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march required his attendance at four o'clock, he would rife at two.* And that he might rife early, he would retire to reft at an early hour. It is true, fome, inftead of early rifing, have adopted the custom of fitting up late; but this is inverting the order of nature, and is, generally speaking, injurious to the human frame, and therefore not to be recommended.

Sixthly, If we form a just estimate of the value of time, we fhall also be careful to rescue it from luxury and intemperance. It would be well, for the female part of the Christian world efpecially, were they feriously to confider how many precious hours of life more than neceffity requires, are devoted to the toilette and the glafs, and, confequently, loft to every good purpofe. But I will not enlarge on this topic; left (which I by no means wish) I should seem to indulge a degree of ill-nature towards that fex, to which my own is fo much indebted. I will only remind them of St. Paul's advice: Let women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety, not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but, which becometh women professing godliness, with good works †. We should all do well to recollect how large a portion of time is too generally facrificed to the ceremonies of the table. I will not speak of thofe public occafions, on which many leap over the bounds of temperance and decency, without fhame or remorfe. In the ordinary course of life, how many perfons, instead of partaking of the bounties of Providence with moderation and gratitude, will employ whole hours in eating and drinking, as if this were the chief end of their exiftence? If you will find time to be ufeful and happy, adopt it as a general maxim not to fit too long at table.

The next rule needful to be obferved is, to guard against the encroachment of trifles. Those who are accustomed to confider attentively how life paffes on, often find that when bufinefs of importance is before them, fome trifle will impertinently force itself upon their attention, and if they be not refolutely on their guard, will steal away much of their time before they are aware. Sometimes, the thief which robs us of our precious moments is bulinefs, comparatively unimportant, fuch as ought to give place to what is of more immediate confequence. Sometimes, the fight of a picture, a book, a newspaper lying on the table, or of fome paffing object, or perhaps the found of mufic, will fo engage and fix the attention as not to leave fufficient time for the due performance of needful business. Not unfrequently the cafual influence of

Doddridge's Life of Gardiner, Sect. 50. † 1 Tim. ii. 9, 10.

trivial objects is fuch, as even to cause the entire omiffion of many of the more important duties of life; it ought therefore to be ftrongly refifted.

Eighthly. Let us adopt it as a neceffary maxim, that time hould be redeemed from unprofitable conversation. Were we to look back, and review the hours which, in one year only, we have fpent in converfation, perhaps, we fhould confider moft of them as blots in our exiftence. Many people have a beguiling way of faying nothing, or, what is worse, nothing to any good purpofe. Our aim in company should always be to communicate or to receive fome good. This may be done without affuming the character of a fullen and rigid moralift: The ufeful and agreeable fhould, if poffible, be always intermixed; but at any rate what is useful fhould not be neglected. Remember what the fcripture fays: Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt*. A good man, out of the good treasure of the heart, bringeth forth good things; and an evil man, out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. When converfation takes a proper turn, the time spent in it is not loft, but improved.

Another rule to be adopted is this: When you are walking, or riding, or engaged in such business as does not require a close application of the mind, watch over your thoughts; and learn to recal them from improper objects. The mind of man poffeffes fuch extenfive powers, that it can, in many cafes, fix itfelf on different objects, at one and the fame time. And, through the depravity of our nature, that portion of thought which is not immediately requifite to the business before us, frequently wanders after fomething that is unprofitable or injurious. Now when thefe excurfions of thought are directed to what is ufeful, there is fo much time faved. For this purpofe it is of great fervice to furnish the memory with abundance of fuch things as may be proper fubjects of reflection. A ftore of thefe may be gathered from almost every thing around us, and converted to the purposes of real improvement. Happy is he who has always at hand fome useful employment for his thoughts.

In the tenth place, I would advife my readers to gather up the fmall fragments of time. By thefe I mean thofe minutes. which we fpend in waiting for a meal, or the company of a friend, or the time of entering upon any particular business. Much may depend upon the improvement of thefe feafons. A profitable fubject of reflection, a fmall Bible, or other pocket volume, may render them truly valuable.

* Col. ix. 6.

Mat. xii, 35.

Laftly, if you would redeem the time never defer that to a future season, which ought to be done now. One to-day is worth two to-morrow, as poor Richard fays. Perhaps tomorrow may never come, or if it does, it may bring fuch cares and employments with it, as may prevent you from doing what you intend. Therefore improve the prefent hour, left you should not have another to improve. And always bear in mind the advice the Apoftle James gives: Go to now, ye that say, to-day, or to-morrow, we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain; whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow; for what is your life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away *.

Be always diligent, and be frugal of time. God is frugal of it. He gives us but a moment at a time; and always takes away one moment when he gives us another. And, if any further motive be neceffary to roufe you to diligence in redeeming the time, remember that time is the point on which eternity is fufpended. The time we spend on earth will mark our character, and fix our everlasting destiny. May every fleeting moment communicate to us a further knowledge of Jefus Chrift, and a growing activity in his fervice; that, when time fhall be no more, we may spend an eternity in adoration and praise.

