Verse 29. This "labour of love" comes in as a blessed proof that they were not called Christians without good reason. Judea was now, from many reasons, become a poor country; the disciples would be amongst the poorest of all, (for the rich disciples had already parted with their goods Acts ii. 45. and iv. 34 -37.) this therefore would be a most reasonable relief.

Verse 2. This was that James who was one of the three witnesses of Christ's transfiguration, and agony in the garden, one of the sons of Zebedee of whom Christ declared that they should indeed drink of his cup, &c. (Matt. xx. 20-23.) He was called now to experience the bitterness of that draught, and the truth of those words; but it was in order to his sitting at Christ's right hand, which however ignorant a request it was in his mother's mouth at that time, he was thus to see truly fulfilled.

Verse 3. Herod inheriting the cruelty of his grandfather who slew the children of Bethlehem, as well as of his uncle who beheaded John the Baptist, feels no scruple, if it will please the people, to dip his hands in Peter's blood.

Verse 4, 5. What the strength of four quaternions of soldiers is when opposed to the united and unceasing prayers of the church we shall see.

3rd Week, v. 6 to v. 12; An Angel delivers Peter from prison, he goes to the house of John Mark.

Verse 6. "Bound with two chains;" the prisoner (according to the Roman custom) was chained to the soldiers between whom he slept; his right hand chained to the left hand of one soldier, and his left to the right of the other, so that there was no possibility of his

* That is sixteen in all, four to watch over him at a time; one set for each of the four watches into which the night was divided.

moving without disturbing them, should they chance to fall asleep. This, with the keepers before the door, was indeed keeping Peter as sure as the arm of man could.

Verse 10. A miracle was needed to take Peter from the midst of his guards, and to carry him safe through the remaining guards and gates of his prison. When he was landed safe in the street he is left-we are not to expect God's special interference in behalf of his people further than it is absolutely needful.

Verse 11. By this we see that this was not a vision such as Peter had seen before, but a real miraculous deliverance.

Verse 12. Doubtless a well-known assembling place for the persecuted church. This was indeed to pray and faint not, when they kept it up all night; but they had cause, they had lost Stephen and James, and could ill afford to lose Peter too.

4th Week, v. 13—19. Received with astonishment at the house. Herod puts the keepers to death.

Verse 14. That the unexpected sound of Peter's voice, well known to her in the various notes of preaching, prayer, and praise, should have so overcome her that she left him standing at the door while she carried the news, is very natural. This proof of affection would abundantly repay Peter for being kept longer continuing knocking in the cold.

Verse 15, 16. Little did they expect such an answer to prayer; they had not faith to see that with God all things are possible; and therefore would rather suppose the messenger mad, or take up the idea that his spirit had been suffered to appear,than that he himself had been granted to them in answer to their prayers. Verse 17. This James was James the son of Alpheus, the author of the Epistle that goes by his name.

ISAIAH. XXXV.

As Sharon's rose shall bloom the wild,
The desert, of its gloom beguil'd,
Shall richest blossoms fling;
Bright Lebanon rejoicing high
And Carmel mounting to the sky,
The Lord of Glory sing.

Strong in His strength ye fearful be,
In faith confirm the feeble knee,
On high your God behold;

With everlasting mercy bright

He comes His saints with boundless might
To gather to his fold.

The blind shall see the Gospel ray,

The lame shall leap the shining way,

That leads to heaven's mount;

The deaf shall hear, the dumb shall sing,
Streams in the wilderness shall spring
From life's eternal fount.

Thus the Redeemed safely led

The way of holiness shall tread

To Zion's endless day:

There where the Lord his glory spreads,

Joy everlasting on their heads,

Sorrow shall flee away.

"Lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land!" So sung Solomon, in the lovely land of Judæa, a thousand years before the Christian

æra.

But Spring has been a season delightful in all ages and climates; though in none perhaps more so than in the British islands. Willingly therefore may the Church listen to the royal Poet, as if Christ himself were addressing her in the gospel language of pure affection, "Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away." To this call the Christian Naturalist would

F

readily respond, and go forth amidst those scenes which now bear the loveliest impress of the Redeemer's hand. He would enter upon the first of May with something of that ardour of spirit which led our rural ancestors to welcome it with a variety of festive ceremonies; not indeed that he approves of all these, and in particular that of dancing round a maypole he regards as a pagan ceremony which has little meaning in itself, and has ofttimes been attended with much of folly if not of sin. Still, however, he would esteem it a delightful and profitable employment to go forth and gather flowers on the first May morning; to greet the beams of the rising Luminary while the heavy dews are yet glistening in countless drops upon the rising herbage. What can be more interesting than thus to hail the arrival of a season which is full of pleasing ideas, and which is so anxiously looked forward to amidst the gloomy and stormy months of winter? Doubtless there is much in Spring to awaken the attention of every inquiring mind, and to call forth a tribute of gratitude to the Creator from every thankful heart. Who can listen to the thrush warbling amidst the groves, or behold the lark mounting upwards towards the gates of heaven, without wishing to join in the melodious concert of praise which is now poured forth by these and innumerable feathered songsters of the earth and air? Who can survey the fields clothed with verdure, the trees expanding into full leaf, and the flowers putting on their gayest and freshest dress, without feeling as it were a new emotion, a sensation peculiar to the season of Spring? Fragrance is in the air, beauty in the earth, and brilliancy in the sky. Under the influence of a reviving temperature, fresh