tiful God, which he may improve for his own or neighbour's good, and for the glory of the Giver?

Our master is not a hard one. He does not expect to reap where he has not sown; but surely it is reasonable that, if he has sowed plenteously, he should expect to reap plenteously.

The man who has much, should ask of God a heart to devise liberal things, and a hand to scatter wide his bounty. His language should be, my wealth is not my own; let me therefore seek wisdom to distribute it from him who placed, and preserves it in my power.

The man of LEARNING and GENIUS will lift an inquiring eye to the "Father of lights," and submit to divine inspection the fruits of his labour, before he offers them to the world. He will ask; Is this the true use of my mental faculties? will this be for the honour of him, whose "inspiration gave me understanding?"

The DIVINE will ask his heart before every action, Is this consonant with my high and holy vocation? Is this becoming the character of one, who has taken upon himself the "trust of a shepherd of souls?"

The PHYSICIAN will ask, that his talents may not only be exercised for the temporal, but for the spiritual good of his friends. He will wish, above all things, to heal the disorders of his own soul. He will ask that he may be confirmed in the principles of religion by ob

serving the wonderful powers and organization of that system, which he is called to relieve and invigorate. He will desire to look through the material body to the spirit, which animates it. He will inquire the cause of its manifold disorders, and finding "death" to be "the wages of sin," he will then be imperceptibly drawn to look and to fly unto JESUS, the conqueror of death, and despoiler of the grave. Seeing much of the infirmities of the body, and the consequent unhappiness of the present life, he will naturally extend his thoughts beyond it, and contemplate with joy and delight that unmixed state of felicity above, where sin and death have no place; where the inhabitant shall not say, "I am sick;" and where tears shall cease for ever.

The MERCHANT, though engaged in the active pursuits of business, yet, feeling that the gain of the whole world would be a miserable recompence for the loss of his soul, ponders upon his plans of profit, and asks if they trespass not upon his neighbours' rights, if they interfere not with the demands of religion, if they rob him not of an unreasonable portion of his time, or do not engross too much of his attention, and finally, if he can retain his character of a "faithful servant” of his Lord. If his conscience cannot promptly satisfy him in these inquiries, his determination is fixed, to relinquish his designs. His ambition is to

lead a useful life, to exhibit a fair and bright example of a man, engaged in active, extensive business, still having his first, best thoughts on HIM, who made and preserves him; by whose smile he prospers; and on whose blessing he depends; consecrating to him his earnings, and resigning himself to his disposal, anxious only to secure the "pearl of great price," the favour of his God.

The POOR MAN, with his small talent of worldly wisdom, and still smaller of earthly goods, convinced that riches are denied him in mercy, that the sources of his disappointment and temptation may not be multiplied, cheerfully accommodates his mind to his condition. He has learned that

"Man wants but little here below, Nor wants that little long." What powers of mind he possesses, he improves for the ed. ification and comfort of his companions in poverty; he points to the rich" inheritance of the saints in light," and directs and urges their attention to secure a title to that unfad ing, imperishable treasure. He administers, if not to the bodily wants of his neighbours, yet to their spiritual necessities. He endeavours in the chamber of sickness, and in the hour of dissolution, to approve himself faithful to his Lord, by point ing to the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world; and entreating all about him to lay hold, while it is yet offered, on the hope of that

glorious Gospel, which is all that can afford rational happiness in life, fortitude, peace, and comfort in death.

Instead of speculating upon doubtful and difficult questions, which usually perplex, darken, and confound the mind, rarely impressing it with seriousness, or leading to practical godliness; instead of curiously inquiring, "Are there few that be saved," we should all fill with usefulness and dignity the several stations assigned us, "striving to enter in at the strait gate,"we should find in the issue a favorable answer to our question, in the multitudes. which, by this conduct, would attain the "crown of glory," the reward of faithfulness.

We are all hastening to one common end. On this side and the other the young, the gay, the vigorous, and the aged, are crumbling into dust. How often do we witness their departure, follow them to the narrow, humble habitation of the grave, and enter again upon the business and the vanities of life, seldom realizing for one single moment, that we also must soon occupy the same mansion. Would it not be wise to make DEATH a friend?

Our blessed Lord, just be fore he uttered the parable, which gave rise to our motto, left, in one word, to all his followers, this most useful, import. ant, solemn lesson, "WATCH." The faithful servant, attentive to this injunction, will never fear the coming of his master;

CONTEMPLATIONS ON CHRIST.

What think ye of Christ. ONE of the Pharisees asked our Lord, "Which is the great commandment in the law?" The answer was, 66 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." The evangelists Mark* and Luke inform us, that the answer was perfectly satisfactory to the inquirer, and to others of the sect, who were then present. Our Lord embraced so favourable an opportunity to ask them, "What think ye of CHRIST, or MESSIAH? whose son is he?" They were the acknowledged interpreters of the Jewish scriptures, which foretold and described that JUST ONE. It was therefore

Mark, xii 32. Luke, xx. 39.

very proper to ask them the present question. Their reply was, "The son of David." This prepared the way to a further question. "How then doth David in spirit call him LORD? If David call him LORD, how is he his son ?" This point they could not solve.

The inquiry now before us is, What have the holy scriptures taught us respecting the person and character of CHRIST?

When the Pharisees said that the MESSIAH was the son of David, Jesus referred them to the words which David, by inspiration, spake concerning him, Psalm cx. 1. "The Lord said unto my lord, sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool." The Pharisees never thought he was the root as well as offspring of David. Viewing him merely as a man, proceeding from David's loins, they might well be perplexed to understand how a son of David could be his Lord, and sit down on the right hand of God in heaven. He must have descended from David according to the flesh, or he could not have been his son : He must have had an higher original, or could not have been his Lord; could not set down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. His seat there proves his superiority to the angels. They all worship him.

What then have the scriptures said respecting the transcendent dignity of his nature? They appear plainly to teach his existence prior to his in

carnation. This is a point of much moment, and claims particular attention.

In his prayer, not long before his death, he mentions the glory which he had with the Father, before the world was. He declares that he proceeded forth and came from God; that he testified none other things than he had seen with his Father; that he came down from heaven, (John, iii. 13, v. 13, 31, 32, vi. 33, 61, viii. 23, 38, xiv. 10, xvi. 27, 28, 30, xvii. 8.) He who is ascended far above all heavens, first descended from thence. (Eph. iv. 9. 10.) He is ascended up where he was before. The bread of life is he who cometh down from heaven. The WORD was made flesh! This wORD was a real person, not a mere quality. How could a mere quality, reason, for instance, be made flesh? It is added, that the WORD dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father. His name is called, THE WORD OF GOD. In him was life. If the WORD was a real person, then this person existed before he was made flesh. If in him the glory of the only begotten of the Father was beheld, then he was not a mere

reputation," when he laid aside his divine form, took on him an human one, and "became obedient unto death." For this instance of humility he is now "highly exalted." Is it not clear, that our Lord had an existence, a superior existence before his incarnation? This point being settled, an inquiry arises, Have the scriptures informed us that there ever was a time when he was not? We have the prediction of his birth by the prophet Micah in these words: "But thou Bethlehem, Ephratah, out of thee shall he go forth that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.' The author of the epistle to the Hebrews saith, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and for ever; and applies to him the words of Psalm cii. 25, 26, 27, " Of old hast thou laid the foundations of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure. They shall be changed, but thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end. He whose name is the Word of God, St. John saith, “was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him.' St. Paul saith, " By him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or principalities or powers.' In the Revelation he sent by his angel to John, it is written "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith