The Christian observer [afterw.] The Christian observer and advocate

sinfulness of particular acts of transgression, but also that your heart is the seat and fountain of sin; that in you, naturally, there is no good thing? Has a view of this led you to despair of help from yourself; to see that you must be altogether indebted to Christ for salvation, and to the gracious aid of the Holy Spirit for strength and ability rightly to perform any duty?

2. On what has your hope of acceptance with God been founded?-On your reformation? On your sorrow for your sins? On your prayers? On your tears? On your good works and religious observances?--Or has it been on Christ alone, as your all in all? Has Christ ever appeared very precious to you? Do you mourn that he does not appear more so? Have you sometimes felt great freedom to commit your soul to him? In doing this (if you have done it) has it been, not only to be delivered from the punishment due to your sins, but also from the power, pollution, dominion, and existence of sin in your soul?

3. As far as you know yourself, do you hate, and desire to be delivered from, all sin, without any exception of a favourite lust? Do you pray much to be delivered from sin? Do you watch against it, and against temptation to it? Do you strive against it, and in some good degree get the victory over it? Have you so repented of it as to have your soul really set against it?

4. Have you counted the cost of following Christ, or of being truly religious? That it will cut you off from vain amusements, from the indulgence of your lusts, and from a sinful conformity to the world? That it may expose you to ridicule and contempt, possibly to more serious persecution? In the view of all these things, are you willing to take up the cross, and to follow Christ, whithersoever he shall lead you? Is it your solemn purpose, in reliance on his grace and aid, to cleave to him, and to his cause and people, to the end of life?

5. Do you love holiness? Do you love a Holy God, and because he is holy? Do you earnestly desire to be more and more conformed to God, and to his holy law? To bear more and more the likeness of your Redeemer? Do you seek, and sometimes find, communion with your God and Saviour?

6. Are you resolved, in God's strength, to endeavour conscientiously to perform

your whole duty-to God, to your neighbour, and to yourself? Do you perform common and relative duties conscientiously, as part of the duty which you owe to God?

7. Do you make conscience of secret prayer daily? Do you not sometimes feel a backwardness to this duty? Do you at other times feel a great delight in it? Have you a set time, and place, and order of exercises, for performing this duty?

8. Do you daily read a portion of the holy Scriptures, in a devout manner? Do you love to read the Bible? Do you ever perceive a sweetness in the truths of holy Scripture? Do you find them adapted to your necessities, and see, at times, a wonderful beauty, excellence, and glory in God's word? Do you make it the man of your counsel, and endeavour to have both your heart and life conformed to its doctrines and requisitions? 9. Have you ever attempted to covenant with God? To give yourself away to him, solemnly and irrevocably, hoping for acceptance through Christ alone: and taking God, in Christ, as the covenant God, and satisfying portion, of your soul?

10. Does the glory of God ever appear to you as the first, greatest, and best of all objects? Do you desire to promote the glory of God, as the chief object of life?

11. Do you feel a love to mankind such as you did not feel before you bécame religious? Have you a great desire that the souls of men should be saved, by being brought to a genuine faith and trust in the Redeemer? Do you love God's people with a peculiar attachment-because they bear their Saviour's image, and because they love and pursue the objects, and delight in the exercises, which are most pleasing and delightful to yourself? Do you, from your heart, forgive all your personal enemies, and refuse to cherish or enter tain any sentiments of hatred or reyenge? If you have injured any person, have you made reparation; or are you ready and willing to make it?

12. Do you feel it to be very important to adorn religion, by a holy, exemplary, amiable, and blameless walk and conversation? Do you fear to bring a reproach on the cause of Christ? Does this appear to you extremely dreadful? Are you afraid of backsliding, and of being left to return to a state of carelessness and indifference in religion?

13. Do you desire and endeavour to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of Christ your Savionr, more and more? Are you willing to sit at his feet as a little child, and to submit your reason and understanding, implicitly, to his teaching; imploring his Spirit to guide you into all necessary truth, to save you from all fatal errors, to enable you to receive the truth in the love of it, and to transform you, more and more, into a likeness to himself? Counsel.

