Repeat that hymn of Dr. Watts, "Why should I join with those in play." Who can deliver us?-God, 2 Cor. xii. 9; 2 Tim. iv. 18; Jude 24. Whom will God deliver? -His saints, 1 Sam. ii. 9; Hos. xiii. 9. God's appeal, Judges x. 11. Saviour's prayer, John xvii. 15. Prayers. David, Psalm lxxi. 2; cix. 21; word, exix. 170; xxxi. 2; lxx. 1. Isaiah xliv. 17. Jabez, 1 Chron. iv. 10. Hebrews xiii. 12. Isaiah xxx. 21. We must not only pray but watch and strive against evil, 1 John v. 18; Gal. v. 24; Col. iii. 5; v. 8; Eph. iv. 22. Praying will make us leave off sinning, or sinning will make us leave off praying, Isa. xxxvii. 15, 21. Keep out of danger, Prov. iv. 14; xxiii. 21; 2 Thess. iii. 2. Anecdote. "Evil men." Mr. Studly and his Son. Mr. Studly was the son of an attorney in Kent, who was worth about four hundred pounds a year, a man remarkable for his enmity against the power of religion, and the people called Puritans. His son seemed for some years to tread in his father's steps, till the Lord, who had separated him from his mother's womb, was pleased to call him by his grace, in the following remarkable manner : Young Mr. Studly being in London, and having spent an evening in gay company, was intoxicated with liquor: returning in the night to his lodging, he fell down into a cellar, and in the fall was so seized with horror of mind, that he absolutely thought he had fallen into hell. He lay there some hours, though he received little harm from the fall. Stupid, affrighted, and heated with liquor, he imagined that he was actually in the pit of misery. When he recovered himself, and had got home into Kent, he became very thoughtful and serious, applied himself diligently to reading the Scriptures and to prayer. His father soon perceived the change of his disposition and conduct, and greatly dreading that his son would turn Puritan, behaved in a very harsh and severe manner to him, and even obliged him to dress the horses; to all which he readily and humbly submitted. And when at any time his father perceived that he sat up late at night to read his bible, he denied him candle light; but being allowed to have a fire in his chamber, he used to lie all along on the floor, and read by the light of the fire. He has told his friends, that while employed in dressing his father's horses in his frock, and lying on the floor to read, he received such comforts and joys from the Lord, that were scarcely ever equalled afterwards. The old gentleman, finding his endeavours to discourage him from religion ineffectual, resolved to send him to France, hoping that change of air and levity of manners might cure him of his melancholy. Accordingly he went; but being left to his own disposal, he was providentially directed to a godly Protestant minister, with whom he fixed himself, and with whom he soon contracted a most pleasing and profitable friendship. Here he made a rapid progress in learning and speaking French, an account of which was communicated to his father. Soon after this he was ordered to return to England, and by the father's invitation, or the son's persuasion, the tutor accompanied him, and was affectionately received by old Mr. Studly, who as yet knew nothing of his being a minister. At length the father surprised the French gentleman and his son at prayer together, which so enraged him, that he immediately paid him what was owing, and dismissed him. Another expedient was now adopted. Old Mr. Studly having some interest with a person of honour, a lady of quality at Whitehall, prevailed with her to take his son into her family, who was by his education qualified for such a situation. He hoped by the gaiety of a court life to drive away his melancholy, as he called his son's seriousness in religion. When fixed in this new situation, having considerable authority over the numerous servants of the house, he took the liberty to reprove them for swearing and other vices, with such prudence and gravity, that sin fell down before him; so that when any of them were improperly employed, it was enough to deter them if they heard Mr. Studly coming. When a year was elapsed, the father waits upon the lady, to enquire how the young man had approved himself in his place. She replied, she was heartily glad that Mr. Studly had come into her house, for he had effected a wonderful reformation in the family. She had, she said, been formerly troubled with the unruly conduct of her servants; but, by his prudent management, all was now as quiet as in a private family in the country. At this the old man perfectly stormed, and exclaimed, What! will he make Puritans in Whitehall? He told the lady, that was no place for his son, he would take him