REDEEMING THE TIME.

REFLECTIONS ON EPHESIANS V. 16.

TIME is so precious that not any of it must be lost. The whole time of our life must be employed either about our souls, in the service of God, or in the works of our callings; but particularly the time of youth, the time of health and strength, -the time of affliction,- the time of the gospel,-and the time of the Sabbath.

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The time of youth must be redeemed. The great God stands much upon priority, to have the first and best, the first ripe fruits, the first that openeth the womb. My young reader, offer then the Isaac of thy youth, the spring and flower of thy age, to God, and stay not until the evil day. Begin first with Him from whom thou hadst thy being; go about the grand affair and work of thy never-dying soul, before thou dost ingulph thyself in the cares of this world. If the celestial seeds of grace are sown in the morning, the pleasant and sweet flowers springing out of those seeds, win invite the Lord Jesus to come and walk in his garden. The infinitely gracious God holds out the golden sceptre, and invites you to come to him. The ruddy David, the child Samuel, the young Timothy, God calls. Say then this instant, Behold, we come: thine we are, thine we will be: come now and take thine own!' God will accept you : his arms and bosom are open to receive you. I remember thee the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when the first fruits were holiness unto the Lord. If you would enjoy a happy life of communion with God, offer unto him the firstlings of thy flock, thy youthful days. If you receive the seed of grace in the morning of your age, it will take the deeper root in your heart, and cause you to bring forth fruit even in your old age. That cloth will keep its colour best that is dyed in the wool; and the vessel will longest retain the scent of that liquor with which it is first seasoned. O! remember then thy Creator in the days of thy youth!'

The time of health and strength must be improved. Those that are now strong and lively, must not expect to be so always; they, as well as others, must count upon disease, sickness, and weakness, which will confine them to their houses, chambers, and beds. O that while their strength and health of body, and natural vigour are continued, they were mindful of their work and time! If a man had business of great concern, or matter of life and death, that required time, strength, and diligence, and should omit it until he were stricken in years, or till sickness or weakness had invaded him, every one would be ready to charge him with folly; and shall we lay the stress of our everlasting state upon a few days of sickness and weakness before our death? God forbid!

The time of affliction must be redeemed. Christians, in the time of adversity we must consider! It was the time of Jacob's trouble when the apostle exhorted believers to redeem the time. God speaks to us by his rod as well as by his word; for every affliction addresses us in the language of Ehud to Eglon, I have a message unto thee from God; and God will reckon with us. for the rods he lays upon us.

The time of the gospel must be redeemed. Gospel - time is our spiritual barvest; and it is a notorious folly to sleep in harvest. It is a time of light, a time of love, -a time of life,a time of liberty! It is now an accepted time, a day of salvation! Sinners! the dear Lord Jesus, the great Peace-Maker, is now an importunate suitor to your perishing souls! The treasures of grace are open, and offered to you upon easy terms, without money and without price! O! make haste and buy the pearl of price, which is better than rubies! If you lose this, you may never have another opportunity! The Spirit and the Bride say, Come!'

We must sanc

The time of the Sabbath must be redeemed. tify the whole of that day: it is the Sabbath of the Lord our God. It must be spent, from morning till evening, in the service and worship of God, either in public, social, or secret duties; and no part of it must be spent in frothy, vain, and unprofitable discourse or recreations; in riding, buying, selling, or working. This dreadful sin of Sabbath-breaking is a sin in fashion. Hundreds in this nation serve the Devil more upon the Lord's Day than upon any other day. The Lord of the Sabbath hath commanded, that thou and all thy house keep that day holy. The Sabbath was once called Regina Dierum, The Queen of Days.' In the New Testament, it is called The Lord's Day.' In the primitive times, a serious and strict observation of the Lord's Day was a test of Christianity. When the question was asked, Servasti Dominicum? (Hast thou kept the Lord's Day?) the answer returned was, Christianus sum, intermittere non possum (I am a Christian, and cannot intermit it).—It was the saying of an eminent divine, That he judged of a man's religion according as he reverenced the Sabbath. THEODOSIA.

THE INTELLECTUAL CHARACTER

IMPROVED BY THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GOSPEL. The entrance of thy words giveth light: it giveth understanding unto the simple.-Psalm exix. 130.

WHEN the Lord Jesus Christ selected the first and most honourable ministers of his religion, he did not call to the apostleship men eminent for learning, but persons the greater

number of whom appear to have Keen illiterate, and, in the estimation of the world, ignorant. Yet many of these plain, unlettered men, after enjoying the tuition of Him who spake as never man spake,' after yielding themselves to the influence of that word, the entrance of which giveth understanding to the simple,' discovered, in their discourses and in their writings, a vigour and maturity of intellect, an accuracy and perfection of knowledge, which will ever continue to command respect and admiration. This improvement of the intellectual character, in consequence of divine illumination, was not altogether peculiar to the first disciples of Christ. An effect similar in its nature, although inferior in degree, may still be discovered, especially in the case of persons who, destitute of the advantages of early education, have at length received, with understanding and with love, the truth of the gospel. In consequence of the entrance of that word which giveth light,' their minds have been greatly improved, their intellectual powers have been, in no inconsiderable degree, expanded and invigorated. In order to ascertain the nature of the improvement which may justly be attributed to the cause specified, let us suppose a case, such as may correspond with the actual observations of many intelligent Christiaus.

