The gentleman inquired whether this affecting case could be well attested. Finding that the statement was perfectly correct, and being a man of property, he took immediate measures to procure the good man's release. He also interested several other friends in his behalf, who each lent him a small sum, by means of which he was once more established in business in a small way. The blessing of heaven rested on his exertions, and in a few years he was enabled to repay the money that had been lent him. Meanwhile, the Sabbath-breaking shopkeeper, who had been set up to oppose him in his old shop, ran through a vast deal of property, and failed in business, chiefly at the cost of his patron. A series of personal and domestic trials had somewhat subdued the haughty and malignant spirit of this man; his conscience smote him for his former cruelty and oppression; and he humbled himself so far as to own his fault, and offer to replace the object of his enmity in the spot from which he had unjustly expelled him. The offer was accepted. The shop formerly his own, and that occupied by the bankrupt, were thrown into one, in which, for many years, he carried on a most prosperous trade, and gave largely of his substance to every benevolent and pious design. It should be observed, also, that he had the happiness of finding that his pious conversation and consistent deportment had, in several instances, been the means of producing good impressions on the minds of his fellowprisoners.

How just is the saying, "There is nothing lost by serving God, and nothing gained by sinning against him!" How careful ought we to be of accusing or suspecting a fellow-Christian of inconsistency, on slight grounds, lest by our rash censures we should speak to the grief of those whom the Lord has wounded! Job's friends, when they witnessed his grievous afflictions, charged him with being secretly guilty of heinous crimes: when the disciples saw a man blind from his birth, they concluded it must be a punishment for some extraordinary sin, either in himself or his parents, (John ix. 2.) and in this anecdote the visitor too hastily concluded that the good man must have been guilty of some inconsistency or imprudence, which had brought him to prison; but all were mistaken. These were not punishments, but trials intended for the exercise of faith and patience, and the manifestation of the glory of God. Outward circumstances are no just rule by which to judge of character. The wicked often flourish for awhile, and the

righteous are depressed; but we must take things in the long run, and especially look to the end. To the righteous there often arises light in darkness. They often live to see that their seasons of severest and most unaccountable suffering were not only times of peculiar enjoyment and usefulness, but preparatory to a high degree of outward prosperity; and whether this be so or not in this world, assuredly it will be found in another, that "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose," (Rom. viii. 28.)

REASONS FOR OPENING SHOPS ON THE LORD'S DAY ANSWERED FROM THE WORD OF GOD.

I, Every man has a right to do as he likes.

"Ye are not your own.' (1 Cor. vi. 19.)

"Every one of us shall give account of himself to God." (Rom. xiv. 12.)

"Walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment." (Eccles. xi. 9.)

II. Others open their shops, and why should not I?

"Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil." (Ex. xxiii, 2.) "Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat." (Matt. vii. 13.) III. I shall lose so much by closing my shop, that myself and my family will be seriously injured in consequence.

"Take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matt. vi. 31, 33.)

“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." (Ps. xxxvii. 25.)

IV. If I shut my shop, people will laugh at me, and say that I am over-religious, or that I am a hypocrite.

"Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you, falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven." (Matt. v. 11, 12.)

Christ also said, "Whosoever, therefore, shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of

him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he c
glory of his Father, with the holy angels." (Mark viii
"We ought to obey God rather than man." (Acts

REASONS FOR CLOSING SHOPS ON THE LORD'S DAY, GATHE
THE WORD OF GOD.

(Gen. ii. 3.)

Six days shalt

I. God has commanded that the day be kept holy. "God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it." "Remember the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy. thou labour, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." (Ex. xx. 8, 10.)

II. While breaking God's command, I cannot have his favour; and then, what good will all my gains do me?

"The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked, but he blesseth the habitation of the just." (Prov. iii. 33.)

"Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world. They increase in riches! How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors!" (Psalm lxxiii. 12, 19.)

"What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark viii. 36.)

III. If I close my shop, and trust God to take care of me, I shall be sure to have all I want, and enjoy real happiness.

"Great peace have they which love thy law." (Psalm cxix. 165.) "Godliness is profitable unto all things; having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." (1 Tim. iv. 8.)

"Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land; and verily thou shalt be fed. A little, that a righteous man hath, is better than the riches of many wicked." (Ps. xxxvii. 3, 16.) IV. How miserable will the remembrance of Sabbath trafficking make a dying bed!

"The sting of death is sin." (1 Cor. xv. 56.)

"What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. vi. 21, 23.)

right

THE TRIAL WHICH

ADVERSITY

an

MAKES OF THE

SINCERITY OR UNSOUNDNESS OF OUR HEARTS.

I will shew in the first place what are the effects of adversity common to both the godly and ungodly.

1. Both the godly and ungodly may fear adversity before it

comes.

2. Both may entertain afflictions with regret and unwillingness when they come.

3. Both the one and the other may be impatient and fretful in adversity; it is the nature of flesh and blood to be so.

4. Both the one and the other may be weary of the rod, and think the day of adversity a tedious day, wishing it were at an end. 5. Both the one and the other may be driven to their knees by adversity.

Those five symptoms of an ungodly heart appear in afflictions: 1. A graceless heart is not quickly and easily brought to see the power of God in those troubles that befal, and to be duly affected with it.

2. Nor is it usual with these men under the rod to retire into their closets, and search their hearts there, to find out the particular cause and provocation of their affliction.

3. An unsound professor, if left to his choice, would rather choose sin than affliction, and sees more evil in that than in this. 4. It is the property of an unregenerate heart under adversity to turn from creature to creature for support and comfort, and not from every creature to God alone.

5. An unsound heart never comes out of the furnace of affliction purged, mortified, and more spiritual and holy than when he was cast into it.

These seven effects are ordinarily found in all upright hearts that pass under the rod:

1. The sincere and upright soul betakes itself to God in affliction. 2. He sees and owns the hand of God in his afflictions, how much or little soever of the instruments of trouble appear.

3. He can justify God in all his afflictions and troubles, be they

never so severe.

4. Afflictions generally melt and humble gracious hearts.

5. The upright soul is inquisitive under the rod to find out that evil for which the Lord contends with him by affliction.

6. The upright heart chooseth to lie under affliction rather than to be delivered from it by sin.

7. He prizes the spiritual good gotten by affliction above deliverance from it, and can bless God from his heart for those mercies, how dear soever his flesh has paid for them. The mortification of one lust, one discovery of sincerity, one manifestation of God to their souls, much more than repays them for all they have endured under the rod.

"Oh!

If so many professors be cheated in their profession, let all that are well satisfied and assured of their integrity bless the Lord whilst they live for this mercy. It is this which gives souls the highest pleasure this world is acquainted with, or the state of this mortality can bear, for let the well assured soul but consider what it is assured of Christ with the purchases of his blood! what is this? I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine." What a vital, ravishing, overpowering efficacy is in that voice of faith! Let it but look back a few years and compare what it was with what it is now. It was far off it is now much nigher. It was not beloved-but is now beloved. It had not obtained mercy --but now hath obtained mercy. Oh! let the assured soul look forward and compare what it now is and has with what it shortly shall be made and put in possession of: "Beloved," &c.

men.

Let the assured soul but steep his thoughts by meditation on these subjects, and it will be impossible to keep him from the most agreeable transports of joy and delight. Oh, what a life, a life have you in comparison with other You have two heavens, one in hand, the other in hope. Some of your own brethren in Christ who have been, it may be, many years panting after assurance are still denied it; but God has indulged so peculiar a favour Bless ye the Lord, and make his praise glorious.

to you.

Is saving grace of such precious worth? Then bless God for it, and diligently use all means to increase and improve it in your souls. It is gold, for preciousness and for usefulness, and must not be laid up in a napkin. All Christians have not the same advantages; but all must improve it according to the advantages they have, in order to an account. Reserved Christians, who live too abstracted from the society and communion of others, and dis. perse not their streams abroad for the benefit of others, nor improve the graces of others for their own benefit, are wanting both to their own duty and comfort.