home, which to her great dissatisfaction he did. The only method he could now devise to stifle the work of religion, was to get his son married to some gay young lady in an irreligious family. Having such an one in his eye, he ordered his son one evening to be ready to accompany him on horseback in the morning following; and when on the road, ordered the servant, who was behind them, to ride on before, and then addressed himself to the young man to the following purpose: "Son, you have been the occasion of great grief to my mind. I have used a variety of methods to reclaim you from the strange way you are in, and as yet to no purpose. I have one more remedy to apply, and if you comply with my wishes in it, I will settle my whole estate on you; but if you refuse, you shall never enjoy a groat of it. We are now going to such a gentleman's house, and to his daughter I intend to mary you." The young man said little in reply, knowing that family to be profane; however, they went on to the house, where they were kindly received and nobly entertained, the father having before prepared the wayed bas dore, ent v ob On their return homeward, the old gentleman asked his son how he liked the lady? The young man, who was really captivated with her beauty, (for she was remarkably handsome) replied, No man living can help liking such a woman; he was only afraid she would not like him. The father, heartily glad that the bait was taken, bid him take no care for that. The courtship that ensued was was not long, for in three weeks they both came to London to buy wedding-clothes. The father had been particularly careful to desire that while his son paid his addresses, there might be no swearing or debauchery, lest he should be discouraged. But when the wedding day came, th the mask was thrown off; they indulged themselves at the dinner with drinking healths and profane swearing; and among the rest, the bride herself swore an oath. this the bridegroom, as a man Occasion went to the stable, saddled his horse, and rode with earnest cries and tears, looking on himself not granted; nor he rise from his good hope of being heard." 1971 sorom his Bruined In the mean time all was hurry and confusion at the house he had left." When the bridegroom was missed, messengers were sent out in every direction to seek him. But t no news of him could be got. He was wrestling with God, as Jacob once at Peniel. When the evening came he returned, and enquiring where his bride Was, found her sitting in her chamber, pensive enough. She asked him, if he had done well to expose her to Scorn and derision all the day. He intreated her to sit down on a couch there, by him, and he would give her an account o of what he had been doing, and the reason of it. He then told her the story of his whole life, and what the Lord, by his grace, had done for him; and many tears, been opened in the wood and frequently in the course of his story, he would say, Through grace, God did so and so for me. When he had related the whole (and by the way, this was St. Paul's method, by which many were converted, to tell over the story of his own conversion) she asked him, what he meant by that expression, which he so often used, through grace ?" so rantly had she been educated: and also asked him, if he thought there was no grace in God for her, who was so wretched a stranger to him? Yes, my dear, said he, there is grace for you, and it is that I have been the flood-gates of which ith much affection and praying for in the wood. God hath heard my prayer, and seen my tears; and let us now go together to him about it. They then kneeled down by the couch, and he prayed; and so were they both engaged in weeping and supplication, that their eyes were observably swelled. When they were come down to supper, and were at table, the bride's father, according to custom, swore. The bride immediately said, Father, pray don't swear. At which Mr. Studly rose from his seat in prodigious anger, and cried, What! is the devil in him? has he made his wife a Puritan already? And swore bitterly that he would rather set fire to the four corners of his fair-built house, with his own hands, than ever his son should enjoy it. When he returned home, he immediately made his will, leaving his son only ten pounds, to cut off his claim; and bequeathed his estate to several others, of whom a Dr. Reeves was one. Not long after this, he died; and Dr. Reeves sent for young Mr. Studly, paid him his ten pounds, told him he had been a rebellious son, had disobliged his father, and might thank himself. He received the ten pounds, and meekly departed. The match had been so hurried, that Mrs. Studly had no portion