SELECT PASSAGES.

In a troubled water no face will be well seen; and by a troubled mind, no message of comfort received till it be settled.

In the very tears of a penitent, there is, saith St. Austin, more sound joy than all the games the theatre can afford.

ON DEATH.

"O ye that shudder at this awful strife,
This wrestling agony of death and life;
Think not that he on whom my soul is cast,
Will leave me thus forsaken to the last.
Nature's infirmity alone you see,

My chains are breaking, I shall soon be free;
Though firm in God, the Spirit holds her trust,
The flesh is frail, and trembles into dust.
Horror and anguish seize me- 'tis the hour
Of darkness, and I mourn beneath its power;
The tempter plies me with his direst art,
I feel the Serpent coiling round my heart;
He stirs the wound he once inflicted there,
Instils the deadening poison of despair;
Belies the truth of God's delaying grace,
And bids me curse my Maker to his face.
I will not curse him, though his grace delay;
I will not cease to trust him, though he slay;
Full on his promised mercy I rely,

For God hath spoken-God who cannot lie.
Thou of my Faith, the Author, and the End!
Mine early, late, and everlasting Friend!
The joy, that once thy presence gave, restore,
Ere I am summoned hence, and seen no more;
Down to the dust returns this earthly frame,
Receive my spirit, Lord! from whom it came;
Rebuke the tempter, shew thy power to save;
O! let thy glory light me to the grave;

That those who witness my departing breath,
May learn to triumph in the grasp of death."
From Montgomery's death of Adam.

The Daily Texts will in future be printed on the cover.

A. FOSTER PRINTER, KIRKBY IONSDALE.

FRIENDLY VISITOR.

No. CL.]

MARCH, 1831.

[VOL. XIII.

LETTER WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1660.

Mr. Cary was a surgeon in Dartmouth, and a non-conformist. Like many others of similar sentiments, he suffered considerable persecution, and was confined for some time in Exeter gaol. Dr. Steed, an eminent physician of the same way of thinking, was induced to give up his profession and to devote himself to the office of visiting and consoling the afflicted congregations and persons, who in these troublous times were called to suffer for conscience' sake. In these and similar works this great and good man spent the last twenty years of his life, chiefly in the West of England. Mr. Cary was his particular friend, and in the following terms did Dr. Steed endeavour to minister comfort to his suffering brother

To my dearly beloved brother Philip Cary, at his
Lodgings, Exon Gaol.

DEARLY BELOVED BROTHER,-The consideration of that condition unto which you are brought, and as yet continued even to be a prisoner for the cause and testimony of Jesus Christ, is matter, many times, of great consolation, as well as of lively compassion. It is true your present state hath somewhat a bad aspect to the eye You are drawn from the creature, but it is to the Creator-you are deprived of outward liberty, only that you may enjoy inward enlargement; you are taken from the stream, that you may converse with the fountain; and can this be a lamentation?

of reason.

Before your trial, you were in a capacity but to enjoy the ordinary food your fellow-brethren do partake of ;— but now you are in a way to have choice food, honey out of the rock, angels' bread for your daily fare. The love of God, the power of Christ, the prayers of saints are all on the wing for your present welfare, in the state you are in; and can this be counted misery? You are deprived, indeed, of constant refreshing society, not only the society of your dear relatives, but of your fellow-prisoners; but are you left alone? Are you not in a posture to have more intimate and immediate converse with your Lord

D

and King by the Spirit. Now you have time to be instant in secret cries-frequent in meditations, whereby you may be filled with joy and consolation; and can this be matter of complaint? What is it that suffers? only the flesh a little confinement; and will you be any loser by its being under the yoke? you have now the advantage to mortify those unruly lusts and passions that have warred against your souls, and disturbed your peace. Behold our King is coming like a roe or a hart over the mountains of Bether, to revive his work, to release his prisoners, to avenge himself of his adversaries. He is even at the door to decide the controversy, and to appear in his glory; and doth not this call upon all the saints to mind their high and great concernments, to be preparing to meet Him who is coming to rain down righteousness upon them? And do you not enjoy a choice season for this? Now you have time (and I hope you do improve it) to search and to try your own ways, that you may discern and throw out every unclean thing; now by pure and holy contemplation you may take a view of the glory of your King, of the dearness of his love, of the glory of his excellency, till your soul be filled with love and praise, till you be transported with admiration, and conformed to his glory; and is not this a choice privilege? You may now be in heaven all the day, no business to divert you, nothing to disturb you, saints to be your daily visitants, with whom you may take sweet counsel; and above all, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit will now come unto you and abide with you. Oh! then can a disquieting thought arise? or if it appear, shall it be entertained? not be (I hope it is) thy care to know how to walk suitably to such rich mercies, and to manage such precious opportunities to his praise? Should you be found squandering away such precious hours in vain thoughts, idle dreams, sordid sluggishness, or foolish talk, what an abomination will it be, what a provocation to the eyes of his glory! And if he should once withdraw, and leave a soul alone in prison, and permit the tempter to be the soul's companion, what a case would such a one be in. A man's own house and home, his dearest relations, his

