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midst of gathering storms, she is depicted looking upward; this expresses her confidence in God. She leans upon an anchor; this denotes steadfastness and trust. Hope was compared to an anchor, by ancient writers. Thus Socrates expresses himself: "To ground hope on a false supposition, is like trusting to a weak anchor."

The hope of heaven is represented by the apostle Paul, as the anchor of the foul. We fee the propriety of this figure when we confider that the world is like a tempestuous sea, full of dangers. The course of the child of God, the voyage; heaven, the port, or harbour, which he expects and defires to gain. Sometimes when a ship rides at anchor, dreadful storms arise, the wind blows with fury, the tempeft howls, and waves roar and beat against the vessel. But if the ship be what is termed fea-worthy, that is, firm, strongly put together; if, at the same time, the cable be strong, and the anchor bites, or strikes its fluke deep into good holding ground, all will be well. The storm may rage, rocks and quicksands may lie to leeward, threatening destruction, yet will she be secure. It is true, she will have to send down her topmasts and yards, and keep anchor-watch, yet will she ride out the gale.

By this we may fee the proper use of hope to the Christian, which is, to keep the foul calm and secure in the day of adversity. Hope does not remove trouble; it sustains the foul in the time of trouble. The anchor does not dispel the

storm; it does not quiet the roaring waves, arrest the rolling thunder, nor bid the winds be still: but it enables the vessel to ride out the fury of the gale; it keeps her from being driven on the rocks of death. The most pious Christian does not find himself exempt from the cares and calamities of this life, or free from the conflicts and difficulties of the Christian life. He often finds himself "toff'd upon life's raging billows;" but under these circumstances the hope of heaven, as the anchor of the foul, keeps him steady. "Which hope we have," says the apostle, " as an anchor to the foul, both sure and steadfast." This hope preferves him from being dashed to pieces against the rocks of temptation, destruction, and despair; it at the same time imparts a delightful sense of security in the day of trial, a blessed sense of peace amid a fea of troubles. It inspires fortitude and boldness in the cause of God. "Hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghoft, which is given unto us."

Among the Arabians, the water-melon is known by the name of "batech," which in the Hebrew language fignifies hope. The melon, by its tendrils, clings to whatever it can lay hold of. Just fo, hope: the Christian's hope clings to God, his promises, his faithfulness, his love. "The water-melon is cultivated on the banks of the river Nile," says a traveller. "It serves the Egyptians for meat, drink, and medicine. It is eaten in abundance by even the richer fort of people, but the poor scarcely eat any thing but these." This affords a good illustration. What, indeed, would life be without hope!

"Man never is, but always to be bleft."

Take away hope, and you take away the enjoyment of profperity; deprive man of hope, and you take away the only support and folace of adversity. The most happy, the most profperous, without hope, would foon become the most wretched. The poor and afflicted, without it, would fink at once into the gulf of despair. Το deprive man of hope, is to rob him of his dearest treasure. Extinguish hope, and you extinguish life, for who could live without hope? It is the laft lingering light of the human breast. "It shines when every other is put out. Quench it, and the gloom of affliction becomes the very blackness of darkness-cheerless and impenetrable."

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"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." GAL. vi. 2.

BROTHERLY KINDNESS.

Lo! the poor pilgrim bends beneath his load,
And travels wearily his length'ning road;
Contempt's vast weight, back'd by afflictions fore,
Incline him now to give his journey o'er;
With groaning fick, with labour faint he stops,
And on the pathway tottering, almost drops :
But ere he proftrate falls, relief is near,
Two brethren of the Christian band appear ;
Their cheerful aid they speedily impart,
To ease his burden, and relieve his heart;
His willing shoulder each one runs to lend,
And on he travels to his journey's end.

Look at the poor pilgrim. Awhile ago he was bending beneath his burden, unaided, unpitied, and alone. Almost pressed to the earth, he would fain have given his journey over. His heart was fick within him; his bones were wearied; he thought he would lay him down and die. But before he funk under the preffure, he saw two friends coming towards him. He endeavours now to hold out a little longer. Presently they arrive, and give him a friendly salutation. They do not, like the Levite, pass 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.

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 such as are common to men press heavily upon him; contempt and tribulation, peculiar to those who will live godly in Christ Jesus, almost overwhelm him. His foul is among lions; he is ready to fink beneath his burden. His head is fick, his heart is faint. He says, "I shall one day fall by my enemies; I may as well give up first as last." Just now some Christian brethren-fignified by the pilgrim's two friends above-hearing of his circumstances, call upon him, find out his trouble, and immediately propose to help him. They furnish him with pecuniary aid, assist him with their prayers and counsel, and being the

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