for their salvation-to aim at bringing all in submission to the Redeemer; their own graces would be flourish ing, their joys would rise, and their hope of heaven be continually brightening. The more we act like Christ, the more evidence shall we have that we are his.

I have spoken of the defect in private. If we go from the closet to the family altar-from thence to social prayer and the temple, where do we find the right active spirit of supplication?

Ministers preach and exhort; truth is presented in a thousand variety of forms. Every thing seems calculated to awaken and to convert the sinner; but alas! the dry bones are motionless.

Messengers are sent forth; the written and preached word is carried to the heathen; but with a few exceptions the formidable barriers of superstition are unbroken. Why all this? What secret spell has bound the wings of the angel of mercy, and blocked up the wheels of the gospel chariot? O my fellow Christians, it is, it must be our deficiency in prayer. We can unbind the pinions of that angel only by prayer. We can clear the obstructions of the Gospel chariot, and roll on in triumph its mighty wheels, only by prayer. God waits to be gracious. Our exalted Saviour is ready to wave his sceptre over the world. Angels are ready to make heaven resound with their hallelujahs. All are waiting upon us. It is for our prayers they wait; not those cold expressions which are called prayers; but those fervent cries which reach the ear of God.

LETTER OF REV. HENRY VENN.

DIRECTIONS FOR LEADING A CHRISTIAN LIFE.

Yelling, Jan. 23rd, 1777. MY DEAR COUSIN,-I shall now lay before you what I judge the sure and certain method of living a Christian life, profitable to men, and pleasing to God, in abundance of peace and hope, light and love from heaven.

The first grand point is, a conscientious waiting upon God in prayer; not satisfied with bowing our knees, and beginning the day with devotion; but we must pray. I used long to exercise an idle, lukewarm way of praying, (by which I got nothing, but deluded my own soul,) as if it were a necessary consequence of my corruption, which all felt, and all deplored. But to pray without attention, or without importunity-to pray with our hearts asleep, and worldly thoughts intruding, as guests of every character do into an innis hypocrisy. If we are not grieved and afflicted at it, as our disease, and long for the Spirit's power, and confess our sinfulness, our religion is mere form. If we do lament it, we shall succeed; and, generally, our secret approaches to the throne of grace will be refreshing, animating, and the sweetest hour of our life.

When secret prayer is thus performed, one part of our earnest request will always be, that the worship of the family may be solemn and spiritual, affecting every member of it, and offered up with self-abasement from a company of vile sinners before a glorious God-a means of creating mutual affection and unfeigned good-will throughout the day. I have had family worship ever since I kept house; but never, till within these five years, was concerned about carrying it on as it ought to be. Not that any one could discover irreverence in my manner, or that I had not some desire God should be honoured; but my desire was exceedingly small; and I did not intercede with God, that we might never meet together without the exercise of repentance, faith, hope, and love, and without such a manifestation of his presence as he has promised to "two or three who are met together in his name."

When secret or family worship is thus performed, the blessing is to be confidently expected, in a recollected and watchful frame of mind, amidst trials, and preparedness for them; in a jealousy of self-will, which is ever working; and in a fear of every thing that savours of a sour, angry, hasty spirit, the bane of domestic felicity, and the great contradiction to the Christian

temper. At noon-day, as you are not engaged in business, you must contrive to find a season for retirement, to be with your God and Saviour. Daniel and David did this, in the midst of all their great employments and numerous cares. Our Saviour did the same; for he is the person speaking, when he says, "At evening, and morning, and noon-day, will I cry unto thee; and that instantly." Probably you will say, I am sadly at a loss what to pray for at each time. My rule is this: when I do not pray at noon with Mrs. Venn, or if I do not find the spirit of prayer when alone, I read some Psalm, or some of St. Paul's Epistles, and presently find matter suggested from those lively oracles, and generally the spirit of prayer too. And when you find you cannot pray, rise from your knees, stand, or sit down, and ponder deeply on the state of your heart: ask yourself some such questions as these: "Have I no sins to confess, no corruptions to lament? Have I no need of pardon, or of the Holy Ghost, that I can be so stupid, so hard-hearted? Oh, what a sinful man! how sunk, how fallen! how unable to help myself!" "Lord, arise!" will follow: and if it does not, this solemn consideration of your own vileness will be exceedingly profitable to your soul, and endear the name of a Saviour, and convince you that you are saved through sovereign grace, abounding in God's Son.

