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criminate; one who can assist him in his affairs, lighten his cares, soothe his sorrows, purify his joys, strengthen his principles, and educate his children.

Almost any ornamental acquirement is a good thing, when it is not the best thing a woman has; and talents are admirable, when not made to stand proxy for virtues. The writer is intimately acquainted with several ladies who excel most of their sex in the art of music, but excelling them also in prudence and piety, find little leisure or temptation, amidst the delights and duties of a large and lovely family, for the exercise of this charming talent; they regret that so much of their own youth was wasted in acquiring an art, which can be turned to so little account in married life, and are now conscientiously restricting their daughters in the portion of time allotted to its acquisition.

If indeed the name of Christianity were a sufficient passport to Heaven, we might close our Bibles, spare the soul's labour, and enjoy the pleasures of this world, fearless of the coming judgment of another.

But although "there is no other name given under heaven by which men can be saved," yet the name alone, powerful as it is, without the spirit of Christ, cannot save. To be meet for the kingdom of Heaven, we must be "holy, even as God is holy;" we must "cast off the works of darkness, and put on the whole armour of light;" we must be members of Christ, even as ingrafted branches of the "tree of life," whose fruit is without spot or blemish; we must forgive, as we

hope to be forgiven, and "bless them which curse us;" we must "present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto our Lord," and be transformed by the renewing of our minds, proving what is that good and acceptable will of God. Be fervent in spirit; serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope: patient in tribulation, and continuing instant in prayer; nay, it is even said, "that we must put on the Lord Jesus Christ."

Is this then an easy obedience? Is it a light thing to do our duty,-to be meet for the inheritance of the saints in glory? No, it is so difficult, that were it not for the aid of grace, which we receive through the Holy Spirit, man would find it as impossible as to create heaven itself. Miriam.

An awful thought suggests itself. If life be so long that we are driven to set to work every engine to pass away the tediousness of time, how shall we do to get rid of the tediousness of eternity,-an eternity, in which not one of the acquisitions which life has been exhausted in acquiring, will be of the least use? Let not then the soul be starved, by feeding it on such unsubstantial aliment, for the mind can no more be nourished by these empty husks, than the body can be fed with ideas and principles.

THE Romans were so well aware of the importance of keeping up a sense of family fondness and attachment, by the very same means which promoted simple and domestic employment, that no citizen of note ever

appeared in public in any garb, but what was spun by his wife and daughters; and this virtuous fashion was not confined to the early days of the republican severity, but even in all the pomp and luxury of imperial power. Augustus preserved in his own family this simplicity of primitive manners.

THE following extract is from one of the essays addressed in a series of letters to a friend, by John Foster:

"Is it not strange my dear friend, to observe how carefully some philosophers, who deplore the condition of the world, and profess to expect its amelioration, keep their speculations clear of every idea of divine interposition? No builders of houses or cities were ever more attentive to guard against the access of inundation or fire.

If He should but touch their prospective theories of improvement, they would denounce them as defiled, and fit only for vulgar fanaticism. Their system of providence would be profaned by the intrusion of the Almighty; man is to effect an apotheosis for himself, by the hopeful process of exhausting his corruptions, and should it take all but an endless series of ages, vices, and woes, to reach this glorious attainment, patience may sustain itself the while by the thought, that when it is realized, it will be burdened with no duty of religious gratitude: no time is too long to wait, no cost too deep to incur, for the triumph of proving that we have no need of that one attribute of

a divinity, which is the strongest cause for adoring him, the benevolence that can make us happy. But even if this triumph should be found unattainable, the independence of spirit which has laboured for it, must not sink into piety. This afflicted world, this poor terrestrial citadel of man, is to lock its gates, and keep its miseries, rather than admit the degradation of receiving help from God.

I wish it were not true, that even men, who firmly believe, as a general principle, the divine government of the world, are often betrayed into the impiety of attaching an excessive importance to human agency in its events, how easily a creature of their own species is transformed into a god before them. If what they deem the cause of truth and justice, advances with a splendid front of distinguished names of legislators, or patriots, or generals, it must then, and it must therefore, triumph; such talents, accompanied by the zeal of so many faithful adherents, nothing can withstand. If these shining insects of fame are crushed, or sent into the despicable reptiles of corruption, alas then, for the cause of truth and justice! all this while, there is no solemn reference to the blessed and only potentate. If however, the foundations of their religious faith have not been shaken, and they possess any docility to the lessons of time, they will, after a while, be taught to withdraw their dependence and confidence from all subordinate agents, and habitually regard the Supreme Being as the only power in the creation.

It strikes me as not improbable, that the grand

moral improvements of a future age, may be accomplished in a manner, that shall leave nothing to man but humility and grateful adoration. His pride so obstinately ascribes to himself whatever good is effected, that perhaps the Deity will evince his own interposition, by events as obviously independent of human power, as the rising of the sun: perhaps some of them may take place in a manner but little connected even with human operation; or if the activity of men shall be employed as the means of producing all of them, there will probably be as palpable a disproportion, between the instruments and the events, as there was between the rod of Moses, and the stupendous phenomena which followed its being stretched forth. No Israelite was foolish enough to ascribe to the rod the power that divided the sea; nor will any witness of the moral wonders to come, attribute them to man.'

ORDER is heaven's first law; and this confest,
Some are, and must be, greater than the rest;
More rich, more wise; but who infers from hence,
That such are happier, shocks all common sense.

MEN of the world this doctrine ill digest;
They smile at piety, yet boast aloud

Pope.

Good will to man; nor know they strive to part
What nature joins, and thus confute themselves.

Young.

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