Extracts from the Public Newspapers.

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Divine wrath, of eternal punishment,-to what purpose, while his ear is closed? The whispers of conscience, the counsel of friends, "the tongues of men or of angels" are alike unprofitable, while a deep sleep is cast upon the soul.-Slade's Parochial Sermons.

Good men ever trust in God rather than in man; they seek their principal security in prayer; and God, on his part, hears their prayers, and blesses them.Ostervald.

All those who fear God should be more concerned for the religion of Christ than for any other thing; should feel for the evils that befall it, pray continually for it, and labour as much as possible to promote its prosperity and success.- The same.

Our prayers are the only true means of making way for our success.-Bishop Hall.

All the writings of that great man, Sir Isaac Newton, tend more fully to confirm the truth of the Bible; whereas many inferior persons have, by absurd and vain ideas of self-conceit, endeavoured to raise up arguments against it.-Ewart.

EXTRACTS FROM THE PUBLIC NEWSPAPERS, &c.

Lately a boy went into a field at Houston, and, out of wantonness, began to pull hairs out of a horse's tail, which irritated the animal so much, that it gave the boy a violent kick on the stomach, in consequence of which he died after lingering a short time.-Glasgow Chronicle.

VALUE OF THE ОAK.-An oak tree was last week felled near Ludlow, in Shropshire, the produce of which was thirty-nine tons of timber, fifty-five cords of wood, 200 park pales, and five cords of brackets. A bough broke off before the tree was cut down, which weighed seven tons and a half. Three men were employed a month in stacking it. The whole tree was valued at 1657.-Chester Chronicle.

QUACK DOCTORS.-Died lately at Wootton-bridge, Martha Kember, aged 19, occasioned by having taken improper medicines, administered to her by a quack, named Churchill, a native of Cornwall. The deceased was subject to fits, and foolishly adhered to this fellow's advice, which cost her her life. An

inquest sat on the body, before the Coroner, on Saturday last, when, after a long and patient examination, a verdict of "Manslaughter" was returned against Churchill.—Hampshire Advertiser.

NATURAL CURIOSITY.-There was this year in the garden of Mr. Sharples, in Horwich, a wasp's nest, in a gooseberry bush. It was shaped like a balloon, and had the appearance at a distance of being covered with cloth. A sentinel wasp was constantly on duty at the entrance of the nest, who carefully examined all comers and goers; three or four other wasps were generally on the top of the nest, and these regularly took their turn as watchmen.-Manchester Guardian.

DRUNKENNESS.-By the Coroner's return to the present Quarter Sessions, it appeared that thirty-nine men and women in this town and the immediate neighbourhood have died, within the last quarter, from the effects of drinking ardent spirits; and that four carters have lost their lives by careless driving upon the road, when in a state of intoxication. Some reform is wanted here.-Manchester Courier.

HORTICULTURAL CURIOSITIES.-At a meeting of the London Horticultural Society a very extraordinary sample of large onions was to be seen, cultivated at the gardens of the Society, upon a similar plan to those in Portugal, which excited particular regard. They were the white Spanish, and the brown Tripoli onion; twelve of them weighed sixteen pounds. There is in the garden of Mr. Abraham Morgan, of Oswestry, an onion, which measures about seventeen inches. In the garden of Mr. Joseph Train, Castle Douglas, is a hollyhock, which measures twelve feet ten inches; the flowers, 400 in number, are as double as a rose, and of a deep violet crimson colour.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

We do not disagree with C. D.; we shall not, however, attempt an explanation, which would be long. We shall be on the watch.

We should be glad to insert N. Q. Z.'s article on the sacrament, but we have already a vast pile of papers by us, on the same subject; and it is one which requires more consideration than some persons seem to be aware of, though no consideration can justify habitual absence.

We have received the communications of S. L. R; L. L.; T. B. E.; G. K.; A Friend; Y. Z.; T. C.; Cottager's Friendly Guide: Uses of the Bramble; On the Danger of Bad Company: J. C.; a Constant Reader; the Swallow; the Brothers; W. Y.; and A. B. C.

THE

Cottager's Monthly Visitor.

NOVEMBER, 1831.

