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How peculiarly placid must the mind of Dr. Watts have been, when in the prospect of death he said, "I bless God I can lie down with comfort at night, unsolicitous whether I awake in this world or another."

turns upon the things of God. I hear much frothy and worldly chit chat, but not a word of Christ; and I am determined not to visit those companies where there is not room for my Master as well as myself."

Were clergymen in general to act as Mr. Hervey did, it would reflect more honour on their character than their visiting for the sake of world

"No doubt," said the late Mr. Brown, of Haddington, "I have met with trials as well as others; yet so kind hath God been to me, that I think, if God were to give me as ma-ly pleasure and sensual enjoyment. ny years as I have already lived in the world, I would not desire one single circumstance in my lot changed, except that I wish I had less sin. It might be written on my coffin, 'Here lies one of the cares of providence, who early wanted both father and mother, and yet never missed them.""

CONVERSATION.

IT is much to be lamented that professing Christians are engaged so little in religious conversation. Subjects trite and useless often occupy their attention, while topics of a profitable nature are neglected. The following instance shows the necessity and utility of serious converse.

A number of intimate friends being at dinner together on the Lord's day, one of the company, in order to prevent impertinent discourse, said, "It is a question, whether we shall all go to heaven or not?" This plain hint occasioned a general seriousness and self-examination. One thought -If any of this company go to hell, it must be myself; and so thought another; even the servants who waited at table were affected in the same manner. In short, it was afterwards found that this one sentence proved, by the special blessing of God upon it, instrumental to their conversion.

For some years before Mr. Hervey's death, he visited very few of the principal persons in his neighbourhood. Being once asked, "Why he so seldom went to see the neighbouring gentlemen, who yet shewed him all possible esteem and respect?" he answered, "I can hardly name a polite family where the conversation ever

But it is to be feared that the case is very different with many. "It is, I think, remarked by some one who went into the company of the clergy at one of their feasts, in hopes of finding among them that elegance and philosophical spirit of converse which he had in vain sought among others, that nothing was talked of with any apparent animation but the flavour of the venison, the fine relish of the hams, the richness of the pie-crust, and the excellence of the claret.These, indeed, caused the most cordial congratulations; and these, interrupted only by the conjectures of the next vacancies in living, stalls, and mitres, constituted the whole of the discourse, in a symposium consisting of the instructors of mankind. If such be the case, we are not to wonder that the sublimer sort of conversation is rarely to be found in the common ranks, who are often too deficient in education to be able to interchange their sentiments with any considerable advantage to the mind or the morals."

"The gift of speech," says Hervey, "is the great prerogative of our rational nature. And it is a pity that such a superior faculty should be debased to the meanest purposes. Suppose all our stately vessels, that pass and repass the ocean, were to carry out nothing but tinsel, and theatrical decorations; were to import nothing but glittering baubles and nicely fancied toys; would such a method of trading be well judged in itself, or beneficial in its consequences? Articulate speech is the instrument of much nobler commerce, intended to transmit and diffuse the treasures of the mind. And will not the practice

be altogether as injudicious; must not unhappy man," said he. "I am inthe issue be infinitely more detri-vited to conversations-I go to conmental, if this vehicle of intellectual versations-but, alas! I have no conwealth be freighted only with pleasing versation." From this instance we fopperies?"

"In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin." He who talks much, not only often renders himself unpleasant to the company, but is in danger of offending God. There is a happy medium, which should be attended to; neither to seal up the lips in monkish stupidity, nor, on the other hand, to be guilty of impertinent and trifling loquacity.

may learn how much more conductive to our happiness it is to store our minds with intellectual wealth, than to be heaping up riches in expectation that money will supply the place of every thing else.

Much is to be gained by judicious conversation. Menage once heard Varilles say, that of ten things which he knew, he had learned nine from conversation. "The tongue of the Zeno, being present where a per-wise," says Solomon, "useth knowson of a loquacious disposition played ledge aright." And again, "The himself off, said, with an air of con- tongue of the just is as choice silcern in his countenance, "I perceive that poor gentleman is ill. He has a violent flux upon him." The company was alarmed, and the speaker stopped in his career. "Yes," added the philosopher, "the flux is so violent, that it has carried his ears into his tongue."

ver."

In conversation, great care should be taken to introduce subjects with discretion and propriety. A person once harangued on the strength of Samson. "I affirm,' said he," that this same Samson was the strongest man that ever did or ever will live in the world." "I deny it," replied one of the company: 66 you yourself are stronger than he."-" How do you make out that?" "Because you just now lugged him in by head and shoulders."

CONVERSIONS.