Two children, in the family of a poor labourer, are brought up without any of the means of mental culture. As soon as their bodily powers have acquired sufficient strength, they are sent out to earn their daily bread; but their minds are entirely neglected, and remain as barren as the heath on which they live. In this manner they drag on a merely animal life, concerned only about the means of subsistence, and experiencing few changes or varieties except those occasioned by the vicissitude of the seasons. At length, however, one of them is led to hear the preaching of the gospel, and brought to a clear and impressive acquaintance with divine truth. Now mark the intellectual superiority which he soon acquires over his brother, and the rest of his family! Visit him after a few years have elapsed, and converse with him on the subject of religion. He has learned to read, and he diligently studies his Bible. Hear his remarks on some portion of Scripture, which has been the subject of his meditation. You are struck with pleasing surprize at the judgment and information the young man discovers. His ideas seem more clear, his observations more deep, his judgment more correct, his reasoning more conclusive, than you could have expected from one whose mind never received the culture of early education. Could you listen to him when in the social meeting for prayer, or in the retirement of the cottage, he pours forth his heart before the throne of grace, you would be still more surprized to find by what fluency, copiousness, and fervour, his supplications are characterized!

Now converse with the companion of his childhood and youth, with his brother, brought up under the same circum

stances with himself, and with whom, a few years ago, he was perfectly on a level. What a disparity you now observe! This man seems in understanding a mere child, when compared with the enlightened Christian with whom you have been conversing. To what can we trace the striking superiority of the one over the other? The entrance of the divine word has given light it has given understanding to the simple.' The Spirit of God has opened his eyes, and turned him from darkness to light, and From the power of Satan unto God.' While this must unquestionably be regarded as the efficient cause, it may not perhaps be impossible to describe, in some measure, the nature of that process of mental improvement which appears to have taken place. It is then particularly worthy of remark, That the powers of the mind have been more fully called forth into exercise. It is by suitable exercise chiefly, that the mental faculties are improved; and on this well-known principle proceed the various modes of education. Now the man who, in early life, never enjoyed any of the advantages of education, but whose time, and thoughts, and labour, have been exclusively directed to the supply of his bodily wants, has had nothing to call forth into vigorous exercise the powers of his mind. They may be naturally strong, but no demand is made for their service. The mind seems feeble, inert, and vacant, for want of some more powerful stimulus to excite its activity. Now, when a man's mind becomes enlightened by the entrance of the divine word,' its attention is roused, its dormant powers are awakened; exercise is given for the faculties of apprehension, of discrimination, of reasoning, of memory; the affections are interested and moved, and they excite the mind to frequent reflection and meditation on the truths of Scripture. This remark introduces a second observation, which may have a tendency to account for the interesting fact: it is, that

The attention is directed to subjects which, of all that can occupy the human mind, are most calculated to expand and strengthen its powers. Mental improvement may be supposed to bear some proportion to the importance and grandeur of the subjects which occupy the mind. The man whose chief attention is directed to trivial subjects, may be expected to betray indications of a weak and feeble mind. On the other hand, the frequent and due consideration of subjects sublime and elevated, will tend to enlarge the capacity of the mind, and to invigorate its powers of exertion. But what subjects can be compared, in point of grandeur and importance, with those which occupy the most prominent place in the system of revealed truth? The disemple of Jesus is accustomed to think much, and with unspeakable interest and delight, on the perfections of the great Jehovah, on the mystery of godliness, on the immortality of the soul, on the momentous decisions of the day of judgment, and the final states of the righteous and the wicked. Surely, the

mind which, under divine illumination, is habituated to the consideration of such subjects, must be continually advancing in intellectual improvement.

To the ideas already suggested, others might, without difficulty, be added. It might be observed that, by the purity of the principles which the Christian imbibes, and the efficacy of the motives by which he is influenced, he is led to a conscientious improvement of his time, to a due regulation of his hours of leisure, and to a careful avoidance of those amusements, indulgences, and habits, which would have a tendency to impair the vigour of his mind.

It might also be observed, That the association enjoyed by Christians of the lower classes of society with their brethren of superior station, has a salutary influence in promoting the enlargement of their minds, and the extent of their knowledge. These, and, probably, other considerations might be adduced, to account for the obvious and interesting fact, That the entrance of the divine word giveth light, and tends greatly to elevate the intellectual character.

H.F. B.

DAME CROSS.

A Correspondent of the late Rev. Mr. Newton having requested of him as Account of a poor Pious Woman, whom he had formerly known, he gave him the following simple and affecting Narrative * : —

I BELIEVE you refer to an old woman who lived upon Wavertree Green, near Liverpool, and was known by the name of Dame Cross. Though very poor when I knew her, and, I believe, through her whole life, she was above the level of the common poor. She was a person of natural good sense and reflection, and had an agreeable address. Hers was a dignified and respectable poverty.

Under the first impression of serious thoughts, she set out upon the laudable plan of aiming to please God; but she soon found that she could not even please herself. This startled her. She considered, I am certainly sufficiently partial in my own favour; and if I cannot please myself, how can I expect to please the holy and heart-searching God, who sees me as I really am, and doubtless notices much more evil in me than I am able to perceive? This reflection threw her into great distress; bu Mr. Hervey's Theron and Aspasio' came in her way, which afforded her a key to the Bible. She well knew the great and leading truths of the gospel; but I believe she never once heard the gospel in her life, except what she might hear from me in

See Letter 8th of Correspondence of the late Rev. J. Newton, with g Dissenting Minister,' lately published.