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."

I HATE VAIN THOUGHTS.

GUARD well thy thoughts, for they are heard in heaven. All the elementary principles of moral conduct may be found in the thoughtsthey are the seeds of action-the faint lineaments of good or evil-the ground-work of the whole picture of human life. The whole current of mortality flows from these little fountains, which retire inwardly, until lost in the secret chambers of mind and perception. The wretch that trembles before the bar of insulted justice, who is horror struck while faithful witnesses are developing his turpitude, and while he expects from the lips of the judge the sentence of the law which has no ears to listen to his supplications, may trace back all his guilt and wretchedness to his

thoughts. The murderer; whose hands have been stained with the blood of his fellow-man, who pitied not the cries of his victim when about to strike the last fatal blow, and who survived his deed of death only to die more hideously, first by the gnawings of his own conscience, and then by the stern hand of retributive justice, may thank his thoughts for all this horrid consummation. He who has linked crime with crime, making one enormity necessary to cover another, until he has passed a concatenation of revolting atrocities, may find the first link of the chain in his thoughts. The apostate from his God, who once carried a high profession, and seemed to outstrip the foremost in zeal and diligence; but who now grovels in vice, and finds his companions among the groundlings of sensuality, the scandal of his profession, and the grief of his friends, may find the commencement of his infamy and defection in his thoughts. Ye candidates for immortality, "How long shall your vain thoughts lodge within you?"

ASSURANCE.

THERE are often calm, fair days without storm, though it be not so clear sunshine; and in such days a man may travel comfortably. I would have Christians called off from a perplexing overpressing of this point of their particular assurance. If we were more studious to please God, forgetting ourselves, we should find him remember us the more; yet we should not do so for this neither, but simply for himself. In a word, this is thy wisdom; mind thy duty and refer to him thy comfort.

RELIGIOUS OBSERVATIONS.

As rivers and fountains proceed from the sea, and return thither again; so true grace in the heart, as a fountain, sends forth all its streams towards God, the ocean from whence it flowed.

Christian graces are like perfumes; the more they are prest, the sweeter they smell; like stars that shine brightest in the dark; like trees, the more they are shaken, the deeper root they take, and the more fruit they bear.

As snow is of itself cold, yet warms and refreshes the earth; so afflictions, though in themselves grievous, yet keep the soul of the Christian warm, and make it fruitful.

The casting down of our spirits in true humility, is but like throwing a ball on the ground, which makes it rebound the higher towards hea

ven.

As worldly joys end in sorrow, so godly sorrow ends in joy.

As it sometimes rains when the sun shines; so there may be joy in a saint's heart when there are tears in his eyes.

Confession of sin should come like water from a spring that runs freely; and not like water from a still, that is forced by the fire of affliction.

As the way to stop bleeding, is by opening a vein, so the way to stop unreasonable sorrow is to turn it against sin.

Sin is like a bee, with honey in its mouth, but a sting in its tail.

Many a man shifts his sins as men do their clothes; they put off one to put on another: this is but waiting upon the devil in a new livery.

The pleasure of sin is like a draught of sweet poison.

As the fly, that plays about the candle, doth often burn its wings at last; so the Christian that parleys with temptations is in danger of having the wings of his soul so shortened by the fiery darts of the devil, that he will not be able to rise again towards heaven, till God shall give him renewed affections.

As Noah's dove could find no rest for the sole of her foot, so the spirit of God can find no residence in that heart which is deluged in sin.

Our conscience is a fire within us, our sins as the fuel; therefore, instead of warming, it will scorch us; unless the fuel be removed, or the heat of it allayed by penitential tears.

All true Christians must be like Noah's ark, that was pitched within and without. They must have a holy inside, and a holy outside; their profession and practice must agree together.

They that are professors only, and make a show for sinister ends, are like Orpah; in times of affliction they will kiss their mother and be gone; they will soon take leave of the church of God. But they that are true Christians, are like Ruth; they will cleave to her, stay by her, live and die with her, and never depart from her.

As it is not putting on a gown that makes a scholar, but the inward habits of the mind; so it is not putting on an outward cloak of profession, that makes a Christian, but the inward grace of the heart.

As Noah's dove found no footing but in the ark; so a Christian finds no contentment but in Christ. Our hearts are like instruments of music well tuned; they will make no melody in the ear of

God, unless they be gently touched by the finger of the spirit.

Christians' hearts are as iron; if they be once made hot with the love of God, they will more easily be joined together in love to one another.

As the sun ripens and sweetens fruit by shining upon them, without which they would be sour and unsavoury; so it is the sunshine of God's love and favour that sweetens all earthly blessings, without which they would be but crosses and curses to them that possess them.

God's mercies are as cords to draw us to him; but our sins are as sharp as swords that cut those cords.

Outward comforts are like the rotten twigs of a tree; they may be touched, but if they are trusted to, or rested upon, they will certainly deceive and fail us.

As cankers breed in the sweetest roses, so pride may arise out of the sweetest duties.

A zealous soul without meekness, is like a ship in a storm, in danger of wrecks. A meek soul, without zeal, is like a ship in a calm, that moves not so fast to its harbour as it ought.

SERIOUS ADVICE TO YOUTII.

CHOOSE God for your portion; remember that he is the only happiness of a rational and immortal soul. The soul that was made for God can find no happiness but in God; it came from God, and can never be happy but by returning to him again, and resting in him. " Arise, for this is not your rest." "If ye be then risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where