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to be so, by being good and agreeable to the true welfare of every Christian, and that which can justly be proved hurtful and offensive to every true Christian, will be evinced to be alike hurtful to the State. -Milton.

FRAGMENTS FROM HANNAH MORE.

I BELIEVE it will generally be found, with some few exceptions, that no men are so beloved and respected as strict gospel ministers, whose lives are consistent; for consistency is every thing.

In my judgment, one of the best proofs that sorrow has had its right effect on your mind is, that it has not incapacitated you for business; your businesses being duties. I well know that, under the pressure of heavy affliction, it is more soothing to the heart to sink down into the enjoyment of a kind of sad indulgence, and to make itself believe that this is as right as it is gratifying, especially while it mixes some pious thoughts with this unprofitable tranquillity. But who can say, even after the severest loss, I have no duties, no cares in life remaining?

My good friend, there is no other stable foundation for solid comfort but the Christian religion, not barely acknowledged as a truth, from the conviction of external evidence (strong and important as that is), but embraced as a principle of hope, and joy, and peace, and felt in its suitableness to the wants and necessities of our nature; as well as in its power to alleviate, and even to sanctify, our sorrows. Little as has been my own progress in this school, yet that little was an unspeakable support to me on the bed of sickness; and in my weak and helpless state, I often thought what would have become of me if I had then had to begin to learn the elements of re|ligion.-(In Letter to Sir W. Pepys.)

It is an humbling thing to know, that instrumentality may be separated from personal piety.

Is it not the very spirit of the world to be declaiming about enjoyments which are out of their reach, and neglecting to do justice to the good things which are actually in their possession?

Important as doctrines are, yet except the leading ones, for which we ought to be ready to be led to the stake, they yield much with me to the purifying of the inward hidden man of the heart. Conformity to God, a walking in his steps, spiritual-mindedness, a subduing the old Adam within us-here is the grand difficulty, and the acceptable offering to God. It is observable, that in the introductory verses to almost all St Paul's epistles, he says, "Grace, mercy, and peace," peace comes after grace and mercy.

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and refresh themselves with drinking of the streams of its living water, and go in a little way according to their strength and stature.

There is no pill so bitter, but respect and love to God will sweeten it.

Those whom God calls to a kingdom, He calls to sufferings as the way to it.

He that aims high shoots the higher for it, though he shoots not so high as he aims. This is what ennobles the spirit of a Christian, the propounding of this our high pattern, the example of Jesus Christ.

That which is deepest in the heart is generally most in the mouth; that which abounds within runs over most by the tongue or the pen.

The ugly death's-head, when the light of glory shines through the holes of it, is comely and lovely. Men are less sensible of heart wickedness, if it break not forth; but the heart is far more active in sin than any of the senses, or the whole body.

If you esteem Christ, labour for increase of faith, that you may esteem him more; for, as faith grows, so will He be still more precious to you.

HOPE EVER.

THE night is mother of the day,
The winter of the spring,
And ever upon old decay

The greenest mosses cling.

Behind the cloud the starlight lurks,

Through showers the sunbeams fall; For God, who loved all his works, Has left his hope with all.

Fragments.

THE unbeliever in Christ cannot bear reflection. Hel has nothing to fall back upon when business or pleasures give out. When ennui or low spirits come in like a flood, then he must have society or go crazy. He can live happily only while his gods live. He cannot endure the company of his own" sober second thoughts."

The generality of hearers are better judges of example than of sermons.

I give God thanks, that every blessing of worldly comfort that I prayed for, the longer I was kept from it, and the more I prayed for it, I found it the greater in the end.-Taylor.

As the dew falls more frequently on the earth than hard showers; so more gentle, less observable, and more gradual droppings of grace descend upon earthly hearts, more frequently than driving storms of fear, or strong transports of love. Their effects may be as gracious, though less forcible, and God hath all the glory of the one as well as of the other.-Fletcher.

