and died." Was not this intended as a merciful chastisement from the hand of Him who cautions His people against "friendship" and "fellowship" with the world? "Her friends and acquaintances at once persuaded her that this was a punishment for her joining the Methodists. In vain did I reason with her, saying, 'You have infinite cause of joy and thankfulness that your children all died in the Lord. So gross an absurdity I never heard advanced, as that God would take away our children to punish us for giving Him our hearts.' She would not hear, but went on mourning till she lost all comfort. May Jesus come and heal her, for His name's sake!"

His judgment was clear as to the impropriety of attending places of worldly amusement: simply because the doctrines, precepts, and prohibitions of holy Scripture, the Rules of the Society, and the baneful tendency of those amusements, left no room for doubt in his mind as to such impropriety :

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I was greatly annoyed last week to find that many of our people, and some who meet with me, had gone to a show of horse-riding. I took occasion to read the Rules of Society to my two Sunday classes, and shall to the Tuesday and Thursday classes also. Mr. Wesley observcs, The people say we are no better than the world; but although this is not true, yet it is nearer the truth than we are willing to admit.'

"23d. This day I read the Rules, and explained them, chiefly on account of a showman who has come to town, and is leading some of our members astray. I dwelt chiefly on the one forbidding such diversions as cannot be used in

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the name of the Lord Jesus.' These Rules are founded on the word of God. You do not question this. You profess to be Methodists, and are bound to keep them. If you do not, you are not Methodists. If unwilling that your conduct should be tested by these Rules, let us see what the word of God says on the subject. Is it not written, She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth? Is it not for pleasure you go to Batty's horse-race? While alive to this, you are dead to God, and all things spiritual and divine. Have you not read that all you do should be to the glory of God, and that whatsoever is not of faith is sin? Can you go to this show in faith that it is the very act God would have you do, the act by which you can most immediately glorify His holy name?

If not, you go there in unbelief and sin. Are you not told, He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption? To say this is sowing to the Spirit would be blasphemy. Are you not admonished, Be not conformed to this world? Now is not going to shows conformity to the world? What can the world do more? 0 yes, you say; they can go to the play. Well, I admit this is worse; the language, the dress, the scenes, may be of a more contaminating character. But is not the top step of the stairs a step as well as the lowest one? They are flesh-pleasing assemblies; and tickets for the infernal pit are to be had at all such places. Could you go to prayer, and beg of the Lord to sanctify that show to your edification and His glory? Would you be willing to die there? If not, you are on the enemy's ground, and liable to be taken captive by

him at his will. Had the pilgrims not left the King's high-way, and gone over the stile into By-path Meadow, they had not been seized and imprisoned by Giant Despair. Do you think it will afford you any comfort on a sick-bed to reflect that you squandered away your precious blood-bought time in this manner? Do you not care whether you set a good or bad example to your generation? Could you not employ your money to better purpose? This is a talent, and you must account for the use to which you have put every penny sooner than you are aware. Would the Lord Jesus have gone to this show? and has He not left us an example that we should follow His steps? Will the Holy Spirit bear you company to such places of dissipation? And if man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. The more we are influenced and guided by Him, the farther we shall be removed from sensual delights. The Lord help us to give diligence, that we may make our calling and election sure!'

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Parents are often exceedingly blameworthy here also, when they facilitate and encourage the attendance of their children at places of the kind. Job's description of the natural and inevitable result of such training, as numerous and melancholy examples prove, is awfully admonitory: "They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance. They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ. They spend their days in mirth," (margin,) "and in a moment go down to the grave. Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways." (Job xxi. 11—14.)

CHAPTER VII.

WHOEVER lives under the habitual influence of those tempers which qualify us for heaven, derives from his view of the heavenly world the purest serenity and delight. In the midst of the severest disappointments of human life, secret consolations spring up in his mind which sometimes swell into rapture, disarm the world of its terrors, and afford him a foretaste of unutterable bliss. In vain will ye look elsewhere for true magnanimity and moral grandeur. It is religion alone which both animates and softens the heart, cherishes sensibility, instils fortitude, and enables us to triumph without extravagance, and to suffer without dejection.-ROBERT HALL.

AN Apostle affirms, "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith;" and he intimates that none achieve such victory but those who believe "that Jesus is the Son of God." (1 John v. 4, 5.) All beside, according to him, are worldly in their spirit, their principles, aims, and proceedings. True, an unbeliever, should his secular interests require it, may gain the ascendancy over some one gay, profane, or dissolute propensity; but meanwhile the world, in other forms, reigns supreme in his heart. He lives for the present life. This world he esteems and prefers as his continuing city, his rest, his abiding home.

The Christian is victorious, not partially, but completely, over the world. His "conversation," his citizenship, as the word signifies, is in heaven. He passes through things temporal, as on pil

grimage to a better country, resolved to secure the things eternal,-the pure and enduring riches, pleasures, and immunities of the city which hath foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God.

And his victory is present, is continuous-not merely future or distant: "This is the victory." It is also the direct, immediate, and necessary result of his faith. So much is this the case, that it is said, not that his faith is the means or instrument of his victory,-not that it will bring or secure the victory to him, but that his faith is itself the victory. Living, operative faith, and victory over the world, are, in the mind of the Apostle John, identical.

Nor is the fully-sanctified believer victorious only over one of his spiritual adversaries: Satan is bruised under his feet; self-will-the carnal mind -is eradicated; and death itself, the last enemy, destroyed. Thus does he "always" and universally" triumph in Christ."

Many refreshing exemplifications of these truths are furnished in the Christian experience and deportment of Mr. Field.

He was more than conqueror over conformity to the world." I was decoyed into a large party, by some of the persons being named. These, with a few others, were to compose the whole; but, to my surprise, thirty-two assembled. As all but one were Methodists, so called, I endeavoured to improve the time by substantial conversation. was like rolling a stone up a hill. I am given to understand, if they are disposed to hear sermons or lectures, they can go to church or preaching; but when they meet in a social way, it is to eat,

It