mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble and meek: He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He hath sent empty away,'-this is the very motto of the Gospel. In less than forty years after its commencement, the progress of that kingdom admitted of a similar historical review also. It was observable that GOD had chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and base things of the world, and things which are despised, had GOD chosen, yea, and things which are not. So completely was CHRIST'S Kingdom found to be opposed to the popular view from the very beginning; to reverse the ancient order of things, from its very commencement!

:

The precepts of the Gospel are all express in their kindred teaching. He that is greatest among you shall be your servant,' said our Blessed LORD to the Twelve. At another time, reproving His Disciples, He almost repeated the same words: Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant : even as the Son of Man came not to be minisb 1 Cor. i. 26 to 28. St. Matth. xxiii. 11.

tered unto but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many d.' But the parable of the Place at the Feast, recorded in St. Luke xiv., is the most striking passage of all: for there, the very teaching of the parable turns upon the shame. which will be hereafter to him who has usurped a place of honour to which he was not entitled: while the man of low place is promised 'worship in the presence of them that sit at meat,'-in the presence that is of assembled men and angels,when it shall be said to him, (as in the Last Day it will be said,) Friend, go up higher.'

Let these things, which assuredly were written for our learning, prove a constraining motive with us also, both for the amendment of our own personal practice, and a more careful estimate of the character of others. How miserable is the thought that we may have sometimes slighted, may even now be overlooking and despising, some of CHRIST'S favourites and friends! How miserable would the discovery be hereafter, that we had had a share in putting dishonour upon one whom GOD highly esteemed, and for whom He had reserved the first place in His future Kingdom!

Above all, how should St. Andrew's example influence our personal frame of mind, our individual d St. Matth. xx. 26, 27, 28.

e St. Luke xiv. 10.

Shall some selfish

walk and daily conversation! end be still the motive of so many of our actions, and the desire of notoriety prove the prevailing principle of so much of our conduct? Shall we think anything lost to ourselves which we divide with others, begrudge our brethren a share in our highest privileges, and esteem it a disgrace to be thrown by another into the shade? We shall do none of these things if we indeed desire for ourselves the first place,'-if we desire to be admitted into the Heavenly Kingdom of our LORD. It is noted as the special sin of Diotrephes, that he was one who loved to have the preeminence. We shall stand the higher in GoD's favour the more we shun this man's offence. We shall learn Divine wisdom from our LORD's Divine example: from His prophecies, His precepts, and His parables from the outlines of saintly life discoverable in the Gospel notices of him who occupies the foremost place in the Church's Calendar. We will learn how to please God in this respect by striving to resemble St. Andrew.

f 3 St. John ver. 9.

St. Thomas the Apostle.

THE MELANCHOLY TEMPERAMENT.

ST. JOHN XX. 24.

Thomas, one of the Twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when JESUS came.

It is to be feared that many persons, on hearing the name of the Apostle Thomas, are reminded only of one who, on a certain occasion, was doubtful of our SAVIOUR'S Resurrection. Unbelief, in short, is the attribute which many, perhaps most, connect with the memory of this illustrious follower of THE LAMB. Small attention is bestowed on the inspired record of his devoted love: still less account is made of the fearless faith with which he carried the light of the Gospel across the continent of India. An exaggerated view of one striking circumstance related concerning this Apostle engrosses attention. We do indeed make wondrous free with GOD's Saints. Let it be our business on this occasion to take a somewhat truer view of the transaction last alluded to; as well as to form

a more correct estimate of the character of St. Thomas.

Three times only does he come prominently before the reader of the Gospels. On the first occasion, the warmth and ardour of his disposition are very conspicuous, as well as that desponding melancholy, which seems to have characterized him, as well as to furnish the true clue to the slender notices of him which we possess. Our SAVIOUR had retired from the capital to Bethabara beyond Jordan, to escape the violence of His countrymen, who had sought to stone Him. Here, a message reached Him from the sisters of Lazarus; and our SAVIOUR proposed to His Disciples that they should return into Judæa. Master,' (was the reply,) the Jews of late sought to stone Thee, and goest Thou thither again?' Having replied to their fears, and announced His settled intention of proceeding to the capital, then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow-disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with Hima.' These were the words of love, mingled with gloomy foreboding. The other Apostles will doubtless have employed their powers of dissuasion; or they will have felt that their LORD was able to meet

■ St. John xi. 1 to 16.