time are not worthy to be compared task is hard: I know the unbe- But should the neglect of friends sweetness. For the Christian Observer. ON GRACE AT MEALS. THE circumstance that no systematical and regular code of ethics is laid down in the holy Scriptures, instead of presenting any real dif ficulty to the honest inquirer who wishes to make them "à lamp unto his feet," in fact facilitates his researches. So infinitely varied are the questions of duty which call for a practical solution, that no body of rules for particular cases, however voluminous, would have met every demand. The superior excellency of the Bible as a rule of life consists in the perfection and universality of those principles which may be applied to every conceivable variety of circumstances by a casuist really bent upon discovering the truth. They are like the standard weights and measures, which, though comparatively few in number, may be used in the widest range of calculation, and are equally subservient to the most sublime discoveries of the philosopher and the minute details of the man of business. Having made this allusion, I cannot help being drawn on by it, though a little from my point, to express a joyful hope, that, however little progress has been hitherto made towards the establishment of that desideratum in statistics, an universal standard of weights and measures, we are making rapid strides towards a consummation much more devoutly to be wished for-the dissemination of the Bible, to form the manual of the moral and religious casuist in every region and corner of the globe. I have mentioned the minute ap. plication of scriptural principles, with a view to calling the attention of the readers of the Christian Observer to a subject, the importance of which is not, I think, in general duly appreciated; namely, the mode of saying grace at meals. The propriety of the custom it self is so obvious, that I did not mean even to have touched upon it; but in case this paper should chance to meet the eye of any one, who has been led, by the seductive principle of conformity, to adopt the too-prevalent, godless, and in decent fashion of entirely omitting it, I will point out a few passages in Scripture which bear directly on the point. "For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer." 1 Tim. iv. 5, 6. "For, if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Cor. x. 30, 31. Contrast a modern party of those who "profess and call themselves Christians," sitting down to their abundant table with less thankfulness and no more ceremony, than their oxen go to the stall, with the following truly Christian sketch: "And they continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart; praising God, and having favour with all the people." Acts ii. 46, 47.-If these examples do not suffice, go to Pitcairn's Island, and be put to shame by the descendants of the mutineers of the Bounty. The days, alas! are not gone by, in which God might well exclaim, "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider." Isa. i. 3. But while the decided neglect of this duty characterises the most devoted worshippers of Fashion, that great Dagon of a still idolatrous world; its indecorous, irreverent, and consequently very insufficient performance is to be attributed to a far more numerous class in society. There is little to choose between that forgetfulness of God, which takes the good things he gives without a word of acknow ledgment, and that which seems to think three words, mumbled over as hastily and indistinctly as possible, an adequate token of respectful gratitude. Like every other form, where it is a form only, it is but a mockery of Him to whom it is offered, and more likely to bring down a curse than a blessing on those who "draw nigh unto him with their lips, while their hearts are far from him." The use of God's name in this way, instead of being an exercise of the Christian grace of thankfulness, is a direct breach of one of hisCommandments, and a symptom of thoughtless impiety. To him, whose mind is really touched with a lively sense of his daily obligations to that bountiful Giver of all blessings, who "crowneth the year with his goodness," who "openeth his hand, and satisfieth the desire of every living thing," there is something peculiarly painful in hearing words, calculated to awaken and express this feeling, uttered in a tone of indifference which scarcely accompanies the most cursory remark, and in so hasty and careless a manner, that this act of thanksgiving to the Almighty does not perhaps arrest the attention of one half of the party in whose name it is of fered. It is offensive to such an one to see a company stand up, without a single exception, to drink the health of some distinguished individual (an occurrence witnessed at all our public dinners) while the few, who rise up here and there, when grace is said, to mark their reverence for the King of kings, are stared at perhaps, and regarded as precise Puritans. One of the strong pleas, by which we justify the steps taken by our church at the period of the Reformation, is the absolute impossibility, humanly speaking, of the worship of the church, as it was then conducted, being a generally spiritual worship. Some pious souls, no doubt, made it the vehicle of genuine aspirations after the Deity; but to the greater part of those who heard it, it was perfectly unintelligible, and consequently, as far as they were concerned, a mere lifeless and empty form. Let us take care lest our daily practice prove, that we maintain in our houses an abuse which we profess to have corrected in our churches. Though the words used be in a language which all can understand, little is gained by that if but a small portion of the company can hear them. Not to multiply words on a simple question, I would only request those who may honour these remarks with a perusal to consider whether their habits in this point N. T. To the Editor of the Christian Observer. IT MAY BE ONE OF THE LAST DEAVOUR ALL the works of God are worthy of our admiration. But of all his works there is noue in which his perfections are so fully displayed, as in the redemption of the world by Jesus Christ. The period of the year is now approaching, when we are more particularly called up on by our church to commemorate the death and passion of our Saviour, by which that redemption has been effected. It is, therefore, now intended to take a view of the glory of our Redeemer's character, and to point out in what respects it was manifested even in his sufferings, and shone through the dark cloud that covered him in his humiliation. The love of God to man in providing salvation for him was inconceivable. But still more astonishing were the means employed to accomplish it. That his well beloved Son should veil his Divine glory, clothe himself with mortal flesh, subject himself to a life of suffering, and at last die upon the cross, to save us from our sins, tends indeed to exalt the grace of God and abase the pride of man, but bears on it no marks of human wisdom. Indeed, it is with difficulty that men can be brought cordially to approve of these things. "The cross of Christ was to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness," and still is so to many around us. It will be proper, therefore, that we should attend to those proofs of his Divine glory which appeared even in his lowest abasement. 1. Let us consider, first, how readily and cheerfully he undertook the work of our redemption. There is little honour in submitting to what cannot be avoided, or do ing what we dare not refuse; but the humiliation of Christ was perfectly voluntary. Therefore the greatness of his character is even heightened by his condescension. It is certain, that no created being could have accomplished this work; and it is probable that no created being would have been willing to undertake it. Indeed, it is clearly implied, in several passages of Scripture, not only that Christ voluntarily undertook this great work, but that he alone was capable of doing it. "Then said I,Lo, I come : in the volume of thy book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God." "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself: I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again." "I looked, and there was none to help: and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine. own arm brought salvation unto me." "And no man in heaven or in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much because no man was found worthy to open the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not; behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof." How glorious, then, was the compassion of our Redeemer, in subjecting himself to such abasement, not of necessity or with reluctance, but cheerfully and willingly!" I delight to do thy will, O my God."-And this is enhanced by another consideration. From men their future sufferings are concealed. The nature of them is unknown, and the event uncertain. But our Saviour had a perfect knowledge of every event that was to befal him. He knew the number and malice of his enemies, and the bit in his sustaining the full measure of Divine vengeance due to the sins of the world. The cup of Divine wrath was early put into his hands: he had continued to drink of it daily; but at the close of life he had to drink its bitterest dregs. View him in the garden of Gethsemane ! "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me! Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." "And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Behold him on the cross! What deep distress of soul must have extorted the lamentable exclamation; "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me!" In short, he suffered in his life, and at his death, what was accepted as an ample reparation of the dishonour sin had done to God, as a sufficient vindication of the Divine Justice in sparing pe nitent transgressors, and as the full purchase of their pardon, peace, sanctification, and eternal glory. "He was wounded for our trans. gressions; he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on HIM the iniquity of us all." pleased the Lord to bruise him: he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand." terness of that cup, the dregs of which he was to drink: yet, firm to his purpose, he begins and carries on his work with undaunted resolution. Thus did there appear a glory even in his humiliation, a majesty even in his sufferings. 2. Let us consider next, the greatness of those sufferings which he endured. His whole life was a course of the heaviest sufferings of which human nature is capable. No sooner did he see the light than Herod sought to destroy him; and thenceforward his afflictions were constant: He was indeed " a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." And not only were his afflictions constant, but they were of the severest kind. He was so poor as to depend on the charity of others for subsistence. "Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." Reproach was thrown upon him without measure, and of the worst kind; and reproach and contempt are perhaps the hardest to bear of any suffer ings to which we are exposed. He was likewise subjected to the most painful temptations: "He was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without siu." He suffered, moreover, most acutely from his sympathy with others: His very ap pearance in the world being the effect of his infinite tenderness and compassion, we must, therefore, therefore, suppose him liable to the severest sufferings of this kind. To form some faint idea, let us imagine what must be the anguish of a pious and affectionate parent, on the death of a wicked child, of whom he has the utmost reason to fear, that he no sooner closed his eyes in death than he opened them in the torments of hell,—And not only did the afflictions of our Lord continue, but they increased through his life, till at last they issued in an extraordinary conflict with the powers of darkness, and we "It 3. Let us, in the third place, contemplate the glory of our Redeemer, in the purity and patience he manifested under the extremity of suffering he was called to en dure. Affliction is the touch-stone of virtue, tries its sincerity, and displays its beauty. Therefore "it |