the apostles and disciples, were deserving of the high and important office; both were men of eminent piety; and therefore they referred the matter to Jesus, the Head of his Church, who, though invisible, still was their Ruler and Guide, fulfilling his gracious promise of 'never leaving or forsaking them.' They prayed; yes, they appealed to the Searcher of all hearts, to determine himself the important point, and declare whether of the two he had chosen."

"How anxious they must have been!" remarked Hyford. "Yes," replied Mr. C- "to take part of the ministry and apostleship forfeited by Judas, and in his stead, was no trifling matter; it was an office before which our highest appointments in this kingdom sink into comparative insignificance. It is true it did not clothe the recipient in purple, or put gold into his pocket; on the contrary, it rendered him an object for persecution, and a subject of contempt, and most probably of either fire or sword. But the followers of Jesus had learned of the Spirit not to fear those who could kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do, (Luke xii. 4 ;) they heeded not man, but they were covetous after the best gifts, and longed to be counted worthy to suffer shame for his sake. But their duty under the trying circumstances," added Mr. C

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was to wait patiently their Master's decision; they were willing to abide by that, and to be satisfied with the result. After the prayer we have considered, they proceeded to act: it is said, they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.'" Acts i. 26.

"I should fancy the one who was rejected was much hurt," observed Hyford. "I think I should have been so."

"Perhaps you might, my worthy friend," replied Mr. C—————— ; “ and no doubt would have been so, if left to the direction and feelings of your natural heart, which is ever prone to envy and self-exaltation. But not so with those who are under the influence of the Spirit of God; he so completely alters the nature and disposition, that he causes his people in lowliness of mind to think others better than themselves,' and esteem them as far more deserving of the Divine favour. They feel the plague within, and think none so bad as themselves. Consequently, they are quite satisfied with any distinction their heavenly Master sees fit to put upon them; and instead of being jealous,

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they are stirred up to more self-examination, to a closer walk with God, to more diligent seeking after his mind and will. We may readily imagine all this was the case with Barsabas, and that he was quite satisfied that his fellow-disciple should be raised to the apostolic dignity, while he continued to be an equally zealous promoter of the holy cause and such, in fact, was the case; for we read of him afterwards in the 15th of the Acts, as chosen with Silas to be bearers of letters to the Gentile brethren, when a controversy about the circumcision of the converts was started he and Silas are spoken of as 'chief men among the brethren,' possessing eminent gifts, and able to build them up in their most holy faith. And it is a curious fact, that while this mention is made of Barsabas, otherwise called Judas, Matthias is never spoken of again. Yet, no doubt our gracious Lord had sufficient reasons for thus choosing him to supply the place of the traitor."

:

"But before we part," continued the pastor, "I would say a few words on the method by which Matthias was chosen, namely, by lot. You learn thereby that the divine providence of God orders and directs all the affairs of life, and that the most trifling, as well as the most important matters, are under his guidance and control. There is no such thing as chance; the infidel and atheist may talk of chance, but the Bible teaches differently: therein we learn that the hand of the fowler who deprives yon little sparrow of existence is guided by its great Creator; that the hairs of our head are numbered, and every event of our lives under his direction. Remember, you are never for one instant withdrawn from the eye of God; wherever you are, there he is; for in him you live, and move, and have your being:' consequently, his omnipotence follows you, and regulates and permits every action you perform. You say, I will do so and so, I will take a journey, and be absent such a time; I will see this person and that, and I will do many great and important acts; but what says God to all this? It is not according to my will, therefore it shall not be; and all these arrangements shall come to nought, and I will prove that I am God, and there is none beside me, he who alone orders and disposes the affairs of man. To the mind of the believer this is a feeling replete with consolation: it deprives him of that miserable care and anxiety which belong to the people of this world, who are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight; it causes him to roll all his cares upon

him who careth for him, and to wait patiently until he unravels the often complicated threads in life's daily occurrences, and renders them all plain and straightforward.”

"Oh! sir," said Hyford, "happy are those who can thus resign themselves to the will of God; methinks they must be much happier than if they tried to manage for themselves. But why," added the old man, "should I say

I think it,' when I know it by my own experience? Since I have learned to take all my cares and anxieties, my trials and difficulties, to the foot of Him who knows everything much better than I do myself, I am happy; everything goes right; and though sometimes matters seem to turn out contrary, and my old rebellious heart is fain to rise, the word of exhortation is near, and, Wait, John, wait, and thou wilt see that this is working for thy good,' is whispered in my ear. And truly, sir, so it is; after a time, all comes right, and God has disposed my lot for me far better than I could have done it myself."

"It is pleasant to hear you say so, Master Hyford," said Mr. Lawrence; "it is by testimony such as this we honour God's word-we set to our seal that he is true-and thus contradict the sinner, who would fain have us act directly the reverse, and, like himself, live in care, and anxiety, and misery, all the day long."

"I have one word more to add on the subject of our chapter," said Mr. C. "Matthias was chosen by lot; but before they drew it, they made a solemn appeal to the Lord Jehovah, that he might himself guide and direct them, and that the whole affair might be conducted under the influence and disposition of his Spirit. Learn from hence to own the hand of your covenant God and Father in all things, and to pray for grace to be faithful in the discharge of your respective duties, knowing that you are just where he has placed you, and that he will demand a strict account of how you have acted with regard to those several and important trusts which he has committed to you in preference to others, perhaps more capable of fulfilling them, and certainly equally worthy of the charge. Bear this in mind, my dear friends, and then you will not have listened to what I have said upon the Election of Matthias in vain."

R. CLAY, PRINTER, BREAD STREET HILL.

THE

NEW TESTAMENT HISTORIES.

"THE chapter to which I wish to call your attention to-day," said Mr. C- to his numerous party, "is the second of the Acts of the Apostles. There is very much recorded calculated to interest and instruct you; and I earnestly hope that its events, being of such infinite importance, may receive your undivided notice, and that the Divine blessing will accompany my imperfect endeavours to lay them before you. You, my worthy friends,” added the pastor, turning especially to Hyford, Smith, and Hill, no doubt remember my conversing with you some time since in Mrs. Roberts's cottage, upon the building of the Tower of Babel?"

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"I remember it well," said Hyford; "it was the day after you picked up poor Johnson."

"Have you that man now, Mr. C-?" said Mrs. Basil. "I recollect hearing much about it at the time." "No," replied Mr. C- ; "he stayed with me several months, and conducted himself quite to my satisfaction; but a friend of mine going to America, determined me to give him his choice as to returning after many struggles with his feelings, he at length thought that he might be useful amongst his ignorant brethren, and resolved to try. My friend is a true Christian; he entered at once into Johnson's views, and promised to assist him in his interesting mission. They arrived in safety at their place of destination, which was somewhere in Upper Canada; and when last I heard of them, they were labouring together in the good cause, for poor Johnson had become warmly attached to my friend, and postponed leaving him from one month to another. He now speaks English fluently, and can write well, being a person of great quickness of intel