the ungodly, the way of sinners, the seat of the scornful, and so bring them to the Devil; Andrew instantly performed towards Simon, his own brother, a brother's part-And he brought him to Jesus.

Let us not forget this. We are to disregard none of our fellow-creatures; but surely those who are connected with us by the ties of friendship and of nature, have the first right to our solicitude. How is it possible for us to think of them, and not exclaim, with Esther, in the dread of a more tremendous perdition-How can I bear to see the destruction of my kindred? In endeavouring to do good to these, we have also greater opportunities and advantages, by reason of our influence, and ease of access.-Let, then, Grace sanctify, and engage in her service, all the force and endearment of natural affection. Let the pious sister pray for, and plead with, an irreligious brother. Let the godly wife strive to save her own husband. Let the husband allure, to accompany him, the desire of his eyes. And, oh! let parents awaken, and blend their anxieties and efforts, to bring to Jesus their children. When Moses lifted up the serpent in the Wilderness, all the wounded were to obtain cure by looking. But children were bitten, as well as men and women. Had we been there, we should have seen many a father leading along his little daughter to a place of vision; and many a mother, pressing near with her infant son in her arm, and pointing his eyes to catch the shining remedy. So has the Son of Man been lifted up, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life-and the young need him; and the sooner they are brought to him the better. The sooner will they be prevented from injuring society: the sooner will they enter on a course of usefulness, during which they will scatter a thousand blessings. If we do good to an old man, it is all-important to himself; but then it goes off with him. Whereas, the good communicated to a child, is

not only valuable personally, but relatively. It descends from him, and is spread by him, as he rises up and multiplies in life: and the result of the whole cannot be estimated.

And if we bring them to him, will he reject or despise them? Let his command determine this"Feed my lambs." Let his conduct decide it—" And they brought young children to him that he should touch them. And his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them-Suffer the little chil dren to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them."

Let those that have children, and let those that are children, think of this, and be encouraged.

"A flower, when offered in the bud,

"Is no vain sacrifice."

Another flower thus offered, can never arrive at perfection. It must wither and die. But this flower shall live and blossom as a rose. The Redeemer will put it into his bosom: and the fragrance shall spread through the Church below, and the Temple above.

SEPT. 27.-" And he brought him to Jesus.”

John i. 42.

WHAT Andrew here did with Simon, we are to do with our fellow-creatures-We are to bring them to Jesus.

But can men be brought to him now? Did he not say, I am no more in the world? How happy were they who lived when he was on earth!

They could repair to him in every trouble, and tell
him every distress. Ye benevolent neighbours! you
could carry the paralytic,
the paralytic, and place him beneath
the very eye of Mercy. You anxious father! you
could go to him, and say, "Sir, come down ere my
child die." You Martha and Mary, as soon as Lazarus
was afflicted, you could send to him, saying, "Lord,
behold, he whom thou lovest is sick." And cannot
you, my dear readers, cannot you apprise him of your
desire or your grief? Have not you, at your disposal,
a messenger, that you can despatch to him in a mo-
ment, in the twinkling of an eye? "While they
call, I will answer; and when they speak, I will hear."
And has he not said, Lo! I am with you always, even
unto the end of the world? and wherever two or
three are gathered together in my Name, there am
I in the midst of you? If these words be true, he
can be, he must be, he is, with his ministers and
people now. Though no longer visible, he is ac-
cessible. We may apprehend him as to his essential
presence, by which he fills heaven and earth. We
may apprehend him, also, as to his peculiar presence,
by which he is nigh to them that are of a broken
heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. He
is to be found in the Scriptures. In his House.
At his Table. On his Throne. In the garden and
the field-

"Where'er we seek him he is found,
"And ev'ry place is holy ground."

But can we bring souls to him? Not efficiently. This is the work of God only. "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him." And the sooner we are convinced of this, the better. We shall then make all our attempts in dependence on the agency of his Spirit; and thus honouring him, he will honour us. But we may do this instrumentally. For God makes use of means: and he employs men; and employs them not only

to do good to their fellow-creatures temporally, but spiritually-Not only to relieve their bodies, but to save their souls. And various and many are the ways in which we may thus bring men to Jesus. We may do it by intercession; for he hears prayer for others, as well as for ourselves. We may do it by the influence of example. Nothing speaks so loud as the silent eloquence of a holy, consistent, and lovely life. By this, wives may win their husbands without the word; and servants may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. By this, all may be useful. All cannot be learned; all cannot be rich: but all may be exemplary. We may do it by instruction. Thus Andrew brought Peter— We have found, says he, the Messias. And thus the woman of Samaria brought her neighbours, saying, Come, see a man that told me all that ever I did: Is not this the Christ? By a word fitly spoken-a letter -an invitation to hear the Gospel-the commendation of a good book-the diffusion of the Bible-the sending forth missionaries-the supporting of ministers, whose office it is to turn men from darkness to light-By all these, and many more, we may be the means of introducing souls to Jesus.

But why should we be concerned to bring them? Four things should make us alive to this work. First. To feel a concern for it is an evidence of grace. There cannot be a better. Indeed, every other evidence is fallacious without this: and this is always to be found in a real Christian. For however he may walk in darkness, as to a knowledge of his own interest in divine things, and draw the conclusion that he has no part nor lot in the matter; he never is insensible and indifferent to the success of the Gospel and the salvation of souls. This makes the eye sparkle upon whose lid hangs the shadow of death. Secondly. To attempt it, is a duty. A duty that cannot be declined, without the greatest guilt. A duty arising from the relation in which we stand to

our fellow-men, as bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh. A duty enforced by the will of God, clearly made known in the injunction, As we have opportunity, let us do good unto all men-for what good can equal this? Thirdly. To accomplish it, is the most glorious enterprise. What is the rescue of a whole nation from civil bondage, compared with the deliverance of one soul from the power of darknesss, and translating it into the kingdom of God's dear Son! Can a trifle throw heaven into ecstasy! But there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. The work, therefore, is its own motive; its success is its own recompence. And so the Apostle deemed it-"If a man err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know, that he which converteth a sinner from the error of his ways, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." Fourthly. To fail in it, is no disgrace. Yea, failure here is infinitely more honourable than success in any other enterprise. But wise and good efforts are never in vain. If they are useless as to the direct object, they do good collaterally. If they relieve not the beneficiary, they bless the benefactor. His prayers and endeavours return not void into his own bosom. We are a sweet savour of Christ, not only in them that are saved, but in them also that perish. The promise is not made to success-for this does not belong to us; but to exertion. "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."

But while we endeavour to bring others to Jesus, let us see to it that we have come to him ourselves. It is awful to think of being the instruments of his grace, while we are not the subjects

"Great King of Grace! my heart subdue

"I would be led in triumph too:

"A willing captive to my Lord,

"And sing the victories of his Word."

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