banks and drown the country; so we, receiving from the ocean of all goodness whatsoever fulness we have of grace and virtue, the praises and glory due to them are, by humble acknowledgement and thanksgiving, to return to Him that gave them. But if we shall wax unthankful and refuse to pay the tribute due, and show our rebellion against our great Lord by encroaching upon His right, thinking to grow rich by robbing Him and keeping all to our own use, these gifts thus retained will make us but swell with pride, and breaking down the banks of modesty and humility, will not only empty us of all grace and goodness, but make all our good parts we have hurtful and pernicious. And thus it is that the not giving God that which is God's, the not returning praise to God for grace received, is the ready way to be graceless.—Ïb.

GOD THE PROPER AGENT IN ALL THINGS.

The scribe is said more properly to write than the pen. And he that maketh and keepeth the clock, is more properly said to make it go and strike, than the wheels and peyzes that hang upon it, and every workman to effect his work rather than the tools which he useth. So the Lord, who is the chief agent and mover in all actions, may be more fitly and properly said to effect and bring to pass all things which are done in the earth, than any inferior or subordinate causes, as meat to nourish us, clothes to keep us warm, the sun to lighten us, friends to provide for us, seeing they are but his tools and instru ments, but as they are ruled and guided by the power and providence of so Heavenly a workman.-Ib.

SUBMISSION TO THE WISDOM OF GOD AS CONCERNING OUTWARD WORLDLY THINGS.

Look upon a child; he taketh no care for himself, but resteth contented with that position and allowance which his loving father allotteth to him, because he knoweth that his father's discretion exceedeth his, and if being sick we be content to receive upon the physician's bare word, not only those things which we affect, but even bitter pills and unpleasing potions which we loath and abhor, because we know his skill exceeds ours, he is much better able to direct us for the recovery of our health. Then how much rather should we lay aside care, and rely upon the allowance of our Heavenly Father. How much rather should we trust this Spiritual Physician whose skill and faithfulness never failed. We, in our foolish appetite, desire worldly honours, but He, in His wisdom, denieth them, because He knoweth they are but windy meats, which would not nourish our souls, but puff us up with pride; we affect worldly riches, but He withholdeth them because He well seeth they would be a means to make us poor in grace. We doat upon carnal pleasures, but He keepeth them from us, because He knoweth our liquorish and greedy appetite would easily surfeit them, and so loose our spiritual strength and health, if not our bodily also. And, therefore, why should not we be content to want those things, which, if they would not bring more hurt than good, more loss than profit, our Heavenly Father and wise Physician would not have denied them to us ?-Ib.

WORLDLY THINGS DISPENSED BY GOD IN WISDOM.

There is no wise physician gives the same physic to all patients, or in the same proportion; but he fitteth it in quantity and quality to every one's need, giving to one a pill to purge him, to another a cordial to restore him; one must be lanced, another must be healed; one must have sauce to quicken his appetite, another must fast it out, and be cured by abstinence. And thus the Lord in wisdom dealeth with the sons of men; He giveth that allowance to every one which He knows most requisite for them, respecting the persons of none, but doing good unto all as their state and conditions require. One man is bettered by liberty, another by restraint; one being ingenious by nature is made better by benefits; another of a more servile disposition becomes worse, and is only mended with threats and punishments. One man is fit to be rich, another to be poor; one for the court, another for the cart. Thus every one hath his portion, every one his station, allotted by God in His wisdom and goodness.-Ib.

HOW TO READ WITH PROFIT.

As it is not the best way for any that intendeth to make himself a good statesmen, to ramble and run over in his travels many countries, seeing much and making use of little, for the improving of his knowledge and experience in state policy, but rather to stay so long in each place till he have noted those things which are best worthy his observations; so it is also in the travels and studies of the mind, by which, if we would be bettered in our judgments and affections, it is not our best course to run over many things slightly, taking only such a general view of them, somewhat increasing our speculative knowledge, but to rest upon the points we read, that we may imprint them on our memories, and work them into our hearts and affections for the increase of saving knowledge; then shall we find that one good book, often read and thoroughly pondered, will more profit than by running over a hundred in a superficial manner.—Ib.

