cibly by comparison. Let us remember how much more temperate our climate is than that of many other countries. Our winter is nothing when we turn to the frigid zone. Think of those who live within the polar circle; dispersed; exposed to beasts of prey; their poor huts furnishing only a miserable refuge; where linger months of perpetual night and frost; and by the absence of heat, almost absolute barrenness reigns around.

When the French mathematicians wintered at Tornea in Lapland, the external air, suddenly admitted to their rooms, seizing the moisture, became whirls of snow; their breasts were rent when they breathed it; and the contact of it with their bodies was intolerable. We read of seven thousand Swedes who perished at once, in attempting to pass the mountains which divide Norway from Sweden.

And while our winter reigns here with great comparative mild. ness; how many blessings distinguish our portion from that of others around us, and demand our praise? We have a house to defend us. We have clothes to cover us. We have fire to warm us. We have beds to comfort us. We have provisions to nourish us. What shall we render? "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits."

Fourthly, this season calls upon us to exercise benevolence. Sympathy is now more powerfully excited than at any other period; we are enabled more easily to enter into the feelings of others less favored than our selves. And while we are en

joying every conveniency and comfort which the tenderness of Providence can afford; O let us think of the indigent and miserable. Let us think of those whose poor hovels, and shattered panes cannot screen them from the piercing cold. Let us think of those whose tattered garments scarcely cover their shivering flesh. Let us think of the starving poor, who after a struggle which to relinquish, give up their small pittance of bread, to get a little fuel to warm their frozen limbs. Let us think of the old and the infirm; of the sick and the diseased. When evening draws on let us reflect upon the scene so exquisitely touched by the pencil of sensibility—

Fatherless and the widows in their affliction."

66

Ah! ye unfeeling, ye worldlyminded, that "stretch yourselves upon your couches; that chant to the sound of the viol; that drink wine in bowls, and an. oint yourselves with the chief ointments, but are not griev. ed for the affliction of Joseph:" O ye who can repair to every avenue of dissipation, and trample on so much distress, and shut your ears against so many groans in your way thither; on what do you found your title to humanity? Thy judgment is to come. Or do you lay claim to religion? Merciless wretch, can knowledge or orthodoxy save thee? Whoso hath this world's good; and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him; how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word; neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, depart in peace be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? even so, faith if it hath not works is dead, being alone."

To conclude, winter should improve us in knowledge.

It affords leisure, and excludes many interruptions; it is therefore favorable to application. Let us read, and study, and prepare for action and usefulness in life. And let us not pass heedlessly by these subjects of reflection and improvement, which the

very season itself yields. How instructive, for instance, is the goodness of God, not only in the preservation of the human race, but in taking care of all the mil. lions of animals during a period which threatens to destroy them? What a number of retreats does he provide for them? Some of them by a singular instinct change the places of their resi. dence. Some of them are lulled into a profound sleep for weeks and months. Some live on the fat they have filled themselves with during the summer. Some carry their provisions before. hand, and lay them up in their cells. "God takes care for oxen; and hears the young ravens that cry."

And all this teaches us, first, to resemble him, and be kind to every being. If we learn of him, we cannot be cruel to the brute creation. We cannot be indifferent to their shelter and nour ishment when we remember, that

his mercies are over all his works." Secondly, to trust him. He who provides for animais, will not abandon children. "Behold the fowls of the air : for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they ?"

The season is also instructive as an emblem. Here is the picture of life; thy flowery spring, thy summer strength, thy sober autumn, are all hastening into winter. Decay and death will soon, very soon lay all waste. What provision hast thou made for the evil day? Hast thou been laying up treasure in heaven 2 Hast thou been laboring for that

meat which endureth unto everlasting life?

Every thing decays except holiness. This therefore is the true character of man; and this shews us that he was designed for a religious state, rather than any other. Pursue this then as "the one thing needful; and choose that good part that shall not be taken away from you."

Soon spring will dawn again upon us in its beauty and its songs. And " we according to his promise look for new heav. ens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." No winter there; but we shall flourish in perpetual spring, in endless youth, in everlasting life. "Then let our songs abound,

And every tear be dry; We're marching through Emanuel's ground,

To fairer worlds on high."

