that the latter day was about to commence. I would often say, "The glorious time is rolling on, My anxiety for sinners was alleviated, for I thought they would soon see the way of salvation plainly. I lived in the enjoyment of such views and feelings, with but little interruption, for about three months. I was admitted to the church in June, and felt much strengthened by publicly espousing the cause of Christ. If I had ever so many lives I would devote them all to the serIvice of that Saviour who has done so much for me. I felt determined to follow Christ through evil report and through good report. "Now all the day long, He was my joy and my song." "What peaceful hours I then enjoyed! How sweet their memory still!" I did not find my path without some thorns in the course of the summer. The first thing that I now recollect wherein the tempter got the advantage of me, was in respect to secret prayer. At night it would be suggested, that I must not pray long, for my health was not very good, and I should be unable to do justice in my school if I did not sleep. Many a good season has been shortened this way. When I stayed in the school-house after school, for devotion, the idea would come, "now if somebody should be looking in at the window, they would say, this is hypocrisy ;" and though I sometimes looked out and never saw any one, yet the temptation was so great, that at length it became a burden to kneel down at all. Still I did not like to break my resolution of trying to pray. One afternoon while struggling and reasoning against the tempter, a new trouble fell upon me, "that there were so many people to be raised at the resurrection that I should be for gotten; should be overlooked.” This false suggestion, so foolish and barefaced, was so artfully thrown into my mind, that it troubled me greatly, and the light that was in me now became darkness. Now I tried to gain some relief, by reviewing my former experience; and this blasphemous thought met me, "that though Christ had forgiven my sins once, and once promised to save me, yet he was not obliged to keep his promise. None,knew he had made such a promise." The cunning tempter was so bold as to take away my Lord, and I knew not where to find him; or to take away his faithfulness, which was the same thing. I went about with a heavy heart; almost envied those that enjoyed themselves, and even thought that those were better off who had never known what it was to have their sins pardoned. Sometimes I wanted to ask some experienced person if it was possible for a soul to be overlooked in eternity; but I thought they did not certainly know. 66 In great darkness and distress of mind I opened the Bible, and read, Enter into thy closet and shut the door, pray to the Father that seeth in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." This was a word in season. Now my former darkness left my mind, as fast as the mist disappears before the rising sun. Now I had confidence in prayer. Truly God is good. Goodness and mercy have followed me all my days. I felt much for those who did not profess to love God, especially for one that was my benefactor, aged and infirm. I wished to know if he had a hope, and what it was founded upon. The Lord only was witness to my trials on this account. After a while another storm arose in my mind, which was long, and tedious, and, at times, almost insupportable. I thought I had better not have joined the church till I had tried whether I could love religion; for it was better not to put the hand to the plough than afterwards to look back. Sometimes it would come with power upon my mind, that I should do something worse than ever any Christian had done, and so give occasion to the enemies of the Lord to speak reproachfully. This was my affliction, and I cried to the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me out of my distress. O that men would praise the Lord for his wonderful works to the children of men. There is balm in Gilead, and a physician there. Why then are not all wounded consciences healed? In the course of the next year I was married, and removed to CI missed my Christian society of young people, and found that the cares of the world were not friendly to a life of holiness. Yet I had some advantages that I never had before. I found it a great comfort to my mind to have religious company at home. And though the married woman careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband, yet where there is the fear of God, Dr. Watts says, marriage helps devotion. By degrees I fell into the dark; doubted much of my good estate; and strongly desired release from this bondage. The Lord saw fit that I should be relieved in his own time and way. (To be continued.)) FOR THE PRESBYTERIAN MAGAZINE. BRIEF DISCOURSES-NO. V. The Old Testament recommended to Young People. "Whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning." ROM. XV. 4. "Come ye children, hearken unto me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord." "Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good: seek peace, and pursue it." Job saith, "The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil, is understanding." And in the New Testament the great apostle Paul commends young Timothy, because from a child he had known the holy scriptures, which are able to make wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Now because the fear of the Lord is wisdom to the young; and to depart from evil, is the way for the young to obtain a good understanding; and because this fear of the Lord arises out of a believing knowledge of the holy scriptures, therefore let us, my young friends, search that blessed book. And let us do this, remembering, that whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning. In this the sense is confined to the sacred