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a broken heart for her husband's misfortunes. Now, it would have been natural for Sir Hugh to be sorely exasperated against the author of all these afflictions."

"To be sure it would. Exasperated indeed! Who could endure such a base, ungrateful wretch ?"

"He, Robert, who has learnt of Jesus Christ to forgive his enemies, who remembers how much he is himself forgiven by his heavenly Father, and therefore how he ought to forgive them. (Matt. xviii. 27-32.) Now this lesson good Sir Hugh had learnt; he was no sooner ont of prison than he wrote to the wicked, ungrateful young man, assuring him of his entire forgiveness, and of his desire again to see him. No answer was returned to this letter, nor to another which he again wrote, beseeching him to be reconciled. At last, Sir Hugh saw him in the street, and attempted to speak, but the young man haughtily turned away, and crossed to the other side. This happened two or three times; but one day they met in a very narrow alley, where it was impossible for him to escape. Thereupon the good Sir Hugh, who grieved far more for the sin and hard-heartedness of his ungrateful friend, than for his own sufferings, actually fell on his knees, and besought him, with tears, no longer to continue at enmity. He assured him of his full and free pardon, and entreated him not to offend God any more by his wicked feelings. This was too much for the young man ; he burst into tears, and falling on Sir Hugh's neck, thanked him again and again for his undeserved and marvellous kindness. From that time he continued to live with him, and was so struck by his Christian conduct, that he gave himself diligently to the study of the Scriptures, which had been the means of making Sir Hugh so nobly forgiving, so Christ-like in spirit. The blessing of God attended this study, and he became a true and faithful follower of the meek and lowly Jesus. Such, Robert, may be the happy results of forgiveness of injuries."

"Well, my good friend, this is a wonderful story; it touches me more than any I ever heard, and I will try

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to imitate the excellent Sir Hugh. From this moment I forgive Joe Carter, and will beg of God to pardon my late sinful and resentful feelings towards him. Thanks, kind thanks, for your warnings and exhortations. I hope henceforth never to be any one's 'bitter enemy,' but trust I shall ever be your warm friend.'" "I am very thankful, Robert, to hear you thus speak, and may God confirm and strengthen your good resolutions! I have already detained you very long, and will now only add two passages of Scripture, which check me whenever I feel anger or resentment rising: 'God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us;' (Rom. viii.) and Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.'

ADHERENCE TO PRINCIPLE.

Perhaps there are not to be found in history, more instructive examples of adherence to principle in trying circumstances, than are contained in the first, third, and sixth chapters of the book of Daniel. That prophet, with three companions, was carried captive from Jerusalem to Babylon, in order that they might form a part of the king's household. Being furnished with food esteemed unclean by the Jewish law, they refused to use it, and fed on pulse and water. The three companions of Daniel refused to worship an idol which the king had set up, and were cast into a heated furnace.

Daniel continued near the throne during three successive reigns. He was made first of the presidents of the princes by Darius, the Mede. This moved the envy of the princes, and they sought occasion to accuse him to the king, but could not find any fault in him. They therefore plotted to make his piety a snare. For this purpose, they got a decree from the king, which according to the law of the Medes and Persians could not be changed, that no person should, within thirty days, offer a petition to any God or man, except to the king, on pain of being cast alive into a den of lions. The history says, "Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he

went into his house, and his windows being open in his chamber, towards Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did aforetime." He did what God had declared to be his will, and what he knew to be right. This is to act from principle.

The Bible does not contain a rule for every case which may occur, but general principles, easily applicable to particular circumstances, illustrated in a great variety of ways, by the history of the Jewish nation, by history and anecdotes, by parables and allegories. It is our duty to find out those principles, and apply them to regulate our conduct in all the affairs of life. It can never be right to act regardless of principle, and no possible condition of circumstances can make it right.

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The apostle Paul was a man of fixed principles. His first inquiry after his conversion was, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" He conferred not with flesh and blood, forsaking the power, the wealth, and honour to which his rank, his talents, and his burning zeal entitled him, he went out to do or to suffer any thing for Christ. Neither danger nor death could deter him. When perse

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cuted in one city he fled to another, and preached Christ there. When his friends besought him not to go where duty called, from fear of danger, "What mean ye to weep and to break my heart," was his answer, "I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." Read his own account of his labours and sufferings in 2 Cor. xi. 23–33.

