from a lively faith in the Redeemer. Other good men, on the contrary, speak of nothing else but faith, when it is equally clear that such faith as theirs must have abounded in good works. The truth is, that good men, like worldly-minded men, have their hobbies, and they will ride them. When you fall in with a good man of this kind, booted and spurred, and ready mounted, let him have his ride. Never you mind either his boots, in which he so much delight

his spurs, or the nag

eth; keep your eye and your heart on his better qualities his humility, his faith, his patience, his love for his brother sinners, and his zeal for the Redeemer's glory.

The other day I was commenting, to my shame be it spoken, a little more garrulously than I ought to have done, on the peculiarities and infirmities of a good man, when a Christian friend at my elbow, whose eyes were as steadily fixed on his good qualities as mine were on his bad ones, said to me, placing his hand soothingly on my arm, "Never mind, Mr. Humphrey, never mind; Samson had his weakness, and Solomon had his folly, but Samson was a strong man, and Solomon was a wise man, for all that." I felt, indeed, reproved; for it occurred to me, if I could say so much on the failings of so good a man, what

might not he say on the failings of Old Humphrey?

I have been looking over the works of two or three of the favourite authors of my boyish days, and find them so poor and meagre in comparison with the estimate I formed of them in my youth, that I marvel how I could ever have valued them so highly. The change, however, must be in myself; that which gives pleasure to boyhood is often little calculated to afford satisfaction to the man. While, then, we enjoy our favourite authors, it will be well if we grow more sober as we sink into years, gradually diminishing our lighter volumes, clinging closer to those which are more spiritually minded, and valuing more than ever that blessed book which has brought life and immortality to light, and from whence the excellences of all other religious books are derived.

ON EXTREMES.

HAD I only attended to one half of the rules which I have ventured to lay down in various cases for the guidance of others, how carefully, how creditably, and how exemplarily might I have walked through the world! But we are more disposed to give advice than to take it; and it is easier to lay down good plans for our own guidance than to carry them into effect with uniform steadiness and perseverance. A word with you now on the subject of extremes.

Instead of talking learnedly about Scylla and Charybdis, I will say in more homely language, that in avoiding the watery ditch on one side the road, we often run into the muddy quagmire on the other. Now it is but a sorry source of comfort when a man considers that he has escaped falling into one puddle up to his into another up to his neck. There is a golden mean that we to attain. Though we need not fear being too humble, too honest, too sincere, or too eager after

T

knees, by getting Avoid extremes !

shall all do well

heaven, yet, in a thousand things, we may err by carrying matters to excess.

There are few who run into the extreme of abstinence in eating, drinking, and sleeping; though many grievously err in the opposite excess of gluttony, drunkenness, and sloth. Instances, however, of all kinds of extremes do occur. I knew a man who almost killed himself by an excess of abstinence; and another, a clergyman, who attributed his ill state of health to the circumstance of his lying so much in bed, though it was a rare case for him not to rise before four o'clock in the morning.

Gravity and mirth are both good in their way; but that which in one degree may be an advantage, may, in another, be an evil. Neither excessive gravity nor excessive mirth is suited to man. Excessive gravity would rob him of the energy of action, and excessive mirth would unfit him for salutary thought. My advice is, that you neither go scowling through the world like a screech-owl, nor grinning like a monkey.

With stedfast mind partake life's sweets and sours,
And neither grin nor growl away thy hours.

Prodigality and parsimony are evils; the one being the excess of spending and bestowing, the other the excess of laying up and withholding.

For my part, I hardly know which is most to be pitied and despised the poor prodigal who wastes his goods, or the avaricious man who denies himself and others the comforts of existence. Did the prodigal and the parsimonious know how much good might be done by a wellspent penny, they would neither give away uselessly, nor begrudge hard-heartedly. Whether rich or poor, try to keep up a prudent and a liberal spirit, neither scattering as a spendthrift, nor amassing as a miser.

Treat not as dross the goodly gifts of Heaven,
Nor hold too hard what God has freely given.

Thoughtlessness and care are extremes that ought to be avoided. Let us neither tempt God by despising his gifts, nor dishonour him by distrusting his goodness. There is enough of pain, poverty, sorrow, and sin in the world to call forth reflection and prudence; and there are far too many proofs of our heavenly Father's care for us, to warrant unreasonable anxiety for ourselves. Neither pass away life with reckless indifference, nor waste it in gloomy apprehensions of evil.

With prudent forethought let thy paths be trod,
And fearlessly commit thy ways to God.

There are those who make haste to be rich,