bility as free agents and rational beings. The first of these is a most sublime speculation, disposing us to confide in God's wisdom, and power, and righteousness. The second is a most powerful principle of action, inspiring us with proper views and feelings respecting the moral powers and natural abilities with which our Creator has endowed us. We feel we can, if we are willing, do all we are enjoined, and we feel our unwillingness is our criminality. Although it is impossible to explain the metaphysical computability between the fore-ordinations of God, and the freedom and accountability of man, yet it is easy, yea, it is universal to act on the belief of them both; for no man was ever such a complete fatalist that he could sit down, in perfect mental composure, with his hands folded over each other, to wait the onset of an enemy, or the open attack of a wild beast, in the practical belief that nothing but what was written in the book of fate could befal him. And no man was ever such a complete antipredestinarian, that he could practically believe himself to be entirely the former of his own character, or the maker or marrer of his own fortune and destiny, so that he owed nothing to divine aid, and that he was biassed and controlled in nothing by events and circumstances beyond his own power. Thus men, all men, after all, differ on these subjects more in wild speculation, than in sober practice. The truth is, our destiny for time is as much foreordained as our destiny for eternity; our state in society here is as certainly fixed by God's decrees, as our state hereafter. Our poverty or riches, our sickness or health, our prosperity or adversity, are all the results of an arrangement in which we were never consulted, and immutably fixed in the counsels of the Eternal before ever we were born. But while this may be fully admitted, yet it never disposes us to inactivity in the pursuit of our temporal affairs, and neither should it in the pursuit of our spiritual interests. Let every man, in provi dence and in grace, confide in God as though he did every thing for him, and let him perform all his duties, in both these departments, as though he expected every thing from himself." REDNAXELA.

ON COVETOUSNESS.

THOSE who are rich in this world have great need to attend to our Lord's doctrine respecting covetousness. Much is entrusted to them, and of them much will be required. Yet it frequently happens that avarice increases with the means of gratifying it. People in this situation often plume themselves upon their knowledge of the world, and their liberality of sentiment; but too few of them are acquainted with the wants of the needy, or manifest much liberality in relieving them. It ought to alarm such persons, and make them tremble, to consider what aspect the New Testament bears to men in their circumstances. When the young rich man in the gospel gave up with eternal life rather than part with his large possessions, our Lord said to his disciples, "How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answered again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard it is for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God; It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God," (Mark x. 23-26.) Christ is not speaking here of such only as

treasure up riches, but also of those that have riches, a rich man, whether these riches were his own acquisition, or got by inheritance from his ancestors. In whatever way a man is possessed of riches, they are surely a treasure; and if we consider what our Lord says on the treasure and heart being together, (Matt. vi. 21) and how, in this place, he connects the having riches with trusting in them, we must admit that it is as criminal to retain as to treasure up riches for ourselves. Some think that the command, "Sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor," verse 21, was peculiarly directed to this young rich man, in order to discover his real character, and that therefore Christians in ordinary cases have nothing do with it. But what then will they make of the command, Luke xii. 33, "Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide for yourselves bags that wax not old, a treasure in the heavens, that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Here is a general command given to all Christ's little flock, to "sell that they have, and give alms," and it is enforced by the same argument, with the prohibition to lay up treasure on earth. So that it is evident a man can no more retain riches already laid up to his hand, without his heart being on them, than he can lay them up for himself on earth without this; for our Lord makes the former as great an evidence of covetousness as the latter. From this we may see how difficult it is for them who have riches to enter the kingdom of God; it is even as hard and rare a thing as for a man to possess treasures without trusting in them. This doctrine astonished Christ's disciples out of measure, Mark x. 26, and it is as astonishing even to strict professors at this day as ever it was.

