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strength: they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint," Isaiah xl. 31. This language is ex

wise, enjoyed peculiar enlarge"I will run in the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart." | "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry|pressive of peculiar freedom in clay, and set my feet upon a rock, devotion. It represents a soul and established my goings. And freed from the clogs of earth and he hath put a new song in my sense, and soaring on the pinions mouth, even praise unto our of a strong and vigorous faith. God!" Such is the enlargement which God gives his children. He causes their youth to be renewed like the eagles; gives fresh and renewed strength and delight

Who can read the Psalms of David, without noticing the strong and ardent aspirations of the heaven-born soul?

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REFLECTIONS.

We find, likewise, Job long-in his service. ing for communion with God; "Oh that I knew where I might find him that I might come even to his seat! I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments." xxiii. 3, 4. In reference to spir- | itual enlargement, are Elihu's words to Job; "Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness."

1. There is need of care lest we damp the ardor of a religious spirit. A careless, unchristian walk cripples the energies of the soul, and brings it down from its exalted exercises, to low and carnal objects. A worldly spirit is unfriendly to the ardors of piety. Sinful and carnal hankerings and enjoyments, abate the warmth In Canticles the Church says; of vital godliness.-Vain amuse"Or ever I was aware, my soul ments, likewise, serve to cool made me like the chariots of religious affections, and obscure Ammi-nadib." This denotes the lamp of grace in the heart. the peculiar liberty which the Religious exercises are deadengodly sometimes acquire ined by these and similar causes. their approach to God. And in Devout hungerings and thirstgeneral it marks out the breath-ings are not cherished, but rathings and raised desires and hopes, which it is common for those to have, who have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

er diminished, by a life of sinful conformity to the world, in its vain recreations, and sensual delights. We must abstain from Saints are said to be near, and these things, if we would preto draw near to God. This serve in lively exercise the vital nearness, must imply commun- principle. Christian graces need ion with God, in holy and long-care and cultivation. If neglecting desires and affections. Such ed, they soon lose their lustre as walk near to him feel their and appear like the dying taper. souls going out heaven-ward. A lax and careless way of living Add further, a feeling, animated must bring on spiritual decay. religion is set forth in these Christians should be strict in words: "They that wait upon their discipline. their discipline. They should the Lord shall renew their avoid conformity to the men of

the world. They have a vine- | transported beyond himself, and

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to have exceeded the bounds of sober reason. The same apprehension was entertained concerning Christ. Some of his acquaintance, seeing him so intent on his work, as to go out of doors to preach to the people, when he was already spent with watchings and public services, came out to lay hold upon him, saying, He is beside himself. He failed of taking his necessary meals, for the sake of seizing an opportunity to feed and instruct the multitude. And this was thought to indicate a transport of passion, not altogether regulated by the dictates of sobriety and moderation. These examples may teach animated Christians to expect the charge of enthusiasm. Think it not strange if it be sometimes insinuated, that they are beside themselves. In the eye of carnal reason, the

in the christian cause, appear in the light of partial derangement, proceeding from a disorded state of the affections.

2. A vigorous, animated piety ever lies exposed to the charge of enthusiasm. The truly religious must be prepared to meet this reproach. Such as are for a cold, philosophic religion, will deem the workings of the pious heart, to be flights, partaking of imagination, and transient in their nature. The living members of Christ's mystical body, they who have given the best ev-workings of a warm benevolence idence of their being living stones in the temple of God, have commonly had an enthusiastic spirit ascribed to them. On account of their fervency, they have been supposed to exceed the bounds of reason. Their noble and elevated acts of faith and love, have been viewed as the reveries of a heated imagination. Their deadness to the world, their abstemious, mortifi-ine tendency of grace upon the ed lives, and their hardships and conflicts under the cross, have been frequently deemed a mis-maining corruptions, there is : guided zeal and affected singu- danger of making the vital exlarity. The Apostle Paul was ercises of grace, an occasion of thought by some to be beside self-exaltation. Let Christians himself. Counting all things but be guarded against this temptaloss for the excellency of the tion. Let them not make a merknowledge of Christ Jesus, and it of their duties and frames, nor being willing to suffer the loss of magnify themselves, on account all things, that he might win of their spiritual attainments. Christ, he was supposed to be A proud pharisaical temper,

3. We shall add a word concerning the importance of maintaining a meek and humble walk with God. Such as have precious discoveries of divine things, should take heed that they be not lifted up in pride. The genu

heart, is to produce humbleness of mind. And yet, through re

has ever proved an enemy to | Living more important than Dysouls, and should excite much alarm. Christians, have a war

ing.

T is a common remark, that

fare to endure with this formida- it is a great thing to die.

ble enemy.

They have a conflict within themselves, to keep under the workings of a selfrighteous spirit. And this confiict proves to be none of the least and most painful part of the christian warfare. But let them be animated in this struggle; keeping in constant remembrance, that a legal spirit marrs and eats out the life of all true religion.

Let them live near to God cultivating meekness and modesty under the reception of his undeserved gifts and graces. Their sensible comforts and gracious frames spring from the fountain of all good. God deals out the measure of their faith. He is the life, of their spiritual joys and exercises. In his infinite mercy, he enlarges their hearts to have intimate and sweet communion with Himself. He gives them to participate in the influences and gifts of the Holy Spirit. When in straitness, he brings them out of a strait into a broad place. When sinking in the miry clay, he brings them forth, and establishes their goings. And when they cry to him from the belly of hell, he causes their prayer to come in unto him, in his holy temple. Let them humbly thank and praise his holy name, for his marvellous grace which hath wrought them for the selfsame thing. The meek will he guide in judgment, he will beautify the meek with salvation.He that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Y. Z.

