gard all the sciences as so many developments of the character of God in his works, and, by the moral harmony of their minds with Him, are deeply interested in whatever can be known of Him in any of the operations of his hands.

What may have been reasonably inferred from the character of these men is realized from the fact, that they are eminently valuable contributors to every department of human science. The greatest living geographer in the world, the distinguished Ritter, of Germany, affirms that he considers a Missionary Journal the best source of geographical knowledge extant for the parts of the world to which relates. These are men on the spot-are eyewitnesses-are prepared by high mental cultivation, deeply interested in all the facts before them-are shrewd philosophic observers--are lovers of truth

and righteousness, and under high moral responsibility for the most rigid veracity.

In regard, especially, to that eminently important department of science, the living languages of the earth, the missionary gentlemen are laying the literary world under the highest obligations. They have reduced to form and system, so that they can be written and printed, many languages which, till they came to the work, had never been brought to such a state. And to these gentlemen, nations not a few, as they rise from spiritual degradation by these men's labours, will be indebted to them for their entire liberation.

The manners and customs, moral and civil aspects, soil and productions, capabilities, &c., of many countries, can be known in no other way than by resorting to those Missionary Journals which contain the accounts of those who are labouring to spread the gospel in those lands.

Those Christian philanthropists, therefore, who are causing the glad sound of the gospel to be heard in the uttermost parts of the earth, are doing also a most important work in widening the sphere of human knowledge, and enriching, by their valuable contributions, every department of human science.

FROM "A Bundle of FRAGMENTS." WHEN a man sees his mercies come in by the special and assiduous care of God for him, there is a double sweetness in those mercies. The natural sweetness which comes from the creature itself, every one, even the beasts, can taste; but besides that, there is a spiritual sweetness, far exceeding the former, which none but a believer tastes; and much of that comes from the manner in which he receives it, because it comes, be it ever so coarse or little, as a covenant

mercy to him. He hath given bread to them that fear him; he is ever mindful of his covenant." Luther, who made many a meal upon a broiled herring, was wont to say, "Let us be content with coarse fare here. Have we not the bread that came down from heaven? do we not feed with angels?" An instance of the sweetness of such mercies is given us by a worthy divine of our own-Isaac Ambrose.

For my own part," says he, "however the Lord hath seen cause to give me but a poor pittance of outward things, for which I bless his name; yet in the income thereof I have many times observed so

431

much of his peculiar providence, that thereby they have been very much sweetened, and my heart hath been raised to admire his grace.'

ONE morsel of God's provision, especially if it comes unexpected, and upon prayer, when wants are most, will be more sweet to a spiritual relish than all former full enjoyments were.

THE heart of a Christian, like the moon, commonly the interposition of the earth. suffers an eclipse when it is at the full, and that by

Is not an ounce of pure gold more valuable than many pounds of gilded brass? What though the dews of Helicon descend not upon my head, if in the mean time the sweet influences of Sion fall upon my heart?

I HAVE often felt an aching head whilst I have read and studied to increase my knowledge; but when did I feel an aching heart for sin?-Flavel's Husbandry Spiritualized.

GRACE AND GIFTS.

A

SIN may dwell with the most excellent natural gifts under the same roof; I mean, in the same heart. man may have the tongue of an angel, and the heart of a devil. The learned Pharisees were but painted sepulchres. Gifts are but as a fair glove drawn over a foul hand. But grace is incompatible with sin in dominion; it purifies the heart, cleanses the conscience, crucifies the affections and lusts of the flesh: is not content with the concealment, but with the ruin, of corruptions.-Flavel.

REASONS FOR BEING HOLY.

A MAN who has been redeemed by the blood of the Son of God should be pure. He who is an heir of life should be holy. He who is attended by celestial beings, and who is soon-he knows not how soonto be translated to heaven, should be holy. Are angels my attendants? Then I should walk worthy of my companionship. Am I soon to go and dwell with angels? Then I should be pure. Are these feet soon to tread the courts of heaven? Is this tongue soon to unite with heavenly beings in praising God? Are these eyes of mine soon to look on the throne of eternal glory, and on the ascended Redeemer? Then these feet and eyes and lips should be pure and holy, aud I should be dead to the world, and live for heaven.-Albert Barnes.

CHRISTIAN FAMILIES IN HEAVEN.

