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cies' sake, let me never deny thee nor thy truth, for fear of death and corporal pains." The issue proved that his prayer was not in vain. For, at his trial and death, he displayed much firmness and constancy in the defence of the truth, and gave great encouragement to another gentleman, Norman Gourlay, who suffered along with him.

Chap. ix, ver. 35.—If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, was eminent for humility. When the people had chosen him bishop, he privately withdrew, reckoning himself unworthy of so great an office, and giving way to others, whose age and experience rendered them, as he thought, much fitter for it; but the people having found where he was, beset the house, and forced him to accept the office.

Chap. ix, ver. 41.-For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.

When Agrippa was in a private station, he was accused by one of his servants of having spoken injuriously of Tiberius, and was condemned by the emperor to be exposed in chains before the palace gate.-The weather was very hot, and Agrippa became excessively thirsty. Seeing Thaumastus, a servant of Caligula, pass by with a pitcher of water, he called to him, and entreated leave to drink. The servant presented the pitcher with much courtesy; and Agrippa having allayed his thirst, said to him, "Assure thyself, Thaumastus, that if I get out of this captivity, I will one day pay thee well for this draught of water." Tiberius dying, his successor, Caligula, soon after, not only set Agrippa at liberty, but made him king of Judea. In this high situation, Agrippa

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was not unmindful of the glass of water given to him when a captive. He immediately sent for Thaumastus, and made him comptroller of his household.

Chap. x, ver. 7.-What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

The wife of a pious man told him one day, that if he did not give over running after the missionaries, a name often applied to serious ministers of different denominations, she would certainly leave him. Finding that he continued obstinate, she on one occasion sent for him from the harvest field, and informed him that she was about to carry her threats into execution; and that, before she left the house, she wished some articles to be divided, to prevent future disputes. She first produced a web of linen, which she insisted should be divided. " No, no," said the husband; " you have been, upon the whole, a good wife to me: if you will leave me, though the thought makes my heart sore, you must take the whole with you; you well deserve it all." The same answer was given to a similar proposal respecting some other articles. At last the wife said, "So you wish me to leave you?" "Far from that," said the husband; "I would do any thing but sin to make you stay; but if you will go, I wish

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you to go in comfort." Then," said she," you have overcome me by your kindness; I will never leave you."

Chap. x, ver. 23.-And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

When Garrick showed Dr. Johnson his fine house, gardens, statues, pictures, &c, at Hampton Court, what ideas did they awaken in the mind of that great man? Instead of a flattering compliment, which was expected, "Ah! David, David," said the doctor, these are things which make a death-bed terrible!"

Chap. xi, ver. and said unto it, hereafter forever.

14.-And Jesus answered No man eat fruit of thee And his disciples heard it.

The Spirit of God, by means of the Scriptures, convinces of sin, as well as comforts believers by its promises. Cowper, speaking of his distressing convictions, says, "One moment I thought myself shut out from mercy by one chapter, and the next by another. The sword of the Spirit seemed to guard the tree of life from my touch, and to flame against me in every avenue by which I attempted to approach it. I particularly remember, that the parable of the barren fig-tree was to me an inconceivable source of anguish; and I applied it to myself, with a strong persuasion in my mind, that when our Saviour pronounced a curse upon it, he had me in his eye, and pointed that curse directly at me."

Chap. xi, ver. 25.-And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any; that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

A wealthy planter in Virginia, who had a great number of slaves found one of them reading a Bible, and reproved him for neglect of his work, saying, there was time enough on Sundays for reading the Bible, and that on other days he ought to be in the tobacco-house. The slave repeated the offence; he ordered him to be whipped. Going near the place of punishment soon after its infliction, curiosity led him to listen to a voice engaged in prayer; and he heard the poor black implore the Almighty to forgive the injustice of his master, to touch his heart with a sense of his sin, and to make him a good Christian. Struck with remorse, he made an immediate change in his life, which had been careless and dissipated, burnt his profane books and cards, liberated all his slaves, and appeared now to study how to render his wealth and talents useful to others.

Chap. xii, ver. 12.-And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people; for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.

During the Protectorate, a certain knight in the county of Surrey, had a law-suit with the minister of his parish; and whilst the dispute was pending, Sir John imagined that the sermons which were delivered at church were preached at him. He therefore complained against the minister to Oliver Cromwell, who inquired of the poor preacher concerning it; and having found that he merely reproved common sins, he dismissed the complaining knight, saying, "Go home, Sir John, and hereafter live in good friendship with your minister; the word of the Lord is a searching word, and it seems as if it had found you out."

Chap. xii, ver. 41.-And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

"Some years ago,” says one, “I recollect reading a striking sermon by the late Mr. Simpson of Macclesfield; the subject, I think, was Christian liberality; but what most forcibly struck my mind, was a passage quoted from Malachi iii, 16. Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.' I cannot describe how my mind was impressed with the manner in which Jehovah here condescended to challenge his people, when he says, And prove me now herewith,' &c. Suffice it to say, that the subject made such an impression, I found it my duty to do more for the cause of God than I ever had done. I did so, and on closing

that year's accounts, I found that I had gained more than in any two years preceding it. Some time afterwards, I thought the Redeemer's cause had an additional claim, as the place in which we worshipped him wanted some repairs. The sum I then gave was £20; and in a very little time afterwards I received £40, which I had long given up as lost."

Chap. xiii, ver, 8.-And there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.

During the siege of Jerusalem, the extremity of the famine was such, that a Jewess of noble family, urged by the intolerant cravings of hunger, slew her infant child, and prepared it for a meal. She had actually eaten one half of it, when the soldiers, allured by the smell of food, threatened her with instant death, if she refused to discover it. Intimidated by this menace, she immediately produced the remains of her son, which struck them with horror. At the recital of this melancholy and affecting occurrence, the whole city stood aghast, congratulating those whom death had hurried away from such heart-rending scenes. Indeed, humanity at once shudders and sickens at the narration; nor can any one of the least sensibility reflect upon the pitiable condition to which the female part of the inhabitants of Jerusalem must at this time have been reduced, without experiencing the tenderest emotions of sympathy, or refraining from tears, while he reads our Saviour's pathetic address to the women who bewailed him as he was led to Calvary, wherein he evidently refers to these very calamities.

Chap. xiii, ver. 12.-Now the brother shall betray the brother to death.

John Diazius, a native of Spain, having embraced the Protestant faith, came afterwards into Germany, where he visited Malvinda, the Pope's agent there. Having attempted in vain to bring him back to the

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