THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INHERENT AND IMPUTED

RIGHTEOUSNESS.

(From Mason's Remains.)

1. Inherent righteousness sanctifies-imputed righteousness justifies.

2. Inherent righteousness makes us shine before men-imputed righteousness makes us shine before God.

3. Inherent righteousness pleases God-imputed righteousness appeases him.

4. Inherent righteousness discharges from hypocrisy-imputed righteousness from guilt.

5. Inherent righteousness makes us pray-imputed righteousness makes our prayers prevail.

6. Inherent righteousness is our sincerity-imputed righteousness our perfection.

7. Inherent righteousness respects the law-imputed righteousness answers the law.

8. Inherent righteousness is the evidence of our salvationimputed righteousness the foundation of it.

9. Inherent righteousness is our joy-imputed righteousness our glory. Isaiah xlv. and xxv.

10. Inherent righteousness is to be loved-imputed righteousness to be trusted.

11. Inherent righteousness is imperfect-imputed righteousness is perfect.

12. Inherent righteousness is our qualification for heavenimputed righteousness is our title to it.

HEATHEN DARKNESS.

A short time ago, I met a poor foreigner in our village of the Flash, and inquired from what part of the world he came. He replied, from Bombay. I asked, "what God do they worship at Bombay?" He answered, "I do not know-they worship so many." Can you read?" "No." "How long have you been in England?" "Nine years." ." "Have you attended any place of worship since you came to England?" "No." "Do you know who God is?" "No." "Who made you, and the world, and the great waters you have crossed, and the sun, and all that yo

see?

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and who is it that causes you to live from day to day?" "I do not know." "You see that men die, and you are getting an old man, and you know that you must die; where, must you go, think you, when you die?" "I do not know." "Do you not know that you have a soul that will live when your body is dead?” "I do not know."

He appeared to be a man of good intellect; but awfully vacant as to religion of any kind. I felt deeply convinced that nothing but the sovereign power of the Holy Spirit could penetrate his soul. I thought-surely, here is an argument for Bible and Missionary Societies. Truly Missionaries have need of patience.

I confess I feel much at times for the hundreds and thousands of persons who are constantly journeying up and down this kingdom. We are daily coming in contact with persons from all quarters of the globe, and nearly all kingdoms: add to these the vast number of vagrants, Irish and English; and others, as travellers in small wares, sweeps, gipsys, ostlers, bargemen, &c. who, from the nature of their situation, are almost totally debarred from attending public worship. When one thinks of these things the desire arises,-O that some means could be devised for the spiritual good of this large portion of our fellow men-these (for the most part) heathens in our Christian country.

J. R.

TO THE HEADS OF FAMILIES.

Should any master or mistress of a large establishment read the following simple anecdote, may they (if observers of public and private worship) be incited to a continued Christian instruction of those committed to their care, whether children or servants; and, if not, may the knowledge that every one is in some degree responsible for the souls of those around them, awaken them to a care for their own and others' salvation!

Esther and Mary Jones were orphans, who, as soon as they were old enough to go to service, were received into opulent families.

Esther's mistress was a lover of pleasure, rather than a lover of God. The whole week she ran a round of folly and amusement, and on the Sabbath received company at home. Her servants had no time to attend to their souls, and they soon

ceased to remember they were immortal. Poor Esther learnt of her mistress to love dress, and to play at cards: she frequented the theatres, whenever it was in her power; and proceeding from step to step in vice, she was hurried by her thoughtless career into an untimely grave.

Her sister meanwhile, had been placed by Providence among the excellent of the earth. One of the despised saints (who shall hereafter judge angels) was her mistress; and for this Mary Jones will sing hallelujahs in heaven. Morning and evening she met with all the household in prayer. A portion of each day was regained to be devoted to the study of the Bible; and on Sabbath evenings, the master and mistress themselves imparted religious instruction to their families, and inquired how former instructions prospered. Mary soon became a Christian; she loved God and her blessed Saviour, and her only wish was to serve him here, and be with him for ever in heaven. She too died young-but ah! what a difference in her end! Peace and hope attended the departing spirit; and to the last she blessed God for having appointed her lot in a pious family.

Reader, are you at the head of a family? and have you servants under your care? then go and do likewise.

R. A.

SELECT PASSAGES.

"He sweat, as it were, great drops of blood."

