them wrong, we received it as a mark of God's displeasure, and proceeded to consider how we have provoked his anger, and how best we may appease it. It would be encouraging to think, when we hear Christians discussing the measures of Government, that such are the conclusions at which they desire to come, that if they discover the measures to be good, they mean to thank God for his guidance and blessing; and if they determine them to be bad, they mean to deprecate his anger by repentance and prayer. Political Unions on such grounds would be an excellent instrument to mend the times; and without a union, something may be done. The sins of a nation are but the aggregate of the sins of individuals, and individual repentance would make a penitent nation; beside, we can ask pardon and grace for others as well as for ourselves; and the eftectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.'' VARIETIES. THE TRIBULATION OF A CHRISTIAN.—The Christian is not exempted from worldly difficulties. It happens to him, as to others, to meet with what are termed misfor tunes, to be deprived of the friends which make life dear to him, to be depressed by poverty, to be afflicted by sickness, to suffer under pain. It is not by setting him free from the common lot of human nature, from the punishment which followed the great transgression; it is not thus that God makes manifest his favour towards him. But he makes it manifest in another way—by cheering him in his poverty, by supporting him in his sickness, by comforting him in his afflictions. As after the deluge he made a covenant with Noah, and set his bow in the sky for a token that, though there might be clouds and storms, yet there should be a limit to them, and the waters should no more utterly overwhelm the earth : so he treats his servants in their griefs; he sheweth them the token of his covenant, the sunshine of his mercy breaks through the clouds which overhang them, and they are enabled to say, “ It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good.” Then most especially is the promise fulfilled—“If any man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” Many have experienced the truth of this, and have avowed that the time of their heaviest earthly sorrow has been the season of their greatest spiritual comfort. God has so visited and refreshed them, so lightened the darkness of their affliction, so smoothed the pillow of their sickness, that they have forgotten their griefs, and found in his presence the fulness of joy. They have that in themselves which raises them above this world, with all its changes, and reverses, and fears, and sorrow—even their faith. “In the world they may have tribulation,” but still they are of good cheer, for He whom they believe has “ overcome the world.”—Dr. J. B. Sumner, Bishop of Chester. John Newton.—“I see in this world,” said John Newton, “ two heaps of human happiness and misery; now, if I can take but the smallest bit from one heap, and add to the other, I carry a point. If, as I go home, a child dropped a half-penny, and if by giving to it another I can wipe away its tears, I feel that I have done something, and I should be glad indeed to do greater things, but I will not neglect this.” DUPES TO OURSELVES.-We are greater dupes to our own weakness than to the skill of others; and the successes gained over us by the designing, are usually nothing more than the prey taken from those very snares we have laid ourselves. One man falls by his ambition, another by his perfidy, a third by his avarice, and a fourth by his lust; what are these but so many nets, watched, indeed, by the fowler, but woven by the victim ?-Lacon. THE HYPOCRITE COMPARED TO A SAWYER,—I cannot see two sawyers work at the pit, but they put me in mind of the Pharisee and the Publican; the one casts his eye upward, whilst his actions tend to the pit infernal: the other standing with a dejected countenance, whilst his hand and heart move upward. 'Tis not a shame to make show of our profession, so we truly profess what we make show of: but of the two, I would rather be good and not seem so, than seem good, and not be so. The Publican went home to his house justified rather than the Pharisee. POETRY. THE COMER. He is coming, He is coming, when the light begins to dawn, And the sleepers' eyes unclose on the glories of the morn, When the Christian rises thankfully and turns aside to pray For grace, and sweet tranquillity throughout the breaking day; When the world puts on its working dress, and men begin to stir, Oh! little think they of the doom that soon awaiteth her. He is coming when the artisan is at his mid-day toil THE DAY'S EVIL AND ANTIDOTE. He thou trustest will bestow. “ In these lines I was forcibly reminded that my duty as a Christian was with the present, and not with the future—“sufficient for the day is the evil thereof,” When God sees fit really to send affliction upon his children, he will send strength sufficient for the trial-my faith was strengthened in the Lord. In a review of my duty to him, I found the comfort I had before sought in vain. These lines became my constant companion, faithfully pointing to a never-failing support."-Bedell's Life. Address to a Sunday School Christian Contentment .... |