ON THE EPISTLE FOR EASTER DAY.
Col. iii. 1.

A GLORIOUS and ever-blessed day! on which our Lord conquered the powers of death and hell, and rose triumphant, to perfect our redemption, and to give us the assurance of our own resurrection! How shall we rightly celebrate it? How shall we employ it?-Even to the glory of him who is both "the resurrection and the life."

Our thoughts must, this day, more especially, be raised from the perishing concerns of earth, to those unspeakable and eternal joys which are laid up in heaven for the true Christian. On these must our desires be set, these (as the Apostle teaches us,) must we seek, "if we be risen with Christ." But to be risen with him, we must have died with him—died to sin, renounced the service of Satan, and buried all our sinful lusts and passions in the grave of Christ. We shall never be in earnest in seeking "the things above," till our hearts and our affections are weaned and withdrawn from those "on the earth," which too often tempt us to lose sight of heavenly things. None but "the pure in heart" can see God:" none can enter into life but through the "strait gate," the narrow way of self-denial, diligence, and watchfulness; in a word, by living according to those vows which we made by our sureties, at our baptism, and which we have since renewed in our own NO. 11.-VOL. XI.

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Y

persons at our confirmation. "For Baptism," as our Church teaches us, "doth represent unto us our profession, which is to follow the example of our Saviour Christ, and to be made like unto Him; that as he died and rose again for us, so should we who are baptized, die from sin, and rise again unto righteousness, continually mortifying all our evil and corrupt affections, and daily proceeding in all virtue and godliness of living*.

O, let such as have hitherto forgotten or neglected to observe these solemn vows, who have been called Christians, but have never reflected on the obligations which that name lays upon them, resolve, from " this day forward, to die indeed unto sin, and to live unto righteousness." Let none be discouraged because they have been "the servants of sin:"-God's mercy is infinite; and whilst our Saviour is pleading for us, this mercy is never denied to those who truly repent and earnestly seek for pardon. But the true penitent must give up the service of sin, which is indeed slavery, for the service of God, which is perfect freedom.

The wrath of God cometh only on the "children of disobedience." On those who wilfully persist in evil courses, in the indulgence of sinful passions, in that eager pursuit of the wealth of this world, that "covetousness which" as it makes gold its god, "is" not inferior in guilt to open "idolatry" itself.

But, on the other hand, how rich is his mercy,That is as boundless as his power. "For look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth, so great is his mercy also toward them that fear him." Ps. ciii. 11. That hath laid mercy for us in heaven a portion and an inheritance in the kingdom of his Son, who is gone to prepare it for us. As he rose from the grave, so shall we, if we are his faithful servants, rise from the sleep of death, and shall be, together with him,

up

* Public Baptism for Infants.

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The overflowings of ungodliness made me afraid. 483 heirs of God, and of eternal life. While we dwell here on earth, he must be our head, our governor, our Lord. Then, when He shall appear to receive us, as his members, to himself, we shall also appear with him in glory." Let us then thus fervently pray: Grant, O Lord, that as we are baptized into the death of thy blessed Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, so by continual mortifying our corrupt affections, we may be buried with him; and that through the grave and gate of death we may pass to our joyful resurrection; for his merits who died and was buried, and rose again for us, Thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord *. L. S. R.

"THE OVERFLOWINGS OF UNGODLINESS MADE ME AFRAID."

THUS David speaks in the eighteenth Psalm and third verse; and often did he complain of the wicked people of his time. Wickedness of every kind vexed his righteous soul, but the "overflowings of ungodliness made him afraid." Why was David afraid? The giants of the Philistines did not make him fear, but the giants of iniquity made him tremble. David knew that his people had great advantages in having had religious instruction,-in hearing the law read,in attending religious service in the temple,-in knowing the true God, and worshipping him in a proper manner. These were privileges which the heathen had not: and the wickedness in the chosen nation was infinitely worse than the same degree of wickedness in others. David knew also, that "the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the people that forget God;" well therefore might he say, "I am horribly afraid, for the ungodly that forsake thy law."

But David was not more afraid of the judgments that he knew would fall on the head of the sinner, than he was for God's honour and glory. What!

* Collect for Easter Eve.