1. Remember that these questions are intended to point your attention to subjects of inquiry the most important, Do not, therefore, content yourself with a careless or cursory reading of them. Read and deliberate, and examine your self, closely, on the questions under each head; and let your heart be lifted up to God, while you are considering each particular question, in earnest desires that he may shew you the very truth. You cannot ordinarily go over all these questions at one time. Divide them therefore, and take one part at one time, and another at another. But try to go over the whole in the course of a week; and do this every week, for some months. When you find yourself doubtful or deficient, in any point, let it not discourage you: but note down that point in writing, and bend the attention of your mind to it, and labour and pray till you shall have made the attainment which will enable you to answer clearly. It is believed that you cannot fail to see how each question ought to be answered.

2. Remember that secret prayer, reading the word of God, watchfulness, and self-examination, are the great means of preserving comfort in religion, and of growing in grace. In proportion as you are exact and faithful in these, such, usually, will be your inward peace, and the safety of your state, Unite them all together, and never cease to practise them while you live. Think often of the character of Enoch, and try to walk with God. Read Mason's little book on Self-knowledge; I recommend it as excellent.

3. Besides the Bible, have constantly in reading, at your leisure hours, some author of known piety and excellence. Read Owen's works, Baxter's Saints' Rest, Doddridge's works, Watts's works, Witherspoon's works, Newton's works, Scott's works, Venn's Whole Duty of Man, The Christian Observer,&c.&c.

4. Do not suppose that any evidence which, at present, you may think you possess, of a gracious state, will release you from the necessity of maintaining a constant vigilance in time to come; nor from repeated examinations and trials of yourself even to the end of life. Many marks and evidences of a gracious state are set down by pious writers. But they must all come to this-to ascertain what is your prevalent temper and character-Whether, on the whole, you are increasing in sanctification, or not? If you are, you may be comforted; if not, you have cause to be alarmed. It is only lie that endureth to the end that shall be saved.

5. I think it of very great importance to warn you not to imagine that true religion is confined to the closet or to the church; even though you apprehend that you have great comfort and freedom there. Freedom and comfort there, are, indeed, most desirable; but true religion reaches to every thing. It alters and sweetens the temper. It improves the manners. It goes into every duty, relation, station, and situation of life. If you have true religion, you will have a better spirit, you will be better sons, better scholars, better friends, better members of society, and more exemplary in the discharge of every duty; as the sure consequence of this invaluable possession. And if your religion does not produce these effects, although you may talk of inward comförts, and even of raptures, you have great reason to fear that the whole is a delusion, and that the root of the mat ter is not in you. "Herein (said the Saviour) is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit, so shall ye be my disciples."

6. Be careful to avoid a gloomy, and to cherish a cheerful temper. Be ha bitually cheerful; but avoid levity Mirth and laughter are not always sin ful; but let your indulgence in them be clearly innocent, not very frequent, and never of long continuance. Be very humble. Be not talkative.. Before ex perienced Christians be a hearer, rather than a talker, Try, in every way, how ever, to promote religion among your relatives and friends. Win them to it, by your amiable temper and exemplary deportment. "Flee youthful lusts." Shun every excitement of them. Guard against dissipation; it extinguishes piety. Be not disconcerted by ridicule and reproach. Your Saviour bore much

of these for you. Think of this, and be `ashamed of nothing, so much as of being ashamed of him. Trust in his protec tion, live to his praise, and you will spend an eternity in his blissful pre

sence.

STRANGERS' FRIEND SOCIETY. We consider the present pinching season as a good occasion on which to renew our notice of this admirable in stitution. "The Benevolent or Strangers' Friend Society," was formed abont thirty years ago, for the purpose of

visiting and relieving sick and distressed strangers, and other poor, at their respective habitations, in London and its vicinity." In our volume for 1813, p. 869, will be found a detailed account of the constitution of this Society, and of the means which it employs for effecting its excellent objects. There also will be found the names and address of the benevolent individuals, to whom cases of distress may be forwarded: two of these, Mr. Middleton and Mr. Kitson, are now no more. Their place has been supplied, the fermer as secretary, by Mr. W. Cooper, 8, Queen Street, Cheapside; the latter by Mr. T. Lister, Speucer Row, Goswell-street Road.

