the counsel of Him who laid down his,” and that “no man can call his life for sinners; how unwilling Jesus Lord,” that is, from a knowto receive any testimony that ledge of his person and work as offends our pride, strikes at our made known in the Sacred Scripprejudices, or interrupts our plea- tures, “but by the Holy Ghost ? ” sures! Yes, we are indeed slow Beware of every system and opinion to believe what the Prophets and that would rob the Saviour of his Apostles of the Lord of Glory him. glory-that would give you any self have spoken, whilst the ear is other view of him than what is exever open to hear what the temp- hibited in Isaiah ix. 6.-" his name ter will whisper. If God were not shall be called Wonderful, Counlong-suffering; if his compassions sellor, the Mighty God, the Everfailed, would he not when man lasting Father, the Prince of Peace. first sinned, have executed upon “Cease to hear the instruction that him a just and irreversible sentence, causeth to err from the words of and for ever have separated him knowledge.”—Prov. ix. 27. In a from peace, and from glory? But little season you will find yourselves He has not done so—the bow of arrested by the hand of death, and, mercy appears upon the cloud of if reason be in exercise, you will wrath ; a gift is bestowed, and have fears and feelings that you that no less than eternal life never had before, and as sure as through Jesus Christ our Lord. God liveth, so sure it is that noAnd now what think you of Christ ? thing but faith in our Lord Jesus Do you believe him to be Imma- Christ can remove the sting, and nuel-that is, God with us—“per give the victory. May this “pre. fect God and perfect man in human cious faith,” which is the gift of flesh subsisting ?" Are you ac- God, be your's, and may the Holy quainted with God, through the Spirit so influence you, that you knowledge of his Son, and have may be “ stedfast, unmoveable, you peace? Is your hope derived always abounding in the work of from, and centered in Christ only ? the Lord.” Is sin bated and forsaken? Is the Your very affectionate Pastor, world overcome? Is Satan re and faithful friend, nounced and resisted ? Do you believe that “if any man have not PETER Ror. the spirit of Christ he is none of Kilkenny, Jan. 1, 1828. A HEBREW MELODY. His chariots and horsemen, all splendid and brave, And chariots and horsemen are sunk in the wave. Of those she sent forth in the hour of her pride ? And all her brave thousands are dashed in the tide. MOORE. THE WITNESS. My dearest mother, when will you give your consent to our paying a visit to our cousin Louisa ? How often she has pressed us to spend a few weeks with her! Only listen now, dear mother, and I will read you what she says in her letter to me this morning. She begins, ‘My beloved Jane.—The repeated refusals I have met with to my invitation to you and your sister, so far from having checked my desire to see you here with us, have excited me more and more to long for your company; nor will I cease pressing my invitation until my aunt yields her consent ; and I really think you might tell her she is too strict. Why should not cousins meet, and, by being all together, have the pleasure of becoming better acquainted with each other? Jane read this part of the letter with great spirit and emphasis; and it required no great discernment to discover that she wished to give all the force in her power to her cousin's argument. Believing it to be very weighty, she paused, and looked wistfully in her mother's face, to trace if there were any marks of consent in her countenance; but, to her mortification, she observed nothing, but a kind of determination, which, whilst it did not express any displeasure towards her, yet, appeared far from likely to yield to her wishes. Instead of replying immediately, she seemed attracted to the observation of some young trees in the nursery garden, looking at them rather intently as if to scrutinize into their nature and quality. See, my dear Jane, she said, here is a set of very fine looking young trees; I should think they pro. mise well; let us enquire of the gardener what he finds them to be; for, as your father wishes to make an ornamental orchard by the right wing of the house, it would be useful if we could this morning ascertain something of their different qualities. Jane, disappointed by this apparent indifference to the object so interesting to herself, at that moment did not feel her usual alacrity in attending to the wishes of her mother; she was, however, accustomed to render her the attentions of love and duty, and from the mere habit of obedience, she drew her bonnet a little closer, and offering her arm to her mother, said, Where shall we find the gardener ? I believe he is at the far end of the grounds, for I have given him orders to make some little improvement in your and your sister's garden, and I doubt not he is engaged there at this time ; and if you will run before and tell him I am waiting here, it will save me the walk, for I am already a little fatigued. Jane flew to execute her mother's desire, and was perhaps a little more than usually ready, as she felt glad to have a moment to recover from her chagrin, without exposing her feelings to notice. When she arrived at the spot where the gardener was working, she was surprised to see her sister busily at work with him, who with an expression of great delight said, O Jane, I was eager to get this pretty improvement