minds, the description of the apostle-that is to say, the description of the Holy Spirit himself-is not applicable to us; and then what is our Christianity, wherein is its substance, and what is the foundation of our hopes?-Bp. Blomfield. OF THE DANGER OF NEGLECTING DEATH AND SLEEP. sea-room. Whereas, he that rides still anchored in the river, and will sail with none but a fair wind, may either lie till he lose his voyage, or else rot his bark in the harbour. If a supine neglect run me on these sands, a violent blast must set me afloat again. In things that must be, it is good to be resolute. I know not whether I shall have a second call, or whether my first motion shall die issueless. I am sure I As it fareth between two friends, must either return or perish, and that have been ancient familiars, yet therefore, necessity shall add a fort dwelling assunder; the one out of a to my weak desires; yet, I will careless neglect, forgets and omits strive more, to prevent this by frehis usual duty of visitation; and quent familiarity, than being an esthat so long, that at last he forbears tranged friend to renew old loves, to go at all; so their loves decay not that after error I would not and diminish; not proceeding from return, but that I would not stray any jar, but only out of a stealing at all. OWEN FELTHAM. neglect, of renewing their loves. Even so it falls out between God and the careless christian, who, when he hath omitted the duty of prayer, THE angel of slumber and the anand perhaps hath some small mo- gel of death, fraternally embracing tives of a happy return, the devil each other, travelled over the earth. asks him with what face he can now The evening came. They seated repair unto Him, having been so themselves on a hill not far from long a stranger, both to Him and to the abodes of men. A melancholy that holy Duty. Disrespect is the silence prevailed around, and the way to lose a friend, he that would evening bell in the distant hamlet not continue a friend, may neglect ceased. him and have his aim. Experience hath taught me how dangerous negligence hath been, how prejudicial, how soon it breeds custom, how easily and insensibly custom creeps Then rose the angel of slumber into nature, which much labour and from his moss-grown couch, and long endeavour cannot alter or ex-strewed with a gentle hand the intirpate. visible grains of slumber. In this cause there is no remedy evening winds bore them to the but violence and the seasonable ac- quiet habitations of the weary rusceptance of opportunity. The vigi- tics. Now sweet sleep enveloped lant mariner sails with the first wind, the inmates of the rural cot, from and though the gale blow somewhat the hoary veteran supported by his adversely, yet, when once launched staff, to the suckling in the cradle. forth, he may either find the blast to The sick forget their pains,-the waft out his sails more fully, or else mourner his sorrow, and the poor help himself, by the advantage of their cares. All eyes were closed. Still and silent, as is their custom, the two benificent genii of mankind sat in sorrowful embrace,-and the night was already approaching. The Now, business being finished, the beneficent angel of sleep laid himself down again by his sterner brother. "When the mornings dawn appears," he exclaimed in joyful innocence, "then will men praise me as their friend and benefactor! O, what joy there is in doing well in secret and unseen! How happy are we invisible messengers of the good spirit! How delightful our peaceful calling." handy-work; one day telleth another, and one night certifieth another. Yea, O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all. The earth is full of thy riches: so is the great and wide sea, where are things creeping innu merable, both small and great beasts." (Ps. xix. 1, 2; civ. 24, 25). Every herb, flower, spire of grass, every twig and leaf, every worm and fly, every scale and fea Thus spoke the kindly angel of ther, every billow and meteor,— slumber. speaks the power and wisdom of The angel of death looked at him their infinite Creator. Solomon with silent sadness, and a tear, such sends the sluggard to the ant; Isaiah as immortals shed, stood in his large sends the Jews to the ox and the dark eye. 66 Alas," exclaimed he, ass; our Saviour sends his disciples "that I, like thee, cannot enjoy to the ravens and to the lilies of the grateful blessings. Mortals call me field. There is no creature of whom their enemy and the destroyer of we may not learn something. We their pleasures!" "O, my brother," shall have spent our time ill in this replied the angel of sleep, "will not great school of the world, if in such the good, at the last awaking, recog- store of lessons we be non-proficients nize in thee his friend and benefac- in devotion. Vain idolators make tor, and gratefully bless thee? Are to themselves images of God, wherewe not brothers and messengers of by they sinfully represent him to one father? Thus spoke he, then sparkled the eye of the angel of death, and the brotherly genii more tenderly embraced each other.