giving these principles a right direction, and wisely regulating them in all their operations. It opens up to his view everything that is truly great, and good, and excellent, that deserves esteem, or can excite love. It calls forth into active and delightful exercise, gratitude, and hope, and joy, and every worthy and pleasing emotion.

One matter which religion claims to regulate, but from which it is excluded by many, is our temper. Nothing can fit us for heaven but love; the very essence of religion is love to God for our own sake, and to man for God's sake. O how much dishonour is done to religion by the bad temper of its professors; by the petulance and peevishness of one, the passion of a second, the sullenness of a third, the obstinacy of a fourth, and the cherished resentment of a fifth. I am aware that there is something physical in the cause of bad tempers, but still they are subject to moral control. Some may find it more difficult to manage their temper than others, and some who take more pains than those who are possessed of a natural amiableness, make far less progress than the latter. The mischief and the blame lie in supposing that as bad tempers are inherent in us, their indulgence is inevitable, and therefore excusable. If this be correct, all sin is inevitable and excusable, for it is all inherent. If, then, you would prove your regeneration-if you would carry on the work of sanctification -if you would not have darkness of mind, and distress of conscience-if you would not grieve your fellow-Christians, and disturb those around

you, subdue and regulate your temper; your profession requires, a constant resistance of such dispositions, and it is one great part of religion to keep up this resistance.

The duty of prayer for others derives as high a sanction from the Word of God as prayer for personal blessings; its performance is most solemnly urged, its results are most amply unfolded, and its examples shine with brightest lustre, and cast a glory around the mediatorial throne. To pray for our own prosperity is altogether a necessary duty; and yet if we eye it with a strict attention, we shall find it no more than a lawful and pious selfishness. But to pray as heartily for our enemy as we do for our own daily bread, and to esteem his felicity equal with our own necessities, even at the very instant when he is treating us with the greatest cruelty, we then imitate that Divine model of perfection, who, in the midst of the most barbarous usage, and in the very agonies of death, offered up this most affectionate prayer and apology for his very murderers, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." This is the perfection of Christian love.

Of what importance to the whole of religion and goodness is self-acquaintance and reflection? Our obligations to God Himself, presuppose a knowledge of the natures He has given us, as the foundation in which they are laid. And, so we see, do all our duties to our fellow-creatures. If we were more conversant at home, that would be our best preparation for all the duties we owe to other beings without

us, either to our Creator or to our fellow-creatures.

Let us therefore earnestly pary to God that He will write this law in our hearts, and that He will keep it for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of our heart. And let us endeavour to have it ever present and ready for use, that it may be a "lamp to our feet, and a light to our paths."

How pleasant will our reflections be, when conscience can bear us this testimony? When other men violate this rule in their behaviour to us, it will be a refreshing support to be conscious that we have not deserved it by an unrighteous conduct to them. We may look up with the greater freedom and confidence to God; and in this, as in all other applications to Him, have the firmer hope of a gracious answer, when this is the temper of our minds. Yea, it will be a happy presage of our arrival at last in the blessed world, where all the holy inhabitants are fully of this temper, and act eternally with uninterrupted harmony and concert one towards another.

MARGARET DEANS.

Ramsay's Lane, Wooler,

Northumberland.

T

ESSAY VII.

DUTY has been defined to mean, "Whatever we are bound by nature, reason, or law to perform. Admitting the general accuracy of such a definition, no one of ordinary thought or perception can be altogether ignorant of his duty. All have their duties; and as good citizens and members of society they are expected to perform them, whether as masters or as servants.

Man, as a social, moral, intelligent, and accountable creature, has higher motives on which to form his judgment of duty, than what simply arises from nature and reason, law, contract or agreement; and in proportion as he exercises his faculties, and progresses in intellectual and Scriptural knowledge, he will make increasing discoveries of his duties. The highest exercise of duty is that which man owes to his Creator; surely then, when God has placed man's duty to his neighbour immediately in conjunction with his duty to himself, it must clothe it with a power andresponsibility that cannot be neglected with impunity. By the phrase "neighbour," as usually employed, we understand one who lives ner another, or by neighbourhood, the people adjoining; to this strict sense we cannot limit nor discuss this duty; although it may be consistent to give them, as the first in order, a preferential consideration. Notwithstanding, there

are duties to our neighbour, which may properly bear only local application, and which demand first and earliest attention. Therefore, in con

sidering man's duty to his neighbour, we will take the highest and safest ground for motive in action, for success in prosecution, and for reward in completion. The first grand principle on which it is to be based, is commanded by God, reiterated and interspersed through all the writings of Moses and the prophets, and holy men of old, and a few confirmed by Jesus Christ and His apostles. "Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, aud with all thy mind; this is the first and great commandment, and the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." James says, "If ye fulfil the royal law, according to the Scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well," and, at the completion of Christ's memorable sermon on the mount, after giving directions how men should exercise charity, towards each other, "he adds, "Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets." The one is a counterpart of the other in spirit and design. The principal of love is intense in its ardour and mighty in its operation; when pure and tried, it will influence man or woman to submit to much, to suffer much, and nerve them with power to be courageous to attempt and accomplish much.