the tares and the wheat. It has been commonly supposed, that the tare of Judea does not exist in this country; but probably there is no more difference between the tare of Judea and the tare of England, than between the wheat of Judea and the wheat of England. 'It is well known,' says an Eastern traveller, to the people at Aleppo. It grows among corn. The reapers do not separate the plant; but after the threshing reject the seeds, by means of a fan or sieve.' The proper English name is, 'White Darnel;' but called by our Farmers, Wild Yver.'

"While men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat." So closely do the seeds of the tare resemble the wheat in size and shape, that there is great care required to separate them, which accounts for their being found in the wheat field year after year. Thus while Christ by his ministers is sowing the good seed-even that incorruptible seed which abideth for ever-the Devil is busy sowing this evil seed in the same field-the world. By and by the wheat springs up, and the blade brings forth fruit, and then the tares appear also. While the wheat and the tare are only in blade, you cannot distinguish one from another. "But when the blade brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also;" then, of course, the difference is plain. So the children of the kingdom, and the children of the wicked one-the true believer and the mere professor-grow up together with so much likeness, that the eye of the most experienced spiritual observer often fails to distinguish them. Baptized in the same font, they grow up in attendance on the same ordinances; read the same Bible; attend the preaching of the same Gospel; talk the same language; and, so well does Satan counterfeit

the true work of God, up to a certain stage of growth, appear as the produce of the same seed, plants reared by the same hand. But wait till the fruit-time comes, then is the professor discovered in his walk among the children of God, by the want of the fruits of salvation, or rather by the nature of the fruits which he brings forth; fruits of the flesh; fruits, like that of the tare, hurtful and poisonous. But though the tares were now seen and known, they were not, as the servants seemed to think, to be gathered up; but, "let both grow together till harvest," and that for an important reason --"lest ye gather up the wheat with them." Other weeds that grow in the corn fields may be and are, as you well know, weeded out; but these cannot, as is clear, without injury to the corn, because they cannot be distinguished early enough. In fact, in endeavouring to pull up some of the tares, I pulled up a stem of wheat with them, the roots appearing quite intermixed. So were it entrusted to the servants- the ministers of the Church-to gather up the tares, many a weak plant of God's own planting might be plucked up with them; this therefore is reserved for the Great Day of separation, when Christ, having finished his work as a Saviour, will appear as a Judge. Then the fruit both of the tares and the wheat being fully ripe, an assembled universe shall as fully acknowledge the justice of that sentence which assigns the sinner to the burnings of Hell, and the believer to the glories of Heaven; as we should now assent to the wisdom of the farmer who pronounces his golden sheaves of wheat fit to adorn and fill his storehouse, and the bitter and intoxicating fruit of the tare good for nothing, but to be burned. Dear Reader! Are you ripening for Heaven or Hell?

JESUS CHRIST IS ALL IN

CHRIST is his a Father's chiefest choice,
And I in b him the very same;
Why should I not in c him rejoice?
Who am secured from all d shame.

I now in e Christ have beauty bright,
I am complete in f him alone;

And clothed in his g robe that's white;
In h him I have perfection.

ALL TO HIS.

Christ is i my light, my life, and strength,
My k prophet, priest, and king is he;
My husband, head, and Saviour,
Oh! none but m Jesus Christ for me.
What is it worldly n men desire?
But beauty, riches, o and fine fare;
With pleasure, p ease, and rich attire,
Things which the world q with them do share.

And what these things r to them can be,
The same is Christ to me & and more;
And what thy best works t are to thee,
Better to me is Christ my store.
Go! tell u thy wealth by day, by night,
And all thine earthly good unfold; v
These soon shall take their hasty w flight,
While Christ to me is more x than gold.
When empty thou canst nothing y bring,
OI shall flourish in Christ all; z
For this he gave like princely a king,
That day I heard his saving b call.
O welcome then my Saviour c dear,
Now Christ is all d in all to thee;
Dismiss my soul, thine every fear, e
O none but Jesus Christ for me.

a 1 Pet ii 4
b Eph i 4

c Phil iv 4

d Rom viii 38 39

e Ezek xvi 14
f Colii 10
g Rev xix 8
h Col ii 3, 10
¿ 1 John i 4, 5
k Heb ix 11
/ Eph v 23
m Phil iii 8
n Psal iv 6
o Luke x ii 19
p Luke xii 19
q Psalm xvii 14
r Psal iv 67
s Phil iii 3
t Rom x 3
Rom x 4

u Luke xii 19
v Luke xii 19
w Prov xxiii 5
x Rev iii 18
y Isai Ixiv 6
z 1 Cor iii 2123

a John xiv 13

b Ezek xvi 6 c 1 Pet ii 7

d Heb xii 2 e Eph iii 18, 19 f Eph iii 18, 19

(Continued from page 227.)

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R. Well, Thomas, have you finished your job?' T. Nearly, Sir.' R. I want to ask you another question, Tom.' T. Yes, sure Sir, a score if your honour please.' R. They tell me then that your family go to prayers every night and morning, is that the case?" T. I hope so, Sir; its a blessed time, is'nt Master, when we all meet together as a family before the throne of grace; it does one so much good, and makes us all so comfortable together, and stops any differences; I dare say, Sir, you do find it so now.' R. Why, Tom, I regret to say, that I cannot speak thus from my own experience, for family worship is a privilege which I have never yet tried in my own house, but I hope (God willing) to begin it.' T. 'I should have thought then, Master, that most of the gentry would have prayers, for they have got more time than we working folks.' R. Ah, Tom, I am inclined to believe that, with few exceptions, that text still applies, "Not many rich, not many mighty are called;" but I should like to hear how you manage, considering you are up so early, and have

M

no servants to help?' T. 'Why, Master, if we rise ever so early, and have ever so much work to do, my wife and myself must have our breakfast you know; and if we can contrive to feed the perishing body, we should also contrive to get nourishment for the soul. We always then, a mornings, as soon as the breakfast is ready, shut the door and kneel down to the table, and then I

6

in my poor humble way kneel to one end, and make a short prayer, and finish with "Our Father," and "the grace," &c. In the evening, the last thing, my son (who has learnt to read at the Sunday-School) gets down the Bible and reads a few verses, and then I says a prayer again, and we go to rest.' R. Don't you ever use a book? T. Why, but seldom, Sir; first along I used a good little book of prayers for every day from the Tract Society, but 'tis better I find to tell my own case and my own wants to Him who can relieve them. What will suit one family might'nt suit another, and the chapter in the Bible often puts one upon what to say; but sometimes I take the book, and mix my own words and petitions with what is in the book.* R. . 'I suppose you are thought very strange by your neighbours?' T. "O no, Sir, I believe not. Indeed there is one of my

This is the best way. In Family Prayer it is not 'my own case,' ,' 'my own wants,' I have to tell, but the case, the wants of the family I have to tell. My own case and my own wants may best be told in my own words; but as to Family Prayer, I must express my decided conviction that in most cases (where the Head of the family is not a duly ordained Minister of Christ) a form of prayer, in which he may, with our good friend the Hedge-clipper, mix up his own words and petitions, as God may enable him, is by far the best way. The Pocket Prayer Book,' published by the Philanthropic Society,' is of all I have seen the best for this purpose. Price 2s.-ED.

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