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course through this world, it will guide you safely to the haven of rest

and peace.

Blessed God! Thy word is a cheerful lamp unto our feet, and an encouraging light unto our path. It faithfully shows us our state and danger; reveals a dear Saviour to perishing souls; lights us through this wicked world, and gives us solid assurances of a glorious immortality beyond the grave. May every soul prize its contents, and be interested in its promises; and may the time speedily advance when all the world shall not only be possessed of the word of eternal life, but be savingly acquainted with the rich salvation it reveals!

CHAPTER VI.

THE WINDS.

"He bringeth the winds out of his treasures.".
Psa.cxxxv. 7.

Blow, heavenly breezes of love,
Renew my sinful soul;

Waft all my thoughts to things above,
Where solid pleasures roll.

AMONGST the various phenomena of nature, are the winds. Our familiarity with many things around us frequent

leads us to pass by an investigation of the causes by which they are produced; hence, the world in general is quite ignorant of some of the most charming processes of nature.

There are very few persons who know how the winds are caused. It is thus: The rays of the sun acting upon the earth cause subtle vapours to escape, which collect together, and form the air or atmosphere which surrounds the globe. This air is an elastic fluid, capable of being condensed by cold, or rarefied by heat; consequently, whenever it is subject to either of these principles, it is put in motion, and in proportion to the power of the affecting cause, so is the strength of the current of air, or wind produced.

In different parts of the world, a variety of winds prevail. In countries where it is immaterial whether

they blow from the east, west, north or south, the winds are very variable; but in those countries where it is absolutely necessary for the

health and comfort of the inhabitants, that the winds be unchangeable, particular winds blow with great constancy. Thus, in all hot climates, especially within the tropics, land and sea-breezes are invariable; also, in all parts of the ocean situated within the torrid zone, certain winds blow continually, and from their being invariable, they are called trade-winds. The latter prove of the utmost benefit to navigators in enabling them to make their voyages with some prospect of certainty, and without difficulty. In these things, as in all others, we trace the wisdom and goodness of God, who has harmoniously arranged every thing to bless his creatures.

In different parts of the Bible the influences of God's Spirit are compared to the operation of the winds, and in

spiritualizing this subject, I would remark, 1st, that as winds are of the greatest importance to mariners, so are the influences of God's Spirit to sinners. Without winds a mariner could never effect a voyage, and without the Spirit infusing life into the soul of a sinner, he never can reach heaven. It is of the greatest consequence to a sinner that he is brought under the influences of the holy Spirit, because he is by nature unpossessed of power to do a good thing, or think a good thought, and so dead to spiritual things as to need the fresh breezes of a regenerating grace. The world may cavil at this, but the Bible expressly declares, that it is necessary to eternal happiness. "Marvel not that I say unto you, ye must be born again. Except a man be born again he cannot enter

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