Although in our own day this spirit is not sufficiently extinct, to prevent men from setting up as the vicegerents of Christ, we have reason for gratitude that in our land it never becomes so swollen a monster as to assume divine functions. But still we have it amongst us in modified forms. The general voice, perhaps, proclaims Christ as the goal to be attained; but there are many whose motto is "Follow me, and I will lead you to Christ." There is a sort of rage for dictation amongst men ; and, while admitting that the only right road on which we can travel, is the road which terminates in the cross, they set themselves up at the corner of a road of their own contrivance, and point like finger-posts along it writing their own lessons upon their broad phylacteries, instead of pointing to the plain precepts of the Bible, and leaving the issue with its divine and all-wise Author. But there are men, too, who cry "Follow me," in preference to Christ,-who tell us there is no Christ to follow; and that, if we follow Reason, having previously placed that Reason under their direction, we are travelling in the only right and proper path. And while this summons "Follow Me," is the audible invitation of these and similar teachers, it is the mute appeal of many active influences. It is indicated by the beckonings of Pleasure, and the blandishments of Pride; the one unfolds her fascinations to the gaze, while the other stands before the curtain to display her beauties and describe her charms, calling us to follow vain and sinful pleasure, that vainer and more sinful pride may thereby be nourished. It is visible in the temptations and cares of the World: it may be traced in the deep lines which avarice engraves across the brow,—in the keen sparkle of the cunning eye, in the haggard look and restless mein of those who have made gold their god it may be seen in the tawdry glare of marts and markets, and in the hollow blazonry of shops and shows: it meets us in the rivalry of senators to climb the ladder of state, and gain the summit of Ambition, Fame, and Riches. At every turn-go where we will, look where we may-we see the fingers of the World writing up before the eyes of men the motto " Follow Me." At every turn-go where we will, look where we may-we see

a long procession following on, each unit in the mighty aggregate bearing his little banner, on which is traced the name of his particular taskmaster,-Ambition - Fame — Renown— Glory-Gold-are seen on many a flag, and as they float upon the wind they seem to beckon as though each would cry "Follow Me."

It is perceptible in the wily enticements of the Flesh. Luxury, and her bloated handmaid Lust, are busy mending their nets and twisting fresh meshes for the unwary; and, as they ply their unholy handicraft, they smile with wanton invitation on the young and joyous, as though they would whisper "Follow Me;" and the pampered epicure-the staggering drunkard—the wasted libertine and the debauched voluptuary-come forth a sickly train, to wait upon the summons.

And it is seen, once more,

in the deep-laid toils of the devil. He sends forth these, his emissaries, to do his deadly work; but he sometimes works in person, he watches for his chance, and leaps upon his unwatching prey at a moment when he is not aware; be feeds his eyes upon the flickering flame of his worst passions, and in the garb of an angel of light fans it back with his wings into a blazing furnace, until it has maddened his soul to frenzy and despair. He pours the oil of flattery upon the lambent flame, and now with servile wiles, now with imperious menace, now with seductive treachery, cries "Follow Me," until the hounded victim, lashed onward by the fires of passion, and goaded by the scorpion sting of an outraged conscience-with a wistful retrospect of the headlong path through which he has been so stealthily allured, and a vain wish to track his course back to the fields of innocence and purity, falls headlong down the eternal gulph of misery, struck by the unerring arm of death. These are the voices in which may be heard—these are the signs in which may be read very often-the summons "Follow Me;" but if we wish to follow holiness, without which we cannot see God, we must resist them with all our might, and seek the might of the Almighty to aid us in doing battle against them. If we follow false teachers, they will lead us into perplexity, and laugh at us when entrapped; if we follow pleasure, it will but whet a craving

and insatiable appetite, which will consume ourselves in its reaction, and will be ever commending to us those seeming goodly fruits which turn to ashes on the lips. Follow the world, it will lure us away from virtue, -the flesh, it will debase us,-the devil, he will ruin us. Away, then, ye blind guides! your darkening shadows from my path, and let me catch the beam that lights me to the cross!

