to one supreme authority; to commit himself unreservedly to one paramount obligation; to be guided by a wisdom and a power higher, holier, and mightier than his own; and he will find by experience, that the yoke of Christ is true liberty and perfect freedom; for whereas every act of the former unrenewed life which he spent under the dominion of sin, brought him into deeper subjection to that tyranny, and incurred more largely its recompense of death, so each act of the Christian life is a remedial measure, a step in the process of amelioration; and in its result, is not merely a token of obedience, but at the same time an advance into nearer relations to that Divine Saviour whose footsteps of holy example the Christian may trace and follow all along the course of his earthly career, till he is called to enter into that blessed state of rest and joy whither Christ is gone before.

Let us now proceed briefly to consider the points in which the life of Christ on earth presents a model for the imitation of Christians; those points, namely, in which his human nature, albeit accompanied and animated by the infinite and immaculate attributes of his Divinity, employed the instruments and agencies which are common to His brethren in the flesh.

Concerning our Master, we are told not only that He went about "doing good," but also that He was anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power; and if his servants are to obey his injunctions, and to follow His example in "doing good," they also must be endued with the Holy Ghost which God has given to them that obey Him; first to excite and then graciously to reward their obedience, and to animate its more extended exercise. Theirs also must be the spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind, even that holy and sanctifying influence which will manifest itself in pure and benevolent affections, and in corresponding wise, earnest, and cordial exertions for the glory of God and the benefit of His creatures. In contemplating our Saviour's course on earth, let us mark how the strong and holy impulse that wrought in Him was developed in an earnest and continuous desire to be doing the will and the work of His Father; how on that employment his energies were concentrated, to the exclusion of every consideration of earthly dignity, ease, or indulgence; how the ordinary acts and intercourse of life were made subservient to higher ends than those of enjoyment or simple benevolence; and the intervals of ministerial labour occupied in journeys that might vary the sphere and extend the benefits of his instructions and his mighty works; in prayer, intercession, and communion with his Father; or in the rest and refreshment which were

demanded by his humanity, but which he was ever ready to deny Himself rather than forego an opportunity to seek and save the lost. While such was the spirit, and the general character of our Lord's work on earth, let us observe what were the objects to which that work was directed, and which it accomplished; for hereby we may ascertain the true aim of Christian exertion in subsequent periods.

Religious instruction occupies a primary place in our Saviour's ministry, and that on the most comprehensive scale; a scale embracing every position of the teacher and the taught ; so that private Christians as well as ministers may find a lesson for themselves in this part of their Master's mission. The constitution of the Church, the precepts of Christ and his apostles, and the dispositions of providence and grace, assign to each man in the Christian community, a place and office which he can neither forsake nor go beyond, without injury; and there are probably none who may not find in their situation or opportunities, some point wherein one may edify another.

The second branch of Christ's ministerial work, namely, that which He wrought for the relief of sickness, infirmity, and the various forms of temporal necessity or distress, is susceptible of yet more general imitation. True, miraculous powers are not now continued in the church, and the works wrought by the disciples of Christ at this day, not being required as the introductory evidence of the authority of a new revelation, are not marvellous, as were those of their Master; but, like Him, His people can exercise a sincere and lively sympathy with the afflicted; can employ their time, their efforts, their attention, and the language of kindness, in order to comfort sorrow, alleviate suffering, and supply the wants of others; and surely the purposes for which the Lord of Glory spared not to exert His Divine powers and to devote a portion of His brief course on earth, cannot but demand in all ages the labour of his servants, who have the poor always with them, and upon whom, an apparently increasing amount of wretchedness calls for aid. The most active and zealous of the Lord's people find cause, in reviewing the past, to lament over duties unperformed; but though no Christian can fully say with his Lord, "I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do," yet to Him who heartily devotes himself to fulfil the work assigned to him, whether in a retired or prominent sphere, there is often afforded a joyful confidence that he has approved himself as a faithful servant.