Should it

from us.

sweetest outward enjoyments, prove but sad and doleful to him when the Lord hath hid his face. What then will a prisoner be at such a time as this, when the heavens are black over us and the earth bloody under our feet, without the Spirit to cheer and to support the soul? What care then should be taken to walk in the fear of God all the day long! to be very diligent lest he depart I hope you are by the Lord taught these things in power, so that you are abounding in the work of the Lord, growing up as a calf in the stall, so that your prison will prove but a scouring place, a refining furnace, from whence you may come forth as gold with the glory of Christ upon you. Now is the time in which you may thrive, in which you may be furnished with the choice jewels of the King's treasure-a season for you to get a rich stock of heavenly furniture. If it should be neglected, you may be delivered as to the outward man, but your soul will remain in greater bondage than ever. I hope you do not forget the Lord's precious ones whom the enemy hath appointed for the slaughter. Their time of trial and execution being in the enemy's account at hand. It is said the Lord hears the groaning of the prisoners, which seems to hint as if he had a peculiar regard to the cries of the imprisoned ones. Oh then be you much, frequent and earnest in pouring out your soul before God, that he would appear and deliver his darlings from the power of the dog, which I hope ere long shall be accomplished. I cannot enlarge, only my desire is that you may rejoice in your portion, and in that honour which the Lord hath put upon you to be a sufferer for his glorious cause, and that you may walk humbly before him, lying at his feet, whereby you may be in a capacity to enjoy him in whose presence is fulness of joy.

These few lines I have written to you desiring they may be of advantage to your soul. The Lord make you of a very serious weighty spirit, that may take in divine impressions according as they are presented, whether for direction or consolation. Finally, let me hear from you how it fares with your soul in prison. But it may be I shall be with you next week, if the Lord direct my way

unto you. The Lord keep you spotless till the day of his appearing; strengthening your soul with all might, that you may hold out without weariness and fainting.

I remain,

Your affectionate brother and fellow-waiter

for everlasting glory,

R. STEED.

INTERCESSORY PRAYER.

REV. SIR,If you think the following Exposition of Boys' on the second chapter of the first Epistle to Timothy suitable, its insertion (either in whole or part) in the "Friendly Visitor," would oblige A CONSTANT READER.

Amongst the various kinds of prayer, one kind is that, which is not addressed to the throne of grace for ourselves, but for others. This is the kind, which the apostle here refers to: directing us to pray for rulers in particular and for mankind in general.

Among rulers, he particularly specifies "kings." The duties of kings must be arduous, as their responsibility is awful. Much do they require that grace, which the prayer of faith is effectual to obtain for them. Let us pray therefore for every sovereign, and especially for our own. In praying for him, we are praying for ourselves. Let us pray that his reign may be a blessing, a spiritual blessing to the community; as well as that the choicest gifts of divine grace and mercy may rest, in large abundance, upon his own person. May he duly honour the public ordinances of religion; countenance every effort to promote the knowledge of the Gospel, and the kingdom of Christ: and discountenance immorality and vice, even in the most exalted stations. And when summoned from his throne to appear before the Judge of all, may he go prepared; and exchange his earthly crown for a crown of glory which fadeth not away.

To these ends let us heartily concur in the prayers of our liturgy; that he who is King of kings and Lord of lords, will so replenish our sovereign with the grace of his Holy Spirit, that he may always incline to his will, and walk in his way; that He who is the ruler of princes, will endue him plenteously with heavenly gifts; that He who teaches us, in his holy word, that the hearts of kings are in his rule and governance, will so dispose and govern the heart of