riches and pleasures of the world for which we make so many efforts, and submit to so many sufferings. Though our labours are necessary to obtain the fruits of autumn, and we have sufficient grounds for our faith that, in due season we shall reap if we faint not, yet here, it may be, that a burning sun may dry up the springs of vegetation; or a desolating storm may tear it from its roots; or innumerable insects may be commissioned to devour it ; or, at the very moment when our work of prepa ration is about to terminate, death may arrest us,--another may become the heir of our possessions, and enjoy the long anticipated fruits of our exertions and our hopes. But if God is a moral Governor, and the great purposes of his government are not accomplished in this world, by the full reward of piety and virtue, and the full punishment of impiety and vice, it is as certain as that God lives, and is wise, and holy, and good, that these purposes will be completely effected hereafter. In proportion then as the rewards and punishments of the future life are more certain, than the attainment of the objects of our faith in this life,--and they are so, in proportion as our future existence is more certain than it is whether we shall live till to-morrow, or to the greatest age of man,--in the same propor tion is it more reasonable, that we should live by faith in the objects of eternity, than in those of this world. By this view of faith we are therefore led, thirdly, to a comparison of the objects themselves of this world, to the pursuit of which we are prompted by the faith of obtaining them, with those in which God demands our faith as accountable and immortal beings. By the light of God's word, examine his moral government; and by the aid of the same light, penetrate as far as you can into that eternal futurity, in which the soul, purified by intercourse with its Creator, and by obedience to his laws, will see him as he is; will become one of the bright and happy society that encircles his throne; and, forever delivered from pain, and sorrow, and want, will forever advance in knowledge, and piety, and virtue, and happiness. On the objects here presented to our contemplation and promised to our fidelity, let attention be fixed, till the mind and heart have formed such sentiments as they are capable of obtaining, of the grandeur and worth of the prize of steady confidence in God, and of persevering devotion to his will. Then bring together every good that the world can give you; and say, which shall hereafter be the objects of your highest love, your strongest solicitude, and your most earnest pursuit. Do you waver in making your choice? I will only remind you, that the things which are seen-which can here be possessed and enjoyed,are temporal. But the things which are unseen are eternal. MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS. KNOWLEDGE OF ONE ANOTHER IN THE FUTURE STATE. THE question, whether we shall know our friends in the future world, has at some time probably interested every christian. Little direct information is to be gathered from the scriptures, and different opinions are prevalent, formed with various degrees of decision. Perhaps the following extract from a letter of Bishop Watson, though short, comprehends all that can be fairly said upon the subject. "Our Saviour has said, that we shall be like the angels of God,' immortal; yet St. John has said, 'It doth not yet appear what we shall be:' there is no contradiction in this. We are sure of immortal life; but the connexions, habits, relations, intercourses of that life, are not revealed to us. I dare not speak with confidence on a subject whereon St. John professes his ignorance. "Had you asked me, whether we should in a future state experience pain, and sorrow, and death, I should have answered, No. Had you asked me, whether we should retain a memory of our good and bad deeds, I should have answered, Yes; because I am certain that the righteous Judge will give such a righteous judgment, that every individual will have a consciousness of its rectitude. But when you ask me, whether we shall know one another in a future state, I hesitate in my reply. All that can certainly be known on the subject is this,-That God will not withhold from those, whom he adopts as his sons, any thing which can contribute to their happiness; and if the earthly connexions formed in this first scene of existence will contribute to our happiness, they will be continued to us, and that continuance implies a future recognition of beloved connexions. Yet, on the other hand, it may be said, if we know our friends and retain sentiments of affection towards them, we must also know our enemies, and thus be again exposed to emotions of fear, dislike, aversion: but in a future state we expect freedom from bad passions, and real tranquillity of mind; and it is probable that human affections will be absorbed in the love of God and of our Saviour. "The strongest text for our mutual knowledge in a future state, occurs in the first Epistle to the Thessalonians, chap. ii. ver. 19, where Paul says, that They will be his hope, his joy, his crown of glorying in the presence of Jesus Christ at his coming. There is a similar expression 2 Cor. chap. i. ver. 14." REPENTANCE. Вотя reason and revelation instruct us to believe that the Creator of the universe wills the happiness of his creatures, not for his own sake, but for theirs. It would be impious to suppose that our vices could disturb his peace, or our virtues augment His