might be felt enveloped the Egyptians; but the Israelites had light in all their dwellings. When the executioners were approaching Jerusalem, Set a mark, says God, upon the foreheads of the men that sigh, and cry for the abominations that are done in the midst of the land. Some of his servants are taken away from the evil to come. Pious connexions, removed by death, are often spared the sight of relatives, troubles, under which perhaps they would have sunk. Many a pious youth like Abijah, has come to an early grave in peace, and been housed from after-storms. The heathens said, They whom the gods love, die young. How often has he spared us; spared our lives, our senses, our limbs, our substance, our relations and friends! With regard to all of which, we must gratefully acknowledge, It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Secondly. He spares them as to correction. As his word tells us, "He that spareth the rod hateth his son;" He will not himself refuse to strike, when it his needful. Whom the Lord loveth, he therefore chasteneth-But how? What is the prayer of his people? O Lord, correct me, but with judgment not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing. And he hears them; and spares them as to the degree of the affliction. "In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind." They are afflicted; but they have alleviations. It might have much worse. Others are more distressed. One comfort is gone; but many remain. "Like as a father pitieth

"Cast down, but not destroyed." his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. He knoweth our frame: he remembereth that we are but dust." For the same holds with regard to continuance; he will not always chide, neither will he keep his anger for ever. "I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wrath for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made." See an instance of this sparing goodness expressed with incomparable tenderness, with

regard to Ephraim: "Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord."

Thirdly. He spares them as to exertion. He considers their strength, and will not require of some, what he ordains for others. A father, in his family, would not impose upon an infant the service he would lay upon a young man. To some in Thyatira, the Lord said, "I will put upon you none other burden." "The children are tender," says Jacob; "and the flocks and herds with young are with me, and if men should over-drive them one day, all the flock would die." How much does this remind us of another, of whom it is said, "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young !" When our Saviour was blamed for not enjoining fastings on his disciples, he replied; "No man putteth a piece of new cloth into an old garment; for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles; else the bottles break and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish : but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved." There is, says Henry, in well-doing an overdoing; and such over-doing as may prove undoing. Many religious people are blamable here. They expect too much to be given up, before persons have realized the comforts of the Holy Ghost. They want to effect every thing at a stroke. They forget their own ignorance and slowness when God began to deal with them. They forget Him who does not despise the day of small things. They forget Him who said unto his followers, I have yet many things to say unto you; but ye cannot bear them

now.

THE PIOUS NURSE,

"According to your faith be it unto you."-Matt. ix. 29. THE darkness of night prevailed-silence and gloom were in the house-for sickness, it might be death, had seized upon a member of the family. A friend of the afflicted one attends upon the bed of languishing; and her hopes sink despairingly as she contemplates her protracted sufferings-yet speaks she to her of confidence in God-the God of their Salvation. This theme touches a chord in the bosom of a poor nurse who was present, waiting also on the invalid, and she suddenly exclaims, "Oh! let us put our confidence in the Most High, and we shall never be confounded!" "I have many reasons for saying this," she continued: and upon the lady questioning her on the subject, she told her the story of her life.

She had been the daughter of a farmer; and her husband, who had also been a farmer, had been in very comfortable circumstances. While he lived the family had wanted for nothing; but it had pleased the Lord that he should die; and he died in debt, so that his poor widow was obliged to sell every thing she possessed, except indeed her clothes, in order to pay her creditors. She had one little boy four years old, and for his support and her own she tried to earn a precarious and scanty maintenance. She hired a very small room, and with a heart trusting in the Lord, began her new employment, while she impressed on the mind of her infant boy, that the Saviour who had died to redeem their souls from hell, would be their "Guide, their God, their All!" Here she learned experimentally to pray, "give us this day our daily bread!" for they were seldom in possession of enough to supply the food of two days together; and often used she to shut the door of her little appartment to conceal from her neighbours the fact, that there was

Fourthly. He spares them as to acceptance. Their best actions are imperfect. Their holiest duties are defiled. Their obedience needs pardon. To whom does not this apply? Nehemiah had done much for the cause of God: but does he appeal to justice, to reward him? No; but to mercy, to forgive him :"Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy." Paul, after extolling Onesiphorus so highly, prays that even he may find inercy of the Lord in that day. "I am looking," says the great John Howe when dying, "for eternal life; not as a profitable servant, but as a pardoned sinner." Where is the Christan, however distinguished his attainments, who, even in looking over his Sabbaths, and his communions at the Lord's table, and every almsdeed he ever performed, is not constrained to pray, "Enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord; for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified"?—Well; he will spare you, as to your deficiences in duty. He takes the design. He regards the motive. He looketh at the heart. He will pardon what is yours; and reward what is his own. He views you and your services through the mediation of his dear Son, in whom he is well pleased. Ah! he spared not Him, that he might spare you. "If we sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins." And as God said to Job's friends, so he says to us-" My servant shall pray for you, and him will I accept; lest I deal with you, according to your folly."

Never forget the goodness and kindness of God. He is your father and he will spare you—

But spare not yourselves. Mind no labour.

Regard

no expense in his cause. Deny yourselves. Take up your cross, and follow him fully-follow him whithersoever he goeth.-Jay.