SECTION XI. SEASONABLE ADVICE. PHILEMON-EPAPHRAS. Philemon.-Without one grain of grace in the soul, I now plainly perceive that a man may be a good citizen or a loyal subject, and yet, after all, by no means a good man: he may be a respectable member of a civil community, but at the same time possess no spiritual goodness, and consequently have no part in the commonwealth of Christ: so that we may, I imagine, assert without fear, that where no change of heart is, there is no Christianity. Epaphras.-This is an observation most just: and there is nothing like experience to settle you in a right view of human character: experience in all things, natural as well as spiritual, produces conviction, and when the conscience is once fairly and fully informed through the medium of intercourse with man, it requires no further argument to adopt certain views respecting their disposition and state generally. This is the argument which the Spirit of God continually employs to show our perishing condition by nature; (1 John v. 19.) and the necessity of the new birth: (John iii. 3.) and St. Paul, when he would define or represent to us his own character, at once appeals to experience: he argues from the blessed and transforming effects of the gospel moisture out of the earth, but is not the cause of noisome exhalations: the upper wheel of any mechanical instrument, in turning about another wheel, is the cause of its going, but not of its going amiss the child illegitimately born is the good creature of God; its illegitimacy is owing to the wickedness of its parents. In like manner, while God permits, man is the sole cause of sin; hence, when man is enlightened, he clears God, and ascribes all evil to himself. (Psalm xviii. 23.) Alexander.-It is no manner of use, my friends, to reason quietly with these men; it is wasting of words and loss of time, and nothing gained; for these people always grow more bold and resolute as they are tolerated: other steps must be taken. Timotheus.-There are two sorts of good men in the world; one sort that deem themselves to be so, and blindly hope they are so; another sort God knows to be truly so: and he does not stand by man's judgment. But all the grace of God makes good, will be saved. Whereas many that think themselves righteous, both themselves and others will be everlastingly mistaken in therefore let no man take upon himself to decide for himself, much less to condemn others. (Rom. ii. 1.) : from experience, and this you admit is the best teacher: my former friends and acquaintance, who used even to flatter me with their courtesy, and court me with their friendship, are now full of the bitterest enmity towards me; the cruelty of some, the cavalier manner of others, and the persecuting spirit with which I have been treated by all, 1 should not have believed possible; but older Christians told me it would be so, and the word of God has prepared me to expect it; (Matt. v. 10.) yet, in the midst of provocation and distresses, you will be gratified to know, that I enjoyed many secret supports and comforts that sweet passage in the Psalms was brought home with power, " in the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts refreshed my soul." (Psalm xciv. 19.) Epaphras.-God is a present help in time of trouble; (Psalm xlvi. 1.) when troubles are near at hand, yet God is always nearer; when multitudes of enemies surrounded the prophet Elisha, and were ready to take away his life, then were multitudes of friends prepared to defend and preserve it. Elisha, we are told, prayed that the Lord would open the eyes of his servant that he might see, and it is said the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. (2 Kings vi. 17.) In like manner you will always find, when an army of enemies are against, there will be an army of angels for God's people: but what has occasioned you all this trouble? Philemon.-The whole of my former com panions have tried me exceedingly, specially, Doeg, Demas, Sanballat, Rabshakeh and Alexander, these men have really publicly and privately suffered me to have no rest, and while I am thus an object of scorn in the world, I have no alleviation at home. Epaphras.-I am not ignorant of the malignity of the human heart: but though such as you have hitherto kept company with may torment you, the Lord will comfort you; and though you may be kept from ordinances, you cannot be kept from the Saviour; when your friends leave you, he will take you up; if you remember when the was cast out of the synagogue, the poor man Lord sought and solaced, and instructed him, (John ix. 37.) and such will be your happy lot, for, says Christ, "blessed are ye when men shall revile you," &c. But I have a mind to put you in possession of the several dispositions and characters of these men; the information may be profitable, even though you never have a future occasion to use it. The first gentleman is one of many: there is a large family of them: and branches collateral and direct almost innumerable; in fact, there is hardly a city or town, or village or hamlet anywhere in which this Doeg does not claim kindred, few or many: and what is somewhat remarkable, some branches of them are to be found among all classes, high and low, rich and poor, learned and unlettered; they are living on tolerably good terms among themselves; their delight is in vilifying others, sometimes in pri vate conversation, at other times publicly among professed friends; often openly-and the great evil of this whole tribe lies in the manner in which they contrive to do mischief: they act their part so artfully, that while they inflict a deadly wound upon others, they contrive usually to avoid all harm to themselves; they are the newsmongers of every place in which they live; pry into every body's private affairs with the greatest dexterity, and their daily trade is that of constant exportation. You may suspect the presence of Doeg and that of his fraternity by their usual method of speech; by the frequent use of nods and winks, and by their "buts and ifs," and other inuendos of the like nature they never speak out on any occasion, though they have nothing to be afraid of; when they literally know nothing, they would have you understand much is intended: while in the very act of betraying every secret they are acquainted with, they have the effrontery to impose a pretended secrecy on yourself: and on the other hand, when they ought to clear away suspicions, they will raise them by studied silence: their conduct is most reprehensible; it is a strange combination of weakness and wickedness; they resemble so many idle children who will throw a whole neighbourhood into commotion, by raising the alarm of "fire, fire," and yet never name the house, or street, or direction where the conflagration is. It is well for this whole family, that their lot is cast in gospel days, for had they lived in olden time, the race had long ago paid the penalty due to their sin; for saith the Lord, "a |