A Christian's best accoutrements and festival clothes, in which he daily celebrates his Sabbath, are called, "The new man, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, and above all, charity." Col. 3:10, 12, 14. These are our true ornaments, and we should seek to be dressed in them. Reader, what dost thou adorn most, body or soul? O thou meek and quiet Lamb of God, justly I blush before thee, when I consider my impatience-though I am never innocent like thee. I humbly beseech thee to forgive me these my transgressions, since thou hast made sufficient atonement for all by thy meritorious silence; but deliver me from this choleric, hot, and peevish temper also; and give me grace, in all inward and outward troubles, to have the long-forbearing mind which was in thee. Make me daily more and more like a lamb; that on all occasions, grievous or joyful, I may be duly composed, and show that excellent heavenly ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, not in many words, but in reality and power. Amen.

O let us find the ancient way,
Our wondering foes to move;
And force the heathen world to say,

"See how these Christians love."

29. LEAP-YEAR. Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: and if it bear fruit, well; and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. Luke 13: 7-9.

Thou fruitless fig-tree, thou barren professor, dost thou hear this, and not tremble? God is come seeking fruit; will thy bare profession, thy knowledge of the principles of religion satisfy the great God? Will the notions of truth in thy head, thy talking and disputing, thy hearing the word preached, thy commending or censuring sermons and preachers, just as thou art in the mood, will this serve thy turn; and wilt thou thus endeavor to ward off the heartsearching God? Know thou, God is come to seek for fruit, and for good fruit from thee; not the fruit of good words only, but the fruit of good works; not the fruit of talking well, but of walking well, the fruits of holiness in life and conversation: fruit short of this God will not regard. If thy conscience be awakened, look to thy merciful High-priest; consider well

his intercession for such a barren soul as thou art: "Lord, let it alone," etc. Father, let this man live one year longer; O turn away from this thine anger. I will yet see what may be done: I will take other methods. I will try what corrections may do—perhaps the rod may work more upon him than my word has hitherto done, and may tend to make his barren heart fruitful; I will also stir up my servants to awaken him by a more sharp and searching manner; and if these new efforts be blessed to him, all shall yet be well, thy grace magnified, and his soul saved; if not, then thou shalt cut him down.

If, under means of grace,

No fruits of grace appear,
It is a dreadful case;

Though God may long forbear,

At length he'll strike the threatened blow,

And lay the barren fig-tree low.

MARCH.

1. I live by the faith of the Son of God. Gal. 2:20.

IN spiritual things we are too often living upon self; we seek in frames, forms, creatures, and animal life, that inward peace and stability of mind which is only to be found in the Redeemer. Outward duties are well in their places; they are to be performed, but not to be trusted in; they are as the scaffold to the building, a means for carrying on the work, but not the work itself. When favored with the gracious presence of Jesus, they are blessings; without it, they are nothing. The whole dependence must be on Jesus; he is the way, the truth, and the life; without him, prayers, praises, rites, and ordinances, are carcasses without a soul. This is the case with every external service that is destitute of the presence and blessing of the Holy Spirit, who alone imparts communion of heart, and a quickening of the soul in faith, and in love to Jesus, and often a delightful view of that which is behind the veil of outward ordinances-such as no carnal eye can behold-a purely spiritual discovery of the Lord in his goodness, beauty. grandeur, and glory.

Vain are our fancies' airy flights,
If faith be cold and dead;
None but a living power unites
To Christ the living head.

'Tis faith that changes all the heart

"Tis faith that works by love

That bids all sinful joys depart,

And lifts the thoughts above.

2. Broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat; but narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Matt. 7: 13, 14.

This sounds too harsh in the ears of the old man, who would not have the law made use of in these gospel-times, either to the converted or unconverted; and yet, to the old man, the law, and not the gospel, properly belongs. St. Paul, the great preacher of the gospel, made use of the law to rouse unconverted Felix from his security, Acts 24:25; and to warn the converted Romans from falling into it again. Rom. 8:13.

Which way dost thou walk? Examine thyself. Is it in the narrow way? Art thou quite sure of it? venture not to go on any farther at random. It is matter of great consequence; if thou wilt be safe, try better for it; thou mayest easily be deceived. Alas, thou art surely in