-I know he's coming, by this sign,
That baby's almost wild;

See how he laughs, and crows, and stares,
Heaven bless the merry child!
His father's self in face and limb,
And father's heart is strong in him!

Hark! hark! I hear his footsteps now—
He's through the garden gate;

Run, little Bess, and ope the door,

And do not let him wait!

Shout, baby, shout, and clap thy hands,
For father on the threshold stands !

IT IS WELL WITH THE CHILD.—Bishop Leighton thus wrote to his sister's husband, on the death of a beloved child: "I am glad of your health, and of the recovery of your little ones; but, indeed, it was a sharp stroke of a pen that told me your little Johnny was dead; and I felt it truly more than, to my remembrance, I did the death of any child in my lifetime. Sweet thing! and is he so quickly laid asleep? Happy he! Though we shall no more have the pleasure of his lisping and laughing, he shall have no more the pain of crying, nor of being sick, nor of dying; and hath wholly escaped the trouble of schooling, and all the sufferings of boys, and the riper and deeper griefs of upper years, this poor life being all along nothing but a linked chain of many sorrows and of many deaths. Tell my dear sister she is now so much more akin to the other world, and this will be quickly passed to us all. John is but gone an hour or two sooner to bed, as children use to do, and we are undressing to follow. And the more we put off the love of the present world and all things superfluous beforehand, we shall have the less to do when we lie down."

TRUE ELEGANCE IN STYLE OF LIVING.-What little reason have men to be proud of stately and magnificent buildings, when it was the happiness of man in innocency that he needed none! As clothes came in with sin, so did houses. The heaven was the roof of Adam's house; and never was any roof so curiously ceiled and painted; the earth was his floor, and never was any floor so richly inlaid. The shadow of the trees was his retirement, under them were his dining-rooms, his lodging-rooms, and never were any rooms so finely hung as these; Solomon's, in their glory, were not arrayed like them. The better we can accommodate ourselves to plain things, and the less we indulge ourselves with these artificial delights, which have been invented to gratify men's pride and luxury, the nearer we approach to a state of innocency. Nature is content with a little, and that which is most natural; grace is content with less, but lust with nothing.-M. Henry.

THE HEAVENLY BRIDEGROOM.

UR BIBLE is a very paradise of each sweet flower and each regaling fruit. But the believer sits down most gladly in those choice spots which are thickest with tokens of the Saviour's tenderness. Surely happiness mounts up to heaven, when on Scripture's ground; and under the Spirit's light, the soul discerns that Jesus loves with an everlasting love.

We cannot move far amid the pages of the word, without hearing the silver voice, Give ear unto me, that I may tell thee of my love. For this purpose each tender image speaks by turn. Does a father love with strength of manly love? Jesus is Jesus is "the Everlasting Father." Is a mother gentle in her soft caressings? He is more constant: "They may forget, yet will I not forget thee." Is a brother generous in his affections? He is "the firstborn among many brethren." Is the sisterly union as the intertwining of heart's fibres? The Church is "his sister, his spouse." Is a friend noble in his sympathies? We read, "Henceforth I call you not servants: but I have called you friends." Will not these parallels suffice? No, not if another can be added. As all colours combine to form pure light, so all tints must join to form the full portrait of a loving Saviour. There remains the full-blown endearment, when heart flows into heart in bridal union. And will Jesus claim His people as His bride? It is so. This is the emblem which is the Spirit's choice delight. It meets us in the garden of Eden. It walks by our side throughout the green pastures of the word. It only leaves us when revelation writes no more. "The Spirit and the bride say, Come." Echo replies to echo, "As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee." "I will betroth thee unto me for ever." "Thou shalt call me Ishi"-my husband-" and shalt no more call me Baali"-my lord. (Hos. ii. 16.)

"We

Who can portray a bridegroom's sympathy? It is, however, but a drop compared to the full ocean of a Saviour's care. have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities." "He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye." "In all our affliction He is afflicted." No suffering member can be pained on earth, but the participating Head cries out in heaven, "Why persecutest thou me?"

The bridegroom brings his dower. And does not Christ enrich with gift? Angels may marvel, dazzled by the Church's wealth. He holds back nothing from her. All His attributes are her grand inheritance. His wisdom is hers to guide. His power is hers to uphold. His love is as the sun to cheer. His faithfulness and truth are her shield and buckler. His Spirit is poured down in unfailing measure to teach, to solace, and to bless her. His righteousness is hers, to be her spotless robe. His heavens are

hers, to be her home. His throne is hers, to be her seat. His glory is hers, to be her crown. His eternity is hers, that she may joy for ever. Happy the soul which responds, "All this I steadfastly believe."

