Christians is, the holding communion with them ; and that first in doctrine; we are constantly to continue in the belief and profession of all those necessary truths, by which we may be marked out as followers and disciples of Christ. This is that faith St. Jude speaks of, which was once delivered to the saints. By keeping whereof we continue still united to this spiritual brotherhood, in respect of profession, which we must constantly do, what storms and persecutions soever attend it, according to the exhortation of the apostle': "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering." Secondly, we are also, as opportunity serves, to communicate with them in all holy offices. We must be diligent in frequenting the assemblies of the saints, which is, as it were, the badge of our profession; and therefore he that willingly withdraws himself from these, gives grounds to suspect he will be apt to renounce the other also. But these parts of communion we find strictly maintained by the first Christians: "They continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking bread and in prayers."

1 Heb. x. 23.

2 Acts ii. 42.

DUTIES OF SERVANTS.

The first duty of a servant is obedience, the second faithfulness. The first part of faithfulness is the doing all true service to his master, not only when his eye is over him, and he expects punishment for the omission, but at all times; even when his master is not likely to discern his failing; and that servant that doth not make conscience of this, is far from being a faithful servant, this eye-service being by the apostle set opposite to that singleness of heart which he requires of servants. The second part of faithfulness consists in the honest management of all things entrusted to him by his master, the not wasting his goods, whether by careless embezzling of them, or by converting any of them to his own use, without the allowance of his master. This latter is that of purloining, of which the apostle warns servants, and is, indeed, no better than an arrant theft.

Of this kind are all those ways that the servant hath of gaining to himself by the loss and damage of his master; as, the being bribed to make ill bargains for him, and many the like. Nay, indeed, this sort of unfaithfulness is worse than

common theft, by how much there is a greater trust reposed, the betraying whereof adds to the crime. As for the other sort of unfaithfulness, that of wasting, though without gain to themselves, it differs not much in effect from this; the master may lose as much by the one as the other; and then, what odds is it to him whether he be robbed by the covetousness or negligence of his servant? And it is still the same breach of trust with the former; for every master is supposed to entrust his affairs as well to the care as the honesty of his servant; for it would be little advantage to the master to be secured that his servant would not cheat him, whilst in the meantime he would, by his carelessness, give opportunity to others to do it. Therefore, he that does

not carefully look to his master's profit, deceives his trust, as well as he that unjustly provides for his own.

He

Another duty of a servant is diligence. must constantly attend to all those things which are the duties of his place, and not give himself to idleness and sloth, nor yet to company-keeping, gaming, or any other disorderly course, which

may take him off from his master's business. All these necessary duties of servants, which they are carefully and conscionably to perform, not so much to escape their master's anger, as God's, who will certainly call every one of them to an account, how they have behaved themselves towards their earthly masters.

SELECTIONS.

(Baxter's Saints' Rest, p. 72.)

Men promise themselves a heaven upon earth: but when they come to enjoy it, it flies from them. He that has any regard to the works of the Lord, may easily see that the very end of them is to take down our idols, to make us weary of the world, and seek our rest in Him. Where does He cross us most, but where we promise ourselves most content? If you have a child you dote upon, it becomes your sorrow.

If you have a friend you trust in and judge unchangeable, he becomes your scourge. Is this a place or state of rest?—And as the objects we here enjoy are insufficient for our rest, so God, who is sufficient, is here little enjoyed. It is not here that he hath prepared the presence-chamber of his glory. He hath drawn the curtains between us and Him: we are far from Him as creatures, and further as frail mortals, and farthest as sinners. We hear now and then a word of comfort from Him, and re