"the wisdom of serpents, with the harmlessness "of doves," lest our attempts should be frustrated and we ourselves should be injured.-l'ositive, not problematical good, is that which he recommended us to do to our fellow men.The impostor, or man of doubtful character, is not, according to the directions of Christ, entitled to the same notice and assistance, in the hour of distress and adversity, as are due to the honest and upright, when in similar circumstances of affliction.-The suit of the rich man in torments was not attended to by Abraham, either as regarded himself, or his surviving brothers. If the connections and friends of this wretched man, could not be persuaded to listen to Moses and the prophets, the righteous Abraham, was not authorized to exert himself in their favour, and to hazard a miracle for the benefit of those, who would only make a bad return for such an extraordinary act of grace in their behalf.-If the "wisdom of serpents "and harmlessness of doves," do not mark the conduct of the Christians of the present, as they did that, of the Christians in the apostolic age, they may fall into a state, in which neither their profession, nor their knowledge, nor their virtue, may be of any service to them.-If my vineyard is highly cultivated-if my vine is well tended, pruned, and dressed-if it is in full bearing, with fruit of the largest size and richest flavour-if the labourers I employ, are honest, upright and diligent-if they not only

perform their work, in the most satisfactory manner, according to the directions given them, but exert themselves in my service, and zealously endeavour to promote my interest on all occasions, am I to neglect theirs in return?This would be both folly and ingratitude.-Or, shall I introduce amongst them other labourers, who are entirely unacquainted with the nature of the work that will be required of them,-or, shall I put amongst them men of indolent and vicious habits?-If I am careless and inattentive, the "noble vine, the right seed," may be injured by my own people ;-much more easily, then would it be injured by the ignorant or the worthless-If in my absence, an injudicious friend might do it mischief; certainly, an enemy, who envies me the richness and beauty of it—who turns pale at my prosperity-and grudges me the power of giving scions to all that wish to have them, would seize the opportunity of doing all the mischief in it he could, if he perceived any indifference or neglect on my part. Would not the man, who considers my vine of the "wrong seed," take pleasure in destroying it, that he might plant his own in its stead? If I do any act, that may promote his object, I shall assuredly find "briers, and thorns, and sour grapes," in my vineyard-I shall beyond any doubt, offend him, who gave me the seed of my vine,-and shall deserve to hear him say, "I will command the clouds “ "that they rain no rain upon it."-Whilst,

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however, I carefully bear in mind this threat, and recollect that it is both my interest, and my duty, to protect my vineyard from every kind of harm, I will not surround it with walls so high that none shall see it, but those within it;-nor, shall its gates be perpetually closedStrangers, as well as those who are known, shall have free and welcome admission.-I will conceal from none,- not even from real or suspected enemies, the mode of my cultivation, and the means that have been used, to bring the fruit of my vine to such admirable perfection; every thing shall be cheerfully explained, and the fruit shall be freely offered to every visitor, that will condescend to accept it.Nevertheless, I will never be off my guard :neither enemies, nor strangers, shall supersede my authority, or possess any power in my vineyard, lest they should "beat some of my servants, kill others," destroy my vine, and take possession of my estate. I am justified in this conduct, by the example and by the directions of him, who first planted the seed of this vine. The sacred historian informs us, that "Jesus went up to Jerusalem and found in the tem

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ple those that sold oxen, and sheep, and doves, "and the changers of money sitting;—and "when he had made a scourge of small cords, "he drove them all out of the temple, and the "sheep, and the oxen ;-and poured out the "changers' money, and overthrew the tables ;"and said unto them that sold doves, take

these things hence;-make not my father's "house, a house of merchandise."-By this act, Christ not only shews his disapprobation of such temple prostitution, but severely reproves the heads of Israel, for suffering the place, appropriated to the particular service of God, to be polluted by persons, who had no sense of their duty to the deity, nor any regard for their neighbours, whose interest they were injuring by usurious transactions,-otherwise, he would not have used so strong an expression, as his zeal dictated on this occasion.-If we possess a pearl of great price, it becomes ns to preserve it-it is only a mark of wisdom, to use circumspection and care in the protection of our treasure; and whenever it is necessary, we must put ourselves forward, and defend it against the attacks of enemies, with the greatest courage, and most determined resolution.It is much better, at once to refuse adınis. sion to a person, who will not dress himself in a garment proper for a marriage feast, than to disturb the innocent mirth and pleasure of the party, by turning him out, after he has been admitted through the carelessness, or timidity of those appointed to keep the door. The behaviour of such a person might for a time be decorous; but, as he refused to conform to the usual customs on such happy occasions, what security could the company have, that the same motives which brought him there without the customary robe, would not carry

him still farther, and induce him to argue, that it was altogether unnecessary,-and who coult presume to say that a dispute, would tot arise in consequence, destructive of the peace and happiness of the convivial entertainment?-The leaven of error and corruption will operate.Virtue is never secure in the company of vice.Truth must lose some of its beauty by too close an association with falsehood —And the religion of Christ, as it has already suffered, so it woul 1 suffer again, by being mixed with the false doctrines, and absurd opinions and tenets, of the church of Rome.-In this case, the short lesson of wisdom, taught by these few words, ought always to be in our minds, "I say unto

all, watch."-The husbandman, when it was too late, lamented his want of vigilance ;-even, in the hours appointed for recruiting the strength of his weary labourers, his wheat ought not to have been left without a guard.— With mortification he witnessed the effect of his negligence:—with anger and dissatisfaction he saw the tares springing up, and injuring his corn:—worthless tares he knew they would continue to the day of harvest, and then only be fit for the oven, after they had done him much harm, yet, as they were growing amongst the wheat in every part of the field, he thought it unwise and unsafe to venture to "root them up," lest his whole crop should be destroyed.

It is the law of the gospel, that, whoever is