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and can save thee and thine to all eternity. Your own perverse will has been tossing you to and fro hitherto, and long enough, God knows. Submit to his now, and let it be your guide, and see what will not that effect. Let his will be your will, Unite your will to his, as the lesser to the greater, and let it be your glory that his will in you should increase, and yours decrease, and magnify his holy name that has brought you to this submission. "To the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory, for ever and ever." It is to his manifestation on earth that you are called on to surrender the arms of rebellion in your heart. Oh! attend, he is even now waiting to be gracious to you. Admit your King, who stands at the door and knocks. Hear his voice, yield to him in thine heart, and he will give you peace, never yet an inmate there. Something stable in all your trials you need to rest upon. Christ Jesus is that Rock, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever—there anchor thyself.

WITHHOLDING FROM GOD.

We were struck with the expression of a speaker at one of the Paris anniversaries, mentioned in our last number, when referring to the duty of meeting the opportunities of doing good, he exclaimed, "Christians! shall we be in default to God?" This is the ground on which the claims of the institutions of religious benevolence should be always placed. Every intelligent creature is bound to devote himself, his property, and influence of every kind to the service of God. Every professing Christian has voluntarily assumed this obligation, and has thus increased the force of his natural duty. If redeemed by Christ, they are no longer their own, and are under most solemn and eternal responsibility to glorify him in every manner in which they can find or make opportunity. As the scriptural standard of piety and duty becomes more and more understood, the principles of self-consecration and entire devotedness will pervade the church of Christ, and every member will be ready to give all and do all that is required of him, and yet confess at last, we are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do."

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Every one who neglects to improve his means of extending

the reign of the Saviour, and holding forth the word of life to the world, is "in default to God." He will be held to account for his defalcation by him who has put him in the stewardship Every refusal to aid in what he knows will advance the kingdom of heaven, is a refusal of the claims of God. It is a debt, a debt confirmed by express engagement, sealed at the table of the Lord, and openly ratified at each repetition of the ordinance. The Christian is pledged and bound to the cause of Christ, wholly and for ever. The claim of redemption covers all that he has. The agencies which present to him the opportunities of employing his means, are not beggars for his alms, but the collectors of God's tribute. This was the spirit of the primitive Christians: "Neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own." This must be the spirit of every disciple of the Lord, before the great work which he has committed to his church will be performed; and to promote this should be the object of the unceasing efforts and prayers of those who desire it.

A RARE CHARACTER.

(From an American Paper.)

Nathaniel Ripley Cobb, Esq., displayed the character of a Christian merchant in all its varieties of excellence. He was one of the few noble-hearted men of wealth whose affluence is constantly proved by their munificence. Yet it was not always from what is strictly denominated affluence that he was so benevolent, inasmuch as the vows of God were upon him that he would never become rich; and he redeemed the holy pledge which he had given, by consecrating his gains to the Lord. In November, 1821, he drew up the following remarkable docu

ment :

"By the grace of God, I will never be worth more than 50,000 dollars.

"By the grace of God, I will give one-fourth of the nett profits of my business to charitable and religious uses.

"If I am ever worth 20,000 dollars, I will give one half of my nett profits; and if I am ever worth 30,000, I will give three-fourths; and the whole after 50,000 dollars.

"So help me God; or give to a more faithful steward and set me aside. N. R. Cobb. Nov. 1821."

He adhered to this covenant with strict fidelity. At one time finding his property had increased beyond 50,000 dollars, he at once devoted the surplus, 7,500, as a foundation for a professorship in the Newton Institution, to which, on various occasions during his short life, he gave at least twice that amount. He was a generous friend to many young men, whom he assisted in establishing themselves in business, and to many who were unfortunate. Seldom was this excellent man absent from Church, even amidst the greatest pressure of business.

