Righteously and Godly in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and glorious appearing of the Great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify us unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

Hugo Grotius, one of the greatest men of these latter ages, who was praised by the statesman and the ecclesiastic alike, whose works on law and on religion are read throughout Europe, winds up his life in this remarkable saying: I would give all my Learning and Honour for the plain integrity of John Urick, who was a religious poor man, that spent eight hours of his time in religious exercises, eight in labour, and but eight in meals and sleep. And to one that admired his great industry, he returned this by way of complaint: Ah! I have consumed my life in laboriously doing nothing. And to another, that inquired of his wisdom and learning what course to take, he solemnly answered, Be serious. Such was the sense he had how much a serious life excelled all others. It is not enough to spend one's life in reading and writing on religious subjects, unless we religiously do all with a desire to please God, and do good to

men.

Salmasius, that famous French Scholar, after writing many learned volumes, by which he acquired great yeneration among men of books, confessed that he had mistaken the true learning, and that in which solid happiness consists. Oh! he exclaimed against himself; I have lost a world of time; Time, that most precious thing in the world! Had I but one year more, it should be spent in David's Psalms and Paul's Epistles. Oh, Sirs, (said he to those about him) mind the world less, and God more: the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil, that is understanding.

Francis Bacon, Lord High Chancellor of England, some time before his death confessed: That if the opinion of another world were false, yet the sweetest

life in this world is piety, virtue and honesty; but if it be true, there are none so wretched and miserable, as loose, carnal and profane persons.

Henry Wotton, Knight, thought it The greatest happiness in this life, to be at leisure to be, and to do good.

Sir Christopher Hatton, a little before his death, advised his relations To be serious in the search after the will of God in the Holy word. It is, said he, deservedly accounted a piece of excellent knowledge, to understand the law of the land, and the customs of a man's country; how much more to know the statutes of heaven, and the laws of eternity; those immutable and eternal laws of Justice and Righteousness! To know the will and pleasure of the great Monarch and Universal King of the World, I have seen an end of all perfection; but thy commandment is exceeding broad. Whatever other knowledge a man may be endued withal, if he do not know the will of God, and spend his life in doing well, he doth but sapienter descendere in infernum, with a great deal of wisdom go down to Hell.

Solomon. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter; Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, and every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. See W. Penn's no cross no crown.

Published by I. Davis, 22, Grosvenor-street, Stalybridge; Banks and Co., Exchange-street; Heywood, Oldham-street, Manchester; J. Livesey, 28, Church-street, Preston; R. Groombridge, 6, Payner Alley, Paternoster-Row, London; and may be had of all Booksellers,

No. 3. will be published on Saturday next, January 13th, 1838.

I. DAVIS, PRINTER, STALYBRIDGE,

No reforms can make a nation happy, without a reform in the character of the people; and no measures can hinder a nation from obtaining happiness, if the people will thoroughly reform their own ways. The happiness of a people will always be in proportion to their wisdom and virtue. An ignorant and wicked nation will always be miserable, and a wise and righteous nation will always rise to happiness and glory. "Righteousness exalteth a nation," said the wise man, "but sin is a reproach to any people." The history of all the nations of the earth, so far as we are acquainted with it, proves the truth of this proverb; and so does the state of the nations of the earth at the present time. In both sacred and profane history we see virtue and prosperity go hand in hand to greatness and renown; and vice and wretchedness go down the way of infamy together to destruction. In sacred history the connexion of a nation's destiny with the character of its people is made especially evident. There we are taught that "the Most High ruleth in the kingdoms of men," and ordereth their affairs according to his pleasure. "The

righteous Lord loveth righteousness," and to righteous nations we behold him dispensing blessings with a liberal hand; but he hateth wickedness, and we see him chastising and destroying the nations that trample on his laws. The scriptures both furnish information respecting the origin of nations, and a key to their history. They explain the causes of their prosperity and decline; of their perpetuation and destruction. The old world was swept away on account of its profligacy, and the prevalence of violence and wrong. The only family that was spared was spared, on account of the righteousness of its Father, and the first disorders that crept into the new world, entered by the way of sin. Sodom and Gomorrah perished through the wickedness of their inhabitants. They gave themselves to idleness and sensual pleasures; they rioted in excess, and strengthened not the hands of the needy; they proceeded from intemperance and cruelty to every shameful and unnatural lust, and when the last of the inhabitants had caught the infection and yielded to the degeneracy of the multitude, the Governor of the world destroyed them with a shower of fire and brimstone out of heaven. The plagues which afflicted the King of Egypt, wasted his land, and destroyed the first-born of his people, and the chief of all their strength, were called down from Heaven by their sins, in oppressing and afflicting the children of Israel. The nations of Canaan were devoted to destruction on account of their sins. They were spared so long as their character retained in it any remains of virtue, but when their iniquity was full, immediately the scourge of Heaven chased them away from the earth. The history of the Jews is one long lesson on the way to national wealth and happiness. Here it is made plain as the light of heaven, that all attempts at greatness and prosperity, without obedience to the laws of God, are vain and presumptuous, and must end only in shame and confusion; and that no power on earth can hinder a nation from rising to greatness, and glory and happiness, when the people obey the righteous and holy laws of God. The writings of

Moses form the best political treatise in the universe. They inculcate the true principles of political science, and make plain the only way to universal happiness. The large and laboured systems of political economy and general welfare, which have been laid before the public by Infidel Statesmen and half-enlightened Christians, are mountains of folly, compared with the simple and lovely system of the politician of Heaven. We have here no foolish and impossible theories of the state of nature, the origin of society and the fountain of power. God is introduced as the Father of men, and men are taught that they are brethren. To love God is the first law, and to love each other is the second. To lead the people "to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with their God" is the end of every institution. The laws of righteousness, purity, of godliness and charity are recommended to the study of every subject; and every Father is commanded to teach these laws diligently to his offspring. Righteousness and truth, kindness and piety are the foundations on which Moses proposes to build an Empire wide as the world, and fasting as the ages of Eternity. And as far as the principles which he inculcated were adopted and respected by his people, so far the glorious scheme in which God employed him was successful. The people prospered while they obeyed the law of the Lord, The earth did yield its increase and the trees of the field their fruit; they did eat their bread to the full, and dwelt in their land safely. They were kept from the ravages of evil beasts, and from the more frightful ravages of wicked men. They rose to honour, and the nations around them paid them homage. Freedom and peace and plenty were in all their habitations; the rumour of war was silent, and the fear of danger was far away. They were the first among the nations, and the happiest people upon earth. But when they slackened in their regard for the laws of God, their affairs declined, and their greatness and prosperity faded away. Dissensions prevailed among themselves, and war assailed them from without. Want and disease afflicted them, and oppres