Reader, do you enjoy the Sabbaths of the soul? Does your weary spirit bathe in the fountain of life? Do you feed on the heavenly manna, and drink of the water, which Jesus only gives. Life is but a poor thing without this. Religion is but a form without this. Seek, oh, seek grace, to enable you to enter into Christ, to rest on his finished work, to obtain peace of concience, and to hold sweet and hallowed friendship with God! The religion, that does not bring us to God, conform us to Christ, give us rest of soul, and enable us to keep holy Sabbath, is not the religion of Christ. Blessed Comforter, Holy Spirit of God, grant unto us that we may often, very often, enjoy THE SABBATH OF THE SOUL!

O that our thoughts and thanks may rise,
As grateful incense to the skies;
And draw from heaven that sweet repose
Which none, but he that feels it, knows.

This heavenly calm, within the breast,
Is the dear pledge of glorious rest,
Which for the church of God remains,
The end of cares, the end of pains.

With joy, great God, thy works we view,
In various scenes, both old and new;
With praise we think on mercies past;
With hope, we future pleasures taste.

LIKEMINDED WITH CHRIST.

I HAVE been thinking of my beloved Lord and Master, and I ought to think of him more than I do; and I ought to think differently of him to what I do. Thoughts of Christ are pleasant, if the mind is at all spiritual; and they are always very profitable. O to think well of Christ, and much of Christ! Well, as I was thinking of Jesus, I saw very distinctly, that I ought to resemble him more than I do. He is my model, and in every thing I ought to seek to be like him. I have often looked at this subject in general, but I want now to dwell upon a few points in particular, for I find that generals do not affect me, so much as particulars. The Apostle says, "Let the same mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." This was a humble mind. A meek, gentle, lamblike mind. Or, I might say in one word, it was a holy mind. But I have been musing upon what the mind of Christ would be upon several subjects, and I have come to the conclusion, that my Lord and Master

I

Looked upon sin as the greatest evil. doubt not but he had very vivid, and painful

views of sin.

What he saw and heard went

to his very heart. Therefore he bore testitimony against sin all through his life, and then died to make an atonement for it. He saw sin as it affected God, and as it debased, degraded, and injured man. He saw it as disturbing God's order in creation, as fighting against God in providence, and as manifesting the bitterest enmity against God in grace. Oh, how Jesus hated sin! He resisted unto blood, striving against it. Now I want to be likeminded with Christ on this point. I am apt to be more affected with afflictions, than with sin. To shrink more from pain, than from transgression. I would never sin without a sigh, or hear sin without a tear: but, alas! I very often do. Sin within me, and as committed by me, should be especially loathed and lamented. Sin in others around me, should lead me to sympathise with God, as insulted; and with the sinner, as insanely exposing himself to eternal woe. The object of Jesus was to get rid of sin, and this should be my object too. For this he lived, died, and sent the Holy Spirit into our world: and this object will be accomplished in the end. I ought to strive against sin in myself, and lovingly reprove sin in others. My object should be to rescue sinners, and get rid of sin. The Lord Jesus

Looked upon holiness as the greatest good. By holiness, I mean, exact conformity to the

law of God. Supreme love to God, and fraternal love to men. Love to all men, to every man. Love as the motive influencing every action, regulating every desire, and directing every effort. Hating nothing but sin. Opposing nothing but sin. Endeavouring by all means to promote the pure, the gentle, and the orderly. Making God's will the rule, and God's glory the end of every action. Jesus was perfectly holy himself. He loved holiness wherever he saw it.

He even died to introduce, and spread it in our world. He ever looked on holiness, or an exact conformity to God's moral attributes in all things, as the greatest good. This is just what I should do. This is just what I desire. But I have to mourn over the depravity of my heart, which betrays me into levity, thoughtlessness, anger, and gloom; so that instead of being likeminded with Jesus, I am at times likeminded with Satan. O Lord, create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me; that I may admire, desire, and seek holiness of heart and life as the greatest good. Jesus also

Looked upon the salvation of souls as the greatest work. He never seemed to think about wealth, or fame. His heart was set For this he

upon saving souls from death. taught. For this he wrought. suffered. For this he died. still pleads in heaven.

This

For this he

For this he was what he

called his "Father's business." This was his meat and drink. For this his prayers were offered, and to this all his mightiest efforts were directed. He travailed in birth for souls, and he shall see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied. Holy and beneficent Saviour, I cannot but admire thy disinterested love—I cannot but approve of thy glorious design-I cannot but feel ashamed, that I so little resemble thee! How few, how very few among us, engage in the work of seeking the lost sheep of the house of Israel, as the greatest, and most honourable employment, in which we can be engaged! My soul, I charge thee to seek grace, that in this point I may be likeminded with Jesus, and daily, hourly, seek instrumentally, to save souls from death. O Lord, let it please thee, to stir us all up, that like thy beloved Son, we may prove to all around us, that we consider the salvation of souls, as the greatest work. Jesus

Looked upon glorifying God as the greatest end. We can aim at nothing higher, wo should aim at nothing less. He always realized the presence of his Father-subjected his will to the will of his Father-and sought in every action to please his Father. Always, and every where, he carried about in his bosom, the consciousness that his Father was pleased with him; and that he was accomplishing the great end, for which he came into the world. He could say with confi