finished before you came out, that it might please you the more; but we have not yet planted all these beautiful Aowers, which our dear mother reared with her own hands, entirely for this purpose. Is she not always studying to give us pleasure ? Jane was perfectly well persuaded of this, but at that moment felt a little indisposed to answer her sister's question : she only said, I will come again soon and look at all shall know them.” She said this that is doing; at present my mother with a particular emphasis, and is waiting for William, and we have turned to Jane as if to make her to hasten to her. William in one of the party. Jane had been stantly struck his spade in the a little absent, and this sudden ground, and followed the young appeal from her mother startled her lady to the nursery gardens, which rather, and, she did not know why, they no sooner reached than Jane it raised a blush also which some offered her arm to her mother, who consciousness of an indescribable addressed William : kind impelled ; the mother then I want to know William what said, Do you wish to join your you think of these young trees, as sister, Jane, or will you give me it is about the time when we shall the help of your arm to the be preparing the ground for the house ? orchard. Jane was immediately recollected, I can't say exactly, ma'am, he and affectionately said, O my dear replied, for though they appear mother, I will gladly attend you, strong and healthy, I have my for I perceive you need it, and I doubts wbether they will turn out will afterwards run to my sister. such as you and my master would Her good humour began to return, approve. They seem to me to be for she delighted in being useful to somewhat of a wild kind; but as her mother. She bore up her arm, they have never borne fruit, I can with that pretty kind of expression not decide upon them; I wish you which seems to say, I love the arm would wait another year, which I bear : she kicked every little would give some of them a chance obstacle in the walk, out of the of showing fruit, and then we way of her mother's feet, and did should know what we are about not leave her until she had seen we can be going on with the other her lean back on the sofa in the work, for it would be a pity to fill drawing-room to rest, having placed a choice bit of ground with un- a cushion to support her, then she profitable fruit. snatched a kiss and returned to the You say right William ; we will garden. then wait; but as they were planted in her way she passed the nur. by your master he naturally wishes sery ground, which recalled to her to have them in the orchard. . mind the quick feeling she had That's very true, ma’am, but its experienced when her mother so a wise saying, which I often think unexpectedly addressed her, and of, as I labor in the garden, “ By she stopt a moment. She saw their fruits ye shall know them;" William busy amongst the trees and am desirous to root out every with his pruning knife, taking tree in the grounds which is not off some irregular branches; and of a good sort, for they often whilst she appeared to be watching injure the good kinds; and I could him, she could not avoid reflecting take you round and point out all upon what had passed, and the those I wish you to allow me to sense of pain which she still excut down. perienced We will take an early oppor Surely, she thougbt, my mother tunity of doing so, for we agree meant something by her manner, perfectly in opinion, and certainly or, if she did not, why did I feel we will wait for the proof of these. such a kind of consciousness of It is one of my own favorite rules something wrong? I have often, of judging, and I am often governed very often, heard her make the in more mysterious things by that same remark, but I never before rule of wisdom,“ By their fruits ye had so peculiar a feeling excited by it.--Her meditations were inter- ling my feelings. So saying, she rupted by William who exclaimed, took out of her pocket, first the let I declare here is an apple laid at ter, and laid it on the table. Caroline the foot of this little tree; it must was instantly going to open it, but have lain here all the winter; I Jane held her hand, saying, No, wonder I never observed a blossom that will tell you nothing, without on it last spring,—now I see the this also, taking out the apple and very place it dropt from : see, placing it upon the letter. Miss, it sure enough has borne- What can you mean, my dear and now then, at least we may Jane? have the proof of this. The apple I mean, said Jane, that it is in the is sound and good—it has been combination of these two I feel all somewhat protected by these dead the uneasiness I describe; and you leaves, but I augur it is no bad shall be my judge; for I perceive fruit that has braved the winter I like not to judge myself. season in such a manner. Will Jane then related, with preciyou be so good my young lady, sion, all that had passed, whilst as to take the care of it? I will Caroline listened with watchful intie a piece of matting round the terest, to catch if possible the extree to mark it, and when my planation of her feelings. When mistress has tasted the fruit she she had finished, she added, Now will then know the tree, and judge Caroline, explain it to me; you may whether it will be worthy the place ask me questions if you like, I will it is destined for. Jane felt some answer truly. reluctance to carry it to her