a focial prayer meeting at a friend's houfe. After breakfast, I met with fome Chriftian brethren in the vestry of our meeting, and spent fome time in prayer before fervice commenced; then, after hearing our minifter, I ran as hard as I could to a certain chapel, and was juft in time for the text; fo that you fee I have made a good ufe of my time." Juft as he was pronouncing the laft fentence, he was interrupted by Philander, who with a very ferious air told him, he much doubted the propriety of his laft expreffion."Why fo?" faid Curiofo. "Becaufe," replied Philander, "I think the time could have been better fpent.""Surely," anfwered Curiofo, "it cannot be more profitably spent than in hearing the Gospel."-"Give me leave, friend," faid Philander, "to enquire what were the particular fubjects you heard infifted upon?" The moft tremendous clap of thunder could not have produced a more fudden change in Curiofo than did this queftion. He was mute but at length, with a faultering accent, he begged that Philander would give him time to recollect. "That," answered Philander, is what I wanted you to take. It does not appear to me that you have gained much good by your attendance, when you cannot call to mind even the general outlines of the fubject. Had you been fatisfied, as I was, to hear one fermon, with a mind prepared by serious felf-examination, and after that, to retire, in order to apply what you had heard, which was fuitable to your case, you would not only have retained in your memory the precious truths which fell from the lips of the preacher, but might, perhaps, have been able to fay-They were life and fpirit to my foul." Philander, perceiving that Curiofo was quite embarraffed, in order to afford him time to recover himfelf, turned the converfation to Mutator, who, finding he was about to be addreffed, was willing to be beforehand, and faid, "Pray who do you think I heard this morning?

Why," antwered Philander, "as I know your attach-1 ment to Gracilis, it is but natural to fuppofe you have attended upon him."-" Not I, indeed," rejoined Mutátor, "I thought you had known that I have entirely left him." "Surprizing!" exclaimed Philander, "left Gracilis! why the last time I faw you, you were extravagant in his praifes. His ideas were fo original, his voice fo fonorous, his action fo graceful, and his manner fo energetic, you pronounced him the greateft preacher you ever heard.""I really thought fo," faid Mutator, "till Eugenio came to town; but he has quite altered my opinion."—" Pray who is E

L2

genic

genio?" enquired Philander.—" I do not much wonder," replied Mutator, that you are ignorant of him; this is the first time of his vifiting the metropolis; but when he becomes known, he will eclipfe every body else.”—“ On what account?" faid Philander. "Why," anfwered Mutator, “because——” "I fuppofe you mean," fubjoined Philander, because he is a different perfon, a new face, that great Gospel magnet of these wondering days.". "Surely," faid Mutator, "you are not ferious in talking thus; you mean to banter me."-" Not I, truly," replied Philander; "if you could learn the impropriety of fuch a changeable difpofition, and act accordingly, it would much more adorn the profeffion of the truth than does a zealous, but tranfient attachment to a preacher; not because he is really more eminent than others, but because he is of more recent appearance."-" What, then," exclaimed Ventofus, who had hitherto been filent, "I fuppofe you with us always to hear one Minister. This would be lifeless work indeed. Variety and change are effential to improvement." "That I much queftion," said Philander. "Such a practice may gratify a fickle mind, and may, in fome cafes, be attended with advantage; but it is not calculated to increase knowledge, or establish the mind. Excufe me for adverting to your cafe, Curiofo," continued he," it gives birth to the error with which I think you are chargeable, and, perhaps, to feveral others." Here Ventofus interrupted him by faying, "Really, Philander, I think you are very bigotted. You fhould remember every perfon does not think as you do, and therefore give them the fame latitude you take for yourfelf."" This I will moft cheerfully do," faid Philander, " and the evil will be cured at once. I embrace the liberty of the Gofpel, and with to extend it to others. Thence I learn that it is a good thing for the heart to be eftablished with grace. Now I conceive you pursue methods, which have no tendency to promote this object. You gain no benefit from a minifter unlefs he is popular. If he declines in this refpect, you imagine his preaching is dry, intipid, and perhaps legal, and concur in the cenfure of others, that fuch a perfon, once a favourite with the Public, is not what he ufed to be. This clearly proves, either that he is changed, or that you are mistaken; if he is altered, it must be either for the better or the worse. In the former cafe, you are not justified in leaving him; and even in the latter, you may be mistaken in your judgment; and if fo, you carelessly, though inadvertently, leave him,

under

under whom you once profited, and are hereby guilty of a contempt of one of God's meffengers. I believe it feldom happens, according to the common course of things, that a minifter is the worfe for advancing in years. If his knowledge and experience increafe, this ought to endear him to the people; whereas, in common, his continuance with them is the oftenfible reason for departing from him."

