madness of their guilt. He is crowned with glory, honour, and immortality; the brightest diadem in Heaven's own gift is his; he wears it as

his due.

He has fallen, but, like Samfon, he flew more dying than when he was alive. The temple of error is overthrown, the tree of gospel liberty is watered by the blood of its martyrs; thus has it ever been, from the time of the proto-martyr to him of Erromanga. Every ftroke received is a victory gained, every death a triumph. The facrificing fpirit of the brave Roman lived in his immediate defcendants, and fired a whole nation Iwith the love of heroic deeds; it is fo with the Christian Hero, and to much better purpose. Living he was located; his fphere of usefulness was limited; now he poffeffes a ubiquity of prefence; he is everywhere animating the church of God by his example; and fhe is animated-the fpot where he fell becomes a recognized part of her poffeffions. Others rush forward and fecure the prize. Every one of his wounds becomes more effective and eloquent than the mouth of the living orator, fpeaking through all time. Dying, he becomes an immortal, his very name becomes a watch-word-his deeds, a memorial unto all generations; his heroic example, a glorious inheritance. If the offering of the widows' mites have conftituted fo rich a treasury to the church, how much more fhall the facrifice of the Chriftian Hero open to her a mine of wealth, at once precious and inexhaustible?

"'Tis now the time of ftrife and war,
The contest founds on every fide;
Nations are bound to Satan's car,
And who fhall meet him in his pride?
Is there no arm his power to break ?
Are there no hearts that deeply feel?
Sons of the kingdom! rise, awake!
Obey, at length, your Saviour's will.
Go, bear the gospel banner forth,
Its glittering web of light unrol,
To gleam fublime from fouth to north,
And scatter light from pole to pole."

"Whofoever, therefore, fhall be afhamed of me, of him fhall the Son of Man be ashamed."-MARK viii. 38.

;

Right in the narrow way the Cross it stands,
And all the space completely it commands
On either fide behold! vaft rocks arise,
Expand their width, and reach the topmost skies :
See numbers there, who fain the Crown would have,
But will not touch the Crofs their fouls to fave;
They feek fome other way, but 't will not do,
They wander on, and find eternal woe.

But one is feen advancing right ahead,
And like his Lord-the Crofs he will not dread;
He takes it up 't is feathers-nothing more-
He travels onward faster than before;

He loves the Crofs, nor ever lays it down,
Till he receives inftead the starry Crown.

On a gently rifing ground, a Cross of fomewhat large dimenfions is feen to ftand erect; above it, and fufpended in the air, a bright Crown fparkles with a brilliant light. On both fides of the Cross rocks, vaft and precipitous, lift up their tops to the heavens; on either fide they extend as far as the eye can reach. Many perfons are seen going round the base of the mountain chain; their object appears to be to get the Crown; it is theirs if they will but get it according to the condition propofed. They have been trying to go through the narrow paffage, but the wooden crofs blocks up the entrance; they never think of moving that, although they try to climb the mountain barrier, which is much more difficult. See! one is now attempting to afcend, but it is all in vain-there is no other way than through the chaẩm. Away they go, wandering round and round; some are feen falling off a precipice, they are dashed to pieces; others lofe themfelves

among dark labyrinths, and fome are torn to pieces by wild beasts. All come to a bad end— not one of them obtains the Crown.

One, however, is feen alone, marching up to the terrible Crofs; he walks with a firm ftep. Decifion is his name; he goes right up to the Crofs, he quickly throws it down-it is only a few inches in the ground; he takes it up, its weight is nothing, for it is hollow. He carries it to the place appointed, lays it down, and receives the glittering Crown, and bears it away in triumph.

By the Crofs here is fignified religious duties; by the Crown-immortality in heaven; those who pafs by the Crofs and wander round the wall, reprefent those who think of heaven, but neglect duty; the man who boldly takes up the Crofs-the faithful Chriftian. Many perfons think about heaven, who, alas! will never arrive there; nay, they do more, they actually set out for it-perhaps make a profeffion of religion; they do not like the idea of being loft; fubmit to a partial reformation, and make an approach toward the performance of religious duties. They just obtain a fight of them, and they are frightened; this is the Crofs. What is there in the Crofs fo dreadful! Let us fee. Of all who present themselves as candidates for heaven, it is required that they become poor in fpirit-humble as a little child-penitent for fin-"perfect and pure, as He is pure"-that they do deny felf-crucify the flesh-mortify the body-fubdue inordinate defires-fet the affections on things above-hun