ven. Ye enemies of their salvation, rejoice not against them. If you devour them, ye shall offend: if ye touch them, you shall touch the apple of his eye.For in the fear of the Lord is strong confidence, and his children shall have a place of refuge. Their parents may leave them, but the Lord shall take them up. He may correct, but will not cast off. If he speak against them, he earnestly remembers them; his heart is turned, his bowels yearn, and his relentings are kindled. Their strength is small, but he spares them as a man spareth his son that serveth him. Their imperfections are many: but he pities them as a father pitieth his children. As a crane and as a swallow, so do they chatter, but he loves to hear their voice. Make known your request unto him, and he will give you what is good. Cry unto him, my father! he will be the guide of your youth. But, O the riches of the glory of that inheritance, which is neither corruptible, like thy gold and silver, thou vain world! nor defiled like the paradise of Mahomet! but incorruptible, and undefiled, and fading not away, which is reserved in heaven for them.How justly may they say, the lines are fallen to me in pleasant places, when God himself is their portion? For thus runs the apostolic declaration, “if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ." Hail, ye distinguished, happy persons! who, though poor and despised, are the children of the Most High. Live to his praise, and demonstrate to the world, that you are indeed the children of your father. Imitate his example, reverence his authority, and let it be your meat and drink to do his will.

THE COMPLAINT.

SWEET was the time when he, whom all the angels love, and the ransomed tribes adore, did hold familiar discourse with me a prisoner of earth. For

whither could I turn mine eyes, and not behold the most ravishing and delightful prospect ? Above me, I could lift up my most ardent thought to God that dwelleth in the heavens, and I could call him mine; and these bright globes I could contemplate but as the pavement of my father's house. For me, O radiant sun! you shine, you rise, you fall. Angels! ye are my guardians. Ye beasts of the earth! and ye stones of the field! are my allies round about me. The various ills of life I could survey with calm composure; yea, in the midst of them, I could rejoice as more than a conqueror.

Before me, death met my view, deprived of his sting; and I could ask the grave, where is thy victory? yea, even the awful judgment could not appal my soul, in some distinguished moments. "Amen; even so, come, Lord Jesus!" could I say. Begone, ye envious clouds ! prepare his way, ye glorious storms of thunder and lightning! For, O my conscience! what perfect peace was made in all thy borders!

The rising morn beheld me pouring out my prayers; and when the evening star arose, this was my exercise. O then the sacred word was sweet as honey, refreshing as the dew, and cheering as the light. The high praises of God were uttered by my mouth; and when they said, go up to the house of the Lord, to the tabernacles of the Most High; how greatly I rejoiced! then I could count the sabbath a delight. Methought the lovely light did wear another aspect, than that of other days. How sweetly could I meditate on the law of the Lord The doctrines of religion, the mysteries of redemption, and the promises of the everlasting covenant, were my darling theme ; and my delights were with the excellent ones of the earth.

Ah! lovely peace of mind, where art thou fled The thoughts of God are a terror to me. I tremble at his justice, and even his mercy and his goodness afford not consolation. How dismal is the vale of death, and the grave's solitary mansion! The glory is de

parted. I went out full, but am returned empty.-01. Wherefore wouldst thou leave thy first and best belov-: ed for all that is in the world? Can sin, with its bewitching pleasures, the world with its empty enjoyments, or thy own imperfect legal righteousness, be in the stead of Christ unto the soul? Begone ye vain pretenders; “I will return unto my first husband; then was it better with me than now."

THE SUCCESSFUL SUPPLICANT.

SOME take delight in hunting after the breath of popular applause; and if they can live upon the tongues of the multitude, they fancy they have attained a great measure of felicity. This man revolves, with a world of pleasure, the works of the learned, and reads the stars, and talks with heroes of former ages. The flowing bowl, and jolly company, are the delights of another.

But to the real christian, no exercise appears with more distinguished grace than prayer in the name of Christ. This opens the gates of heaven, and fetches blessings from on high. The bended knee, the lifted hand, the imploring eye, with the inflamed heart; these never fail to be attended with joys unknown to you, ye sons of the earth! Angels rejoice, and God's own ear listens delighted. Lift up your voice to him; O! talk with him; whether the morn purples the east, or the evening star lights up his lamp.

The eternal Son was yet unclothed with flesh and blood; but, trying on the coat of our humanity, he is recorded to have appeared, in human shape, unte the father of the patriarchs, from whom the Jewish nation derived their original. Overwhelmed with perplexity, and deeply distressed how to face the supposed rage of his incensed brother, he tries to pour his complaint into his compassionate hosom; nor was his labor vein. It was night, and silence reigned over

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all; when, lo! a human likeness is presented to his view. With him he held discourse, and spun out the night, till now the star of the day was advancing his chariot wheels; and thus the heavenly stranger spoke, "it is enough, O friend of God! permit me to depart. The rising day, and flying shadows, forbid my presence here." No," said the favorite of heaven; "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me." He wept, he made supplication, he had power over the angel, and prevailed. Hence he had deserved the name of Israel. O happy victor! He had power with God, and conquered the OMNIPOTENT!- -Let us go, and do likewise.

ON WATCHFULNESS.

THIS may be considered, either as relating to sin, that we may resist temptations to it; or to judg ment, that we may be prepared for the coming of the Son of man.

In these views, the watchful christian is one, who from a persuasion of the strength of his enemies without, who wait for his halting; of the wickedness and deceit of his own heart within; and the greatness of the danger he incurs ;-carefully guards all the avenues of temptation. There is nothing about himself he judges safe to trust; not his lips; for with thee, O David! he prays "set a watch, O Lord! before my mouth; keep the door of my lips." Not his yes; for he makes a covenant with them. Not his ears; he shuts them from bearing of blood, of slander and detraction, and of the instruction that causeth to

err.

But chiefly he darts a jealous eye over his heart; for, of its being "deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked," he has the most unquestionable proof, both from his own experience, and from the experience of the great surrounding cloud of witnes

ses.

No sin, he judges himself absolutely secured against, though ever so atrocious; whilst he surveys the numerous troops of slain, and sees how many stronger than he hath fallen by the power of tempta tion. How can he be confident in himself, when he sees the man according to God's own heart weltering in murder and adultery? And that most eminent apostle, whose faith the Lord so highly commended, who was with him in the holy mount, and faithfully as well as particularly warned of his danger;—even that most eminent apostle denying his Lord aud Master; (blush, ye papists, who make him the foundation of your church) denying him thrice; denying him with oaths and curses; not when intimidated before any tribunal, at the presence of his judges, but at the accusation of a silly maid.

Neither is there any time in which he thinks it safe to intermit his vigilance. The whole time of his sojourning here, he studies to pass in fear; and even when he sleeps, his heart is waking. He knows, that although there is a time for the body to sleep, that its wearied powers may be recruited by these balmy dews, and reanimated to new labors; yet there is no time for his soul to slumber, whose nature, like the fiery flame, is to be ever in motion; and, instead of being repaired by indolence and inactivity, is rendered more dull and languid. Neither in prosperity nor adversi ty, neither in solitude nor in society, can he sing a requiem to his soul, as if it were without the verge of danger And even in the time of special enjoyments, and distinguished manifestations, he knows very well that he ought not to say, "my mountain stands strong; and I shall never be moved." As be who comes out of a hot bath, is very careful how he ventures himself immediately to the cold chilling air, as being never more ready to catch a cold, than upon such an occa sion; so, he is never more circumspect how he re turns into the world, and exposes himself to its hurt ful snares, than when he has been enjoying the hap py hours of fellowship with God.