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me.' "When once the master of the house has risen up, and shut to the door," the time of pardon and hope will have fled for ever, "Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation." Ye know how it was with Esau, how that, afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected, "though he sought it carefully with tears."

V. 41.-" Whoso hateth his brother is a murderer." 1 John iii. 15. The seeds of murder lie hidden in the strong animosities and resentments which men bear to one another.

Now, in the sight of God, the design of evil, only hindered in its accomplishment by the fear of punishment, is regarded as the evil itself." Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart, and whosoever desires the death of another, has murdered him already in his heart.

V. 45.-Let this teach us all to watch over our tempers, and to guard them well against the risings of anger. "Why should I be deprived of you both?" -Jacob, by the hand of his brother, and Esau by that of the avenger of blood, according to the rule, "Whoso sheddeth man's blood by man shall his blood be shed."

V. 46.-Rebekah does not tell Isaac her strongest reason for wishing Jacob to go to her brother; she only mentions, what was probably true, the uneasiness she felt lest he should follow the example of Esau in marriage. In this contrivance the natural artifice of Rebekah's mind shews itself, yet we cannot blame her desire to save her aged and infirm husband the distress which an exposure of Esau's wickedness, in wishing to kill Jacob, would have cost him. We are never to pretend that a part is the whole, but we are not bound, uncalled for, to disclose all our reasons for any particular line of T. B. P.

conduct.

A SHORT SERMON.

A fruitful land maketh He barren, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. Ps. cvii. 34.

Ir we search the Scriptures, we shall there find; that the righteousness or the iniquity of individuals have been in many instances the chosen means of drawing down actual blessings and judgments from on high, on the families and nations to which those individuals belonged. What were the curses denounced against the families of David and Eli? For the sins of the one, it was decreed, that the sword should never depart from his house; and the wickedness of the sons of the other brought this awful sentence upon a too indulgent father's head, "that all the increase of his house should die in the flower of their age, and that there should not be an old man in it for ever."

In the history of Pharaoh, we see the whole nation of the Egyptians condemned to endure the heaviest afflictions for the hardened impiety of an idolatrous king; and can we not also trace the miseries of the whole human race, throughout all ages, to the guilt and disobedience of the first pair? From these awful examples we may turn to the beautiful pictures presented to us in the histories of the Patriarchs, Jacob and Joseph. Of the former, it is distinctly stated, that the possessions of Laban, with whom he dwelt, were expressly permitted to increase and multiply on his account; and, of the latter, that the house of his master, the Egyptian, was blessed for his sake, and that whatever he did the Lord made it to prosper. Of Abraham, we learn that his posterity were separated for à peculiar people, and that countless myriads en joyed the most distinguished blessings as the reward

of his faith, which was counted to him for righteousness. And it is also worthy of remark, that the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha might have been prevented, had there been but ten righteous, persons within their walls. These are striking examples, and they were recorded for our instruction. Shall we refuse then to profit by the impressive lessons they convey? We all profess to love our friends, our connections, and our country, and shall we neglect to contribute our mite towards the advancement of their welfare? True it is, that the operations of Divine interposition are not now so clearly manifested as in those earlier days, when the Almighty condescended to actual communication with his chosen servants: but let us bear in mind that it is still the same God who governs the earth, who still holds out the encouraging promise of reward to the righteous, and continues to denounce vengeance against every soul of man that doeth evil. And to which of these two classes, the righteous or the wicked, do we belong? Can we venture to hope that our names are enrolled among the number of the former, or have we not lamentable cause for apprehension, that they may be found among the multitude of the latter? Let us lose no time in carefully considering this subject. Are we endeavouring, by divine grace, through the silent influence of a holy and religious life, to bring down a blessing on the land in which we live; or, by spreading the contagion of immorality, are we helping to fill up the measure of iniquity, which may end fatally, in separating between us and our Creator? Perhaps, with the presumptuous Pharisee, we may be exulting in our own fancied superiority, and thanking God that we are not as other men are. We may not possibly rank with the murderer, the profligate, the thief, or the drunkard; through the blessing of Providence, on a virtuous education,

we may have been preserved from falling into those grosser violations of his law, which are, alas! too common; but let us not, therefore, presume to call ourselves good, or to flatter ourselves that we stand in need of no repentance or amendment. We have all sufficient cause for self-abasement before Him who is of purer, eyes than to behold any evil without displeasure. Have we no pride, no vanity, no self-sufficiency to repent of? These are grievous sins in His sight, however lightly we may be disposed to estimate them. Can we say, with truth, that we are not lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God? Are we regular in our attendance on public worship, earnest and attentive in our devotions both in public and private? Are we strictly just in all our dealings, kind and forbearing towards our fellow-creatures, thankful and contented in our respective stations? In short, are we, to the best of our power, striving to promote the glory of God, and the happiness of those around us? If we are, then may we hope for the favour of the Almighty ourselves, and to become, in his hands, the humble instruments of good to others. But if, with the insensibility of Gallio, "we care for none of these things;" or if, unhappily, we are ourselves walking, and leading others, in the ways of a corrupt world, let us stop short instantly; let us turn with heartfelt repentance, and earnest prayer, to the Lord our God, for he is merciful and long-suffering, slow to anger, and of great goodness. Our sphere of action may be limited, our station lowly, our attainments few. But let us not, therefore, idly and foolishly neglect to improve the one talent committed to our care! High or low, rich or poor, we are all equally accountable beings; and because much is not in our power, let us not then hastily conclude that our humble endeavours are beneath His notice, who is no respecter of persons," and m

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whose sight" the effectual fervent prayer of a nighteous man availeth much."

Let us then, all" cease to do evil, and learn to do well." Faithful is he that hath promised the enjoyment of all needful temporal blessings, to those who seek "first the kingdom of God and his righteousness."" Let us henceforward make it our chief study, under the all powerful influence of Divine grace, by patient continuance in well doing, to seek for glory, honour, and immortality; so may we cast all temporal cares on Him" who careth for us:" so may we humbly hope that He who suffered not the barrel of meal to waste, nor the cruse of oil to fail, shall still watch over us for good. And may we, with filial confidence, securely trust that our land shall continue "to bring forth her increase, and that God, even our own God, shall give us his blessing."

August 10, 1825.

A. Z.

SIN BRINGS MISERY.

To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor.

SIR,

ONE of the many instances of the wretched consequences of seduction, and the misery it brings with it, was lately brought before the notice of the sitting magistrate, at Lambeth Street Office, John Hardwick, Esq.

Dinah Lazarus, a young female of the Jewish persuasion, and whose miserable appearance and wildness of manner denoted acute suffering, was brought up from the watch-house, whither she had been conveyed, the preceding evening, as a protection from the jeers of a number of mischievous boys, and to rescue her from the persecution which the