ple admiring a preacher, and being edified by his

sermons.

TEST OF A GOOD PREACHER.

We count him a good physician whose patients we see cured. If the people are cured of their intemperance, lying, &c., his works will speak for him.

"Neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase." -1 Cor. iii. 7.

We must depend on God for success, not take that to ourselves which belongs to God alone.

It is God who gives his ministers, such as are humble, power over the hearts and souls of men; when distrusting themselves, they ascribe all the glory to God.

We take the work out of the hands of God, when we are pleased with what we have done, and rob Him of the honour due to Him alone.

There have been many, who, without any great learning or eloquence, yet by their communication in a humble and low way, have instructed and converted more than famous preachers; for that they preached not themselves, but Christ Jesus, placing all their confidence in God.

THE BLESSING OF LEVI.

Bless, Lord, his substance, and accept the work

8*

of his hands. Smite through the loins of them that rise up against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again."-Deut. xxxiii. 11.

This is a prophetical declaration of the dreadful punishment of such as shall oppose the priesthood.

SATURDAY MEDITATIONS.

ALMS.

Question from the Office of Ordination.-Will you show yourself gentle, and be merciful for Christ's sake to poor and needy people, and to all strangers destitute of help?

Answer.-I will so show myself, by God's help.

UPON one of the days of the week, (zarà plav Σαββάτων,) let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him.*

"Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in the way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, then shall the Lord be my God; and of all that Thou shalt give me, I will surely give the tenth unto Thee.". Genesis xxviii. 20.

"But rather give alms of such things as you have, (or as you are able,) and all things are clean unto you."-Luke xi. 41. That is, proportion your alms to your estate, lest God proportion your estate to your alms.t

"Sell that ye have, and give alms: provide yourBishop Beveridge.

* 1 Corinthians xvi. 2.

selves bags which wax not old; a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."—Luke xii. 33.

This is still a necessary Christian duty, whatever men think of it; to part with our worldly enjoyments for the sake of Christ.

To sell all; that is, to renounce all the pleasures, and pomp, and enjoyment, which wealth affords, as if we had actually parted with it; to take to a man's self no more of his estate than necessity requires ; and to make the remainder the support of the poor and distressed-It being utterly impossible to take delight in the enjoyments of riches, and to love God with all the soul.

If God is our only happiness, we shall of course be dead, crucified, to the world.

Give to the poor, said our Lord to the rich young man whom He loved. Had there been a better way of disposing of his estate, He would certainly have told him.

"Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them. Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth. Thy Father, which seeth in secret, Himself shall reward thee openly."-Matthew vi. 1, 2.

By vanity we lose both our riches and our reward. It is vanity to boast of our alms, and it is vanity to take pleasure in reflecting upon them. It is sufficient that God will remember them.

"It is better to give alms than to lay up gold."— Tobit xii. 8.

"If there shall be a poor man within any of thy gates, thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thy hand from thy poor brother; but thou shalt open thy hand wide unto him, and shalt freely lend him sufficient for his need. Thy heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him, because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works."-Deuteronomy xv. 8.

"Blessed be the man that provideth for the sick and needy; the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble."-Psalm xli. 1.

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."."-Matthew v. 7.

"Bow down thine ear to the poor, and give him a friendly answer with meekness; be as a father unto the fatherless, and as a husband to the widow; so shalt thou be as the son of the Most High, and He shall love thee more than thy mother doth."-Ecclesiasticus iv. 8.

ment.

'Lay up thy treasure according to the commandIt shall bring thee more profit than gold, it shall deliver thee from all afflictions, it shall fight for thee against thine enemies," &c.-Ecclesiasticus xxix. 11,

"If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul, then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon-day. And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones;