not, however, relish this employ and the confinement to which it subjected him. He had also contracted a taste for reading, and wished to devote himself to literary improvement. To reconcile him to a mercantile life, his father presented him with a considerable number of silver watches just imported from England, which he designed as a little trading stock. By having the property of these watches, and by the prospect of increasing that property on the sale of them, the spirit of trading took hold of him; and he entered into business with ardour and satisfaction. But not long after the commencement of his trading engagements, and when he was about the age of fourteen, an incident occurred which threatened the most serious consequences. His father, with parental prudence, had given him general directions not to leave the house, in an evening, without previously obtaining his approbation. That permission was generally procured; but a particular instance occurred, in which, on account of his absence, Lindley could not apply to him, to allow him to accept an invitation by an uncle to spend the evening with him; and trusting to this circumstance, and to the respectability of his company, he ventured to break the letter, though, he thought, not the spirit, of the injunction which had been laid upon him. The next morning his father severely remonstrated with him for his disobedience; and nothing that he could offer was considered as an extenuation of his having broken a plain and positive command. He therefore received a very severe chastisement; and was threatened with a repetition of it, for every similar offence. He felt so indignant at this treatment, under circumstances which, he conceived, admitted of much alleviation, that he resolved to leave his father's house, and seek, in a distant country, what he conceived to be an asylum, or a better fortune. He

presumed that, with health and strength, which he possessed in a high degree, he could support himself, and make his way happily through life. He meditated on his plan; and came to the resolution of taking his books and all his little property with him to Burlington, a town in the interior of the country; where he had understood there was an excellent seminary, kept by a man of distinguished talents and learning. Here he purposed to remain, till he had learned the French language, and acquired as much other improvement as his funds would admit. With this stock of knowledge, he presumed he should set out in life under greater advantages than he should possess by entering immediately into business with his small portion of property and great inexperience. In a short time he arrived at the place of his destination, and commenced his studies. The prospect which he entertained was so cheering, that, on the whole, he did not regret the part he had acted. But his continuance in this

delightful situation," so he calls it, was not of long duration. Having occasion to go to Philadelphia, he met a gentleman who had some time before dined at his father's house, and who was not aware of his having left his father's roof. He begged young Murray to deliver a letter for him with his own hand, in New York, to the person for whom it was directed. Unwilling to state to him his situation, the youth engaged to take care of the letter. At first he thought of putting it into the post-office, or of hiring a person to deliver it; but the confidence which had been reposed in him, and his tacit engagement to deliver it personally, operated so powerfully on his mind that, after he had rode a few miles, he most honourably determined, atwhatever risk and expense, to hire a carriage and to go to New York as speedily as possible, to deliver the letter, and to return immediately. This he did with as much precaution as he could

devise; but being obliged to remain in New York that night, as the packet-boat, in which he had crossed the bay, could not sail till the next morning, he was noticed by some person who knew him; and, in the evening, to his great surprise, his uncle paid him a visit. He treated him affectionately, and at length told him that his mother was greatly distressed on account of his absence; and that he would be unkind and undutiful, if he did not see her. He resolved, therefore, to spend a short time with her, and then return to his lodgings. The meeting was deeply affecting to him. After he had been some time in the house, his father unexpectedly came in; and his embarrassment may easily be conceived. It was, however, instantly removed, by his approaching him in a most affectionate manner, and expressing great satisfaction on seeing him again. Every degree of resentment was immediately dissipated; the evening was spent together in love and harmony; and young Murray abandoned, without a moment's hesitation, the idea of leaving a house and family which were now dearer to him than ever. The next day, a person was sent to the place of his retreat, to settle all accounts, and to bring back his property. He was taken into still greater favour than formerly, and was never reproached by his parents for the trouble and anxiety which he had brought upon them. His father probably perceived that he felt sufficiently on the occasion; and was, perhaps, conscious, that the discipline he had exerted was not altogether justifiable. "When I reflect," says Mr. Murray, "on this rash and imprudent adventure, on the miseries in which it might have involved me, and on the singular manner in which I was restored to the bosom of my family, I cannot avoid seeing the hand of Divine Providence in my preservation, and feeling that I ought to be humbly and deeply

thankful for the gracious interposition."

A short time after he had returned home, he solicited the privilege of having a tutor, to instruct him in classical knowledge and liberal studies: with which request, his father complied. Our youth pursued this new career with great alacrity, sitting up late, and rising early, in the prosecution of his studies. This close attention and confinement did not, however, agree with his constitution; so that he found it necessary to abate the ardency of his pursuit, and to intermix bodily exercise with his studies. His attainments under this tutor, were very limited; but they served to improve his taste, and to increase his desire for learning and knowledge.

He

Lindley Murray was a youth of great vivacity, and, by his imprudence and love of pleasure, was led into many follies and transgressions; but he always venerated the character of those whom he deemed to be truly religious: and such was his opinion of their attainments and happiness, that he probably conceived them to be more exempt from trouble, and more raised above the anxieties of life, than they usually are. listened, with reverence and affection, to their admonitions, which made a good impression on his mind; and sometimes produced regret at perceiving how distant he was from that felicity which he believed religious persons possessed. His principles were never disturbed by infidelity or scepticism. Some of his acquaintance were either Deists or sceptics: but he always found replies to their reasonings, which perfectly satisfied his own mind. This he attributed, under Divine Providence, to his having occasionally looked into, early in life, Leland's View of the Deistical Writers; Butler's Analogy of Religion, Natural and Revealed, to the Constitution and Course of Nature; Sherlock on Providence; and Sher

