4. The promises of the Divine mercy are not restricted to certain sinners and certain sins, but they apply to all, without exception. There is no crime so hateful, no circumstance so aggravating, no life so obstinately spent in sin, that may not become the object of Divine grace, if the sinner will but return to God, with true penitence and faith. If continuance in sin, the sin against the Holy Ghost, (spoken of in Matt. xii. 31,) place us beyond the reach of mercy, it is because it deprives us of the wish to repent, not because repentance is deprived of its efficacy.

5. The fulfilment of the promises of answers to prayer, is not delayed to a distant and uncertain future, but has actually taken place in many instances, as we see in the histories of the Israelites, of Moses, of David, of Ahab, of Hezekiah, of Manasseh, of the Ninevites, of Nebuchadnezzar. When the judgments of God were ready to overwhelm the people of Israel, they repented, and the punishment was suspended. By prayer to God, Moses stood before him in the breach to turn away his anger from them. By repentance and prayer the joy of his salvation was restored to David, even after he had been guilty in the matter of Uriah. Even Ahab, by his repentance obtained the delay of the Divine judgments. In answer to prayer, Hezekiah's life was lengthened for fifteen years. nasseh's repentance was the means of deliverance for himself and his people. At the repentance of the Ninevites, that threatening was revoked which had just been denounced by a prophet. On Nebuchadnezzar's repentance, he was restored to his throne.

Ma

It would be easy to multiply this list, but enough has already been said to show the mistake which the Pharisee was under. SAURIN.

INFIDELITY OF A HARDENING NATURE.

An Anecdote related in a Letter from the late Rev. S. Kilpin,

of Exeter.

A MAN, my neighbour, grievously afflicted with an asthma, excited my attention from his sufferings; his soul had many times before excited my prayers, but as I knew he was of that awful class of sinners called infidels, I did not know how to call his attention. I sent him a message,

stating I was sorry he was so afflicted; but if he would accept of a box of pills, I would give him them; he was much pleased, and promised to call for them. When he came, There," said I, "they have never failed in such cases. Many persons have found great benefit from them, and I have no doubt they will do you good, but they cannot except God give his blessing; you must therefore pray for his blessing." He thanked me, and took them. I saw by his manner, that his evil heart abhorred prayer, and though he knew that no one had taken them without benefit, yet he would not ask the blessing of God. Conscience would not let him take them without prayer, and his infidel heart would not suffer him to ask a blessing. However the work was soon shortened with him: a few days after, an asthmatic fit came on him suddenly, with a violent cough; he broke a blood-vessel, and was dead in a few minutes. How irrational is infidelity! how desperately wicked is the human heart! how righteous is God! Sinner! "kiss the Son lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.' S. K.

MISCELLANEOUS SENTENCES.

The beginning of salvation is the knowledge of trans gression.

There is nothing beyond remedy but the tears of the damned.

Those things only are shameful that are sinful. A soul that hath sinned away all shame is a soul ripe for hell, and given up to Satan; a greater plague cannot befall a man in this life, than to sin and not to blush. BROOKS.

Poor believers are but princes in disguise, princes in a foreign country and under a veil; they have a large patrimony, it lies in a land unknown to the world, but believers know what an ample portion God has laid up for them; they are heirs of a kingdom,

A man may not only live by faith, but grow rich by faith.

A spark is not enough to set the heart on fire in holy things; in carnal things it is enough: many such languid motions carnal men have, yea, many cold prayers that God

would make them better; but the soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing, for his hands refuse to labour; they do not set themselves in good earnest to get that grace they wish for. ΜΑΝΤΟΝ.

The servants of God have his mark or seal on their forehead. It is constantly visible both to friends and enemies; but only discernable to the subject himself by close scrutiny in the mirror of God's holy word. SCOTT.

EFFECTS OF DRINKING SPIRITS.

THE following details are extracted from the memoirs of an officer who served in India with great distinction, (the late Lieut. Shipp, of H. M. 87th foot,) having won his commission from the ranks by his conduct in the field. He says as to one of the soldiers, "I shall not mention the name of lest my narrative should by possibility meet the eye of some dear relative who still lingers on earth, and droops under the recollection of the sad event. Through the whole course of his drills and military exercises, I ever found this young man attentive, obedient, and willing to learn; and he promised to be an ornament to his profession. He glided through the commencement of his career with the smile of joy on his youthful countenance. These were halcyon days, which were not long to last; the poisonous cup of inebriety seduced him from the paths of duty, and he drank deep of its baneful contents. This indulgence in intemperance led him from one error to another; on account of which he, from time to time, incurred serious admonitions; until, at length, for the commission of a more aggravated offence, he fell under the displeasure of his superior officer, and was deservedly punished. Irritated by the infliction of a supposed wrong, inflamed with liquor, and smarting under the disgrace, the unhappy youth, in a fatal moment, yielded to the instigations of revenge; and, in the frenzy of intoxication, made an attempt on the life of the officer, (a quarter-master in the same troop,) by whom, as he supposed, he had been injured. This dreadful attempt was as wanton and unprovoked as it was unjustifiable. The chastisement which the young man had received, was such as he would himself, in his sober moments, have admitted he had justly deserved. He fired at him; the shot did not take effect as intended; but the crime was that of mutiny; and punishable by military law, by the heavy penalty of death.

"The culprit was immediately dragged to the guard-room, and then confined in irons. Imagine the feelings of this

unhappy wretch when he awoke from his intoxicated slumbers, and the first objects that met his eyes were the fetters by which he was secured! I was sergeant of the guard at the time, and had the melancholy task of informing the offender of the dreadful crime for which he was fettered and imprisoned. On being made acquainted with the enormity of his attempt, his nature seemed to recoil, his youthful countenance showed a deathlike paleness, he closed his eyes, clasped his hands, and exclaimed, Good God, what have I done?' He seemed as unconscious of every intention of committing the crime he was charged with, as the child still unborn; but yet he stood unequivocally arraigned for the crime of mutiny and attempt to murder. The culprit was, a short time afterwards, summoned before a general court-martial, on trial for his life, without having a single iota to offer in his defence, except the plea of drunkenness, which could but have aggravated his offence, and made it, if possible, worse and blacker. He stood before the court-martial, a sad monument of what an immoderate use of liquor may bring the most docile and humane creature to.

"This melancholy instance will, I trust, show the absolute necessity of guarding, more particularly in a hot climate like that of India, [or when in an excited state of mind or heated state of body,] against a free use of spirituous liquors. If a passion for drink is once allowed to gain dominion, it is seldom or never eradicated. Cup will follow cup, and crime succeed crime, till the envenomed draught brings its sad votary to some sudden and calamitous end. Could I but impress this fact upon the minds of young soldiers, and save even one from that degrading vice, I should think myself amply rewarded.

"The criminal was, of course, found guilty. He was ordered for public execution, to be shot. On the fatal morning, the chaplain was early with his charge. He washed and dressed himself, and tied a piece of black crape round his arm. He took some pains in the adjustment of his clothes and hair, and then went to prayer, in which every one of the guard joined him, although in a separate room. I do not think I ever witnessed more real commiseration in my life than was displayed on this occasion. When the first trumpet sounded for the execution parade, the notes seemed to linger on the morning breeze, and a deathlike stillness to predominate over the atmosphere, which chilled the blood of all assembled. Not a voice was heard; all was hush and quiet, save the workings of the fond bosoms of his pitying comrades. These plainly bespoke the horror they felt in the contemplation of the approaching

scene. The prisoner affectionately took his leave of all the guard, warning them by his sad fate to beware of that accursed liquor which had sealed his doom. He seemed composed and calm, and said he would meet the offended laws of his country, as the just reward of his crimes. The soldiers turned out with evident reluctance, each head rested upon a sorrowing bosom; but they at last reached the place of the sad catastrophe.

"The regiments, both of which were European, then formed three sides of a square, of which the firing party, with the coffin, formed the other. Scarcely was this accomplished, when we heard the dismal sounds of the muffled drum, and the doleful notes of the band playing the Dead March in Saul.' The procession thus moved on:-) :-Provostsergeant in front, on horseback, followed by two files of soldiers. Then the chaplain in his sombre robes, with the prisoner, both in deep meditation and earnest prayer. After them followed the firing party,-one sergeant, one corporal, and twelve privates-the twelve next men for general duty in the whole regiment. From the spot where the guardroom was situated, to the place of execution, was a good quarter of a mile; and the reader may be assured that he took his own time, which was slow, but firm and steady. He entered on the right flank of the square, and passed along the front of the line to the left; the soldiers resting upon their arms reversed, that is, muzzle down, and with their hands upon the bottom of the but. The sobbing of many of the men could be distinctly heard, and some could not even look on him as he paced along the front of the weeping lines. Some of his comrades, who had been more intimately acquainted with the prisoner than the other soldiers, asked permission, under pretence of some indisposition, to leave the ranks and thus avoid the appalling sight. The poor fellow himself looked like one long since dead, but he evinced great fortitude and resignation. When we brought round his left shoulder on reaching the left of the line, what a sight was before him! His place of execution, his coffin, or roughly wrought shell, and his executioners in the persons of his comrades! He knelt down by the side of his coffin, and prayed for a short time. He then embraced, and bade farewell to his instructor who wept most piteously, calling upon Divine mercy to receive the soul of a penitent sinner. The criminal's eyes were then bound, and his death-warrant read. During the reading he exhibited an unshaken firmness, clasping his hands, and holding them fixed against his heart. Scarcely had the last word of his death-warrant vibrated on his ear, when the signal was given. When the firing party came