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Pray take care, that the first thing you de in a morning, as soon as you are up and conveniently babited, be to sanctify and hallow the day, by a solemn devotional address to yourselves to God in prayer. Let this be the first thing you do, I mean before you take any secular or worldly thing in hand. For there is one certain thing that I would advise you to do even before you say your prayers, and that is, to read as attentively and considerately as you can a chapter in the Bible. This I would have you to do every morning before you go to your prayers, which you will find to be a most excellent and advantageous practice, not only as serving to inform your understandings, and bring you acquainted with the holy Scriptures, but also to warn and quicken your wills and affections, and to tune your souls, and put them into a due composure for your following devotion.

Rev. John Norris.

Let us learn to value our Bibles more. O

my friends, what rich mines are still to be found in this divine depositum, this sacred treasure, which we justly call the Bible, i. e. The Book, or collection of books, by way of speciality and eminency. -It is not with the Sacred Writings, as it is with the writings of uninspired men, though never so acute, solid, and elaborate. For these we may see to the bottom of, if we duly attend to the scope and connection : and therefore they judge exceedingly amiss, who make their judgment of the sense of Scripture from the writings of men only for every material hint given in the Bible kindles more, and these again more, and so on: and no wonder; for the thoughts of God are infinite and consequently, his expressions of things, though wrapped up in the words and language of men, must lead into proportionable views and ideas, were we able to grasp them. I grow daily more and more in love with this sacred Book, and in admiration of it. Rev. Robert Fleming.

No. 28.

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If the scriptures, however, were recommended to us only as matters of the greatest curiosity and speculation; as a discovery only of the nature of the Supreme Being and other heavenly Intelligences; as an hypothesis only that determined the rewards of virtue, and the immortality of our internal and more noble part, that accounted for all the dark and intricate ways of heaven; the seemingly severe dispensations of Divine Providence; and in a word, proposed an infallible specific for bealing the infirmities of our nature: our curiosity, one would imagine, if nothing else, would find such an innocent, such an agreeable amusement, as would be sufficient to prevail on us to take delight in so noble and excellent a study. But when we come to reflect seriously within ourselves, that those scriptures are the revealed will of God, the words of eternal life; when we consider that virtue and vice are therein delineated in their strongest colours, in order to recommend the one, and discountenance the other; and that the salvation of our souls is the sure consequence of our observance of the former and abhorrence of the latter; when we give ourselves time, I say, to ponder on these weighty matters, with what assiduity, with what unwearied diligence should we apply ourselves to a study that is of such moment and importance! All other researches, how delightful soever, when set in competition with the noblest of studies, will appear as empty and idle amusements. Notwithstanding we may have been conversant with the best systems of philosophy that the Ancients ever wrote, and have perused, with the utmost care and attention, the most authentic histories of all nations; notwithstanding we may have worldly wisdom enough to form a proper judgment of all

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the secret springs by which whole kingdoms are governed and directed, by their respective prime-ministers of state; yet if we are strangers to this true wisdom, to this one thing needful, all such worldly wisdom will avail us nothing; we shall have studied to no manner of purpose; and all our learning, in short, will be but what Solomon calls it-vexation of spirit. Rev. D. Bellamy.

-O Sir, what are you doing, that other books are so much read, and the Bible so much neglected? Will you learn from a poor penitent! Indeed I repent, and God forgive my mispent time in sciences and classics. I saw my folly two and twenty years ago; and have since studied nothing else but the Bible, and I assure you, Sir, I am got but a little way I see such things before me,

which I know but in part, that I am pressing on; and I wish for some of my lost time to spend in this blessed study.

Rev. William Romaine, M. A.

To what can we better apply ourselves than to read the Scripture, that heavenly book, which contains in it treasures of wisdom and knowledge? and to which we may say, as the disciples of our Lord, "Thou hast the words of eternal life."-How can we employ ourselves better, when alone and free, than in conversing with the doctrines and precepts of religion, and endeavouring to know and comprehend them? We may truly say, when we apply to these things,

"We are satisfied with the marrow of God's house, and drink of the river of his delights.

Rev. John Claude.

Classicus is a man of learning, and well versed in all the best authors of antiquity. He has read them so much that he has entered into their spirit, and can very ingeniously imitate the manner of any of them. All their thoughts are his thoughts, and he

can express himself in their language. He is so great a friend to this improvement of the mind, that if he lights of a young scholar he never fails to advise him concerning his studies.

Classicus tells his young man, he must not think that he has done enough, when he has only learned languages; but that he must be daily conversant with the best authors, read them again and again, catch their spirit by living with them, and that there is no other way of becoming like them, or making himself a man of taste and judgment.

How wise might Classicus have been, and how much good might he have done in the world, if he had but thought as justly of devotion as he does of learning?

ing or offensive about devotion, because he He never, indeed, says any thing shock

never thinks or talks about it. It suffers nothing from him but neglect and disregard.

The two Testaments would not have had so much as a place amongst his books, but that they are both to be had in Greek.

Classicus thinks that he sufficiently shews his regard for the Holy Scripture, when he tells you he has no other books of piety besides them.

