compelled to form of your case? What but that awful one which your Lord himself pronounces at the close of the warning before quoted-"Salt is good, but if the salt have lost its savour, wherewith will ye season it?" It is then with the tender affection, but wise discretion of Naomi, that your mother church now gives you the opportunity of choosing and professing whose servants you will be the servants of God or mammon— Jehovah or Baal-Christ or Belial?1 Fain would she have you choose that “better part which shall never be taken away from you," but she would have you choose it in sincerity and truth, and abide by your choice without wavering.

By the mouth of the Bishop she will put this solemn question to you at the time of confirmation

"Do ye here, in the presence of God and of this congregation, renew the solemn promise and vow that was made in your name at your baptism; ratifying and confirming the same in your own persons, and acknow

1 2 Cor. vi. 13, &c.

E

ledging yourselves bound to believe and do all those things which your godfathers and godmothers then undertook for you?" And to this question she expects you to answer intelligently and conscientiously-" I DO."

Unless you do thus answer it, the laying on of the Bishop's hands will be no sign to you-of "God's favour and gracious goodness towards you;" the ordinance will bring down on your head a curse, and not a blessing. Now then, in the name of that church of which you are about to become the confirmed members, I call upon you to pause, and reflect, and consider, before you resolve.I call upon you to "count the cost," and calculate the consequences. Do not decide on journeying with the church through the wilderness, while your hearts are turning back to Egypt. Think of those who are still free to follow "the ways of their heart and the sight of their eyes, because the vows of God are not upon them." "BEHOLD!

THY SISTER-IN-LAW IS GONE BACK UNTO HER PEOPLE AND UNTO HER GODS: RETURN THOU AFTER THY SISTER-IN-LAW."

CHAPTER IV.

THE DECISION.

"Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God." Ruth i. 16.

THUS far have I endeavoured, like Naomi, faithfully to guard my readers against rashly pledging themselves to a course of conduct which they are not fully resolved to maintain. But think not, my dear young friends, that I would discourage you from coming forward on this occasion, if only you be sincere and in earnest. If Ruth's principles and Ruth's feelings be yours, then delay not to take on yourselves RUTH'S RESolutions.

Let me now proceed to consider that touching and beautiful profession of attachIment which has made the name of Ruth renowned wherever the Word of God has

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been published. This was her answer to Naomi's last appeal-"Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me." As though she had said, "Intreat me not to leave thee," for I cannot bear the thought. "Be not against me" (as the marginal reading is,) do not persuade me to my ruin; I have well considered all that thou canst

urge, but it does not shake my purpose. I know not the way that thou art going; but it is enough for me to have thee for a companion;-" Whither thou goest I will go." I know not how mean may be thy dwelling, how desolate and destitute of comfort; but "where thou lodgest I will lodge." Thy people are as yet strangers to me, and I know but little of the God whom thou servest; enough that they are thine. "Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God." And sweet as the thought of lying

in the sepulchre of our fathers may be, I will give them up for thee in life and in death; "where thou diest I will die, and there will I be buried." And to close all, I solemnly swear this, under the oath of thine own people," the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me."

What a firm, decided, enthusiastic profession of devotedness was this! We feel at once that it would have been vain to argue in such a case, because the heart, the most eloquent of all pleaders, was engaged. How convincingly does this impassioned determination of Ruth prove the truth of the common saying, "Where there's a will there's a way!" Ah! this is the reason why so many stand aloof from, Christ: "Ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life!" And this is the use which I would make of this deeply interesting portion of Scripture on the present occasion-No GREAT SACRIFICES ARE EVER MADE, ΝΟ GREAT DIFFICULTIES ARE EVER OVERCOME, BUT UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF SOME RULING PASSION, some overwhelming inpulse, that breaks down all barriers, and overcomes all oppo