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perfectly at ease. Here I could implicitly repose on the all-sufficient God, even if nothing of his future plan had been revealed; but in the lower world, I found these predictions a great stay to my mind.

Ra. And surely the fulfilment of the divine promises which you witnessed, and the unravelling of the mysteries of Providence which you experienced while on earth, must have mightily strengthened your faith! ' fa. They had that effect in a high degree; and the new discoveries made by the Spirit of God, in my dying moments, caused me to depart in triumph: but the freedom from all sinful darkness and weakness, which I now experience, is attended with a sacred calmness and rest in God, which unspeakably transcends all my highest spiritual enjoyments below.

Ra. Here, no doubt nor distrust is ever known; nor can any thing disturb our perfect serenity and holy peace: but additional pleasure is excited by all the information we receive from the lower world; for, to us, who are freed from all sinful prejudices, and are never misinformed, every event, in one way or other, displays the wisdom. goodness, and faithfulness of our God. Or, if any circumstance should be inexplicable for a season, it only calls for greater attention; while we wait, with the most certain confidence, for some extraordinary manifestation of his unfathomable skill, in causing light to arise out of darkness.

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Fa. My mind is at once filled with the like implicit reliance upon God, and holy acquiescence in his will; - but what an increase of joy and bliss shall we experience, even in Heaven itself, when once the Messiah shall have made his appearance on earth, and finished the redemption of his people!

Ra. Though ages may first elapse, yet, in the fulness of time, it shall be accomplished; and all the glorious consequences shall take place in due order. He that has managed all the concerns of your family so well, will as surely bring all the events of time to that issue, which shall produce the greatest revenue of glory to his holy name, and the highest degree of happiness to his people!

Ja. I fully believe it. Amen! Hallelujah!

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I beg leave to submit the following Remarks, in Answer to the Queries respecting Lotteries, in your Magazine for August, p. 364.

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Is it lawful for Christians to adventure in Lotteries? Is it a commendable practice? Is it what a Christian Minister should countenance, or blame? Or should he teave it as a matter wholly indifferent?

I ASK, What is a lottery? It is, without doubt, a game of chance; and if it be lawful, we may enquire, What description of gaming is unlawful? But ali gaming must be, I think, a breach of the Tenth Commandment, as we thereby covet what God, in his providence, has not given us, and which we cannot receive but by the loss of our neigh bour. Besides, lotteries are a species of gaming, by which mischief

The Rev. Mr. Scott, in his Exposition of the Ten Commandments (see his Essays, No..iv.) says, on the last Commandment, "All gaming, public or private, „js covering our neighbour's goods, to increase our wealth by his less; and is, therefore, a direct violation of the command:" to which ke adds, in a noté, “Not excepting lotteries, of

