faith, in the Lord Jesus Christ! Or, when we awake, and passion and appetite are not yet clamorous; and the temptations to which we are peculiarly exposed may be anticipated, in all the circumstances in which they will endanger our virtue; and all our principles can be summoned, and stationed at the posts of danger; in the morning, while yet the mind and heart, calmed and refreshed by rest, are prepared for cool and deliberate action, how favourable is the hour for self-communion; for an impartial scrutiny into the tendency of our propensities and habits; for a faithful application of the principles, by which alone we may secure the approbation and favour of God! A faithful mind, a mind strongly fortified by the principles of true religion and virtue, may indeed be impartial towards itself, even in the very moment of temptation. But let us not rashly presume upon our strength. It is not but by long discipline, that the passions and appetites are brought to this subjection; and one of the most effectual means of this discipline will be, daily to commune with our hearts upon our beds, and be still.

III. In this daily self-communion, we shall have the great advantage of being able to resist whatever evil there is in us, in its very beginning; of cropping the bud of vicious desire; of tearing vice from our hearts, before it has struck deep its roots, and will demand a long exertion of our whole strength to eradicate it. It will be easy to deny ourselves a second indulgence of a passion, an appetite, or an action, when we are convinced that the first was evil. But the denial of a third, or fourth, or fifth indulgence, may require great resolution and effort; and a vicious habit is to be overcome, only by that long continued, that persevering resistance, during which new tastes and new desires are to be formed into habits. A child may snap asunder the single filaments, which, bound together, form the cable, that holds securely the largest vessel, against the violence alike of the waves and the tempest. And what are vicious habits, but the daily repetition of indulgencies, which, by uniting their strength, become too firm to be broken ?e fsk the man who is every day fretted by adverse occurrences, or who is habitually profane, or intemperate, why he indulges these propensities? In a calm moment he will acknowledge their guilt, and resolve to reform. But follow him for an hour, and you will see, that much more than a resolution is necessary to effect a change in his character. You will see that habits, like the trees, have grown insensibly, and like them, have acquired hardness and strength with time; that their roots are probably as large as their branches; and although a child might have broken off, and destroyed the tender plant, that it may demand very much more

than even the strength of a man, to rend a matured habit from the heart. How forcibly are we taught, by this tendency of our nature, the importance of an early and frequent attention to our appetites, feelings, words and actions! What a safeguard will it be to our virtue, and what a means of our present and everlasting peace, daily to commune with our hearts upon our beds, and be

still!

We know others, only by intercourse with them; and it is only by intercourse with our own hearts, that we can know ourselves. But with how many is this the last of all resorts for society and happiness? It does not even occur to their thoughts to make friends of themselves; to seek society in self-communion; to learn human nature, by studying their own passions, propensities, motives and conduct. Let it not be so with us. Let us, in ourselves, follow the streams of desire, of feeling and of action, to their sources, and discover the hidden springs of our conduct, and learn what we are, and whither we are going. Soon will the term of our trial be closed. And how awful will be his condition, who awakes in judgment, ignorant of his own heart; ignorant of it, only because he has not examined it; and who has neglected self-examination, because he felt that he had not resolution to deny the passions, which had become accustomed to indulgence? Then must we see, and know ourselves. In the light of God's presence, the secrets of every heart will be disclosed. And how happy will he then be, who, in the knowledge he has possessed of himself, has arrested vicious propensities in their first encroachment; who has followed the guidance of conscience, enlightened by the word of God; and who has daily judged himself, in preparation for his great account! So let us examine and judge our hearts, and we shall not then be judged to condemnation.

AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE CONVERSATION OF JESUS WITH NICODEMUS.-John iii. 1--10.

THE Conversation of Jesus with Nicodemus, recorded in the third chapter of St. John's Gospel, is generally considered as an obscure and difficult part of the New Testament; and from the use which is made of it, it is important to ascertain its meaning. I shall attempt to give a popular and just explanation of it; an attempt which, if it has no other merit, will, I hope, afford an example of the manner in which the scriptures may be profitably read.

John iii. 1, 2. There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

This is the first and almost the only time that Nicodemus is mentioned in the gospel history. Of his character we know little more than of his life; the facts related of him are not of a nature to assist us much in an inquiry on this subject. He was a Pharisee, a ruler, and one of the Jewish Senate. The Pharisees, as a sect, are often mentioned in the gospels. They were persons of great influence and consideration in the Jewish community. As the passages, which speak of them, are familiar, I only remark, that they affected a superior sanctity and austerity of manners, observed with rigorous exactness the ceremonials of the Mosaic law, made many and burdensome additions to its fasts, purifications, and tythes, and by their expositions of it and their traditions, they destroyed, or at least greatly injured, the 'moral influence of their religion; that they were extremely ostentatious in their devotion, filled with spiritual pride, and many of them chargeable with the most flagitious crimes. It should be particularly remarked in respect to them, that they condemned only the actual commission of sin, but did not deem it criminal to entertain evil desires, thoughts, and intentions.* Their views, in regard to the Messiah, corresponded with those of the nation at large. They expected in him a temporal prince, a military chieftain, who should deliver their nation from the Roman yoke, and restore the throne of David to its pristine glory and splendour.