The Rev. Mr. Berridge being once visited by a very loquacious young lady, who, forgetting the modesty of her sex, and the superior gravity of an aged divine, engrossed all the conversation of the interview with small talk concerning herself, when she rose to retire, he said, "Madam, before you withdraw, I have one piece of advice to give To be convinced of the depravity you; and that is, when you go into of human nature, to have our undercompany again, after you have talk-standing enlightened, the will renoed half an hour without intermis-vated, and our conduct changed from sion, I recommend it to you to stop a course of sin to holiness, must ever awhile, and see if any other of the be considered as the greatest evidences company has any thing to say " of divine favour, and the most valuaThough the above mentioned re-ble blessings we can be the partakers proof were suitable, yet it is not to be of. understood that the gift of conversation is to be lightly appreciated, but only to be used with judgment. They who cannot talk at all are, perhaps, as miserable to themselves, as they who talk much are disagreeable to others.

The accounts given us, indeed of singular, sudden, and extraordinary conversions, certainly deserve close attention, as many have, after all that they have professed, proved themselves still slaves to sin. However, to reject all such instances because A gentleman who acquired a very some have been counterfeit, is acting considerable fortune in trade, was ab- injudicious and uncharitable. The solutely wretched because he could following, I believe, may be dependnot talk in company. "I am a mosted on.

Mr. Thomas Tregross, of Exeter, dated his conversion, after he had been some time in the ministry, and a sufferer for non-conformity too! And it is a circumstance which deserves remark, that he considered a sermon composed and preached by himself, on Luke xii. 47, as the mean of his conversion!

the professors of Wotton fitted him for the Ministry."

Lady H- —once spoke to a workman who was repairing a garden wall, and pressed him to take some thought concerning eternity and the state of his soul. Some years afterwards she was speaking to another I on the same subject, and said to him A godly minister of the Gospel "Thomas, I fear you never pray, occasionally visiting a gay person, nor look to Christ for salvation." was introduced to a room near to "Your Ladyship is mistaken," anthat wherein she dressed. After swered the man: "I heard what waiting some hours, the lady came passed between you and James at in, and found him in tears. She in- such a time, and the word you dequired the reason of his weeping. signed for him took effect on me.' He replied, "Madam, I weep on re- "How did you hear it?" "I heard it flecting that you spend so many hours on the other side of the garden, before your glass, and in adorning through a hole in the wall, and shall your person, while I spend so few never forget the impression I recei. hours before my God, and in adorn-ved." ing my soul." The rebuke struck her conscience. She lived and died a monument of grace.

Doctor Staunton was called the searching preacher. Preaching once at Warborough, near Oxford, a man was so much affected with his first prayer, that he ran home, and desired his wife to get ready and come to church, for there was one in the pulpit who prayed like an anger. The woman hastened away, and heard the sermon, which, under the Divine blessing, was the mean of her conversion, and she afterwards proved an eminent Christian!

A Mr. Woodward, who was Minister at Dursley in Gloucestershire, was brought to think seriously by the following incident. Being out one evening late, as he was coming home, some dogs fell a fighting about him, when he thought himself in great danger, which caused a serious reflection in him, what would have become of his soul if he should have been torn to pieces by them; and so, leaving his former company, he changed it for that of the godly professors at Wotton, who used to pray and repeat sermons, and sing together; which edifying society he found so beneficial, that he used to say, though Oxford made him a scholar,

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When Oliver Cromwell entered upon the command of the Parliament's army against Charles I. he ordered all his soldiers to carry a Bible in their pockets, (the same which is now called Field's.) Among the rest there was a wild, wicked young fellow, who ran away from his apprenticeship in London for the sake of plunder and dissipation. This fellow was obliged to be in the fashion. Being one day ordered out upon a skirmishing party, or to attack some fortress, he returned to his quarters in the evening without hurt. When he was going to bed, pulling the Bible out of his pocket, he observed a hole in it. His curiosity led him to trace the depth of this hole into his Bible; he found a bullet was gone as far as the 11th chap. of Ecclesiastes, 9th verse. "Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment." The words were set home upon his heart by the Divine Spirit, so that he became a very serious and sound believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, and lived in London many years af ter the civil wars were over. He

used pleasantly to observe to Dr. | he would return him his money.' Evans, Author of the Christian About a month after, the gentleman Temper, that the Bible was the mean came to the shop again in a very of saving his soul and body too. Imodest habit, and with a serious It is said of a merchant, that talk-countenance addressed him thus: ing to his friend who fell down dead 'Sir, I most heartily thank you for before him, he immediately upon it putting this book into my hands-1 retired, and considered it to so good bless God that moved you to do it :a purpose, that it became the mean it hath saved my soul-blessed be of his conversion. God, that ever I came into your A certain libertine, of a most aban-shop.' And then he bought an hundoned character, happened one day dred more of those books of him, and to stroll into a church, where he told him, he would give them to the heard the 5th chapter of Genesis read; poor, who could not buy them.' importing, that so long lived such and such persons, and yet the conclusion was, "they died." Enos lived 905 years, and he died-Seth 912, and he died-Methusaleh 969, and he died. The frequent repetition of the words, he died, notwithstanding the great length of years they had lived, struck him so deeply with the thought of death and eternity, that through divine grace he became a most exemplary Christian.