and misery, beyond all comparison with other kinds of gaming, have been brought on the inhabitants of this country; and even if a lottery were lawful in itself, the consequences thereof, even now, in the more restricted way in which it is conducted, are more than sufficient to determine that it is unlawful for a Christian to encourage it, in any way whatevert; for he is commanded to abstain from even the appearance of evil. But if any one should attempt to justify lotteries, while he will not allow card-playing in his family (which also I deem unlawful) I should suppose, that he complied, in a restricted sense, with the Scripture just quoted, by abstaining only from the appearance (comparatively) while he embraced the substance of evil. But further, to determine, whether or not adventuring in lotteries be lawful, let us try it by another Scripture rule: Whatsoever is not of faith is sin:"-and on what ground or authority can we believe or trust in God, that he will give us, by those means, which, I presume, cannot be proved to be of his appointment, what he has seen fit to withhold by assuredly lawful means? Or can we ask his blessing in the adventure of property he has committed to us, and say, that our object is his glory? I am aware that many delude themselves with the excuse, that they only wish for a large prize, that they may do good with it; and this, from the manner in which the passage in the Memoir of Mr. Townsend is expressed (which, by the bye, I think, rather sanctions the practice) appears to have been the object of that gentleman; but, however high we may esteem his character in other respects, we ought not to follow his example, but as we see him clearly right. This practice in him, I think, was an infirmity; but allowing that we are sincere in wishing for an increase to our property, by means of a lottery, for the purpose of doing more good, yet, if the means are not lawful, we are not justified in adopting them: • and how shall we be clear from the guilt of adventuring what we have lawfully attained, thro' God's providence, which, however little, if devoted to him faithfully, would be acceptable, in preference to thousands unlawfully gained? God wants not abundance of silver and gold. If he did, they are at his command; and as it respects us, "If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath The promises we make to ourselves, of devoting to the service of God, or our fellow-creatures, any large accumulation of wealth that may come by way of chance, is, no doubt, a stratagem of Satan, to gloss over a covetous desire, which is the root of all evil; and it would be contrary to general experience, if those who adventure what is "but lent them," should, in the event of success, devote what they gain by such-means; at least, we ought to see several strong cases corroborative thereof before we attend to the suggestion. But if we have the price of a ticket, or a pro. portion thereof to spare, we know how it may be disposed of to beneficial purposes with some certainty; but if we hazard it in the lottery, there are many thousand chances against the large prizes; and generally two to one

not."

even tontines: these latter constitute a kind of complicated wager about longevity, to be decided by Providence in favour of the survivors; and must, therefore, be equally culpable with other games of chance."-To which we may add, that any use of a lot (which is an appeal to the decision of Providence) for the purpose of amusement or gaie, or in any case without a serious desire that God would decide for us what we cannot otherwise decide, seems to be, and is generally by religious persons held to be, indefensible.

From another answer to this Query by Aspasio, we select the following lines:The mischief occasioned by the lottery is incalculable. If it were only a doubtful point, Christians should avoid it; but the lottery is a most pernicious thing! The money got by it is "the price of blood." Thousands have been ruined by it, and numberless suicides have been the consequence. Mr. Colquhoun, in his Police of the Metropolis, states, "That many of those who are now living on the plunder of society, were reduced to their miserable situation by this cause."

that we entirely lose what was entrusted to us for better purposes, and which can never be recovered: and to those who lose, it may be said that they have not done so well as those wicked servants who preserved the talent committed to them in a napkin, or hid it in the earth; but alas! they have hazarded, they have lost it.

If what has been here advanced is sufficient to negative the first question, the second must of course follow it; and then the duty of ministers will be obvious: but I here beg to say, that it might be useful if ministers in general would revive the old-fashioned manner of reproving professors plainly, for this and similar conformities to the present sinful world.

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GOD, whose wisdóm appears in all the infinitely diversi fed forms of nature, hath inscribed on every creature its proper character in marks indelible and unequivocal. Such is particularly the case with, the noble animal before us, whose fiery eye and flowing mane inspire us with awe and terror.

The natural history of the lion is so well known, that we shall treat it very cursorily. Its native regions are in the interior of Africa, where he reigns

* Sole monarch of all he surveys,"

few animals ever attempting to dispute with him the right of sovereignty. The magnanimous Dr. Vanderkemp, among other dangers, has been much among these terrible animals. He mentions herds of them, to the number of an hundred, whose footsteps he has traced in the desert; and from whom he was preserved, in several instances, almost by miracle. It is a gracious dispensation of Providence, however, that this creature, in a great measure, loses its native courage and ferocity as it approaches the haunts of men; and is seldom known to make inroads on society, except when compelled by extreme hunger. And even when individuals of men and beasts have fallen within its power, it has been known generously to spare their lives, when it has not been in want of food. It is a creature also highly susceptible of grateful impressions for benefits long since received, and may be tamed more easily, if taken young, than many other beasts of prey.

