Chap. x. ver. 35.-Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

An eminent minister was much troubled with doubts and fears concerning his own salvation, and many of his hearers who laboured under similar distress, coming daily to him for direction, increased the burden. One day, after much wrestling with God in prayer for deliverance, it was impressed on his mind to go to such a place, and he would find a person that would be of spiritual use to him. Accordingly, on passing through his own churchyard, he met a very aged man, to whom the minister observed, "It is a good day." The old man answered, “I never saw a bad day in my life-time." At hearing this,

the minister, fetching a deep sigh, asked him, “How it was that he, who appeared to be so old a man, had never seen a bad day ?" To which the other replied, "My mind is so sunk into the will of God, that, knowing his unerr ing wisdom and goodness, whatever is his will is my will," "And what," said the minister, if God was to cast you into hell, would you be resigned to his will in that particular ?" To which it was answered, "God hath given me two long arms, the arm of faith and the arm of hope, and was the Lord even to cast me into hell, I would not let go my hold of him." This simple word was so blessed to the afflicted minister, that, from thenceforward, he could rejoice in the Lord as his God.

Chap. xi. ver. 13.-These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth,

A clergyman having occasion to wait on the late Princess Charlotte, was thus addressed by her," Sir, I understand you are a clergyman." "Yes, madam.” "Of the church of England ?" "Yes." "Permit me to ask your opinion, Sir, What is it that can make a death-bed easy ?" Mr W. was startled at so serious a question

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from a young and blooming female of so high rank, and modestly expressed his surprise that she should consult him, when she had access to many much more capable of answering the inquiry. She replied, that she had proposed it to many, and wished to collect various opinions on this important subject. Mr W. then felt it his duty to be explicit, and affectionately recommended to her the study of the Scriptures, which, as he stated, uniformly represent faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as the only means to make a death-bed easy. "Ah!" said she, bursting into tears," that is what my grandfather often told me; but then he used to add, that besides reading the Bible, I must pray for the Holy Spirit to understand its meaning."

Chap. xii. ver. 23.—And to the spirits of just men made perfect.

A minister of the gospel visiting a young man on his death-bed, he took the minister by the hand, and addressed him in the following manner :-" For some time I have been in great fears. Though I heartily consented to, and believed in the plan of redemption, yet feeling the power of sin so strong, I thought all was yet wrong, and that I was still unrenewed in heart; but, that complete sanctifi cation which I expected through life, I now see is to be conferred on me at death. The time is now at hand, when all the promises of sanctification and comfort shall be fulfilled in my experience. I am willing therefore to die, to receive this complete freedom from sin. Will you join me, and assist me to praise my delivering God, by singing the first eight verses of the 40th psalm ?" Having joined with uncommon fervour, as soon as his friends had sung and prayed, he stretched himself to rest, and soon after fell asleep in Jesus. May our latter end be like his !

Chap. xiii. ver. 5.-Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

The Rev. Hansard Knollys, after having fled to America, in consequence of being prosecuted in the High

Commission Court, returned to England, at the desire of his aged father, and lived some time in obscurity in London. In reference to his situation while in this city, he says, "I was still poor and sojourned in a lodging, till I had but sixpence left, and knew not how to provide for my wife and child; but having prayed to God, and encouraged my wife to trust in God, and to remember for mer experiences, and especially that word of promise which God had given us, and would perform to us, Heb. xiii. 5. I paid for my lodging, and went out, not knowing whither God's good hand of providence would lead me to receive something towards my present subsistence; and about seven or eight doors from my lodging, a woman met me in the street, and told me she came to seek me; that her husband sent her to tell me, that there was a lodging pro vided and prepared in his house, by some christian friends, for me and my wife. I told her my present condition, and went along with her to her house, and then she gave me twenty shillings, which Dr Bastwick, a late sufferer, had given her for me, and some linen for my wife; which I received, and told her and her husband, I would fetch my wife and child and lodge there; and so I returned with great joy. My wife was very much affected with this kind interposition of providence; being so suitable and seasonable a supply to us. She said, O dear husband, how sweet it is to live by faith, and trust God's faithful word!-Let us rely upon him whilst we live, and trust him in all straits !" "

Chap. xiii. ver. 17.-Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account; that they may do it with joy, and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you.

Few men had more natural courage than Luther, and yet he was often heard to say, that even in the latest part of his life, he could never conquer his fear when he ascended the pulpit. And Chrysostom used to say, that that scripture, They watch for your souls, as those that must give an account, struck his mind with constant awe.

JAMES.

Chap. i. ver. 14, 15.-But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then, when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Many years since, two men were executed at Carlisle, for burglary. A minister then living in that city, was moved by compassion for the men, and applied to the judge for a respite he was informed, that on account of the cruelty attending the robbery, capital punishment must be inflictéd. His lordship recommended their humane intercessor to use the only means which could now be available to the culprits, in preparing them by christian instruction for the awful change which awaited them. In the course of his benevolent visits to this gloomy abode, he question ed the prisoners how they had been led from the path of honesty to commit such crimes. In answer to these inquiries, one of the unhappy men declared that his first step to ruin was, taking a halfpenny out of his mother's pocket while she was asleep. From this sin he was led, by small but fatal degrees, to the crimes for which he was so soon to suffer a shameful death.

Chap. i. ver. 27.-Pure religion, and undefiled, before God and the Father, is this: To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

A little girl, who used to read the Bible to a poor sick woman, who could not read herself, was asked by a gen tleman in the Sabbath School at which she attended, why she visited this woman?"Because, Sir," said she, "I find it said in the Bible, Pure religion, and undefiled,

before God and the Father, is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction." "

Chap. ii. ver. 11.-For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now, if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

When Dr Donne took possession of his first living, he took a walk into the church-yard, where the sexton was digging a grave, and throwing up a scull, The doctor took it up and found a rusty headless nail sticking in the temple, which he drew out secretly, and wrapt it up in the corner of his handkerchief. He then demanded of the grave-digger whether he knew whose scull that was. He said it was a man's who kept a brandy shop, an honest drunken fellow, who one night having taken two quarts, was found dead in his bed next morning. "Had he a wife ?" "Yes." "What character does she bear ?" "A very good one: only the neighbours reflect on her because she married the day after her husband was buried." This was enough for the doctor, who, under the pretence of visiting his parishioners, called on her: he asked her several questions, and among others, what sickness her husband died of. She gave him the same account he had received; upon this he suddenly opened the handkerchief, and cried in an authoritative voice, "Woman, do you know this nail?" She was struck with horror at the unexpected demand, instantly owned the fact, was tried, and executed.

Chap. iii. ver. 17.--But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

Peter the Great frequently surprised the magistrates by his unexpected presence in the cities of the empire. Having arrived without previous notice at Olonez, he went first to the regency, and inquired of the governor how many suits there were depending in the court of chancery? "None, sire," replied the governor. "How happens