17; with last words of ver. 6 and ver. 8, John x. 17, 18; with ver. 5 the ignorance of Jew and Gentile when these things were done;" with ver. 9 the freewill and fortitude of Christ. Isaac strong to bear (ver. 6) had been also strong not to be bound, but by his own will. With ver. 10, Acts iv. 27, 28. VIII. Heb. xi. 9, 10, 13-16. X. Heb. vii. 1–4. XI. Matt. xi. 24; 2 Pet. ii. 6-9. XII. Luke xvii. 31. II. Notes Eritical and Expository. IX. A PRACTICAL APPLICATION. "O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear Me, and keep all My commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!"-Deut. v. 29. the reach of every article of wearing apparel or other property in the hall." X. WORK. "In all labour there is profit."-Prov. xiv, 23. ICHARD BURKE, being found in a reverie shortly after an extraordinary display of his powers in Parliament by his brother Edmund, was questioned by a friend as to the cause. He replied: “I have been wondering how Ned has contrived to monopolise all the talents of the family; but then again I remember when we were at play he was always at work." III. Life Illustrations of Bible Truths. IX. DRAWING BACK. "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." -Heb. iii. 12. RICCONET, Bishop of Meaux in France, in the sixteenth century, catching the spirit of reform at that time pervading Germany and Switzerland, zealously opposed some grosser errors and views of the Romish Church. Having been twice ambassador to Rome, a bishop, a noble, an intimate friend of the reigning and preceding monarch, he was looked upon as one of the great pillars of the Reformation. A change of government came, the Inquisition was set up, and Bricconet became the first object of vengeance. "The poor bishop," says D'Aubigné, "who had been so sanguine in the hope to see the Reformation gradually and silently winning its way into men's minds, trembled in dismay when he found at the eleventh hour that it must be purchased by life itself. No alternatives were presented him but death or recantation; and to the latter the minions of the Pope urged him by the most plausible pretexts. They pretended they too were anxious for a reformation, that all was going on by insensible steps, that many would be won over by his conceding and yielding a little who would be stumbled by his warm and open opposition to the Church. Bricconet heard, considered, his resolution was shaken-he staggered under the crosshe stumbled-he fell! The day of his recantation was a dark day for France. The great conflict then waging in that country between truth and error was sadly affected by the bishop's fall." "What his enemies represented as the saving of the country," says his historian, “was perhaps the worst of its misfortunes. What might not have been the consequence if Bricconet had possessed the courage of Luther!" X. TEMPTATION RESISTED. HEN one of the kings of France solicited M. Bougier, who was a Protestant, to conform to the Roman Catholic religion, promising him in return a commission or governorship:-" Sire," he replied, "if I could be persuaded to betray my God for a marshal's staff, I might be induced to betray my king for a bribe of much less value." XI. A THANKFUL SPIRIT. "I will bless the Lord at all times."-Ps. xxxiv. 1. REMARKABLE manifestation of Christian resignation was once shown by Fénelon. He saw his library on fire, but instead of repining, he is said to have exclaimed:"God be praised that it is not the habitation of some poor man !" THE OLIVE BRANCH; OR, PAGES FOR THE YOUNG. Little Things. BOY accidentally threw over a lamp in a stable. The blazing paraffin ran among the straw; the place was on fire in an instant. Up shot the flames above the wooden roof; they were caught by the stormy wind, then hurried from building to building; the very air became red hot; and P in one night a great city-the Corinth of our times-was well nigh destroyed. And there, in those five square miles of the smoking ruins of Chicago, the world may learn “ how great a matter a little fire kindleth." Yes, we never know what may come of our least word or least act.-Rev. H. Martyn A. Hart. Wind Up your Watch every Night. ERHAPS you have a little silver watch which your father gave you when you went to school, or a gold watch that your brother once used to wear, and now and then you forget to wind it up when you go to bed. Then next morning you take it from under your pillow, or from your dressing-table, and you find it stopped at two or three o'clock in the morning, and you have to call out to some one to tell you the time, or you get late in consequence. It was The Scoffer POOR man was returning from his church one Sunday afternoon. As he walked slowly along the road, he was overtaken by a quick-walking, gentlemanly dressed young man, who spoke to him as he came up. "So," he said, “you've been to the church yonder, my good man, have you?" "Yes, sir," said the old man, resting on his stick, and looking his questioner in the face. " Lord! Wilt Thou Not even a sparrow can fall, But, Lord, it is noticed by Thee; all your own fault was it not? You should have minded, and then perhaps it would have saved you losing half an hour, and having ever so much extra trouble. Here is a great lesson for you, dear young friend-never forget to wind up your watch. I mean, never forget to keep the heart going by daily prayer, and daily reading your Bible. You can't get on without it. If you neglect prayer, you will soon grow cold and dead.— "Edie's Letter," by the Rev. G. Everard. Answered. "And what have you been there for ? " "To worship God," was the quiet reply. "Now can you tell me, for I am anxious to know," said the infidel, "how big or how little God is ? " "Yes, sir," answered the old man, "yes, sir. He's so big, that the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him: and He's so little that He can enter and live in my heart." teach me to pray?" Oh, teach me to do what is right, And when I offend Thee, forgive; To serve Thee as long as I live. ANON. H, green was the corn, as I rode on my way, The thrush from his holly, the lark from his cloud, The mild southern breeze brought a shower from the hill, I felt a new pleasure, as onward I sped, To gaze where the rainbow gleamed broad over head. Oh, such be life's journey, and such be our skill, REGINALD HEBER. VOL. IX.-NO. V. F2 |