love of His blessed name. To read His life as a mere history, that you may know what He did in one place, and what He suffered in another, will be of little use to you. If you could trace with your finger on the sacred map all the journeyings of Christ, and point out every spot on which His holy feet have trod, and tell me what He said and did at every place, I should feel but little pleasure, unless I could perceive that, in thus following Him, you had really become His obedient disciple yourself: and that feeling that you are a sinful, ignorant, and helpless child, you were anxious to keep close to Him, and to be a sharer yourself in the vast blessings which you behold Him bestowing upon others at every step.

Could I see this-see you giving up your heart to your Saviour's blessed influences, looking to Him to pardon, and teach, and help you, and trying to imitate His heavenly example in your daily conduct and temper then I should indeed rejoice that we had read His Gospel together; for I might hope that having begun to tread in His steps whilst a child, you would be enabled, by His Spirit, "to walk in the same all the days of your life."

See John ii. 12—25.

ELEVENTH SUNDAY EVENING.

NICODEMUS COMES TO JESUS BY NIGHT.

M. Among those who believed in Christ when they saw His miracles at Jerusalem, there were some who wanted courage to confess Him openly. Of one of

these we have an interesting account given us by St. John. His name was Nicodemus, and he was a person of some rank and importance, being a ruler of the Jews. He had seen our Lord's miracles, and was in consequence persuaded, that Jesus was a teacher come from God. Accordingly he "came to Jesus by night;" for he wished to obtain a farther knowledge of His teaching, yet was afraid to profess openly what he already believed respecting Him.

E. Then do you think that Nicodemus came to Jesus by night, because he was afraid of the Jews?

M. It is generally supposed to have been shame and fear, that kept Nicodemus from publicly acknowledging his faith in Christ. Full well he knew that such a step would bring upon him scorn and hatred, among the chief priests and Pharisees, as it some time afterwards was very nearly doing; for, being himself a ruler, he was closely connected with them. Alas! how often does worldly rank, which men so much covet, prove one of their greatest hinderances in the way of life! But though Nicodemus was ashamed to become His disciple openly, Christ received him with kindness. He made allowance for his weakness, and condescended at the close of what had been no doubt a wearied day, to set down and converse long and deeply with him on the things which concerned his everlasting welfare. What an instance of the tenderness of our compassionate Saviour! of His readiness to receive, and His unwillingness to discourage, even the weakest of those who would come to Him!

E. How I long to hear what our Lord taught Nicodemus; what a happiness it was, Mamma, to be thus instructed by Christ Himself!

M. Nicodemus was indeed highly favoured in meeting with a teacher, infinitely wise, yet far more gentle, and kind, and patient, than any merely human instructor ever was. But no less happy may we be, if we receive with humble faith and gratitude the instructions that were bestowed upon him. In this remarkable conversation Christ preaches His own Gospel not only to Nicodemus, but to us, and to the whole world; to every human being who shall have the privilege of hearing or reading it.

Nicodemus began by telling our Lord that he knew Him to be "a teacher come from God," because, he said, 66 no man can do these miracles, that thou doest, except God be with him." Here was an open declaration of his faith, as far as it went; but our Lord, knowing the hearts of all men, suited his answer, not to the words of Nicodemus, but to what he knew to be his feelings. He answered and said unto him, Verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." Christ, you see, tells Nicodemus immediately, and plainly, that to be one of his disciples, and to be received by Him into His kingdom, much more was necessary than secretly and silently to admire his miracles, and to believe that he came from God to teach mankind.

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The religion of Christ, my dear child, as you have often been told, is not a mere set of opinions, but a life to become a Christian is to enter upon a new life, or, as it is called in Scripture, to be "born again." Our natural life begins when we are born into this world, and the beginning of our spiritual is, in like manner, called a spiritual birth. By nature, you know, we are all born in sin, all far from God; not disposed [Second Series.]

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of ourselves to love and serve Him, but corrupt and sinful, prone to unholy tempers and passions, to evil inclinations and desires, having hearts within us which need to be cleansed, and renewed by the Spirit of God, before they can be pleasing in His sight, or fit for His kingdom. This is a sad truth to dwell upon, but still it is a truth which the word of God declares to us, and which is continually proved by all we see around, and feel within us. If any fancy that this is not the case, it is only because they do not study the word of God, where it is strongly and continually declared, or because they do not examine their own hearts and lives, their own thoughts, words, and actions, which constantly remind us how sinful we naturally are. What indeed is it that disturbs and spoils the happiness even of our pleasant childish years, that makes brothers and sisters quarrel, and children disobey? what but the evil hearts they have within? What, but the same sin that ruined Paradise, and ruined at the same time the whole world? Had not sin been so deeply rooted in our natures, that none but God could cure it, our Saviour would not so solemnly have assured Nicodemus, that unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God; cannot belong to that kingdom on earth, nor enter it hereafter in heaven.

Nicodemus was surprised to hear this; he could not understand it; and he answered and said unto Christ, "How can these things be?" how is it possible, he asks, that a man should be born a second time? Our Lord in reply mildly reproved Nicodemus for his ignorance, saying to him, " Art thou a master in Israel and knowest not these things?" and then repeating

the assertion in still stronger but clearer terms, He declares again: "Verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

In these words our Lord plainly points out the holy rite of baptism, which He was about to adopt as one of the sacraments of His Church: for immediately after giving us an account of this most interesting conversation the evangelist adds, "After these things came Jesus and His disciples into the land of Judea, and there tarried with them and baptized." It is as if our Saviour meant to teach Nicodemus that to admire Him in secret, and to come to Him by night, was not enough; that having publicly begun the work of His ministry, He was about to admit believers into the number of His disciples by baptism. To those who should receive Him by thus openly professing their faith in Him, and being baptized in His name, He would give the power and privilege of becoming the sons of God, and send forth His Spirit into their hearts to enable them to look up to God with filial reverence and love or as the Scripture says, to "cry unto him Abba, Father." For it is the Holy Ghost alone which gives the soul its first disposition to newness of life. Baptism is a necessary outward means, generally speaking, of our new-birth; but the inward cause is always the Spirit of God.

E. Then, Mamma, is every Christian a child of God? I thought only those were so, who really love God as children do their parents.

M. You ask me, Edward, a very difficult question, or at least one to which it is not easy to return an answer, such as would satisfy even all good men. The