Slow struggled from Thy breast the parting

breath,

And every limb was wrung with agony.
That head, whose veilless blaze

Fill'd angels with amaze,

When at that voices prang forth rolling suns on high.

And Thou wast laid within the narrow tomb, Thy clay-cold limbs with shrouding graveclothes bound;

The sealed stone confirm'd Thy mortal doom, Lone watchmen walk'd Thy desert burialground,

Whom heaven could not contain,

Nor th' immeasurable plain

Of vast Infinity enclose or circle round.

For us, for us,

Thou didst endure the pain,

And Thy meek spirit bow'd itself to shame, To wash our souls from sin's infecting stain, To avert the Father's wrathful vengeance flame:

Thou, that couldst nothing win

By saving worlds from sin,

Nor aught of glory add to Thy all-glorious

name.

MILMAN.

press the affection of the Father

and the authority of the Sovereign. They imply a duty, for the neglect of which no excuse will be deemed sufficient, no dispensation granted. There is no alternative between doing the Master's work or suffering His displeasure.

Do you inquire, Christian, what you are expected to do? Which is your field of labour? When you are to enter it? How long you are to toil? Let me reply to these questions through a fact from the history of a man of the world.

A gentleman, named Quatremer Disjonval, was once thrown into a dungeon in the city of Utrecht. Without a companion, without books, what could he do in his solitary prison? Apparently nothing. But unwilling to be idle, even there, he gave himself to the careful study of the habits of a spider, which had spun its web within his cell. He soon found himself able to predict changes in the weather from its movements,—a trifling discovery, but yet vastly useful to him in the issue; for the next winter a French army invaded Holland, and was in full tide of victory, when a sudden thaw stopped its progress, and led its chiefs to resolve upon a retreat. But the prisoner, who had learned its movements from his jailer, and who, from the conduct of the spider, judged that severe frost would soon return, contrived to inform the French of his opinion. They put faith in his judgment, and maintained their ground. The frost soon returned, as he predicted. The victorious French completed their conquests, and Disjonval was set at liberty.

In this fact we see a man doing all that was possible to his powers under his circumstances. It was a little thing he did, but it

had mighty results. It determined the issues of a war and gave him freedom. And what does Christ require of thee, O Christian, but to do always what may be possible under your circumstances, to diminish the amount of human sin and sorrow, and to increase human purity and happiness? A smile, a word, a tear, a gift, a prayer, or a sermon may be the thing required, according to your ability and opportunity. Every moment is the time; every place the sphere of your labours; every human being who comes within reach of your influence the subject for you to act upon. The duty to be done may appear trifling in itself, or it may seem weighty and serious; but, if done aright, it will be fraught with mighty consequences. Remember a virtuous act is never lost, even as no action terminates in the cause which gives it birth.

Go then, Christian, in the spirit of this command, and do "whatsoever thine hand findeth to do." Seek thy work, and it will come to thee. Perform it well, and it shall remain to thy praise for ever. If thou seest its fruits, rejoice; if thou beholdest it not, continue nevertheless to labour.

The child who sows flower-seeds in his

It

garden at night, is apt to weep in the morning if the expected flowers do not appear. is well if he do not impatiently destroy his first labour by raking after the seeds to see if they have sprouted. With a spirit very similar to this do many Christians labour for God. With zeal they sow the seed; but when the fruit delays its coming, with child-like impatience they fret, and pronounce their labour lost.

This is not only childish conduct, it is worse; it betrays an undisciplined spirit, an unsanctified will, and an impatience unworthy of a disciple of Christ. It savours not a little

of selfish vanity, which yearns to feed itself on the proofs of its power to accomplish moral results. It indicates that earthly aims are mixed with religious labours; otherwise the mind would find its reward in the consciousness of duty done- of God's approval. It would not fret itself because the seed delayed to shew its shoots above the soil.

As a man of faith, you must learn to wait as well as to labour. You must comprehend that it is your mission to sow, to plant, and to water. These things must be done; you