of power, we were secured. The tempest, which would have scattered us as chaff before the whirlwind, has lost its power; and now, if we have fled into the "hidingplace," if we are seated beneath "his shadow," passes harmlessly above our head, or is heard by us, as many of us, when seated comfortably in our warm and peaceful dwellings, surrounded by the quiet circle of our own happy families, listen to the winds or rain of winter, blessing God that we enjoy a refuge and a home.

Such are the feelings which you will possess, if you have been led by the Spirit of God to Him, who has thus been made of God, "a hiding-place," and "a covert❞— feelings of security and joy, and peace and safety. But then you, and you alone, can ascertain whether these feelings are your own. I need not tell you that an unapplied Saviour is no Saviour to your souls. I need not tell you that the hiding-place is a hiding-place to him who is within it, not to him who stands without: that the covert is no covert to him who remains uncovered; that a Christian baptism, and a Christian sanctuary, and a Christian ministry, yea, and even a Christ Himself, are necessarily no safeguard to you. If you stand without, justice must have its course; the law which you have broken must be avenged; the Saviour whom you have rejected must be glorified, if not by you, in your salvation, then upon you, in your punishment. If the safety which every redeemed and ransomed child of God may possess, is not your's, it is only because you accept it not; if the Spirit is not your's, it is only because you seek him not; if the Lord Jesus Christ is not your's, it is only because you love Him not. O fearful state for any individual possessing within him a never-dying soul, and looking forward to a never-ending existence; but most fearful to you, if such there be, who, although the baptized members of the outward Church of Christ, have never sought, are not now seeking, a real interest in his blood, a conformity to his will, a place in his kingdom.

From the Rev. H. BLUNT's Posthumous Sermons.

THE HOUSE OF PRAYER.

"And he said unto them, It is written, my house shall be called the house of prayer."

WE are all travelling onward to our journey's end on one or other of two great roads - the broad, or the narrow one. On the narrow road there is a house of refreshment open to all travellers, where every thing is freely given, "without money and without price," where those who enter it weary and heavy laden may, if they choose, find their burdens lightened, and gain strength to pursue their journey, not only with more comfort, but with joy and gladness. On the broad road, the houses of entertainment are so numerous, that at every step the traveller takes, he finds one into which he may go; he has however to pay, and dearly too, for every thing he has in them; and he not only has to pay, but so far from getting refreshed and strengthened, he grows weaker, his burden heavier, his spirits sadder, and the prospect of his journey being soon at an end only seems to make him the more miserable. Strange, however, to say that, with all these disadvantages, the broad road is thronged with travellers, whilst there are but few that enter in at the gate leading to the narrow road. Some cannot find it', they will not follow the direction of their guide book, but are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight', and so it is hid from them; many seek to enter in and are not able; they have kept all their lives on the broad road, and when it is too late try to gain admittance; but such people are not known to the Master of the house, and they are told "to depart." Some from pride would rather pay their own way through the gate ; but as this is against the laws of the guide book' they also find the gate closed on them. The house of refreshment on the narrow road is "called of all nations the House of Prayer ;" and these are some of the excuses made by the broad road travellers for not entering into it-" I have nothing fit to go in," "I can read my Bible at home," "I have not time." "The houses on their road, as I said before, are

1 Matt. vii. 14.
4 Rom. x. 3.

2 Ibid. xi. 25.

3 Luke xiii. 24.

5 John xiv. 6.

numerous; the Beer-house, the Gambling-house, the Play-house, &c., besides many other places of amusement to induce travellers to keep on the broad way, and to hasten them in a sinful manner to their journey's end. And here are a few of the reasons given against them by the travellers of the narrow road: when invited to enter into these houses they look in their guide book and read, "Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." "I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service".""But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth 3."-From "The Three Houses."

EXTRACTS FROM DIFFERENT AUTHORS.

FRUITLESS is sorrow for having done amiss, if it issue not in a resolution to do so no more. And in forming this resolution no time is to be lost. He who doth not resolve to-day will be much less disposed to resolve tomorrow. Procrastination in many cases is dangerous; in this, it is often fatal.-Bishop Horne.

The language of the believer will be-" For my actions, let God's word be my guide; and for the events of things, and all that concerns me, let his good pleasure, and his wise disposal be my will. Yea, let me give up the rudder of my life into his hand, to be steered by Him into the haven of everlasting rest. And, amidst all the changes of this lower world, let me have grace to say from my heart, My Father, thou art the guide of my youth' let me never ' turn away from after thee.

Rev. R. Anderson.

