its rise out of the incident of the moment, turned on religion.

It is my uniform custom, Sir,' said he, to begin and end the day in prayer-I consider it to be my duty. I know it exposes me to the sneer of the fashionable world; but I cannot help that. It appears to me to be the obligation of every master of a family, to set up the form of religion in his house; and for example's sake, to lead his household to church on Sundays. For the same reason I make it a point that all the elder branches of my family, after they have been confirmed, should attend the monthly sacrament; and it is my wish, that my wife and daughters should go to prayers on the week days and festivals: and I believe they are pretty constant in their attendance. And, Sir, we all find the good effects of it. We are prosperous in the world; and cheerful and happy, as you see. Religion has nothing gloomy with us. No family, I persuade myself, is more comfortable than ours.'

The master of the house said this with so much complacency and satisfaction, and there seemed to be so much cheerfulness appearing in every countenance of his

household, that I began to hope the object of my visit was answered without further inquiry. I concluded with myself, that if the observance of religious duties was capable of inducing so much happiness in their instance, it would have the same tendency in mine. I only remained therefore long enough among this apparently happy family, to present my congratulations on what I had seen; and then took my leave, to put into practice the lesson which I had learnt from them.

It is impossible to tell my reader what a round of duties I laboured through, of reading, hearing, fasting, watching, praying. And to the constant routine of this kind, when the monthly sacraments came about in their periodical returns, I added every page which is prescribed in the weekly preparations. I could not have ventured in those days to the Lord's table, with any of the appointed forms unfulfilled, for the world. And as this path in the trammels af devotion opened a continual feast to feed the pride of my heart upon, I soon began to feel the sweet effects of it in the gratification it afforded me. For finding greater confidence from the

supposed rectitude of my life, and dutiful obedience towards God, than heretofore, I concluded that I stood on much safer ground for acceptance with him. Not that I then thought that my goodness alone and without the merits of Jesus Christ, would be sufficient to salvation: (for by this time I had learnt somewhat of the nature of the Christian religion:) but I took it for granted, that what I did would be the sure method of recommending me to God for it. So that, upon the whole, I was well pleased with myself. There were indeed certain seasons, now and then, when upon the omission of any duty, or the commission of any sin, my mind would misgive me, and for the moment, induce fear. But these were but transient impressions, which I endeavoured to efface as fast as possible, in atoning for the evil, by increasing diligence in the path of what I thought good. And thus, by carrying on a commutation with God, I strove to make up what was remiss or offensive in one instance, by an over-attention in another.

-How long I should have gone on un

der a delusion so fatal I know not. circumstance occurred, which at

But a

once

threw to the ground the whole edifice I had been building up for myself with so much labour, and levelled all my fancied goodness into the dust. I had been reading a chapter in St. Paul's epistle to Timothy, when those words arrested my attention so forcibly, that I could not help dwelling upon them: Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: v from such turn away.'* What if this should be my case, I thought with myself; and after all, I am taking up with the form, while destitute of the power of godliness? The very idea made me tremble; and the bare possibility of the thing itself induced me to bring the matter to an instant issue by examination. And the result terminated but to my confusion. That single appeal of the apostle, which I found I could not make, convinced me all was wrong. God is my witness, (says he,) whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel✔ of his Son.' 'Alas! I cried out, I am -no spiritual worshipper. I have the form indeed, but not the power of godliness. Mine is the shell, the carcase, the shadow only of piety.'

*2 Tim. iii. 5. †Rom. i. 9.

Under this renewed conviction and distress of mind, I sat down pensive and melancholy. I considered now that all hopes of salvation were over, and was in a state little short of despair. I knew not at this time, that these were the blessed effects of the divine teaching; and that God, the Holy Spirit, was thus, one by one, removing all the props of self-confidence, and emptying the soul, in order to prepare it for receiving out of the fulness of the Saviour. Oh! it is a gracious process of mercy. We must become poor, in order to be made rich; and the apostle's paradoxes must be literally verified; to be ( dying that we may live; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; having nothing, and yet possessing all things.'*

Oh! ye mourning saints! be not astonished at your afflictions. Be they ever so heavy, or of ever so long continuance, there is a needs be for every one of them. Your GoD is faithful in sending the afflic tion; and your God will be equally faithful in carrying you through it. Settle this in your mind as an everlasting maxim; every one of them shall terminate to your *2 Cor. vi. 9, 10.