good. He who knows the beginning and the end, the long and distant consequences of things in which we read nothing but the pains or the pleasures of the present moment-he who knows the creatures he has made, and what is in them and what is best for them-it is not unreasonable that he should require of us that we desire the accomplishment of his will before our own, ignorant, short-sighted, and mistaking of what is good as we know ourselves to be.

And as the requisition is not unreasonable, neither is our compliance with it impossible. Our choice must many times be in opposition to the will of God-for it is not in our nature to choose sorrow, or to prefer what is painful. But there may be such sense of God's superior wisdom and such confidence in his love, that we can really desire to have our own choice and preference put aside, wherever they oppose the accomplishment of his purposes. It is surely not impossible to be so fully convinced God knows best, that we would not, if we could, divert him from his designs for the furtherance of our own blind purposes.

If, then, the requisition is so reasonable and so possible, we have need to consider if we are complying with it. In words we are indeed-for we are incessantly repeating this prayer in obedience to God's commands. But what is in our hearts the while? Rebellion, discontent, impatience. Some obstinate purpose of our own, which we are determined to pursue at any rate, and to be dissatisfied if we attain it not. Why are our brows clouded with care and bent with restless anxieties? Why are our tempers for ever in a ferment of hopes, and fears, and disappointments? What can mean the complaints we hear incessantly against our fortunes-the fretfulness against every thing that opposes our desires? The sullen murmur over the portion assigned us upon earth, and restless desire for something that we may not have? Clearly because our will is crossed and our purposes defeated. And where, and what is the power that conB b

VOL I.

but there remains a question whether there be a respondent movement in our hearts and lives. We fear it must be owned of some, that midst the various motives that sway their conduct and opinions, the will of God is not even one among the many: from their youth up they never did nor left undone a thing, simply and purely because God commanded it. And where it does take some place in the account, it is but a very secondary consideration, to be ceded of course to fashion, interest, or pleasure. How much chance the will of God has of being done under this estimate of its importance, is easy to divine. And we believe we may venture to aver, that with the greater part of mankind, it is held as a very light matter.

We all may know, in respect to our own conduct, what is the will of God-he has written it in his word, he has inscribed it on our conscience-and if we do not know it, it is because we will not-and if we do not perform it, it is because we prefer our own. We cannot now essay to tell of what it is—we hear it daily—we feel it hourly. Do we care for it? Do we consider it? Is it the sorrow of our lives that we do it so ill, and our hope in eternity that we shall do it better? No: we come into life with a will in every thing opposed to the will of God: we grow up under the example and influence of a world whose maxims are no less in opposition to it: we swim with the stream, and seldom pause even to consider what God or his will may have to do with our concerns: and if some word of it be whispered in our ear, 'tis a strange sound, and scarce conveys a meaning.

And

Let us examine our hearts to see if this be so. if it be, where is our sincerity? Some wonder what we mean when we say a person may be observant of all external forms and duties, and yet have no religion. But what we mean is this-They are not sincere-they say one thing and mean another. And this is an instance. of it. They pray that the will of God be done, and they do not mean to do it-they do not wish to do it-they

are determined not to do it. For if you could prove to them the moment they rise from their knees that God has, in his holy book, as clearly as words can speak, forbidden any certain practice they are addicted to, they would tell you it is the custom of the world, or it is necessary to their interest, and therefore they must do it: and not even a shade of regret would steal across their brow, that such a necessity should stand between them and their Maker's will. We say not that such persons should cease the prayer-much need they have of it indeed-but let it be accompanied with a feeling of their own falseness, and an aspiration to heaven to make them true to their own words.

This is the one great change that all men need and must experience ere they can have peace with God or hope in eternity. We call it conversion, or regeneration,-it matters not-but the meaning of it is this. Our will, by nature adverse, must be brought into conformity with the will of God. We must learn to love what he loves, and to hate what he condemns-accepting his will as supremely good, earnestly desiring that in all things it be done, and honestly endeavouring to do it. While we love sin and indulge in it-while our hearts are in the things of earth, religion neglected, and God forgotten, this is impossible-for his will is that the wicked be turned into hell, and all them that forget God. But when our hearts are touched with sorrow for their own evil, when the tear of penitence is in the eye, and the blush of shame is on the cheek, and pardoning mercy and redeeming love are the first objects of interest and desire, then it is far other than impossible-for the will of God is that the penitent return to him and live: his will is to receive and bless them-to give them peace on earth and happiness in heaven--to be to them a father, and own them for his people. In such a will it is not hard to acquiesce; for no longer do our interests stand opposed to it. If we can really believe that God is to us a reconciled father, willing nothing but our good, we shall

yield us with submission to his guidance, accepting meekly the chastisement he finds needful to the effecting of his gracious purposes. And in that which rests with us, in the doing on our part what his declared will requires we know, alas! how much within us stands still opposed to this—our habits, our passions, and the seeming interests of this world—our self-indulgence, and indolence, and earthliness-persuasion, and temptation, and example-all will come in to the battle. But whatever be our failures in the struggle, certain it is that God's will must be of more account to us than all of these, or any other thing that can be opposed to it. And how sincere, and how earnest, and how often, must go up the prayer, that our Father's will may prevail, even against ourselves, compelling us to yield to it, and enabling us to do it.

CLASS 3.-TRIANDRIA-3 STAMENs.

OUR third Class of Botanical subjects, Triandria, is distinguished as the two former, by the number of Stamina in each flower. It is divided into four Orders, determined by the number of Pistils: the first Order, Monogynia, containing the flowers of one Pistil; the second, Digynia, of two; the third, Trigynia, of three; and the fourth, Enneagynia, of nine Pistils. We have no trees of this Class, and but a few, among our native plants, of what we usually call flowers-the greater part, and those very numerous, being the Rushes, Flags, and Grasses that clothe our landscape with undying green, and like the even back-ground of a beautiful picture, give