-From the German of Krummacher. their thoughts and adoration: could they have the wit and grace to see it, God hath used means to spare them this labour, in that he hath stamped in every creature such impressions of his infinite power, wisdom, and goodness, as may give us just occasion to worship and praise him with a safe and holy advantage THERE is no creature wherein to our souls: "For the invisible there are not manifest footsteps of things of God, from the creation of Omnipotence; yea, which hath not the world, are clearly seen, being a tongue to tell us of its Maker. understood by the things that are "The heavens declare the glory of made, even his eternal power and God, and the firmament sheweth his Godhead." Rom. i. 20.-Bp. Hall. GOD SEEN IN THE CREATION. London: T. RILEY, Printer, 161, Fleet Street. THE YOUNG MEN'S MAGAZINE. No. 30,] JUNE, 1839. OF YOUNG MEN ENTERING INTO [VOL. III. of happiness, and a means of good; but when the fruit has not had time to ripen, it may be dangerous to "WHEN a young man is placed out gather it; or when the ground has as a clerk, or an apprentice, his im- not undergone the necessary proportance in Society is immediately cess of previous cultivation, it may enhanced. A new sphere of activity be worse than useless to sow it. presents itself, new emotions are The friendships which are formed enkindled in his bosom, and he gives in very early youth, may be prowhile he receives new impulses. ductive of beneficial and permanent The arrangements having been com- consequences, and there have been pleted which are to affect his future gratifying evidences of their occadestiny, he begins at once to cast sional utility; but when we recollect a look around upon his companions, the casualty and uncertainty of the and as their individual peculiarities connexion under the circumstances of talent and temper unfold them- supposed, and when we bring into selves, he selects his friend or his view the want of experience, both friends. That friend, or those as to men and things, which is infriends, are materially to mould his evitable at this outset in life, as well early character, or he is to mould as the real deceptiveness and selfishtheirs. The inward promptings of ness of the human heart, we cannot his own disposition may have de- but be apprehensive lest the young termined his choice; but the results man of a warm and confiding temof that choice depend upon the re- perament, should plunge into preciprocal influence which these new mature evil, or the young man of a companions exert upon each other, bold or intriguing character, should and which unitedly they may exert inflict upon another a mighty, and upon, or be affected by, a larger perhaps incurable wrong. There circle. In the face of such an asser- is in this, as in so many other intion as that of the poet "A world in purchase for a friend is gain”it may seem strange to maintain, that friendship is a hazardous experiment. It is true, that when it is formed in other years, under the guidance of mature judgment and true religion, it becomes an element G stances, a Scylla and Charybdis, between which it is difficult to steer the little bark, laden with so many treasures for future time: but the very existence of the difficulty, the very predicament of the young adventurer, shows the positive influence which belongs to him in either direction; and this it is which, in connexion with so many other facts, many and happy exceptions to what, gives him a claim of the strongest nevertheless, even in the present kind upon the society from which advanced state of society, may it is he springs, in which he lives, and to be feared, be regarded as a geneon whose condition he is to exert ral rule. more or less of a moral power. Having disposed of his horse, or There is another class who may, as perhaps it should now be more at first sight, appear more detached properly said, having alighted from and isolated, but, nevertheless, are the coach, whose convenience and so widely spread, and retain their cheapness alike invite to a change peculiar habits, and often their pe- of former habits in this respect, the culiar position in life, so long, that youth in question enters the accomin this estimate of the claims of modating apartment. Modest, diffiyoung men, they demand a very dent, unused to the ways of the distinct reference; I refer to those world, he awaits the usual hour for who are known by the name of refreshment. The conversation may Travellers. Employed by some be general, probably political, percentral or metropolitan house of haps unmeaning; and each sepebusiness, they go forth for months rates to make his calls upon custo visit and perform the necessary tomers in the town, or to extend agencies of trade in every district the operations of his principal. Our and town in the kingdom. It is ob- young traveller pursues a similar vious, that they are at once thrown course. The day closes; the