but that the earth was watered by a mist; hence, the rainbow was a new phenomenon to Noah. However, it is certain it was used as the sign of the covenant to this second parent of the human race; that while the earth remained, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease;' and that the waters shall no more deluge the earth. Let us look upon the bow, and praise Him that made it! and, while we behold this beautiful and magnificent symbol of the covenant, remember His faithfulness and mercy and let it direct our atwho has fixed his bow in the clouds; tention to that great Redeemer, whose throne appeared to the prophet in vision encircled with a rainbow, as expressive of our dependence upon him for preservation, and of his fixed engagements to his people to save them from the fiery deluge of divine wrath! And let the believer reflect, in a season of affliction, that his Bow is still in the clouds; and that often after storms of trial, and frequently in the midst of them, Jehovah gives the surest and most delightful tokens of his grace and truth.

Still round thy throne the Rainbow shines,

Fair emblem of thy kind designs!

Bright pledge that speaks thy cov'nant sure,
Long as thy kingdom shall endure.

No more shall deluges of woe

Thy new-created world o'erflw!
Jesus, our Sua, his beams displays,

And gilds the clouds with beauteous rays!
No gems so bright! no form so fair!
Mercy and Truth still triumph there.
Thy saints shall bless the peaceful sign
When stars and suns forget to shine.
E'en here, while storms and gloomy shade,
And horrors all the scene o'erspread,
Faith views the throne with piercing eye,
And boasts the Rainbow still is nigh!

TO YOUTHS DURING THEIR APPRENTICESHIP. Dear youth,

ONE who wishes your truest welfare, begs your attention for a few minutes; and will thank you to take this paper into your chamber at your first leisure moment, and give it a serious perusal. The present period of your life is very important and dangerous: I say important, because I have observed, that usually it is during this period young men take their cast for life; yea, their character for eternity! and Oh! is it not important indeed, what that character shall be! whether it shall be that of an honourable, respectable, useful, and happy man; or that of a degraded, disingennous, injurious, and miserable being? Does not the contrast strike your own mind, and excite

an ardent desire that the former and not the latter may be yours Your conscience, however, at once decides. May God enable you to follow its decision! But, I said, the present period of your life is also dangerous. Yes; we who have passed it, review its dangers with great alarm for you. The great adversary of souls goes about seeking to destroy you; but he works by means, and these are various and many. Yours is the age of the passions; I mean the period at which they are usually most powerful in their operation, and the judgment often too wavering and weak. The most serious and thoughtful, therefore, view you like a small vessel sailing on the sea of the world, amidst rocks and quicksands, and liable to be assailed by sudden gusts of temptation, with little ballast and much sail; and they tremble lest you should be overset, and prove a wreck their emotions excite this prayer for you, Guide them, O! thou great Jehovah!'

Yes, there is danger from without and from within. At the former I have already glanced; but many temptations may assail you, or subtilly insinuate themselves, of which you perhaps little think every situation has some; but one, if successful, may ruin you for both worlds! You view some of them with horror, and think yourselves incapable of a compliance, and are ready to say, Is thy servant a dog that he should be capable of such wickedness? But listen to the suggestions of divine truth, and be assured that you are not proof against any temptation but as you depend on God; but at the same time remember, that if you would, indeed, avoid the danger, it must be by abstaining from all appearance of evil :-here is the means of safety. If once you look on the forbidden thing, or listen to the suggestion of a wicked companion, or allow yourself to trifle with the temptation, you are just on the rock, and it is much if you do not dash against it. This advice is of infinite importance, for it will be still more useful in opposing the temptations from within; and these are even more dangerous; for out of the unrenewed heart proceed evil thoughts, corrupt inclinations, powerful youthful lusts, which war against the safety, the purity, the present peace, the fature and eternal welfare of the soul! Flee therefore youthful lasts,' and all the occasions by which they may be excited; make a covenant with your eyes,' and let no guilty object be allowed to dwell in your imagination; keep your heart with all diligence; and remember that the kind Saviour sought your happiness when he said, If thy right eye make thee to offend, pluck it out;' for it is better for thee that one of thy members should perish, than, &c. O! dread every species of secret impurity: it often undermines the health of the body, it endangers, and, if indulged, will ruin the soul; it will render you the subject of secret remorse, and make a wound in your conscience which will agonize it hereafter, by the most painful reflections.

