pronounced its doom, has ordained its end. Let man be slow to wrestle with the unchanging law. Let all men especially let us discard the vain idea, that we can reach the highest good of life by any winding way, and know that only by fidelity to duty, is the soul formed to the perfect ends of life, or made a fit companion for immortals. Resort to no unjust expedients to secure fame or favor, riches or renown. Buy the truth, but sell it not for any price this world can pay. Play no games with the devil's dice, and buy no tickets in his lottery; for his prizes are more valueless than blanks, and his stakes cloud the conscience and corrupt the heart. Make truth the only motto, righteousness the abiding rule of action, ― excellence the steady aim. "He that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil." LET US PRAY. ALL-WISE AND EVER-GLORIOUS GOD, we thank Thee for the revelation of Thy law, and for the light which through the Gospel gleams upon the scene of human life. We praise Thee that the truth Thou hast revealed, agrees with the convictions of our reason and our hearts. Help us more perfectly to recognize it as Thy voice, and grant us grace to nurture the spirit of obedience, and make us zealous to shed abroad the light and influence of truth among mankind. LORD, give us strength, firmly to stand by Thy law, -humbly to walk in every way of duty, - meekly to bear the burdens of our lot, and patiently to wait on the unfoldings of Thy will. Thine is the power, and Thine, through Christ, shall be the praise, forever. AMEN. CHRIST AND MAN. BY REV. G. BAILEY. SCRIPTURE LESSON, COLOSSIANS I. For he knew what was in man.-JOHN II. 25. THIS is the testimony of John concerning the Saviour. He affirms that he had more than ordinary human insight, needing not that any one should testify to him of man, because, without testimony, he knew the thoughts and intentions of the human heart. Unwarrantable conclusions have, sometimes, been drawn from these words. It has been inferred that Jesus must have possessed the attribute of omniscience, and consequently, that he must have been God. But the passage does not so affirm; nor is such an inference in harmony with the spirit of the text and context. It is not said that Jesus, at any one moment, knew all the thoughts of all men upon the earth. Nor was such knowledge needful to him, in pursuing the objects he had in view. It did not require the attributes of a Deity to do his work. All that was essential to his intellectual endowment, was, that he should understand fully the nature and character of those whom he came to regenerate and save. And this knowledge he did possess in a preeminent degree. He was thoroughly acquainted with all the labyrinths of the soul, and could analyze and fully comprehend all the mysteries and subtleties of the human heart. Hence, from the characters of those around him, he could at any time tell what were the thoughts and imaginings within them. And so, on several occasions, it is said that he knew the thoughts of the people. Not, necessarily, that by any supernatural power he could see the workings of their minds; but that, because of his knowledge of human nature, he was able to judge correctly with what thoughts they regarded himself, his words and deeds. - This intuitive knowledge of human nature was not confined to the detection of men's thoughts alone, or to an accurate judgment of their course of action. Except God, no one knew as he did, the powers and capacities of the human soul. He could see man's nature in all its greatness could measure its capacities, and foretell its destinies. Judging not as men judge-who, from the infirmities and sins of human nature, infer its inherent corruption - he was able rather to see in its very aberrations and sins, indications of capacities, when rightly directed, for the most transcendent goodness; just as the skilful farmer sees in that soil which abounds in a luxuriant growth of weeds, energies which need but to be cultivated aright, to produce an abundant harvest of good fruits. Jesus never spake disparagingly of human nature; and it should be regarded by all Christians as a most significant fact, that in all his teachings, not a passage is found which affirms the inherent depravity of the human soul. Not one occurs to us now, as ever even quoted to prove this doctrine. On the contrary, his teachings in reference to human nature, are kind and encouraging. He describes the process of conversion as one in which its subjects become like little children, returning to that state of innocence, in which life began. And the end for which the soul was created, he tells us, is perfection an end in which man becomes the child of God, wearing His image and enjoying the communion and fellowship of the Father and the Son. This knowledge of the heart enabled our Lord to determine, with unerring accuracy, by what means it could be influenced, - by what motives moved. A knowledge of human nature, always gives its possessor a commanding position among men. He who has it, can mould and shape the masses to his own liking, can lead them whithersoever he chooses, and make them active for either good or evil. He is familiar with all the arts by which they may be led, and knows the means he must employ to carry his ends. So, the knowledge of this nature of ours which Jesus possessed, transcending all which the united minds of men ever acquired, enabled him to adapt his Gospel perfectly to the needs of mankind. He knew what influences were demanded to awaken the slumbering energies of the sin |