The conduct of God towards the people of Israel and Judah, furnishes the most important admonitions to rulers and subjects of every age and nation; and happy would it be for mankind if all states and public communities would ever follow the pious example exhibited to us in our text. But nations are composed of individuals; and it is as individuals that we shall at the last day be judged for our actions. It will not profit us that we are inhabitants of a highly favoured land, or members of a pure national church, if our religion penetrate not beyond the outward form and profession of Christianity. We must, each for ourselves, make a covenant with God; and this not only by the visible sacrament of baptism, or the outward rite of confirmation, but by an inward and solemn dedication of our hearts and lives to his service. The nature and happy consequences of such a dedication are strikingly illustrated in the text, in which several circumstances deserve our consideration; namely, first, the "oath" or covenant which the people entered into; -secondly, the disposition of mind with which they ratified it; "with all their heart, and with their whole desire;"-thirdly, the happiness they felt on the occasion; "all Judah rejoiced at the oath;"-and fourthly, the blessings which followed upon it; "the Lord was found of them, and gave them rest round about."

First, We are informed of an oath or covenant entered into by the people, which was, that they would seek the Lord with all their hearts and with all their souls, and would put into execution the national laws given them by Jehovah against idolatry, by putting the offender to death. This latter pledge had reference to the peculiar circumstances of the Jewish nation; and, like various similar passages in the Old Testament, does not apply to the duties of any other community. But though no nation or individual would now be justified in unsheathing the sword to put down even CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 299.

idolatry itself, or to punish persons for their opinions, except so far as they bring with them civil injury to society, yet both rulers and private persons are bound to make the revealed law of God the guide of all their actions; and each individual is required for himself " to seek the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul."

In the expression, "seeking the Lord," is comprised in Scripture the whole of religion. The great crime of all mankind is, that they have forsaken God; that they have put far from them the knowledge of him; that they do not love him, or serve him; that they consult their own evil inclinations to the neglect of his laws, and find their happiness in any thing rather than the approbation of their Creator. To have sought God is to have been brought back from this state of disunion and rebellion to a state of repentance, pardon, reconciliation, and willing submission to his will. The Scriptures are especially given us to shew in what manner we must seek God and the blessings which we need at his hands. As wilful and impenitent offenders against him, we had cut ourselves off from all peaceful communion with him. When the gates of Paradise closed upon our first parents, in consequence of the introduction of sin into the world, men no longer beheld in their Creator a friend; but felt, and justly, that his displeasure was excited against them, nor was there any longer, by nature, any way of access to the throne of his justly offended Majesty. But the word of God has pointed out to us a source of pardon, and a way of intercourse through a Mediator; by virtue of whose merits and obedience, as a sacrifice for human transgression, we may return to Him, and find favour at his hands notwithstanding all our past offences. Thus seeking him, he is pleased to make with us a covenant; the stipulation of which is, that he will be our God, and we shall be his people. Our part then 40

of this covenant is, that, by his grace enabling us, we will " present our bodies and souls to him as a living sacrifice;" that we will view ourselves no longer as our own, but as purchased by the blood of Christ, to become for ever his willing and faithful servants, renouncing what ever is contrary to his laws, and making his will and his glory the supreme object of all our desires and actions. We engage so to seek him, that we may know what he re quires of us; and may view it as our highest privilege to fulfil what he commands. We seek from him the forgiveness of our sins for the sake of his ever blessed Son; we seek from him the renewal of our hearts, that we may delight in the law of his commandments; and we seek from him grace and strength to live to his glory.

Secondly. But what, it may be asked, is the disposition of mind with which we are to enter into this covenant with God? Is it enough that we profess to do so, as too many do, either in baptism or a subsequent profession of Christianity, in words only, calling ourselves Christians, while destitute of real love for any thing that Christianity inculcates? The example of the people of Judah in our text will teach us a more scriptural lesson. They entered into covenant with God, not with cold formality, but "with all their heart:" "they sought him with their whole desire." They evidenced in various ways, the truth and the ardour of their devout resolutions. They were not like those described by our Lord who are ashamed of him and of his Gospel, and dare not confess him before men; for they ratified their covenant with God openly, and "with a loud voice;" thus shewing us, that while we should shun all ostentation in religion, we should not shrink from a decided avowal of Christian principles, wherever circumstances may call for it; but more especially that we should habitually make that strongest and

best avowal which appears in a life of humble devotedness to the service of God. Nor again were they like those who would make a public display of professedly religious principles, but without any sincerity or real desire to serve God. Their hearts as well as their lips were engaged in his service; and they proved that they meant what they professed by making costly offerings at his altar. But how few persons in the present day are willing to make any sacrifice for Christ! We are not indeed called upon to present such oblations as those which were commanded in the Jewish church: the blood of bulls and of goats is no longer to be shed, even as a typical expiation for sin; nor can we trust to any sacrifice, but that which was offered upon Mount Calvary by the Son of God himself, who there became the victim for human transgression: we cannot even present our best virtues, all of which partake of im perfection and sin, as an atonement for our offences; we must renounce all claim of merit or purchase: yet we also have a sacrifice to offer; we also have tokens to present of the sincerity of our profession: our Creator demands of us the dedica→ tion of our hearts to his service; that we should make a surrender of our sinful dispositions, our unlawful pursuits, our unchristian tempers; and present to him that living sacrifice already mentioned, of our bodies and souls, in the "reasonable service" of a willing obedience to his laws. We are to offer to him the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, and to regulate all our actions by his known will. Our worldly substance also, our time, our talents, our opportunities of doing good, we are to view as his gifts, which we are not to employ according to our own caprice or inclination, but for his glory and the benefit of our own souls, and the good of our fellowcreatures; and for the employment of which we must give a strict account at his tribunal. Nor is this