My

that sorrow which would be profitable. motto is, Behold, I am vile.' I feel the weight of every syllable: the perfections of God; the depravity of man, and the love and merit of Christ; are to me the whole of religion: and in regarding the one, I would not forget the other. Hence, I find occasion for greatest self-debasement and humility, amid all the joyful lustre of the Sun of Righteousness. Precious Saviour! exclaimed the dying Hervey. Every serious reflection bids me repeat the words in the Days of Health. Perhaps I ought to give you an account of the moral aspect of this place. All that I can say, is, oПoλλo xanol, yet Jesus has a few, a 'little' holy flock,' made up of almost solitary individuals. If we know each other on the sacred fields, and unworthy I shall possess these, I will shew you a few from this place, who heard me speak the words of eternal life. Here, blessed be God, a few can weep and pray, amid the derision and contempt of the world. This, perhaps, is the most pleasing, as it is the best intelligence I can send you. A few scanty springs and branching palms, refresh the pilgrim's eye in the sandy desert. A few trees that the Lord hath planted, make a beautiful appearance in this wild waste: but, how painful to see the many brambles and thorns that are fit for nothing but the fire! Are we not enveloped by mystery and darkness? What counsels !

What deeps! I turn away from the view. The history of great I is always prolix, though what will interest ourselves, will, we fondly imagine, interest others. Between real friends it may however be admitted. On other occasions let the magnanimous gentleman keep out of sight as much as possible. Surely he deforms some of

B

the pious pages of Doddridge. This letter comes into your hand, merely on the score of friendship, and to enquire after your welfare, and that of your family. Let me indulge the hope that it will find you settled, with all the permanence that this world affords. I love to read the living world, though I am a very dull scholar: it gives instruction more valuable than books supply: but, truly, I find, among all descriptions, some pages that I cannot decypher. But I have no room now to philosophize. Changes are troublesome and painful; but they are important and advantageous, I need not call your attention to the alarming aspect of the political horizon. We are soldiers in another war. Let us be glad thereof. He that is found watchful, is prepared, we trust, for events the most calamitous; and may, therefore, attentive to the best concerns, maintain a holy indifference for the rest; contented to advance. 'The Lord reigneth.' I shall rejoice to hear from you as soon as you can find a leisure moment. Let me wish you happy years in an unhappy world. May the Holy One of Israel watch over you for good, and abundantly prosper your awful labours! I am Yours,

31. Haran. This place, in after ages was rendered famous for the great battle there

fought between the Romans and the Parthians. (Vid. Plutarch. in Crasso. Appian. in Parthicis.) The Turks now call it Harran. (Vid. Golii Notas in Alfragan. p. 249, 250.) And it was, in late ages, famous for being the prime seat of the Sabians, a noted sect in the east, whence those of this sect were called Harranites. PRID. Connect. Pt. 1. B. 8. p. 529.

CHAP. XII.

6. The Canaanite was then in the land. This is not likely to have been written till after the time of Moses, when the Canaanites being extirpated by Joshua, they were no more in the land. Therefore, it seems to have been added by Ezra, in his edition of the Scriptures, wherein he was assisted by the same Spirit, by which they were at first wrote. The same may be said of Genesis, 22, 14. and of the last chapter of Deuteronomy, which gives an account of the death of Moses, and succession of Joshua. PRID. Connect. Pt. 1. B. 5. p. 343. Others suppose this passage might be written by Moses, to encourage the Israelites, and to excite them to follow the example of their father Abraham, who worshipped the true God publicly, amongst that people which they were now to drive out: and to shew them that God who had protected Abraham among the Canaanites, would assist them against them. JENKIN'S Reasonab. of Christianity, Pt. 1. chap. 4. p. 155. Moses might write thus, without meaning to insinuate, that the Canaanites were then extirpated, but only to signify how long they had been possessors of that land, even in the time of Abraham, and to make the common, ignorant people know, that their father Abraham was but a stranger in it.

But if we suppose this passage to contain an implication that the Canaanites

were then extirpated, it is in part true; for they were actually driven out of the kingdoms of Sihon and Og, which lay on the east side of Jordan, before the death of Moses, and shortly after were to be turned out of those which lay on the west side thereof. LORIMER'S Exam. of P. Simon's Crit. Hist.

HELPS FROM FELLOW LABOURERS. No. IX..

The Listener.-No. 1.

From the Assistant of Education. Ey Caroline Fry. The office of Listener is not one of very honourable note, especially when determined to tell what he hears: but to deprecate the wrath of my readers against so treacherous an intermeddler with their studies and their sports, I entreat them to consider that good may be wrought of that with which we usually work evil. If I have the misfortune to have no business of my own. and a particular talent for observing other people's-if my sight is so keen, and my hearing so acute, as to perceive what is passing where I am not present, to see through the roof and to hear through the walls-what can I do but endeavour to make the best use of so dangerous an endowment, and employ it for the benefit of others? I whisper no idle tale in gossips' ears-I write no satires upon innocent mistakes-no dry lectures upon wellknown evils; but I bear about with me, as it were, a reflecting glass, which I present to the actors in the scenes before me, that seeing in it what is, they may haply discover what better might be. I may sometimes listen, and sometimes dream, and

sometimes be forced to perform my task, without the benefit of either; but however it be, I hope my young friends will accept my monthly communication, without being too curious as to how I came by my information, granting me always the privilege of hearing and over-hearing whatever I think proper.

It was one of those still Autumn nights, when the silence of nature bears rather the character of death than of repose-when the ear, listening in vain for so much as the falling of a withered leaf, a momentary sensation steals upon the mind that we only are remaining in existence, while all is extinct beside. There was not so much as ripple to break the moonbeam that was sleeping on the water, a still, pale streak of unvarying brightness. A few dark sails hung motionless upon the surface, soliciting the breeze in vain; but most, in despair of further progress, bad dropped the anchor and betaken themselves to the hold, whence a gleam of light now and then glanced upon the water to give the only token of existence. The moon hung in solitary splendour midway in the heavens, and the outline of every object was as distinctly traced as in the full light of day; seeming to gain magnitude and sublimity by the loss of its varied colouring. The cliff appeared to have grown to immeasurable height, the woods to impenetrable thickness. There was not in all the heavens a cloud, nor on all the earth a vapour. Thoughts of lightness and folly can find no welcome in the mind at such an hour as this. That Being, with whom we seem to be left alone in the universe, becomes more sensibly the guardian of our path. When removed from all other observation, we grow more conscious of his presence; and the sensation is powerful, though mistaken,