To those who believe the scriptures the scene of exchanging worlds is considered as peculiarly interesting. And it undoubtedly is so, as well as solemn and affecting to nature. While the body returns to the dust as it was, the spirit assends to God who gave it, to be disposed of for an endless eternity. The soul is dispossessed of its organ, and hastened into the eternal world, to be made completely blessed, or to receive her portion in endless misery. A scene like this, must undoubtedly be considered as solemn and interesting. Still, is not living more important and interesting than dying? Is it not a great thing to live as well as to die? However important may be the scene of dying, let us enquire whether living be not still more important.

REFLECT, in the first place, that life is the time appointed for our day of probation; but death is not. In this world we have talents committed to us, with which we are required to

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occupy." Death is so far from being a state of trial, that it is compared, by the Saviour, to the season of resigning up our talents. Is not an appointed

season for us to obtain a valuable object, more interesting than any period after this season is past? We remember, that the rich man, who lifted up his eyes in hell, and prayed for a drop of water to cool his tongue, was referred to his conduct in lifetime. "Son, remember that thou, in thy lifetime, receivedst

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not suggested, that his manner of death brought him to that place of torment, but his life.

Again-The day of judgment will have particular reference to life; and not to death. When we shall be summoned to the judgment seat of Christ, it will be, to give an account of the deeds done in the body.An inspired writer tells us, "We must all appear before the judgment of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, accord'ing to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." This refers us to life, and not to death. The message of death is no other than a summons, sent out by the Judge, to call us to the court of heaven. An indictment is always predicated upon previous conduct. The transactions, therefore, for which we are to be arraigned cannot have their special reference to death. Indeed, there is not the least hint, in the whole Bible, that the judgment day will have any reference to our death.

And further-Life is the season in which we have the calls and invitations of the gospel set before us. That speaks to us, to-day, while in life and health, and tells us, "Now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation." We are no where told that death is a day of salvation., or an accepted time. It is true, at death our state is decided; but this decision is made altogether according to

our

Examine the whole preaching of Christ, of his Prophets and Apostles, and we shall fir i they ever referred their hearers to their duty in life. Would not the gospel refer us to the most interesting period? And would not the great errand, for which the Saviour came into the world, point us to the season which is the most interesting?

It may be added, also, that death is not a season in which our conduct could be properly connected with eternal consequences. For a moral agent to exhibit a character, choose the offers of grace, or refuse them, he must enjoy a season of rational reflection. Truths must be placed before him, and the mind must rationally act in view of those truths. And how can this be done, when the whole organ of nature has become unstrung and is under the struggles of departing breath? Can we suppose, that the time when this body is becoming lifeless, and the soul ascending to God who gave it, would be appointed by the Deity as a season for the mind to exercise that change, upon which eternity is depending? No; "He hath made every thing beautiful in his time."

As, therefore, life is the only appointed time of probation-a8 the day of judgment refers us to life and not to death-as life is the only season to which the calls of the gospel refer us; and as death is not a proper time upon which things of eternal consequence could be made to depend, then, living must be a more important season than dy

treatment of the gospel while in life. God tells uз, therefore, in his word, to seeking. him early to hear his voice today, and not harden our hearts. VOL. V. No. 5.

From the thought we have pursued, some interesting reX

flections naturally follow. And,

1. Does not what we have been contemplating afford us ground to fear that many are ruined by overlooking the most important period of their existence, and looking forward to a period that is less important? How numerous are those, who pass very calmly on with the current of time, without concern with regard to living, while at the same time they will acknowledge that it is a great thing to die. View people near their end, and we may see a great part, much more concerned about dying, than ever they were about living. When the grim messenger of death advances to stare them in the face, they will acknowledge they have now arrived to a period which they ever viewed important; but while in life and health, they will rest without alarm, though God's law be sounding louder than thunder in their ears, and while the Saviour is inviting them in the most pathetic terms. To meet death, having all that to do, at this distressing moment, which was required in a time of health and prosperity, must certainly be a most ruinous step. And is it strange that Satan should use this stratgem, to ensnare unguraded souls? While he can lead people to pass away life as a trifling thing, and place their views forward to death as the important period, well may he consider them as a sure prey to his fatal wiles. Let us then enquire, whether our anxiety with regard to a future state has not often referred us to a wrong period. And let us see that we avoid so destructive a delusion.

2. Since there is so much

more depending on life than on death, have we not reason to conclude, that many, who have left this world with a strong hope of salvation, have met with an eternal disappointment?There is not the least intimation throughout God's word, of any one being savingly changed while in the immediate agonies of death. Nor does the Bible mention but one instance of a change within a few hours of this period. At the Saviour's crucifixion, there were special reasons for his making a miraculous display of his grace.We know that the repentance of the dying thief was real, and his faith saving; but how deficient is the evidence that others are not deceived at this late hour, even though their external appearance be equally as favorable? When this frail system is dissolving by disease, wrecked with pain, and the mind consequently weak and credulous, what more than delusion, can those rationally expect who through life have rejected and despised their Saviour? In these discomposed moments it is easy to imagine things to be real which an omniscient and holy Judge will never acknowledge. It is not strange, that people should speak very rationally of the fading nature of the things of this world, and calmly resign them up when they are made sensible they can no longer enjoy them? From being under distress of body, and realizing the certainty of death, people in a Christian land, without the aid of true godliness, may resign up their lives with great calmness, and do no more than many heathens have done. And indeed, it is not strange that some

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