transacinto situations, in which they have tions of the past hours of busy occugreat facilites both for receiving and pation are briefly entered, the needimparting a moral influence. The ful letters of information written, and spirit of worldly gain adapts itself the evening lounge and evening to the diversified conditions of so-meal arrive. Conversation is reciety; and hence, in this country, newed; amusements are recomwe are supplied with public accom- mended; newspapers are read; inumodations for every class. We endoes against religion or the claims have the hotel for the opulent, and of virtue introduced;-some stroll the commercial inn for the traveller, out, and upon their return from that is, specifically for the traveller their nocturnal perambulations, are by profession. The young man little prepared to impart sentiments receives his commission from his or produce impressions favourable "London house," and forthwith to morals. Neither their language commences his career. He "puts nor their conduct will, in fact, enup," as the phrase is, at such an inn dure the scrutiny of virtue or the in such a town, which is the first of test of religion. They are fitted a series to which he has been re- only to vitiate conscience and corcommended by his employers, or rupt the heart. Expressions are by more practised travellers; and repeated, which at first, like the there he finds what is technically gates of hell, as Milton describes, called "The Traveller's Room." grate harsh discord" upon the unAnd what is a traveller's room? I accustomed ear. There is a deposit mean to describe it not so much in of evil, a leaven of unrighteousness its external features, as in its moral left in the secret recesses of the character; but, in doing so, it is mind. It may, however, be for a proper to premise that there are time resisted by virtuous predilec 66 tions, a yet unsophisticated mind, discipline of a good education, or and a cultivated understanding. The by confirming previous propensities lessons of early instruction, if haply to evil and habits of vice. And when they have been judicious and it is recollected that the number is religious, will be called to mind; very considerable, of young men in parental solicitude, prayers, and ad- this kind of employment, and that monitions will catch the inward those who are exposed to these quick-glancing thought, though it moral hazards are hereafter to be be only like the reflections of a mir- the heads of families, it will be maror, or the reminiscences of a dream; nifest that the effect upon society is and perchance maternal tears will such as to constitute a powerful seem to flow again with their en- claim upon our attention, our symtreating kindness and subduing ef- pathies, and our prayers. -Dr. fect. Satan has only at present in- Cox's Prize Essay. sinuated the doubt-" Hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" Another day arrives; other temptations present themselves; and if the impression be not deepened, it is at least not obliterated. The unexperienced youth proceeds on his journey, pur MEMOIRS OF A PENITENT'S LIFE. CHAP. III. What terrestrial woe can match sues his appointed course, and by The self-convicted bosom which hath his associations in new but similar wrought places of concourse and communion, The bane of others, or enslaved itself With shackles vile ? AKENSIDE. adds to his stores of disastrous knowledge, till the revolting character of vice is diminished by fami- THERE was a poor old man who liarity and habit; that which was was occasionally employed by my displeasing becomes tolerable, then uncle as a porter, from whom I attractive, and finally destructive. might have learned the truth of that If an accurate and full-length por- gospel which my perverse heart trait of his future self could be ex- despised. He was a man of no hibited to present view, many a ordinary abilities, and far superior youthful adventurer would start with to his station in life. A conversaastonishment, and resentfully ex- tion I had with him stands out in claim with Hazael, "Is thy servant bold relief amid the course of sin a dog that he should do this thing?" and folly I was at that time running and yet, by the gradual encroach- with such blind impetuosity. I had ments of sin upon a heart once ap- always spoken to him with kindparently guarded and pervaded with ness; for I scorned that vulgar virtuous sentiments, its base usur- haughtiness which would induce us pation is established, and its detest- to treat a man with rudeness beable dictates are entirely obeyed. cause his coat is not so good as The influence of a guilty companion- our own. On one occasion he had ship, into which a young man may to wait a long time in the countingbe thus early thrown, is incalculably house, when I was there alone, and great, by breaking down the bar- being in a communicative mood, riers which have been previously or perhaps anxious to awaken my reared by parental training or the attention to those truths with whose |