I would now only remark, that the address of St. Paul to the "servants" at Ephesus and Colosse, does not appear to be exclusively applicable to

those fulfilling menial offices. Its cheering assurances may evidently be also appropriated by all those who recognize the duties required, and the service imposed by their position, as children, parents, wives, friends, or as filling any other relative situation in society. That part

of the Christian's duty which consists in the due distribution of his resources, and the judicious arrangement of his labours, will, together with some other matters, more suitably come under consideration when we contemplate the Christian in the character of a STEWARD.

(To be continued.)

F.

THE SEASONS.

"While the earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, shall not cease."-GEN. viii. 22.

SEE verdant Spring in budding beauty stand,
The fair production of her Maker's hand,
Green as of yore, awaking from her sleep,
Fresh, as when first emerging from the deep.

Resplendent Summer, rich in fruits and flowers,
Appears, and brings her tide of golden hours,
With boundless skies encanopied above,
Only less boundless than celestial Love.

Autumn comes onward, with majestic mien ;
But soon with desolation strews the scene;
And in the might of her tempestuous wrath,
Prepares her conqueror-dread Winter's path.

He comes-and on each eminence and plain,
Lays his cold hand, in all his vast domain;
While grand in careless majesty, he throws
His snowy mantle o'er him in repose.

Sublimely beautiful in order roll

The Seasons onward-" an harmonious whole,”—
Oh! Infinite beneficence of Mind,

Conferring varied blessings on mankind.

Amazing power of Goodness, when we turn
Our gaze afar, and higher things discern;
Where once was void, a new creation see
Rise on the waters of Immensity.

Transcendent fabric of Creative Love!
Whose glories draw the earthly gaze above
All temporal beauties and delights ;-to view
Awhile the Everlasting and the True.

Within the veil, beyond the shining spheres,
Unknown to sorrow and unstain'd by tears,

Let Faith pierce through, with bright and trusting gaze,

In silent adoration of His ways,

Who though Himself no change of Time can know,
Appoints the Seasons as they onward go,—
Bids Day and Night successively appear,
And blesses Earth in each revolving year.

Faith will gaze on, 'till Heavenly Power display
The Light ineffable of endless day,
The holy ground by Saints and Angels trod―
"The pure and golden Palaces of God !"

AURORA,

EXTRACTS FROM THE UNPUBLISHED CORRESPONDENCE

OF A CLERGYMAN RECENTLY DECEASED.

No. III.

MAY 7th, 1822.-Last night my daughter went with her grandmother to hear Mr. Latrobe's address, on the sending out of the Moravian Missionaries to Labrador. Every year about this time, the United Brethren send a store-ship for the ensuing winter, to their missionaries in that inclement climate; and though this is the fifty-first year of their sending one, they have all arrived safe at the place of their destination.

In their first attempts to convert the Greenlanders, the Moravians began by preaching upon the Divine attributes; and, as might be expected, they persevered for a long time to no purpose, in trying to make those frozen savages, who had hardly more ideas than senses, comprehend a series of metaphysical abstractions. Finding these efforts useless, the missionaries changed their plan, and immediately succeeded. The exhibition of a crucified Saviour excited their sorrow-of a risen Saviour, their hope-of a Saviour interceding, protecting, providing, and conquering their love, trust, and obedience. And surely it is impossible to read the Acts of the Apostles, and the Epistles, with attention, and not to discover that this was the primitive plan, which succeeded in founding a church in the voluptuous city of Corinth, and in making converts in the learned city of Athens. It is the plan, too, which succeeds above every other, in our own day; for if we look at the gigantic efforts which are making to ameliorate mankind, what but this is the most powerful stimulant to every work and labour of love? May it cheer your heart and mine in the trying day of adversity, and purify them in the still more trying day of prosperity! Under its influence, may we be constrained to think, and speak, and act aright; and restrained from thinking, and speaking, and acting wrong. Then, after a few more struggles, we shall be transplanted to a more congenial climate. The more habitually we cherish this delightful but sober hope, the better we shall be fitted for the discharge of every intermediate duty; the more grateful we shall be to the Author and Finisher of it; the more resigned to his chastening, and the more animated under his cheering dispensations.