His temper was placid, his manners affable, his integrity entire. He was, besides, distinguished by great business talents, and by an acute penetration into the characters of men. Energy and activity were his element. We could willingly transcribe his diary before us; but a very few short sentences, uttered in his last sickness, must suffice: "Within the few last days, I have had some glorious views of heaven. It is indeed a glorious thing to die. I have been active and busy in the world. I have enjoyed it as much as any one. God has prospered me. I have every thing to tie me here. I am happy in my family; I have property enough; but how small and mean does this world appear when we are on a sick bed! Nothing can equal my enjoyment in the near prospect of heaven. My hope in Christ is worth infinitely more than all other things. The blood of Christ, the blood of Christ; none but Christ."

EXTRACT.

Lord Astley, before he charged at the battle of Edgehill, (fought between Charles I. and the rebellious Parliamentary forces,) made this short prayer: “O Lord, thou knowest how busy I must be this day; if I forget thee, do not thou forget me."

LORD, IS IT I?

Lord, is it I that shall betray

The blessed Saviour, who for me hath died?

Or cease to tread the straight and narrow way,

Which leads to heaven through my Redeemer's side?

Lord, is it I that shall oppress,

With cruel hand, the needy and the poor? And when the hapless orphan seeks redress, Reject his cry, and spurn him from my door?

Lord, is it I who shall offend

Those little ones who put their trust in thee?
Or cease to be the sufferer's ready friend:
Shall strangers cease to find a friend in me?

Forbid it, Lord; thy grace impart,

That I may ever feel my Saviour nigh, And be a guileless worshipper in heart;

And, like a Christian, live, and love, and die.

DAILY TEXTS FOR MARCH.

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Evening.

Eph. 2. 20, 21.
Phil. 1. 21.
1 John 3. 16.
2 Cor. 13. 5.
Rom. 3. 25.
Heb. 10. 24.
Eph. 5. 8.
Eph. 1. 14..
Col. 3. 15.
1 Cor. 3. 19.
Heb. 6. 12.

1 Cor. 2. 8.
Phil. 3. 7.

2 Cor. 1. 3.
Rom. 2. 11.
Rom. 6. 18.
1 Cor. 13. 2.
2 Thes. 2. 16.
Phil 2. 13.
1 Cor. 14. 20.
1 Cor. 13. 8.
1 Cor. 12. 27.
Heb. 10. 19, 22.
2 Cor. 5. 15.
Heb. 2. 14, 15,
Rom. 4. 25.
1 Cor. 15. 7.
Eph. 1. 17.
2 Tim. 2 19.
Rom. 3. 28.
Gal. 3. 13.

A. Foster, Printer, Kirkby Lonsdale.

THE FRIENDLY VISITOR.

No. 222.]

MARCH, 1837.

[VOL. 19.

EXTRACT FROM "ELIJAH THE TISHBITE."

God commissioned the ravens to feed Elijah in the wilderness. Who else was it but the God of Elijah who only a short time ago, in our neighbourhood, so kindly delivered a poor man out of his distress; not indeed by a raven, but by a poor singing-bird? The man was sitting, early in the morning, at his house-door; his eyes were red with weeping, and his heart cried to heaven; for he was expecting an officer to come and distrain him for a small debt: and whilst sitting thus, with his heavy heart, a little bird flew through the street, fluttering up and down, as if in distress, until at length, quick as an arrow, it flew over the good man's head into his cottage, and perched itself on an empty cupboard. The good man, who little imagined who had sent him the bird, closed the door, caught the bird, and placed it in a cage, where it immediately began to sing very sweetly, and it seemed to the man as if it were the tune of a favourite hymn: "Fear thou not when darkness reigns:" and as he listened to it, he found it soothe and comfort his mind. Suddenly some one knocked at his door. Ah, it is the officer!" thought the man, and was sore afraid: but no, it was the servant of a respectable lady, who said that the neighbours had seen a bird fly into his house, and she wished to know if he had caught it. "O, yes," answered the man, "and here it is ;" and the bird was carried away. A few minutes after, the servant came again: "You have done my mistress a great service," said he; " she sets a high value upon the bird which had escaped from her. She is much obliged to you, and requests you to accept this trifle, with her thanks." The poor man received it thankfully, and it proved to be neither more nor less than the sum he owed! and when the officer came, he said, "Here is the amount of the debt; now leave me in peace; for God has sent it me."

C

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