prospect of blessedness that stretches before him, "it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but this we know, that we are like him, for now we see him as he is ;" and this we believe, that in proportion to the depth to which he stooped in order to raise us, in that proportion will be the height of our exaltation, for ever advancing in endless progression.

But

To this advanced stage of their exaltation, however, Christians have not yet attained. Some of them are only just emerging into spiritual light and life; others are in the midst of their career toward heaven; others have just arrived at the point at which their spirits pass to the throne of God; and others have long been familiar with the scenes and the society of heaven. Were the operation of the grace of God to terminate at this moment, were the affairs of his kingdom to be wound up at once, how astonishing the effects which his condescension has already produced! How many has it raised to the enjoyment of eternal life! What a tide of happiness has it poured through the world— bearing on its bosom to the haven of rest an innumerable multitude, every one of whom would else have perished in the blackness of darkness for ever! it shall not cease to operate till it has compassed the salvation of all his people; and then, and not till then, will it be adequately appreciated and adored. But then, when all the objects of his love-the fruits of his condescension-shall stand upon the mount of God; when they shall look up and gaze upon the glories of him who sits upon the throne, and then look back, and down upon the cross, and remember that he once hung upon it, and trace the various stages through which he passed till he reached it, what an amazing impression of his condescension will they have, and what a theme for praise. And when they shall contrast their divine exaltation with their former depression, when they shall find that they are without fault before the throne of God, that they are walking in the society of angels, are raised to the enjoyment of all that heaven con

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tains, and then look down at the state in which ce condescension found them, and, still lower, at the sta of perdition from which his grace has saved them, what a view will they have of their high exaltation, and what a subject for gratitude to him "who raiseth up the needy out of the dunghill, that he may set him. with princes," even the princes of heaven.

But the adoration and praise of heaven must begin on earth. Christians are not strangers to these emotions now. It is by these, and the influence which these have upon their life, that they are distinguished from an ungodly world. The Saviour has spoken to themand they have listened, wondered, and obeyed. He has raised them from the dust, and they have followed him. He has shown them his cross, and they feel that they are not their own. He has pointed them to the open gate of heaven, and they are hastening and ascending to reach it. He has constituted them his friends and his children, and they are advancing to take possession of their inheritance, and to share his glory.

MEMORY, like every other endowment, becomes valuable only as it is properly employed. In this world we are comparatively unable to appreciate its worth. Here, at most, it has only the range of a few short years, a large proportion of the history of which does not deserve remembrance. It is a capacity which increases in importance as the history of our being advances. What a source of pleasure must memory be to a pure and happy being, who, by its aid, can call up the events which have given interest to ten thousand years! But it may be turned to the highest account even here. It is a casket; and if it contain "the pearl of great price," it is sacred, it is rich indeed.

In the present state our memory is weak and incapacious, unable to contain but a small portion of the innumerable objects which claim a place in it. The part of wisdom, therefore, is to examine and select what should obtain the first admission, and occupy the most prominent place in it; that, as all cannot be remembered, trifles at least may not be received to the exclusion of important objects. Let such an examination be instituted, and, before and above all things, we shall remember Jesus Christ.

He deserves to be remembered for the mòral splendour of his achievements, in vanquishing all the enemies of human happiness; for his unmerited kindness in remembering us in our low estate; for the strength and endurance of his love, in continuing his regard for us unabated, notwithstanding the slights he receives

at our hands, and notwithstanding his own personal removal and exaltation and for the reward of grace which he promises to our remembrance of Him. They that remember Him, he will remember. And, oh! to be remembered by Him would amply compensate for being forgotten by all the universe besides! The dying malefactor only asked the Redeemer to remember him; and his humble request was answered with an assurance that, on that day he should be with Him in paradise.

Our remembrance of Christ must not be confined to the Sabbath, or the hour of prayer, or the day of death, when no aid but his can avail us. This would denote no great attachment to him; this would be remembering him only when we could scarcely forbear doing it—when even they that hate him remember him.

Many would have us think about them, only when we ourselves are in prosperity. If we are in want, they would be pleased to find that we had forgotten them, lest we should importune or disgrace them. Not so Jesus Christ; he is pleased when our trials induce us to remember him: then it is that they answer their appointed end. In the hour of conscious guilt, his language is—"Remember my grace; it will prevent despondency, and inspire you with hope." In the time of affliction-"Remember my sympathy, it Iwill heal the wounds of the heart." In the season of duty" Remember my example; like a guiding column of light, it will direct your course, and quicken your progress." In the prospect of death-" Remember that your 'Redeemer liveth,' and it will convert the chamber of sickness into the gate of heaven."

It is not easy for a man entirely to banish the Saviour from his recollections. Moving, as we are, in a world whose moral history is blended so intimately with the history of Christ, whose happiness depends on his mediation, and whose destiny will be determined at his tribunal, we are surrounded by intimations of his character and presence and lest we should forget

him, he has written his name more or less legibly on every object in the moral world-has left us, in a variety of forms, and in every direction, memorials of his merciful relations to us. Be it understood, however, that to remember him aright involves the noblest efforts of the human mind. The exercise is at once so easy, that it invites compliance; so arduous, that it demands supreme attention; and so indispensable, that to neglect it is to perish. It originates in a scriptural acquaintance with his character, and a devout affection for him; it implies our deepest sympathy with all that is pure and lofty; it renders us conversant with the beings and pursuits of another world. To remember him aright is to remember his promises, and believe them-his commands, and obey them-his glory, and to make it the object of our life.

There must be an intenseness in our recollections of him, which will not merely place him on an equality in our thoughts with other endeared objects, but which must give him a superiority above them all ;—a remembrance which will yield us pleasure, which we shall often be disposed to indulge in as our highest gratification, and which, instead of readily giving way to other recollections, will keep its place in the mind, notwithstanding all the importunate solicitations of earthly objects. If we are not aiming at such a remembrance of Christ, we are recollecting him only as a being who deserves to be forgotten; but thus to remember him will impart a Divine character to a human mind—will make a sinful man a partaker of the Divine nature.

It has been said that a thought is valuable in proportion to the number of other thoughts which it naturally suggests. Then how valuable is the scriptural recollection of Christ! connected as he is with the past, the present, and the future, with all that is pure and spiritual, benevolent and great. In the universe, the Christian possesses in him a memorial and representative of all that is worth remembering; while, on the other hand, every thought suggested by the con