own voice echoed. Had you called kind words, kind words would have been returned to you; and I may also observe it is generally the case, that the behaviour we meet with from others, is but an echo of our own. If we are friendly in our manner, people are disposed to be kind to us; but if we are rude and uncivil, we cannot expect better treatment ourselves." FOR THE BOYS AND GIRLS. I have heard of a little boy who was kept from committing a great sin by remembering that God could see him. He was tempted to take something that did not belong to him, but he said, "Although nobody sees me, God sees me, and I fear I should never again be good. I could never pray again to God, and what should I do when I come to die and go away to answer to God? I would rather be poor always than steal." He grew up to be a good, pious man, and never forgot that the Bible says, "Thou, God, seest me." It may be that when he was quite young, he had learned this pretty hymn: "Awake, asleep, by night, by day, When at my study or my play, Although the Lord I cannot see, His eye is always fix'd on me. God never will forsake his own, He will not leave me when alone; When not another friend is near, May I remember, God is here.' Oh, may I try to please him still, To know, and love, and do his will; Then will it joy and gladness be, That God's own eye is fix'd on me." ON THE SUDDEN DEATH OF Oct. 12, 1852, Aged Seven Years. "Boast not thyself of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth."-PROV. xxix. 1. 'T WAS autumn in the bygone year, I recollect the day, When little James, but seven years old, From earth was call'd away. That morn the child repair'd to school, And did in health appear; No one had reason then to think His end so very near. When school was closed, as oft before, Accompanied by some little boys, The child had not proceeded far, At twelve o'clock this little boy On Tuesday morn James left the school Throughout eternity! Give then, at once, to Christ your heart, JOHN DORE. "WE MUST BELIEVE IN CHRIST." "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."-ACTS xvi. 31. A LITTLE boy, of five years old, Had not been taught in vain; The following talk, though very brief, To you will prove it plain. One Sabbath eve his mother tried To prove to him the need Of moral works, in order that We might be blest indeed. "We must," said she, "the Bible read, To God Almighty pray, While in his house attentive be, And keep the Sabbath-day. "This must be done," she gravely said, "If we in heaven would dwell." Then said the child, "Though this we do, 'T will not save us from hell." "What more," said she, "then, can we do?" The little boy replied, Who for poor sinners died. JOHN DORE. The Cabinet. THE RICHES OF GOD. "For the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him."-Roм. x. 12. ance. THE Apostles put great truths before us with a boldness and confidence that indicate the deep conviction of their reality and importHence we feel the force of the truths by the manner in which they are presented. Apostles spoke with authority, knowing that which they affirmed. They did not utter mere opinions, but messages from God, which had not entered into the heart of man. They were supernaturally endowed, and signs and wonders were wrought by them, not to enhance the value of the truths they communicated, but to arrest the attention and inspire the confidence of those whom they addressed, in themselves, as the messengers of God. They came in God's name, and demanded that their statements should be received, not as the word of men, but as the word of God. They first presented the proofs of their Apostleship, and then required that the truths they addressed should be received, not on the mere ground of their probability or reasonableness, but because they were from God. The main object of the Apostles, like that of Christ, was to glorify God. They felt as Jesus did, that the world had wrong conceptions of God; and they imitated their Master in putting him fairly and fully before men, believing that the world's regeneration was to be effected by right views of God. Hence they presented him with thoughts of good, and not of evil, towards universal man—with a heart beating with intense affection towards the race-and with an arm ever ready to help and to bless all that call upon him. There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek. In Christ Jesus there is neither circumcision nor uncircumcision. The separating wall is thrown down. Jew and Gentile occupy common ground in relation to God; and the proof of this is given in the dogmatic utterance of the Apostle: "The same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him." There are several truths of importance here; but the grand, the central truth is, that God is rich unto all that call upon him. That God is rich-rich in himself, and rich in the possession of all that be has made, will at once be admitted. These heavens are the Lord's. "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof." The wide universe, and all that people it, are his. In these he is rich. And in his infinite perfections of wondrous beauty and matchless excellence and glory, he is rich. The knowledge of these is too wonderful for us; it is high, we cannot attain unto it. But when it is said that God is rich unto all, there is enlargement and power given to our contemplations of him. Large is the view of Divine resources when he presents himself as opening his hand and satisfying the wants of every living thing—when bread is given and water is sure, to individuals, families, nations, and the world; but there is a wider and yet more wonderful view opened up when he presents himself as rich to all that call upon him. This indicates the abundance of his wealth. Take the case of a single individual. He has numerous and pressing wants: they are constantly recurring-by circumstances, they are augmenting. He calls on God, and finds him able to supply him beyond what he can ask. Then think of a family- the inhabitants of a city, a country, the world, calling upon God; and he is rich to them all-able to exceed abundantly all