If it be asked, Can a man be a Christian who lays up riches for himself in this world? I answer, according to our Lord's doctrine, HE CANNOT; for he inseparably connects this with serving Mammon, and placing the heart and confidence in riches, Must he then give away all that he hath, and become poor? In some extraordinary cases this may be necessary; and so we find those who had possessions and goods in the church at Jerusalem, sold them, and parted them to all men, as every man had need, Acts ii. 45, ch. iv. 34, 35. This was literally complying with what our Lord enjoins upon the young rich man; but in ordinary cases a man is not called to give away all that he hath. There is surely a medium betwixt this and laying up riches for ourselves on earth; and this medium is pointed out under the idea of our acting as stewards of the good things we possess; for we are commanded, "As every man hath received the gift, even so to minister the same, one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God," 1 Peter iv. 10. A faithful steward will not look upon the things committed to his trust as his own, but his master's; and therefore will neither lay them up nor retain them for himself, but apply them to the purposes for which they were committed to him. But then, in doing so, he must conduct his affairs with discretion, and act with economy and propriety in managing his Lord's goods, that so they may the more effectually answer the end, and turn out to the best advantage. To give away all that he is entrusted with at once (unless in the case already mentioned) is, in effect, to give up his trust, to divest himself of his stewardship, and to deprive himself of the means of being useful in that capacity for the future; whereas the Scripture saith of him that disperseth abroad, and giveth to the poor, that "his righteousness (i. e. his liberality) remaineth for ever," 2 Cor. xi. 9, because God multiplies

his seed sown, and increaseth the fruits of his righteousness, verse 10. But should he give away his implements of husbandry, and the seed for sowing his ground, his liberality would soon come to an end. The same may be observed of a merchant giving away the stock necessary for carrying on his trade, and the proprietor of lands his possessions. These are talents given them by the Lord, to occupy for him to the best advantage till he comes to call them to account. How few look upon their riches in this light, and make the most of them for Christ and his members! yet just so few real Christians are there among rich men. The Apostle supposes there would be rich men in the churches; but then he also supposes that such are in a very dangerous situation, as being under great temptations to high-mindedness, to trust in their riches instead of the living God, and so to come short of eternal life; and hence he exhorts Timothy to "charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy." And the only evidence they can give that they trust not in riches, but in God, is, "That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;" and thus, as our Lord directs, "laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." 1 Tim. vi. 17-20.

It concerns also the poor and labouring class of people to take heed and beware of covetousness. Such may perhaps relish this doctrine, whilst they consider it only as directed to the rich and wealthy; and they may be apt to think themselves exempt from this vice, because they have it not in their power to lay up. For the same reason they may be led to think themselves exempted from the duty of almsgiving and liberality, as having nothing superperfluous to give. And thus they may ward off from themselves all that has been said on this subject. But these are great deceptions; for a poor man may relish our Lord's doctrine against the covetousness of the rich, from the very principle of covetousness in himself, or with a view that he himself may share of their wealth, should this doctrine have its proper effect. Besides, the poor are under peculiar temptations to envy those who are in better circumstances. The Psalmist was sensible of this in himself, Psalm lxxiii. 3. Now, what is envy, but sorrow arising from the supposed happiness of others in their enjoying a good which we desire, and think we deserve as well as they do? Covetousness, therefore, is the spring of envy. It is but too common among the poor to speak evil of the rich, with whose bounty they are seldom satisfied; and they are too apt to be gratified at any misfortune that has a tendency to mortify or reduce those who are above them, and to speak of it with a kind of insulting satisfaction. These are undoubtedly effects both of covetousness and envy, and ought never to appear among Christians.

Covetousness is in general as conspicuous among the poorer class of people as it is among the rich: and, by reason of their circumstances, it is of a more mean and sordid kind. Agar prays that God would give him neither poverty nor riches. He considers riches as having a tendency to make him deny God, and, like Pharaoh, to say, Who is the Lord? But he looks upon poverty as having a more direct influence upon covetousness, "Lest I be poor," says he, "and steal." Prov. xxx. 8, 9.

Though the circumstances of the poor may hinder them from laying up treasures upon the earth, yet this does not hinder the desire after them,

which will manifest itself on every opportunity when they have the least prospect of success. There are many, whose little sordid souls are so bent upon scraping together one mite after another, that they waste their bodies with excessive labour, and at the same time grudge them the necessary sustenance. They may perhaps not be able to accumulate much after all this sore labour; but their heart is as much set upon it as if they had thousands. They are real servants of Mammon, and idolators, though poor; for men may make idols of wood or stone, as well as of gold and silver; and it is of little consequence how small the value of the idol be, if it really be one.

