Do not most persons take up their religious knowledge far too cursorily and accidentally, even when their

views are in the main correct? and hence are they not apt to be driven about by every wind of doctrine?

Some of the books mentioned in this list are scarce and dear; but enquiry after them may lead to their being reprinted. The Clarendon press has done much for sound theology, by reprinting some valuable works of our early divines, and particularly Strype's Works.

There are many valuable works among those published by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. The following are selected from their List.

We advise you after hearing, to make it your aim to RECOLLECT what you have heard. Some for this purpose take notes during the sermon: though we would not condemn this practice, where persons have found real benefit from it; it has, it is to be feared, a tendency to divert the mind from self-application, as the minister proceeds. The practice of others to write down when they return home, the heads of the sermons, and the most important practical parts cannot fail to be useful. But at any rate, enter not, if possible to avoid it, into worldly company and conversation, immediately after the sermon. This drives away what we have heard from our minds. As early as may be, we should seek to recal what has been preached to us, that it may be fixed in our memory. Endeavour to remember, at least, the leading divisions of the discourse. It is recorded of our good King Edward VI. that he took notes of the sermons which he heard. Why should you not find as much advantage in keeping memorandums of what you hear, for your spiritual benefit, as in the world, men do in making notes of various things which they would otherwise forget, for their temporal advan

Beveridge on Common Prayer.
Watts's Divine Songs.

Secker's Lectures on Catechism.
Bradford on Regeneration.
Wilson on the Lord's Supper.
Scougal's Life of God.
Jones on the Trinity.
Porteus's Summary.

Burgess's Catechisms.

Dodwell on Athanasian Creed,
Watson's Apology.
Charges to Missionaries.
Stonehouse's Tracts.
Thorold on Popery.

Secker's Sermons against Popery.
Jones's Book of Nature,
Walton's Lives.

Horne's Lives.

Mr. Seeley, (Fleet-Street,) and other Booksellers, have published, in regular series, some very useful Divinity works :-one is entitled The British · Divines, another entitled The Miniature Edition; they contain many practical and edifying works.

Chalmers and Collins, of Glasgow, are also publishing similarly useful works, with valuable Introductions by eminent modern writers.

tage. The Apostle says, ye are saved, if ye keep in memory, if ye hold fast, what I preached unto you. What an indescribably-important "if!" A forgotten Gospel saves not. See how St. James condemns the forgetful hearer. James i, 22-25.

Besides recollecting, MEDITATE upon the truths; ponder them, weigh them, and judge of their real value. Enter thus into their real excellence. We are told of the righteous, His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Weigh, then, by meditation, the importance of what you have heard, and consider how far it relates to you, and how you may bring it into your daily practice. Without this, a multitude of sermons may be all in vain, and much instruction still unprofitable. One sermon may drive out another, and not a doctrine be really believed and felt, not a precept obeyed. Such a continual hearing, with a wilful neglect of subsequent consideration, produces by degrees hardness of heart, and a seared conscience. It has been remarked, that more people are undone in reference to both worlds, for want of considering what they very well know, than for want of knowing what concerns their real welfare. It is not merely the quantity of food which we take that makes our bodies strong, but the proper digestion of what we eat; and more suffer from too much, than from too little food. And so with our souls, it is not merely the quantity of instruction which is given to us, that makes our souls strong, but the due consideration, and selfapplication of what we are taught. The Apostle connects meditation and divine teaching, Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. The Homily on the Scriptures thus expressly describes this duty" Let us with fear and reverence lay up in

the chest of our hearts these necessary and fruitful lessons; let us night and day muse, and have meditation and contemplation in them; let us ruminate, and, as it were, chew the cud, that we may have the sweet juice, spiritual effect, marrow, honey, kernel, taste, comfort, and consolation of them; let us stay quiet, and certify our consciences with the most infallible certainty, truth, and perpetual assurance of them. Let us pray

to God (the only author of these heavenly studies,) that we may speak, think, believe, live, and depart hence according to the wholesome doctrine and verities of them."

It would help to fix what we hear in our memory, if we were to CONVERSE with others, in a practical way, on what we have been hearing. Why should not the members of a pious family converse together on the truths which they hear, as worldly men do on those things which delight them. This would fix them in your minds; the beneficial recollection would continue, and each would be stirred up to excel in spiritual wisdom. There is need here to guard against a criticising of what has been heard, either in the way of admiration of man, of praise, or of censure, and of applying it to others, and not to ourselves. Such conversation after sermons is as common as it is unprofitable. But if our hearts are really interested in godliness, we shall feel what we have heard; we shall exhort one another to attend to it; we shall provoke one another to love and good works: and thus we shall grow in spiritual wisdom, strengthening each other's remembrance of what the minister has declared from the word of God, by our mutual recollection, and confirming it by other parts of that word. Was not David's conversation of this character? We took sweet counsel together,