Certain we are, that frequent perusal, exhibiting to the attentive reader at every review some new excellence, will enhance its worth, and cause him to exclaim, with sentiments of most exalted gratitude and delight, in the language of that eminent author, John Locke, "Therein are contained the words of eternal life. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter."

Shall a volume so precious lay unoccupied on the shelf? Shall it merely meet the eye, to attract commendation for its outside appearance, and excite the praise of elegance in binding? Oh no! Far be from us such stupid insensibility towards what is supremely excellent, in itself, and if it be not our own fault, may be supremely excellent in its effects upon us. Let us cling to it as the rule of our faith and practice. Let us follow its directions, that it may guide us through life in the path of duty, support and console us in a dying hour, and, through the grace of God, furnish us with a passport to realms of endless bliss.

Thus much have we said of the Bible, from a conviction that the most valuable blessings, when common to us, are apt to be overlooked, because they are common.

Let the purest friendship then put the interrogative, Do you think of it as you ought? Do you value it as you should? Do you consult and improve it, as the charter of eternal life-as coming from God-as the directory to everlasting blessedness? Let conscience give a faithful answer.

A volume of such immense, such unspeakable value, cannot be too strongly pressed upon your attention.

WITNESSES то

CORROBORATE THE

FOREGOING TESTI

MONY, IN FAVOR OF THE BIBLE.

Witnesses innumerable might be cited for this purpose, but we shall content ourselves with the selection of a

few, among the many of strong intellect, eminent stations in life, and of extensive acquaintance with men, manners and things, men of renown in their generation, and even subsequent times, men deeply versed in human nature, who have given their voluntary, full, and decisive verdict in its favor.

Locke, Newton, Boyle, Milton, and many others, of powerful minds and deep research, are well known as friends to the Bible, to the attentive perusal of which, amid all their scientific pursuits, they devoted much of their time, and from which they derived their purest enjoyment.

Hear the declaration of Sir John Mason, "I have lived to see five sovereigns, and have been Privy Counsellor to four of them. I have seen the most remarkable things in foreign parts, and have been present at most state transactions for the last thirty years, and I have learned after so many years experience, that seriousness is the greatest wisdom, and a good conscience the best estate. And were I to live again, I would exchange the whole life I have lived in a palace, for an hour's enjoyment of God."-L. Murray on the Power of Religion.

Emperor Charles V. gives a similar testimony. After retiring from the throne, from a conviction of the emptiness of earthly magnificence, he exclaimed, "I have tasted more satisfaction in my solitude in one day, than in all

the triumphs of my former reign. The sincere study, profession, and practice of the christian religion, have in them such joys and sweetness as are seldom found in courts and grandeur.”—Ibid.

I bring forward, as another experimental witness to the excellence of the Bible, Oxenstiern, Chancellor of Sweden, a man of great abilities and uncorrupted integrity. This eminent statesman, in a state of retirement said, "I have seen and enjoyed much of the world, but I never knew how to live till now. I thank my gracious God, who has given me time to know him, and to know myself. All the comfort I have, and which is more than the whole world can give, is feeling the good spirit of God in my heart, and reading this excellent book, the Bible, that came from him."-Ibid.

Earl of Marlborough thus writes to a friend. I will not speak of the vanity of the world, your own age and experience will save that labor. But there is a certain thing called religion, which is often dressed fantastically, and to purposes bad enough, which yet by such evil dealing loses not its being. God in his infinite mercy hath given us his holy word, in which, as there are many things hard to be understood, so there is enough plain and easy to direct us concerning our future well being. I confess I have been a great neglecter of it, God of his infinite mercy, pardon me the dreadful fault! But when I retired from the noise and deceitful vanity of the world, I found no true comfort in any other resolution than what I found from thence. I commend from the bottom of my heart, the same to your use."

"This letter marks the writer's strong sense of the importance of the sacred writings, and his deep regret, for having at any period treated them with indifference. When our pursuits in life, our companions, our taste for a particular species of reading, occasion us to contemn, or neglect the Holy Scriptures, and the simplicity of the gospel, it is a sad proof that the mind is perverted, and that the way is prepared for great depravity of heart. Whatever therefore tends to lessen our esteem, for these venerable and highly interesting communications of the divine will, or disincline us to the perusal and study of them, should be regarded with early apprehension, and avoided with the utmost solicitude."—Ibid.

Happy they, who can say with the Psalmist, "Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage forever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart. In thy law will I meditate day and night."

MEDITATION.

Next to the possession of the Bible, the duty of Meditation invites our notice, as clearly included in the due improvement of it. Often may we read it; but, if carelessly, if thoughtlessly, if without sober and close reflection on what we read, what will it profit us?

In Joshua it is said, "Thou shalt meditate in the book of the law day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein." "I will meditate in thy precepts," saith the Psalmist,

" and have res

pect unto thy ways." And the Apostle says,

these things, do these things."

"Think of

Thought, reflection, must precede action, if we would that the act should be such as we may approve.

Meditation is like digestion. It is of a practical na

ture.

It

We meditate on God, that we may love and fear him--on sin that we may abhor it-on punishment, that we may avoid it—on heaven, that we may pursue it. is practical, aiming to quicken us to greater diligence and care in heavenly life. It must eminently tend to prepare us for the heavenly rest. It is a duty then, without which the Christian cannot expect to thrive.

It excites the affections. Meditation on the perfection of God, excites us to love him-on his goodness, gratitude-on him as the chief good, desires after him—on our unworthiness, humility—on our remissness, diligence -on our insufficiency, prayer.

It is the office of Meditation to give intensity and permanence to thought, to arrest sentiments in their flight, and retain them in our possession, and to heighten the interest of those which are interesting. Meditation then comes to the aid of truth, by fixing its impressions more firmly on the mind-by strengthening its influence upon the heart, and its efficiency in practice.

If we think much and often of a beloved object, if we permit our thoughts to settle and dwell upon it, it increases our acquaintance with that object, and attachment to it. Even an object of our tenderest affection, if seldom thought of, loses, in a great measure, its hold on the heart. The same remark is equally applicable to subjects of a