He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root. Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit. Isa. xxvii. 6. They shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward. Chap. xxvii. 31. They shall bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing. Psal. cxii. 14. Her leaf shall be green, and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. Jer. xvii. 8. THE evangelical Christians look upon themselves as barren trees, ever crying out, "O my leanness, my leanness!" Even before the judgmentseat of CHRIST, they acknowledged no fruits nor will plead them, though they have been fruitful. Matt xxv. 37-39. The reason is, they are poor in spirit, and are not pleased with their fruits but only with CHRIST. Grant, O Lord, that I may earnestly seek to bring forth fruits, and may grow in fruitfulness as I grow in years, and never cease from yielding fruit; hereby proving myself to be a tree of the Lord's planting, whose leaf is green, and whose branches are flourishing and fruitful ! Yet bless me also with deep poverty of spirit, that I may see myself still nothing, having nothing of my own to glory in, or to justify me; and thus esteem CHRIST my All, and rest upon him wholly. Lord, 'tis a pleasant thing to stand In gardens planted by thy hand; Let me within thy courts be seen, Like a young cedar, fresh and green. There grow thy saints in faith and love, Blest with thy influence from above! Time, that doth all things else impair, Still makes them flourish strong and fair. Laden with fruits of age, they shew The Lord is holy, just, and true; None that attend his gates shall find A God unfaithful or unkind!

The breaker is come up before them; they have broken up, and have passed through the gate; and their King (as the Author and Finisher of faith) shall pass before them, and the Lord on the head of them. Micah. ii. 13. Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John xvi. 33. Heb. xii. 1, 2.

SOMETIMES the enemy seems to get an advantage over us; but the battle is not over yet. At last thou shalt have the victory, and carry the day for all that. In hard struggles remember the power of CHRIST, who, in his resurrection, broke through everything. With him thou canst also break through, and be more than conqueror. Yea, in every conflict, if thy faith be firm, thou canst be sure of victory beforehand; for faith engages CHRIST's power, and his power ensureth victory it is as impossible for thine enemies to keep thee always in bonds, as it was impossible that CHRIST could be kept in the grave by the stone, seal, and keepers. Nay, the greater their force is, the more glorious will be the victory of CHRIST Over them.

Hosannah to our conqu❜ring King!
The Prince of Darkness flies;

His troops rush headlong down to hell,
Like lightning from the skies.

There, bound in chains, the lions roar,
And fright the rescued sheep;
But heavy bars confine their power
And malice to the deep!

Hosannah to our conqu'ring King!
All hail, incarnate love!

Ten thousand songs and glories wait
To crown thy head above!

Thy vict'ries and thy deathless fame

Thro' the wide world shall run,

And everlasting ages sing

The triumphs thou hast won.

Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Amos iii. 3.

THEY must be agreed in heart, in affection, in will, in their inclinations and pursuits, or they cannot walk together in any mutual confidence and comfortable communion. "What communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?" 2 Cor. vi. 15. We cannot walk with Jesus without a living union with him, a hearty love to him, and a holy delight in him: nor can he walk with us on any other principles. We cannot walk with each other without mutual love. A living union with Jesus, cemented and sealed by his Holy Spirit, is the only bond of union and agreement between Christians, whereby they can walk together, to the honour of God and their own benefit.-Alas! how much it is to be lamented that those who, through grace, are thus united, should be so visibly shy of each other, because they differ in lesser matters. O my dear Saviour! help me to be more agreed with thee, and to walk more closely with thee, and in more real affection and love with all those who are really thine, to the praise and glory of thy grace! Amen and Amen!

May the grace of Christ our Saviour,
And the Father's boundless love,

With the Holy Spirit's favour,

Rest upon us from above!

Thus shall we abide in union

With each other and the Lord,
And possess, in sweet communion,
Joys which earth cannot afford !

Love is the golden chain that binds
The happy souls above,

And he's an heir of heaven who finds
His bosom glow with love.

H

Let your moderation be known unto all men, Phil. iv. 5; for Charity (that is love) edifieth. 1 Cor. viii. 1.

If thou rebukest others, and wouldst have them to be like thee, thou oughtest to examine thyself first, whether it flows from a blind party-zeal, impatience, and self-will, or from a true principle of love; and whether thou art also much in prayer for them, both before and after. He who lays the long-sufferings of the Son of God truly to heart, and considers how gently he has treated him, and still treats him like the weakest child, must needs be moderate also towards all men, and think, "If nobody would bear with others, surely I must." Lord, give me the right spirit of meekness, to shew all lenity to my fellow-Christians. To bear with their infirmities and weaknesses, and in everything to ascribe the blame to my own wicked and perverse heart. Keep me, O Lord, from pride, and vain conceit, that stirreth up to boldness in the works of the flesh, and that engendereth strife. Let the meek and the lowly mind of the holy child Jesus dwell in me, and through it let my moderation be known unto all men, for charity edifieth.

Watch o'er my lips, and guard them, Lord,
From ev'ry rash and heedless word;

Nor let my feet incline to tread
The guilty path where sinners lead !

O may the righteous, when I stray,
Smite and reprove my wand'ring way;
Their gentle words, like ointment shed,
Shall never bruise, but cheer my head!
When I behold them pressed with grief,
I'll cry to heav'n for their relief;
And by my warm petitions prove
How much I prize their faithful love.

David's Prayer.-Put thou my tears into thy bottle; are they not in thy book? Ps. lvi. 9. Divine Answer. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. Ps. cxxvi. 5, 6.

BELIEVER, if thou art now reaping in joy, if thou hast a heart full of gladness and art singing hymns of triumph, be thankful, for few have attained to such a state of assurance and happiness; but remember that this work belongs more to the next world than the present. Here weeping and rejoicing follow each other, weeping for thy sad subjection to sin, Satan, the world and the flesh, rejoicing for the victories CHRIST is giving thee over them. However strong be thy faith, sorrow will oft find a lodging in thy bosom; for there is no retreat from the field of battle; and thine enemies will not leave thee while thou hast a breath to draw. Let this be a check to impatience. Let it humble thee in the sight of the Holy One of Israel, the Lord thy Redeemer. It is indeed needful to be humbled under a sense of thy misery, so as to sigh, groan, and weep often; and this is the true seed for eternity. This is the precious seed which the Lord requires you to bear, and which going forth bearing while engaged in the Christian warfare, you shall return from the field of battle, ladened with a rich harvest of glory, into Immanuel's peaceful land. Not a single tear or groan will be lost, they are all in the book of the Lord.

Let those who sow in sadness, wait

Till the fair harvest come;

They shall confess their sheaves are great,
And shout the blessings home.