IMLAH.

THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL.

1 Tim. i. 11.

T must be fo, for it is "the Gofpel of the, bleffed God." All his works are glorious. The minuteft operation of his hands exceeds all the pomp and brilliancy of courts. Even the lily furpaffes the glory of Solomon. But the Gofpel difplays REDEMPTION, the mafter-piece of the great works of God. Behold, in this glafs, the divine perfections meeting in a focos. Here wISDOM fhines with its brightest beams, making all that bears the name among men appear like folly. Here HOLINESS rears her majestic head, forcing fin itself to blufh. Here JUSTICE brandishes her glittering fword, then fmiles and returns it to the fcabbard. Here LOVE, unbounded love, pours forth her everlasting ftores, degrading all other love to the fhadow of a fhade. Here

*James, iv. 13, 14.

too, the POWER of God exerts itself in ways astonishing and , without a parallel.

But that which renders the Gospel most glorious to me, a finner, is, that it exhibits, and confers upon me, a righteoufnefs that makes me Juft. I look at the Saviour, through his whole life obeying and magnifying the holy law in my ftead. I behold him hanging on the curfed tree, bearing the intolerable load of my fins. In his righteousness, I am righteous. God accepts me in his Son. He loves me as his Son, who then fhall condemn me? For Chrift has died, and my God juftifieth.

er.

The grand effects produced by this Gofpel renders it truly glorious. It is more than the scheme of God; it is his powIt is easy to see what that system of religion is which bears divine credentials. Where the glorious Gospel is truly preached, dead fouls are quickened: They hear the voice of the Son of God, and live. This is the inftrument by which God has opened millions of blind eyes. 'Tis this has foftened hearts of adamant. This excites the fpirit of true devotion, and renders religion a privilege, not a task. This only produces love to a forgiving God, and to forgiven brethren. This effectually reforms the life, by first purifying the heart. This fupports the mourner in Zion, and adminifters a cordial to the fuffering faint. This has transformed a prifon into a palace, a ftake into a triumphal car, and a death-bed into the portal of heaven. is not this a glorious Gofpel?

BARNABAS.

BE NOT RIGHTEOUS OVER MUCH.

Eccles. vii. 7.

MANY urge this ious and habitual religion, which it is the grand aim of revelation to promote and eftablish. According to thefe men, the glory of God, folicitude for the foul, impartial refpect to the divine commands, &c. are only objects of fecondary concern. Let a Chriftian refo

ANY urge this text of Scripture, in order to difcoun

lutely adhere to his Bible, and fear to violate his confcience, and he muft, according to their fentence, fpeedily incur the unpardonable guilt of being righteous over much. But can we feriously imagine, that fome may be fo fcrupulously attentive to their duty towards God, or man, as to exceed the requifitions of the law? or do more than is contained

in that abridgment of its holy precepts, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, &c. and thy neighbour as thyself?" Alas, from the danger fuggested, the best of men feel themselves but too remote.

O Christian still walk circumspectly and humbly with thy God: Nor fear the revilings of fuch whofe hearts are enmity against God and his ways. But let the rigorous and unyielding obferver of another's fault; let the fuperftitious devotee to traditional diftinctions and obfervances; let the oftentatious, who delight to parade through the external forms of piety; and, above all, let the pharifee, who trusts in himself that he is righteous, refuting to fubmit to the righteousness of God, revealed in the Gospel for the juftification of finners-let these liften to the friendly caution, "Be not righteous over-much." Let thefe renounce the error of their way and haften for, fhelter, falvation, and holinefs, to the righteousness, atonement and grace of Jehovah Jefus. FIGULARIS.

An awful instance of wilful Apostacy.

MONGST the variety of fubjects which engage the

study of minifters, and which are edifying to private Christians, are thofe which relate to the privileges of the godly. They are unsearchable in their nature, inexhauftible in their extent, and useful in their application. It is a pleasing theme, on which believers exercife their thoughts and meditations with increafing delight and fatisfaction; but how awful the state of those who, though fpeculatively acquainted with the nature of fpiritual enjoyments, are ftrangers to the experience and power of them upon their hearts, because of their depravity and unbelief! Many perfons have a common perfuafion on their minds, formed from a knowledge of their own character, that they are excluded from having any fhare in fuch bleflings: but how thall we give credit to a narrative which is defigned to induce a belief of extraordinary agency in producing this awful perfuafion? In proof of it receive this testimony:

"As Dr. Doddridge was once difcourfing on the dignity of the Christian's calling, and his glorious hopes and prof pects, he had accidentally a man for his hearer, who after worship went into the veltry, and addreffed him in the following terms: 'You have made an excellent and encourag ing difcourfe (Dr. D.), on the privileges of the people of VOL. I.

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