The scriptures declare the whole duty of man, and it is meet and right that we read and abide by them. The word of God must be the surest guide to heaven. It was written for our edification, and by HIM commanded to be read. Should it then be withheld, under false pretences, from man, woman, or child? Those Pastors who, to the utter ruin, perhaps, of the souls committed to their charge, presume to forbid the reading of the Holy Scriptures, are probably entailing misery on themselves as well as others, by acting in direct opposition to the Divine command. The first duty of a Christian is to study the precepts of his Redeemer-the second is to follow them up. A diligent attention to the Scriptures, then, is obvious. They direct us as well in our moral as in our devotional exercises; and enable us to meet the calamities with which we are assailed in this life, with becoming fortitude and pious resignation.

Be not discomfited, then, when troubles assail thee; for if thou love God, that is to say, if thou hold constant communion with Him by prayer, and put thy whole trust in Him, resign thyself with meekness to His will, who at pleasure can bring good out of evil, and be grateful to Him for the blessings bestowed on thee, HE will not forsake thee in the time of need. But if thou neglect HIM in prosperity, take heed lest HE neglect thee in adversity.

David, recollect, who had sullied many noble

actions by the commission of crimes that brought upon him God's anger and heavy chastisement, appeased the wrath of Heaven by his repentance and piety. When Nathan awakened his conscience, by a judicious and beautiful parable, in the case of Uriah, "I have sinned against the Lord," ejaculated David; and no doubt the confession, though expressed in few words, was made with real contrition of heart; "for Nathan said unto David, the Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die." Though he deserved death according to the law, in consequence of his repentance God mitigated his punishment. His great mourning in his affliction, it is supposed, proceeded more from a deep sense of God's displeasure, than from other fears; for, as a truly penitent sinner, he went into the temple of the Lord, when the offspring of his guilt had paid the forfeiture of his crimes; and there gave thanks unto God for his mercy, in having spared his own life.

We find his godliness went not unrewarded; for he had afterwards a son, on whom the Almighty bestowed such wisdom, honor and wealth, as none before or after ever possessed. He was appointed to succeed his father on the throne. "And David charged Solomon his son, saying, keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes and His commandments, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever

thou turnest thyself; that the Lord may continue his word which he spake concerning

me."

Here, then, we see a fine example of resignation to Divine appointments, and a true spirit of devotion-not from necessity, but from a sense of duty, and a feeling of gratefulness. It is on the bed of affliction, that we are sometimes taught the best lessons; and since a portion of good and ill fortune is the lot of man, and advantages frequently spring out of calamities; it is very wrong to utter a complaint against Providence for the one, or to be insensible to His bounty, while enjoying the other. But human nature is frail! and we are as apt to forget the source whence all our blessings flow; as we are to reproach our best Benefactor, for denying that, which in His better judgment He may think proper to withhold from us. David murmured not-his sorrow was turned into joy: he relented-and his sins were forgiven him.

Hast thou transgressed then? art thon afflicted? go and do thou likewise." Bear in remembrance, that the Scriptures were written for our edification; and that we should read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them.

NUMBER XV.

ON GOD'S JUDGMENTS.

When Providence, for secret ends,
Corroding cares, or sharp affliction sends,
We must conclude it best, it should be so,
And not desponding, nor impatient grow.

WHEN the proud oppressor becomes oppressed, or the malevolent man is borne down with afflictions; we are too apt to conclude, that the hand of Providence holds the rod of justice over him, and inflicts the punishment. In charity, however, to our brethren, we should be tardy in our condemnations. It is presumption in us to say, a judgment falls upon a man for some act that we ourselves condemn in him; though, too generally, one ascribes an evil to this, another to that, according to the light in which he views it.

For example, with respect to the death of Henry the Fourth, of France, it is asserted that "one said he was killed for his licentious amours; another attributed his untimely end to the circumstance of his changing his religion; but our mighty Monarch James, who had a natural an

tipathy to swords and pistols, was of opinion that he was certainly killed for permitting duels in his kingdom."

In the history of Edward the Confessor, it is also recorded, that "Godwin, Earl of Kent," whose estates were swallowed up by the encroachments of the sea, and now form those dangerous banks, known by the name of the Godwin sands," in order to clear himself from the imputation of having been concerned in the imprisonment and consequent death of Prince Alfred, wished, when he was pardoned by Edward for the troubles he had occasioned, that he might never swallow a bit more bread if he had been concerned in that diabolical deed. Though the King forgave him, Heaven," adds the historian, "seemed to avenge the cause of innocence; for he was immediately visited by the awful judgment he called down upon himself, being choked" as some say, "by the next morsel he attempted to eat," or, as others assert, "being seized by a fit of apoplexy, as he sat at table with the King, on Easter Sunday, he fell from his seat while endeavouring to clear himself from the aspersion; and being stricken with death, died the Thursday following."

The Almighty, notwithstanding, is slow to punish. How grateful, then, should those offenders be, to whom God extends his mercy for a time. When they, in their turn, experience the evils to which "flesh is heir to," it might be