| Pitch thy behaviour low, thy projects high;
So shalt thou humble and magnanimous be:
Sink not in spirit: who aimeth at the sky
Shoots higher much than he that means a tree.
A grain of glory mixed with humbleness
Cures both a fever and lethargicness.

Be useful when thou livest, that they may
Both want, and wish thy pleasing presence still.
Kindness, good parts, great places are the way
To compass this. Find out men's wants and
will,

And meet them there. All worldly joys go less.

To the one joy of doing kindnesses.

4

Let thy mind still be bent, still plotting where,
And when, and how the business may be done.
Slackness breeds worms; but the sure traveller
Though he alight sometimes, still goeth on.

Active and stirring spirits live alone :
Write on the others, Here lies such a one.

Slight not the smallest loss, whether it be
In love or honour; take account of all:
Shine like the sun in every corner: see
Whether thy stock of credit swell, or fall.

Who say, I care not, those I give for lost;
And to instruct them, 'twill not quit the cost.

Scorn no man's love, though of a mean degree
(Love is a present for a mighty king);
Much less make any one thine enemy.
As guns destroy, so may a little sling.

The cunning workman never doth refuse
The meanest tool, that he may chance to use.
Affect in things about thee cleanliness,
That all may gladly board thee, as a flower.
Slovens take up their stock of noisomeness
Beforehand, and anticipate their last hour.
Let thy mind's sweetness have his operation
Upon thy body, clothes, and habitation.

In Alms regard thy means, and others' merit.
Think heav'n a better bargain, than to give
Only thy single market-money for it.
Join hands with God to make a man to live.

Give to all something: to a good poor man,
Till thou change names, and be where he began.

Man is God's image; but a poor man is
Christ's stamp to boot: both images regard.
God reckons for him, counts the favour his :
Write, So much giv'n to God; thou shalt be
heard.

Let thy alms go before, and keep heav'n's gate
Open for thee; or both may come too late.

Restore to God his due in tithe and time :
A tithe purloin'd cankers the whole estate.
Tis angel's music; therefore come not late.
Sundays observe: think when the bells do chime

God then deals blessings: If a king did so, Who would not haste, nay give, to see the show.

Though private prayer be a brave design,
Yet public hath more promises, more love:
And love's a weight to hearts, to eyes a sign.
We all are but cold suitors; let us move
Where it is warmest. Leave thy six and

seven;

Pray with the most: for where most pray, is heaven.

When once thy foot enters the Church, be bare. God is more there than thou: for thou art there

Jest not at preacher's language, or expression : How know'st thou, but thy sins made him miscarry?

Then turn thy faults and his into confession :
God sent him, whatsoe'er he be: O tarry,

And love him for his Master; his condition,
Though it be ill, makes him no ill Physician.

None shall in hell such bitter pangs endure
As those who mock at God's way of salvation.
Whom oil and balsams kill, what salve can cure?
They drink with greediness a full damnation.
The Jews refused thunder; and we, folly;
Though God do hedge us in, yet who is holy?
Sum up at night, what thou hast done by day;
And in the morning, what thou hast to do;
Dress and undress thy soul: mark the decay
And growth of it: if with thy watch, that too
Be down, then wind up both, since we shall be
Most surely judg'd, make thy accounts agree.

In brief, acquit thee bravely; play the man.
Look not on pleasures as they come, but go.

Defer not the least virtue: life's poor span
Make not an ell, by trifling in thy woe.

If thou do ill, the joy fades, not the pains:
If well, the pain doth fade, the joy remains."

And now, as we end our remarks on Herbert as a sacred poet, we may say that he is one of the few authors whom one cannot help loving. Many a great man conquers the admiration of those who come after him. Many a wise man continues to exact a tribute of the deepest respect. And the good and kind of our race are seen or long remembered with esteem and gratitude of a very peculiar kind.

But there are some

authors who, to the winningness of genius, add the excellence of genuine piety, the deep humility of the true followers of the Saviour, and a benign sympathy and regard even for the unlovely and selfexiled outcasts of humanity. The features of high character possessed by such authors are so evident, and so truly in harmony as well as various, that they secure an amount of love that might be supposed incapable of being bestowed on any who had not been seen and known by us, through long years of intimate and most pleasing personal intercourse, or regarded as worthy of our life-long gratitude and affection.

Such we esteem Herbert to be. More than two hundred times has winter trod on the footsteps of summer over the grave where, in the prime of manhood, he had to lay down his earthly tabernacle; yet is the odour of his piety and genius as sweet as ever; nor is there any of the dimness of time on that sorrowchastened face, as it looks back on the careworn pilgrim, telling of the light that is behind every dark cloud, and of the home that awaits the weary.

HOME.

"Come, Lord, my head doth burn, my heart is sick,

While thou dost ever, ever stay:
Thy long deferrings wound me to the quick,
My spirit gaspeth night and day.
O shew thyself to me,

Or take me up to thee!

How canst thou stay, considering the pace
The blood did make, which thou didst
waste?

When I behold it trickling down thy face,
I never saw thing make such haste.

O shew thyself, &c.

When man was lost, thy pity look'd about,

To see what help in th' earth or sky: But there was none; at least no help without : The help did in thy bosom lie.

O shew thyself to me, &c.

There lay thy son and must he leave that nest,
That hive of sweetness, to remove
Thraldom from those, who would not at a feast
Leave one poor apple for thy love?
O shew thyself, &c.

He did, he came: O my Redeemer dear,
After all this canst thou be strange?
So many years baptiz'd, and not appear;
As if thy love could fail or change?
O shew thyself, &c.

Yet if thou stayest still, why must I stay?
My God, what is this world to me?
This world of wo! hence, all ye clouds, away.
Away; I must get up and see.
O shew thyself, &c.

What is this weary world; this meat and drink
That chains us by the teeth so fast?

What is this woman-kind, which I can wink
Into a blackness and distaste?
O shew thyself, &c.

With one small sigh thou gav'st me th' other day
I blasted all the joys about me:

And scowling on them as they pin'd away,

Now come again, said I, and flout me.
O shew thyself, &c.

Nothing but drought and dearth, but bush and brake,

Which way soe'er I look, I see. Some may dream merrily, but when they wake, They dress themselves and come to thee. O shew thyself, &c.

We talk of harvests; there are no such things, But when we leave our corn and hay: There is no fruitful year, but that which brings The last and lov'd, though dreadful day. O shew thyself, &c.

Oh, loose this frame, this knot of man untie !
That my free soul may use her wing,
Which now is pinion'd with mortality,
As an entangled, hamper'd thing.
O shew thyself, &c.

What have I left, that I should stay and groan?
The most of me to heaven is fled :
My thoughts and joys are all pack'd up and gone,
And for their old acquaintance plead.
O shew thyself, &c.

Come, dearest Lord, pass not this holy season, My flesh and bones and joints do pray: And ev'n my verse, when by the rhyme and

reason

The word is, Stay, says ever, Come. O shew thyself to me.

Or take me up to thee.

For self-protection quite unfitted,
So poor, and blind;

To Him entirely I submitted

My heart and mind:

Happy the child, that with a docile mind To learn, and not to govern, is inclined.

I have reached the harbour, and storms can no more drive my little vessel afloat upon the wide sea. And as I look forward into the future, I exclaim with David, "I shall not want!" What would those give, who are destitute of this faith, if they could purchase such a confidence!

Thus spake the youthful David, while yet he pastured the flocks of his father, Jessie; when he led the sheep by the still waters, and along the green meadows, and protected them with his staff. Here he testifies, what I am to my flocks, even such is my faithful God unto me. What a mercy is it, when we are no longer alone in the world, but know in whom we have believed! For a long time I felt myself to be a lost sheep, not knowing on whom to rely; and now with the deepest consciousness that I have at last attained rest, I exclaim, "The Lord is my Shepherd!" What is there now that can harm me?

Hours of Christian Devotion. Translated from the German of Dr. A. Tholuck. With Preface by Rev. Horatius Bonar.

ward repose of a soul at rest in God, all would become Christians!

Verse 2.-He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.

I travelled along a broad highway, where was so much dust and tumult that my soul became weary; I looked often to the right and to the left for a diverging road, but I was hurried forward by the tumultuous crowd and could hardly retain my senses. Then my heavenly Friend sought me in the throng, led me forth by secret ways, and brought me into a green meadow, and by still waters. Ah! how well was it with me there! I have experienced the blessing which the soul enjoys when it quietly

God, and it is often irritated at it; but it is also frequently won by it. And how true is this also in reference to inward foes! There may be raging a tumult within us, and, in the presence of all these foes, is the cup of consolation and joy filled out to us, and our head anointed with spiritual oil; and this will be the case, when in simplicity we say to ourselves, "We are His children, He cannot leave us, for, from all eternity, He hath made us accepted in the beloved."*

This is the case when, as the Psalmist says, "In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul."+ We have an array of foes within, but, at the same time, a strong fortress, whither we may flee for refuge.

Verse 6.-Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for

ever.

Yes, it is not merely for a few fleeting years, that I have experienced this; when I consecrated my heart to God, the decision was for eternity. And how should I depart from Him, since every day shews me more clearly, that in Him is my true life! This gracious Lord has made me one of His household, an inmate of that great house, which is built on the foundation of Christ and the apostles, and which endureth throughout eternity. Do I err in thinking He has thus so greatly

honoured me? No! I was indeed one of the cripples whom He caused to be sought out and to be invited to a repast, and to dwell in His house. "How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the

swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house; they will be still praising thee. Selah."+ Thus sung the Psalmist, and this also is the language of my soul, after she has found her nest and her resting-place in the living house of God, which is His Church. It is well with me in that house; it is well with me there, even might I dwell only in the most remote corner thereof. I know that I deserve no place of honour. What a blessing to know that He will never banish me thence if I do not of myself depart; but I shall offer unto Him thanksgiving, and willingly remain there throughout all eternity.

O gentle Shepherd, guided by thy hand,

My soul hath found her everlasting rest; Thou leadest me towards my Father-land, And on the way thy presence makes me blest!

Sadly and wearily I went along,

Tumult and vain unrest on every hand;

But thou didst draw me from the noisy throng,
And brought me to a quiet pasture-land!

And ah what sweetness I experience there!
The blue sky crystal clear, and from the trees
A thousand balmy odours fill the air,
Borne on the pinions of the vernal breeze.
For heart and eye how rich the pasture spread!
When with unceasing change by day and night,
Like a fair garb with jewels all inlaid,

A veil of freshest flowers enchants my sight.

The noonday sun, unveiled by envious clouds,

And when in evening shade his beams he shrouds, Calls forth their varying tints in hues of light;

The violets yield their fragrance to the night. How well the unbroken calm, so deep and still, My soul refreshes,-long with tumult filled ! And now, methinks, my undivided will, May to my Shepherd's will for ever yield.