it, and it will be done." She returned, and placed a Bible on his table. With him, a Bible was a new appendage to a bed-chamber. It excited his attention, invited his perusal, and was made the power of God unto his salvation. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might," in every affair that is deserving of any attention; but above all, in those great affairs which relate to the eternal welfare of ourselves or others.

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"Do it, and it will be done." With what solemn emphasis does this apply to the infinite concern of a personal application to Christ for life and salvation! Intentions, purposes, and resolutions, never saved a soul. The nearest step to the door of the ark, if short of an actual entrance, was short of preservation. The manslayer might perish within sight and reach of the gate of the city of refuge and the youth who lacked one thing, unless he obtained it, perished for want of the one thing needful. How unspeakably important, then, is it, immediately and decidedly to choose and secure an interest in that good part which shall never be taken away.

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In conclusion, I will sum up a few of my uncle's arguments for enforcing his favourite maxim. "Do it, and it will be secured against the possibility of being left undone."

"Do it while you have leisure, that it may better done than if done in a hurry."

be

"Do it, that you may have time to review your work, and correct or improve it if required."

"Do it thoroughly, that you may not have the injury and disgrace of its being left half done." "Do it yourself, that you may not be disappointed by trusting to others."

"Do it, that your mind may be relieved from the burden of neglected duty."

"Do it, that you may be ready to derive all the advantages resulting from having done it."

"Do it, that you may enjoy the satisfaction of having accomplished something worth the doing. The apostle Paul was no legalist; and yet the retrospection was very dear to him, of having fought a good fight, and finished his course, and kept the faith, 2 Tim. iv. 7. While no man was more ready than he to admit, 'Yet not I, but the grace of God which was in me'-' by the grace of God I am what I am,' it was matter of rejoicing to him that the grace bestowed upon him was not in vain," 1 Cor. xv. 10.

"Do it, that you may not have to mourn over lost opportunities that can never be recalled."

"Do it, that however small your abilities and opportunities, you may enjoy the honourable testimony, 'She hath done what she could." Matt. xiv. 8.

"Do it, in humble hope that the blessing of God may crown your feeble endeavours, and cause them to result in usefulness and honour far beyond your present calculations. 'Be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace,' 2 Pet. iii. 14. 'And let us not be weary in well-doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not,' "Gal. vi. 9.

Cousin Frank reminds me that in my illustrations of Uncle Barnaby's favourite maxim, I have overlooked one of his applications of the sentiment. "Do it, and it will be done, and will not thrust out or interfere with the discharge of future duties." 66 Surely," says Frank, " you cannot have forgotten that vexatious servant of my

uncle's,

who always had on his tongue's end the answer, I am doing, sir, what you bid me.' His whole course was a profession of obedience, connected with the practice of disobedience. No doubt this slight reference will recall to your mind twenty instances of his provoking conduct. I remember old Mrs. Rogers (who, you know, always superintended the brewing) ordering him to take the cart and fetch home some malt, charging him to be there before six o'clock, or the malt-house would be shut; and after his return, to bring in fuel for the copper, which was to be lighted early in the morning. When Mrs. Rogers appeared next morning in the brewhouse, expecting to find the copper boiling, she found the water cold, and the fire unlighted; and, not quite without an expression of anger, called to George to inquire the reason of the neglect. Yes, ma'am, I will do it directly; I am just cutting up the wood as you bid me,' was his provoking reply. But I desired you to cut the wood last night, after you returned from the maltster's.' Yes, ma'am ; but I was not back in time: it was dark when I returned.' Wishing to cut short the idle fellow's excuses, and, perhaps too, anxious for the preservation of her own temper, the good woman made no further remarks, but bade him hasten to light the copper fire. The copper was boiled, and emptied, and filled again, and that stage of the process of brewing had arrived at which the malt should be put to the liquor. When Mrs. Rogers directed her trusted aide-de-camp to bring the malt, he replied, I am just going to fetch it, as you bid me;' and forthwith was seen mounted in the cart, and driving out of the court-yard. More

than an hour elapsed before his return. In that time the water in the tub had become too cold for mixing; the fire under the copper had gone out; the whole process was entirely deranged; and the brewing was necessarily postponed to another day, all the previous labour and expense having been entirely wasted. On the return of George, the following conversation ensued. 'George, why did you not go for the malt last night, as I bid you?' 'I did, ma'am; but the place was shut up.' Then it was after six o'clock: I told you to go before six.' 'Yes, ma'am; but I was watering the garden, as the gardener bid me; I was forced to do that first, because he told me to do it before breakfast in the morning.' And why did you not water the garden before breakfast?' Because, ma'am, I had to clean the shoes and get in wood, which I was bid to do the night before.' Thus, I suppose he might have gone back through the whole period of his servitude, giving as a reason for present neglect of orders, that he was engaged in the performance of others formerly given. There was a something of honesty and good feeling about the man, that inclined my uncle to exercise long patience with him, and to make many efforts to break through his idle, procrastinating habits; but at last he was discharged uncured, if not incurable. I recollect, in connexion with some of George's vexatious neglects, my uncle remarking that 'present duties are often neglected, because we are busy about something that ought to have been done hours or days before.' The performance of a seemingly small duty, in its proper time, leaves the attention and energies free for the due discharge of the

more important; while an omission or delay in the smallest matter often involves an almost endless train of confusion and neglect. It is only by the timely discharge of every duty, that we can, in any degree at best it will be but in a very humble degree attain the satisfaction of saying, at the close of any given period, and at the close of life itself, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do, "" John xvii. 4.