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us by narrative, by parable, and by fable; which had even embodied, and brought it near to us in the humanity of the Saviour, so that the understanding and the heart, in their feeblest state might be interested; they were concerned to imitate this condescension, and no one can judge how easily they succeeded but by making the experiment.

Martha.

PIOUS MEMORANDUMS, 2ND MO. 21, 1831. ABOUT twelve months ago, I remember feeling a great resignation and sweetness; I think I then knew what is meant in scripture by the words, "the silence of all flesh," a feeling very difficult to attain, but which, I am convinced, every true Christian must strive for until it is attained. For many months past I have believed it to be my duty to do so; to endeavour to feel a mental stillness, or a total resignation of feeling and cessation from thinking, and in this state to wait for the influences and teachings of Divine Grace in the heart: when we attain this stillness the Holy Spirit directs us what to do, what to pray for, and how to pray; shows us when vocal supplication is required of us, and when secret mental prayer is most accepttable to the Father of Spirits. I have often felt anxious to know what is real religion, and have intreated my Heavenly Guide to lead me into it, however painful the surrender of heart and life may be; for, without it, there is no true and lasting peace to be found, and no preparation for the enjoyment of the Divine presence in a state of perfect holiness hereafter.

I have at different times been solicitous to know whether that profession in which I have been educated is the right one for me to retain, or whether any other form of worship would be more acceptable to God from me: I never made use of vocal supplication on the subject, but I believe my secret prayers were accepted by Him, who knew the sincerity in which they were addressed. After waiting to be instructed, my desires are at length fully answered; for inward revelation assures me that mine must be a religion of stillness, and a total resignation of self, so that whether the feeling of devotion excited be that of prayer, praise, gratitude, or adoration, I must be immediately influenced by the Spirit of Truth, before I can experience union and communion with my Heavenly Father, which, whether words are used or not, alone constitutes the essence of worship. I feel convinced that, whatever the outward form of worship may be, the only true and acceptable offering is the sacrifice of the heart; and the more I feel of a devotional spirit, the more I am led to be still, and not look for instrumental aid; for I feel that Christ the inward teacher and Comforter is all-sufficient, and that He is waiting to do us good. In these precious moments I should feel any ministry a burden that was not prompted by the immediate inspiration of the Holy Spirit; for any but such ministry must break that inward silence, in which the Divine will is shown us, and heavenly consolations are administered. I often keep silence mentally, that I may renew my strength, then I mount up as on eagle's

wings; till, within the last year, I knew little, if any, of this stillness, and my devotions consisted chiefly of supplication and praise, and something of gratitude to the Supreme Being. Now, on a bed of sickness, perhaps of death, being in a very precarious state, I feel confirmed in the assurance, that in mental silence is to be felt the peace, joy, and union with our Maker, which is, and ever will be, the Christian's only hope and confidence in the solemn and certain hour of dissolution. A. H. Lury.

LIBEL.

HENRY THE FOURTH being importuned to allow the prosecution of a person who had written a libel on him, magnanimously replied, "I cannot in conscience do any harm to a man who tells truth, although it may be unpalatable."

By a calculation it appears that, allowing 32 years for a generation, and reckoning 5287 years from Adam to the present time, that 145 thousand millions of human beings have existed on the earth since the system of our globe commenced.

Morning Chronicle.

FROM H. MORE'S PRACTICAL PIETY.

CHRISTIANITY bears all the marks of a divine original; it came down from heaven, and its gracious purpose is to carry us up thither. Its author is God, it was foretold from the beginning, by prophecies which grew

clearer, and brighter, as they approached the period of their accomplishment.

It was confirmed by miracles which continued till the religion they illustrated was established. It was ratified by the blood of its author; its doctrines are pure, sublime, consistent; its precepts just and holy; its worship is spiritual; its service reasonable, and rendered practicable by the offers of divine aid to human weakness.

It is sanctioned by the promise of eternal happiness to the faithful, and the threat of everlasting misery to the disobedient.

It had no collision with power, for power sought to crush it; it could not be in any league with the world, for it set out by declaring itself the enemy of the world; it reprobated its maxims, it showed the vanity of its glories, the danger of its riches, the emptiness of its pleasures.

This religion does not consist in external conformity to practices, which, though right in themselves, may be adopted from human motives, and to answer secular purposes; it is not a religion of forms, and modes, and decencies; it is being transformed into the image of God; it is being like-minded with Christ; it is considering him as our sanctification, as well as our redemption; it is endeavouring to live to him here, that we may live with him hereafter.

It is desiring earnestly to surrender our will to his, our heart to the conduct of his spirit, our life to the guidance of his word; for the happiness of a Christian

does not consist in mere feelings which may deceive, nor in frames which can be only occasional; but in a settled, calm conviction, that God and eternal things have the predominance, in his heart; in a clear perception that they have, though with much alloy of infirmity, the supreme, if not undisturbed possession of his mind; in an experimental persuasion that his chief remaining sorrow is, that he does not surrender himself with so complete an acquiescence as he ought to his convictions; these abatements, though sufficient to keep us humble, are not powerful enough to make us unhappy.

On the whole then, the state which we have been describing, is not the dream of the enthusiast; it is not the reverie of the visionary, who renounces prescribed duties for fanciful speculations, and embraces shadows for realities; but it is that sober earnest of heaven, that reasonable anticipation of eternal felicity, which God is graciously pleased to grant, not partially, nor arbitrarily, but to all who diligently seek his face, to all to whom his service is freedom, his will a law, his word a delight, his spirit a guide; to all who love him unfeignedly, to all who devote themselves to him unreservedly; to all who with deep self-abasement, yet with filial confidence, prostrate themselves at the foot of his throne, saying, "Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us, and we shall be safe."

PRAYER is the application of want to him who only can relieve it; the voice of sin to him alone who can

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