Philander was now affailed by all his vifitors, and charged with making unfriendly ftrictures upon their condu&t." I can only fay," replied he, with much coolnefs, "that what I have advanced on this fubject is confiftent with reafon and fact. Let me appeal to your experience."—" But stop," faid Ventofus, "here comes Mnafon; we will have his opinion." Upon being introduced, he apologized for his intrufion, which he faid he feldom had occafion to do on that day, in which he never paid any idle vifits; but he had been to fee a fick brother, and finding himfelf weary, had called in for fome refreshment. Philander told him that apologies were needlefs in his circumftances, at the fame time that he perceived the confufion of his other guests at this undefigned, but poignant reproof, which had dropped from Mnafon. "We have," faid Ventofus, addreffing himself to Mnafon, " for fome time been converfing on a fubject, which we will now refer to you. Philander condemns the practice of many perfons, in following different popular preachers, and thinks we ought to confine ourselves chiefly to a ftated miniftry."" In that," anfwered Mnafon, "I think he is perfectly right. You fee I am now old; I have ftood for many years a tree planted, I hope, by the Lord's right hand; and though not fo fruitful as I could wifh, yet I truft not altogether barren. I have for many years fat under the truly venerable Judicator, and find more inftruction, and as much fatisfaction in him as ever. him I began my Chriftian race, and with, or fhortly after him, I hope to end it."" I am fure," faid Mutator, "the cafe is very different with us: we have been but a few years in the good old way yet, and-" fubjoined Philander, "have had as many favourites as moons." This fudden interruption quite difconcerted them; and though at first they intended to spend the afternoon with Philander, and the evening at fome lecture, they now began to prepare for a departure. When Philander perceived this, he told them that he did not judge it a breach of true hofpitality, to reject fuch vifits as thefe; "and," added he," as I never expect, so I never prepare for them; but if you will take

With

fuch

fuch fare as we have, you fhall be welcome; and after dinner we will accompany Mnafon to hear Judicator." They accepted the offer, and, amongst other things which were mentioned in converfation, Mnafon particularly requested them to remember, that there were relative duties between a Minifter and his people, which ought moft confcientiously to be regarded. On the minifter's part, by watching for the fouls of his hearers; and on the people's part, by holding up, and ftrengthening the hands of their minifter. Thefe duties," continued he, "muft be neglected by a conformity to that practice for which you have been contending against Philander. There feemed a general acquiefcence in this obfervation, and the time being come to go to the place of worthip, they went accordingly, and were all of them properly feated before the commencement of the fervice: for it was a maxim with Mnafon and Philander never to disturb public worship by a late attendance, which they confidered both as indecent and criminal. They accompanied Judicator in his addrefs to the Throne of Grace; but were not a little furprized to hear him read for his text the benediction of David, "Blessed are they that dwell in thy houfe, they will be ftill praifing thee *" From which he took occafion to thew the privilege they enjoyed in having public ordinances to refort to. The duty of fuch as have this mercy, as confifting in a conftant, ftedfaft, and perfevering regard to them. The peculiar advantage which refulted from DWELLING in the Houfe of God,-great caufe for praife, and a difpofition correfponding to it. When the affembly were difmiffed, they departed from the courts of God, acknowledging the benefit they had received from the difcourfe, and refolving, in the ftrength of Divine Grace, to be, in future, more ftedfaft, and always to abound in the work of the Lord, which shall not be in vain.

*Pfalm lxxxiv. 4.

CHIOS.

A

ON RESIGNATION.

Spirit of refignation to all the will of God ought ever to be confpicuous in the life and conduct of every Leliever in Jefus. The advantages that refult from the continued poffeffion of it cannot be too much infifted upon, fince our own comfort and usefulness in the Church of Christ greatly depends upon our poffeffing this Chriftian

difpofition

difpofition. Many examples we have in the Word of God of perfons living under its benign influence, who, on all occafions, have been fubmiflive under difficulties of the greatest magnitude. Nor is the Sacred Volume deftitute of characters indulging a contrary temper of mind, the hiftory of whofe lives prefent to us a fcene of difcontent and mifery.

Let us enter into the meditations of a renewed foul under the influence of the Holy Spirit; fuppofe him to be deprived of his deareft earthly comfort; is not his language fomething like this?" From thy bounteous hand, my God, I received the bleffing; when I received it, I bleffed thee for it; during the interval of its continuance, I was, in fome measure, grateful that it was prolonged to me; and now thou haft taken it from me, I chearfully refign the gift to thee, the kind benefactor that beftowed it." Is he called to part with the amiable partner of his life, to whose counfels and endearing care he was mnch indebted? Does he behold, or hear of a brother in Chriftian fellowship change an abode of mifery for realms of blifs? We find him still acquiefcing in the Divine difpofal, being fenfible that

"Such are not loft, but gone before,

"Where fin and furrow are no more.

But from what fource do thefe lively, yet refined effufions of his mind flow? Surely, they muft arife from a firm perfuation that all things fhall ultimately work together for his good thus he is enabled to meet every event of Providence with compofure; and he at laft refigns his foul into the hands of God, who is able to keep what is committed to him. M. F.

ANSWERS TO QUERIES. No. II. and III.

U'

PON what grounds may perfons apply to themfelves, or claim intereft in what are called abfolute promijes; fuch as Ifai. xliii. 21. I, even I am he that blotteth out thy tranfgreffions, for mine own fake, and will not remember thy fing

The fenfe of this paffage, like moft others, requires to be afcertained from the context. God is addrefling Jacob, or Ifrael as a nation, and reminding them of their great depravity from whence he afferts, that all the mercy that was exercifed towards them must be free, or unmerited. God often fpared them as a nation, when he might have utterly