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subdue that selfishness which is the source of all sin; and at the same time it will remove multitudes of difficulties and questions as to particular conduct. Selfishness is the source of half of them. We admit into our calcula tions a secret and hidden element,-what pleases us most, or will advantage us most. Were this expelled, light would come in, and the path of duty would be clearer. Fully resigned to do what is most pleasing to God, we should discover it soon, and act without much hesitation. Having before our minds a sincere desire to accomplish the object of our creation, namely, the doing the "pleasure" of God, we should do everything with that thought in view, and everything would be sanctified by it. The least actions, done with this thought, are sacrifices well pleasing to God. Let us not think his glory can alone be sought in what seem to man great things. Let every thing be done with that intent. Our daily actions are required of us by Him; and they are our duties: they may not be great enough for ambition, but they are enough for man's deserts. And the deeds of charity and love are especially those in which God delights. In doing them we may sacrifice self every day, and live to the glory of God. Surely you know that He is glorified by all the good that can be done to others, in their bodies or their souls. He is glorified by the good done to them, and by the doing of it through us. This is not difficult to believe, when we remember the nature of God, and his name of Love. Misery relieved, or sin overcome, are actual sources of increase to his glory; for they are the trophies of his redeeming love.

E.

SHORT REFLECTIONS ON THE FOURTH CHAPTER OF THE EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. JAMES.

THE duty of leading peaceful and friendly lives with our neighbours, which is inculcated in the third chapter of the epistle we are considering, is also enjoined at the be ginning of the fourth chapter. Wicked desires, and envious and ambitious thoughts, produce wars and fightings; and it is sad to think how many of the contentions

that distract the world arise from these feelings, which are insinuated into the heart of man by our great enemy, the devil: "The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy." The human mind is full of vain imaginations, which exalt themselves against God; and the desires of man are for ever increasing: no sooner are they satisfied on one point, than they begin to wish for something else. One of the reasons for this is the pride which is innate in the human heart, and which causes a constant wish to rise superior to others, no matter in what way. This feeling, if properly directed, and over-ruled by the grace of God, may help the Christian much on his way; but earthly pride is a most dangerous thing, and should be prayed against fervently. Pride caused the angels to fall from heaven; they could not bear that God should be above them, and therefore rebelled against Him. Let us then cultivate the virtue of humility, and remember that "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble." We should submit ourselves willingly to God, and not rebel against his righteous dispensations; for we know that when He is pleased to visit us with afflictions, it is for some wise purpose. Although we, who are weak and erring mortals, cannot see beyond the dark cloud which oppresses us at the moment, yet we may be assured that a bright sunshine lies behind it; and when it pleases our Father to remove the trial we shall come out from it as silver purified in the furnace. If we resist the devil and his wicked suggestions, earnestly praying for strength from on high, it is promised us that he will flee; and when we draw nigh in fervent prayer to God, we may have a sure hope that He will not be far from any one of us, but will grant us grace and strength proportioned to our day.

In the eighth verse of this chapter, sinners are commanded to cleanse their hands; that is, to fly from their sins; and the "double-minded" to "purify" their hearts. The Greek word here used, which is translated "doubleminded," signifies a man of two minds; one who wavers from side to side of a subject, and is full of doubts. Our hearts are therefore to be purified from these doubts, which can only be done by the exercise of a strong faith

in our Lord Jesus Christ. We must be afflicted, and mourn for our sins; humbling ourselves in the sight of God, and asking for pardon in the name of Him by whose sacrifice we can alone be saved.

