or, whilst the heavenly dew has been descending in gracious and blessed profusion on others around thee, hast thou been unrefreshed and dry? O, what is the cause? search, I beseech thee; let thy spirit make diligent search" for the cause of this barrenness and destitution. Is there not a cause? "Search me O Lord," &c.

Seasons of affliction also, whether of mind, body, or estate, are seasons peculiarly adapted for " communing with our hearts." "In the day of adversity consider." Indeed, we are at these seasons, whea "neither sun nor stars appear for many days," especially required to "consider our ways." The Lord has here a controversy with us and wo to the man who despises it! The ungodly are afraid to look in upon themselves at any time: " They hate the light, the truth, because their deeds are evil." God's own children even are frequently most reluctant to this duty; but affliction comes, as a friendly voice from heaven, to recal them from their dangerous wanderings, and then they keep God's word.

O let this counsel of the Psalmist be indelibly written on our memories, commune with your own hearts." Ere long the real Christian will rest from all his labours. Sin, nor even the suspicion of sin, will enter into the new heaven and new earth. God will indeed dwell with man, and receive man to dwell with him. Let not the hands of the penitent believer hang down, or his knees be feeble, or his heart be dismayed; but let him be ever praying for knowledge, faith and patience, that having done the will of God, he may inherit the promise.

J. R.

SACRED REFLECTIONS.

No. III.

THE excellence of the holy Scriptures cannot be too often the subject of contemplation. The Scriptures are excellent because they were inspired by him who is the source of all excellence, even God: the Scriptures are excellent because from them we learn the character and perfections of Jehovah: from them we learn another lesson of equal importance, the character and sinfulness of ourselves: above all, the Scriptures are excellent because they reveal to us the way of salvation through faith in a crucified Redeemer. All Scripture, we are told, every portion of the inspired word is "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." Has there ever been, or is there now any book in the world professing similar properties with the Bible? Can any possible combination of the wit, and ingenuity of man produce such an astonishing work as the sacred record? The answer is plain. How then should we value the Scriptares for their unexampled excellence! With what thankfulness and joy of heart should we approach those living fountains of truth! O that we could more and more respond to the glowing language of David, and say of the Scriptures from our inmost souls, "more to be desired are they than gold, yea than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honey comb." CHARLES.

SACRED REFLECTIONS.

No. IV.

DAVID says "It is good for me that I have been afflicted." It is not every one that can say this. If affliction does not soften it will certainly harden the heart. This latter effect has been realized in the sad experience of many. There are who have risen from the bed of sickness and languishing only to forget the God of mercy who has saved them from death, and to plunge deeper still in folly and sin. The man on whom afflictions exert no power is in a desperate state : they are the last remedy which God employs to bring us back from our wanderings to himself. The medicine may be nauseous, but still it is a salutary medicine," No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." May I never forget this consolatory truth, but in the darkest hour of affliction may I still be enabled to say, Thy will be done!" Sanctify, O Lord, thy fatherly correction to me, and cause me thankfully to regard it amongst the ehoicest blessings of thine hand! CHARLES.

THY KINGDOM COME.

THE Evangelical Gospel-state is compared to a kingdom, as Matth. iii. 2, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." As to the disciples, Christ said, Matth. x. 7, "As ye go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand." And it may be called so with

very good reason: for in this kingdom there is a Monarch, Jesus Christ, to whom all power and authority is given. God the Father calls him, "My King," Psalm ii. 6; "I have set my king upon my holy hill." And this king hath his throne in the consciences of men, where thoughts are brought into captivity to him, 2 Cor. xv. And he hath his royal sceptre, Psalm cx. 3, which is called the rod of his strength. And he hath his subjects, and they are the saints, Rev. xv. 3,-" King of saints." And he hath his laws and constitutions. We read of the law of faith, and the land of liberty. And in this kingdom there are privileges and royal immunities; there is freedom from the curse of the law, and from the power of sin, and from the destructive influence of Satan and the world. And here are punishments and rewards, both for body and soul; there is hell and heaven. Now because all these things do so fitly suit, therefore is the gospel called a kingdom.

Old Author.

SACRED PHILOSOPHY.

No. I.

ASTRONOMY.

IT is the sublime language of David, in the nineteenth Psalm, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his hand work. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of

the world." The most ignorant and careless observer cannot fail to be impressed with the grandeur and magnificence displayed in the material heavens. Whatever may be our habits of mind, and however varied our circumstances in life, we are all conscious of au

elevated feeling in our bosoms as we survey the starry canopy in a cloudless night. But with this feeling is connected another of a different kind, and it is an irresistible one. If a contemplation of the firmament of heaven with its unnumbered host of worlds be fitted to inspire emotions of grandeur and exaltation, it is also calculated in a very special manner to impress as with a sense of our own littleness in the scale of creation, and breathe into our hearts the spirit of deep humility. Let us listen again to the devout language