continued the same in 1831 that it was found to be in 1821, is not quite a quarter per cent. beyond the number living in 1831 who were 70 years of age and upwards. It is probable that this number of unemployed persons is somewhat understated, and that noblemen and gentlemen residing upon their estates, many of whom intrust to agents everything connected with business employment, are reckoned among the number of those engaged in agriculture; but if it be the case, it cannot very greatly alter the calculation.-Porter's Progress of the Nation. EXTRACTS FROM DIFFERENT AUTHORS. "Learn, O Christian, to make the Lord your confidence in the first place, not in the last. Begin and continue, as well as end all things in Him. Always draw near to God as you are. Never wait in hopes to be something shortly, which you are not now. Delay is dangerous. Satan will take advantage of it. The longer the heart has to cool, the colder it becomes. As a piece of iron in the hand of the workman, so is the Christian in the hand of God. Instantly, as it is removed from the fire, the chilling atmosphere around steals its heat insensibly away. It soon loses its glowing whiteness, becomes covered with darkish spots, and at last returns to its native blackness. From being susceptible of impressions, and taking the mould of every stroke, it becomes harder and harder, and the next blow will break it to pieces, or it must be thrust into the furnace again.' -Rev. J. Stevenson. "Man is not his own maker, therefore he must not be his own master; but the Author of his being must be the director of his motions, and the centre of them.”—Matthew Henry. "Blessed be God, we are yet in the land of forgiveness, of prayer, of hope; and in this favoured country we are all under a dispensation of mercy, and have the oracles and ordinances of God continued to us. We are not come to Mount Sinai to tremble or despair, but to Mount Zion, where our God reigns upon a mercy-seat, and waits to be gracious to every returning sinner. Let us, however, remember his awful words: ' See that ye refuse not him that speaketh; for if they escaped not, who refused him that spake on earth, how much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven.'"-T. Scott. "It is of pernicious consequence to admit and allow of any one sinful custom, because one will make way for many. The way of sin is down hill."-Matthew Henry. "A close and constant adherence to God's ordinances is the most effectual preservative from the infection of gross sin. The more we taste of the sweetness, and feel the power of holy ordinances, the less mind we shall have for the forbidden pleasures of sinners' abominable customs. It is the grace of God only that will secure us; and that grace is to be expected only in the use of the means of grace. Nor does God ever leave any to their own hearts' lusts, till they have first left Him and his institutions.”— The Same. "We are not likely to do God's statutes, unless we observe them with great care and consideration. It is not enough barely to observe God's precepts, but we must make conscience of obeying them. What will it avail us to be critical in our notions, if we be not conscientious in our conversation?"-The Same. "To trust in Christ's suretyship, and build all our arguments on his righteousness, is the only source of relief and comfort to the burdened heart. 'Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will refresh you.' If the wearied soul come instantly, it finds rest. If it labour on for many years, and imagine itself not yet weary enough, or heavy laden enough, to come to the Saviour, or to be accepted of Him, it must come to Him at last, for no where else can it find rest. How much better then to come at once, and as the sinner is, than to carry so long the heavy burden on his own shoulders! This is a voluntary humility' which is displeasing to God. How much more like an obedient child, to comply the instant we are enjoined, than to delay long before we submit! Under the appearance of being too afraid of self, it exhibits a degree of ignorance and selfwill, which is most dangerous and sinful."-Rev. J. Stevenson. "In the Sermon on the Mount we read how Christ exhorts his disciples to take no anxious thought for the sustenance of their life, or for the covering of their body. What is the argument He employs?-it is included in this simple question: "Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment??" Yet how much is contained in that one question! With what force does it urge us to trust all to God! He gave us the great, and will He withhold the small? He supplied life, and will He deny food? He provided the body, and will He grudge it a covering? How adapted is such a mode of reasoning to our condition! What we see, and hear, and feel to be realities in the world around us, is made the proof and argument of an invisible love and care. We are thus taught to read God's thoughts in his works. Every fowl of the air, every lily of the field, is a witness for the Creator, to confound the distrustful heart of man. The very hair on our head, and the measure of our stature, are made to proclaim, not only the futility of our anxiety, but also the minuteness and exactness of the care of God. Those witnesses, too, are daily testifying; these proofs are hourly at hand; nay, they are part of ourselves; our perishing flesh gives the lie to our doubts and fears. If all inanimate nature could speak, it would say, 'Trust the all-wise Ruler.'"-The Same. "If love be sincere, it is accepted as the fulfilling of the law. Surely we serve a good Master, that has summed up all our duty in one word, and that a short word, and a sweet word-Love, the beauty and harmony of the universe. Loving and being loved is all the pleasure, joy, and happiness of an intelligent being. God is love, and love is his image upon the soul. Where it is, the soul is well moulded, and the heart fitted for every good work."-M. Henry. "It is not so much what our works are, as what our heart is, that God looks at and will reward. Yet know also, that if our hearts are perfect and sincere, we shall endeavour, to the utmost of our power, that our works may be perfect according to the strictness of the law."Bishop Hopkins. 2 Matt. vi. 25. PEACE OF HEART. I'm blest! although in life's decline Soon will my bitterest sorrows cease; J. H., an old Essex Incumbent. THE NEAT GIRL. A TALE FOR CHILDREN. In a village near London there was a National School where there were about seventy scholars, boys and girls. This school was always well attended, for it had many advantages which cannot always be obtained in London. The wife of the clergyman of the parish generally spent some time at the school one morning in the week; she could not go there oftener, as she had a large family of young children who required her daily care. Any one who saw Mrs. Mason enter the school-room would soon perceive that she was a welcome visitor; every face seemed to brighten with pleasure at the sight of her. She generally went round to each class, and inquired of the mistress how they were going on: she did not fail to reprove, where reproof was necessary, or to bestow praise where she thought it was deserved. A word of encouragement from this kind friend was a great motive to exertion; and her blame was as much dreaded as her kind words were prized. One fine morning in April Mrs. Mason came to the school earlier than usual. After taking her accustomed round to all the classes, she said to the mistress-" Mrs. Carter, the family who have lately taken the large house in the village wish to see some of the work done at the school; if you will look out some work, I will send it up this morning by one of our neatest girls." As Mrs. Mason said this, she went towards the first class, which VOL. XXIII. P |