"I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me." (Jer. xxxi. 26.)

"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." (Jas. i.12.)

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm cxxxix. 23, 24.)

If any man begins and ends the day without feeling a strong impulse of devotion, and a warm and affectionate sense of gratitude to God, he has reason to suspect the inclinations of his heart, and to fear that he is unacquainted with the true spirit of piety. If, although permitted again to behold the light of the sun, and although awakened from sleep, and in the enjoyment of health and safety, he neglects to dedicate the first moments of the day to prayer, praise, and other devout exercises; and if, when darkness is spread around, he consigns himself to his usual repose without previously beseeching God, for the sake of Jesus Christ, to pardon his sins, and to vouchsafe, at all times, the gracious and necessary influences of the Holy Spirit; if any man lives thus without serious meditation and earnest prayer; if he does not, on all proper occasions, make known his wants to his heavenly Father; if he does not avail himself of the condescension, mercy, and love of his Creator, Preserver, and Redeemer, he has no knowledge of the joy and peace of a truly religious frame of mind, no prudent care or love of his immortal soul, no real desire to preserve an upright and approving conscience, and no sacred awe or reverence of the power, goodness, wisdom, holiness, and majesty of God. The inhabitants of the humble cottage are earnestly and affectionately exhorted to cultivate piety and submission towards God; and, on every proper occasion, to pray to him in secret, with their families, and with their Christian brethren in his

house. Happy are those poor, from whose dwellings the voice of supplication, praise, and thanksgiving, continually ascends to the throne of grace. Happy are those fathers and mothers, whose hearts are filled with the love of their divine Redeemer; who "take delight in approaching to God, and have no greater joy than to see their children walking in truth. Choose you this day whom ye will serve; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (3 John 4.; Josh. xxiv. 15.; Isa. lviii. 2.)

EVENING.

"I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep; for thou, Lord, only makest me to dwell in safety." (Psalm iv. 8.) "Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice." (Psalm cxli. 2.)

"Be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." (Eph. iv. 32.)

"Being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. (Heb. v. 9.)

"Let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breast-plate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath; but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. Who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him." (1 Thess. v. 8-10.)

Wherefore we labour, that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in the body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." (2 Cor. v. 9, 10.)

When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet." (Prov. iii. 24.)

He who pretends that he cannot find time to pray to

God for spiritual mercies, to read and meditate upon the Holy Scriptures, to commune with his own heart, to humble himself before his Maker, or in any way whatever to consult the interests of his soul; will find, it is probable, that he has time to endure the afflictions of this life, without receiving any comfort from the consolations of religion; and will also find, unless he repent, whilst repentance can be accepted, that, even when time shall be no longer, he has to suffer the punishment justly due to his sins.

The gay and the thoughtless, the busy and the worldly, trifle away the few days allotted to their existence here, and live as if there would be no future and eternal state; but the faithful Christian, however exalted or humble his station, always acts as in God's presence, and looks up to him in every part of his conduct; he earnestly prays that he would so teach him to consider the shortness and uncertainty of the present life, and the proportion of it which is already past, as to direct his constant attention to the cultivation of heavenly wisdom.

Although our blessed Lord has not thought proper to make known to us the particular day of our death, or the manner in which we shall die, he has left us without excuse if we be unprepared: for he has solemnly admonished us to take heed, to watch and pray; and has assigned as a reason for this continued watchfulness, the uncertainty of the time-for ye know not when the time is. The hour of our death cannot be far distant; many of our fellowcreatures have been unexpectedly called this day into the unknown world, and it may be that our sun is even now setting, and that before the dawn of another day we may sleep in death; at the midnight hour the alarm may be given-" Behold, the Bridegroom cometh: go ye out to meet him. Watch ye, therefore; for ye know not when the Master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning; lest coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. Blessed are those servants

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whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching."(Matt. xxv. 6.; Mark, xiv. 33—35.; Luke, xii. 37.)

THE PROPHET ELIJAH.

The present state is a state of trial, not reward; the time of retribution is reserved for that future world, when all shall be rewarded according to their works; when the great Arbitrator shall pronounce the unalterable doom of each, and of all; and exactly apportion the rewards and punishments, according to the merits and demerits of every individual.

From hence we may perceive the folly, as well as impiety, of pronouncing concerning the moral condition of any of our fellow-creatures, from their circumstances, either of prosperity, or adversity in this life: these are promiscuously distributed here below; and whilst we frequently find the basest characters "clothed in purple and fine linen, and faring sumptuously every day," we find, on the other hand, the most pure, the most upright, the most truly devoted to God, in circumstances of calamity and of distress; destitute, afflicted, tormented, contending from childhood to old age with the various ills of life, with poverty, with sickness, or with the distressing evils arising from tyranny and persecution. These observations are confirmed by innumerable examples, as recorded in the word of God: many of the saints are therein characterized, as subject to afflictions innumerable; and among the rest, the Prophet Elijah, who is now proposed as the subject of our serious and attentive consideration.

Among the prophets of the Old Testament, Elijah stands peculiarly distinguished. His courage in the service of God was signal; his abstemiousness and abstraction from society were remarkable. In this respect, be strongly resembled the forerunner of the Messiah, John

the Baptist, concerning whom it was said, that he should possess the spirit of Elijah. In other respects also, the character of this great man is calculated to arrest our attention: he is one of the few of all the offspring of Adam who now appears in heaven with a human body, having been translated, that he should not see death: and when our blessed Lord appeared on the mount of transfiguration, he and Moses were selected for the peculiar honour of attending him on that occasion. The Evangelist informs us, that when our Lord prayed, "the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment became white and glistening. And behold there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias, who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem." What honour does not God confer upon his faithful servants! They are held by him in everlasting remembrance. Elijah, whilst in the world, honoured God; as a witness of the truth, he boldly reproved the King and people of Israel: in return, he was exalted to heaven, dwelt with saints and angels; and now with Moses he appears in glory on the mount, there addressing familiarly the Saviour of men, and acquainted with the counsels of the Most High, speaks concerning that wonderful death to which the Lord of life was about to submit, in order to effect the salvation of a world.

This wonderful man was raised up during the reign of the wicked Ahab, concering whom it is said, he sold himself to do evil. Then he was sent to the rebellious people of Israel. His office he fulfilled with singular fidelity; their idolatry he condemned; the cause and worship of the true God he pleaded. Though clothed in mean apparel, he acted and spoke with majesty and authority; and while he earnestly called sinners to repentance, he reproved, rebuked, and exhorted; and fearless even of the wrath of the king, he boldly denounced the judgment of God against him and his people.