ners. In fhort, our object, our intereft, is but one- and that is CHRIST ; and if either of our labours shall be bleffed to the converfion of a finner, God forbid we should quarrel, whether he fhall go to the fteeple-houfe or meeting-house! Yours, &c. CLERICUS. "How THE TRUE VINE. JOHN XV. OW beautifully," faid Juvenis to Eufebius, "how. beautifully does that vine shoot its branches around the window of your study! and, what is beft, its bloffoms seem to promise you a rich supply of fruit."You are miftaken, my young friend, faid Eufebius, that is not the best of it; this vine often leads me to contemplations far more delectable to me than the choiceft grapes, or the most delicious wine." How fo, Sir?" was the reply?-Eufebius, whofe mind was formed after the model of his divine Mafter, and delighted to spiritualize every object that prefented itself before him, took this text from the book of Nature, and preached Jefus to his friend Juvenis, and to Afpafia his companion. "That vine, whofe luxurious branches and fragrant bloffoms, fo beautifully decorate my window, often leads my reflections to the True Vine-a character which you know our Divine Redeemer, in one of his last discourses, appropriates exclufively to himfelf; "I am the true Vine-ye are the branches-my Father is the Hufbandman." Gracious God! am I a branch in that heavenly vine? Then "to grace how great a debtor !" By nature I fprung from a degenerated tree, and brought forth no fruits but fuch as were wild and deleterious even my good works, as I vainly called them, were rather noxious berries than nutritious grapes: they were indeed fair to view, but ufelefs and pernicious. Thanks to the gracious Husband man, that grafted me into this vine, and enables me, in fome degree, to bear fruit to his glory! And O! how delightful is it thus to draw all my life, and joy, and hope, from his heavenly root!-My dear young friends, I hope you also are branches in this li ving Vine." #And are not all christians branches of this Vine ?” replied Juvenis; "how is it then that they do not all bear fuch fruit? and what, dear Sir, is the meaning of that threatening "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, fhall be "cut off, and caft into the fire?"* Eufebius, who is ever ready to encourage, and happy to refolve fuch enquiries, immediately rejoined: "In a certain fenfe, it is true, that all who profefs christianity are ingrafted into Chrift; but then you are to recolle &t (if you understand the process of grafting) that it is not every graft which fucceeds, or becomes a living branch. It is not. enough to be implanted, and bound upon the tree, but there must be a vital union and communication with the fap and fo it is in religion. Many are tied (as it were) to chriftianity by education, or by intereft; but to be christians indeed -to be fruitful branches in this Vine, we must, by the influences of the Holy Spirit, derive our life, our principles, the whole of our fpiritual exiftence and enjoyments from Chrift, just as the branches derive fap and nourishment from the parent-tree. But alas! for those whofe union is only feeming, and their religion nominal, they bear no fruit, and what can they expect? When the Divine Husbandman prunes his Vine, they will be cut off, and thrown into fire unquenchable."" Reader,-Art thou enquiring the effect of this fhort converfation on Juvenis and Afpafia?-Say first, what has been its effect on thee! PHILO. I A GOOD BIBLE. To the Editor of the Evangelical Magazine. LOVE to fee a good Bible in the pulpit; and perfuadedTM my late dear husband to make a prefent of a very handfome one for the ufe of our worthy minifter. A ftranger from the country lately preached for him. I had heard he was a zealous, good man; and I was fo much pleased with his prayer, that I was refolved to invite him to stay at my houfe while he continued in town, and to make him a prefent of a few guineas. But when he began to preach, I could not reprefs my indignation, when I perceived that he had folded down the leaves in twenty different places; and * Verses 2 and 6. fometimes three or four were coarfely preffed together. It was with great difficulty I could refrain from fpeaking aloud, when I faw my poor dear husband's Bible thus mangled by a country clown. I got no good of the fermon, but a great deal of harm: and when he afterwards called at my house with good Mr. M. our faithful paftor, I could hardly be civil to him. Pray, Sir, publifh this in your Magazine, to prevent others from doing the fame. If minifters will fold down leaves, let them bring a fmall Bible of their own with them, and not abuse other people's books. I have, with grief, feen ministers beat the Bible till they loofened and separated the leaves. I think the word of God should not be fo used. Is there not a respect due to the facred volume? If they will beat with their hands, let them beat the cushion, or the boards. I remain, dear Sir, your conftant reader and humble fervant, London, 4th May, 1802. MARY LOVE THE WORD. THE TWO APPRENTICES: A NARRATIVE AND CONVERSATION, Written to shew the Excellency and Use of Scripture. OHN SMART and Thomas Steady were fellow-aps prentices