SPIRITUAL SLEEP.

"Now it is high time to awake out of sleep."

WHAT is this sleep from which we are to awake? It is the lack of devotion to God. Plainly, then, this sleep is of different degrees, according to the degrees in which men depart away from God. There is the deep, deathlike slumber of one who is living in gross sin, or utter profaneness; the extortioner, unjust, adulterer; the liar, the thief, the Sabbath-breaker, the blasphemer, the cruel husband, the unfaithful wife, the merciless parent. Such as these, of course, are slumbering without a sign of life; and seem to need the voice of a trumpet to rouse them, to break their deadly sleep.

But are these, my brethren, the only ones who are asleep? There is yet another slumber, still more deceitful:more deceitful, because it is less plain to the eyes that the soul is asleep, and yet ending as surely in a sudden, unprepared awakening, full of alarm, and horror, and useless remorse, when the great morning of the Resurrection shall break upon the world. This is the sleep of the sluggard in spiritual things: the man whose thoughts, whose heart does not rise up to heaven, nor to Him who dwelleth therein; who does not strive to pray better, and love God more; who has so little desire for the riches of his grace, that he makes no diligent use of the means left him to attain it. For instance, what shall we say of men or women who make coming to church not a thing of principle, not an act of faith, but a mere fancy? coming when they feel disposed, staying away when they are not; coming to hear, and not to pray; coming because they have been used to it, as a part of the week's round, not because they really believe the church to be the threshold of heaven, where they meet with the presence of the ever-blessed Trinity and the holy angels; and therefore, when they come, sitting through the prayers as if they were in any common place, and about any indifferent business; sitting silent, moreover, when the voice of prayer is rising up, and God's holy ear is open to receive it;-sitting, I say, silent and cold, while confession, praises, petitions for soul and body, intercessions and giving of thanks, follow

each other in the order of our sacred Service? Oh! what is this but sleep, spiritual sleep, entire insensibility both to danger and to mercies; slumbering on the edge of a precipice, and with the warning voice of that Friend unheeded, who is the most loving of all friends, and alone hath power to save?

Or, to take one case more: the baptized Christian who never, or seldom, approaches the table of his Lord. What is he but asleep? You need inquire no further: this is proof enough his soul is asleep, his life is but a dream. For if he were not slumbering, and in a sick man's slumber, could he possibly neglect that which is the soul's very food? Extreme hunger and cold in the body will sometimes bring on a dangerous sleep, from which the man must be awakened, or perish. And so in the soul, one of the surest symptoms of a slumberous, deadened, and decaying state is a neglect of that heavenly sacramental Food. "Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you." These are the words of Him whose words shall not pass away, but stand out to judge us at the last.-From "The End of the Year and of All Things," by the Rev. W. H. Anderdon.

THE NEW CHURCH.

No. XVII.

BEFORE I Conclude the papers relative to the new church, I am deeply anxious to impress upon my readers the great importance of remembering one short word in the Bible. I will not call it a "little word," for it is one of most comprehensive signification, and it is urged upon our regard by the Spirit with frequent repetition. I think the present time, in a very peculiar manner, renders it necessary to consider the instruction to be derived from a consideration of obedience in its different bearings, and "obey" is the word I wish to impress upon the mind of all who may read this paper.

We are told by the prophet Samuel, "to obey is better than sacrifice." Now this obedience is first of all to be practised towards God, who tells us, in telling the chil dren of Israel," Now, therefore, if ye will obey my voice

indeed, and keep my covenant, ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people." If we wish to know what the covenant spoken of is, we must turn to the fifth chapter of Deuteronomy. After our duty to God, we are to render obedience to parents. St. Paul, in his epistle to the Ephesians, says, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord; for this is right." Then, with regard to magistrates, St. Paul again, in his epistle to Titus, says, "Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work." He tells Titus also, "Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again." Then wives are to "obey their husbands."