6

6

1

O! listen, whenever tempted, to the first suggestions of conscience, and remember that its voice is the voice of God.

But there are particular temptations, perhaps, arising out of your situation as an apprentice,-against which let me give you seasonable and affectionate warning and advice. You may be tempted to idleness: this, however, is not only unsuitable to the youthful period, and inconsistent with your duty, but baneful inits influence both to body and mind; and it is a source of other temptations, for it is always true that Satan finds some mischief still, for idle hands to do.' Let Diligent in business be your constant molto, and remember,-it is far safer to be even overworked, than not to have enough to do. Idleness,' too, will clothe a man with rags.'

But in your situation you may be tempted to dishonesty. This has brought many a youth to an untimely end. Never! O! never, allow yourself to think of making free with what is not your own! flee from the appearance of this evil, and watch against what leads to it, the indulgence of a squeamish ́appetite for dainties, and love of dress and show, which is a still more usual source of this temptation. Dishonesty leads to falsehood and deceit to cover itself; and against this, as one of the most degrading vices, let me particularly warn you. Ingenuousness and love of truth are some of the most natural and lovely traits in any, but especially a youthful character. Let those, therefore, always mark your whole conduct. O! I love to hear a master say, 'There is one thing I like in that lad,-we never found him equivocating, or denying a fault! we can always depend on his word.' Indeed, particular templations arise from particular circumstances, which cannot all be enumerated; but watch and pray,' lest you be betrayed by any; and, as the great antidote to all, pray for a tender conscience and an obedient heart; and remember, wherever you are or whatever you do, that the eye of God is upon you; and that for each action he will bring you into judgment.' Listen not to the instruction that causeth to err from the paths of wisdom and integrity. Let not the sneer of infidel-wit make you ashamed of doing what conscience and the word of God dictate; nor let the solicitation of wicked young persons draw you into evil: If sinners entice thee, consent thou not; but let a noble, circumspect conduct, above all suspicion, witness for you that you fear God.'

Consider, dear youth, that thus you will escape a thousand poisoned darts which pierce the hearts of sinners; thus you will find a peace that passeth understanding; thus you will establish for yourself a character which will be of more valute to you than money; thus you will be the joy of your parents and friends and, believing in the Saviour, and walking by his commands, you will please God,' which is the highest object at which you can aim. O! that you may fear him from your youth; enjoy

his smiles through life, and, having lived to him, obtain his final plaudit!

6

I am unwilling to suppose that any one of you into whose hands these lines may fall, has been so unhappy as to have broken through the restraints of your education, the advices of friends, or the remonstrances of conscience; but perhaps this may have been the case, and you feel the severest self-reproach. My heart pities thee, dear youth; but, O! do not say I have loved idols, and after them I will go!' No, no; rather stop, instantly stop; regard not the laugh of your wicked companions, nor the solicitations of secret lusts; flee, flee at once to God; plead for pardon through a Saviour's bloed; cry to God for his strength to enable you to break the net in which you have been taken; be not ashamed to say I have sinned;' I have tasted the forbidden fruit; but though it was sweet in my mouth, it is bitter in reflection;- sin deceived me, and slew mc.' Up, prodigal, and return to thy Fatlrer, and dare to tell your companions in sin by your conduct, that he who pursues lying vanities forsakes his own mercies; and that Religion's ways alone are pleasantness and peace.

6

Dost thou know the Lord, and fear to offend him? O! bless his name who has put his fear into your heart, and let not any part of your temper or conduct reproach your religious profession; you are a light set on an hill;' let your whole deportment be such as shall recommend the Saviour and his easy yoke to others. Keep near to God in secret prayer; read your Bible daily, and lay up some portion of it in your memory every morning, as a theme for your thoughts at evory leisure moment through the day; prize your Sabbaths,-they are golden opportunities; be ready to give to every one that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear;' avoid ostentation, and let humility shew your whole character to be the growth of sterling principle. Walk with God. May He keep you from falling, and present you before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy! So prays your sincere friend,

Evangelicana.