that they can ask or think. How vast, we exclaim, are his resources! Oh, the depth of the riches of the infinite Jehovah ! He is rich to all that call upon him: this indicates the appropriateness of his resources to those who apply to him. You can readily imagine cases in which the resources of given individuals,would be utterly inappropriate to the circumstances of needy applicants. Silver and gold may meet the case of the poverty-stricken; but what is all the wealth of the most opulent to him whose health is impaired, and who groans under the pressure of complicated disease? Let him repair to that man of wealth who has just now made the widow's heart sing for joy, and that opulent man will feel that he is utter penury and powerlessness to such a case. He is not rich to that man. And there is a physician, rich in medical skill. He can prescribe medicaments which will relieve pain, and restore the afflicted to health and vigour. He is rich to multitudes that call upon him. But were a man with a fractured limb, that required the skilful manipulations of the practised surgeon, to repair to that physician, he would find, that, notwithstanding his wide range of medical knowledge, he could not meet his case. Though rich to many, he would not be rich to him. And, moreover, there are diseases that baffle the physician's skill, and, in spite of profound medical science, the patient sinks, and as he dies he exclaims, Rich as may be the physician's skill, he is not rich to me. But the amplitude and appropriateness of Divine riches are alike seen in the fact that he is rich unto all that call upon him. Endlessly diversified as are the temperaments, characters, and circumstances of mankind-rich and poor, learned and illiterate, healthy and afflicted, young and old, moral and immoral-to each and all that call upon him with penitent minds and believing hearts, he is rich. He is rich to all that call upon him at all times. The times that pass over us produce new wants and awaken new desires; hence the relief that was appropriate before ceases to be so now. The repetition of the gift which was sought in time past would but mock your necessity at present. But whatever be the change which time may produce, God is rich in the precise blessing which each requires. And, moreover, enlargement may be given to our view here, from the fact, that God is not to be regarded as rich to each only personally, but also relatively considered, -the husband, the wife, the parent, the child, the master, the servant, the pupil, the teacher, the pastor, the people. Yes, and here God is to be regarded as rich beyond the largest thought and the widest desire. Let mind be urged to the utmost point of tension; let imagination depict gifts and appliances which might be appropriate, and which tongue might utter; yea, and let desire tower beyond utterance; let the heart conceive and cherish the wish of good, and God is rich beyond it all. He is rich unto all that call upon him. What a blaze of glory bursts upon us here! How wonderful is this! Here is abundant encouragement. Believe, trembling, hesitating, sorrow-stricken saint; for "with God all things are possible." He is rich unto all that call upon him. What witnesses to the truth of this crowd the pages of Scripture! Observe Jacob, at Peniel; David, at Ziklag; Daniel, when cast into the den of lions; Peter, when imprisoned; Paul, when about to stand before Nero, and when shipwrecked and ready to perish; and John, in the desolate island of Patmos : how rich was God unto them! And since the sacred canon was completed, what additions the long roll of witnesses has received! Now, remember God is rich to you, if you call upon him. To you this precious word comes. Do not say, He is rich to others, but not to me. What is the sorrow that oppresses your heart? Is it guilt that burdens you? He is rich to pardon. Is it remaining impurity that calls forth sighs and tears? He is rich to hallow. Is it weakness you mourn? He is rich in might. Is it temptation that disquiets? He is rich to deliver. Yes, believer, in all thy emergencies he is rich to thee. And let not the brokenhearted sinner despair. In all thy conviction, peril, and agony, he is rich to thee. "Come now," he says, "let us reason together: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Do not brood over your Here is a powerful motive to prayer. case, but cast your burden upon the Lord. fellow-man, but go, like Hezekiab, and spread it before the Lord. Let none say, My circumstances are so peculiar, that there is not appropriate blessing for me. He is rich to all that call upon him. Though the guilt of a world pressed upon you, he can roll it all away. Though all the sorrows of all hearts were centred in yours, he is rich enough in comfort to make your heart lightsome and joy ous. Call upon him in the day of trouble; he will deliver you, and you shall glorify him. "Pray without ceasing." Here is stirring admonition. He is rich unto all that call upon him. Why, then, should you doubt? What dishonour is done to God when you hesitate to throw yourselves at his feet, and implore his aid! These words convince of sin, and call for deep penitence before God. Let bruised, broken, desponding spirits hear the voice of God, and rise and shake themselves from the dust, and put on their beautiful garments. Let them say, "Why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God." He is rich unto all that call upon him. London. J. W. R. CONSIDERATIONS ON DISSENT. NOTWITHSTANDING the present improved and improving state of religious and general knowledge in this country, there is still a large amount of ignorance existing, among otherwise wellinformed people, regarding the origin, the grounds, and the duty of dissent from the Church of England. Incorrect ideas and unfounded assumptions on these topics occasion prejudice, and lead many who have been brought up as Churchmen to avoid intercourse on religious subjects with those who bear the name of Dissenters. Many, too, who call themselves Dissenters, have no well-defined and settled views on the points of difference between them |