all interrupted by afflictions. The first three months he spent in the Isles of Scilly, much to his own satisfaction; being favoured with considerable advantages for the improvement of his mind, and honoured with some visible fruit of his labours. But in most other parts of the Circuit, the preachers had to labour under great discouragements. Some time before, there had been a great revival in this neighbourhood, during which much good had undoubtedly been done, that proved lasting: but multitudes then joined our societies, who did not continue to adorn their profession. Iniquity, after some time, began to abound, and the love of many waxed cold. Hence our brother's car was frequently pained with evil reports; his soul was sickened with blasting prospects; and his language was that of mournful complaint.

On his first visit to St. Ives, he writes thus: "I preached here this evening, to perhaps about one thousand hearers, many of whom appeared of the genteeler sort. They all behaved well, and heard with great attention. There was a great revival at this place, about four years ago; but many have turned again to sin. May the Lord revive his work, and restore the wandering sheep to the fold of mercy!

"Jan. 3, 1803. I preached at St. Crect, to about fifty attentive hearers. There has been a great declension in every part of this Circuit: O Lord, revive thy work!

"St. Just, Jan. 6. I spoke here this evening, and felt great barrenness of soul; and the congregation appeared in a very dull state. O what a falling off has there been in this place!

"Lelant, Jan. 17. This day I attended the funeral of Sampson Hoskins, who died triumphantly; having, by faith in Christ, overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil. He met the last enemy, death, with courage; and triumphed in the jaws of mortality.

"Newlyn, March 1. I spoke here last evening, and met the society. There has been a great declension at this place: many have made shipwreck of faith and a good conscience.

"St. Ives, March 21. The congregations are very large at this place, but there seems a great deadness among the people. I spoke twice here yesterday, with great freedom, and gave tickets. Many of the members appear very superficial in Christian experience. Nay, many have measured their steps back again.

"Helstone, May 1. I have reason to be very thankful for the peace and mercies I enjoy; but I feel grief to see the work of God at such a low ebb.-Many of the professors are in a low, lukewarm state; and many that did run well, have turned again to the flesh-pots of Egypt, and are now wallowing in the inire of sin.

Penzance, Aug. 8. This evening, I preached, very probably, for the last time, at this place. I pray God to make the preachers who are appointed to succeed us, more useful than we have been. May the Lord help us to preach Christ, in all his offices, wherever we go; and may the work of God prosper in all our hands.”

Many more references to this general declension appear in the Journal of this year, which it would be painful, and perhaps, not profitable to transcribe. But a little reflection may assist some, as it has assisted others, to form a tolerably correct estimate of such rapid revivals, as that which preceded this declension. This revival, which chiefly affected the Redruth and Penzance Circuits, began soon after the Conference, in 1798. At the next Conference, the increase of members in those two Circuits, amounted to upwards of 4300. A circumstance so remarkable, could not but excite very general attention: and many thankfully exclaimed, "The Lord hath done great things, whereof we are glad." But now, the lapse of some years enables us to survey this revival, in all its bearings, by disclosing its various results. Thus assisted, if we compare any given number of years that preceded this revival, with those that included and followed it, we shall find that the aggregate increase in those Circuits, during the former period, greatly exceeds that of the latter. For instance, from an accurate calculation, made with no other design than that of ascertaining a truth of general importance, it ap pears, that, during the nine years immediately preceding the revival, the increase in those Circuits amounted to 1458 mem bers; while, during the next nine years, the total increase was not quite 200. That is, in 1807, the number of members in the same Circuits, now made into four, did not amount to 200 more than they did in 1798, the year before the revival took place. Consequently, during the eight years succeeding the revival, there was a diminution of members amounting to some what more than 500 yearly, on an average. Besides, many of those who commenced members of religious society during this revival, and have proved its brightest ornaments since, received their first serious impressions long before, and through the instrumentality of those, who, perhaps, may never know in this life, how God has honoured and blessed their labours.

These facts should operate, by way of caution, on those who labour in, and report such revivals. While the hand of God is piously acknowledged, and those softening seasons are diligently improved; the fervour of zeal, should still be under the direction of prudence. The conversion of immortal souls from sin to universal holiness, is an important work, that cannot be hastily pronounced on with safety. Penitent hope should be tenderly cherished; but every man must prove his own work, ere he can arrive at legitimate rejoicing in himself.

Candid observers of revivals are always instructed by facts like the above, to appreciate with equity, the various labours of their faithful pastors. While they thankfully rejoice in those, who are honourably employed as planters in their Lord's vineyard; they will as highly esteem, and kindly encourage, those also, who are called to the less pleasing work of watching, pruning, and weeding, with anxious concern, to preserve the purity of Zion, and to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

(To be concluded in the next.)

. DIVINITY.

SERMON ON TITUS ii. 6.

(Continued from page 101.)

Ninthly, You must be grave and serious, and not frothy and main. This signification we commonly give to the word here used. Him that is serious we call a sober man; and I put this last of the ingredients of this sober-mindedness, because it will have a very great influence upon all the rest; we should gain our point entirely with young people, if we could but prevail with them to be serious. It is serious piety we would bring them to, and to live in good earnest.