"Some idea may be formed of the importance and extensive usefulness of the Strangers' Friend Society, when it is stated, that in the course of the last year (1814), no less than six thousand one hundred and twenty-eight cases have been visited and relieved by it, the greater part consisting of families; and that not less than thirty thousand six hundred and forty distinct visits have been paid, by which the sum of three thousand one hun dred and eighty-five pounds twelve shillings and tenpence has been distributed. This sum far exceeds the expenditure of any former year, and may be considered as an additional proof that as this charity, and its mode of administering relief, ob tain greater publicity, it meets with increasing support from a generous and enlightened public."

We select a few specimens of the cases visited and relieved by this So ciety.

1. "John Powell, No. 1, Great Por ter Street, Westminster, had formerly obtained a living by vending books from house to house; but being taken dangerously ill, was admitted into St. Thomas' Hospital, where he remained several months, and was at last discharged incurable. He had a wife and three small

children to support; and in order to provide them the necessaries of life, he had sold almost the whole of his furniture and clothes. A visitor found the man in the most deplorable state of wretched ness, lying in a corner of the room on the floor, on a few rags, which formed the only bed for this distressed family. His wife appeared far advanced in preg nancy, and was in consequence unable to continue her feeble efforts in earning occasionally a loaf of bread, from which they had hitherto derived a scanty support. At the time the visitor called, the man had just parted with his coat, which sold for no more than sixpence; and this was the last of the few tattered shreds he possessed, that were at all saleable. This sum being expended, his last earthly dependance vanished. It was truly affecting to witness the anxious looks which were visible on the countenances of the hungry, children, when they saw the visitors offer a little money to their parents to obtain food for the family, which was thus rescued from absolute want." ;

2. "Elizabeth Owen, Short's Yard, Lambeth Butts, was visited when lying in with her fifteenth child; six of whom, and all young, were then living. Her hus, band obtained a livelihood by selling vegetables about the streets, but which barely enabled him to provide the ar ticle of bread, and not having recovered the shock which the severity of the last winter had produced, this family was brought into the greatest distress. When the visitor called, the poor woman had cut up her only gown to make a temporary covering for her infant."

3. "About the middle of last September, a visitor was requested to go to No. $, Castle-court, Kingsland-road, where an affecting scene presented itself. Thomas Evans, wife, and child, were confined to their bed by a dangerous fever, quite incapable of assisting each other, and destitute of common necessaries. On inquiry, the visitor learned they had subsisted nine days on one shilling and sixpence! and had at that time but a small bit of bread in the house. Through the timely assistance afforded them by the Society, they were restored to health. When first visited, they were deplorably ignorant; the visitor, however, has the satisfaction to state, that their ignorance was removed by means of the instruction given: and with tears of gratitude they acknow ledged the obligations they felt for the

seasonable visits that had been paid to them; and were at length thankful for the ability and opportunity of subscribing to a Bible Association, for a copy of the holy Scriptures."

4. " - Humphreys, and his wife, No.1, Coram-place, Little Coram-street; a very aged décent couple. He had been a gentleman's coachman. His wife and daughter took in washing. They had lived very comfortably; but the man and his wife had been past work for more than a year. The daughter, their only support, had literally worked night and day to maintain and attend her parents in their old age and, sickness. The mother when first visited lay very ill in the daughter's bed on the ground floor, and the old man appeared to be dying in the room up stairs. While the visitor was inquiring into their circumstances, the daughter wept, because she could do no more for her parents, and said it was very hard to part, after living so many years very happy together. Her mother commended her to the Almighty, and said, He would reward her for all her dutiful and kind attention, and told the visitor that there could not be a better child than her daughter had been, and that she had done all in her power to serve her parents. The visitor first called on a Sunday afternoon, and found the daughter reading the Bible to her mother. It was an affecting scene. As the daughter's time had been so much taken up by attending her parents, and some families for whom she used to work had been out of town, she was in great want of a little money for absolute ne. cessaries, and to pay the rent. She was relieved in this time of deep affliction. The parents died soon after. They were both buried in the same grave; and the aid of this Society to a dutiful and affectionate daughter, proved a very providential supply in the time of distress and sorrow."

