the church." At which he laughed, saying, "Do then those walls make a Christian! Cannot I be such except I openly profess it, and let the world know the same?" A while after, being more confirmed in the faith, and considering that, if he should thus continue ashamed of Christ, Christ would be ashamed of him in the last day, he changed bis language, and came to Simplicianus, saying, "Let us go to the church; I will now in earnest be a Christian." And there, though a private profession of his faith might have been sufficient, yet he chose to make it open, saying, "That he had openly professed rhetoric, which was not a matter of salvation, and why should be be afraid to own the word of God in the congrega tion of the faithful?"

Chap. x, ver. 17.-So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

A very poor woman in Edinburgh, who was so nearly blind as not to be able to peruse the Bible, could get no one to read it to her. She was greatly distressed to live day after day without the comfort and direction of this blessed book. She thought of many plans, and made many inquiries, but all in vain. At last she made a bargain with another woman to read to her a chapter every night; and for this service she paid her a penny a week out of her scanty pittance.

Chap. xi, ver. 18, 19, 20.-Boast not against the branches; but if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well, because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear.

"Had I," says D'Israeli, "to sketch the situation of the Jews in the ninth century, and to exhibit at the same time the character of that age of bigotry, could I do it more effectually than by the following

anecdote, which a learned friend discovered in some manuscript records :- A Jew at Rouen, in Normandy, sells a house to a Christian inhabitant of that city. After some time of residence, a storm happens, lightning falls on the house, and does considerable damage. The Christian, unenlightened and villanous, cites the trembling descendant of Israel into court for damages. His eloquent advocate hurls an admirable philippic against this detestable nation of heretics, and concludes, by proving that it was owing to this house having been the interdicted property of an Israelite, that a thunderbolt fell upon the roof. The judges, as it may be supposed, were not long in terminating this suit. They decreed that God had damaged this house as a mark of his vengeance against the property of a Jew, and that therefore it was just the repairs should be at his cost!'"

Chap. xi, ver. 36.-For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things; to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

"I have read of an author," says Mr. Ashburner, "who, whilst he was writing a book he was about to publish, would every now and then look back to the title to see if his work corresponded thereto, and if it answered the expectations raised thereby. Now the use I would make hereof, and would recommend to you is, for thee oh sinner, to look back every now and then, and consider for what thou wast created; and for thee, oh saint, to look back every now and then, and consider for what thou wast redeemed."

Chap. xii, ver. 11.-Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.

Mr. Cruden, during the last year of his life, lived in terms of the strictest intimacy with the late Rev. David Wilson, minister of the Presbyterian congregation, Bow Lane, London. The two friends were in the habit of paying frequent visits to Mr. Gordon, a pious nursery-man in the neighborhood of the me

tropolis. One evening Mr. Gordon informed Mr. Wilson, that a young Scottish gardener in his employment, who usually attended divine service at Bow Lane, sometimes absented himself from public wor.. ship without a sufficient cause, and was besides rather indolent, desiring the minister to admonish bim. The young man was accordingly called into the parlor, and Mr. Wilson concluded a solemn address with these words: "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." "Have you done, sir," said Mr. Cruden. "Yes," replied Mr. Wilson. Then," rejoined Mr. Cruden," you have forgotten one half of the commandment: Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work, &c; for if a man does not labor six days of the week, he is not likely to rest properly on the seventh."

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Chap. xii, ver. 20, 21.-Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

:

A very little girl, who was frequently reading her Bible, often gave proof that she considered it her duty to obey its precepts. One day she came delighted to her mother, showing some plums that a friend had given to her. The mother answered," she was very kind and has given you a great many." "Yes," said the child," very kind indeed and she gave me more than these, but I have given some away." mother asked to whom she had given them? when the child replied, "I gave them to a girl who pushes me off the path, and makes faces at me." Upon being asked why she gave them to her, she answered, "Because I thought that would make her know that I wished to be kind to her, and she will not perhaps be unkind and rude to me again."

The

Chap. xiii, ver. 4.-For he is the minister

of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain; for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

"It was in one of the Prussian campaigns," says Harte, in his life of Gustavus Adolphus, king of Sweden, "that the irrational practice of duelling rose to such a height in the Swedish army, not only among persons of rank and fashion, but even between the common soldiers, that Gustavus published a severe edict, denouncing death against every delinquent. Soon after there arose a quarrel between two officers very high in command, and as they knew the king's firmness in preserving his word inviolable, they agreed to request an audience, and besought his permission to decide the affair like men of honor. His majesty repressed his passion, and under the appearance of pitying brave men who thought their reputation injured, he told them, that though he blamed much their mistaken notions of fame and glory, yet as this unreasonable determination appeared to be the result of deliberate reflection, he would allow them to decide the affair at a time and place specified: And gentlemen," said he, "I myself will be a witness of your extraordinary valor.' At the hour appointed, Gustavus arrived, accompanied with a small body of infantry, whom he drew up around the combatants. Having done this he desired them to fight on till one of them should be killed, and calling the executioner of the army to him, he ordered him the moment one should fall, to be ready instantly to behead the survivor. Astonished at such inflexible firmness, the two generals, after pausing a moment, fell upon their knees, and asked the king's forgiveness, who made them embrace each other, and give their promise to continue faithful friends to their last moments; as they both did, with sincerity and thankfulness."

Chap. xiv, ver. 7, 8.--For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore or die, we are the Lord's.

The following lines which Dr. Doddridge wrote on the motto of his family arms, have been much admired, as expressing, in a lively and pointed manner, the genuine spirit of a faithful servant of God. Dr. Johnson, when speaking of this epigram, praised it as one of the finest in the English language. "Whilst we

live, let us live;" was the motto of the family arms, on which the Doctor wrote;

"Live whilst you live," the Epicure would say,
And seize the pleasures of the present day.
"Live whilst you live," the sacred preacher cries,
And give to God each moment as it flies.
Lord, in my views, let both united be;

I live in pleasure whilst I live to thee.

Chap. xiv, ver 10.-But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Mr. Baxter spent his last hours in preparing others and himself to appear before God. He said to a friend who visited him, "You come hither to learn to die. I am not the only person that must go this way: I can assure you that your life, be it ever so long, is little enough to prepare for death. Have a care of this vain, deceitful world, and the lusts of the flesh. Be sure you choose God for your portion, heaven for your home, God's glory for your end, his word for your rule, and then you need never fear but we shall meet with comfort."

Chap. xv, ver 20, 21.-Yea, so have I strived to preach the Gospel, not where Christ