Have I any one who looks to me to guide him, to shew him what is right, to warn him from what is wrong? How do I fulfil the duty? And my own time! how am I using it? My money! how am I spending it? My thoughts! my hopes! my fears! upon what are they fixed? Am I doing my Lord's business; that is, am I doing the plain duties of my place in life, whatever that may be ? remembering that it is my Lord who has given me those duties to do! Or am I spending life, time, thoughts, and money, if I have it, in sinful pleasures, in worldly cares, in following out my own will instead of the will of God? Am I doing good or harm to those around me, by my own acts towards them, or even by my example?

Let me read over again the parables of Jesus spoken at this time, (Luke xii. 34—50,) and let me take good heed that I am not of those who, because our Lord seems for a time to delay his coming, forget that He surely will come at an hour when I am not aware, and appoint me my portion with the unbelievers.

Dreadful doom! Why am I so mad, when I know that I must die; why am I so mad that I do not live as one who waits, not for death as an evil, but for the coming of my Lord, who will bless me far beyond my understanding, if only He finds that I have been watchful for his coming?

Let me remember too, that unto "whomsoever much is given, of him much will be required."

to do with religion, that may not, by God's help, be done for God; and therefore be a part of the service we owe him, and in which we may still watch for his coming. But I appeal to the common sense of any one, whether, in the turmoil of the needless cares, or in the mad excitement of the pursuit of gain or pleasure, it is possible so to serve God as to be watching for his coming, and ready for a sudden call to meet him. Common sense at once will answer, No. Yet there are many pleasures open to the servant of God, which need not cause him to forget, that in any one moment he may be called away; which need not prevent him, when his Lord doth come, from opening to him immediately. Happy would it be for us to remember the purpose for which we are created! This purpose is beautifully expressed in the first question and answer of the Catechism of the Church of Scotland. 'What is the chief end of man? Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.'

Have I who read knowing God's will? There is but one way. and in careful self-examination, comparing our manner of life with the word of God itself. Religious books may mislead, for the men who write them may be carried into error by the strength of their own opinions; but the humble earnest service of a meek and lowly spirit, seeking for knowledge in God's written word, and for strength in his holy sacraments, and in all the appointed means of grace, will not, cannot be deceived, for God has promised that whoever seeks shall find him, that the blood of his Son shall cleanse from every stain, and that He will give eternal life to all who believe in him. God promised! The earth, and all things in it shall but the word of our God abideth for ever.*

these lines had many opportunities of Oh let me take heed that I do it ?It is this! To live in constant prayer

This hath

pass away,

LIII.

LUKE XII. MATTHEW X; XI.

LUKE Xii. 49. "I am come (said the Lord Jesus) to send fire upon earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?”

* In Rev. xvi. 15, it is written, "Behold I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame." If you are in earnest to see in what state you must be, when ready to meet your Lord, you cannot do better than search the Scripture till you find the meaning of this passage. For those who have not bibles with references I will give some that appear to me to show, that this garment or raiment means the purity of life, the holiness of heart man has not by nature, but which will be given to every one who really seeks it from God through Christ the Saviour. Man, in his natural state, does not know that he is wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked; therefore God counsels him in his holy word to go to him for the true riches, and for white raiment, that he may be clothed. Rev. iii. read from 15-22; also from the middle of the 1st verse to the end of the 5th; xix. 8; vii. from 13 to the end. Isaiah i. 16—19; Heb. ix. 14; Ps. xli. 7.

Was the religion of the God of peace and love a fire? And could Jesus, the merciful, the kind, rejoice that He had already kindled it? Yes. But though it was a fire which would burn, and spread over the whole earth, it would only destroy the dross it would cleanse it, even as silver and gold is cleansed in the furnace, and refine away the sin that has mixed itself with all that is in the world. But before this could be, Christ must suffer. He foresaw the fire that would go forth from the sparks He was now kindling in men's minds. The time that was to come lay clear before his sight; the world in him was to be new born. He was the second Adam: the first man of the family of men restored to the favour of God, in which the image of God would be "new created unto righteousness: " but His baptism must be of blood, for sin must be atoned, before it could be blotted out; and the Saviour longed for the time when "He, by the grace of God, should taste death for every man," "that through death, He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil." (Heb. iii. 9, 14.) He said ::

Verse 50.

"But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened * till it be accomplished."

Blessed Saviour! He did not shrink from the baptism of blood that was before him! He knew the sufferings through which the plan of salvation was to be made perfect, and He felt pained till it was accomplished, fully carried out.

He again warned his disciples of the trials they would meet with for the sake of his religion. They must depend upon no family love to shield them from danger, for on the contrary— "A man's foes, (his greatest enemies,) would be those of his own household."

He added, that this must be no reason for shrinking from openly acknowledging him to be their Lord:

* Pained. Bible margin.

MATTHEW X. 37-39. "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, (that is, he that is not willing to suffer for my sake) and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it."

To all who would show his disciples kindness for his sake, the Lord Jesus said, He would look upon that kindness as done to himself. It is the motive of the heart God looks upon, and what is done for his sake is done unto himself. (Matt. xxv. 34 -41.) Therefore He said unto them :

Verses 40-42. "He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward."

What comfort there is in the meaning of these words for all who love God. All who receive the disciples of Christ, doing so because they are his disciples, shall have the same blessing as if they had received into their homes God himself. All who show kindness, even in a trifle, to God's people, doing so because they are his people, shall be themselves counted as his own, and shall receive the same reward. And even the houseless wanderer, who has not where to lay his head, may so receive them ; for he may so open his heart and his affections to the love of God as, for his sake, to shew kindness to all who are his. Even a cup of cold water thus given shall not lose its reward.

When we think of the greatness and of the majesty of the Lord God of heaven and earth, and consider the tender kindness with which He accepts, and even rewards, as worthy service, the feeble love, the small acts by which we can show our wish to serve him; should not our hearts within us swell with gratitude? A mother's tenderness prizes as rich gifts, the trifles brought her by her little child. The Mighty God blesses and rewards the offerings of a loving heart.

MATTHEW xi. 1. “And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.” MARK Vi. 12, 13. "And they went out, and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them" (everywhere.)

It seems that when the Saviour had thus sent his apostles away from him, to carry the good news of his gospel throughout all the land of Judea, He himself made a round through the villages and cities for the very same purpose.

Now indeed the whole country rang with the fame of Jesus, and the doctrines He taught were everywhere spoken of. King Herod in his court heard of him and trembled.

We must leave awhile the history of the Lord Jesus, that we may hear how the imprisonment and the life of John the Baptist ended together. Most true had been his words when speaking of Christ, he said-" He must increase, but I must decrease." That is, as his Ministry grows brighter and brighter, mine must wane and fade away. The mission of John was like that of the morning star, which shines awhile to tell the day is coming, and then fades before the rising sun; its more feeble light lost in the brightness of his coming."