Then (v. 6—14,) follows an awful appeal to the people, whether it is possible that the Lord should overlook such universal and daring iniquity? And (v. 15-17,) he describes the mighty ministers of vengeance, whom he will let loose upon them, as the instruments of his wrath, and foretells the desolation and captivity they shall bring upon the land.

"This prediction," says Wogan," has long since been accomplished on the unhappy Jews, whom it immediately concerned; but are there not still some bitter dregs in the cup of God's wrath, for all ungodly and hardened sinners to drink? Doubtless. God still has, and ever will have, his armies in reserve to destroy the wicked. Not only Chaldeans, men like ourselves, may be brought upon us, when he commands, to destroy, and to devour. But if he please to let loose our very lusts and passions; who can resist so numerous, so terrible an host? These are our antient enemies, the Aborigines and first natives of our wretched nature, Amorites and Anakims; who can stand against them? Their language is confusion; their fiery darts devour like the grave; their insatiable appetites eat up all our substance, and consume our wealth. For what is so expensive as pride? what so wasteful as luxury and excess? what brings to decay like idleness and sloth? And even though riches abound, either envy will not suffer the unhappy owner to take the least comfort in what he possesses, or avarice suffer him to enjoy it the one vice makes him miserable, and the other poor, even in the midst of his greatest plenty. And thus our harvests, our flocks, and herds, our vines and fig-trees, prove a prey and a spoil to an intestine enemy, which can neither be numbered nor

opposed, when God gives the commission to invade us."

But even in judgment, mercy is remembered, (v.8.) God yet promises he will not make a full end. And again, when their afflictions cause them to reflect and inquire into the source of their sufferings, the answer is plain-" Like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange God's in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not your's."

This is a clear prediction of the captivity. The remainder of the chapter dwells upon their accumulated ingratitude and crimes, and the impossibility of their escaping God's judgment; and concludes with mentioning a circumstance, which shews the horrid perfection of wickedness they had attained that the very prophets prophesy falsely, and the people are so lost and callous as to " delight to have it so." What can present a more dreadful picture of a reprobate nation given over to destruction, than the people and their leaders in one conspiracy to deceive themselves, and betray their own souls?

And

In

"This whole chapter," says Travell, " contains a strong exhortation to national repentance: rich and poor, great and small, are all concerned in it. happy would it be, if all, who hear the Prophet's warning-voice, would make the case their own. many respects we, of this nation, bear a striking resemblance to the Jews. Favoured by the peculiar bounties of heaven, distinguished by our government, as well as our situation, from the neighbouring nations; blessed with a purer form of worship than most others enjoy; we, like them, are under the strictest obligation to religious obedience. Would to God that the resemblance stopped here! But, alas! it must not be denied, that we also have bro

tue.

ken the yoke and burst the bonds that should have confined us in the straight path of religion and virMany a kind warning has God given us, many a gracious call to repentance. That they may not be all in vain, let us humble ourselves by unfeigned repentance, beseeching God to delay the time of visitation, lest he be provoked, not only to take vengeance on our iniquities, but even to make a full end of us."

EVENING PRAYER-FIRST PROPER LESSON. Jeremiah xxii.

IN the preceding Lesson, the prophet warns the people of Judah, and shews that their crimes, (not God's forsaking his people, or forgetting his promises) would be the causes of their being delivered over into the hands of their enemies. He proceeds now to shew what ought to be the standard by which their kings should conduct themselves, and how far short of it they had fallen; deserving, no less than the people, the punishment and degradation which ensued. The first five verses describe what a king ought to be, and the prosperity and peace which he would thus secure for himself and the people. From this view of the subject, the prophet next turns to the evil which God will bring upon wicked princes, and declares, that however precious Jerusalem had been in his sight, he would withdraw his favour and suffer her enemies to trample her under foot. The rest of the chapter contains particular prophecies, against those weak and wicked princes, who, as we read, succeeded the good Josiah, and carried on the

kingdom, through a few years of disgrace and oppression, till it sunk into the Babylonian captivity. The prophet expressly names Shallum, (who was called Jehoahaz,) Jehoiakim, and Coniah, or Jeconiah, upon whom the judgments predicted were fulfilled.

"We may learn," says Ostervald, "from this chapter, that of the things which have the greatest tendency to secure the favour and protection of God to any people, one is, when judges render justice to every one impartially. If the kings and princes of Judah had discharged their duty in this matter, according to the exhortations of the prophet, they would have been spared; but for having failed therein, they were destroyed, and the whole nation perished with them. There is another passage in this chapter, which deserves to be taken notice of; that place, I mean, where it is said, that those who attempt to raise and establish their families by wicked ways, and by covetousness, shall never prosper. But the principal reflection to be made on what has been read, relates to the kings here spoken of. All that Jeremiah had said came unto them. Shallum, son of king Josiah, was taken by the king of Egypt, and carried into that country, where he died; Jehoiakim fell into the hands of the Chaldeans, was carried in chains to Babylon, and so was Jeconiah, who had no successor."

ORIGINAL POETRY.

ON THE DEATH OF A BELOVED YOUNGEST SON, AGED 19.

(BY HIS FATHER.)

CHILD of my later hope, and anxious pride, Why has thy spirit prematurely flown? Why, with the spring of life but just supplied, Was winter's icy mantle o'er thee thrown?

Could death's unsparing eye no victim view, More fitted to his grasp-who, in life's sere, And fraught, full fraught with mortal evils too, Should only ask the tribute of a tear?

But let no murmur reach my aching breast,
Nor thou, my troubled spirit, dare complain,
Nor doubt the justice of His high behest,
Nor dare Almighty wisdom to arraign.

Sure 'twas in mercy that the blow was giv'n,
For ne'er in anger wounds a gracious God!
Ne'er from his judgment seat, in highest heav'n,
Sends, but for mortals' good, the afflicting
rod!

Yet uncontaminate by evil ways;

No vicious influence had yet subdued
His native innocence-thro' life's short days,
One even, virtuous, tenor he pursued.

I watch'd his suffering to the last sad scene;
No murmur pass'd his lips-no restless sighs;
Calmly he sunk-it seem'd a sleep serene-
An earnest of his transit to the skies!