began to address the people who followed him. He did not converse, and answer questions only; but he spake to large assemblies of people. He began to preach, saying, "Repent." This single word means a great deal. Have you studied it, and tried to understand its meaning? To repent is to be very sorry for our past sins, to confess them to God, and to forsake them by turning to the Lord. Repentance makes us feel that we would not do wrong again, if it were possible to do it in secret. We know that sin will make us unhappy, and ruin our souls; but this does not distress us so much as the thought that we have done that which our Heavenly Father cannot approve; this leads us to hate every thing wicked, and desire to be made pure and holy, that he may love us.

I remember that one of my little friends, who is not now on earth, used to say, when I spoke or read to him of any thing he did not fully understand, "Will you explain it?" Perhaps some of you will understand the nature of repentance better if I illustrate it—that is, try to make it plain to you by supposing a case. Suppose there are two little brothers, we will call them Thomas and James, who have a very kind father who supports them, and is willing to expend a great deal of money for their education, and do every thing in his power to make them useful and happy when they become men. These boys are sent to school together, and they both waste their time while there, destroy their books, and do a great many things which they know their father does not approve. They both think they love their father, and sometimes they feel guilty, and think they will be more care

ful to improve the privileges he gives them; but still, there is in each of their hearts a very strong disposition to do wrong; they love idleness and mischief, and finally they begin to play truant. Frequently they go away and spend the whole day with bad company, while their father supposes they are at school. When they come home and see their father's pleasant smile, and hear his affectionate language, each of them feels very uneasy; his conscience troubles him, and at night he thinks, "I will go to school to-morrow, and be a good boy;" but in the morning he chooses again the path of wickedness. Thus they both go on; all the time receiving great care and kindness from their father; and all the time disobeying him, and daily growing worse and worse. So far we have supposed these boys to be just alike; but now suppose they come home one night, and find, in addition to all the former favors of their kind father, that he has purchased for them a beautiful and expensive orrery, * so that his little sons may study about the planets, and understand how each one moves around the sun. When Thomas sees this new proof of his father's love, he cannot help feeling that he does not deserve it, and he thinks for an hour or two of his sinful conduct; sheds a few tears, and says to himself-but not to his father-"I am sorry I have not done right, and I think I shall do better after this." But he does not feel sorry at heart, confess his faults to his father, forsake them, and beg his pardon, and by the morning he has almost forgotten how good his

An Orrery is a machine so made as to show the motions of the planets.

father is, and how wicked he is himself, and so he goes on in the same sinful way as before. When James receives his present he feels as Thomas did, that he does not deserve it, but he feels a great deal more than this. He looks back as far as he can remember, and thinks over all his father's kindness and forbearance towards him, and then he thinks of his own conduct towards his father, and his heart really aches. He remembers the resolutions he has often made, but he knows he has broken them all, and now he dares not think, “I will do well to-morrow," but he says to himself, "I will confess to-night." He trembles and weeps, but he is resolved to tell his father all, even if he knows he shall be punished severely. He goes to his father, and with true sorrow of heart informs him of all his misconduct, and humbly asks his forgiveness, and promises entire amendment. The kind father extends his arms to embrace him, and as James listens to his forgiving language, and treasures his wise counsels in his heart, he feels that his father's love and approbation are worth far more to him than all the amusements which have so long drawn him from his duty. The next morning, instead of thinking of some favorite play as soon as he wakes, he thinks of his father's kindness and forgiveness, and he feels so much love for him that he cannot bear to think of disobeying him again so long as he lives; and from that time he becomes a studious and dutiful boy. Now you can easily decide which of these boys repented of his wickedness; and can you not fully understand what Jesus told the people to do when he called on them to repent?

All the persons whom Jesus addressed, and all the inhabitants of this vast world, are by nature like these wicked, ungrateful sons. God is like the good father, always watching over us, and bestowing on us so many blessings that we cannot count them. It is the duty of every one to repent, confess his sins to our Heavenly Father, and become obedient to all his commands. Until we

do this, it is impossible to please God, or do any thing right; therefore Jesus began his preaching by urging this duty; and all his servants who preach in his name to this day, make it their first, and most important business to exhort their hearers to repent. Jesus says in the verse above, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Perhaps some of you have read the Bible through in course; if not, you may have read a part of the Old Testament; and did you observe that its meaning was not so clear, and so easily understood as the meaning of the New Testament? It was written in a darker time. The good people in those ancient days believed that God would send a Saviour to redeem men, but they could not understand exactly how, or when he would come. Now the darkness had passed away; Jesus had come, and the kingdom of heaven was at hand, because he was about to show his mighty works, make known his gracious doctrines, and then die on the cross to save sinners; send the Holy Spirit, and establish a new order of things. Therefore, that was a time when those people to whom Jesus spoke were highly favored, and if they did not then repent they would be more guilty than those who lived and died before the Saviour came into the world.

While you have been reading this chapter on repentance, have you said to yourself, "Do I need repentance?" O yes; the Bible says, "There is none that doeth good, no not one." Every little child has a wicked heart, which needs to be changed; and if you feel that you have never been truly sorry that you have sinned against God-this is the time, at the very moment while you are reading-when you should go to your Heavenly Father, as we have supposed the penitent boy went to his earthly father, and confess all your sins, and ask his forgiveness; and you may be sure that you will receive pardon.

NOTE BY THE EDITOR.-Faith in Jesus, or believing in him, is also to be preached. Mark describes the preaching of Jesus in these words. (Mark i. 15.) "Repent ye, and believe the gospel." John records the language of Jesus, (chap. iii. 16,) when he preached to the ruler of the Jews, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."-" He that believeth on him is not condemned." (verse 18.) To believe in Jesus Christ is to receive him as our Saviour. This includes love to him and trust in him, or the hearty approval of the soul to the gospel method of salvation.

CHAPTER V.

THE PREACHING OF JESUS CHSIST.

MATT. v. 1-12.

1. And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

2. And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,