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See here, my brother,' (cried my companion, taking me by the arm, and leading me, as he said it, involuntarily down the street,) see here an exemplification of our subject. Let us only suppose, that this afflicted mother is a gracious woman; and her history, I will venture to assert, shall sooner or later prove the truth of all that I have been saying. In the first paroxysm of grief, she is perhaps insensible of it; for nature is nature, and is allowed to express, if without murmuring, her sorrows. But suppose that you or I were permitted to call in upon her at some future period; how different should we find her sentiments. A plain proof this, that it is the state of the mind, and not the affliction itself, which constitutes the difference. And when the appointment comes, as it must come to every gracious soul, in a covenant-way; the united wisdom of men and angels could not have ordered any event equally suitable, so as to have answered the purpose of God in his merciful dispensations towards her. However painful, it could not be spared. Let us consider it for a few moments, as it concerns herself, and as it refers to the Child.

Per

As it concerns herself. It is more than probable, that this beloved, this only child, stole away her heart from the Lord. haps her visits to the throne of grace were less frequent than heretofore. Perhaps her anxiety for the future provision of this babe, made her omit or diminish her charities to the poor; made her question the providences of God; made her affections more earthly; her conversation more savouring of the things of time and sense; and, in short, induced a train of conduct, all tending to lead the heart more from God, and not bringing it, (as ought to have been the case,) to God. And was it not then, think you, among the choicest mercies of David,' to remove the cause of all this evil? Was it not time for God to recal his gift, when that gift formed a cloud on the mind to hide the hand of the Giver?

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And as it refers to the sweet babe. * Supposing the most favourable thing which can be supposed, that it was a child of grace, a child of many prayers; are the 6 sure mercies of David' altered in their property, because those prayers are answered, and Jesus hath housed a lamb of his fold beyond the reach of the prowling lion, or

the ranging bear? Say, ye long tried, long exercised soldiers in the Redeemer's army? are the summer's heat and the winter's cold, the furious assaults of the enemy without, and the distressing fears within, so very desirable, that you regret the close of the campaign? Oh! how much the reverse! And who knows but that the gracious Lord, reading in the index, the whole volume of this infant's life, in mercy shut the book, to stop at once the parent's anxiety, and her offspring's sufferings. Thus then, here is at once a whole chapter of mercies; mercies to the old, mercies to the young; and nothing but mercy to all, both in time and eternity. And where is the cruel parent, that would retard the flight of his child under such circumstances; and hinder it from taking wing, to meet the Lord in the air? Surely, might the infant say, in just reproof to such mistaken fondness! If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I go to my Father"

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And what if we reverse the circumstances, (for grace is not hereditary,) let that parent determine, for none else can determine, what it must be to see a graceless child rising up in life, in spite of all our re

monstrances, all our prayers—at once regardless of his present peace, and future happiness.-Oh! how awful !'———

The Suicide.

As my friend uttered these words, a crowd of persons ran across the street in which we were walking, which excited our curiosity to inquire into the cause. The information was a sad one. A youth, it seemed, unable to brook the various disappointments, which a long pampered habit of false education. had induced, dared to defy Omnipotence, by putting a period to his earthly existence. The crowd was running to behold the unhappy object. As for me and my companion, we both stood motionless, struck with horror.-At length my friend recovered himself and broke silence. Dread Lord!* (he cried,) what an awful world is this, through which thy people are passing! How close we walk on the confines of everlasting misery, while in the very moment we are the monuments of thy saving mercy!-Blessed God, (he exclaimed,) write, I beseech thee, that solemn truth upon my heart;

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they that are kept, are kept by the of God through faith unto salvation.'-Oh! what a lesson is here, my brother, (he cried,) for the sorrowful mother whom we just now noticed? And what would this young man's parents give, (for perhaps he may have both to survive him,) had her case been their's

My heart was too full to reply. I felt all that kind of sensation which the poet entered into, to the contemplation of a subject so hopeless and awful, when he said

-Then if it be an awful thing to die, How horrid vet to die by one's own hand! Self-murder!-name it not! dreadful attempt! Just reeking from self-slaughter, in a rage, To rush into the presence of our Judge; As if we challenged him to do his worst, And valued not his wrath!'Tis worse than madness;-nought can describe A frenzy half so desperate as this!

'Tis mad!

BLAIR'S GRAVE.

It was sometime before I prevailed on myself to remove from the spot of this awful scene. But at length I caught the arm of my companion, and we walked away together towards the end of the street, which terminated in the fields. We had gone a considerable space, without any conversation; the minds of both being, I imagined,