fore, necessary to have appointed seasons for retirement; and desirable to adhere to them as invariably as we can. There are also occasional and extraordinary calls to private devotion, when more than usual time should be allowed, that the mind may be affected with the event, and obtain the peculiar assistance the case requires. I should have a poor opinion of that Christian, who would not employ more than common retirement, when going to change his residence, his calling, his condition in life; or to take any important step, the consequences of which may affect not only his comfort, but his conduct and character for ever. When Jacob was going to meet his exasperated brother Esau, who was coming against him with four hundred men, he was found alone wrestling with the angel. When our Saviour was going to ordain his twelve Apostles, "He went out into a mountain to pray; and continued all night in prayer to God." And when his hour of suffering was drawing near, we find him in the garden of Gethsemane, and retiring three times even from his selected disciples, and praying.-Let us, III. Consider this retirement with regard to its ENGAGE MENTS. Many retire; but the tradesman retires to cast up his accounts, and to plan his schemes; the statesman, to enjoy his relaxation and ease; the philosopher, to pursue his theories and experiments; the poet, to rove among the aspects of nature, or to lose himself in creations of his own-and perhaps God is not in all their thoughts. So far from inviting him into their solitude, when they apprehend his approach, they repel the impertinent intruder; and say unto God, "Depart from us; we desire not the knowledge of thy ways." But we are speaking of religious retirement. The Christian withdraws for three purposes. First, He is engaged in reading. This enlarges his views, and impresses his mind, and furnishes him with aid to devotion. But what does he peruse? Principally the Scriptures. I say principally, because other books may be occasionally read to advantage, and we have a plenitude of excellent works for the closet. Yet, I confess, the Scriptures alone appear to be the best reading in retirement, especially for the poor, and those who have little leisure. They are the fountain; other books are streams, and streams are seldom entirely free from something of the quality of the soil through which they flow: and who would not draw the water of life for himself from the spring head! They come immediately from God, and lead immediately to him! There is a boundless variety and fulness in them. They are always new. They entertain, while they teach; and profit, while they please. There is always something in them that bears upon our own character and condition, however peculiar it may be. "They are profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." I would recommend, generally, a regular reading of this sacred volume; for every word of God is pure: and whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning; that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope. But let him that readeth understand." It is better to peruse a paragraph with attention and reflection, than carelessly, and without observation, to run over several chapters.-For, The Secondly, He is engaged in meditation. And, my brethren, it is desirable that you should employ your own powers; for you will be more affected and benefited by the efforts of your own minds, than by the thoughts of others. faculty will be improved and increased by exercise; and cannot be acquired without it, any more than a man can learn to swim by never entering the water. And surely you cannot be at a loss for subjects. If your reading does not supply you immediately with materials, there are the seasons of the year, the state of the world, the condition of your family, your own individual circumstances, temporal and spiritual. Two subjects are always at hand-your own depravity and unworthiness, of which fresh proof is given every day and every hour; and the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge." In his sufferings and glory, the angels always find enough to attract and engage their profoundest thoughts; and shall these be less interesting to you,-to whom they are not only true, but important; not only wonderful, but infinitely necessary? They are all your salvation; let them be all your desire: and say, with David, "My meditation of Him shall be sweet; I will rejoice in the Lord."-"My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips, when I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches."" How precious are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! IfI should count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I awake, I am still with thee."-Whatever the subject of your meditation may be, content not yourselves with considering it generally and abstractedly; but take some particular view of it, and bring it home to yourselves. "Is the Lord thy portion, O my soul? Dost thou hope in him? Art thou an heir of this promise? Dost thou stand in the way of this threatening? Art thou living in the performance or neglect of this duty? Say not, and what shall this man do? but, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" " Thirdly, He is employed there in prayer. This is the special design of it. This is what our Saviour here enjoins: "Enter into thy closet; and when thou hast shut thy door, pray." If ever you are at a loss to meditate, surely you can never be at a loss to pray! How numberless are your wants! How much have you to implore for yourselves and others! How much to confess at the foot of the cross! How much to call forth your thanksgivings and praise! And all this is included in prayer. And the manner need not discourage you. For here the excellency does not consist in the mode of expression-the desire is all in all. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." Even words are not necessary here. God reads deep meaning in the tear; and hears heavenly eloquence in the sighs of those that seek him: and often the most acceptable and successful intercession is made with groanings which cannot be uttered." These are the engagements of the Christian in his retired moments. But it is not necessary that he should perform all these exercises always: though it is very desirable that they should be all included; or that he should observe them precisely in the order we have stated. They may, sometimes, alternately precede each other; and they may sometimes be intermingled. We have an instance of the blending together of these exercises in the retirement of David, with the recital of which we shall conclude this division of our discourse. For, as soon as Nathan had waited upon him, and had delivered the words of the vision, "Then went King David in and sat before the Lord, and he said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God; but thou hast spoken also of thy E servant's house for a great while to come: and is this the manner of man, O Lord God? And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord God, knowest thy servant. For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them. And now, O Lord God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said. For thou, O Lord of Hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee. And now, 0 Lord God, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant: therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord God, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever."-Let us consider retirement, IV. With regard to its MOTIVES. pro dare The obligation might be enforced from the authority of God, whose will is supremely binding on the consciences of all those who are informed of it; and whose language ought always to be, "Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth." It might also be enforced by example. We could show, how the most eminent saints, and the most busy too, have abounded in this employment-and at the head of all, we could present the Lord Jesus himself, whose conduct has the force of a law upon his followers; and who in vain fess to abide in him unless they also walk even as he walked. How often do we read of his withdrawing himself, to be alone with his heavenly Father! And can any of you to intimate, Ah! he needed retirement; but I can dispense with it! But while it is enjoined by the highest authority and sanctioned by the highest example, it comes recommended by the highest advantage: and every thing unites to prove that it is a reasonable service. Mrs. Berry says in her Diary, "I would not be hired out of my closet for a thousand worlds. I never enjoy such hours of pleasure, and such free and entire communion with God, as I have here: and I wonder that any can live prayerless, and deprive themselves of the greatest privilege allowed to them." If the twelve Apostles were living in your neighbourhood, and you had access to them, and this intercourse drew you away from the closet, they would prove a real injury to your souls; for no creature can compensate for the want of communion with God. We may connect retirement with the acquisition of knowledge. "Through desire, a man having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom." This is peculiarly true of one kind of wisdom, and which the Heathen Oracle pronounced to be of heavenly descentSelf-Knowledge. For how can those, who are for ever engaged in company, and engrossed by business, become acquainted with their character and their state? How can they compare themselves accurately with the word of truth; and look after the workings of the hidden man of the heart; and weigh their motives; and measure their deficiencies; and detect the sins of their holy things; and "walk humbly with their God," like those who retire with him, and in his "light see light?" Retirement is necessary to reduce the force of secular influence. Where is it the world deceives us, allures us, overcomes us? Not when we are alone. Not when it is contemplated in the presence of our Bible and our God. There the fascination drops off. There we see that whatever successes we have gained, we are still losers, without "the one thing needful." There we feel that the favour of man, who is a worm, is less than nothing and vanity, compared with the friendship of God. There we wonder that we have ever submitted to be the slaves of folly; and vow against the tyrant in future. "When I can say, my God is mine; Is the resemblance of God a trifle? This results from our intimacy with him. Evil communications corrupt good manners." But while a companion of fools shall be destroyed, he that walketh with wise men, shall be wise." We soon assume the manners, and imbibe the spirit of those with whom we are familiar, especially if the individual be a distinguished personage, and we pre-eminently revere and love him. Upon this principle, the more we have to do with God, the more we shall grow into his likeness, and "be followers of him, as dear children." When Moses |