declares we have need of, if we would "receive the promise." Heb. x. 36.

Q. What else do we pray for?

A. That we may be partakers of Christ's resur

rection.

Q. How may we obtain this blessing?

A. By dying unto sin, and living unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. [Rom. vi, 11. Col. iii. 4, 5.]

THE EPISTLE-Philip. ii. 5-12.

This Epistle is a fit introduction to that part of our blessed Saviour's life, which the Church has selected for our meditation during this holy week ; since it was that humility, which St. Paul has here proposed for our imitation, which led the Son of God to undergo such sufferings for us. But before we can understand the value of his great goodness to us, it is necessary that we pursue the course here proposed by the Apostle, and consider Him, not only in his human, but in his divine nature. He, who thus "made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant," and who, "being found in fashion as a man, humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross," was the same, who, "being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God," expressions which can signify nothing less than what is asserted in our Athanasian Creed, that "our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is GOD and MAN-God of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and Man of the substance of his mother, born in the world." Let this then, my brethren, receive your unfeigned belief; and, as God hath redeemed you with his own most precious blood, think what a high value you ought to set on your immortal souls; and what an abhorrence you ought to have of all sin; from the penalty of which you could not be redeemed but at

so great a price. "Let the same mind be in you, as was also in Christ Jesus ;" and as his mind was fully adorned not only with humility, but with all other virtues, so do you endeavour to follow Him in all holiness and godliness of living. And since, for the obedience of his life, and for his death upon the cross, Christ was "highly exalted" into heaven, remember, that by following the example of his patience, by dying unto sin, and living unto righteousness, you also shall, by the merits of his death, be exalted in due time to be with Him where He is.

THE GOSPEL.-Matt. xxvii. 1–55.

What an affecting and interesting scene is exhibited to us throughout the whole of this Gospel. We see the Son of God condemned to an ignominious and painful death, upon the plea of a crime which he had not committed, and Barabbas released, who was actually guilty of that very crime of sedition, which was so unjustly charged against our blessed Lord. We see His innocence proclaimed, not only by his judge, but by the traitor Judas, who repented himself, saying," I have sinned, in that I have betrayed the innocent blood." Yet the wretched multitude still persisted in requiring the death of the Son of God.

And now behold Him, suffering all the abuse which the most cruel malice could heap upon Him; mocked, scourged, spit upon, and beaten, and then crucified" between two thieves." So great were his sufferings, that He exclaimed, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me!" Not that He meant to express any distrust in God; but this cry was one which expressed the severest sufferings both of body and mind. The effect upon the Roman centurion was such, that he "feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God."

In these awful events, we see the wonderful

4

manner in which the redemption of man was accomplished; and, if the perusal of them, as they are recorded in the Evangelists, does not excite in us any feelings of love to that God, who thus " spared not his own Son, but freely gave him up for us all," and to that Saviour, who suffered so much for our sakes, surely nothing else will or can do it But do Thou, O God, when we consider these and other instances of thy Almighty love, fill our hearts with such a sense of thy goodness, that we may indeed "love Thee, because Thou first lovedst us;" and let our love manifest itself by doing thy will, and keeping thy commandments, so that, following the blessed steps of the most holy life of our Redéemer, we may rise, by his merits, to a joyful resurrection. J.S.Z.!

A SHAVER'S LETTER.

To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor. SIR,

I READ your instructions on shaving, and have shaved upon your plan ever since, and it is wonderful how much less a ceremony I now make of it than I was used to do. I am not a Cottager, but your advice does for all people, gentle as well as simple. Since I have taken your advice, and used leather to wipe my razor on, my tackle has been in much better order than formerly, and my razor has kept its edge a great deal longer; but I must tell you, Sir, that I at first began to think that you would ruin me in leather. I found that I was obliged to have a new piece every day, for that which had wiped the lather from the razor, would not do well for another day, neither would it wipe the razor clean and dry, which I take to be a very important part of the business. I have now adopted the following plan. I get two pieces of leather, one a small piece, about two inches square, on which I wipe my razor,-the soap-suds I scrape L from this on the side of my bason, or any thing that

I am using; and thus this small piece of leather will serve for a considerable time. My other piece of leather is larger than the first, and this I always keep dry and clean, for the purpose of giving my razor a good finishing sort of polish.-I see, Sir, that it is possible to go on very well without hot water; but, if it can be had conveniently, I prefer having a little by me, not to shave with, but to dip the razor in before I apply it to my face. This tempers the steel, and improves the edge; besides, I can dip my razor in this after having wiped it on my small leather, which makes it perfectly clean; then I rub it well on my dry leather, which is almost as good as strapping it'; and thus my tackle is always bright and clean, and shining.

Pray, Sir, is this your method?

Ans. Yes, it is.-The Visitor.

A SHAVER.

ON SNUFFING CANDLES.

To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor. SIR,

1

I LIKED the advice to servants given by your cor. respondent, N. L. H.; and approved of the recommendation" to snuff a candle as often as it wants." But I beg to hint, Sir, an additional piece of advice, which is not to snuff it oftener than it wants. Some persons seem never easy but when they are snuffing their candles; and they therefore always keep them snuffed too short, which prevents them from giving a good light, melts the tallow much faster than is necessary, and thus causes it to be constantly guttering down the sides, and is a very disagreeable as well as a very extravagant plan. In putting out a candle, it is very common to snuff it too short; this to be sure puts it out effectually, but it becomes very difficult

to put it in again, causing a great loss both of time

and tallow.

I am, Sir, your's,

TIMOTHY Tidy.

OBSERVATION ON T. B. P.'s "REMARKS." To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor. MR. EDITOR,

I HAVE been much interested by the communications of your correspondent, T. B. P. His remarks on the book of Genesis, are full of sound practical instruction, and must have been profitable to most of your readers. I have however, in one instance, been disappointed by him:-Gen. ix. 27. "God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem," may be considered not only under that spiritual sense in which T. B. P. has taken it, but as a prophecy, the fulfilment of which is actually going on under our eyes. Europe is peopled by the descendants of Japheth; Asia, and all its islands, by the offspring of Shem. Have we not then daily evidence of the sure word of prophecy, when we see how rapidly the European population is spreading itself through those countless islands from Ceylon to Van Dieman's land. The forward part sustained by our own country in this great work is, in my judgment, one of the most valuable amongst those blessings which the good providence of God has heaped upon us. No opportunity should be lost of inculcating its importance, and of enforcing the awful responsibility which attaches to it; woe will indeed be to us, if the British name shall spread itself without carrying with it a knowledge of the Gospel, and all its attendant blessings.

Your constant reader,

Oxford, Feb. 13, 1823.

I. M. T.