We may learn from the above instances that there is no place, however gloomy, where a good man is cast, but God can sanctify it to him. Even in a prison has he vouchsafed his presence, and supported his suffering people in a most wonderful manner.

January 20.

PROVERBS XXIX. 7. The righteous considereth the cause of the poor, but the wicked regardeth not to know it.

CHAP. xii. 10. A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast.

The celebrated HOWARD died 1790. The numerous instances of this good man's philanthropy would fill a volume. The following afford a practical comment on the above texts.

It is said that once when he had cast up his accounts at the end of the year, and found that he had more than he thought, that he said to his wife, "My dear, I will treat you with a journey to London." She smiled and said, My dear, the money would build a pretty cottage for a poor person." The hint was received, and accordingly it was done.

Not only to the human species was he a great friend, but even to the brute creation. It is recorded of him that his old horses remained after they were incapable of labour, the happy pensioners on his bounty for the rest of their lives. These faithful creatures enjoyed themselves, in perfect freedom from toil, and in fult supply of all that old age requires; several fields having by this generous master been appropriated for that purpose. Each of these fields had a comfortable shed, to which the inhabitants could resort in the hard weather, and were sure of finding the rigours of the season softened by a well furnished crib of the best hay, and a manger either of bran or corn ground, or some other nourishing food.

January 21.

DANIEL ii. 21. He removeth kings and setteth up kings. Louis XVI. King of France beheaded, 1793. No dignity of situation can secure a man against the vicissitudes

attendant on human life. The king was condemned to death by a small majority of the convention. The sentence was ordered to be executed in twenty-four hours. The king and his family had been for some time kept separate from each other; but he was now allowed to see them and to choose an ecclesiastic to attend him. The meeting, and above all, the separation from his family, was tender in the extreme. At 8 o'clock in the morning, the unfortunate monarch was summoned to his fate. He ascended the scaffold with a firm air and step. Raising his voice, he said, "Frenchmen, I die innocent; I pardon all my enemies, and may France”- -At this instant the inhuman Santerre ordered the drums to beat, and the executioners to perform their office. When they offered to bind his hands, he started back, as if about to resist, but recollected himself in a moment, and submitted. When the instrument of death descended, the priest ex. claimed, “Son of St. Louis, ascend to heaven." The bleeding head was held up, and a few of the populace shouted, Vive la Republique. His body was interred in a grave that was filled up with quick lime, and a guard placed round till it should be consumed.

The 21st of the month is said to have been singularly ominous to Louis XVI. April 21, 1770, he was married; June 21, 1770, at a fete given in consequence of his mar riage, a vast number of persons were trampled to death ; June 21, 1792, he escaped from Paris to Varennes; September 21, 1792, royalty was abolished in France; and January 21, 1793, he was executed.

This transaction is considered by many as ungrateful, impolitic, and unjust; and indeed who can defend it; yet others have thought that there are few instances in which the retributive justice of God has ever been more evidently displayed; as in the sufferings of the Protestants, from the reign of Francis I. to the period of the Revolution, were extreme. This we know, however, that the Judge of all the earth will do right.

January 22.

2 TIMOTHY ii. 3. Thou, therefore, endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

TIMOTHY killed at Ephesus, A. D. 97. The solemn charge given to Timothy, above named, it seems was not in vain. He was killed at Ephesus by the Heathens of that city, whom he offended by attempting to prevent their idolatrous sacrifices. It is noble to die struggling in a good cause. And nothing can be more suitable than the advice given by the Apostle. Difficulties must not deter us. The Christian bero must be inferior to none.

"I have read of an emperor (says Mr. Brooks) that delighted in no undertakings so much, as those which, in the esteem of his counsellors and captains were deemed most difficult and impossible; if they said such or such an enterprize, would never be accomplished, it was argument enough for him to make the adventure, and he usually prospered, he seldom miscarried. Só I have never found greater and choicer blessings to attend any of my poor weak labours, than those that have been brought forth into the world through the greatest straits and difficulties. Nothing should discourage nor dishearten a soldier of Christ. Christ saith to his soldiers (as the father of the Black Prince said to him), "Either vanquish or die."

