raiment is therewith content." Yes, he is infinitely more happy than the most rich and powerful monarch on earth, who has obtained his treasures and his dominions in an indirect and unlawful way. Happiness does not, indeed, consist in the abundance of our possessions, but in being content with and thankful for, what we possess. The prayer of a real Christian was never yet offered up for riches, which make to themselves wings and fly away, but for what is exceedingly more valuable. His prayer is,

"Father, whate'er of earthly bliss

Thy sov'reign will denies,
Accepted at thy throne of grace,
Let this petition rise.

"Give me a calm, a thankful heart,
From every murmur free;
The blessing of thy grace impart,
And make me live to thee.

"Let the sweet hope that thou art mine,
My life and death attend:

Thy presence thro' my journey shine,

And crown my journey's end."

No. XIII.

THE SHIPWRECKED MARINER.

“THOU HAST CAST ME INTO THE DEEP, IN THE MIDST OF THE SEAS; AND THE FLOODS COMPASSED ME ABOUT; ALL THY BILLOWS AND THY WAVES PASSED OVER ME." Jonah, ii. 3.

A FEW days ago, while actually employed in writing one of the preceding papers, I was interrupted by a rap at my door; and thinking it was one of my poor village neighbours, I called to the person to come in. For a while, however, no one obeyed, and I repeated my call, when the door opened, and a poor young man, in ragged, streaming, sailor's clothing, and bare legs and feet covered with the splash and dirt of the turnpike road, made his appearance. It was a most uncomfortable rainy and raw day; and as the poor fellow had been travelling through it during the whole forenoon, and was not only wet and tired, but cold and hungry, his looks betrayed much wretchedness. It is customary for gypsies and other impostors frequently to go about and impose on landsmen in the garb and language of

distressed seamen. I never, therefore, trust to appearances, but strictly examine all who come in my way as to the reality of their character and profession. This I did in the case of the young man before me, and was soon satisfied that his plain unvarnished tale was the truth; and that he was in reality what he appeared to be,—a shipwrecked mariner in distress. In the course of my examining him, I found he had been some time in the royal navy, and had sailed with some of my old brother officers: that after he had been paid off from the king's service he had gone a voyage to the East Indies, and on his return from thence had shipped himself, in London, on board of an East Country vessel, and had made a voyage to the Baltic, from whence he and his comrades were returning to Scotland, with a cargo of tallow, hemp, &c. &c. and were very near their destined port when, in the middle watch, they struck on Keith's shoal at a time they were running at the rate of nine knots an hour. The vessel almost immediately split, and went down in deep water, affording only time for those at hand to cut away the jolly-boat from the stern, into which he and two more of the seamen got by jumping from the wreck as it sunk. The remainder of the crew went down with the vessel, and were seen no more. When these three survivors found themselves in the boat, they dis

covered there was neither oar, nor sail, nor mast, much less had they any time to procure either a compass, provisions, or water. The night was dark and stormy, and their situation was a practical comment on the words of a well-known old song,

"Ye gentlemen of England, who live at home at ease, Ah! little do ye think upon the dangers of the seas."

Yet, dismal as the prospect was to these poor men, they considered life, even in that peril, well worth endeavouring to preserve, because they had no hope, at least no scriptural hope, beyond the grave, and therefore

"This made them rather bear the ills they had Than fly to others that they knew not of."

After drifting about for fifteen hours in this state, they were discovered, and picked up by a coasting vessel, which, at length, had landed this young man at Lynn; from whence he was now travelling, pennyless and forlorn, towards London, where the owner of the ship, as well as his relations, dwelt.

The poor fellow's tale brought to my recollection past times, when I had been in perils in the sea, and twice experienced the horrors of shipwreek myself. Nay, it did more; it painfully brought to my recollection the fate of no few of

my once-pleasant companions, who, like the comrades of this shivering, half-clad young man, had been overwhelmed in the great deep at a time when they considered themselves near their home, and were calculating on many days and enjoyments to come. The subject took hold of my mind, and made me feel something of the folly of expending this short, uncertain life in toils and anxieties after the meat that perishes, while that which endureth unto everlasting life is forgotten, or sought but secondarily, and in such a luke-warm manner, as never to be obtained. I thought I heard the voice of truth itself addressing me, saying, "that all such men walk in a vain shadow, and disquiet themselves in vain ;" and my soul replied, "Yes, soon shall they sleep in the dust; we may seek them in the morning, but they will not be." And now, reader, let me call your attention to the contemplation of this salutary subject. It will, through the blessing of God, do thee good, whatever thine age or situation in life may be.

Every sound moralist, and every prophet and apostle of our blessed Lord, has pronounced this lower world, and all its busy anxious concerns, to be vanity and vexation of spirit, so long as men pursue them as their chief good.— True; the thoughtless creature, who has just commenced his worldly race, or is deeply sunk