J-B-gave" Alleine's Exhortation to Sinners," (No.376,) to a respectable female. This, by God's blessing, led her to search the Scriptures, to attend Divine worship, and, ultimately, to an entire change of heart and life. It is hoped her daughter has been equally benefited. The same agent lent the "Dairyman's Daughter" to a poor man, in the Hackneyroad, he was in a very ill state of health, evidently on the borders of eternity, but his peace of mind was falsely derived from his own doings and merits. The tract and the instruction given were so blessed that the law and the gospel were mercifully brought to his heart, and the man died a penitent believer.

E-H-n gave "Good News" to a person of middle age; it was most mercifully blessed to her comfort. She returned shortly to our agent, begging for another, that she might give it to one to whom she hoped the Lord would make it equally useful. She had read it again and again to her aged mother, then lying on a sick bed, and it had apparently reached her heart.

The young waterman, who in the very commencement of this society, now four years ago, was awakened, by the tract given him, from a state of carelessness to one of diligent inquiry, continues to walk steadily and consistently. He has been offered two situations which would much improve his temporal condition, but these he has entirely refused, because he would be obliged to work on the Lord's day. His wife has also been led to walk in the same narrow way.

Tracts for the Blind.

THE Rev. Dr. Paterson, in a letter addressed to the British and Foreign Bible Society, remarks, “I delivered your letter to Mr. Gall, and entered fully into the subject with him. I also went to his school for the blind, and saw and heard the children read on his plan. They really read with about the same ease, and with the same fluency, as children of their own age could do who have their sight. I turned over his gospel of St. John at random; and they were never at a loss, but immediately read the verse correctly. A little girl, five years old, read with amazing ease. They really seemed to have eyes in the ends of their fingers; and they understand what they read. I have not, therefore, a doubt, that if the blind had books to read, and a little pains were taken with them, there would soon be hundreds of blind readers of the Scriptures. One read the tract 'Poor Joseph' as well as I could do with both my eyes."

The Religious Tract Society has published six tracts for the blind on Mr. Gall's plan, which are now on sale at the Depository, price 6d. each.

THE same God that raised enmity to David from his own children, procured him favour from foreigners: strangers relieve him whom his own son persecutes. No sooner is David come to Mahanaim, than Barzillai, Machir, and Shobi refresh him with provisions. Who ever saw any child of God left utterly destitute? Whosoever may be the messenger of our aid, we know whence he comes. Heaven shall want power, and earth means, before any of the household of faith shall want maintenance.

He, that formerly was forced to employ his arms for his defence against a tyrannous father-in-law, must now buckle them on against an unnatural son: he musters his men, and ordains his commanders, and marshals his troops; and, since their loyal importunity will not allow the hazard of his person, he at once encourages them by his eye, and restrains them with his tongue; "Deal gently with the young man Absalom for my sake." What means this illplaced love, this unjust mercy? Deal gently with a traitor? but, of all traitors, with a son? of all sons, with an Absalom, the graceless darling of so good a father; and all this "for my sake," whose crown, whose blood he hunts after? For whose sake should Absalom be pursued, if he must be forborne for thine? He was still courteous to thy followers, affable to suitors, plausible to all Israel; only to thee he TRACT MAGAZINE, NO. 47. NOVEMBER, 1837. M

is cruel. Wherefore are those arms, if the cause of the quarrel must be a motive of mercy? Even in the holiest parents nature may be guilty of an injurious tenderness.

Or, shall we not rather think this was done in type of that unmeasureable mercy of the true King and Redeemer of Israel, who prayed for his persecutors, for his murderers; and, even while they were at once scorning and killing him, could say, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do?" If we are sons, we are ungracious, we are rebellious; yet still is our heavenly Father thus compassionately regardful of us. David was not sure of his success; there was great inequality in the numbers; Absalom's forces were more than double to his; it might have come to the contrary issue, so that David should have been forced to say, "Deal gently with the father of Absalom :" but in a supposition of that victory, which only the goodness of his cause bade him hope for, he said, "Deal gently with the young man Absalom." As for us, we are never but under mercy our God needs no advantages to sweep us from the earth any moment; yet he continues that life, and those powers to us, whereby we provoke him; and bids his angels deal kindly with us, and bear us in their arms, while we lift up our hands, and bend our tongues against Heaven. Oh mercy past the comprehension of all finite spirits, and only to be conceived by Him whose it is! never more resembled by any earthly affection, than by this of his deputy and type, "Deal gently with the young man Absalom for my sake."