mother, Then I will first ask what you when looking down, she perceived, thought of Louisa's letter ? on the spot where she had stood o I thought it was very pretty with her mother, the letter from of her not to be affronted, and still which had originated the whole of to wish for our company. the cireumstances I have related. You must have wished very much With a mortified sensation she to accept the invitation ? picked it up, and deposited it in the Yes, certainly, or I should not pocket with the apple. The day have been so disappointed at my passed, as usual, in various useful mother's silence. occupations; and the evening closed But did you not know the reasons -the two sisters retired to their why the invitation had been so freroom for the night. quently declined ? Jane was not accustomed to con- Yes, I remember very well what ceal any thing from Caroline : they they were. bad been brought up in the love of Then I wonder you were disapeach other, not only for the natu pointed, because you know how ral tie which existed, but also for steadfast our mother is when she Christ's sake. Their parents, ever has decided upon such grounds. watchful to guide them in the pre- But then she did not reason with cept of the Gospel, inculcated by me at all, but left me to myself every persuasion and example, that without persuading me to give it bond of peace, that happiness of up. home, the cement of heavenly love I suppose she thought you must and confidence, which springs from be quite well acquainted with the the love of God. She no sooner reasons, and would require no perfound herself alone with her sister, suasion. than she said, Look here Caroline, I So I was, but I own I was not have two things to show you, which willing to allow them; and if she have given me such uneasiness, that only would have told me that for I wish you would help me in unravel. her sake she wished I would give it up, I should have settled my mind the will of God in all things. Jane to it at once. grew more composed in her spirit; But she would expect, as you and whilst her sister was pouring already knew her reasons, that your out the feelings of her own soul, in own mind would have decided ; and, the sincere expression of her desires indeed, if you had really been of to be kept constantly under the inthe same mind with our dear mo- fluential operations of the Holy ther, you, from your own choice, Spirit, Jane insensibly yielded her would have determined as she evi- mind to the same desires, and dently wishes. seemed to catch the spirit which Then you think my mother now flowed from her sister. They loved knows that I do not think as she each other tenderly, and never did does ? they feel it so strongly as when She certainly must. engaged in this intimate commuYes, by my fruits I perceive; nion, on the state of their own and I also discover that I was in- hearts before God. They thus wardly aware of this, and I have no were gradually tempered for rising doubt my dear mother meant to to the higher communion with God teach me so, by the observation in prayer; and their evening sacrimade on the nursery trees. In fact fice was offered in the sweet incense I was taught, but my stubborn will in Christ, which is acceptable to would not submit to the conviction; God by the Spirit. and I now perfectly well understand The next morning found them the power which that little apple waking with the sweet effect still had to condemn me. Its fruits pervading their hearts; and devotestified that it was good, mine tes. tion and duty called them to a lively tified that I was evil, and I did not exercise of the grace within. As like to take to my mother, who they left their room Jane, sighing, was so able to judge me by my showed the apple in her hand to fruit, the witness against myself. Caroline, saying, “By their fruits Now I think, said Caroline, you ye shall know them.” Now help have unravelled the mystery of your me, my dear Caroline, this day, and own feelings, and will be more at faithfully tell me what fruit you peace when you have put that good observe in me. little apple in our mother's hand. Ah, my dear sister, remember, No Caroline, that is saying too she replied, what need I have to give much; I am not now at peace, all my attention to my own : but we and perhaps it is because I cannot will endeavour to help each other. give that apple to my mother. At the breakfast table, Jane, with My dear Jane, then there is still a look of consciousness, presented something wrong even beyond the the apple, saying, My dear mother, other; for do you not know how you have now a proof of one of the often we are told to be humbly nursery trees; this apple was found willing to receive rebuke ? and if at its foot, and William desired me you would do it you would receive to give it you; he thinks you will the whole lesson. find it good fruit, and then, fixing And (interrupted Jane) show a her eyes on her mother, the tears better fruit. Well I will do what of soft conviction filling them, Iought to do, and would go directly, added, may my dear mother but I fear to disturb my mother always find good fruit on those now that she is retired to her room. trees for which she is so intently The two sisters then sat down interested! Her own feelings overand conversed together for some coming her, she folded her arm time, on the necessity of bringing round her mother's neck, and hid the heart into simple submission to her tears in her bosom |