A godly faithful minister, of the 17th century, having finished prayer, and looking round upon the congregation, observed a young gentleman just shut into one of the pews, who discovered much uneasiness in that situation, and seemed to wish to get out again. The minister feeling a peculiar desire to detain him, hit upon the following singular expedient. Turning towards one of the members of his church, who sat in the gallery, Mr. Flavel being in London in he asked him this question aloud1673, his old bookseller, Mr. Boul-"Brother, do you repent of your comter, gave him the following relation, ing to Christ ?" "No, Sir,” he reviz. "That some time before, there plied; "I never was happy till then came into his shop a sparkish gentle-I only repent that I did not come to man, to inquire for some play books. him sooner.' The minister then Mr. Boulter told him he had none; turned towards the opposite gallery, but shewed him Mr. Flavel's little and addressed himself to an aged treatise of Keeping the Heart,' member in the same manner-" Brointreating him to read it, and assur-ther, do you repent that you came to ed him it would do him more good Christ ?" " No, Sir," said he: "I than play books. The gentleman have known the Lord from my youth read the title; and glancing upon up." He then looked down upon the several pages here and there, broke young man, whose attention was fulout into these and such other ex-ly engaged, and fixing his eyes upon pressions-What a fanatic was he who made this book! Mr. Boulter begged of him to buy and read it, and told him, he had no cause to censure it so bitterly.' At last he bought it, but told him he would not read it. What will you do with it, then?' said Mr. Boulter. 'I will tear and burn it,' said he, 'and send it to the devil.' Mr. Boulter told him, 'then he should not have it.' Upon this the gentleman promised to read it; and Mr. Boulter told him, 'If he disliked it upon reading,

him, said "Young man, are you willing to come to Christ ?" this unexpected address from the pulpit, exciting the observation of all the people, so affected him, that he sat down and hid his face. The person who sat next to him encouraged him to. rise, and answer the question. The minister repeated it" Young man, are you willing to come to Christ ?" With a tremulous voice he replied, "Yes, Sir." "But when, Sir?" added the minister, in a solemn and loud one. He mildly answered, “Now,

in Great Britain, is as follows: every year, about 332,708; every month, about 25,592; every week, about 6,398; every day, 914: every hour, 40; and every three minutes 2.

Sir," "Then stay," said he," and hear the word of God, which you will find in 2 Cor. vi. 2: Behold now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation." By this sermon he was greatly affected. He came into the vestry, after service, dissolved in tears. That unwillingness to stay, which he had discovered, was occasioned by the strict injunction of his father, who threatened, that, if ever he went to hear the fanatics, he would turn him out of doors. Having now heard, and unable to conceal the feelings of his mind, he was afraid to meet his father. The minister sat down, and wrote an affectionate letter to him, which had so good an effect, that both father and mother came to hear for themselves. They were both brought to the knowledge of the truth, and father, mother, and son, were together received with universal joy in-"puts an end to the most specious to that church.

The story of poor Joseph is so well known, that it needs not a place here. However, it is pleasing to find that a person was savingly converted by the means of reading that account in a periodical publication.

DEATH

Constantine the Great, in order to reclaim a miser, took a lance, and marked out a space of ground of the size of the human body, and told him, " Add heap to heap, accumulate riches upon riches, extend the bounds of your possessions, conquer the whole world, in a few days such a spot as this will be all you will have." "I take this spear," says Saurin; "I mark out this space among you; in a few days you will be worth no more than this. Go to the tomb of the avaricious man; go down and see his coffin, and his shroud; in four days these may be all you will have."

"Death," says the same author,

titles, to the most dazzling grandeur, and to the most delicious life. The thought of this period of human glory reminds me of the memorable action of a prince, who, although he was a heathen, was wiser than many Christians; I mean the great Saladin. After he had subdued Egypt, passed the Euphrates, and conquered cities without number; after he had reta"THE best course of moral instruc-ken Jerusalem, and performed exploits tion against the passions," says Sau- more than human in those wars rin, "is death." The grave is a dis- which superstition had stirred up for coverer of the absurdity of sin of eve-the recovery of the Holy Land, he ry kind. There the ambitious may finished his life in the performance learn the folly of ambition; there the of an action that ought to be transvain may learn the vanity of all hu-mitted to the most distant posterity. man things; there the voluptuous may read a mortifying lesson on the absurdity of sensual pleasure.

The aggregate population on the surface of the known habitable globe is estimated at 895,300,000 souls. If we reckon, with the ancients, that a generation lasts 30 years, then in that space, 895,300,000 human beings will be born and die; consequently 81,760 must be dropping into eternity every day, 3407 every hour, or about 56 every minute. Reader, how awful is this reflection! Consider, Prepare-Watch!

The calculation, as it respects death

"A moment before he uttered his last sigh, he called the herald who had carried his banner before him in all his battles; he commanded him to fasten to the top of a lance the shroud in which the dying prince was soon to be buried. Go,' said he, 'carry the lance, unfurl this banner; and, while you lift up this standard, proclaim-This, this is all that remains to Saladin the Great (the Conqueror and the King of the Empire) of all his glory.' Christians (says Saurin) I perform to-day the office of this he rald. I fasten to the staff of a spear

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