and ardent in the pursuit of "whatever things are lovely whatever things are honest, whatever things are of good report," these things, though part of our bounden duty te God and to man, and therefore not to be neglected, yet require a degree of activity which is naturally gratifying to the human heart, and carry with them that well-earned meed o praise from the good and honourable which the nobles spirits feel most deeply. Besides men naturally delight it action like St. Peter, they find it more easy to draw th sword and fight the battle of the Lord, than for His sak meekly to bear the scorn of others; or resolutely to resist th evil of their own hearts. Whereas to practice those grace and virtues to which God and ourselves only are consciousnot to gratify the infirmity of pride by complaint in season of distress; not to satisfy the feelings of revenge; not to pursue pleasures which invite; not to love the world wher our course in it is unruffled by disappointment; "not to seek our own;" and for the gospels' sake, not to allow ourselves even in what is lawful, lest we cause a weak brother to offend. Thus continually and watchfully to deny ourselves is a harder task and oftentimes requires a sterner courage, than to meet the pains of martyrdon. Many who refuse to bear the weight of the Cross, would not refuse to die upon it.

BUT GOD who rarely calls the martyr to the stake, daily and hourly calls men to deny themselves. Self-denial, therefore, is the daily duty of every one of us; and the practice of it is the very condition of our union with Christ; if any man will come after me, “let him deny himself." Mark, then, a faithful follower of the Saviour! He bears indignity with patience, because Christ bore to be reviled, yet reviled not again he bears with meekness the scornful looks of the proud, because Christ was mocked and spitted upon, yet opened not His mouth-he denies himself in all ungodliness because he would purify himself even as He is pure whom he

professes to follow-nor does he allow himself in anything which the pure law of Christ teaches him to deny. Thus St. Paul bore his cross-thus "the world was crucified unto him, and he unto the world."-James on the Collects.

BAPTISM.

(From "The Christian Life," by Rev. R. Montgomery.) 3rd Edition-RIVINGTON'S.

'The washing of regeneration." Tit. iii. 5.

and of the Spirit.” John iii. 5.

THOU little trembler, robed in white,
Nursling of Heaven! sweet neophyte
Before the font arriving,—

The birth-dawn of thy spirit's life
With holy fullness be it rife,

While hearts for thee are striving

"Born of water

With God in prayer; that soon thy shielded charms
May rest secure in Christ's baptismal arms.

A silence breathed from God above,

A halcyon of celestial love

Now broods with blest control,

Under the throne of HIM who came

In form as weak as thy young frame,—

Thrilling the inmost soul

Of all, whose unfilm'd eye of faith perceives
More than mere water on the forehead leaves.

Bright students of the ways of God!
Who since incarnate mercy trod

The forfeit earth of man,

T

Bend your adoring eyes to learn

Truths deeper than your thoughts discern1

1"Which things the Angels desire to look into."-1 Pet. i. 12.

Shrined in redemption's plan,

Ye viewless Seraphim! this rite attend,

And your calm watch with Christian worship blend.
Thou innocent! with man compared,
Thee hath eternal Truth declared

A child of wrath and sin;
But now, adopted, seal'd and sign'd
By Him who hath redeem'd mankind,
For thee will now begin

That second birth renewing grace imparts1
Through this deep sacrament to infant hearts.
Oh! if Emanuel ne'er had said
"Let children to Mine arms be led,"
Parents might shrink aghast

A creature in the world to bring,
Whose soul the curse of God may wring
When time and earth are past!

But for the promise of baptismal grace
What sight so fearful as an infant's face?

All that a birth of flesh can give

What is it, but a doom to live,

A heritage of wo,

A destiny of guilt and death,

A curse inhaled at ev'ry breath

Life breathes from sin below?

By grace uncharm'd destruction seems to lower
On the sad babe, ere time can count its hour.

1 "Seeing Now that this child is regenerate and grafted into the Body of Christ's Church."-Baptismal Service.

"Seeing now that this child IS REGENERATE.. ..it HATH pleased THEE to REGENERATE this infant with Thy HOLY SPIRIT, to receive him for Thine OWN CHILD by adoption, and to INCORPORATE him into Thy Holy Church."-Baptismal Service of Church of England.

But at yon font where Jesu stands

With greeting heart and gracious hands,
Ready to clasp the child;

Pale infant! there a breath from heaven
Shall to thy dawning soul be given

Through Him the Saviour mild,

Who, while He thunders from His regal Throne,
Loves the sweet age on earth He call'd His Own!
The Root of Sacramental grace

Is the new Adam of our race,

The MAN DIVINE who bled;

Hence cometh our celestial birth
Beyond the parentage of earth

From our generic Head,

The Lord from Heaven, whose vital Spirit gives
All force by which the mystie Body1 lives.
More than our first-born parents knew
Before they proved to God untrue,

Works this regen'rate gift;

Angels, who on their trial stood,
Exceed not this majestic good

That may thy soul uplift:

A child of God!-can seraphim aspire
To aught sublimer in their sinless choir.

From thee the curse is roll'd away;
Thy soul's new birth begins to-day;
A cov'nant-right to all
Immunities and blessings high
The heart of Jesu can supply

To them who heed His call:

Now to the stillness of thy soul is given,

Like breezeless water, to reflect a heaven!

"And HE is the HEAD of the Body, the Church."-Col. i. 18.

A city and a crown are thine
If thou be true to grace divine,

Bearing thy destined Cross;
Lo! on thy forehead lies the seal
Where symbol both and sign reveal
That Life must gain by loss:1

Firm to thy vow, beneath God's banner fight,
And keep thy panoply of graces bright.
Christ guard thee now, thou little one!
His Glory be thy Shield and Sun
Whate'er thy lot may be;

Incorp'rate with the Church thou art,
To thee may life and love impart
The truth that maketh free:

New prospects ope, new principles and powers
Rise into play, and rule thine unborne hours.
And if in secret darkness lie

The seeds of heaven, which none descry,
Dormant and cold within,-

May God's reviving breath awake,
Till such dark bond of slumber break

And

grace o'ermaster sin :

That latent germ baptismal life bestows

Doth oft in elder hearts its buried power disclose

How water, word, and grace combine

To work creative Spells divine,

In vain let Reason ask!

Children are awful mysteries

Within whose depth no spirit sees
But His,-who has the task

Of overcoming through celestial birth

That born corruption, which is bred from earth.

1 "He that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.-Matt. x