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If we carefully consider the conduct and feelings of men who have been distinguished for a strict regard to principle, we shall discover the following marks.

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1. High respect for the authority of God. "Thus saith the Lord," is to them an end of all debate and of all hesitation. whenever duty is made known in any other manner, as by the providence of God, or by any just inference from his word, they will ask no other guide. They will neither consult fashion nor friends, nor human systems of duty. They will not ask, Will it be popular? Will others aid or oppose? Will there be no difficulty? but What is the will of God? What is duty? They will neither seek excuses for past neglect, nor try to evade present obligation, but with Paul will inquire, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" They will not even take counsel of their own hearts, but deny themselves and follow Christ.

2. A cheering consciousness of the rectitude of their conduct and the approbation of God. The apostle when arraigned before the Roman governor, said in his defence, "Herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward man," and he often appealed to God as a witness of his integrity. This feeling is necessary to a firm adherence to principle. Without it a man will often be brought into circumstances where he will hesitate and falter, and finally turn aside from the right way. He will advance with a timid and trembling step as the thief puts forth his hand to take his neighbour's property. But he who does that which he knows to be right, and according to the will of God, and which he judges to be honourable and safe, will never waver, but advance with steadiness in the way of duty. Neither temptation nor threats can deter him. With unbending firmness he will defend the truth against the sceptical, the captious, and profane; and in the same manner he will maintain his Christian character before the proud, the gay, the scornful, and the licentious.

3. The man of principle will have that disregard for consequences which arises from confidence in God. Duty is ours, consequences are God's. We can know what duty is, we cannot know what will be the consequence of doing it; and therefore we have no right to give ourselves any trouble in respect to it. We may however be well assured that God, who ruleth over all, will not suffer any permanent evil consequences to arise from doing his will. He may, indeed, suffer his people to come into straits and difficulties, but in the end it shall be well with him. Paul counted all things but loss that he might win Christ.

Daniel might easily have reasoned thus when forbidden to pray. It is not my duty to pray in thirty days at the hazard of my life. I can pray in secret; God looketh at the heart.

But the princes knew his habits, and would have triumphed, had he prayed only in secret. The honour of religion demanded of him, that he should show that he obeyed God rather than man. On that principle he acted. So then, his windows being open, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks to God, as he had aforetime. It was a time of trial, but he did his duty, unawed by fear of death, and God delivered him from evil.

But he does not always save from present and apparent evil. Many have suffered martyrdom, who might no doubt have saved

their lives by a departure from principle, but they would have lost their souls, and what would have been the profit? By adhering to to them, they lost their lives, and inherited eternal glory. A complying and easy policy, which shall make apparent expediency, or convenience, or the opinions of the world the rule of duty, may even now save a man much labour, and contempt, and opposition; but he will do little good, will have an unquiet conscience, and be likely to backslide fatally. There is no safety, or usefulness, or happiness, except in a steady adherence to that which is right.

4. The man of principle is very little dependent on casual and temporary excitement. He is urged to action by the truth. He has the constant excitement arising from a firm belief of the reality and importance of eternal things, which will not allow him to falter, and which is often as great as he can sustain. But there are professors whose religion seems to be, to go with the current. In seasons of religious declension, they may be found mingling with the world, as eager for wealth, or pomp, or power, or pleasure, as those who have no other hope. If young, they may be enticed to partake of amusements, called innocent, but which bring a wound on the conscience, a reproach on the religion of Christ.

Oh! that every reader may have grace to cleave unto the Lord with purpose of heart.

EXTRACT FROM LIFE OF REV. G. BREAY.

When Mr. Breay was a little boy at school, only thirteen years of age, he often walked four miles to go and see his sister, and at those times it was always his custom to take his pocket Bible with him, and (to use his own words) to preach to himself from it. His early fondness for hymns was remarkable; he said, "When I was a child, next to my Bible, I prized my hymn book."

When Mr. Breay was curate at Buddington, two gentlemen were studying with him. At times, says the person with whom he lodged, they were very trying to him. She remembers to have seen him, more than once, look ruffled; but that, instead of giving way to any rising feelings, which might have made him speak harshly, he would immediately run up stairs, and shut himself up in his own room. No doubt, he poured out his heart to Him who seeth in secret, and who alone could speak peace to his troubled feelings; for she always remarked, that on his coming

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