bear in mind that without the cross, you are living day by day in sin. Are you carrying it and so preparing for future glory and happiness? Have you fulfilled your baptismal vow and covenant? Have you the sign of a regenerate heart bearing testimony to Christ, binding you more strongly to learn and to keep his commandments? Whilst it cheers the heart, it influences the mind, it sets the occupier to forsake the world and embrace all things spiritual, to become fools in order that you may be wise. It is a gift which the Holy Spirit imparts to all christian believers; it is "the power of God" to the salvation of your souls.

Let us then ask ourselves whether we individually have this sign, and whether we labour to attain its possession. Do we seek and achieve Christ crucified, for it is the greatest work of redemption? There is much to excite our admiration and stir our emotion; it is the deep and lasting wisdom which gains the praise of Christ, and the honor of God. Therefore be on your guard, and seek it while you have the time. Then wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times and strength of salvation. For how shall we answer, if with the faculties with which he has endowed us, and in the field of heavenly knowledge, we are found ignorant and blind, immersed in worldly pleasures. Through the

redemption of Christ only you will be saved. Covet not then, like the Greeks, worldly wisdom, for there is a practical wisdom from above, which will assist you in preparing for heavenly felicities! "Who then is that faithful and wise steward whom his lord shall make ruler over his household to give them their portion of meat in due season? blessed is that servant whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.”

No. 25.]

THE ONE THING NEEDFUL.

"And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

10th chap. Luke, 41st & 42nd verses.

In this passage we are taught two things: 1st. That we should not be over-careful in worldly matters. 2nd. The reason why :-because there is something more important to attend to, "needful" for our souls as well as our bodies. These two points we see carried out in the characters of Martha and Mary. The former was busying herself in order to make a meet reception for her blessed Lord, "she was cumbered about with much serving," and lamented her sister's apparent neglect in leaving her to attend to all the honours which she wished to have paid her divine guest, and requested of the latter to spare her for assistance, as we read in the 40th verse, "Lord, dost thou not care that my

sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her, therefore, that she help me." Although it may be admitted that Martha was only acting right in wishing to entertain her holy Master, as became his honored station, yet her error consisted in over-carefulness, and in troubling herself about many things, which were unnecessary, at any rate, though perhaps of importance in her eyes, were perfectly insignificant in our Lord's. Hence he kindly and tenderly reproved her, and bade her remember, that "one thing is needful;" then drawing a contrast between herself and sister, who had chosen that good part, declared the same should not "be taken away from her." All the over-carefulness Martha had, was in things that were to no profit; worldly trifles engrossed her attention, and so she forgot "the one thing needful." On the contrary, Mary, doubtless, gave a proper consideration to temporal benefits, but still was not totally indifferent to "that good part," which our Lord asserted should endure for ever-and which he wisely and affectionately admonished her sister to think of more. Martha was careful, but her mind was troubled; and this is vexation of spirit. A very little reflection indeed will convince us that many of the troubles which arise in this world, come from neglecting the one thing needful. "But let us, who are of the day," writes St. Paul, "be sober,

putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet the hope of salvation." How often we hear men say, "Religion is very well in its place. It is right on the sabbath. It is a good thing in trouble or sickness; and a better thing in death." But woe to that man who thinks so!— Religion must be an every-day concern,-yea, an hourly concern; its spirit must actuate us in all our works, in all our duties, in company and in solitude, in our chamber, and in the world, in our business, in our pleasures, in our sorrows, in our families: if not, we are none of Christ's, our house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.”

"Make every day a critic on the past,

And live each hour as if it were your last."

If you are trusting to the world for strength which you can only procure of God; if you imagine that you can live and prosper without a daily attention to the high vocation whereunto you are called, you are eternally sinning. It may seem to you now, as you are, a little matter; but hereafter it will be a very great one. You may say, "What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? but remember, you have a soul to save, or else to perish; you have much to learn, and much to practise in order to carry out fully the example which