"To think that, when we leave them, we lose them for ever-that we must remain eternally ignorant whether they that were flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bone, partake with us of celestial glory, or are disinherited of their heavenly portion, must shed a dismal gloom over all our present connections. For my own part, this life is such a momentary thing, and all its interests have so shrunk in my estimation, since, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, I became attentive to the things of another, that, like a worm in the bud of all my friendships and affections, this very thought would eat out the heart of them all, had I a thousand; and, were their date to termi nate with this life, I think I should have no inclination to cultivate and improve such a fugitive business."-Cowper.

THE TWO SCHEMES OF SALVATION. MEN differ much about salvation; yet all their plans may be reduced to two. One is by man himself; the other is by God. One is by human works and sufferings; the other is by divine doings and sufferings. One puts down the law; the other puts down the law-breaker. One exalts human merit; the other abases it. The one lowers the standard to its own attainments; the other leaves the standard unimpaired, and seeks to be saved without trampling on law. One quarrels with God and justifies self; the other never ceases to fight against self, and justifies God. The very best offering that the one ever makes is that of Cain; the very least that the other allows is that of Abel. Not light and darkness, nor heaven and hell, are more opposed than these two schemes. One sets aside the other, not in part, but wholly. Salvation is either by works alone, or by grace alone. If any man risks his soul on a contrary belief, he will be lost, yea, he is now lost; and, unless Christ find him, he will soon be irrecoverably lost.

NOVEL-WRITER'S TESTIMONY.

DR GOLDSMITH, who had himself written a novel, in writing to his brother respecting the education of his son, uses this strong language: "Above all things, never let your son touch a novel or romance. How delusive, how destructive are those features of consummate bliss! They teach the youthful mind to sigh after beauty and happiness that never existed; to despise the little good that fortune has mixed in our cup, by expecting more than she ever gave; and in general-take the word of a man who has seen the world and studied it more by experience than by precept-take my word for it, I say, that such books teach us very little of the world."

THE WORLD NOT TO BE TRUSTED. IF, in the season of health, we strive to shake the world off, it will most tenaciously cling to us; but when, in the hour of death, we would cling to the world, it will unfeelingly shake us off. Hence, as the separation must some time take place, unless we shake it off now it will shake us off hereafter. Most men, to their cost, wait for the latter alternative; but those who adopt the former, find, to their surprise and joy, that they have removed out of their way one of the chief difficulties of dying. No one ever yet travelled with alacrity to the kingdom of heaven with the world lying heavily on his back or his heart; this incumbrance once laid aside, the journey is performed with comparative ease. This is a thought worth pondering by the pilgrims of earth. They need little baggage for their journey-the less of this kind they have, the better.

A PRACTICAL PREACHER.

A NEW England clergyman enforcing on his congregation the necessity of practical godliness, and contrasting the early Christians with those of the present generation, very properly remarked, "We have too many resolutions, and too little action. 'The Acts of the Apostles,' is the title of one of the books of the New Testament; their Resolutions have not reached us.' ""

RICHES WITHOUT CONTENT ARE NO

GAIN.

A MAN diseased in body can have little joy of his wealth, be it ever so much. A golden crown cannot cure the headach, nor a velvet slipper give ease from the gout, nor a purple robe fray away a burning fever.

A sick man is alike sick whereso

ever you lay him-on a bed of gold, or on a pad of straw; with a silk quilt, or a sorry rag on him. So no more can riches, gold and silver, land and livings, had a man much more than ever any man had, minister unto him much joy, yea, or any true or sound joy at all, where the mind is distracted and discontented. Without contentment there is no profit, no pleasure in any thing.-Gataker.

THE FAMILY OF PRESIDENT EDWARDS. FEW things would tend more to encourage the Christian education of children, especially on the part of pious mothers, than a careful examination of the history of eminent Christian ministers. President Edwards was the only brother of ten sisters, and the son of eminently pious parents. He was the greatgreat-grandson, on his mother's side, of a minister in London in the days of Queen Elizabeth; and the family of his mother for several generations was equally singular for their devotedness to God. To his mother especially is the Church indebted, under God, for much of the eminence to which this extraordinary man attained.

Fragments.

I ALWAYS find that when I speak from the inward feelings of my own heart, with respect to the workings of inbred corruption, earnest desire after salvation, a sense of my own nothingness and my Saviour's fulness, the people hear, feel, are edified and strengthened.-Legh Richmond.

