His

he would fain have given his journey over. heart was fick within him; his bones wer wearied; he thought he would lay him down and die.

He

But before he funk under the preffure, he faw two friends coming towards him. endeavours now to hold out a little longer. Presently they arrive, and give him a friendly falutation. They do not, like the Levite, pafs by on the other fide; at once they haften to his relief; each one puts his shoulder to the burden. Now it is lighter; the poor man draws breath; they encourage him with kind words, but ftill more with their efficient help. Nor do they

leave him until he arrives at the end of his journey.

His

This is a good emblem of Brotherly Kindness. The burdened pilgrim represents the Christian travelling on in the way of duty, bearing affliction and contempt. Afflictions fuch as are common to men prefs heavily upon him; contempt and tribulation, peculiar to those who will live godly in Chrift Jefus, almoft overwhelm him. foul is among lions; he is ready to fink beneath his burden. His head is fick, his heart is faint. He fays, "I fhall one day fall by my enemies; I may as well give up firft as laft." Juft now fome Chriftian brethren-fignified by the pilgrim's two friends above-hearing of his circumftances, call upon him, find out his trouble, and immediately propose to help him. They furnish him with pecuniary aid, affist him with their prayers and counsel, and being the

difciples of Jefus, they resolve to bear a part of the reproach of Chrift. They unite with their afflicted brother in ftemming the torrent of wickedness that runs down the streets, and in advancing the kingdom of God on the earth. All this fympathy and aid makes a new man of him; he again lifts up his head, and goes on his way rejoicing.

The bleffed Redeemer established his cross on the earth as the rallying point for all hearts; that being foftened there by divine love, they might be united to God; and that being divested there of all selfishness, they might be united to each other in the bonds of a holy, loving brotherhood. "A new commandment," faid the Saviour, "give I unto you, that ye love one another." Hence the words of the Apostle, "Bear ye one another's burdens, and fo fulfil the law of Christ."

Even under the Jewish difpenfation it was ordained that "if thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, thou shalt furely help him.

How much better is a man than a beast! and compared with the Jew's, how much more powerful is the weight of the Chriftian's obligation !

Bleft be the tie that binds

Our hearts in Christian love,
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.

We share our mutual woes;

Our mutual burdens bear; And often for each other flows The fympathizing tear.

Before our Father's throne

We

e pour our ardent prayers;

Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
Our comforts and our cares.

FAWCETT.

"Without fhedding of blood there is no remiffion."-Rom. ix. We have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of fin."-CoL. i. 14.

22.

DIVINE LOVE AND JUSTICE.

Behold where Juftice, with her fword raised high,
In words that echo through the trembling fky,
Demands, in virtue of the Law's just right,
That man fhould perish in eternal night.
Pale, trembling, fearful, fee the culprit stand,
Nor dares to hope deliverance at hand.
On wings of grace, and heavenly motion fleet,
Love haftens, proftrate at the claimant's feet.
"Me! me behold!" fhe cries,." on me be pour'd
The wrathful vial that for him is ftored.

Here, in this heart, plunge deep th' avenging blade,
My life for his! fo Juftice fhall be paid."

'Tis done! the fword is bathed in fpotlefs blood,
And man, released, returns to life-and God.

In this picture Juftice is feen standing with her fword raised high, ready to fall upon the

guilty one. In her left hand fhe holds the scales of equity; at her fide the two tables of law appear, at the foot of which lies the Holy Bible. In the front of Justice, one is feen in the attitude of a culprit; he hangs his head down in acknowledgment of his guilt. Between the offender and Juftice, behold one of celeftial mien, in a kneeling posture, with wings outspread; her countenance beams with compaffion; addreffing Juftice, the points to her uncovered bosom, and asks that the fword may be plunged therein, and that the guilty one may go free. This is Divine Love.

This is an emblem of human redemption. A book of laws is given to man, which is holy, juft, and good, the fubftance of which is contained in the decalogue, or ten commandments.

Thefe

laws, whether engraved on tables of ftone, or written on rolls of parchment, or printed in books, or impreffed on the human heart, have been violated by all mankind, for "all have finned," and confequently have come fhort of the divine approbation. The penalty is " death.” "The

foul that finneth, it shall die." Thus the matter stands when the finner is brought before the tribunal of justice.

Juftice never forgives, nor makes any allowance for circumftances or human infirmity. The plea put in by Lord Nelfon when dying, that "he had not been a very great finner," will be utterly unavailing. The reply of Justice is, "He that offends in one point, is guilty of all.' But ere the fword of Juftice is bathed in the

I