To all this obedience many great and precious promises are appended. We read in the eleventh chapter of Deuteronomy, verses 26, 27, 28, the following words: "Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; a blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day: and a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, after other gods, which ye have not known. Now I desire to set before you, my young friends, a blessing and a curse; and I pray that God by His grace will prompt you to choose the former, and escape the latter. If you love God, and follow the instruction given in His word, you will find obedience pleasant unto you; and instead of desiring in all things your own way, your anxious inquiry will be, What is God's way?

This is a time when Satan seems in an especial manner to stir up the bad passions of men in a high degree, so that our earth seems to shake under their turbulence; and we hear of nothing but tumult and confusion. Much of this may be traced to disobedience, and a want of good training. Among the many solemn callings which devolve upon human beings, there is not one of greater importance than that of a parent; and this is an office not confined to any station, but bestowed alike upon

rich and poor, learned and unlearned; and according as parents use the authority God has placed in their hands, so will families, and through them societies, become well-ordered; composed of good subjects and peaceable citizens. Let the parent rule, having the word of God for his guide and counsellor. Let them be examples to their children in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity, and in obedience to those who have the rule over them, and children will become obedient, having learned the duty from the first.

I remember once speaking to a young friend on the importance of religion, and expressing my sorrow that he seemed to think so little of his salvation, notwithstanding the advantages he had received in his youth, when he said with much feeling, "There is indeed no excuse for me. I should have been glad to shelter myself by pleading the many inconsistencies of professing Christians, and saying there is no such thing as real piety; but the bright example and consistent walk and conversation of my father stops my mouth, and proves religion to be a true and life-giving principle." Surely this testimony from a son is most important.

I will just mention another instance which came under my notice. It was on a bright Sabbath morning, and I was walking as usual to the Sunday school at S-d, when in passing the cottage of a person of bad habits and bad character, I heard "murder" called out in a loud voice. The door was open; I ran in and saw a young man with a large knife in his hand, standing over his mother, who lay prostrate or rather crouching upon the floor. I shall never forget my feelings, I did not stop for consideration, but placed myself between the mother and son. The youth was pale with passion, his hand shook with rage. The small room was all dirt and disorder; bread just drawn from the oven smoking on the table, and a wash-tub on a stool, told how this wretched family were keeping their Sabbath morning. I looked at the youth, who had once been in the school, and said, “J——, what is the meaning of all this? alas! you have forgotten all your early lessons. Is this the way you treat your mother?" He answered,

"If you knew her as I do, you would not take her part; she taught me all the bad I know; she is a thief, a Sabbath-breaker, a swearer, and a "Hold your tongue," I said; "she is your mother, boy, remember that." "Yes," he said, "the more's the pity she is my mother, and I shall be hung for her some day." The woman during this brief conversation, covered her face with her apron, and her's was indeed a "bitter cry." I endeavoured to show her her sin, and lead her to better thoughts; but the evil one had taken possession of her, and so soon as passion would allow, she told me she would be even with him yet. I requested a neighbour to look in, and if requisite to call the constable to his assistance. The man said he feared some time murder would be the end of these dreadful scenes. A little after this event, the youth offered himself to officiate at the county town as hangman, and became so obnoxious, in consequence, throughout the hamlet, that he left it, and the mother and son were separated. This woman had two sons; both were once in the school, and gave promise of good conduct, indeed, one, the younger of the two, was a good boy till he lost a leg, and was confined to the house with his mother, and her example was his entire ruin. This is certainly an extreme case. The mother was extremely bad, and the sons were not behind in sin. We may, indeed, exclaim with a heavy heart, "what have sin and Satan wrought?" We are, indeed, deeply sensible that all are conceived in sin; that as soon as the child is born it goes astray speaking lies; that in its nature is pride, foolishness, contention, disobedience, and every evil work; "but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him." It is from observing the conduct and manners of the parent that the child imbibes respect and deference for his superiors in rank, and learns to honour the powers that be, as ordained of God; such lessons will be found to be closely connected with filial obedience, quietness, and a spirit of thankfulness, both towards God and man; on the other hand, where dirt, disorder, evil-speaking, snapping and disputing are found, children will soon learn to make use of the same expressions to each other with a confidence and self