"Train up a child in the way he should go." is the injunction God lays on us. It is the principle on which He himself is acting with his Church. He is training up his children here. This is the true character of his dealings with them. The education of his saints is the object he has in view. It is training for the kingdom-it is education for eternity.-|| Bonar's Night of Weeping.

A near eternity rebukes and banishes frivolity. It is the eternal lifetime that makes the lifetime of earth such a solemn thing. Sever the living here from the living hereafter, and man's longest being on earth is little more in importance than the flutter of a leaf, his death no more than the falling of a blossom.-Bonar.

THE CHRISTIAN TREASURY.

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THE LITTLE CHILD.

BY THE AUTHOR OF "SCRIPTURE EMBLEMS."

"Except ye be converted, and be as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."-MATT. xviii. 2. No trait in our Lord's character is more attractive than the interest which he displayed in little children. How amazing to think that he condescended to pass through the stages of infancy, and to have his infinite perfections embodied in the feeble form and limited faculties of a child! That he was born into the world as other infants are, wrapped in swaddling clothes, borne in the arms, and hushed to sleep on the bosom of one of his own creatures; that he should have smiled the smile, and lisped the language of infancy; that he should have grown in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man!" When he attained to manhood, children were his most welcome visitors. Others thought their presence troublesome; he begged it as his highest gratification. These lambs of the flock he literally "gathered in his arms, and carried in his bosom." One grown man we hear of who rested his head on that hallowed pillow; but many a babe was clasped in the arms of the Son of God, and pressed to his strong and tender heart. Once it has been said the man of sorrows smiled, when his disciples returned to him with the news of their success; but many a time, we doubt not, the smile of benignity crossed his pensive countenance, when he took these objects of affection into his arms, and blessed them, and said, "Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

But of all the honours which our Lord put upon childhood, the greatest is the use which he makes of it as emblematic of the spirit which distinguishes the "heirs of salvation." "A teacher of babes" was one of his highest titles and most pleasing occupations; but he has elevated them a step higher in his favourhe employs babes as the instructors of grown men. He places his apostles themselves at their feet, and draws from the most obvious traits in the infant character a very pointed lesson on that of his spiritual children. Prone, as they too often have been, to yield to the suggestion of that pride that lurks still in the bosom of regenerate men, on more than one

occasion he found his disciples disputing who should be the greatest in his kingdom. With a tact and fidelity altogether his own, he took a child and set him in the midst; and as the little cherub looked round, with a smile of humble contentment and calm tranquillity, on the scene of vain and angry contention, he said with great solemnity," Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven." This memorable saying still meets every candidate for admission into that kingdom. It demands his closest attention; it prescribes his full character; it presents him with a plain and most expressive emblem of his highest attainment: -"Whoso shall humble himself, as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." What, then, are these characteristics which are in the sight of God of such high value?

A child is in a high degree impressible and docile. Its mind is not, indeed, free of all bias, for the taint of original corruption is there; but to all that acquired bias which springs from prejudice and habit, it is an entire stranger. Hence its aptitude for instruction, and capability of being moulded into almost any form. "Train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." The same characteristic appears in the spiritual man. Softened by the grace of God, it puts off the rigidity of habitual corruption and enmity to God, and, moulded by the plastic hand of the divine Spirit, it obtains a habit entirely new! "For if any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, and behold all things are become new."

The mind of man in infancy has frequently been compared to a sheet of white paper, on which you may write whatever you please. The representation is not accurate. It is a sheet of stained paper, and though capable of, and actually raising an immense variety of permanent impressions, these all take the original hue. But in regeneration the colour is discharged, and on the pure tablet may now be inscribed many a line of spiritual beauty, which in its former condition it could not receive. The lessons of divine truth are now retained

by it;

the precepts of the divine law are indelibly engraven on it; the lovely features of the divine image become more and more distinctly delineated, until at last the perfect man in Christ is fully brought out. "Ye have put off the old man with his deeds;" "and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him."

