and will assuredly prove useless. For let us see what counsel the Holy Ghost gives in this condition unto them who would make their calling and election sure, who would be freed from their present fears and uncertainties, who complain of their darkness and dangers; why, saith he, "Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue," and so on, ver. 5. For, saith he, "If you do these things, an entrance shall be administered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ," ver. 11. You who are now in the skirts of it, who know not whether you belong to it or not, you shall have an entrance into the kingdom of Christ; and all the joy, comforts, Consolations, and glory of it, shall be richly administered unto you. This is the advice that the Holy Ghost gives in this case. This is the blessed promise annexed unto the following of this advice and this is not to be separated from the former compassionate course of administering consolation.

But you will, it may be, here say, "We are so dead and dull, so chained under the power of corruptions and temptations, that we are not able thus to put forth the fruit of a spiritual life, in adding one grace unto another." But do you use diligence, study, endeavour all diligence, diligence at all times, in all ways by God appointed, all manner of diligence within and without, in private and public, to this end and purpose? Do you study, meditate, pray, watch, fast, neglect no opportunity, keep your hearts, search, try, examine yourselves, flee temptations, and occasions of cooling, deadening, and stifling grace? Do these things abound in you? Alas! you cannot do thus, you are so weak, so indisposed. But, alas! you will not,-you will not part with your ease, you will not crucify your lusts, you do not use all diligence; but you must come to it, or be contented to spend all your days in darkness, and lie down in sorrow.

Thus do men frequently miscarry. Is it any news for persons to bewail the folly of their nature and ways in the morning and evening, and yet scarce stand upon their watch any part of the day, or on any occasion of the day? Is this giving all diligence? Is this working out our salvation with fear and trembling? And may we not see professors even indulging themselves in ways of vanity, folly, wrath, envy, sloth, and the like, and yet complain what loss they are at, how unquiet, how uncertain? God forbid it should be otherwise with you; or that we should endeaYour to speak peace unto you in any such a frame. To hear of a person, that he walks slothfully, carelessly, or indulgeth his corruptions, and to find him complaining that he is at a loss whether he have any interest in pardon or not; to give or tender comfort to such mourners, without a due admonition of their duty to use diligence in the use of means; for to help on their delivery out of the condition wherein they are, is to tender poison unto them.

MINISTERIAL ADVICE TO SOULS IN DISTRESS.

541 To this, then, the soul must come that is in depths, if it intend to be delivered. Heartless complaints, with excuses to keep it from vigorous spiritual diligence, must be laid aside; if not, ordinarily, peace, rest, and stability, will not be obtained. A great example hereof we have in the Spouse, Cant. v. 2, 8. She is drowsy, and indisposed unto communion with Christ, whereunto she is invited, ver. 2. This puts her upon making excuses from the unfitness of the time; and her present indisposition and unpreparedness as to the duty whereunto she was called, ver. 3. Hereupon Christ withdraws his presence from her, and leaves her at a loss as to her former comforts, ver. 6. What course doth she now take? Doth she now lie down again in her former slumber? Doth she make use of her former excuses and pretences why she could not engage into the duties she was called unto? No such thing! But now, with earnestness, diligence, sedulity, and importunity, she engageth in all manner of duties, whereby she may recover her former comforts, as you may see in the text. And this must be the course of others who would obtain the same success. Spiritual peace and sloth will never dwell toge ther in the same soul and conscience.

LETTER FROM A CHRISTIAN PASSENGER,
ON BOARD THE GOOD HOPE,

TO A NEAR RELATIVE ON LAND,

My dear Friend,

THE friendship which has long subsisted between us, and the kind concern you have manifested for my welfare, lead me to conclude, that you will be glad to be informed of the reasons which induced me (naturally averse as I was to the course I have adopted) to leave my native country, and undertake a perilous voyage on the deep waters, to a foreign land.