At evening, you must have a stated time for retirement, and preparation for family worship; which I would entreat you always to have, in the morning, before breakfast; and at evening, before supper. And never expect to prosper in your soul, if the food prepared for the body, or the setting out the table, bears any weight, compared with the spiritual repast for the soul, which family worship ought always to be, and regarded as one of the most solemn things which occur in the whole day.

Make choice of serious servants; praying to God, who will, in such cases, direct and provide. And then, by careful observation of these rules, you will enjoy

his peace, you will walk in his light, you will receive what he published his Gospel to bestow, and be increasing with all the increase of God. Nothing higher, nothing greater than this, are you to expect. A family fearing God, working righteousness, obtaining promises, living in peace and love, is a picture of heaven in miniature. Such I pray your family may be!

There are two points more of great moment-company, and public worship. Nothing hurts the soul more than much acquaintance. The time is wasted— the attention is drawn off-an idle strain of conversation, even about religious subjects, is indulged—the spirit of the world creeps in, and a pleasure in entertaining, and appearing just as those who know not God. I believe more religious professors perish by this error than any other. Be therefore deliberate, and very discreet in the choice of your company. Always say to yourself: "Do I find either reproof, or exhortation, or comfort, or instruction in the great things of God, from their company? Otherwise, what loss must I suffer, and how be thrown back, whilst I want every help to set me forward!"

With regard to preaching, never leave your own. pastor, who preaches the Gospel. For as rain, without which nothing can grow, may fall so often, and in such excess, as to prove no less hurtful than a drought; so it is common, very common, for religious persons to hear, and hear, and hear, till they are very little alone -are utter strangers to meditation- are as ignorant of the Scriptures, and the interpretation of them by the Holy Ghost, as those who hear only ignorant teachers. Once in the week, besides the Lord's-day, is certainly sufficient. I had rather spend one hour with the dearest friend I have upon earth, than hear him commended for days together. Private prayer, and meditation upon the blessed word of God, is spending our time with the beloved Jesus. The sermon is the commendation of his excellency.

Some would now be apt to say: "Must all this be done? Surely it is not needful!" Judge from the

shameful conduct of professors-from the complaints resounding, on every side, of masters against their domestics, and of servants against their superiors. Judge, from the worldly compliances so common amongst those who hear Christ's ministers, and can scarcely, in any thing else, be distinguished from natural men. Judge, from the few who are fervent in love, active in zeal, judicious and animating in their discourse, clothed in the heavenly robes of humility and righteousness— whose words are as goads, and their whole deportment a pattern: judge, from the very great scarcity of such characters; and see how absolutely needful it is to do more than others, and to labour, in the way I have pointed out, for “ that meat which endureth unto everlasting life." It is a noble promise to the Christian church, expressed rather darkly-"In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness to the Lord; yea, every vessel in Jerusalem and Judah shall be, 'Holiness unto, the Lord of Hosts!" The meaning is, the whole family shall be holy; and all that is done in it shall be done from a pure intention to please God. Such may your house be! and "the eyes of the Lord upon it for good," from the beginning to the end of the year! Whatever comforts and blessings you enjoy together (and may they be many!) still may you both be looking forward to that grand, immortal life with the church triumphant, in the presence of the Lamb, for which your souls are forming! There I hope to meet you, and not yield to any one, in the whole armies of the saved, in acknowledging my marvellous deliverance, freely bestowed on the vilest and most abominable of men! Then, how different from what we know now, our knowledge of ourselves, and of our sin-of our Redeemer, and his love! How different our feelings, our services, and our delight !

Could we leave our foolish dreaming

Of a fancied heaven below,

And see Jesus' glory beaming,

How our souls would long to go!