The Scriptures name several kinds of this animal, to which it frequently alludes. Jacob blessing Judah, compares him, or rather his tribe, to a lion's whelp-a fuil-grown lion couched down, i. e. resting in conscious security, and (not an old lion, but) a lioness having young, which makes her more ferocious than the male. Job distinguishes" the lion (Ariah, the usual name) the fierce," or rather the black (i. e. dark-coloured) "lion the young lion - the old (full grown) lion, and the stout lion's whelps." The woody parts of the banks of Jordan are particularly mentioned as the haunts of these terrible creatures; and we have repeated instances in Scripture of their being used as the instruments of the divine displeasure §; while, on the other hand, when they have been employed against his people, he hath shut their mouths, as in the case of Daniel, that they might not hurt them. Thus the Lord reigns even among the savages of the desert,

The Scriptures frequently make use of the character of the lion, as the type of a tyrant and a destroyer. Nero is compared to one; and a greater tyrant than even he was, is described as "a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." In one instance, however, they take the fairer part of this animal's cha-racter his strength, courage, sagacity, magnanimity, are the qualities intended to be conveyed when the great Messiah is described as "The Lion of the Tribe of Judah," though it is probable also that it may contain an allusion to the standard of that tribe, which the Rabins tell us was that animal borrowed from the form of the sacred cherubim, or rather, perhaps, from the blessing of the patriarch Jacob.

It may seem extraordinary that the sacred writers should borrow their illustrations from an object so terrible, when they meant to do honour to their subject; but the fact is, they were so full of the glory of the Saviour, that they could see no admirable or attracting quality in any object in nature, but they applied it to the great object of their esteem and veneration. Nor is this all; the same Jesus, who is the Saviour of his people, is the Judge of his enemies; and those who will not embrace him as the Lamb of God, should prepare to meet him as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, when the great day of his wrath shall come." Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest he tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver."

"Where grace can neither melt nor move,

The Lamb resents his injur'd love;

Awakes his wrath without delay,
And Judah's lion tears the prey."

See Parkhurst in was.
Jer. xlix. 19,

WATTS.

+ Job iv. 9, 10.
Kings xiii. 23, 36.

.שכל t In

REMARKS ON 2 TIMOTHY II. 19.

Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this scal, the Lord knoweth them that are his.

[An Extract from Dubosc.]

It may be considered somewhat singular, that the apostle should here connect a seal with a foundation, since they do not seem to bear the least relation to each other. Seals, it is well known, are not affixed to foundations; because, in such situations, they would not answer the smallest purpose.

To remove the obscurity naturally arising from this passage, we shall offer two observations; which will, in some incasure, elucidate it: -

First, The word seal must not be limited to that impression, as stamped on letters or writings, with a design of sealing them; but in an extensive sense, including engravings, and all kinds of inscriptions. In seals, we generally find some engraving representing a figure, or some other device. Hence engravings, inscriptions, and devices were termed by the antients seals. Thus, God directing Moses relative to the plate of pure gold, designed for the mitre of the high priest, said to him, And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the gravings of a signet, Holiness to the Lord *" So that it was not designed to be concealed; but exposed to public view. Anciently, the cups and vessels on which were engraved figures, letters, &c. for ornament, were denominated sealed cups and vessels. We read also of scaled habits, which has afforded great amusement for the learned and curious; but by these habits may obviously be understood embroidered dresses, trimmed with gold and silver; for embroidery may be considered as a species of engraving or printing, performed upon dresses, to embellish and enrich them. It is in this extensive sense the word seal should be taken, and not restricted merely to a concealing or hiding.

The

Secondly, It was common among the antients to carve inscriptions or devices upon foundation stones, thus to preserve the memory of those who had erected the edifices. founder's name was engraved, either in figures, or some enigmatical device. To this God himself alludes, when speaking of Zerubbabel, who was to rebuild the temple after the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity: "And he shall bring forth the head-stone thereof with shoutings,crying,Grace, as if these words were to be engraved upon grace unto it †,” the foundation-stone laid by that holy and illustrious character.

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