No manner of violence offered him in body. No man touching him, or being near him; in a cold night (for they were fain to have a fire within doors) lying abroad in the air, and upon the cold earth, to be all of a sweat, and that sweat to be blood, of great drops; and those so many, so plenteous, as they went through his apparel and all; and through all streamed to the ground, and that in great abundance. Reader, inquire and consider if ever there were sweat like this sweat of his : never the like sweat certainly, and therefore never the like sorrow. Our translation is, "done unto me," but the word properly signifieth, "melted me," and truly, it should seem, by this fearful sweat of his he was near some furnace, the feeling whereof was able to cast him into that sweat, and to turn it

into drops of blood. And sure it was so-for so he complaineth, that "a fire was sent into his bones" which melted him, and made that bloody sweat to distil from him. That hour what his feelings were, it is dangerous to define: we know them not; we may be too bold to determine them. The short is, it was we that for our sins, our many, great, and grievous sins, (the like whereof never were) should have sweat this sweat, and have cried this cry: should have been smitten with these sorrows by the fierce wrath of God, had not he stept between the blow and us, and latched it in his own body and soul; even the dint of the fierceness of the wrath of God. Bishop Andrews.

They shall look on him whom they pierced."

Now, as it was sin that gave him these wounds, so it was love to us that made him receive them, being otherwise able enough to have avoided them all. So that he was pierced with love no less than with grief: and it was that wound of love, made him so constantly to endure all the other. Which love we may read in the palms of his hands (as the fathers express it ;) for in the palms of his hands he hath engraven us, that he might not forget us. And the print of the nails in them, are as capital letters to record his love toward us. For Christ pierced on the cross is the very book of love laid open before us. And again this love of his we may read in the cleft of his heart. The point of the spear (saith St. Bernard) serves us instead of a key, letting us through his wounds, see his very bowels, the bowels of tender love and most kind compassion, that would for us endure to be so entreated. That if the Jews, that stood Grave, when he shed a few

by, said truly of him at Lazarus' tears out of his eyes, “Behold how he loved him," much more truly may we say of him, "Behold how he loved us!" seeing him shed both water and blood, and that in great plenty, and that out of his heart. Bishop Andrews.

TEMPERANCE SOCIETIES.

A CONTRAST.-An aged man over whom had rolled an hundred winters, died not many years since in New-England who was in the estimation of all that knew him, pious. But he had early contracted a fondness for ardent spirit, and drank tempe

rately and daily for the greater part of his life. He gave a little to his children as they grouped around him; and they thought what their father loved must be innocent. But with their growing years a fondness for stimulus increased; and this aged man lived to mourn the death of half his sons and forty descendants, who went down to the grave drunkards. One son yet lives, who was a professor of religion, but has been excommunicated, and is an exile and a drunkard, with a large family, who are ruined by his sin.

Another aged man still lives in the vicinity of the same place, who numbers nearly one hundred descendants, all of whom are temperate persons. He never was in the habit of drinking ardent spirit, nor does he give it to his sons' sons: but like Jonadab, he drinks pure water.

What a contrast will the day of judgment disclose, if in one family intemperance continues to roll down a fiery deluge, and in the other temperance reigns, and descends from generation to generation!

These two men were friends, and lived in adjoining towns, and these facts I ascertained a few days since on the spot; and if these facts be doubted, I can give the name of the first who was a mournful instance of the danger of intemperate drinking in even a good man.-Journal of Humanity.

AWFUL DEATH.-"Early last year, a young man joined your Society, who resided in a village near Glasgow. He had not long joined till he found himself under restraint, and felt that he could not go to the same excess as formerly, and that he was either debarred from his former companions at the ale-house, or if he went with them, it was only to be laughed at, or obliged to break his resolutions of sobriety. They however overcame him at last, and he withdrew from the Society. After he had done so, he had frequently indulged in drink, and on Newyear's day got himself intoxicated while in Glasgow, went home with his horse and cart, and was on his way back to a small village, where he intended to spend the evening, as he had done the day, in drinking. Feeling himself sick, he sat down on the ledge of a small bridge he had to pass. Overcome by sickness,

as is supposed, he had fallen backwards into the river and was drowned. It was some time before his body was found, and, when discovered, it was sore cut and bruised.' How true the words of Solomon, "He that walketh with the wise shall be wise, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed."