on it for justification. We know how studiously he deprecates such thoughts, both for himself and others. And, whatever may be supposed, they who have been led by the Spirit most carefully to watch over themselves, to govern their inward desires by the principles of the Gospel, and to bring their active habits "to the obedience of Christ," they will be the persons who will most gladly claim another and a better righteousness than their own. To perfect our faith by our works, is not to take a deed of charity, or a deed of justice, or a habit of devotion, or a habit of temperance, and place them in the scale together with faith, and so make out the weight which God demands. This is no more like the idea of salvation which Scripture presents, than the Word of God is like the word of man. The Christian's language is uniform and consistent: God forbid that I should depend on anything save on the cross of the Lord Jesus. Still, God forbid that I should depend upon his cross, unless by it "the world is crucified to me, and I unto the world" (Gal. vi. 14): unless I give all diligence, that I may not "be barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter i. 8): unless I show by my habits what is written on my heart, and "live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Gal. ii. 20.) For I am expressly assured, that not every one who calleth Christ "Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of his Father which is in heaven."

CONNECTION BETWEEN CHRISTIAN FAITH AND CHRISTIAN PRACTICE.

[SUMNER.]

It is truc, all will not reach a like degree of eminence in all the Christian virtues. Some Christians will be "poor in

T

spirit" beyond others; either because they look back with remorse at having long lived "without God in the world," or gone great lengths in sin; or because they have naturally a heart more easily broken, more keenly sensible of the "terrors of the Lord." Others, who are by nature of a mild and placid temper, will more readily exercise that meekness which the Gospel inculcates: and others will be remarkable for their zealous activity in doing good to their fellow-creatures. So also there will be degrees in purity of heart, in spirituality of mind: all will not attain the same command over their passions and desires, nor be equally dead to the pleasures and honours of the world. But then, although Christians may attain a different degree of eminence in different virtues, as they may be remarkable for different natural gifts and talents, they will not be absolutely wanting in any of the features of the Christian character; still less will they admit or retain the opposite vices. One Christian may be a greater mourner for sin than another; but no Christian will trust to his own righteousness, or fail to lament his numberless transgressions and his daily infirmities. One Christian may be distinguished, like Moses, as the "meekest man of all the earth;" but none will be habitually violent or revengeful. One Christian may give half his goods to the poor, or may spend his life in seeking objects of charity, and traverse distant countries to relieve the spiritual and temporal wants of his fellow-creatures: this will be in the heart or in the power of but few; yet still no Christian can be without mercy and charity in its fullest sense; can be too covetous to assist distress, or too resentful to pardon those who may trespass against him. No Christian will be yielding to the dominion of sinful lusts; no Christian will be satisfied with himself, "as though he had attained, either were already perfect" (Phil. iii. 12); but will be ever eagerly desiring to grow in righteousness. No Christian will be i

duced, by the fear of worldly reproach or loss, to "deny the Lord that bought him;" or refuse to "confess him before men." (2 Peter ii. 1; Matt. x. 32.) He may indeed be surprised into some of these sins; but they will not be wilful; they will not be habitual; they will not be a part of his gcneral character, but an exception to it; they will not be allowed by himself, but earnestly contended against, and heartily repented of.

Such is the Christian character, springing out of a lively faith in the Son of God implanted and nourished in the heart by the Holy Spirit.

THE CHILD-LIKE MIND.

[TAIT.]

We usually draw a distinction between the words childlike and childish. By the first we designate the good, by the other the bad, qualities of childhood. The child-like temper has the simplicity and humility of children-the childish, their weakness and frivolity. There is, of course, no doubt which of the two our Lord is recommending in the text. (Mark x. 15.) Compare the account of his words in

St Matthew (xviii. 3). "Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever, therefore, shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Observe the words, "Except ye be converted and become as little children:" it requires a great change to pass over us before either boy or man can attain this child-like temper; but without it we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.

The child-like temper is nowise inconsistent with true

manliness-manliness both of the intellect and of the will and feelings. Well-meaning persons sometimes fall into the mistake of contrasting the heroic with the Christian character, as if the highest heroism were not that which is distinctly Christian. The difference, I presume, between mere heathen or worldly manliness and the manliness of the Christian is, that the first is entirely self-dependent, while the other ever humbly depends on God. The Christian martyr, as much as the hero of this world, has overcome the natural weakness which would make us always to be timidly looking out for support from our fellow-men: he has learned, in one sense, to stand alone; but then, in another sense, he knows that he is not alone. He has an ever-present feeling that the Lord Jesus Christ is with him to strengthen him; and this gives him an energy, imparted from without, which is made perfect in his humble sense of his own weakness, and, therefore, in all troubles he leans secure upon a rock—the Rock of Ages; while the man who is self-dependent has but a treacherous support. The humility, then, of the child-like character given by the Holy Spirit of God to Christians, makes them more instead of less brave in all dangers. It teaches them, it is true, their own weakness, but only to make them more conscious of a heavenly strength from without. And thus they are holden up, whether it be a sudden or a lingering death, or whatever other evil, that assails them. Suppose two men, of equal physical energy, to be going together to the wars; the one relying, like the uncircumcised Philistine, on his good sword and strength of arm― the other supported by a sense of the ever-present help of the God of battles: which is likely to prove, under all reverses, the most really brave soldier? No impartial inquirer will, I suppose, doubt that the annals of Christian martyrdom, telling as they do of those who out of weakness were made strong, present records of an indomitable spirit triumphant

in sufferings, such as mere human heroism cannot equal. To be child-like, then, in nowise implies that we shall, like children, be wanting in manly boldness.

Again: the Christian child-like temper has nothing in it of the folly of childhood. As a general statement, every one assents to this. No one maintains directly that a humble and simple mind, wronght in us by the Spirit of God, will attach us to trivial matters, or incapacitate us for feeling an interest in all events of really deep moment. True, the Christian will maintain that many things which the world deems most momentous are really trivial, and many which seem trifles are concerned with the truest interests of immortal souls. And the simple child-like mind will understand that many of the things which the world despises are most highly esteemed by God. For example, the Christian will know, and not merely repeat the assertion, but feel it, that to visit the poor, and pray by the bed of the dying, and comfort the broken-hearted, by giving them the consolations of the Gospel, is, in the estimation of God, and of all whom re enables to weigh things according to their real value for eternity, a far nobler occupation than to command armies, or have senates hanging on our words. But still the Christian will not suppose that events by which God works out the destinies of nations are not well entitled to call forth our interest. He will view them differently from the worldly man; he will not merely look upon them as a gladiatorial show, in which a deep interest is excited by its displaying so vividly before us the energy of human power; he will think of them chiefly as working out the purposes of God. Still less will he indulge himself in that not unnatural longing which sometimes seizes the heart itself to plunge into such stirring scenes, and makes it discontented if it is kept away from them. All he knows and sees of such matters will make him more deeply prize those calmer ways of Christian