and pride; no, he will bid him hate pride, and that he should not give much alms, though rich in this world; for the devil will tell him, that it is proud people does it, only in ambition, and to be seen of men; but he will not tell him, it is a sin to be covetous: he also tells the proud, that they are counted happy, and that pride is counted good for the promoting the commonwealth, and that it is as good to be out of the world as out of the fashion; he tells them, that pride is neatness, and how many pretty excuses he has, to keep people in pride, is admirable; he doth not tell them, that Christ the Lord was meek and lowly, and that they should take him for an example. He, the Lord, did not come in splendour and glory, outwardly, but plain in speech, and also in apparel, wearing a coat without a seam, being clothed and adorned with the robes of righteousness and love, This is my beloved! may he be thine also, gentle reader. Oh! how lovely is he! he is the chiefest of tens of thousands. I entreat you, Oh! ye children of men, both sons and daughters! do not offend Christ, by disobey. ing of him, the bridegroom of the righteous; but, I beseech you, in his sweet and tender love, if you have offended him, by sinning against him, Oh! for the Lord's sake, and your own soul's sake, do so no more; but unfeignedly repent; and then, in his due time (when he hath tried you, and found you faithful) he will embrace you with the sweet embraces of his love, which is better than wine, and far excels the love of women.

Now if the poor creature did but love the Lord its maker, above all, and its fellow creature as itself, the enemy of mankind would be overcome, and we made more than conquerors, through him that loved us, even Christ Jesus, our Lord; and man and woman would see all these (abovesaid) evil things to be abominable, and perhaps many more which I have not mentioned, insomuch that self would be abhorred as in dust and ashes, and the Lord would be loved, and glorified, above all, for which end he created mankind: but, certain it is, that this end cannot be answered, nor the Lord so loved,

without sin be forsaken, and hated; for the devil is the author of sin, and Christ of righteousness.

"I (says Christ) am the way, the truth, and the life." John xiv. 6. And again, "I am the light of the world." John viii. 12. Oh! saith my soul, in abundance of love and good will, unto the sons and daughters of men, that they would but walk in the way of truth, and the true light of the world; then they would see clearly the snares of satan; which that every one, even male and female, (especially those that profess christianity) might do, and escape the same, is the very desire of my soul even so prayeth him, that through the spirit of Jesus Christ, and ability of his grace, labours for the salvation of mankind.

T. CHALKLEY.

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth iu the seat of the scornful, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven.

PSALM i. 1, 2.

MAT. vi. 20.

1. Ir is good for man, whose breath is in his nostrils, to think upon his Maker, as much as in him lieth, both night and day;

2. Who is the fountain of all men's happiness, and the ocean of their bliss; not only in this world, but in that which is to come; even to all eternity.

3. How sweet is that meditation, that is on the sovereign Lord of heaven, and on the Prince of everlasting glory.

4. No earthly thing is to be compared with it; all the glory, all the pomp, and vanity, of this fading, transitory world, is not comparable with it; divine and inward contemplation upon God, is no less than heaven upon earth

to the soul.

5. This mine eye hath seen; for which I humbly bow before the great Lord of all; whose goodness to man cannot fully be set forth, neither by the most excellent orator, nor with a ready writer's pen.

6. God delighteth in those that are intent in looking unto him; and it is man's duty to look to him, over all visible things.

7. How profitable, and greatly advantageous, it is to the soul, to be inward with God. Oh! it is altogether admirable.

8. The unspeakable treasures of life, and of wisdom, are to be found in inward meditation, and holy contemplation on God.

9. When a man, in this sort, is delighting himself with his Maker, and advising with him, he can want no good thing. In the days of old, God was, now is, and ever will be, found by man, in this inward concern of the soul.

10. A man in this state, will always curb high thoughts of self, as being in the presence of the Almighty; for then he is truly sensible of his presence; who is it that will vaunt, or carry himself lofty, when God is present, and he considers it.

11. Indeed the presence of the Almighty is every where, but many have lost the sense thereof, for want of inward thoughts on God, and studious contemplation on the King of heaven, whose sovereignty is sweet over the works of his hands;.

12. He is full of grace, and full of truth, full of mercy, and full of justice: his law is light, and his commands are as burning lamps; in a word, he is full of heavenly majesty, and divine power, so that no characters can set forth the fulness of God.

13. Oh! that man were rightly sensible of these things, it would cause him, with an humble heart, to implore the majesty of heaven for his favour, and petition him for the aid and assistance of his grace, to do his holy and heavenly will.

14. Man would then see his own weakness and poverty, and how unable he is to do, or work, any good thing of himself, without the help of the Holy Spirit:

15. Which gift God, through Christ, giveth to that soul which is inward in its thoughts upon God; whose wisdom and power is past finding out, unless in this frame of mind the Lord reveals it.

16. But worldly thoughts, and vain cogitations, hinder the mind from being with God, the fountain of all good.

17. Evil works, or words, also stupify the mind, and deaden the most noble part of man, so that slavish fear, instead of that fear which is mixed with true love and honour, is begotten in the heart.

18. All things of any evil tendency entertained in the soul, are an obstruction to its duty to God.

19. Who would not lay up treasure in heaven, that the heart might also be there? And what treasure like that in heaven, or what place so fit to lay it in as that is?

20. If a man did but, with considerate thoughts, weigh in his mind the shortness and uncertainty of time in this life, and the boundless ocean of eterntiy; with a life of bliss and glory, or else of wo and misery, that will never end;

21. Without his heart be harder than a flinty rock, it would lead him into tenderness, serious thoughts on the name of God, and into humiliation.

22. Christ Jesus, the anointed of God, was found greatly in humiliation; even he who said, "Learn of me, and follow me, who am meek, and low in heart." God calls for humility of all men. He beholds the proud, and scornful afar off.

23. Every proud and exalted thought God will bring to judgment, and likewise such words and actions.

24. And, indeed, the thing acted, or done, must first be conceived, or thought, before it be brought forth; for "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh," and the man acteth.

25. Therefore, to have the thoughts of the heart on God, and to contemplate on heaven and heavenly things, is truly excellent.

26. And although this incumbent duty of man is so averse to him, in his natural state; yet it is most easy, sweet, and pleasant, to the soul, when the mind is bent after, and set on heavenly things.

27. And that which is still more admirable is, that God is the alone comfort, joy, helper, leader and conductor of such a soul.