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But there are, however, other influences which speak this voice, not through ambition, but from love to the souls of men. Conscience, that gentle monitor whose still small voice whispers such heavenly wisdom in our ears—that seer and holy oracle that sits enshrined within the temple of the soul, to prompt to virtue and restrain from vice-Conscience, that much-insulted sister of our better nature, that long-suffering and strong-pleading advocate for truth and grace-Conscience, who smiles so radiantly on every act of love and righteousness, and weeps such bitter tears at every lapse from God-Conscience cries "Follow Me." It does not clamour for our notice like the other voices which beset us; but still through all the din and uproar of conflicting and jarring sounds, its gentle utterance thrills like sacred music through the soul. It speaks as though it had authority, though in such tender tones that only a heart frozen and calloused by sin can turn away from it. It modulates its accents according to our need of its appeals. If we are living in constant and aggravated guilt, in the habitual indulgence of some besetting sin, it calls in piercing tones to touch not the unclean thing. If we are leading cold and prayerless lives, and neglecting acts of worship which we once performed with joy, it hands us the neglected Bible whose precious promises once cheered our spirits, and points us to the chamber whence our prayers were once sent up to our Father who hears in secret. If our spiritual energies decline, and we grow weary in well doing, it reminds us of the Christian's high reward and the sinner's awful doom. When we are crying "Peace, peace, when God has not spoken peace," it shakes us from our lethargy, and bids us be up about our Master's work. Here, then, is a voice worth listening to, for it is the guardian angel of our lives. Give heed then to its

first pleadings; for if you do not hear it as your advocate, and follow it as your guide, you will meet it as a swift witness against you at the great tribunal, and because you did not follow IT as your pilot in Time, it will follow you as the stern voucher for the justice of your doom through the dense shadows of the outer darkness.

But another voice than Conscience often speaks the invitation "Follow Me," THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD. When, having completed the great mission of redemption, Christ ascended up on high, to commence the work of intercession, He said that He would pray the Father to send another Comforter to abide with His children for ever. And He has fulfilled His promise: the Comforter has come upon His errand of love, and knocks for admission at your hearts and mine. He bears in His hands the leaves which are for the healing of the nations, and He applies them to the broken heart and wounded spirit which turn to Him for aid. He speaks peace to the troubled soul, and enters every heart which is open to Him, and moves there like a gentle teacher, "to teach us all things, and bring all things to our remembrance, whatsoever Christ has said unto us." Is not this a guest worth receiving? Is not this a leader worth following? That same Spirit that burst the curtain of the heavens, and lighted like a dove upon the Son of God as He went up from the water where He was baptized-that Divine Herald of the Heavenly Voice, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased "— He comes to dwell with man upon the earth, and ceases not to join His voice with that of the Bride in saying Come, whoever will, and take the water of life freely."

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And there is yet another voice that cries, "Follow Me." It comes from the lips of a lonely traveller along the shores of the Sea of Galilee. It is addressed to two poor fishermen, who are casting a net into the sea. It is no sooner spoken than obeyed. It is repeated by those same lips from the summit of the Mount of Olives, accompanied by words of such power that they moved the stricken leper to exclaim, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." It is repeated by those same lips to the disciple who asked to go and bury his father. It is again addressed

to the man sitting at the receipt of custom, who also arose and followed him. And it is addressed to you, my friends, and me. But who is this humble traveller, that we are all to follow him? What has He done to draw us after Him? Only this. He has looked down from heaven ever since the Fall, upon the ravages of sin, and seeing that there was no eye to pity and no arm to save, put off the spotless robe of Divinity with which He was clothed, and clad Himself in the poor garb of human nature. Only this: He has spent a term of life among the poor and outcast of the earth, and cleansed the lepers, calmed the tempests, rebuked the devils, and healed the sicknesses of men. Only this for our sakes He has become poor; for our sakes He has drunk the vials of his Father's anger, which would have been poured on our heads; for our sakes He has bruised the serpent's head which tempted our first mother; for our sakes He went into Gethsemane, and groaned in agony beneath his Father's frown; for our sakes He stood without reviling before Pilate's bar, and bore a cruel cross amongst the cruel mockery of a maddened mob; for our sakes He was fastened to that cross in a common herd with malefactors, and prayed for those who mocked His dying pains with His last earthly breath; for our sakes He lay lifeless in the damp and noisome tomb, and for our sakes rose again to plead before His Father's Throne. These are His titles to our trust, this is why we should listen and obey when he says "Follow Me." And this is the voice to which all other holy impulses would impel us. Though Conscience cries "Follow Me," it is only because in following Conscience we are following Christ. Though the Spirit takes up the invitation it is only that we may hear more clearly the overtures of Christ. These join their voices and cry "Follow us, and we will lead you to happiness, which you can only get through Christ- we will lead you along the green pastures which conduct to Christ-we will bring you to still waters which reflect in their pure bosom the cross of Christ; when you are faint in spirit by the way we will feed you on the words and promises of Christ, and when clouds and darkness are round about your head, and the lightnings of Sinai play around your feet, we will show you the glories of the Lamb