The battle is joined: David's followers are but a handful to Absalom's. How easily may the fickle multitude be drawn over to the wrong side! The God of hosts, with whom it is all one to save with many or with few, takes part with justice, and lets Israel feel what it is to bear arms with a traitorous usurper. The sword devours twenty thousand of them, and the wood devours more than the sword. Let no man look to prosper by rebellion: the very thickets, and stakes, and pits, and wild beasts of the wood, shall conspire to the punishment of traitors. Amongst the rest, see how a fatal oak singled out the ringleader of this hateful insurrection, and will at once serve for his hangman and gallows, by one of those spreading arms snatching him away to speedy execution. Absalom was comely, and he knew it well enough: his long hair was no small part of his

beauty, and matter of his pride, and now the justice of God has plaited a halter of those locks. Those tresses had formerly hanged loosely dishevelled on his shoulders; now he hangs by them: he had been wont to weigh his hair, and was proud to find it so heavy; now his hair poises the weight of his body, and makes his burden his torment: it is no marvel, if his own hair turned traitor to him who durst rise up against his father. That part, which is misused by man to sin, is commonly employed by God to revenge; the revenge that it works for God, makes amends for the offence whereto it is drawn against God; the very beast whereon Absalom sat, as weary to bear so unnatural a burden, resigns over his load to the tree of justice: there hangs Absalom between heaven and earth, as one that was hated, and abandoned both of earth and heaven. As if God meant to prescribe this punishment for traitors, Absalom, Ahithophel, and Judas die all one death. So let them perish, that dare lift up their hands against God's anointed.

As if God meant to fulfil the charge given by David, without any blame in his subjects, it pleased him to execute that immediate revenge on the rebel, which would have despatched him without hand or dart. Only the mule and the oak conspired to his execution; but that death would have required more delay than it was safe for Israel to give, and still life would give hope of rescue. To cut off all fears, Joab leuds the oak three darts to help forward so needful a work of justice. Justly was he lifted up to the oak, who had lifted up himself against his father and sovereign; justly is he pierced with darts, who had pierced his father's heart with so many sorrows; justly is he mangled, who dismembered and divided all Israel; justly is he stoned, who not only cursed, but pursued his own parent.

So did Absalom esteem himself, that he thought it would be a wrong to the world, to want the memorial of so goodly a person. God had denied him sons. It had been pity so poisonous a plant should have been fruitful. His pride shall supply nature: he rears up a stately pillar in the king's dale, and calls it by his own name, that he might live in dead stones, who could not survive in living issue; and now, behold this curious pile ends in a rude heap, which speaks no language, but the shame of that carcass which it covers. Hear this, ye glorious fools, that care not

to perpetuate any remembrance of yourselves in the world, but of ill-deserving greatness: the best of this affectation is vanity; the worst, infamy and dishonour; whereas "the memory of the just shall be blessed;" and if his humility shall refuse an epitaph, and hide himself under the bare earth, God himself shall engrave his name on the pillar of eternity.

There now lies Absalom in the pit, under a thousand gravestones, in every one of which is written his everlasting reproach. Fasten your eyes on this woful spectacle, O all ye rebellious and ungracious children, and know that it is the least part of your punishment, that your carcasses rot in the earth, and your name in ignominy; these do but shadow out those eternal sufferings of your souls, for your foul and unnatural disobedience.

Absalom is dead: who shall report it to his father? There are busy spirits that love to carry news, though thankless, though purposeless; such was Ahimaaz the son of Zadoc, who importunately thrust himself into this service. David could argue afar off, "He is a good man; he cometh with good tidings." Oh how welcome those messengers deserve to be, that bring us the glad tidings of salvation, that assure us of the foil of all spiritual enemies, and tell us of nothing but victories, and crowns, and kingdoms! If we think not their feet beautiful, our hearts are foul with unbelief and secure worldliness.

How is the good king thunderstruck with the words of Cushi! As if he were at once bereaved of all comfort, and cared not to live but in the name of Absalom, he goes and weeps, and cries out, "O my son Absalom! my son, my son Absalom, would God I had died for thee! O Absalom, my son, my son!" What is this we hear? that he, whose life Israel valued at ten thousand of theirs, should be compared with a traitor's! that a good king, whose life was sought, should wish to lay it down for the preservation of his murderer! But what shall we say to that love of thine, O Saviour, who hast said of us wretched traitors, not, "Would God I had died for you;" but, "I will die, I do die, I have died for you!" O love, like thyself, infinite, incomprehensible, whereat the angels of heaven stand yet amazed, wherewith thy saints are overwhelmed. From Bp. Hall.