The covetousness of the poor appears also in their discontentedness with their situation. The apostle intimates this where he says, Heb. xiii. 5, "Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have." The connexion between discontent and covetousness is evident; for if a man have such things as necessary food and raiment, which the apostle supposed, 1 Tim. vi. 8, and is not content therewith, he must necessarily desire more, or wills to be rich, 1 Tim. vi. 9; and what is this but covetousness? Now the poor are very apt to be discontented, and to murmur and repine at their condition; and whilst this is the case with any, their conversation cannot be without covetousness.

Their anxiety and carefulness about to-morrow, as to what they shall eat or drink, or wherewithal they shall be clothed, evidently shews that they want something else to trust unto than the living God-something more than his word of promise for these things-some sensible pledge and security in hand for the enjoyment of them, that may set their minds at rest from such anxieties. And is not this the very same disposition which made the man build barns to lay up store for many years to come, that his soul might be at ease from future want? If any doubt this, they may consult Luke xii. 22–25, where our Lord, in opposition to that man's conduct, dissuades his disciples from seeking what they shall eat or what they shall drink, or from being of a doubtful mind. In Matt. vi. we find that our Lord's discourse upon laying up treasures-the evil eye-serving Mammon-taking thought for to-morrow about food and raiment, &c.—is all levelled against covetousness; and as it is addressed to his poor disciples, and not to the rich only, it may teach us that the poor are as much subject to this vice, in all its various shapes, as the rich are; and that they have greater temptations, from their circumstances, to some particular expressions of it than the other class have. Let none of us, therefore, be our circumstances what they may, ward off the conviction that arises from this doctrine.-M'Lean's Miscellaneous Works; Vol. VI, new edition.

THOUGHTS ON 2 KINGS, ii. 15.

Notes of a Discourse, by a Glassite elder, on the character of some eminent men who went before the church of Israel, &c. on hearing some speak as if the church would tumble into ruins when certain men were taken away by death; but one has said, and still says, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."

"The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha."

IN considering the history of Elijah and Elisha, they will be found very remarkable characters in the church of God; and they appeared at a time when Israel had sunk in the grossest idolatry, which reminds us of a similar

period of darkness when God's witnesses prophesied in sackcloth-see Rev. xi. 6. And there was some striking resemblance between the lawgiver and the restorer of the law-both of them divided the waters to make a passage on dry land. Moses divided the Red sea with his rod-Elijah divided the river Jordan by virtue of his mantle. The loss of both was great to the church; both were honoured to live to see successors reared up to carry on that work they were so zealously engaged in. The removing of Elijah by death was robbed of its triumph in the same way as the mortal sentence was remitted to Enoch, an earnest of what shall take place at the resurrection of the just, for "We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." 1 Cor. xv. 51-52. Also, "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep." 1 Thess. iv. 15.

In each of the great periods of the church-the Patriarchal, the Mosaic, and the Christian-God has given examples to his church, and taught her, by figure, the truth of the resurrection. And God, in conducting these events, has gradually disclosed life and immortality, from the first promise to fallen man down to the present day. And what a bright emblem was the translation of the prophet of the ascension, of him who having conquered death, and him that had the power of death, and ascended on high, leading captivity captive.

In directing your attention to this subject, what is most comforting to the church is what is said in the fifteenth verse, and this must put us in mind of what is said by the Lord, "And ye are witnesses of these things." Luke xxiv. 48.

When the Lord was about to be removed from his disciples on earth, he comforted them in the view of the bereavement they were shortly to experience; he promised to send a Comforter which was to supply the want of his bodily presence. "These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.' John xiv. 25-26. It is very comfortable to know that however eminent servants of the church have been removed from time to time, this does not include in it the withdrawal of the Spirit of God, or the removal of his promise; for although "all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: but the word of the Lord endureth for ever." 1 Pet. i. 24-25.

And however afflicting to friends-however great the loss to the church -it is joy to them-absent from the body they are present with the Lordthey cease from their labour, and their works do follow them-they enter into their rest, and are more than conquerors through him that loved them. Heaven and earth will pass away, still his promises stand sure, for he has pledged his faithful word that he will be with his people or church till the end of the world.

We may take a hasty glance at those who seemed to have a double portion of the Spirit-who were chosen by the Chief Shepherd to lead or go before his flock, in meekness, humbleness of mind, &c. Moses when about to enter upon this great work; he was to pass from the flock of Jethro to feed