It is probable that Nicodemus partook of the feelings, prejudices, and opinions, perhaps in some degree of the vices, of those with whom he was associated; and like others of his own sect, regarded religion as consisting rather in ritual observances, than in a devout and kind temper, a pure, benevolent, and useful life. His views respecting the Messiah were doubtless similar to those of his countrymen; and the secrecy, with which he visited Jesus, indicates a fear of forfeiting his rank and influence by associating with this despised Nazarene.

Such probably was Nicodemus. He came to Jesus by night and thus addresses him; We know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do the miracles which thou

Josephus, himself a Pharisee, laughs at Polybius for thinking the gods had punished Antiochus, for having formed only a design to pillage the temple of Diana, though he had not put it in execution. See Calmet

Art. Pharisee.

doest, except God be with him. v. 2. Jesus says to him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. v. 3.

This language is highly figurative. To see the kingdom of God, in the view of Nicodemus, meant to witness the state of things, which should take place under the secular prince and deliverer, whose reign he, in common with his countrymen, anticipated; with Jesus it meant, to become his disciple and to subject one's-self to the moral and spiritual dominion of his religion. Jesus was well acquainted with the prejudices, views and expectations of the Jews, and knew that should he at once have instructed them in his true character, the particular objects of his mission, the nature of the authority with which he was clothed, and of the empire which he designed to establish, they would have immediately revolted from him. This accounts for the reserve which he often used, and the enigmatical manner in which he sometimes conveyed his instructions.

The change which Jesus here required of Nicodemus was a moral and intellectual change. This is generally acknowledged. The language is strong as the change, through which such a character as Nicodemus must pass in order to become a christian, was very considerable. It is easier, says Jesus to the rich young man, adopting an Arabian proverb familiar to the Jews, for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. These obstacles in the case of Nicodemus were great. The profession of christianity in that period was attended with peculiar difficulties and required peculiar sacrificès.

In order for Nicodemus to become a christian, his views concerning the nature of religion must be changed. Christianity explicitly taught the divine preference of mercy to sacrifice, and showed the indispensable necessity of subjecting the thoughts, desires, affections, words, nay the whole soul and conduct, to the dominion of religion; it taught that religious rites were only means of moral improvement, and had no value with God, separate from the disposition with which they ere performed; and required that the love of God and of mankind should fill the hearts of its votaries, and constitute the supreme rule of life. But this was a new doctrine to Nicodemus; for although benevolence and piety were the end of the law and prophets as well as of christianity, yet, by the corruptions and additions of the scribes and pharisees, the original spirit of the Jewish religion was destroyed. The various rites, which Nicodemus punctiliously performed, and which he regarded with so much complacency, christianity taught him to view in a different light from

what he was accustomed. It inculcated that neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availed any thing; that his phylacteries were to be thrown aside; that ostentation in his religious services was offensive to God, and that he must retire from the street to the closet to perform his devotions; that the solemn and magnificent services of the Jewish temple were not indispensably necessary towards obtaining the favour of Jehovah; that the divine presence was not confined to the Holy of Holies; that God was a Spirit to be worshipped in spirit; that no part of nature was beyond the care of his paternal providence, no spot concealed from his notice, no prayer so silent but that it was heard in heaven; and that the truly devout, benevolent, and humble heart was the sanctuary where he would vouchsafe his audience, and where his responses should be given.

Next, christianity required a complete change in the opinions of Nicodemus respecting the Messiah. In opposition to the expectation of the Jews, Christ came not as a prince; not with pomp and splendour, but in poverty and humility; not to deliver the Jews from a political, but a moral bondage; not to conduct the nation to high destinies, but to foretel its destruction; not to conquer, but to submit; not to ascend a throne, but to expire on a cross. Well then might Jesus say, blessed is that man, particularly that Jew, more especially that Pharisee, who should not be offended in him. Christianity was further opposed to the prejudices of the Jews. It taught them that their nation were no longer the peculiar favourites, nor their temple the peculiar residence of the Deity, but that in every nation, he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted with him.*

For Nicodemus to become a christian, it was necessary not only that his religious and political opinions, deeply planted by education and fastened by age, should be changed, but he must subdue his timidity and ambition, he must sacrifice his rank and influence in society, he must expose himself to the reproaches of his own sect and, to excommunication from the synagogue, and, a teacher in Isral, must yield himself to the instruction of a despised Galilea Then again if he were a vicious man, and perhaps he could hardly have escaped altogether the general corruption, christianity demanded still more important changes of a moral nature, which, in men advanced in life, as it is likely from his office that he was, are extremely difficult. The conversion of such a character to the full knowledge and profession of christianity, might with propriety be compared to an introduction to a new existence.

* Acts x. 35.