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We are again admonished in the eleventh and twelfth verses not to speak evil of one another, but to be candid and forbearing, not judging our brethren, for we also must be judged: "There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy; who art thou that judgest another?" Our time and opportunity should be improved for our spiritual interests; for we know not what shall be on the morrow." How many are too apt to boast themselves of what they shall do, not only on the morrow, but years hence! St. James strongly condemns this practice, and compares our life to a vapour or smoke, "which appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." What can be more uncertain than life? We are subject to a thousand accidents and diseases, any one of which may snap the vital thread in a moment, and launch us into a boundless eternity, whether of good or evil. To boast in this manner, then, is very wrong. We ought say, "If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this or that." When we know how uncertain our being is, and that we may not live to see the morrow, we should strive to spend the rest of our days in a manner well-pleasing to God, and profitable to our own souls: "To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." Let us then, my friends, pray fervently to God for his Holy Spirit, to give us grace to live in such a manner, that when He is pleased to call us hence, whether it is in a moment, or at the end of a long and weary pilgrimage, we may joyfully leave this world, and awake in the kingdom of his dear Son, where we shall see his face, and walk in his light, for ever and ever.

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ON RECOVERING FROM SICKNESS.

PSALM xxx. 9.

LORD, may I learn to value and to use
The life Thou hast prolong'd to me!
Thy glory only may I seek, and choose
To find my portion all in Thee!

X. Y. Z.

"What profit is there in my blood" when I
"Go down" within the pit to dwell?
What can it do thy name to glorify,

Or warn lost sinners back from hell?"

"Shall dust praise Thee? shall it declare Thy truth"
To those for whom Thy blood was shed?

There are no poor, no sick, no thoughtless youth
To soothe or teach among the dead.

Then, Lord, in patience may I wait below,
Fulfilling all those tasks of love,

And work that work which only earth can know,
Till Thou shalt summon me above.

Then chang'd the work, the principle the same,
Prayer turn'd to praise, and faith to sight,

In angels' songs to glorify Thy name

With endless bliss-in heaven's own light!

C. W. P.

ADVANTAGES OF PURE AIR AND CLEANLINESS. WE have often endeavoured to show that in cases of disease nothing is more important than pure air and attention to cleanliness. Very often, indeed, these two things will prevent the occurrence of some diseases; and we now have proofs to offer that medicines and other remedies are of little use without them. Of late there has been more than the usual number of deaths in London; and the medical men who have made reports concerning them have stated that their efforts were often baffled, and their remedies rendered useless, by the state of the dwellings and streets in which the patients were found when they went to visit them. We take from a daily paper the following passage, as expressing the opinion which is now generally held by those who are best informed, and showing the very little hope they have of being able to cure disease where attention is not paid to obtain wholesome air for people to live in. They call upon the Government to devise means for improving the condition of our great towns by draining them, supplying them plentifully with water, and compelling those who build houses and streets to pay attention to the health of their tenants, by making the streets sufficiently wide, and the houses airy and decent.

"We have it as a fact sufficiently proved by medical evidence, that in the close and crowded dwellings of the poor, where the air they constantly breathe is vitiated, medicines which, if the patient were lying in the barest hovel on the edge of an open common, would surely and speedily subdue the disease, are employed wholly without effect. It has also been proved, that after the best medical treatment has, in cases where the patients are constantly subjected to the poisonous atmosphere of a confined chamber, been resorted to without the slightest advantage, the same treatment has proved eminently successful when that same chamber has been properly ventilated. It is needless to quote other facts to show how much the progress of disease may be assisted, or the influence of medicine neutralized, by atmospheric Whether the vitiated air be confined in a single room, or whether it be the atmosphere of a court or alley, its effect on those who breathe it will be the same in kind, though out of doors it may not always be productive of injury in an equal degree. In all cases those who are exposed to its deleterious influence suffer a greater or less diminution of vital energy, are more liable to the attacks of disease, and are less able to withstand those attacks, or to profit by remedial measures."

PROVERB.-No. 6.

"Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: But he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded."-Prov. xiři. 13.

"I DON'T CARE" is an answer which is often made by those who are set upon having their own way, although they are told that it is contrary to God's word. The answer is more frequently made by the actions, than with the tongue. The drunkard is told that God's word forbids his sin, but he don't care; he indulges his inclination, and so despises the word. God has kept one day out of seven for Himself: it is commanded that the sabbath day should be kept holy; but the worldly man don't care; he sees no reason why he should give up a day to God's special service; he follows his own way, and does his own work on the Lord's day, and so

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