writings of the Old Testament. This is evident from the context, in which the apostle refers to the example of Christ, and quotes a text of ancient prophesy, out of the 69th Psalm. To those scriptures, therefore, let our views be directed: and let us refer to some of the most striking things contained in them. And let us do this with a desire to learn wisdom. But in this reference, where, my young readers, shall we begin? Where but where those writings begin? With the creation of the world. t That was the morning of time, when, "in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." And as this stupendous and wonderful work of God went on, and was finished, the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." Last and noblest of these works 'was man, or human kind, whom God made a male and a female. Innocent, intelligent, and happy was then the human pair: Eden's garden, which God had planted, was their blest abode. Into this happy garden, a foul spirit found entrance. He entered into the serpent, and through him, tempted our first parents to eat of the forbidden fruit. They ate-they fell; and in their fall, brought condemnation on themselves and all their race. This garden was planted to be the blest abode of innocent, and obedient, and faithful creatures. The human pair were such no longer, and therefore in Paradise they might not remain. The rebel angels must be cast out of heaven; and the rebel man must be driven out of Eden. But ere his expulsion, the star of Bethlehem rises and shines in the promise, that the woman's seed should bruise the serpent's head. Gen. iii. 15. These rays of divine light kept man from hopeless despair, and buoyed up his mind to meet and to bear the burdens of life. But ah! what early fruits of sin! How was the heart of the parent to be rent, and bleed, for the death of the second born, slain by the first! That must have been a gloomy evening in Adam's family, when Abel returned not from tending his flocks. And when the dark frown of malice, and the fell spectre of revenge, sat sullen on the brow of Cain. The wickedness of men became great in the earth. The whole world turned aside from the Lord; and in wrath God sent the flood of waters and drowned them all, except Noah and his family. The flood of waters could not wash out the corruption of sin, the inherent depravity of the human heart. When men were born after the flood, they had just such wicked hearts, as those who were born before it. The Lord takes the wise in their own craftiness. The means which the great ones took to keep together, the erection of a city and a tower, were by God overruled for, and necessary to, their greater dispersion. When the earth was again far removed from the fear and the knowledge of the Lord, behold Abraham was called of God, and the church of the living God under a covenant form, having the seal of circumcision, is set up in his family. Pursuing the scripture history, and learning the things which were aforetime written for our instruction, at length we come to Joseph. And in his history we are ready to exclaim, ah Joseph! it is from long, and low and deep humiliation, that thou camest to ride in the second chariot, and to be, in Egypt, next to Pharaoh. On this history, my young friends, I hope you love to dwell. With every part of it make yourselves familiar. It is one of the best exhibitions of the fear of the Lord, of the true dignity of human nature, and of the excellence of character, which has ever been given. Whilst you read it with attention, you cannot fail being impressed by it. When you see him the governor of Egypt, making himself known to his brethren, you seem to be there. It is the yery language of nature; it goes to the heart; "I am Joseph. Does my father yet live ?" Ah! who would have acted like Joseph? Not those who neglect the Bible; not they who fear not God; not they who do not honour, love, and obey their parents; not they who love not their brethren, and who forgive not injuries: they do not act like Joseph. Israel went into Egypt, and whilst Joseph lived, it went well with them: when Joseph was dead, they were cruelly oppressed. But the God of their fathers is a God keeping covenant; and will prove himself faithful to his people in every age. The time of their extreme suffering, when their groanings came up before God, is made the time for him to work, and the time of their deliverance. With a high hand and with a stretched out arm, did Jehovah bring them out. And Israel, redeemed from Egyptian bondage, sung his praises on the eastern shore of the Red Sea. At Mount Sinai he gave them the law of the ten commandments, and made with them a covenant. But in the wilderness they rebelled and turned to idolatry; and in the wilderness the Lord kept them and led them forty years. Yet Moses was their prophet and their ruler: Aaron was their priest. At length under Joshua, the Lord led them unto the promised land, and drove out their enemies before them. So God deals with his people now. In the things which were written aforetime, is the history of Israel under the Judges, and of the Kings, which followed: the history of their lapses into idolatry, and of the great judgments which came upon them for it; and the history of their repentings and the deliverances which God gave them. At length the ten tribes were carried away from their own land, and strangers were placed there, by the king of Assyria. Judah, following the sins of Ephraim, was carried captive to Babylon; but they were restored again into Judea, when for seventy years, the land, in desolations, had enjoyed her Sabbaths. Nor should I here omit to say, that the mysteries of Providence in the government of this world, and in the affliction of the righteous, are unfolded in the book of Job. Then follow the holy writings of the