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IN studying the word of God, digest it under these two heads: either as removing obstructions, which keep God and thee asunder; or as supplying some uniting power to bring God and thee together.

PERHAPS it is a greater energy of Divine Power, which keeps the Christian from day to day, from year to year-praying, hoping, running, believingagainst all hindrances-which maintains him as a LIVING martyr: than that which bears him up for an hour in sacrificing himself at the stake.

By the course of his Providence, God will assert the liberty of his council.

LET me ask, every day, what reference it has to the Day of Judgment; and cultivate a disposition to be reminded of that day.

INDULGE not a gloomy contempt of any thing which is in itself good: only let it keep its place.

GOD has called us to meet his best gift to manhis only-begotten Son-not in a splendid court, but in a manger!-in the wilderness!-in Gethsemane! -before the high priest, when they spat in his face, and buffeted him, and smote him!-at the cross! and at the sepulchre! Thus it is that he corrects the pride and ambition of the human heart!

THERE is in sin, not only an infinite mischief done to the man, but it is accompanied by an infatuation that surpasses all description. When the heart

declines from God, and loses communion with Christ, the man resembles one in a consumption, who is on the brink of the grave and yet talks of a speedy recovery! A death will come on the spirit, which will be perceived and felt by all around: yet, when the most affectionate friends of such a man attempt to expostulate, they often find him not only insensible but obstinate and stout-hearted. He who, like Samson, the champion of Israel, lays his head in the lap of temptation, will rarely rise again as he lay down: he may say, I will go out, as at other times before, and shake myself: but he wists not that the Lord is departed from him!-Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not!

THE whole life of Christ was one continued exi pression of the same desire: "Let me lay aside my glory let me expire on the cross-so that thy kingdom may come!" And the blood of every martyr, who ever suffered in the cause of God, oried "Let thy Kingdom come!”

GROWTH in grace manifests itself by a simplicity-that is, a greater naturalness of character. There will be more usefulness, and less noise; more tenderness of conscience, and less scrupulosity: there will be more peace, more humility: when the full corn is in the ear, it bends down because it is full.

THE history of all the great characters of the Bible is summed up in this one sentence:-they acquainted themselves with God, and acquiesced in his will in all things.

GOD's way of answering the Christian's prayer for an increase of patience, experience, hope, and

love-usually is to put him into the furnace of tribulation. St. James therefore says, Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations. People of the world count it all joy when they are in ease and affluence; but a Christian is taught to count it all joy when he is tried as gold in the fire..

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IN Christ we see the most perfect exhibition of every grace, to which we, as his followers, are called. Let there be but in us that poverty of spirit-that disposition to bear with provocations, and to forgive injuries-that obedience to God and acquiescence in his will-that perseverance in doing good-that love which overcometh all difficulties that meekness, humility, patience, compassion, and gentleness which were found in Christ; and if any man should be so ignorant and debased as to imagine that this is not TRUE DIGNITY OF CHARACTER, let it be remembered that this was the mind which was also in Christ Jesus!

LOOKING back is more than we can sustain without going back!

WHEN the multitudes followed our Lord on a particular occasion, although he wished for retirement and had gone purposely to seek it, yet he gave up his design and attended to them. Mark the condescension and tenderness of such conduct, in opposition to a sour, monastic, morose temper. We are too fond of our own will. We want to be doing what we fancy mighty things; but the great point is, to do small things, when called to them, in a right spirit.

THE world will allow of a vehemence approaching to ecstasy, on almost any occasion but that, which, above all others, will justify it.

A CHRISTIAN will find his parenthesis for prayer, even through his busiest hours.

WE treat sensible and present things as realities, and future and eternal things as fables: whereas the reverse should be our habit.

AN Enthusiast will COURT trouble, and that for ITSELF: but a Christian, while he does not coURT it, yet rejoices in it: not for its own sake, but because he knows that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope-a hope that maketh not ashamed. While patience is the fruit of his conflicts and trials, he gains experience by them: he acquires the knowledge which a traveller obtains in performing a long journey: he is in possession of a bundle of choice maxims and observations, gathered with much pains: he is taught by them to know his own heart: he is brought acquainted with the faithfulness and mercy of God, in holding him up in the deep waters, and accompanying him through the fire of affliction. And this experience produces hope-a hope that he is savingly united to Christ-a hope that he is in the church of God-a hope of the glory of God-a hope that maketh not ashamed, keeping us steady at anchor through every storm, and when every other support fails.

THERE are but two states in the world which may be pronounced happy-either that of the man who rejoices in the light of God's countenance, or that of him who mourns after it.

LET the warm-hearted Christian be careful of receiving a wrong bias in religion. When a ball is in

motion, almost any thing presented to it obliquely will turn it wholly out of its course. Beware, therefore of a wrong direction in Christianity. Fix your attention ever on such examples as St. John and St. Paul, and hear how they speak: If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema, Maranatha!

GOD denies a Christian nothing, but with a design to give him something better.

GOD teaches some of his best lessons in the school of affliction. It is said that St. Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians has quite the spirit and air of a prison. That school must be truly excellent, which pro duces such experience and wisdom.

We cannot build too confidently on the merits of Christ, as our only hope; nor can we think too much of the mind that was in Christ, as our great example.

A CHRISTIAN does not glory in tribulation, as he does in the cross of Christ. The Cross of Christ is the OBJECT in which he glories: but he glories in tribulation as an appointed MEANS and INSTRU MENT in the hand of God, of accomplishing his own pleasure and promoting our real good.

NEVER was there a man of deep piety, who has not been brought into extremities-who has not been put into the fire-who has not been taught to say, Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him!

A CHRISTIAN's steps are not only safe, but steady: -He, that believeth, shall not make haste. When

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