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Lending Institution.

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find happiness and comfort whilst we examine our selves. Let those who have never accustomed themselves to examine their own hearts, begin] before it is too late the longer this duty is deferred, the more difficult it will become; and how dreadful it will be, if a death-bed examination should be the first! Let not those who humbly perform this duty, be discouraged, when they discover thereby the power of sin, which reigns within them. It is for the purpose of finding out this that the search is made. To those who truly repent of their sins, and have a hearty desire to forsake them, the promise of pardon through Christ is fully proclaimed in the Gospel; and to help their future endeavours, God will hear their prayers, and will bless their labours, and give them the aid of his Holy Spirit, -for Jesus Christ hath said "Ask and ye shall have; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you."

CLERICUS.

the

LENDING INSTITUTION.

"JOHN WESLEY, to discourage pawning, and aid his poorer disciples, established an institution, termed Lending Stock,' from which, on security offered, from two to five pounds might be obtained for a period of three months-Lackington, the celebrated Bookseller, and others who rose to great eminence in the commercial world, commenced their mercantile career by loans derived from this fund."

Northampton Mercury, August 4, 1827.

The Correspondent who sent the above extract, asks whether it would be impracticable to profit by this hint. We happen to know that it is not im

practicable, for there is a lending society at Chelsea in full operation, which has been productive of very great good. Borrowing however, generally speaking, is a bad plan; there are however cases, where a timely loan may be of essential service.

EXTRACT FROM A LETTER FROM A CLERGYMAN, WRITTEN IN THE YEAR

1779.

DEAR SIR,

YOUR Letter of the 22nd July, came duly to hand, but waited a long time for an answer.-I have been much (yet not too much) afflicted with my old disorder, a nervous fever-we have been housekeepers every summer for forty years; and this fever friend has kept me this summer twelve weeks at home, and forbids me all literary correspondence. As winter comes on, I begin to revive, and, when the swallow marches off, I begin to march out.-'Tis well we are not in our own keeping, or at our own curing, since we know so little what is good for us. I do not love the fever, yet he is the best earthly friend I have.-No lasting gain do I get but in a furnace— comforts of every kind in the issue make me either light or lofty, or swell me, though imperceptibly with self sufficiency-indeed so much dross is in me, that I have need of a furnace-and Jesus Christ has selected a suitable furnace for me, not an hot and hasty one, which seems likely to harden and consume me, but one with a gentle and lingering heat, which melts my heart gradually, and lets out some of its dross. Though I cannot love a furnace, yet the longer I live, the more I see of its need, and its use. A believer seldom walks steadily and ornamently unless

Scriptural Consolations.

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well furnaced-without this, his zeal is often scalding hot; his boldness attended with rashness; and his confidence at times more the result of animal spirits, than the fruit of the Spirit; but a furnace consumes these excrescenses, and will make a Christian humble, watchful, and mellow, very censorious of himself, and full of compassion to others.

Your affectionate brother, J. B.

SCRIPTURAL CONSOLATIONS.

THE Holy Scriptures abound with instructions, to teach us our duty: but there are other parts which may be more particularly taken for consolation in our time of need. It is of great use to have these ready, that we may apply them as our wants require. The following texts contain a few of those consolations, which in time of trouble we may all find it useful to recur to, and which I am able to say did, within my own experience, prove a great comfort to one in deep affliction.

Deut. xxxi. 6, 7.-Be strong and of a good courage, fear not nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee nor forsake thee. And the Lord he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not forsake thee; fear not, neither be dismayed.

Psalm lv. 22.-Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.

Psalm xxvii. 14.-Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

Isa. xl. 31.-They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not be faint,

Isa. xliii. 2.-When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the holy One of Israel, thy Saviour. Isa. xxvi. 3.-Thou shalt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed upon thee.

Isa. liv. 8.-In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.

Jer. xvii. 7.-Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.

Matt. xi. 28.-Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give thee rest.

1 Cor. x. 13.-There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye be able to bear.

2 Cor. xii. 9.-And he said unto me, My Grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

2 Thess. iii. 3.-But the Lord is faithful; who shall stablish you and keep you from evil.

L. E. C.

MAXIMS,

EXTRACTED FROM VARIOUS AUTHORS.

DESPISE not labour. If you do not want it for food you may for physic: it strengthens both body and mind, and prevents the ill consequence of idle

ness.

Pride hides a man's faults from himself, and makes them appear greater to others.

No conversation is so agreeable as that of the

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man of integrity, who hears without any intention to betray, and speaks without any intention to deceive.

Truth is always consistent with itself, and needs nothing to help it out. It is always near at hand, and sits upon our lips, and is ready to drop out before we are aware. Whereas a lie is troublesome, and sets a man's invention on the rack; and one trick needs a great many more of the same kind to make it good.

Be very careful in your promises, and just in your performances, and remember, that it is better to do and not promise, than to promise and not perform.

Never do any thing even for friends, that is against honour and conscience: you ought always to prefer these to your friends.

As God whom we all adore, is a God of peace and concord, there ought to be a sacred harmony between all that profess and believe in the same Saviour.

How much time and ease that man gains who is not troubled with a spirit of curiosity, who lets his neighbour's thoughts and behaviour alone, looks into himself only, and takes care of the points of honesty and conscience.

It often happens, that those are most desirous of governing others, who are least able to govern themselves.

The surest way to procure happiness, must be to let as little time as possible pass away unobserved and unimproved.

Wherever much gratitude is found in a poor man, we may take it for granted there would be as much generosity if he were a rich man.

When you see the anger of a friend begin to kindle, if you would do good, throw water upon it to cool, not wood to inflame it.

If people took as much pains to be good, as they

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