Not that we would oblige young people never to be cheerful, or have any ill-natured design upon them to make them melan choly; no, religion allows them to be cheerful; it is your time, make your best of it; evil days will come, of which you will say you have no pleasure in them, when the cares and sorrows of this world increase upon you, and we would not have you to anticipate those evil days. Nay, religion prescribes cheerfulness to all those that are sincere and hearty in it; "Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart, for God now accepteth thy works," Eccles. ix. 7. God expects to be served by us with "joyfulness and gladness of heart, in the abundance of all things," Deut. xxviii. 47.

And it is certain, that none have such good reason to be cheerful, as godly people have; none can be so upon better grounds, or with a better grace; so justly or so safely; I have often said, and I must take all occasions to repeat it, that a holy, heavenly life, spent in the service of God, and in communion with him, is, without doubt, the most pleasant, comfortable life any one can live in this world.

But that which I would caution you against under this head, is vain and carnal mirth, that mirth, that laughter of the fool, VOL. XXXVI. MARCH, 1813.

*Y*

of which Solomon saith, "it is mad, and what doth it?" Innocent mirth is of good use in its time and place; it will revive the spirit, and fit you for business; a merry heart doth good like a medicine; but then it must be used like a medicine, must be taken physically, only when there is occasion for it, and not constantly like our daily bread; and like physic, it must be taken sub regimine, as not too often, so not too much at a time, like opiates, which are taken by drops, and with great caution; when you make use of this medicine, it must be with due correctives, and you must take great care of yourselves, lest that turn to your prejudice, and become a snare and a trap, which was intended for your health and welfare.

Allow yourselves in mirth, as far as will consist with sobermindedness, and no further; never let your mirth transgress the laws of piety, charity, or modesty, nor intrench upon your time for devotion and the service of God. Wise men will always reckon him over-fond of his mirth, that will rather lose his friend than his jest; much more may he be reckoned so, that will rather lose his God and a good conscience. Never make sport with the Scripture and sacred things, but let that which is serious always be spoken of with seriousness.

Take heed lest your mirth exceed due bounds, and transport you into any indecencies; that you give not yourselves too great a liberty, and then think to excuse it by saying, “Am not I in sport?" Prov. xxvi. 19. Set a double guard at such a time before the door of your lips, lest you "offend with your tongues;" and especially "keep your hearts with all diligence." Let the inward thought still be serious; and in the midst of your greatest mirth, retain a disposition, habitually serious; and a reigning affection to spiritual and divine things; such as will make you indifferent to all vain mirth and pleasure, and set you above it, and enable you to look upon that with a holy contempt, which so many spend so much of their time in with so great a complacency.

But while I am pressing you that are young to be always serious, habitually so, always well affected to serious work, what shall we think of those that are never serious? that are always jesting, always bantering, so that you never know when they speak in earnest; that are always in pursuit of some sensual pleasure or other, and never know what it is to be one quarter of an hour serious, from the beginning of the year to the end of it? Certainly they forget that "for all these things God shall bring them into judgment," and they know not how soon. O that this laughter might be turned into the mourning of true penitents, and this joy into the heaviness of sincere converts, that it may not be turned, as otherwise it certainly will be, into the weeping and

wailing of damned sinners. The same Jesus that said, "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted," hath said also, "Wo unto you that laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep,” Luke vi. 25.

Shall I now prevail with you that are young, to value wisdom above wit, and that which helps to make you serious above that which helps to make you merry; and to take as much pleasure in gravity, as others do in vanity. It will be the honour of your youth, will arm you against the temptations you are surrounded with, and will not only mark you for something considerable in this world, but for something infinitely more so in the other world. And if you understand yourselves right, I dare say, one hour spent in the employments and enjoyments of a sober, serious mind, will afford you more true comfort in the reflection, than many spent in mirth and gaiety, because it will certainly pass so much better in the account another day.

And thus you see what it is to be sober-minded, and how much of your duty it takes in; but are you content it should take in all this? Can you say, that the gh in many things you come short, yet you esteem all these precepts, and all the things contained in them to be right, and therefore hate every false way? You will then be very willing to have this sober-mindedness further pressed upon you.

For the second thing, then, Let us see what considerations are proper, and may be powerful to make young people in all these respects sober-minded; and will you that are young, apply your minds a little to these things?

First, You are all reasonable creatures, and therefore ought to be sober-minded. Consider how noble and excellent that rank of beings is that you are of; how far advanced above that of the beasts, and consequently how unjust you are both to God and to yourselves, if by thoughtlessness, inconsideration, or the indulgence of any brutish appetite or passion, you level yourselves with the beasts that perish.

What have you your reason for, if you do not make use of it? Your mind, if you do not take care to keep yourselves of a sound mind? Or if you mind not that for the sake of which you had your minds given you. "Shew yourselves men therefore by bringing to mind, O ye transgressors," Isa. xlvi. 8. Sinners would become saints, if they would but shew themselves men, for the service of Christ is a reasonable service, and those that are wicked are unreasonable men; be persuaded therefore to act rationally; and to save the nobler powers of reason from being tied up and overpowered by this and the other rebellious lust and passion.

You brought rational souls with you into the world; but think