It is confiding and dependent. Of all beings, man is in his infancy longest and most completely dependent. The newly-hatched pullet soon learns to collect its food, and the lambkin is seen frisking round its dam the first day of its existence; but for many a day man must be carried in the arms of others, and for many a year is dependent on his parents for his daily bread. This, however, serves a most important purpose in the divine economy. It tends to draw forth the mutual attachment of the members of the human family, and cherish habits, on the one side of affectionate solicitude, and on the other of confident reliance, which constitute no small portion of the sources of human happiness. How entirely is the happiness of an infant wrapped up in its parent, and how soon does it learn implicitly to draw upon it! Its support is on her arm; its nourishment in her breast; its highest enjoyment in her smile. Absent from her it cannot long be happy; in her bosom it feels no want, and fears no evil. So is it with the child of God. Mere helpless man, feeble infancy, the child of God, is entirely dependent on God for its being and support. Without him he cannot draw a breath or make a spiritual movement, and out of his fulness he daily receives, and "grace for grace." Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption."

The dependence of childhood long outlives the period of infancy, and forms indeed a principal means of that training to which we formerly referred. For many a year children never think of making any provision for their own support, or seeking any other home than their father's house. They receive with implicit credit whatever their parents assert, and feel perfectly safe under their protection. They go with confidence to consult them in all their little difficulties, and ask, without fear of refusal, whatever is necessary for their comfort. And what is the faith of God's own elect? The habitual cultivation of this child-like feeling towards him—an entire, unhesitating, unchanging reliance on the wise and beneficent provision of a heavenly Father. "Ask, and ye

shall receive," is his own warrant for it; "seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." "For if ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" It is a habit which the children of God never outgrow; but which, on the contrary, becomes stronger as they advance towards the stature of perfect men, and the stronger it is, it is always the more gratifying to its blessed object. In this spirit we find Abraham going forth at God's command, "not knowing whither he went;" Jacob going down to Egypt, in the assurance that God would be with him and bring him ap again; and Moses forsaking Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. In this spirit we find David saying, "Though father and mother forsake me, the Lord will take me up;" and Paul," after a long life spent in his service, strong in his weakness, rich in his poverty, fearless in his extremities, looking with confidence in the face of the king of terrors, and triumphing over the victor of all mankind—"I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day."

Pride is indeed

It is humble and contented. bound up in the heart of a child, but it is some time before it displays itself, at least in any marked or offensive form. The infant assumes no air of superiority, nor draws any invidious distinction between itself and others. It is pleased with a slight attention, and gratified with the smallest trifles. A dress of russet is to it the same as a dress of silk; and the child of a beggar as agreeable a playmate as that of a nobleman. Most beautifully correspondent with it is the carriage of the people of God. It is, indeed, a distinguishing feature of all the disciples of Christ. "If any man will be my disciple, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me." To teach them this disposition, many things contribute. Their pre vious condition, as children of wrath, cannot be forgotten; their infinite obligations to the grace of Christ should lay them in the dust; while the humility of His character presents a most attractive example, and puts to shame every rising feeling of pride in their bosom. A proud Christian is the greatest of all misnomers. In those who bear that blessed name, we expect the same mind." "Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

THE LITTLE CHILD.

From genuine humility springs moral contentment. A proud man never has enough, a humble man has always more than he deserves. "I am less than the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto 'thy servant." Like the child that is just "weaned from its mother," from whom has been taken, never to be restored, what constituted its food, its medicine, the soother of its sorrows, the highest of its pleasures, and which yet soon forgets that ever it possessed such a treasure. To him all blessings are more than his expectations, all trials less than his desert. In every thing he sees the hand of a gracious Father, and, confidently trusting to his wise and bountiful supply, he can say, "My heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty, neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me." "I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need; I have learned, in whatever state I am, therewith to be content.