You well know my base conduct after I left my father's house. Released from parental restraints, I determined to take my fill of the pleasures of life, and accordingly gave myself up to whatever my inclination led me. But the expence which attended this course, soon reduced me to beggary and extreme want. In the midst of my distress, still the pride of my heart continued; which prevented my making known my sad situation to my father. Thus sinking under the pressure of misery, I wandered from place to place, till I reached the town of Desperation, where I was taken dangerously ill. Not knowing any who would relieve me, I sunk into despair; and I actually formed the desperate resolution of casing the world of a wretch unfit to live. It is not in my power to describe, nor in yours to conceive, the horror of mind I endured. I dreaded either to reflect on the past, or to anticipate the future: every thing

was dark, gloomy, and terribly alarming. Just at this period I met with a person, whose name is Evangelicus, who hear ing my complaint, and feeling for me in my distressed situa tion, kindly asked the cause of my trouble. I frankly told him how foolishly I had acted, and confessed that my misery was just, as it was the necessary consequence of my own wickedness. He asked me what I thought of doing, and how I expected to find relief:-I replied, "I have no hope of obtaining help from any quarter; my condition is hopeless, and I am resolved to bring my misery to an end, by destroying my life." He then appeared greatly concerned for me, and began to reason with me on the desperate wickedness of such an act, and said, with great earnestness, "Do thyself no harm." He also declared, in the most solemn manner, "that no murderer had eternal life." Moreover, said he, by this rash act you will only increase your misery, and place yourself in a circumstance from whence it will be impossible you should be extricated. I told him, I conceived my present state was of that description, as I had not the least hope of ever being relieved. He then began to encourage me, and observed, that, sad as my condition was, yet there was no room for despair it is possible, said he, that you may obtain complete deliverance from your misery. The intimation of a possibility of happiness caught my car, and I eagerly enquired, "Sir, — how? -where-by what means?-pray inform me what I must do; I am willing to undertake any thing within my ability, in order to be restored."As to your doing,' replied he, it is impossible, from the situation in which you are, to obtain relief from any thing which you can do. There is but one way in which you can safely hope for deliverance from your misery; and, by attending to my advice, you will assuredly succeed.' He then observed, There is now lying at this port (for the town of Desperation is a sea-port, from whence thousands in a year embark, and sail down the channel, which empties itself into the Gulph of Hades, or Hell) a ship called " The Good Hope;" she is commanded by "Captain Salvation," and is destined to the Celestial Lands. Go then immediately to the Captain, make known all your case to him, and implore his assistance: ask him to take you on board his ship, "for Now is the accepting time," and he hath given me full authority to declare, That whosever makes application, he will in nowise, cn no account whatever, reject.'

This unexpected intelligence much surprised me; nor could I easily persuade myself that all I had heard from Evangelicus was true. I felt many objections, which I stated to him; - as that I had no money to pay my passage. That,' replied he, is no ground of objection, for his terms are "without money and without price." Again I objected: that my clothes were so mean, so ragged, and filthy, that my appearance would dis gust the Captain, and disgrace the ship's company. To which he replied, Let not that discourage you; for he does not take

LETTER FROM A CHRISTIAN PASSENGER.

the decent and respectable, but mean and despised persons:
whom, as soon as he receives, he always clothes in garments of
his own providing.' In short, Evangelicus answered every ob-
jection I could bring, in such a satisfactory manner, that I at
length came to the resolution, and said, "I will arise and
go" to this Captain; "who can tell" but I may be accepted,
and taken under his protection to the desired haven. Not that I
expected to be received as a passenger; but I was determined, if
he would only admit me as a menial servant, not to lose the op-
portunity. Accordingly I went; but how difficult did I find it
to reach the ship! At length, between hope and fear, I arrived,
and enquired for the Captain, and was directed to "knock" at
I did so, but
his cabin-door, and it would be opened."
with a trembling hand; and, to my great surprize, the Captain
It is impossible to describe what
himself came to speak with me.
I felt the moment I beheld him; - the majesty and beauty of
Never before had I such a view of
his person overpowered me.

