his death. A while before his departure, the fervant who
attended him, on entering his room, found him in great
agitation. On inquiring the caufe, he answered, "I am a
dying man, and that which most of all effects me, is, that
I must be judged by the Carpenter's son !" An Independent
minister of known veracity, and who is now living, lately
He mentioned the
informed me of the above. He lived, he faid, in the
county of Effex foon after the event.
name of the party, and alfo of a refpectable gentleman in
the neighbourhood, from whom he received his informa-
tion, who ufed to employ the faid physician in his family.

The following recent example equally confirms the truth of our obfervation, though unaccompanied with circumftances of fo much horror.-A young ftudent, who for fome time past had been confidered as verging towards heterodox principles, in the courfe of the last year came up to London. While he refided there, his friends being ufed to hear Calviniftic preaching, would perfuade him to attend with them. He could feldom be prevailed upon to comply, and would often be talking of the dignity of human nature, and of the preference which he gave to that kind of preaching that favoured fuch ideas.—Within a few months paft he was feized with an affliction which carried him off. As he drew near his end, he was asked what he thought of the dignity of human nature now? He answered, with apparent dejection of mind, I am a poor miserable sinner, or words to this effect, and foon after expired.

GAIUS.

THE DEIST CONFOUNDed.

DEIST, on a vifit to his friends, among other topics of A converfation, was pleafed to enlarge confiderably on the fufficiency of reafon, feparate from divine affiftance, to guide us to happiness. To whom the relative prefent, who was a farmer, made the following reply: "Coufin, when you were ́ about fourteen years of age you were bound apprentice to and having ferved the appointed time, you foon became a master, and have now continued in business about I wish to know whether you could not protwelve years. fecute your trade at this time to greater advantage than when you firft embarked in it?" The tradefman admitted that his experience in bufinefs was of confiderable value to him; but afked, "What relation that had to the prefent topic of

a

difcourfe? The farmer anfwered, "You were come to the perfect ufe of your reason, and had been for a long time taught how to manage your trade; and if, therefore, your reafon without experience, was infufficient to preferve you from many errors, in fo plain and eafy a business as yours, how can you imagine that it should be fufficient, without any divine affistance, to guide you to heaven?"-The Deift was non-pluffed.

"How, forcible are right words *!"

CAUTIONS TO THE YOUNG NOT TO PRESUME ON

Dear young friends,

PERMIT

LONG LIFE.

me to take you afide for a moment from the cares and the pleasures of life, that you may seasonably reflect on the folemn feasons of ficknefs and death. It is a fubject that will not naturally court and obtain your attention, though all nature affures you that there is nothing stable on earth, that every thing which is mortal muft fade and die. Till God enlightens, till God inftructs, till God renews your minds, you will feel an inclination to caft from you thoughts which feem to fadden the heart and threaten to kill your joys.

It is therefore the more neceffary that fome friendly hand fhould frequently lead you from the giddy circle of vain mirth, and kindly conduct you to the chamber of reflection, that you may there "commune with your own heart, and be ftill:" That you may there confider the defign of life, the value of an immortal foul, the great evil of fin, the vast uncertainty of the time allotted to you on earth, the immenfe danger of being furprifed before you are prepared, and the neceffity you have of being thoughtful and careful, that you may not perish at the laft. There, there confider the love of Chrift, reflect on his fufferings for man; and ask yourselves. what returns you have made. There pray to God for a lively faith in Jefus, for repentance unto eternal life, and for a will and ability to walk before God in holinefs and righteoufnefs all your future days. Watch against all evil thoughts, all evil words, all evil actions, and all evil com

pany.

Perhaps you think it is time enough yet. But remember, you are mortal; that which is mortal muft die; that which

must die may die soon. You now feel yourfelves healthy. You are strong; you are blooming; you are flushed with life and high in fpirits. But by to morrow's dawn, you may be in the cold embrace of death. For "all flesh is grafs, and all the glory of man is as the flower of the field: The grafs foon withereth, and the flower thereof quickly falleth away." May God help you, therefore, to prepare for joys that are unfading and eternal. May the Holy Ghoft dwell in your hearts by holy love, and impart to you pleasures which the world cannot give, which death itself cannot deftroy, and which heaven will mature and perfect.

I have been led into thefe reflections by the unexpected death of Mifs C. who lately, from a state of health and vivacity, dropped into her grave before fhe had completed her 20th year. She came forth like a flower, and is cut down.

T.

PRACTICAL DIVINITY.

RULES TO BE OBSERVED BY THOSE WHO WOULD REDEEM THE TIME.

Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time; for that is the stuff life is made of ———

HE redemption of time forms no inconfiderable part of

at once the ornament and recommendation of the Chriftian character. It is therefore prefumed that any attempt to give affistance in the performance of fuch a duty will be favourably received. But before I lay down any rules for this purpose, it is neceffary to remind the reader, that we cannot hope for fuccefs in urging, or in attempting to practise this or any other branch of duty, unless our hearts be right in the fight of God. If any one therefore is defirous of receiving real advantage from the perufal of this paper, he must first of all, if it has not been already done, be brought as a finner to the mercy-feat of Chrift, to feek for pardon and ftrength. As without him, we can do nothing, it is needful for us that he fhould, by his Holy Spirit, work in us that which is well pleasing in his sight. If we are real partakers of divine grace, we fhall attend with delight even to those things, which by others would be judged extremely difficult, if not impracticable.

* John xv. 5.

To redeem the time is a duty incumbent on all, and efpe cially on fuch as make any profeffion of godlinefs. It requires both exertion and facrifice. Captives are redeemed, either by the power of the fword, or by the payment of a price for their ranfom. In the duty which now claims our attention, both thefe must be united. We muft, through the affiftance of divine grace wage perpetual war with those enemies, by which our time is held in bondage; and be difpofed to facrifice many things for its redemption.

One of the first rules to be attended to by thofe who would make the most of time, is to begin it with God. This rule is applicable, either to the whole term of life, or to any particular portion of it. How long we live, is comparatively of little moment; but to what purpofe, is important indeed. Some young Chriftians have, in the fpace of a fhort life, done more for God than many an aged profeffor of religion. The way to imitate them is to devote our early days to the fervice of Chrift; and to feek his continual aid and protecti on. Some particular portions of life are probably devoted to fome special undertaking, as ftudy, or bufinefs. It would be well if at, or even before our entrance upon thefe purfuits, we were to lay the affair before God, confefling our unfkilfulness, and imploring his direction and bleffing. In deed, we should carry this into practice every day. I will venture to appeal to the experience of all good men for a decifion on this point. Whether, generally speaking, those days are not the most happy, and, in one way or other, the most profperous, which have been ushered in by fecret prayer and praise.

A fecond rule to be observed here is, to act always according to some regular plan. This fhould be attended to with refpect to both our earthly and our heavenly concerns. He who runs at random, or leaves his conduct entirely to the chance of the moment, will fometimes fcarcely know whether he is in the beginning or the middle, or at the end of his business. Some people feem always bufy, always in a hurry; and yet they never do much, for want of a proper arrangement of their business. A wife man will form fome extenfive plans, which will include a large fpace of life, and others again in fubordination to these, and at the fame time will look to God, as much as if he acted without any forethought at all. Suppofe any particular object to require feven years' attention; is it not poffible to arrange, at leaft in fome degree, the bufinefs of each year, of each month, of each week, and of each day in that period? I do not say that thefe fubordinate plans can all be formed at once; but they ought to be formed time

enough to prevent confufion or delay. He who thus act will do much more, and with much greater case, in any given time, than any other perfon on earth.

I lay it down as a third rule, that we should guard against the criminal love of pleasure. However we may be indifpofed to credit it; yet the remark which St. Paul makes is really true, She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth*. In the truth of this faying all perfons are deeply interested. The amusements of the world are, in general, murderers of time, and ensnaring and deftructive to the foul. To fuch as with to be eminently devoted to God, I would fay of them, Touch not, taste not, handle not. I take it for granted that a real Chriftian cannot be a gamefter. But any recreation whatever, though in itself innocent, may, in certain circumftances, prove an occafion of guilt. Fondness for any of them is apt to increase, unless it be ftrictly guarded againft, and to rob us of many an hour that ought to be devoted to nobler ends.

A fourth rule worthy of notice is, to watch and pray against indolence. An indolent habit will often effectually prevent a man from entering even upon his worldly business with fpirit. Such a character will linger, and hesitate, and look about him, till he scarcely has time enough to do what neceffity requires of him. He has no leifure, and very often no difpofition, to do any thing elfe that might be useful. How frequently has mere idlenefs kept many a profeffor away from religious duties! Were they induftrious in their callings, they might hear many a fermon, and enjoy many an opportunity of doing fomething for God, of which their indolence deprives them. When tempted to fuch a shameful prostitution of our time, we fhould call to mind the apostle's advice, Be not slothful in business ; fervent in spirit; serving the Lordt.

Another rule to be obferved is, not to indulge ourselves in excessive sleep. Solomon fays, love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread. He who loves fleep, otherwife than as a neceffary refreshment, if he be not poor in a temporal fenfe, yet is poor indeed in the fight of God. He will feldom have opportunity for morning prayer or meditation. Colonel Gardiner's conduct in this refpect, ought to put all drowsy profeffors to the blush. It was his invariable practice to ipend the two first hours of every day in fecret devotion. His ufual cuftom was to rife at fix; but if a journey or a

* 1 Tim. c. 6.

Rom. xii. 11.

Prov. xx. 13.