SENEX.

MR. W a respectable Calvinistic minister in R, being visited by a young candidate for the ministry on Sunday, invited him to preach. The young gentleman readily consented, and delivered an ingenious Arminian sermon, though his prayer was very Calvinistic. When the service was over, Mr. W thanked him for his kindness, praised him for his Logenuity, but told him that, as they did not agree in sentiment, he could not invite him to preach again; but, continued he, I have a favour to ask of you: When you go home, will you sit down and write a prayer, to agree with the sentiments you have this day been preaching? will you commit

it to memory, go into your closet, and repeat it to God? The young man promised to do it. Accordingly, when he went home, he wrote the prayer, committed it to memory, went into his closet, and attempted to repeat it? but found, through the power of conscience, that he could not.

A few years afterwards he came again to Mr. W. Mr. W. soon recollected him, and received him very cordially. The young gentleman offered to preach for him; Mr. W. at last reluctantly consented. Accordingly, the young gentleman went into the pulpit, and, to the great astonishment of Mr. W. delivered a sound, sensible, Calvinistic sermon. When the service was over, Mr. W. asked him why he had altered his sentiments: the young gentleman asked him, if he did not recollect a favour he had, a few years ago, requested of him; and being answered in the affirmative, he related the circumstances, and added, that, being greatly agitated as well as surprized, he had carefully examined his sentiments, and had reasoned thus with himself:-Can it be proper for me to preach to a congregation what I cannot offer up in prayer to God?

To this Anecdote may be added what Dr. Owen says, in his Doctrine of Justification,' &c. It has been often observed, that the school-men themselves, in their meditations and devotional writings, speak a language quite different from that which they use in their disputes and controversies; and I had rather learn what men really think on this head from their prayers than from their writings. Nor do I remember that I ever heard any good man, in his prayers, use any expressions about justification, wherein any thing of self-righteousness was introduced. Nor have I

observed that any public Liturgies (the Mass-Book excepted) guide men, in their prayers before God, to plead any thing for their acceptance with him, or as the means or condition thereof,-but grace, mercy, the righteousness and blood of Christ alone *.'

* See p. 8, &c. Quarto edition. age 6, Burder's Abridgment.

Extracts from the Diary of an Eminent Minister, lately deceased. Nov. 1761. Being al ne, I felt an earnest desire of knowing that I had an interest in the special favour of God. I thought, that if I could make it out that I loved God, I might safely infer my interest in his favour. The evidences then of my loving God, which I am persuaded I have had, were, 1. Delight in thinking of God. 2. Fear to offend him. 3. A desire to be with him.-Thinking on these things was attended with comfort.

In company, I found a person observing too closely my inaccuracies to he very agreeable, though that person was known to be a man of great knowledge.-Learn from hence, not to discover before company the fault of any person present, unless the honour of God require it.

Dec. I was in company with a lad of about seventeen years, as expert in sin as the oldest sinner; who repeated past sins with great delight: no shame nor fear could silence him.-Learn, if the servants of Satan are not ashamed to speak and act 'for their Master in the presence of the servants of God, surely, God's servants ought not to be ashamed nor afraid when in the presence and company of the Devil's servants.

On Lord's Day my mind was borne down with a sense of my unpreparedness for the work of the day; my fears arose so high, as greatly to affect my body. This fear, as to its nature, was an apprehension of being left to barrenness in the work of the day. Its cause was viewing the greatness of the work and the weakness of my own abilities, without looking to God. Its cure I thought must be, a view of the Lord's ability to help me, and a reliance on him for aid. I went to meeting in the depth of fear, but the Lord did not leave me in it after his service began; for both in prayer and preaching I enjoyed unusual liberty. After this, my proud heart was too much elated; and the Lord very justly left me to great contractedness in the afternoon,

L