of Jesus Christ dispose us not only to love Him, but to love one another? I might state many reasons; I shall name but two.

In the first place, nothing binds men more to each other than a common danger and a common escape. If they have fought and conquered in the same battle,-if they have been released from the same prison,-if they have wept and rejoiced together,how strong the feeling of union which springs from such facts in their history! Now, these are the precise circumstances, according to the Gospel representation, of all believers. They have suffered together from sin; they are rescued together by Christ: the same storm hurled us to the ground; the same hand has lifted us up. Here, there are elements of love or charity.

Again, men become more social as they become less proud. We love one another better as we love ourselves less. But the Gospel lays every man prostrate as a sinner at the foot of the cross, before it stretches out a hand to save him. You must be "humbled," if you would be "exalted." You must cry out for "mercy," if you would have pardon, and grace, and salvation. Here, again, there are the elements of charity.

Such, then, Christian brethren, are the features of the Christian character. Such the qualities of that new man, who, created anew by the power of the Holy Ghost, alone enjoys the favour of God here, and is on the way to a happy hereafter.

How solemn the inquiry, then, whether we ourselves individually possess these qualities,-whether they have been grafted on the stock of our original corruption, so as to bear fruit in our every-day practice?

1. Have you faith in the Son of God? Do you receive the whole record of His birth, His life, and His death? that He thus lived and died for you? that you are to be justified, wholly, and freely, and fully, by His blood, righteousness, and intercession, applied by faith to your own souls? Do you trust Him? live upon Him? love Him? Is He your joy in life? and do you hope to make Him your confidence in death? "By grace ye are saved through faith"." This is the inscription on the Gospel banner. Under this banner you march, and under this you can alone triumph for eternity.

2. And, again, what is your hope? Not the poor, vague, uncertain fancies to which men give the name of hope-not the dreams of enthusiasm-not the delusion of the man who says to the soul, "Peace,. peace, when there is no peace." Is your hope founded upon the promises of God-upon the all-sufficiency of a. Saviour-upon the work of His Spirit within you? And what is the nature of that hope? Is it for a Heaven where God is the one object-praise the only employment-where sin cannot enter-where happiness and holiness are identified-where we shall "see God face to face," and be "like him," because we "shall see him as he is?"

3. And lastly, brethren, what is your charity? Is it merely the unmeaning thing which the world calls by that name? Is your love to others limited only to a few-confined to their bodies, and even as respects their bodies, to a little occasional narrowhanded and narrow-hearted almsgiving? Or does it consist merely in a boundless toleration of all opinions, because, in fact, you are indifferent to all? Or on 1 Eph. ii. 8.

21 John iii. 2.

the contrary, is it love to man springing out of love to Christ-love for them as His creatures, as His redeemed, as the scattered, sinful, suffering creatures of the great family for which He lived, and died, and rose again?

What is the honest reply to the questions I have now put? Have you in the true sense "faith," "hope," and "charity?"

Is your reply, "I trust that I have them." If sopraise God for the mercy which has planted them in your souls. This is His own work, and you will have reason to be thankful for it through eternity. But let me beseech you to beware of an error on so vital a question. The human heart is capable of intense selfdelusion. Our Lord, by St. John, expostulated with a class of men who said, "We are rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knew not that they were wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." See well to it that these qualities in yourself bear the true stamp of the Christian mint; that you are not confounding natural gifts with Christian graces; that you are not satisfied with one of these qualities in the place of all; that you are not cherishing one of them at the expense of the rest; that all are bearing their proper fruits, not only in the service of the sanctuary, but in the business of life, and in the every-day transactions of the family circle. You may find reason, Christian brethren, through a more honest and searching inquiry, to come to the conclusion that you have hitherto mistaken your true position and character, and that the very seeds of these qualities have as yet to be sown in the soul.

Is there another man who will say, "I know too

well that I have not the faith, hope, charity, of the Gospel? I sometimes doubt; my hopes are often faint; and my charity too often fails." Dear brethren, it is no small evidence of real religion in the soul, that we think humbly of the measure of religion we have; and if any among you are not merely sighing over your deficiencies, but really longing for progress in the things of God, then it is my privilege to remind you that there is a treasury of these gifts on which the contrite soul may draw, and the key of which God has put into your hands. Prayer is the golden key which unlocks that sacred deposit, and no man ever earnestly used it in vain. "Knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Simple words, but pregnant with a truth that dispels our doubts, and sends us with holy confidence to the throne of God. May the Saviour of the world give you the spirit of supplication, and then bless the prayer which He has put into your hearts.

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE, LONDON.

THE SERVICE FOR ASH-WEDNESDAY.

JEREMIAH Xxxvi. 23-25.

"And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth. Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words. Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll: but he would not hear them."

GOD's people, the Jews, were assembled in the courts of the Lord's house to keep a solemn fast. A person, known among them as a man of education, acquainted with the Scriptures, and by consequence versed in all the law and literature in use among them, made his appearance, and read in their ears a succession of astounding denunciations, commencing with the awful words, "Thus saith the Lord." That people was assembled nominally to mourn for their sins, nominally to entreat for pardon, nominally to ask protection at God's hand from all the enemies that surrounded them: their devotion, however, was but superficial, for they had not set their heart to seek God, nor determined henceforth to serve Him more faithfully. The words read by this man were not new to them, for during the long period of twenty-three years they had been uttered in detached portions, reproving the nation for various transgressions, and threatening their rulers with God's anger, if a national repentance did not take place. Yet, though no part was strictly new, they were delivered in a new form, [No. 18.]

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