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We should renounce the world as our home and portion, habitually feeling and acting as strangers and pilgrims passing through the world; but having our conversation in heaven, deriving our resources thence, and centring our hopes, desires, and affections there."

"His hand the good man fastens on the skies,
And bids earth roll, nor feels her idle whirl."

We

"The world was not made for you." If we realize this as we ought to do, it will teach us to remember that we are not at home, but in an enemy's country: and we need circumspection and caution, that the world does not injure us. should look around, suspect danger, and be prepared to resist the attacks of the world, and to escape its snares. And with all our vigilance and care, we shall find the need of a heavenly GuarIdian and Guide.

The world was not made for us; but we should get all the good we can out of it, and do all the good we can in it: endeavour to be a blessing to it as we pass through it, and to leave a blessing in it; so that those with whom we associate, and those who come after us, shall, in some way or other, be the better for us. Oh! methinks it is

the very acme of human wretchedness, if we can justly be described as those who

-"last, but never live;

Who much receive, but nothing give;

Whom none can love, whom none can thank,
Creation's blot, creation's blank."

The world was not made for us; but it may be made very useful to us, as a school of discipline,

for the exercise and maturing of those Christian graces, which, untried, would languish and dwindle. The world affords us many trials of our patience, forgiveness, forbearance, stedfastness, benevolence, magnanimity; and "blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life," James i. 12. "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world," James i. 27. The great concern is to secure an interest in Christ, and then, the world is ours. See 1 Cor. iii. 22.

Christians are not of the world, as their Master was not of the world; but how delightful to think, that though this is not their home, they have a home, and are soon going home; going to depart out of the world, and be with the Father! It has been beautifully observed, that the Christian is not to be in haste to leave the world, while God has anything for him to do or suffer; but while bearing the burden and heat of the day, he may resemble the man in harvest, who does not throw down his implements, and run out of the field before the time; but who occasionally erects himself, and looks westward, to see when the descending sun will furnish him with an honourable discharge.

It is a truly desirable state of mind to be, not wearied of the world, but weaned from it; and willing to depart to another and a better.

THE LAST TIME.

THERE is something touching and interesting in the very phrase. When associating with a friend, or visiting a long familiar spot, or enjoying a pleasure, or even enduring a burden, if we could know that it was for the last time, our feelings would be influenced by the consideration, in a manner different from anything we had experienced on former occasions. This we do not, in general, know at the time; but when it afterwards comes to our knowledge that that time was the last, we recall every little circumstance, and every incidental expression, and invest each with a degree of interest unfelt before.

I well remember feeling thus, when I accompanied my kind uncle on his last visit to the place where he had spent most of his youthful years.

Although he had long since left it as a place of residence, he had maintained frequent intercourse with friends and family connexions who still resided there, and had usually paid them an annual visit. But friend after friend died off. At each visit, the circle of his acquaintance was narrowed; and now, as the family of relatives was about to remove to a distant place, my uncle's connexion with the old spot seemed severed, and he then visited it with the full impression that it was for the last time.

My uncle's sight was at this time rapidly fail

ing; and though on recognizing a long familiar voice, or on hearing the announcement of a long endeared name, he warmly grasped the hand of his friend, and still accosted him with, "I am very glad to see you," there was reason to think, that hearing and memory, rather than sight, were pleasurably exercised by the presence of his friend.

"As it is my last visit," he would say, "I must not omit to call on any of my old friends. If I should overlook any, I hope some of you will be so good as to remind me. Let me see who of my old schoolfellows yet remain? There is Henry Marsden; he and I were classmates; we left school at the same time; I to go to college, and he to the office of a solicitor. He was an ingenuous and a clever lad, and I believe has always maintained a high professional character for honour and integrity. I hope he has been mindful of religion; for, after all, that is the main concern. His wife was a very superior woman, amiable, talented, and pious. She was the only daughter of the celebrated Dr. Brewer, and on terms of intimate friendship with my sisters. I suppose," addressing himself to our host, "you can scarcely remember Dr. Brewer. He was in his zenith in the days of my youth."

"I believe, sir," replied Mr. Lambert, "Dr. Brewer left the world before I entered it: I have seen his tombstone in the churchyard. Mr. Marsden also is dead, I think within the last year; his eldest son, who succeeds him in his office of town clerk, occupies his house; another son is in the medical profession, and one is at college. The widow and daughters are removed to Lavender Cottage, where I am sure they will be very happy to see you."

"I shall make a point of visiting the family of my old friend; I hope the young people have grown up in the fear of God. We had some pleasant conversation last year; but, if I had known it was the last interview I should have with Henry Marsden, I think it would have been somewhat different to what it was. Oh, what admonitions have we to let our speech be alway with grace,' 'that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers!""

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After a few moments of pensive silence, my uncle resumed his inquiries. "And good old Mrs. Wright, is she still living?"

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Yes," replied Mrs. Lambert, "I had the privilege of spending an hour with her last week. In the beginning of the summer, she was once or twice carried in a sedan chair to attend public worship; but she is now entirely confined to her chamber. Her mind, however, is as clear and lively as ever, and her conversation truly edifying."

"Yes, yes; in the days of her youth she laid up a good foundation in store for the time to come, and she is now reaping the harvest of spiritual enjoyment. My dear young friends, remember this is your seed-time, and do not slumber or trifle it away. Ay, fifty, sixty years ago this good woman remembered her Creator in the days of her youth, and He does not forget her or forsake her now she is old and greyheaded. He is our rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him."

I have not forgotten the emphasis with which my uncle joined in appropriating this delightful portion of Scripture, nor yet the visit in which I was permitted to accompany him to the chamber of the venerable saint. Oh what rich words of consola

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