pleasures are to be enjoyed which can bear to be looked at under the shadow of the Cross; only those employments are to be engaged in, which can be sanctified by the memory of the Cross, and by prayer for His blessing who hung upon it. All innocent pleasures, innocently enjoyed, may be thus sanctified. Indeed it is a very great error to suppose that we are to ask the blessing of the Crucified only on our serious employments; we may ask it, and we should ask it, on our recreations and lawful amusements.

The world is ever offering us some pleasure, or holding up before our eyes some enticing object, especially to the young our own sinful flesh rejoices at the opportunity of indulgences, brings the pleasure close to us, and almost obliges us to accept it. May we, then, put forth our hands and take to ourselves all such pleasures as they are offered, without asking whether they would involve us in sin, whether they will promote or hinder our advance in holiness? May we pluck the fruit without consideration, and eat to the full? Certainly not, as we are Christians. As we value our hope of salvation by a crucified Saviour, we must pause before we indulge in any offered pleasure; we must suspect pleasant things; we must examine them; we must measure them by the cross; we must reject them altogether if they are not innocent; we must partake sparingly of them if they are. The cross is the standard by which the Christian measures all things: whenever he finds a pleasure with which he cannot in any degree associate the memory of the cross, he renounces it: he turns his eyes from it,

and looks another way: he prays for grace to resist the temptation, and bows himself meekly to the yoke of Christ. Then, when he has thus heartily submitted his will, that which before was bright, pleasant, and desirable in his eyes, becomes distasteful, and perhaps loathsome; he turns from it as he would from the bright colours of a poisonous serpent.

'But not from sinful things only-frequently the Cross of Christ, if we follow its guidance, will lead us away from things innocent in themselves, as not fitting for Christians at particular times, thus guiding us in the steps of our Saviour, who gave up holy and heavenly joys, choosing suffering instead, to accomplish our redemption. Thus when children are led by their own inclinations to join the sports of their companions, the Cross will call them away to work for their parents, even when they are not absolutely commanded to do it. At other times, in the midst of their play, the Cross of Christ will call upon them in the happiest, most cheerful and innocent moment, to leave their amusement, that they may attend the week-day service; and when they obey such calls, they are in their measure being crucified to the world.

Again, we all know how pleasant it is to carry out what we have undertaken, and bring it at once to a successful issue, and how disagreeable it is to be stopped in any work a little while before it is accomplished: but if by putting aside the work in which we are greatly interested we can show kindness to another, if we can help those who need help, or comfort those who are in distress, the Cross will

call upon us to give up our own wishes, and even at the cost of considerable trouble to do the kind act, awaiting patiently some other, though less convenient, opportunity of finishing the work we are engaged in. For if our hearts are with Christ upon the cross, we may remember how He paused even in the awful work of our Redemption, as He was bearing His cross up Calvary, to comfort the daughters of Jerusalem as they wept for Him: and how in the midst of His heavenly teaching He remembered the bodily necessities of those who heard Him, and even bore in mind the peculiar wants of those divers ones who came from far.

11

Sometimes the Cross will lead us to keep silence when we earnestly desire to speak, remembering how our Divine Saviour prepared Himself for His Crucifixion, observing so strict a silence that "the Governor marvelled greatly." We shall abstain from self-justification, even enduring false witness without complaint; and refrain from blaming others, even when we might thereby escape blame ourselves; still following His example, " Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not."

12

Sometimes the Cross will lead us from our own cheerful family circle, to the bed-side of a sick and downcast neighbour, to hear the tale of his grief, and to comfort him: sometimes it will lead us from a pleasant book to some labour of duty or kindness, which at the moment seems irksome.

These, indeed, are but light crosses; they are but 11 St. Matt. xxvii. 14. 12 1 St. Peter, ii. 23.

trifles; yet they are acceptable if done with a willing mind. If, on the other hand, we yield in all little trials to inclination, the effect upon our souls will be ruinous; all firmness of purpose and strength of character will be gone, and to yield to inclination will become so habitual, that it will be found impossible to brace the mind to resist a great temptation when it comes. In little things our trial consists. If we bear little trials well, we shall, ordinarily, bear great ones well: if we give up our will in matters of slight importance frequently, we shall be prepared to submit to greater hardships. As we follow the guidance of the Cross in daily little trials, so our souls prosper.

There are times when the Cross will, as it were, lead us to itself in solemn meditations: when our whole heart and mind will be drawn away from all brighter, pleasanter, and more joyous associations, to be fixed intently upon the bitter sufferings which Christ endured for us. Then our sins will rise up vividly before us, and by the grace of God we shall learn to hate them with a perfect hatred, when we see how awful a penalty was paid for them upon the cross, and how certainly they will bring us to misery unless we repent of them truly, and do works meet for repentance. Of course the great season for such meditations as these will be in Passion-week, when the services of the Church will guide our thoughts in that direction.

But it would be well for us, my brethren, if we were to set apart some time (more or less according to our circumstances) for meditation on the Cross of

call upon us to give up our own wishes, and even at the cost of considerable trouble to do the kind act, awaiting patiently some other, though less convenient, opportunity of finishing the work we are engaged in. For if our hearts are with Christ upon the cross, we may remember how He paused even in the awful work of our Redemption, as He was bearing His cross up Calvary, to comfort the daughters of Jerusalem as they wept for Him: and how in the midst of His heavenly teaching He remembered the bodily necessities of those who heard Him, and even bore in mind the peculiar wants of those divers ones who came from far.

11

Sometimes the Cross will lead us to keep silence when we earnestly desire to speak, remembering how our Divine Saviour prepared Himself for His Crucifixion, observing so strict a silence that "the Governor marvelled greatly." We shall abstain from self-justification, even enduring false witness without complaint; and refrain from blaming others, even when we might thereby escape blame ourselves; still following His example, "Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not."

" 12

Sometimes, the Cross will lead us from our own cheerful family circle, to the bed-side of a sick and downcast neighbour, to hear the tale of his grief, and to comfort him: sometimes it will lead us from a pleasant book to some labour of duty or kindness, which at the moment seems irksome.

These, indeed, are but light crosses; they are but 12 1 St. Peter, ii. 23.

"St. Matt. xxvii. 14.