restless and dissatisfied, because you are not more beloved and honoured than every body else? Do you love the praise of men more than the praise of God? How can ye believe, saith the meek and lowly Jesus, How CAN ye believe, who receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

In the character of a Christian, humility is the one thing needful. Where this is wanting, all is wanting. A proud, haughty spirit is inconsistent with the spirit of the gospel. It is the genius of that gospel, it is one grand design of all the dispensations of grace toward fallen man, to exalt him to glory, by first humbling him in the dust. He that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Does the reader indulge the hope of having inade his peace with God? Let him remember, that God is at peace with none, except the humble and contrite. He lifteth up the meek, but casteth the wicked down to the ground. No matter what are your professions; no matter how high your supposed attainments; if you have never felt the contrition of a broken heart, you have never tasted that the Lord is gracious. Still, you are

not to reject the hope of your good estate, because you find much of the spirit of pride within you. Alas, how much of this detestable spirit have the best of God's people! With this enemy will be our longest and severest conflict. It pos sesses so much of the cunning of the Serpent, that it is perhaps less easily detected than any other form of depravity. When you have mortified it in one shape, you will find that it rises in another; and when you fondly hope it is dead, you will find that it has been secretly gathering strength, to commence the attack with new vigour, fresh courage, and perhaps greater success. Pride will live, until the Old Man is dead. It is the "ulce"rated part of the body of sin and death." It is the main spring to all the obstructions which impede our progress toward Heaven. It is the secret avenue through which the Tempter too often enters and leads the best of men astray. It is the "great inlet of the smoke from the bottom"less pit," which darkens the mind, casts a gloom around their fairest prospects, and sometimes leaves them awhile in the gloom of despondency. With this enemy will be your longest and severest conflict. Put on, therefore, the whole armour of God, and watch unto prayer. The clashings

of pride and humility should often drive the Christian to the throne of grace. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse Thou me from secret faults! You may have much pride; but have you any humility? Be not deceived. Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for their's is the kingdom of Heaven.

ESSAY X.

SELF-DENIAL.

FROM the formation of the first Angel of light down to the period when the heavens shall pass away as a scroll, the Creator of the ends of the earth had His eye steadfastly fixed on the same grand object. As all things are of Him, so all will be to Him. He who made all things for Himself, cannot fail to pursue the end for which He made them, and to obtain it at last. When the proceedings of the Last Day shall have been closed; when the assembled worlds shall have entered upon the unvarying retributions of eternity; when the heavens and the earth shall have passed away, and a new heaven and a new earth, the Holy City, the

New Jerusalem, shall have come down from God out of heaven: He that sitteth upon the throne shall say, IT IS DONE; I am ALPHA and OMEGA, the beginning and the end! In the winding up the the scene, it will appear that God Himself is the first and the last; not merely the efficient, but the final cause of all things. The vast plan, which has for its object nothing less than the brightest manifestation of the divine glory, has an unalienable right to the most unreserved devotedness of every intelligent being. To the advancement of this plan, God therefore requires every intelligent being to be voluntarily subservient. All the strength and ardour of affection which we are capable of exercising, must be concentrated here. Every faculty, every thought, every volition, every design, must be devoted to this great cause. The injunction is explicit: Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Now the heart of depraved man is obstinately averse to such a course of feelings and conduct. Instead of being supremely attached to God, and the good of His kingdom, men are by nature lovers of their own selves. Hence there is a controversy between man and his Maker. God requires men to re