It is compliant and submissive. Childhood indeed has a will of its own, and its wayward working soon displays itself. But it may be taught at that age, that there is a will superior to it, to which obedience must be yielded; and the lesson once properly acquired will not soon be forgotten. To teach this, indeed, is one of the most difficult and painful duties of parental authority; but how pleasing often is its reward! Few moments are sweeter either to parent or child, than when wayward childhood, after resisting correction, seeks to hide its penitent head in the parental bosom; such a disposition eminently distinguishes the children of God. Every high thing is cast down, and every thought brought into subjection to the obedience of Christ. The will of God's children is at last entirely resigned up to him, and the simple rule of its exercise is," Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?"

To effect this, the same painful process is needful as in the training of youth. Folly is bound up in the hearts of God's children, and the rod and reproof are required to drive it away. Never was any received into his family that was not subjected to its discipline. "Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." To endure chastisement is, then, one of the most striking characteristics of his genuine children. "I was dumb, not opening my mouth, because thou didst it." Regarding every event as the doing of the Lord, filial duty may inquire into the causes of the divine displeasure; but when

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flesh and blood would reclaim against its severity, it effectually shuts their mouth. "It is the Lord," it says, "let him do what seemeth him good." "I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me. He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness."

A child is simple-minded and single-hearted. Nothing is more artless than a child. Entirely without guile itself, it never suspects it in others. It is quite incapable of acting a part, or hiding under feigned words the sentiments of a false heart. Its desires and aversions, its likings and dislikings, are distinctly marked, and all its actions and language form a perfect mirror of the state of its feelings. The child of God is without guile. The native deceit of his heart is not indeed eradicated, but it is subdued-the law of God is written upon his heart; the fear of God is before his eyes; the glory of God is become his single aim; and, taught to "hate every false way," he studies in simplicity and godly sincerity to have his conversation in the world.

Such a disposition, no doubt, frequently exposes the people of God to many injuries and impositions in a deceitful world, and they are therefore enjoined to add "the wisdom of the serpent" to the "harmlessness of the dove;" but, while that wisdom includes a prudence that often detects and avoids the wiles of others, it is lawful to shun all imitation of it. The man of sanctified prudence may not expose his mind to every observer, or commit himself to every adviser; but his conduct and feelings are always consistent with his professions, and reflect the simplicity and candour of truth. "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile." How amiable is such a character, both in the sight of God and of man! While nothing is more painful to witness in a child, and nothing more ominous of his future debasement, than the early manifestation of deceit and falsehood, —while in after life the prevalence of such habits has broken up the bonds of society, and separated chief friends, the simple-minded children of God have proved the salt of the earth, the cement of society, and will be the ornament of the world to come. "Who shall ascend into the hill of God? Who shall dwell in his holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart, who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully, he shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation."

(To be continued.)

BENGEL ON THE DEATH OF HIS CHIL

DREN AND GRANDCHILDREN.*

THE illustrious Bengel had twelve children, six of whom died in their infancy. The early loss of these children occasioned severe sufferings to so affectionate a father. The following extracts will show with what meek resignation he submitted to the chastisement of his heavenly Father.

"Our joy of late has been considerably moderated by many a concern about our dear children. In endeavouring to cheer myself and others under the cross which continually attends us, I find use enough for what Christian knowledge and experience I have acquired. Our heavenly Father has again brought my dear wife safely through her sorrows. On the morning of the 29th of August, the same day on which, three years ago, our little Joanna Regina, now reposing in the churchyard, was born, we received in safety a healthy little girl, to whom, as she was born on the same day of the year, we have given a similar name, Anna Regina. We would not choose quite the same name, because we thought it ought to have some distinction from hers, whom we still regard as one of the family, though she is fallen asleep."

That child lived only a year. The following very interesting and affecting letter was written by Bengel to his parents, immediately after her funeral.