Psalms and of Solomon. These also were written aforetime, for our learning, and they have filled the saints with comfort. In the books of the Prophets, there is much to learn. All that they have written of Christ and his kingdom, are the things written aforetime for our learning; and of this kingdom, Isaiah has written so much, that he has been sometimes called the Fifth Evangelist. My young readers, it is of immense importance to give diligence, that we may learn the things which were written aforetime for our benefit. Great is the number and scope of events which the writings of the Old Testament include. From the time of the return from Babylon and the resettlement of the Jews in Judea, these writings go back to the beginning of time, and give a history of redemption in all the way. Hence we learn the great need of a frequent, let me say daily, reading of the holy scriptures; that we may learn the lessons which God hath given us. For this purpose each one should have a Bible, that they may never have to wait the pleasure of others, when they have time to read for themselves. We may infer also, the great usefulness of Bible classes, and urge young people to attend on 'them whenever they have opportunity. They aid such as wish to learn, in learning the things which were written aforetime in the holy scriptures. They are calculated to turn the mind methodically to the Bible history, and excite attention to the best kind of knowledge. They also redeem time and keep the mind actively engaged. Thus they tend to present happiness; whilst the things which are learned point out the way to future bliss. In such a class, from week to week, portions of this holy book are read by the scholars, and are by the teacher opened to their minds. In this way they acquire a taste for this holy book, and this kind of reading. May the rays of this heavenly light be seen by all. May this rule be regarded in life, and guide you to endless life. ISAAC REED. FOR THE PRESBYTERIAN MAGAZINE. Messrs. Editors-It seems probable, from the statements made in the public papers, that Napoleon Buonaparte is no more. No more on earth, to be affected by its changes, or to be instrumental in producing them. No more to feel the influence of human opinions, whether of eulogy or censure. But he is not extinct. He will live in the memory of history, till time shall be no more. He has -"left a name, at which the world grew pale, To point a moral or adorn a tale." And what is infinitely more important to him, he has, if death has really set its seal upon him, finished his period of probation, and gone to receive according "to the deeds done in the body." Probably no individual of Adam's race, had ever a higher responsibility to "the Judge of all," than this man. From that judge he has received an equitable award, which will abide him throughout eternity. In the hands of that judge, who is soon to pass sentence on ourselves, let us leave him. But it is a duty to derive instruction from the dispensations of Providence in regard to him; from what he was, what he did, and what he became. Since hearing of his death, I happened to cast my eye on part of a sermon, delivered shortly after he was incarcerated in the island of St. Helena; which I send you for publication, if you think it proper to be inserted in your magazine. The sermon from which I give you this extract, was an illustration of Psalm xcvii. 1. "The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice." In showing that God reigneth in the kingdoms of men, the following remarks were introduced. "No age of the world ever witnessed greater or more sudden changes in the state of nations, or in the possession of sovereign power, than that in which we live. Three years since, a fortunate soldier, raised from an obscure original, was perhaps the most splendid and puissant emperor that ever wore a diadem. The world trembled before him; and never on its surface was arrayed an army of such physical force as was then led by him, to the subjugation, as he expected, of the only unsubjugated power of continental Europe. But "the Lord reigneth." The warrior's tide of success was expended. At the highest point of his elevation, he was left to infatuated projects. He could not combat with the cold, and storms, and tempests-the artillery of heaven. The blast of Jehovah struck him. His mighty army was annihilated. He fled-and thenceforth all his glory fled. He who three years since was the most powerful mortal that ever existed, is now a powerless captive in the loneliest isle on earth. How impressively does. this teach us that "the Lord reigneth!" that "the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. CLERICUS. August 18th, 1821. ON THE DURATION OF FUTURE (Continued from page 317.) 5. Another class of texts is adduced in support of the doctrine of Universalism, because they establish the unlimited subjection of all things in the created universe, to the Mediator, previously to his resignation of his delegated empire. The texts alleged are, Ps. viii. 5, 6, Heb. ii. 6—9, Rev. v. xiii, and 1 Cor. xv. 24-29. The doctrine taught in these texts merits particular attention. As the same principle pervades the whole of these passages of scripture, the examination of one of them will suffice. We shall select the last, which our opponents have considered as furnishing a Herculean argument in their favour. To use the words of one of their champions, this text is "decisive of itself, were there no other text in the Bible of like import." "Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he shall put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest, that he is excepted which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him, that put all things under him, that God may be all in all." This passage does demonstrate in |