"In suffering, Christ obeyed; and in obeying, he suffered."-Owen.

The best way to do good, is to be good.

Money is not the only thing that is not our owntime and thought, knowledge and power, moral in fluence and spiritual advantage-all must be answered for-all are God's.-The Listener.

state? Are you in the net, or out of it? You have perhaps never thought of this, and think there is no reason to fear. But tell me one thing-Have you been taken out of the net— have you been set free from Satan's power? If not, you are still a fast prisoner; for you have often sinned against God, and taken forbidden fruit. You have been tempted by Satan, and have fallen into his hands. You do not feel this, and laugh at my warning; but try to get away, and you will find whether my words are not true. It was when the blackbird spread its wings to fly, that it found itself caught. As long as "Christian"-of whom we read in the "Pilgrim's Progress "-remained unconcerned in the City of Destruction, Satan troubled him not. But when, seeing his dreadful danger, he set out for the Celestial City, then Satan made him know that he was his. What fearful conflicts Christian had with him! If it had not been for help given him from above, he must have been quite overcome. You may mock at this. But try to get away-seek to flee from the wrath to come-try to come to Christseek the one thing needful-and you will see Satan arise and lay his great black hand upon you, and say, in words that make you tremble, that you are his. How dreadful to be under his power! A prisoner in Satan's hands! On the way to the place of woe! At any moment that great roaring lion may pounce upon you, and make your soul his prey. Oh! how you should cry out, like the jailer of Philippi, "What must I do to be saved?"—(Acts xvi. 30.)

III. The blackbird taken out of the net. Many poor birds had been caught before, and were put to death. Their happy days of singing came to an end. But the blackbird was set free. The snare was broken, and it escaped. Is there any deliverance for the sinner who has fallen into Satan's snare? Many a one he has led to the place of woe, where there is no hope. But is there no way of getting free from his power? Is there no one to take pity upon the poor prisoner! no one with a strong arin to help? Yes, blessed be God, there is. God so loved the world, that he sent his own Son to save the lost. Moved by pity, Jesus came from heaven to earth, that He might take the prey out of the hand of the mighty. He came to proclaim (Isa. Ixi. 1) liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. It was indeed a blessed work he undertook; and with delight He performed it. He had to fight with Satan before He could deliver the poor captives. He fought, and

triumphed over him. And now He goes throughout the world offering to set poor prisoners free. Many a one He has delivered. If you were in heaven you would see a blessed sight. You would see, not only the holy angels who were never in Satan's power, but you would also see thousands of those who at one time had been drawn aside by sin- who had been allured by Satan, and caught by him in his snare. You would see David the king, who fell into such awful sin- and Manasseh, who sacrificed his children, and made Jerusalem swim with innocent bloodand Peter, who denied his Lord-and Paul, who persecuted His people-and countless numbers of others, all delivered, and now in glory, holy and happy, singing praises to God and the Lamb. Jesus is still able and willing to save-He loves to deliver sinners out of Satan's hand. Will you not cry to Him to deliver you? Remember what blind Bartimeus did.-(Mark x. 46.) He was blind, poor inan, and had been so for many a year, and, no doubt, at one time he quite despaired of ever seeing; but he had heard of late of the wonderful works of Jesus of Nazareth-he saw that all things were possible with Him. Hope broke in upon his soul. O how he longed for a meeting with Jesus! One day, as he sat sad in his darkness by the wayside, he heard an unusual stir. He asked the cause. It was Jesus who was near! What deep emotions then filled his bosom! He lifted up his voice and cried, "Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me." Will you not also cry to Him for mercy? He has often come to deliver you in times past, but you would not believe that you were in danger. O will you not now, whilst He is again near, cry to Him to deliver you from all Satan's deceits and snares? It Jesus makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

IV. The blackbird's joy when set free. With what a burst of joy it flew away! How gladly it would fly among the green trees, rejoicing that it was free again! Such is the joy also of him whom Christ sets free. He never forgets that day. Like the Eunuch (Acts viii. 27), he goes|| on his way rejoicing. His heart is brimful with gladness, and well he may be glad What a deliverance it is to him! To be delivered out of Satan's hands-to be pardoned all his many sins-to have God as his friend, and to have his heart filled with His love-to|| be brought out of a state of misery into one of real happiness-to be delivered from the way that leads to destruction, and to be brough