THE GREAT BENEFIT OF DEVOTION AT BED-TIME.

Ovens that have been baked in over night, are easily heated the next morning. The cask that was well seasoned in the evening, will smell the next day. The fire that was well raked up when we went to bed, will be the sooner kindled when we rise. Thus if in the evening we spend ourselves in the examination of our hearts, how we have spent the time past, and commit ourselves to the good guidance of God for the time to come, we shall soon find the spiritual warmth thereof, making us able and active for all good duties in the morning, and by adding some new fuel to this holy fire, we shall, with much facility and comfort, cause it to burn and blaze in all the Christian and religious duties.-Guide to Godliness.

HOW TO BEHAVE OURSELVES IN THE HEARING OF GOD'S WORD. It were a great unmannerliness for a man that is invited to a solemn feast to rise before the table is taken away, unless in case of

sickness, weakness, or some important affair; and it were a high contempt even to the most inferior judicature, that a man being lawfully summoned thither would depart without license till the court was risen; and shall men dare to sneak out of the Church before the sermon be ended, or make haste away after the sermon be ended, rushing out (like prisoners, or school boys when the doors are open) without craving a blessing of God, or attending the blessing from God by the mouth of His minister. If this be not contempt of God's word and commandments, let any man judge.-Ib.

LAWFUL RECREATION,--THE BENEFIT THEREOF.

The strings of a lute let down and remitted, do sound sweeter when they are raised again to their full pitch, and fields being every year sowed, become at length very barren, but being sometimes laid fallow, repay the husbandman's patience with double increase. So our bodies and minds, if they have no remission from labours, will make but dull music, and if we do not sometimes let them lie fallow, and give them a summer tilth of seasonable recreation they will soon become barren and fruitless.-Ib.

THE BENEFIT OF MEDITATION AS TO THE MOLLIFYING OF THE HEART.

Wax when it is laid in cold places becomes so hard and stiff that it will break rather than bow; but being laid in the sun becomes soft and pliable, fit for any impression. So when we neglect the duty of meditation on good things, our hearts being changed from God, wax hard and obdurate; but when by meditation we draw nigh unto Him, the beams of His favour shining upon our hearts do make them soft and flexible, and fit for any holy impression that He shall be pleased to stamp upon them.-Ib.

NATURAL WANTS AND WEAKNESSES NOT TO BE OBJECTED AGAINST THE PRACTICE OF DIVINE MEDITATION.

Men that are sick and weakly in their bodies do not altogether abstain from food and physic, but rather use them, that they may recover their strength again, and though their appetite is small, yet they force themselves, that by taking a little and little they may get a stomach. Shall a man that is dim-sighted shut the windows because the house is dark? Shall he not rather open them to let in the light that he may the better see to go about his business? And the colder a man feels himself the more needful he thinks it to come to the fire and warm himself, to use some exercise that so he may recover his natural heat. Thus, in like manner, the sight of our own natural wants and weaknesses is not sufficient plea to bar us from the exercise of Divine meditation, but rather incite us thereunto, it being an excellent means to clear up our sight, to enlighten our minds with more knowledge to get spiritual health and strength, and to warm our cold and frozen hearts, that so by God's assistance we may perform service unto him with more heat of godly zeal, and fervour of devotion.-Ib.

CONSTANCY IN HOLY DUTIES MAKES THE PERFORMANCE OF THEM EASY.

It is easy to keep that armour bright which is daily used, but hanging by the walls till it be rusty it will take some time and pains to furbish it over again. If an instrument be daily played upon, it is easily kept in tune, but let it be but awhile neglected, and cast in a corner, the strings and frets break, the bridge flies off, and no small labour is required to bring it into order again. And thus also it is in things spiritual, in the performance of holy duties; if we continue them with a settled constancy, they will be easy, familiar, and delightful to us; but if once broken off, and intermitted, it is a new work to begin again, and will not be reduced to the former estate, but with much endeavour and great difficulty.-Ib.