The bridegroom shrinks from no labours which bring support and plenty to his beloved. Thus Jesus lives a life of watchful work. He rests not night and day. His outstretched hands are ever pleading, and ever pouring down supplies of grace. He purchased all heaven's blessing, that His people may never want. And as each need arises, he is all vigilance to see-all bounty to bestow. Earthly union often knows the pang of separation. Duty's stern voice may say, Depart. Necessity may force to lonely distance. But nothing in heaven, or earth, or hell, unlocks the arms which cling around a Divine bridegroom. At each moment He is nearer than the shadow to the side. Life is leaning on His arm. Death is sleeping on His breast. There is a never-failing bond in the sure word, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

In this cold world affections cool. The day which dawns in love may close in hate. Tastes vary and cause variance. Discordant tempers make discordance. Far otherwise is the heavenly wedlock. It is ever true, "He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit." When Jesus calls in love, He changes by His Spirit. He imparts a new nature, whose every pulse is in unison with Himself. It is heaven's own harmony when Christ is all.

Here a house is often in tears because of godless offspring. Many a sigh has been sighed, "O Absalom, my son, my son!" But from heavenly union nothing springs but heavenly seed. Believers are married to Christ, that they should bring forth fruit unto God (Rom. vi. 4). Apart from Him, the heart is the hotbed of evil. United to Him, it is the holy parent of each holy grace.

But at present the Church sees her Bridegroom only by the eye of faith. The veil of flesh impedes the meridian gaze. But yet a little while and the day of manifest espousals will arrive. A startled universe will hear the shout," Behold, the bridegroom cometh !" There will resound "as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Hallelujah! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.' Then shall He shine forth, "to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe." The bride "shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needlework: with gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought they shall enter into the King's palace." The nuptial song shall be one ceaseless hallelujah. Happy soul which responds, All this I confidently expect!

Reader, is it your happy privilege to know that a union, which thus lives for ever, cements your heart to Christ, and Christ to you? Remember, then, that this blessed relationship demands your faith

fulness. The Lord is jealous of His people's love. You must not stray from Him for one single moment, or in one single thought. The caution is needful; for days are come in which strangers are gone forth professing to be the Bridegroom's friends. They even stand in pulpits and give instruction in His name. By this sign you may know them. They exalt the bride rather than her Lord. They magnify His ordinances rather than Himself. They beguile her to admire herself, to lean on herself, to trust in herself, and to decorate herself in the mock robes of false humility and superstition. Take heed; the ground is slippery. It may seem pleasant to selfloving nature; but it slopes towards antichrist.-Dean Law.

THE DEDICATION.

THIS little one I would

Now dedicate to Thee,

This child of my affection

Thou hast bestowed on me,

My child, Thy child.

Upon Thine altar, Lord,

I lay this sacrifice :

Oh, may it pleasing be,
Accepted in Thine eyes!—
My child, Thy child.

Preserve and guide him, Lord;

Surround him with Thy care;
Preserve and guide him from all ill,
From every gin and snare-

My child, Thy child.

And from that evil heart

Whence every evil springs

Him save and keep; him save from sin,
From sin and all its stings,-

My child, Thy child.

A soldier bold and brave,

Who scorns the assailing foe,

Who marches on through blood and death

Till laurels crown his brow,—

My child, Thy child.

And may he ever bask

In sunshine of Thy love,
Excelsior his watchword here,
His home with Thee above,—
My child, Thy child.

D. JAMIESON.

GLEANINGS.

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GENTLENESS.-How beautiful is it to hear a Christian speak gently under provocation, and act with a gentle spirit towards all who in any way oppose him! The happiness of our whole lives depends in great measure on the gentleness of those we live with; and a rough word, or an ungentle manner, will often take off all the charm even of real kindness. But it is no little matter always to be gentle; and the gentle word and the gentle manner only be maintained when they flow from the gentle spirit. We need the almighty help of God's Holy Spirit for the least as well as for the greatest difficulties of life; and if we are to be kind and gentle and loving in our daily life at our homes, if we are to overcome every little provocation which comes every hour upon us, it can only be done by receiving the Spirit of God, and so bringing forth that fruit of the Spirit which is "gentleness."

STUMBLING-BLOCKS AND STEPPING-STONES.-We may find stepping-stones of God's providing in the little trials of every-day life, even in such a trifle as the rainy day that prevents some pleasant amusement we had looked forward to. Such little things are often the occasions of much murmuring and bad temper; and if Satan thinks them not too little to be used as means of leading you into sin, why should God think them too little to be means of helping you? If, when such a trifle crosses your will, you allow yourself to be put out, to be fretful and discontented, you are making it a stumbling-block, and giving a triumph to Satan: but if, by a timely effort, and a timely prayer, you conquer the temptation, and bear the disappointment cheerfully, you are making it what God meant it to be, a stepping-stone, an opportunity of practising self-command and submission to God's will.

LITTLE THINGS.-Very wise and needful is that common maxim which bids us take care of our pence, because our pounds will take care of themselves. No less prudent is it in us to attend to little duties and little sins, as we esteem them; for our life the most of it is made up of such. A grand occasion seldom occurs; the important actions of our life and its severe trials are few and far between. But small affairs, like the smaller coin, are perpetually passing through our hands. It therefore much concerns us to mark how the little duties are done, how the petty annoyances are borne by us. Is it our study to perform, and even to bear these trifles to the glory of God? to make even these almost insensible steps so many ascents on the great ladder which reaches from earth to heaven? Though singly they appear almost nothing, yet their number makes up for their minuteness: multiplied, they yield the grand total of life.