It is very well, Classicus, that you prefer the Bible to all other books of piety; he has no judgment that is not thus far of your opinion.

But if you will have no other book of piety besides the Bible, because it is the best, how comes it, Classicus, that you do not content yourself with one of the best books amongst the Greeks and Romans? How comes it that you are so greedy and eager after all of them? How comes it that you think the knowledge of one is a necessary help to the knowledge of the

other? How comes it that you are so earnest, so laborious, so expensive of your time and money, to restore broken periods and scraps of the ancients?

How comes it that you read so many commentators upon Cicero, Horace, and Homer, and not one upon the Gospel ? How comes it that your love of Cicero, and Ovid, makes you to love to read an author that writes like them; and your esteem for the gospel gives you no desire, nay, prevents your reading such books, as breathe the very spirit of the gospel?

How comes it that you tell your young scholar, he must not content himself with barely understanding his authors, but must be continually reading them all, as the only means of entering into their spirit, and forming his own judgment according to them?

Why then must the Bible lie alone in your study? Is not the spirit of the saints, the piety of the holy followers of Jesus Christ, as good and necessary a means of entering into the spirit and taste of the gospel, as the reading of the ancients is of entering into the spirit of antiquity?

Is the spirit of poetry only to be got by much reading of poets and orators? And is not the spirit of devotion to be got in the same way, by frequent reading the holy thoughts and pious strains of devout men?

Is your young poet to search after every line that may give new wings to his fancy, or direct his imagination? And is it not as reasonable for him, who desires to improve in the divine life, that is, in the love of heavenly things, to search after every strain of devotion, that may move, kindle, and inflame the holy ardour of his soul?

Do you advise your orator to translate the best orations, to commit much of them to memory, to be frequently exercising his talents in this manner, that habits of thinking and speaking justly may be formed in

his mind? And is there not the same benefit and advantage to be made by books of devotion? Should not a man use them in the same way, that habits of devotion, and aspiring to God in holy thoughts, may be well formed in his soul?

Now the reason why Classicus does not think and judge thus reasonably of devo-. tion, is owing to his never thinking of it in any other manner than as the repeating of a form of words. It never in his life en tered into his head, to think of devotion as a state of the heart, as an improveable talent of the mind, as a temper that is to grow and increase like our reason and judg ment, and to be formed in us by such a regular diligent use of proper means, as are necessary to form any other wise habit of mind.

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And it is much to be lamented, that numbers of scholars are more or less chargeable with this excessive folly; so negligent of improving their devotion, and so desirous of other poor accomplishments, as if they thought it a nobler talent to bet able to write an epigram in the turn of Martial, than to live, and think, and pray. to God in the spirit of St. Austin.

And yet, to correct this temper, and fill a man with a quite contrary spirit, there is to be no more required, than the bare belief of the truth of Christianity.

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For to set any accomplishment against devotion, or to think any thing, or all things in the world, can bear any proportion to its excellency; is the same absurdity in a Christian, as is would be in a philosopher, to prefer a meal's meat to the greatest improvement in knowledge.

For as philosophy professes purely the search and inquiry after knowledge; so Christianity supposes, intends, desires, and aims at nothing else, but the raising of fallen man to a divine life, to such habits

of holiness, such degrees of devotion, as may fit him to enter among the holy inhabitants of the kingdom of heaven.

He that does not believe this of Christianity, may be reckoned an infidel: and he that believes thus much, has faith enough to give him a right judgment of the value of things, and to support him in a sound mind, and enable him to conquer all the temptations which the world shall lay in his way.

Rev. William Law, A. M.

On the Day of Judgment.

The end of all things is at hand, be ye therefore sober, and watch unto Prayer. 1 Pet. iv. 7.

HEN through the north a fire shall spread,
And catch the neighbouring esat,

Then like a rushing flood be led

To whelm the south and west:

When all shall blaze, and light'nings round
With their surprizing gleams,
Both stars and elements confound,
And quite efface their flames:

When thou, O Lord! shalt spend thy store
Of thunders in that day;

And low as e'er they lay before

Thy six days' buildings lay:

When like a scroll the heav'ns shall pass,
And vanish out of sight;
And nought shall stand of that vast space,
And day shall cease...and night.

When one loud blast shall rend the deep,
And from the womb of earth
Summon the myriads now asleep
Up to a second birth:

When God shall make the clouds his seat, And in the open air,

The quick and dead, both small and great, Before his bar appear:

My sou!! 'twill then be all too late
To say "What shall I do ?"
Repentance there is out of date,
And so may mercy too.

Prepare me, therefore, O my God!
O let me now begin,

To feel a loving father's rod
Killing the man of sin!

Give me! O give me! crosses here,
Still more afflictions lend

The pill, though bitter, is most dear,
That brings health in the end.

Jesu I beg, nor friends nor wealth,
Thy grace excels them all,

Three things I'd have my soul's chief healt!
And best defence from thrall:

A living faith, a heart of flesh, The world an enemy; This last will keep the first two fresh, And bring me where I'd be.

Cowdroy and Slack, Printers, Gravel-lane, Salford.

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