solemn and serious enquiries. Do we possess the True Riches?' If, like the poor man, we were suddenly summoned to the tribunal of the Most High, are we prepared to meet our God? Are we in Christ Jesus? If our consciences testify against us, let us go to him who has bidden all those who are weary and heavy laden to come unto him-be assured he will give us rest.

Another reflection presents itself, namely, that those whose hearts are not softened by Divine Grace have not the proper relish of the good things of this life, for "Godliness has the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." The rich man, of whom I have been speaking, in his unconverted state saw nothing in its true colours. The landscape had its praise, but not its Author; whereas the poor man could walk abroad, enjoying every beauty of nature" His were the mountains, and the vallies his"-his Father made them all.

us,

May we, my dear readers, enter into the all important question, "What must we do to be saved?" Let in humble reliance on the Saviour of sinners, pour out our hearts before him in holy confidence and trust, beseeching him to unite us to himself by a living faith; he will in no wise cast us out. He will guide us by his counsel, and afterwards receive us to glory.

To the young and to the aged, the warning voice may come; the longest life is as nothing to eternity. O consider this ye that forget God, and turn to him with full purpose of heart. "Ask and ye shall have;" "Seek and ye shall find." These are the gracious

words of him who spake as never man spake. Whatever may be your station as to this world's possessions,

if in Christ Jesus ye have the True Riches.' Although bread and water be your daily food, and like your blessed Master you have not where to lay your head, you can say with the Apostle, "Having nothing, yet possessing all things."

ELISHA'S CHAMBER.

"Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither." 2 Kings iv. 10.

SUCH was the simple style in which the Shunammite, though a person of fortune, fitted up Elisha's bedroom. We may be sure that she would not neglect any thing that might tend to the Prophet's comfort; but she knew his temperate habits, and that he would not (from principle) desire any needless ornaments, or costly indulgencies. A bed and a table, a stool and a candlestick, served for him who could make kings to tremble. Very unlike, indeed, to the expensive and luxurious fashion of the present day: what with the couches, and elegant tables, and ottomans, and mirrors, and perfumes, and fancy articles, a modern chamber is more like a Turkish divan, than a place for meditation, devotion, and sleep. It would be well for believers, and especially Ministers, even in their furniture and dress to let their moderation be known. A fixed standard for these matters cannot be set up; persons must be influenced by principles, and be guided by circumstances; still it cannot be wrong to advocate an unaffected plainness in a professing disciple of a crucified Master, remembering the

Apostle's exhortation to "avoid even the appearance of evil." "Ye are a peculiar people ;" "Ye are not of the world," are Scriptures still in force when applied to the people of God; and if such are sometimes perplexed when visited by the children of this world who see no harm in display and carnal ease, they must be true to their master; for how can they believe who receive honour one of another? they must be witnesses for Christ and bear an open testimony for him until he come.

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Casting our eye around the homely bedroom of this man of God, we perceive that there is wanting that appendage to a Christian chamber, a Bible. Ah, the Prophet desired in vain to see those things which we see, and to hear the things which we hear! He would have rejoiced to search the Scriptures, and would have 'meditated day and night' on the great mystery of godliness.' Now we remark in some houses, where every kindness is shewn to the guests, and every attention paid to their bodily wants, that the food of the soul is placed out of reach. A Bible is evidently not counted as suitable to a bedroom, and he who would close and begin the day with the word of God, is often reduced to the painful necessity of asking for a Bible, and thus making a boast of his religious practice. Yet, alas, how many are they who, though supplied with the Scriptures, find no time, because they have no inclination for reading! They will spend hours before the glass in adorning a corruptible body, but not give a minute to the glass of God's word for the benefit of the immortal soul. Where, however, the daily reading of the Scriptures is neglected, there we are confident, prayer is also either neglected, or

used only as a cold and unmeaning form. O! from such an awful state as this may God in mercy deliver every one who may read this paper. TRE.

THE SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. (Mal. iv. 2.) CONSIDER this character of our Lord with reference to the varied frames of the believer's soul. If the sun does not appear to shine the reason is not because it is no longer in the firmament of heaven, or is changed in its nature, but because the earth or a cloud has intervened between it and us. So if there be no joyous heavenly light in the soul, it is because a cloud of sin has intercepted the healing beams of the blessed Sun of Righteousness, for in him is no variableness, neither shadow of turning, (James i. 17,) in him is no darkness at all. (1 John i. 5.) And how will this consideration influence the true Christian in his detestation of sin; not merely on account of the curse finally entailed upon it, but because it now shuts him out from communion with his God and Saviour.

Sometimes too the Lord is pleased to exercise the faith and patience of his children by permitting clouds of affliction, or mists of melancholy, to sit brooding over their hearts, or by shrouding himself, as it were, with a cloud to hide himself from them. Thus David makes the piteous appeal, (Psalm x. 1,) " Why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?" and so in Lam. iii. 44, it is written, "Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through." Instead of the full orb of the Sun of Righteousness we discern, it may be, but a faint and distant glimmering, and in the extremity of bitter anguish are compelled

to exclaim, "Out of the depth have I cried unto thee, O Lord; Lord hear my voice." (Psalm cxxx. 1, 2.)

With this frame of mind, however, we must not rest contented, nor indulge in it: we must importunately implore the Sun of Righteousness to arise and dissipate the gloom. And, indeed, though clouds and thick darkness may intervene, yet faith knows that there the sun is, faith sees it beyond the clouds and between the clouds. And what can be a higher privilege, a more blessed confidence, than to know that though by reason of our nature's frailty the sorrows of our hearts may be enlarged, and deep may be the gloom that may at times sit sullenly brooding over our souls, yet the Lord Jesus remains still the same yesterday, and today, and for ever; (Heb. xiii. 8;) he is not liable to our contingencies; his love changes not with ours; our hearts may in spite of ourselves be chilled, but his is warm with love; and Satan's withering breath may strive to blast the rising prayer, but Christ knows the workings, the strivings, the agony of the heart; and, however he may appear to wink at our sufferings, his eyelids are notwithstanding trying us, (Psalm xi. 4,) and his faithful heart deeply touched with a feeling of our infirmities. (Heb. iv. 15.) O then let the flesh, let the world, let hell itself perform its worst, our sun shall yet again arise upon our hearts with healing in his wings. Christian, however darkly thou mayest now see Christ, remember this-the darkness is all thine own.

Σ.

SOUL-CONFERENCE.

The Soul's Conflict from the daily Assaults of Sin. Which conflict that it is truly spiritual and sincere