my own meanness! I appeared so deformed, so filthy, and contemptible, that I said within myself, "Behold, I am vile." Notwithstanding the vast disparity between us, he condescended to speak to me! and O what gracious words flowed from his lips! Looking at me with so much tenderness as would have broken the hardest heart, he said, "What wilt thou that I should do for thee?" With my cheeks covered with tears, and my heart palpitating with fear, I tremblingly replied, "Be not angry with me, good Sir, for my boldness in coming hither: I am a poor miserable creature, who have reduced myself to the greatest necessity and wretchedness by my wicked conduct, and had even premeditated my destruction; when one whom you had commissioned met with me; and by his advice, I am come to intreat your pity, and beg a passage on board the ship which you command, as I am told she is bound to that haven of rest which I earnestly wish to reach. I have no money, nor any thing to recommend ine. I throw myself on your mercy, dear Captain; "save me, or I perish!"

you

Can believe what I am about to relate? He made not the least objection to my request, nor did he at all reflect on me for my past folly, but immediately said, "Come, for all things are now ready." I was now clothed with the richest robe you ever beheld; I sat down at a delightful repast with the rest of my fellow-passengers, whose joy appeared much increased by my coming on board. After being refreshed, and honoured with our Captain's company, we could not suppress our feelings, but began to sing, "Jesu, at thy command, we launch into the deep,' &c. Ah, my dear friends, now it was I began to be happy; and O, how earnestly I wished for you on board. O that the day may soon come, when you will petition our gracious Captain to take you, being willing to "leave the world and sin he hind!" Since I have been at sea, I have experienced much dis

tress: indeed, sometimes, I have been greatly afraid that, after all, I should perish; yet, praised be my gracious Captain, his skill and kindness have hitherto been equal to all my dangers and necessities. I intended to have given you some account of the trials I have experienced on my voyage, arising from sickness, tempests, and the attacks of enemies; but this must remain for my next, which I shall embrace the first opportunity of sending. At present I conclude, wishing you all desirable blessings; and am, my dear friend,

Yours affectionately,
At Sea, on board the Good Hope,
Sept. 16, 1805.

HOPEFUL.

A SKETCH ON AUTUMN.

THE Spring, with all its growing and blooming beautics is gone;-the plenteons and charming summer is ended ;-the sect singers of the feathered tribes have forgotten their amorous and melodious notes ;-the summer birds have taken their flight to warmer regions;-the peasant has laid aside his scythe and sickle, pitch-fork and rake. "The harvest is past, the summer is ended."

What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me? I want a grateful heart, a praising tongue, an useful life, to honour my kind Benefactor and gracious God, for past seasons of mercy and loving-kindness! Lord help me."

But Autumn appears in full view. This is another season of Benefits. Be it mine to improve it, for my own edification and solace, and for the profit and comfort of others. In this multiform and variegated season, let us notice,

1. The fading of the Leaf. The sweet living-green is exchanged for the less beautiful dusty-yellow. And why? Because vegetable life recedes to the root, where alone it can be safe amidst the dangers of approaching winter. Thus trees, plants, and herbs, though without reason or instinct, are wise. They are obedient to the law of nature for their own safety.

"O that men were wise, that they would consider their latter end !" "We do all fade as a leaf." Not only those who have passed the spring and summer of life," Even the youths shall faint, and the young men shall utterly fail." One after another, we sicken, droop, and die. "The graves are ready for us."Very soon we shall sink into putrefaction and dust. "All flesh is grass; and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field; the grass withereth and the flower fadeth-but the word of our God shall stand for ever."

Happy those united to "the root of David ;" who timely retire to him as their only refuge, before the blasts of divine vengeance consume their comierts and their souls. Such have their "life hid with