presents, to the love of our brothers to the l improvement and exaltation of the social mant This is the very temper of heaven; and our Lord shows its transcendent importance by making it the criterion of that sentence, which the Judge will pass at the great day of general retribution. Now to cherish benevolence into a settled habit of the mind, so that it may yield us delight in our progress to im mortality, and be the basis of an immortal happiness, we must imitate in some degree, the divine spirit and active exertions of our great Master. Instead of shutting our eyes against the sons of poverty and affliction, we must soothe their sorrows, and relieve their wretchedness; and thus cherish in our souls · that quality, which alone can make us par takers of a Divine nature. For the essence of a Divine nature is love; and if love be wanting, all is wanting that can assimilate us to God, either in mind or enjoyment. Here then, my young friends, you must put all your vigilance in action, to guard against the encroachments of a worldly spirit; for others wise it will insensibly undermine the excelvolg

lence

and all

will in

lence of a nature originally good, and pave the way to all that is mean and degrading You must study the character of Christ, and the genius of his dispensation of grace and mercy. In these you will behold all the claims which humanity has upon you, the dishonour and misery, which you cur by neglecting them. You will see the glory of doing good, and despise, in compari son with it, all the glory of the world. You will resist the calls of avarice, to obey the calls of charity; you will limit your personal wants," that you may have somewhat to give to him that lacketh.".

The foundation of this habit you must lay in early life, while your feelings are on the side of generosity. For, if you wait till the world has seized upon your hearts, it never can be laid and you must strengthen it by constant exercise, otherwise the pursuits of the world, even when it has been laid, will gradually weaken and finally destroy it. This is that part of your probation which demands the most assiduous care; because it is at once most difficult and most important. It is the

glory

glory of a virtuous soul, and, through Jesus Christ, cits qualification for the heavenly states Here indeed, above all, the connection be tween this life and the next becomes clear and striking. To associate with Christ, we must be like him in the bent of our inclinations: To share in the occupations of heaveny owe must have our minds attuned to the love of God and of his rational offspring. But love cannot exist without exercise; and we must exercise it here, that we may reap the fruits of that happiness, which it will yield us for ever in the social delights of that religion, in which love shall flourish, when our other affec tions will no longer be necessary... 7 pogod is Would you render the contemplation of this futurity exhilarating to your imagination? Would you disarm Death of his terrors, and make your progress through life both happy and honourable ?Seek earnestly the best gift of sheaven, a benevolent and generous temper, founded upon the basis of Christian faith,band animated by the hope of immor tality. It is this acquisition which will render the connection between a state of discipline eicio g

and

and a state of remuneration, a subject of medie tation, pleasing to the heart and improving to the character. You now begin to see the ad! vantages of those privations and labours, to which you submitted in the acquisition of that knowledge, which enables you to enter upon life with the prospect of success. As you advance further in a religious course, "you will see the yet higher advantage of that self-denial, which, in a probationary state, must be the first step to permanent enjoy. ment. In the discipline which we have been pointing out and recommending, you are ma→ king yourselves perfect in those lessons, the happy fruits of which will crown all your labouts, and cause you to feel, that your trial, compared with your recompense, has been -less than nothing. Let this thought repress all tendency to complaint. The trials of faith and the difficulties of virtue may not be plea sing to flesh and blood. But neither were those tasks and rules, through which you have passed from pupilage to manhood.dit is the probation which a Father's wisdom has appointed for training up your souls for their bus glorious

glorious destination. Will you not be fellowworkers with him in what is essential to prepare you for progressive knowledge and uninterrupted felicity? This is the season to commence your work. The twig yet pliant will bend into any form. Suffer it to stiffen by age, and it becomes no longer manageable. The way of wisdom, early chosen and steadily will find to be the way of plea

pursued, you will find to be the santness and the path of peace; and at the termination, the visions of hope will break in upon your soul, and cheer you through the valley of the shadow of Death. Choose then with decision, and persevere with steadiness. Take religion as the guide, and you will find it to be the honour and the solace of life. Submit to your trial with patience; and you will be supported in it by a Divine spirit. Endure it as becometh Christians, and blessed, ever blessed will ye be; for the Lord himself will put upon your heads the crown of life.

THE END.

PRINTED BY R. AND A. TAYLOR, SHOE-LANE.