Selections from different Authors.

SELECTIONS FROM DIFFERENT AUTHORS.

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IN how many instances are our thoughts dissipated, and how frequently are we quite forgetful of ourselves and our God! neither watching for opportunities of doing good, nor guarding against temptations to sin; but suffering the one to pass by us unimproved, and the other to seize us, unprovided for resistance. That precious time, on the right management of which ETERNITY depends, and in the improvement of every day and hour of which it is manifest that at least the degree of our everlasting happiness is interested: that time which thousands on a dying bed, or in the invisible state would gladly redeem at the price of the whole world: how little do we think of the value of it, and to what trifles we are daily sacrificing it! yea, to what trifles do we not sacrifice it! In the several divisions, when we come seriously to reflect on the morning the forenoon-the afternoon-the evening; how remiss are we in the proper business of each! So that if the great business for which we were sent into the world, to understand what is the will of the Lord, and to act according to it, be not, as there is reason to conclude in many instances it is, entirely neglected, it is performed in a manner shamefully remiss and indifferent.-Doddridge.

It is the mind that is the seat of happiness; it is there God pours his blessings when he would reward us: and, when we are looking for instances of happiness, there are thousands who lie unnoticed by us who are the truest examples of it; who, furnished with the conveniences of life, enjoy that contented serenity of mind, which affords them a much more even flow of happiness than pomp or affluence can yield.-South.

The word of God is the water of life, the more ye lave it forth the fresher it runneth ;-it is the fire of God's glory, the more ye blow it, the clearer it burneth ;-it is the corn of the Lord's field, the more ye grind it, the better it yieldeth ;-it is the bread of hea

ven, the more it is broken and given forth, the more remaineth-it is the sword of the Spirit, the more it is used, the brighter it shineth.-Bishop Jewell.

EXTRACTS FROM THE PUBLIC NEWSPAPERS.

Vaccination.-Dr. Fancher, of Connecticut, says, that after twenty years' experience, during which he has vaccinated ninetyseven thousand people, he has put many hundreds of them to the test of the small-pox infection, without being able to produce a single symptom of that terrible disease.-Globe.

Alfred Nunney, of Ducklington, near Witney, a licensed retailer of beer under the act of the First of William the Fourth, was convicted before Walter Strickland, Esq. and the Rev. John Hyde, two of his Majesty's justices of the peace for this county, at the Town Hall, Witney, upon three informations for keeping his house open after ten o'clock at night, and permitting unlawful games to be played, and riotous and disorderly conduct therein, contrary to the tenor of his licence, in penalties amounting to 277. and costs.-The same.

We again caution our readers against allowing their children to play in the public road without some person to watch them. A poor child at Somer's-town was lately crushed to death by the wheel of a stage waggon.-The same.

The distress among the poor, in France and Belgium, appears to be very severe. The revolutions seem to have done no good to them.

NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS.

We have received the communications of O. H.; W. W.; Ignota; M. E. H.; S. L. A.; C. G.; a Friend to the Cottager; I. C. W.; R. H.; E. E.; A Correspondent; and J. M.; with several anonymous articles.

We have been obliged to delay the insertion of some valuable communications far longer than we could have wished.

THE

Cottager's Monthly Visitor.

JUNE, 1831.

THE POOR MAN'S EXPOSITOR, NO. XI.

Matt. xxi. 2. "An ass, tied." In the other evangelists it is called a "colt whereon never yet man sat." All this took place strictly in the fulfilment of prophecy, —and at the same time intimated that the most untamed and ferocious dispositions should be brought into subjection by the spiritual power of the Gospel.

Matt. xxi. 4. "All this was done that it might be fulfilled," that is, "thus was fulfilled." Here is another instance of this phrase expressing not the design, but the event only: the prophecy was not the cause of all this being done; but the event was the means whereby the prophecy was fulfilled. See Note, Matt. xii. 17. In the minuteness and accuracy with which these prophecies were fulfilled, we cannot help admiring the wisdom and providence of Almighty God, who thus prepared men's minds for the reception of that blessed revelation which was to bring "life and immortality to light."

Matt. xxi. 9. "Hosanna to the son of David," that is, God save the Son of David, this is an application of Psalm cxviii. 25, 26, which was sung at the Passover, while carrying branches of palm-trees and olives in their hands, in expectation of the promised Messiah; and it is supposed to be the same that was sung in the garden where our blessed Saviour was betrayed.

NO. 6.-VOL. XI.

M

Matt. xxi. 12. "Into the Temple," that is, into the outer court of the Temple, where lambs and doves were sold for sacrifices. Our Saviour's conduct on this occasion teaches us, that as he will not suffer the house of God to be the scene of worldly actions, so neither will he permit the breast to be occupied with worldly thoughts, while we are worshipping in his holy Temple.

Matt. xxi. 19. "The fig-tree withered away." Being on the road-side, it was probably no man's property; at all events no one was injured by the miracle, since the tree was barren. On the contrary, it will ever remain a profitable caution to us, not to be satisfied with the mere shew and profession of Christianity, which will bring forth only leaves, like the barren figtree; but that we should produce the fruits of our religion, in holiness of heart and life.

Matt. xxi. 21. "If ye have faith and doubt not." This was expressly addressed to our Saviour's personal disciples, who had the power of performing miracles; but to ordinary Christians it gives no encouragement to any notion of the power of faith to invest them with miraculous gifts.

Matt. xxi. 31. "Go into the kingdom of God before you," that is, the most wicked sinners are oftentimes brought to earnest repentance, and thus become sincere Christians sooner than the proud pharisaical professors of religion, who have the form of godliness, but know nothing of its power.

Matt. xxi. 33. "Hear another parable." In this and in various other parts of Scripture, the Church of God is represented under the figure of a vine or vineyard. In this parable, the owner of the vineyard is God; the husbandmen are the Jews; the servants were the prophets sent, at different times, to admonish them to produce the fruits of holiness; and the son was our blessed Saviour. What an impressive warning this parable presents to those nations upon whom the light of the Gospel has fully shone; while they, like the

The Poor Man's Expositor.

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Jews, heedless of the blessed privilege, shall no longer be worthy of that grace and mercy which they now abuse! and how great reason have they to fear, lest the Almighty should "miserably destroy them," and let out their vineyard unto other husbandmen who shall render him the fruits "in their season."-Let not this warning be lost on ourselves!

Matt. xxi. 44. "The stone which the builders rejected" is our Saviour, and whoever shall " fall on this stone," that is, whosoever shall oppose Christ, shall bring grievous injury on himself by his opposition; but whosoever shall persevere in his opposition, and wilfully reject his Saviour; upon that man the Divine vengeance shall fall with the most dreadful severity, and shall "grind him to powder."

Matt. xxii. 1. "Jesus spake unto them again by parables." The parable of the marriage-feast represents the case of the Jews and Gentiles; the former were first invited; the latter were those from the "high ways and hedges," who were received into the Church of Christ after the others refused. Those who are "called," signify all to whom the Gospel has been preached; and those who are "chosen," are such as, having accepted and improved the privileges of the Gospel, shall be finally received into heaven. This parable speaks home to all nominal Christians; for while the blessings of the Gospel are offered to them, and its commands are pressed upon them day after day, they "make light of it," and "go their ways, one to his farm and another to his merchandize;" they are over busy with the cares and anxieties of this world, and neglect the gracious invitation to the marriage-feast.

Matt. xxii. 16. The "Herodians" were of king Herod's party, and were in favour of paying tribute to the Romans: the Pharisees were against it; and both united in opposing Christ, seeking to entangle him by drawing forth an answer which must offend one of the parties. The penny here mentioned was a Roman