Respecting the following, the visitor writes, "I this day visited Susannah Green, No. 12, Gray's-buildings, whose case is truly distressing. On entering a kitchen I found her lying on the floor upon a miserable flock bed, her husband sitting near with an infant in his arms, and a little girl standing by. On inquiry, I found that the husband had suffered much himself from sickness. The goods they had previous to coming where they now reside, had been sold, so that at present they have no furniture but what has been lent them by a few

kind neighbours, who know him to be an honest, sober man. The woman's illness was brought on by a premature labour, and having caught cold: she has lost the use of her limbs, in consequence of being so destitute of clothing and other necessaries. In one corner of the kit chen was another miserable bed, where five of their seven children sleep. I thought proper to give you the earliest account of this most deplorable case; as I can assure you, my heart bleeds at not having it in my power sufficiently to alleviate their distress. This case was particularly attended to, and, every suitable help afforded.",

6. M. Rowe, No. 1, Crown-court, Sun Tavern Fields, near Radcliff Highway, was recommended to the Society as in great distress. The visitor found her lying-in with her fifth child, and all were living. Her husband having died suddenly a fortnight before, she was left quite destitute. She had been brought up in credit: her children, her room, and what articles of furniture she had, were remarkably clean, The next visit she was somewhat better, and a more minute inquiry was made concerning this family. She said they had lived in credit in the country for some years: her husband being out of employ and not able to support his family, they came up to London; and after some time, he got work as a coal-heaver, which enabled him to provide for them comfortably till May 1814, when he was seized with a paralytic stroke, which deprived him of speech. In this deplorable state, he lay four days, when it pleased God to remove him hence. The anguish and distress of the poor woman's mind at this period, can scarcely be described. Her husband a corpse, and four small children around her bewailing the loss of a kind father, and herself very near. the time of delivery, without support or any prospect, she being partly a stranger in London. On Sunday, June 5th, by the blessing of God, she was safely delivered of a boy. Application being made to the parish, they humanely allowed her five shillings per week. And the visits of the Strangers' Friend Society were made a blessing to her mind, so that she is enabled to rely on the faithfulness of that God who hath said, Call upon me in the day of trou ble, and I will deliver thee.' The visits were continued, and relief afforded

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CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 168.

from time to time, until she had fully recovered her strength."

7." John Chandler, a whip-maker, was formerly a house-keeper, and in a respectable way of business, in Turnmill-street, Clerkenwell, for several years, and bore a good character for sobriety and industry. Trade at length falling off, he became so much reduced, as to be under the necessity of selling most of his furniture and apparel; and the landlord seizing the rest for the ar rears of rent, his family were obliged to leave the house, and take refuge in a confined lodging in the same neighbourhood. The family did not long retain their health here, but were afflicted one after another with a bad fever, until at last the father was confined to his bed, and the family entirely deprived of his assistance. In this junc. ture the wife was at a loss what to do, her children starving, and (as she thought) her husband dying. She communicated their circumstances to one of her neighbours, who informed her of the Strangers Friend Society, and directed her to the house of one of the visitors, who went to their abode, and found them in a state of deep affiction. The man was in bed groaning under pain, having two of the children with him; the other four were standing round a small fire, having no food in the house, and no change of linen for any of the family. The visitor gave them a few shillings. At the second visit.. some linen, was sent for the man, and some small articles of wearing apparel for the children, which were received with unspeakable pleasure. They were continued on the books of the Society and relieved several weeks, until a visitor was informed, that the man be longed to a benefit society, but was excluded from any relief until his ar rears of monthly payments were made good, and although the sum did not amount to many shillings, they could not possibly raise it. Upon reporting this to the Committee, it was resolved that proper inquiries should be made, and the arrears discharged; which were accordingly done, and they became entitled to twenty shillings per week, which they continued to receive until the family were all recovered, and the man again able to follow his employ ment."

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