January 23.

JEREMIAH XX. 10. And we shall take our revenge on him.

The Earl of MURRAY, Regent of Scotland, was shot, 1570, during the minority of James VI at Linlithgow, by Hamilton of Bothwellhaugh, who, after the battle of Lanside Hill in 1568, had been condemned to death as a rebel, but at the powerful intercession of Knox the reformer, obtained a pardon. Part of his estate was however, bestowed upon one of the regent's favourites, who seized his house, and turned out his wife naked, in a cold night, into the open fields, where, before the next morning, she became furiously mad. This injury made

a deeper impression on him than the benefit he had received, and he vowed to be revenged on the regent. The assassin escaped to France. Historians are much divided concerning the character of Murray; but it is generally admitted that his administrations was extremely popular; and he was long and affectionately remembered among the commons by the name of the Good Regent.

Thus we see the evil effect of this spirit of revenge; against which we do well to watch, seeing it is forbidden by the Almighty, Lev. xix. 17, 18.

January 24.

MATT. vi. 22. The light of the body is the eye.

The Emperor ADRIAN born, A. D. 76.

What is the world, says one, without the sun, but a dark melancholy dungeon? What is a man without eyes, but monstrous and deformed. The two eyes are two luminaries, that God hath set up in the microscósm, man's little world. When God would express his tender love unto his people, he calls them, the apple of his eye. He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye. And the like phrase St. Paul makes use of, when he speaks of the love of the Galatians unto himself: I bear you record, that if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes, and have given them to me.

The emperor above alluded to, with an arrow, by accident, put out one of his servant's eyes; he commanded him to be brought to him, and bade him ask what he would, that he might make him amends. The poor man was silent; he pressed him again, when he said he would ask nothing, but he wished he had the eye which he had ́lost; intimating that an emperor was not able to make satisfaction for the loss of an eye. So the light of divine truth is infinitely more valuable than all other blessings. If we come short of this, there can be no substitute found. If the soul be lost, the whole world can afford us no relief.

The Latin verses Adrian addressed to his soul, and translated by Pope, ("Vital spark, &c.") are well known.

January 25.

1 Cor. xv. 10. By the grace of God I am what I am.

This day is fixed in our Calendar as the day of the conversion of St. PAUL, which took place about A. D. 36 or 37. This singular event is recorded in the 9th chapter of the Acts. The conversion of such a man, at such a time, and by such means, furnishes one of the most complete proofs that have ever been given, of the divine origin of our holy religion. Lord Lyttleton has given us an admirable piece on the Apostle's conversion; and justly observes, that if he had not been converted as he states, he must have been either an impostor, or an enthusiast, or a dupe to the fraud of others. But this his Lordship fully proves was not the case; that his conversion was miraculous, and that the Christian religion is a divine revelation. Justly has it been said that infidelity has never been able to fabricate a specious answer to this invaluable publication.

January 26.

ISAIAH XXXII. 8. The liberal deviseth liberal things.
PHIL. iv. 5. Let your moderation be known unto all men.

Dr. DANIEL WILLIAMS died, 1716, aged 73. He was noted for uniting moderation and liberality together. He married a lady of honourable family and considerable wealth; which he declares in his last will," he used with moderation as to himself, that he might be the more useful to others, both in his life and after his death." When King George I. ascended the British throne, Dr. Williams, at the head of the Protestant Dissenting Ministers of the several denominations in and about the city of London, presented his Majesty with an humble address of congratulation. The Doctor gave the bulk of his estates, in his last will and testament, to charitable uses; as excellent in their nature, as various in their kinds, and as much calculated for the glory of God and the good of mankind, as any that have ever been known. Among other objects of it are, The relief of poor ministers and