felicity; this would be to make a God with the passions of a man, to render the infinite perfection of the Crea tor dependent on the imperfection of the creature. When, therefore, we read of the punishment denounced in the gospel against all manner of wickedness, we may properly consider the threatening as the gracious warning of a wise and affection. ate Father, rather than as the tyrannical declaration of a cruel and vindictive God. Vice, and consequent misery arising from loss of health, of character, of fortune, of self government, and other sources, are generally, if not universally, connected together in this world, and we may from reason analogically infer that, if there is another world, they will be so connected there also. Now it hath pleased God, through Jesus Christ, to assure us that there is another world, and to confirm this analogical inference by a positive declaration, that the connexion which we observe here between vice and misery will remain hereafter. This declaration is made to us as if it were the arbitrary appointment of God that punishment should follow sin, rather than a certain consequence springing from the na ture of things, that misery should follow vice; but the conclusion rests on the same foundation in whatever way we consider the matter; for what is the nature of things, what is the constitution of this world and of the next, but the positive appointment of God himself? Transgress and die, is a positive law; Be vicious and be miserable, is a natural law; they are equally the means of God's moral government of free agents; the latter is intimated to us by reason, the former is promulgated by the gospel, and they are, like their Author, both of them immutable. But these are not the only laws of God's moral govern ment; there is another intimated to us by reason, and clearly made known to us by the gospel, and it is a law which mitigates the severity of the others, which administers consolation to our fears, and strength to our inability; it is this,-Repent and be forgiven-turn from wickedness, do that which is lawful end right; and though you have sinned you shall save your soul alive; this is the voice of Revelation; and reason says, Cease from vice, and you will lessen if not entirely annihilate the misery attendant on it. Repentance is a change of mind accompanied by a change of conduct; this change of mind is then most perfect when it proceeds from the fear of God, from fear grounded on our love to him, and regulated by filial reverence and humble confidence in his mercy; and it is then most sincere and certain when it is followed by change of conduct, from viciousness to sobriety of manners, from habitual sinfulness to habitual righteousness of life. A man may be actuated by a fear of punishment, and change his conduct from vice to virtue; but this does not, strictly speaking, imply such a change of mind as is essential to true repentance. When a man abstains from murder, theft, robbery, merely because he fears a gallows; when he conceals his intemperance, pride, envy, malignity, and evil propensities of any kind, merely to preserve his character from censure, and to exhibit a fair outside to the world, his heart is not right, his mind is not changed, his old man is not put off, his repentance is nothing. But--when a man might commit sin with secrecy, and, as to all human tribunals, with impunity; when he might indulge his sensuality, gratify his revenge, satiate his envy, feed his malignity, without danger to his health, fame or fortune; when he might do these things, and yet abstains from doing them, because God has forbidden him to do them, and because he is persuaded that God loves him, and forbids him nothing but with a gracious design to preserve him from misery here and hereafter, then is his repentance sincere, his obedience is a reasonable service, his heart is in a proper state of resignation, humility, love, trust, and gratitude, toward the Author of all good. WRITTEN AFTER A SUMMER SHOWER. THE rain is o'er-How dense and bright In grateful silence earth receives The softened sunbeams pour around New Series-vol. I. The wind flows cool; the scented ground Mid yon rich clouds' voluptuous pile, The sun breaks forth-from off the scene, With trembling drops of light is hung. Now gaze on nature-yet the same,— Fresh in her youth from God's own hand. Hear the rich music of that voice, Which sounds from all below, above; She calls her children to rejoice, And round them throws her arms of love. Drink in her influence-low born care, And all the train of mean desire, Refuse to breathe this holy air, And mid this living light expire. EPITAPH ON AN UNFORTUNATE YOUNG LADY. [The following verses were written by the celebrated philosopher, Dugald Stewart. In the Annual Register for 1815, they are copied from a volume of poems published by Dr. Drennan. Our readers, we believe, will think with us, that they are distinguished by their elegance and tenderness. They may remind one of Pope's beautiful epitaph on Mrs. Corbett. Both agree in celebrating that quiet, unpretending patience, than which, perhaps, there are few virtues of higher value in the sight of heaven.] A LINGERING struggle of misfortune past, Unpraised, unknown, with cheerful steps she stray'd To gild the darkening horrors of the way. When fir'd with hope, or eager for applause, Unfelt, unheeded, falls misfortune's dart, And fame's sweet echoes cheer the drooping heart. The patriot's toils immortal laurels yield, And death itself is envied in the field. |