settled on her, at least to his knowledge, for he left the whole affair to his father's management; so that she also was deserted by her friends. But having two hundred pounds in her own hands, which had been left by a grandmother, they took and stocked a farm in Sussex, where she, who had been very genteelly educated, has been often seen in her red waistcoat milking her cows. She was enabled to do all this with such cheerfulness, that she greatly comforted and encouraged her husband. God, said she, has had mercy on me, and any pains-taking is pleasant to me. Thus they lived together with much comfort, and an increasing family, for a considerable time. However, about three or four years after their marriage, as he was on the road, in Kent, he was met by one of the tenants of his late father's estate, and saluted by the name of landlord. "Alas," said he, "I am none of yonr landlord." "Yes you are," replied the farmer; "I know more than you do about the settlement. Your father, though a cunning lawyer, with all his wit, could not alienate the estate from you, whom he made joint purchaser. Myself and some other tenants know it, and have refused to pay my money to Dr. Reeves: I have sixteen pounds ready for you in my hands, which I will pay to your acquittance, and that will serve you to wage law with them." Mr. Studly was amazed at this wonderful providence; received the money ; sued for his estate, and in a term or two recovered it. Mrs. Studly, enjoying the blessings of an affectionate pious husband, several fine children, and a plentiful fortune, began to question the truth of her grace, because of her great prosperity. But it was a severe rebuke that the Lord gave her for her sin; for a fine boy about three years old fell into a kettle of scalding wort, and was taken out by his mother, and died. This she looked upon as the Lord's discipline for her unthankfulness, and was instructed. This pleasing story is recorded in Turner's remarkable providences, part i. ch. 18, who assures us of its authenticity, as he had it from a Rev. Mr. Singleton of Hoxton square, London, who received it from a Mr. Knight, a very intimate acquaintance of Mr. Studly. Y I hope your young readers, for whose instruction as well as entertainment this is transcribed, will not pass over so remarkable a series of events, without some such reflections as these:—— 1. How deeply rooted is the enmity of the carnal mind against God and religion, as it appeared in Mr. Studly's father! and what a confirmation does it afford of the truth of Scripture, which leads us to expect it! Whether vital religion be called Puritanism or Methodism, the world will oppose and hate, and endeavour to destroy it. 2. How powerful is the grace of God, enabling his people to bear the fiery trial of their faith and sincerity! so that they can count all things, however dear and desirable, but dung and dross for Christ's sake. 3. How careful should young persons be in forming connexions for life! How lamentable it is that on such occasions less care is taken, and less prayer offered, than in affairs of much less consequence! Let none presume that every unequal and inconsiderate match shall terminate as happily as Mr. Studly's. 4. Let those who are unequally yoked to unbelieving partners, learn by this example to pour out their hearts in earnest prayer on their behalf; who can tell but the Lord may be gracious? For what knowest thou, O wife! whether thou shalt save thy husband?) or how knowest thou, O man! whether thou shalt save thy wife? 1 Cor. vii. 16. 5. Above all, let the persecuted disciple of Jesus, especially the young person who bears a father's or a mother's frowns on account of religion, learn how faithful and true the Saviour will be found to his precious promise. Verily I say unto you, Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life.Christian's Magazine. Vol. i., pp. 479–485. Arzadel ;01.x sauf "For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever & Hymn. and ever. Amen.” Giving glory to God" is the object to be kept continually in view, in all our thoughts, words, and actions. This is the foundation of our offering up to God the foregoing petitions, *For thine is the kingdom," &c. "The kingdom," 1 Chron. xxix. 11-13; Psalm x 16; xxii. 283 xlvii. 2, 7; xe. 2; xevii. 1; cii. 19; Rev. xix. 16; Prov. xvi 33 ; Matt. x. 29, 30. This includes God's sovereignty, Psalm lxxxiii. 18. As Creator, Rev. iv. 11. Preserver, Acts xvii. 28. Disposer, Psalm xxii. 28. Thine is "the power," can do what he pleases, 2 Chron. xx. 6; Job ix. +10; Palm lxxii. 11; lxxxix. 13; exv. 3; exxxv. 6; Jer. xxxii. 17. 18, 97: Matt. xix. 26; Mark x. 27; Luke xviii. 27 zi. 37; |