[In the present "evil times" on which we have fallen, I doubt not the following "Prayer," will express the feelings of many of your pious, afflicted readers. Z.]

A PRAYER.

UNDER ABUSES AND PROVOCA

TIONS.

From "Jenks' Offices of Devotion."*

O MOST high, and wise, holy, and righteous Judge of all the earth, the great Author and Lover of peace and truth; thou knowest my foolishness, and my sins are not hid from thee. How far I have been accessary to pull down these troubles, and mischiefs upon my own head, and how much worse than any of these I deserve at thy hands, is

We take the liberty warmly to recommend this book to christians, as a very useful and excellent closet compan

all naked and open to thine eyes. I submit, Lord, to thy correction, who dost often use such instruments of thy displeasure. And O that the ill-will of men may quicken me the more to examine myself for that which is offensive in thy sight; and make me more careful to have my heart right with God; and to ingratiate myself with heaven; which will more than recompense for the loss of any one's favor in the world.

But seeing my heart condemns me not in the present case, for being the cause of all this wrath and clamor, and malice and vengeance; and herein I apprehend myself now to suffer wrongfully, being slanderously reported, wrongfully accused, shamefully and despitefully used, and hated without a cause; I take the boldness to pour out my complaint before thee, O God, and to shelter myself under the shadow of thy wings. Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me; and save me from those that rise up against me. Though for my love, and faithfulness, they are my adversaries, let me give myself to prayer; and not avenge myself, but give place unto wrath, and commit my cause to thee who judgest righteously. O convince my adversaries of the error they are in; and turn them from the ill way they are upon; and the remainder of their wrath, O do thou restrain, and here make me a way to escape, as thou hast so often been my help.

I confess, O Lord, thou mightest justly use them that provoke me, as thy scourge to chastise me, for provoking thee; and I know not but such now may be

thy pleasure. O help me then patiently to bear the indignation of the Lord; because I have so greatly sinned against thee; and however I am pursued and struck at, O let me not render evil for evil, nor railing for railing; but contrariwise, blessing; considering him that endured so great contradiction of sinners against himself, that I be not wearied and faint in my mind. If the man after thine own heart had so many bitter, implacable enemies, that not only traduced his name, but sought his life; if thy holy apostle was called a babbler, and troubler of the world, and a pcstilent fellow, not fit to live; yea, if the Son of thy eternal love had the report of a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners, a deceiver of the people, and a dealer with the devil; if he that deserved so well of men, fared so ill at their hands; if he that did no sin was persecuted, as if he had been the chief of sinners; if he suffered so much evil, who never deserved any; O why should such an unworthy sinful wretch as I, to whom belongs confusion of face, and the worst punishment, so heinously resent it as insufferable, to be set at nought, and but to endure correction of my own wickedness; though I deserve it not from them, yet, O how much worse do I deserve from thy heavenly Majesty, offended by my sins, who mayest justly pay me by their hands; let men then say or do what they can against me, O let me be as a deaf man that heareth not; and as a dumb man that opens not his mouth; little regarding the anger of man, if I can but be happy in the favor of my God. O Lord keep back

thy servant from giving any just provocation; and let me not suffer as an evil-doer; nor let the wo be to me, because offence cometh by me; and then, when persecuted for righteousness' sake, I shall rejoice and bless thy name, and give thee thanks and praise for all thy grace and goodness to me in Jesus Christ. Amen,

RULES OF LIVING.

The following rules were thrown together as general way. marks in the journey of life," by a respectable clergyman lately deceased. They were of advantage tohimself, and may prove so to others. With this view they were handed to us for publication, by BEN OS.

1. "Never to ridicule sacred things, or what others may es. teem such, however absurd they may appear to me.

2. Never to shew levity where the people are professedly engag ed in worship.

3. Never to resent a supposed injury, till I know the views and motives of the author of it. Nor on any occasion to retaliate.

4. Never to judge a person's character by external appearan

ces.

5. Always to take the part of an absent person who is censured in company, so far as truth and propriety will allow.

6. Never to think the worse of another on account of his differing from me in political or religious opinions.

7. Never to dispute, if I can fairly avoid it.

8. Not to dispute with a man more than 70 years old; nor with a woman, nor with an enthusiast.

9. Not to affect to be witty