"We thank you for the wreaths you sent us, to dress the coffin of our departed and still beloved child, Anna Regina; and we thank you still more for your affectionate and parental sympathy, as also for your consoling letter. I feel constrained to give you, in return, some simple account of what God has discovered to us under this visitation of his love. When, six weeks before our child's illness, I was suffering by scarlet fever, I endeavoured, as I had done during a former illness, to get my heart into a state of more than ordinary tenderness; but I was unable, this time, to bring my feelings into such entire selfabasement as I wished. complained of it to a friend who visited me, and expressed to him my expectation that some severer affliction, which would better answer the purpose, awaited me. It has arrived, and answered my wishes. While our dear child was lying under so much suffering, and very near its end, I felt the keenest pangs at the thought of losing it; far more so than I had ever felt before, even when I lost our other dear children. Indeed, no occasion of the kind ever distressed me so much. Still I was enabled, without feeling the presence of others any interruption, to attend the dear child, with prayers, supplications, and tears, till its soul had gained the victory. I was led, during the whole time, to meditate deeply upon two things; 1st, The righteousness of God, which had thus disfigured and destroyed such a little tender frame of body on account of sin inherited from its parents, and through us from the stock of Adam; and, 2d, That grace of God by which such a transit through death conducts to life everlasting. Hence, our little sufferer's pitiable convulsions and labourings for breath no longer aggravated my distress. My spirit became so cheered and strengthened, that, notwithstanding this additional affliction at the prospect of another bereavement, I felt, in the inward man, more comfort and enjoyment than I had ever realised in the best

*As given in the appendix to an excellent little work by the Rev. Dr John Brown, entitled "Comfortable Words for Christian Parents bereaved of Little Children."

pleasures of my life. And, as I reclined my head upon my dying child's little couch, I thought I could gladly die with it that moment. After its precious soul was departed, I went into the room where it was laid out, and reclined again by the side of it to repose awhile, and again thought how desirable such an exchange must be. David, at his wretched Absalom's death, was urged by his feelings to exclaim, O that I had died FOR thee! But there was no need for me to use such lamentation as this for a child that had never lived to enter into the seductions of a wicked world. In my own case, it was sufficient that I could utter the sweet plaint of a Christian parent's love, O that I had died WITH thee!'

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"The bills of mortality show that more than half the human race die in infancy and childhood. God then gave us five children, and has now taken away THREE, we are not to think ourselves more hardly dealt with than others; especially as these dear little ones have doubtless entered on a good exchange. There is much in the consideration, that! so many immortal beings are just shown to this world, and so quickly removed into another, and that the number of the elect is mainly accomplished in this way. They are those plants which are gathered and housed the moment they are in season; while others who arrive at maturer age are as the fewer plants, which, being left for seed, remain longer out in wind and weather. What pains one's natural feelings most is, that we so much miss the delight we have enjoyed in the lovely innocent ways of a thriv ing child. But even this is made up for by the sure and certain prospect of what is far better. We do not regret the fall of the sweet and delightful blossoms of our plants and trees, though they soon drop off in such multitudes, because the fruit which succeeds is attended with more substantial enjoyment. Had we had no such child born to us a year ago, it is true we should not have been in our present sorrow; but having attended it this day to its grave, we are temporally in the same situation as if we had never possessed it. And yet, we can count it gain to be able to reckon one more child of our own in heaven. It therefore was neither made for nought,' nor brought into the world in vain, nor has the care we expended on it been thrown away. And now, that such care has ceased, and responsibility with it, we have the more leisure to attend to the one thing needful, and to direct to this great object, in a more undivided manner, the attention of our two surviving children.

"No sooner was its last struggle over, than the little corpse, with ashes put into its hand, was adorned with clean linen, flowers, citrons, wreaths, &c., which indeed could only die and decay with it, and which afforded but a poor and momentary agreeableness to the eye; but how beautiful must that adorning be with which our heavenly Father clothes the soul in his own presence, in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, and of his holy angels!

"Our chief hindrance to entire resignation is, that we are so much addicted to things present and visi ble, while eternal realities are as yet so foreign to us, and so little known. But could we take one glance at the condition of a spirit thus departed, we could never regret and lament, as we are apt to do, the decease of relatives and friends; but our grief would be rather on account of the dim-sightedness of weeping survivors.

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