we coldly afk, he defers his liberalities; not because he does not love to give, but because he would be preffed, and because violence is agreeable to him.

common.

ven.

TERTULLIAN fays fomething like this, of the prayers that the primitive Chriftians made in We meet together, fays he, as if we confpired to take by our Prayers what we afk of him; this violence is pleafing to him. St. Paulingeniously explains what Chrift teaches in the Gofpel, that heaven is taken by violence; "do violence to God," fays he, feize the kingdom of heaHe that forbids us to touch another's goods, rejoices to have his own invaded: He that con demns the violence of avarice, praises that of faith. As the bones of the human frame connected together, form the skeleton of a man, fo repentance, faith, hope, charity, love, zeal, humility, patience, refignation, hatred of fin, purity of heart, and holi nefs of life, all united together, make a Christian; but must be accompanied with prayer, the breath of the new creature, or they will prove like dead corps, lifelefs and inactive.

Going to prayer with bad affections, is like paying one's levee in an undrefs.

All

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All prayer must be made with faith and hope: He who would pray with effect, muft live with care and piety: Our prayers must be fervent, intenfe, earnest and importunate. Our defires must be lafting, and our prayers frequent and continual. God hears us not the fooner for our many words, but much the fooner for our earnest defire. A long prayer and a fhort differ not in their capacities of being accepted; for both of them take their value, according to the fervency of spirit, and the charity of the prayer. That prayer which is fhort, by reafon of an impatient fpirit, dullnefs, flight of holy things, or indifferency of defires, is very often criminal, always imperfect; and that prayer which is long out of oftentation, fuperftition, or a trifling spirit, is as criminal and imperfect, as the other in their feveral inftances.

We must be careful in all our prayers to attend our prefent work, having a prefent mind, not wandering upon impertinent things, not diftant from our words, much lefs çontrary to them.

Often pray, and you fhall pray oftner; and when you are accustomed to frequent devotion, it will fo infenfibly unite to your nature and affections, that it will become a trouble to you to omit your ufual or appointed prayers; and what you obtain

at

at first by doing violence to your inclinations, at laft will be left with as much uneasiness, as that by which at firft it entered.

A

On a young Member of Parliament.

CERTAIN member of parliament having heard many speeches in the house, to the great applause of the fpeakers, grew ambitious of rifing to rival glory by his oratory; and accordingly watched for a favourable opportunity to open. At length an occafion prefented itfelf: It was on a motion being made in the house for enforcing the execution of fome ftatute; on which public fpirited motion, the orator in embryo rose folemnly up, and after giving three loud hems, fpoke as follows: "Mr. Speaker, Have we laws, or have we not laws. If we have laws, and they are not observed, to what end were those laws made?" So faying, he fat down, his cheft heaving high with confcious confequence; when another member rofe up, and delivered his thoughts in those words "Mr. Speaker, --Did the honourable gentleman who spoke laft, speak to the purpose, or not to the purpose: If he did not speak to the purpose, to what purpose did he speak?"—Which a-propos reply set the house in such a fit of laughter, as difcouraged the young orator from ever attempting to speak again,

то

TO THE MEMORY OF AN AMIABLE

Young Gentleman,

Who died foon after entering into Life.

R

ELENTLESS fate! why crop this youthful flow'r,

Whofe op'ning fweets gave luftre to the day? O grave voracious! why didft thou devour The nobleft heart that ever warm'd our clay?

Tender his foul-compaffion ever shone

With moisten'd radiance in that piercing eye,
When e'er affliction utters forth a groan,
Or orphan mifery was heard to cry.

Friendship unfeign'd did warm his gen'rous breaft,
For ever willing to partake our care;
With him the wretched was a welcome gueft-
Receiv'd his counsel, and his purse did share.

Virtue and science own'd him for their fon,
His ev'ry action fhew'd their kindly sway;
But death forbade the laurels to be won,

And fnatch'd the scholar and the faint away.

What tho' no fplendid titles deck'd his name,
Yet he poffefs'd what pow'r nor gold can't buy-
An honeft confcience-an unspotted fame-
Thefe, these are honors which will never die.

Go,

Go, reader, go, and imitate this youth,

Set his example ftill before your eyes; Like him delight in innocence and truth,

Then, like him too;-you'll triumph in the skies.

D

ANECDOTE.

URING the protectorship of Oliver Cromwell, a defign was formed for re-establishing the Jews in England, with full liberty to carry on trade, and exercise their religion; but though this affair met with violent oppofition from the heads of the different fectaries, yet Oliver fo far carried his point, as to encourage a small body of them to fettle in their old quarter, under the direction of Manaffeth,-Ben Ifrael, a great Rabbi, who foon built a fynagogue, and publicly performed divine worship.-The intelligence which the protector received, from time to time, by means of the extenfive correfpondence and close amity every where maintained throughout the world, among the scattered remains of the Jewish nation, contributed not a little to the fuccefs of his enterprize abroad, and particularly to that of his naval expeditions; an inftance of which is thus related; as the Earl of Orrery was one day walk