Affliction is a divine diet; which though it be not pleasing to mankind, yet Almighty God hath often, very often, imposed it as good, though bitter physic to those children whose souls are dearest to Him.

When a house is on fire, whatever we have a desire to save, must be laid hold of with courage and resolution;

1 1 Cor. x. 31. 2 Rom. xii. 1. 31 Tim. v. 6. 4 Jer. iii. 4. 19.

in like manner, when we see the near approach of God's judgments, we ought to snatch men like fire-brands out of the fire; but a fearful man always apprehends he might burn himself by endeavouring to save his neighbour. In the meantime the judgments of God overtake us, and crush us both together.-A. H. Franck.

The Scripture is unto us what the star was to the wise men; but if we spend all our time in gazing upon it, observing its motions, and admiring its splendour, without being led to Christ by it, the use of it will be lost

to us.

Perhaps it may be a good rule in the reading of Scripture, not to run from one passage to another, or suppose it a duty to read a certain portion of it every day, but to dwell upon particular passages, till they have, in some measure, done their office. Every one should apply Scripture to himself, as if it was written for him only.

Scripture reading is a feast indeed, when we find in ourselves a disposition to receive it in truth and simplicity. If we had a voice from heaven, it would reveal no new scripture to us, it would send us to the law and to the testimony; why then should we not adhere to the Word, and make a diligent use of it without? We should, if we believed it.

After the commission of sin, or any eruption of our inbred malignity, we quickly heal ourselves again, and reinstate ourselves in our own good opinion. How much better would it be to let our nature appear in its frightful nakedness, and to consider that the cursed root of it stil remains, and that, if not here destroyed, in another world it can produce nothing but essential, uninterrupted misery, when we have no longer the joys and comforts, cares and amusements of this life to keep off the sight of ourselves.

It is the office of the Holy Spirit to convince of sin, because He only has the power; nothing that others can say, or we can think, will bring us to a true sense and feeling of it without him.

Pride is seeing the defects of others, and overlooking our own. Humility is seeing, feeling, and lamenting sin in ourselves; not only past but present sin; not only actual sin, but the root of it in an evil nature, and all sin

without disguise or extenuation, in all its guilt and malignity.

Christ comes with a blessing in each hand; forgiveness in one and holiness in the other, and never gives either to any who will not take both.

Faith does not consist in thinking that our sins are comparatively little, and therefore may be forgiven; but in knowing that they are very great, and believing that, though they are ever so many and great, past or present, Christ's blood is above them all.-Rev. T. Adam, of Wintringham.

EXTRACTS FROM NEWSPAPERS, &c.

POOR, YET HONEST.-About six months since an old weather-beaten tar, who had evidently seen much service, but who, from adverse winds and tides, was, as he termed it, "hard up, without a copper in his locker," applied to the Weymouth Board of Guardians, for the loan of a small sum, in order to enable him to make his way to Jersey, his native place. There was a degree of open frankness and honesty about the man, which, with his credible manner of telling his story of distress, induced the Guardians to listen to his tale, and grant his application. The Guardians accordingly lent him a sovereign, and the gentlemen present at the board subscribed about 8s. or 9s. as a gift, wishing him luck, and a safe passage. The Guardians did not expect to hear anything more of the old veteran, and considered the sovereign as given; but this noble tar possessed so much sterling English spirit and honesty that he considered he had borrowed it, and that it was his duty to return it as soon as he could. This he has done, to his high credit, and with an expression of gratitude which does him honour, and which we hope to see imitated by others. The following is the letter, addressed "The Poor Law Guardians, Union House, Weymouth," with a sovereign enclosed :

66

"Gentlemen,

Jersey, April 7th, 1843.

"I am happy to return the sum your goodness gave me in Weymouth; I never will forget your kindness to me as long as I live in this world you thought me to be an old sailor that goes about the country begging for what he can get, but I never in my life could do any such thing, for I got a better spirit as an old sailorman, so gentlemen, I conclude and remain your most obedient humble servant, "THOS. LYNCH."

BURNS AND SCALDS.-A correspondent who had received a dreadful scald over one of his feet and ancles, which defied all surgical skill, writes to us to say that he was advised to apply a large poultice of oatmeal and cold water, which cured him in three days. He also states that a child of his was severely burnt from the ends of the fingers to the elbow, and every particle of skin came off. He applied the same kind of poultice, which not only gave instant ease, but cured her in three days; indeed, so free from all pain was she, that from first to last she never shed a tear. It should be changed twice a day, used in large quantities, and always cold.

NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS.

We have received the communications of M. B.; M. H.; P. S. L.; A Layman; J. B. B.; F. H. S. M.; and some Anonymous Correspondents.