to a refpectable tradefman in a confiderable country town. Thomas was a ferious, intelligent, and amiable youth, who had been religiously educated under a pious uncle. John had more vivacity and quicknefs both of wit and temper, and was too much difpofed to be what is called unlucky, but which is in fact wicked; he had seen nothing at his father's house (who was a wealthy farmer) but a jovial and merry life. Their matter was a worthy man in his dealings, and fome times went to church; but did not concern himself about the religion of his family. He had no objection to the ferioufnefs of Thomas nor the levity of John, fo that they attended diligently to their business. Every Sunday both the boys went home to their refpective friends, and fpent the day as they had been accustomed. Thomas went to church with his uncle, attended very ferioufly to the minister, and when they returned, he read the Scriptures and other religious books. On the other hand, John generally spent the Sunday mornings in rambling about the fields; fometimes Maying or birds-nefting, blackberrying, or fishing, as opportunity ferved; and his afternoons and evenings were commonly fpent in indolence and fport, or in foolish talking and jesting in his father's family. As they both ferved in their mafter's fhop, and he was much abfent, they had many opportunities for converfation; and the different manner in which they spent the Sabbath was often the subject. John was proud to relate his exploits and adventures; and Thomas to whom they were always difagreeable, feldom failed to reprove or to admonish him. These reproofs, though administered with temper and affection, would fometimes pierce his mind like a dagger; but the wounds were not deep, and therefore foon closed, and were forgotten; and not unfrequently the stroke was warded off by a kind of levity, which steels the mind against conviction, and renders it infenfible to its own best interefts. On one occafion, however, their conversation became more ferious, and its effects more important. On the preceding Sunday, John had been at home as ufual, and was highly entertained by a ftrolling player, who had gained admiffion to his father's table, and greatly diverted them with jefting upon the Bible; turning many of its histories into ridicule, and particularly that of the prophet Jonah, who, by the miraculous power of God, was preferved three days alive in the belly of a whale. This profane ridicule John miftook for wit, as young people are too apt to do, and thought it would furnish him with excellent weapons to attack Thomas, and overturn his principles. Monday came, and John foon found an opportunity to commence his affault, which he did as follows: John. Well, Thomas, what was the parfon's text yefterday? Was it about Jonah and his whale? Thomas. No, John: his text was, "Good is the word "of the Lord which he hath spoken." What think you of it? 7. Think! Why, I wonder at your believing fuch stories as your Bible contains, to be the word of God. If instead of the whale fwallowing Jonah, it had been faid Jonah fwal. lowed the whale, you'd believe it? T. It is time enough to fay fo when I do. Yet, I confefs, I would as foon believe that, as fome things you do. 7. How fo?-Sure, I don't believe too much. T. I mean, you believe things much more abfurd than I do, after all your ridicule. 7. What things? T. What do you think of the Bible? 7. That it is a grofs impofition on mankind: the contirvance of knaves and hypocrites. T. What does it teach? 7. You beft know that. T. Does it teach wickednefs or goodness? J. Oh, it teaches many good things, to be fure. J. Not that I know of. T. Did you ever know any person made wicked by reading and ftudying the Bible? J. No. But did you ever know of any made better by it? T. Yes, furely. Farmer Newman ufed to fwear, and lie, and cheat his neighbours: but now he prays, and reads and loves his Bible: every body admires the alteration. So Ralph the waggoner used to get drunk, and quarrel, and beat his wife, and ftarve his children; but now he is one of the best husbands and of fathers, and a very fober good man. I could tell you of many other inftances. Can you deny them? I have heard fuch things; but what have they to do with the fubject we were talking of? 7. I'll tell you, John. You fay the Bible was written by bad men-knaves and hypocrites; now then you believe that knaves and hypocrites confpired to write a book full of good things, and calculated to make men good and ho neft. Suppofe I allow them to be good men? T. Then you must allow the Bible to be good and true; or elfe you believe that good men united to cheat the world in matters of the greatest importance. But this is not all. In rejecting Christianity you'muft fuppofe that twelve plain countrymen, the greatest part of whom were fifhers, undertook to cheat the world with a new religion; not to obtain wealth, or honour, or ease, or power; but hatred and perfecution, difgrace and contempt, poverty and stripes, imprifonment and death: that thefe men travelled over great part of Afia and Europe, and in fpite of the wifdom of philofophers, the influence of priests, and the power of princes, |