THE COMFORTLESS HYPOCRITE.

As a man can have very small comfort to be thought by the world to be rich because he hath a shop full of wares, and driveth a great trade, when in the mean time he knows, poor man, that he is worse than nothing, and oweth much more than he is worth, or because he maketh a counterfeit show of rich wares, when he hath nothing but empty boxes with false inscriptions, or but pieces of wood and brickbats, made up in paper, instead of silks or other costly wares. So it is with all those that seem to be religious, that make a goodly shew of godliness, yet in in the mean time are very bankrupts in grace, and like one of Solomon's fools, that boast themselves of great riches, when they are indeed exceeding poor, but cui bono? Why do they so? What get they by it. What comfort reap they by it? None at all, their consciences bearing them witness that they are none such as the world takes them to be.-Preparation to the Sacrament.

TEMPTATIONS FROM WITHIN OR WITHOUT,-HOW TO BE DEALT WITH.

If a man finds weeds growing in his garden and naturally springing out of his own ground, he taketh much pains to weed them out; but if he seeth that they have no rooting there, and are only cast over the walls by some ill-willer, he careth not much for it, because he can, with as small pains, cast them out again, as they took that cast them in. So if we perceive that the weeds of temptation are rooted to our sinful nature, and spring up from our corrupt flesh, we must take the more care and pains to weed them out; but if they be only injected by the malice of Satan, we are not to be so much moved therewith, but to cast them out of our minds and hearts as often and as easily as he cast them in.

Leeds.

J. HIRST,

Tarrative.

DAYLIGHT; OR, THE REVELATION OF CHARACTER. By the Author of "John Wimbleton."

CHAPTER III.

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE.

"The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.”—DAVID.

Ir has been stated that young Fairborne was in the habit of coming to Greasy's now and then, to stay a few days or weeks. Not that he at all enjoyed Mr. Greasy's company, or his home, upon the whole. He would prefer, when he came into the neighbourhood, staying at Mr. Chester's, a gentleman of very ample means, who lived a short distance from Kingsly. This Mr. Chester was an acquaintance, and almost a friend, of his father's, and, indeed, was to have been one of the executors, but was pushed off by the lawyer in favour of Greasy. Mr. Chester had some suspicion of this, which led him to cast a kindly eye on the youth, both from friendly recollection of his father, and regard for his future welfare. He, therefore contrived to get young Fairborne to stay with him occasionally, and as he had a son and daughter growing up, the home was the more enticing to him. Besides, though Mr. Chester was not a professor of religion, he was an orderly, open-hearted, intelligent, and well-conducted man.

Mr. Greasy did not at all like the young man going there, and prevented it as far as he could, without the opposition being seen. Many reasons for this lived in great force in his mind. He had his own schemes in regard to the future of his young ward, which were all fastened to his own interest; and he was always afraid of them being disturbed by the interference, or even suggestions, of Mr. Chester.

The young man too, on the other hand, felt himself under a sort of awe of Mr. Greasy, and did not dare to go in direct opposition to his will; so that there were mutual suspicions, checks, and succumbings.

Mr. Fairborne is now at Mr. Greasy's, as it was intimated he was likely to be, by John Roberts, in the first chapter. After breakfast, Mr. Greasy, addressing his guest, said-" You will excuse my company a short time-an hour or so. I have a little matter in hand, that requires prompt attention. There is a dispute between two neighbours, and what is singular, two widows, about property left them by their husbands. What a pity it is that these disputes should arise! They generally spring out of a selfish disposition,stickling so about rights. O, what beautiful and brilliant gems kindness and charity are, and how they set off the human character! I am going to survey a ditch, and make a plan of it for the inspection of the court; for I fear it will come to a trial."