Are there any seasons in the life of man?

What time in the life of man resembles Spring?

How should this time be employed?

Can we expect to reap fruits from land which we have not cultivated?

What should be cultivated in you?

What seeds should be sown ? \

To whom should you devote your best time: the powers of your body and soul?

But can any of our labours prosper without God?

No: the earth needs the outward Sun, the winds, dew, and rain-our souls require the beams of the Sun of Righteousness, and the genial influences of the Holy Spirit.

Are not the grace of the Redeemer, and the influences of the Holy Sprit, freely bestowed upon you?

O let them not be given in vain !

What time in the life of man may be compared to Summer?

Are you sure of living through the summer of life?

Does not many a flower perish before Au

tumn?

And to what may your days be compared? Read Psalm ciii. 15, 16; Isaiah xl. 6.

What may be called the Autumn of life? Does the leaf always remain on the tree? Or does the flower, which has bloomed through the summer, still endure?

And supposing you do see the Autumn of life, must you not then fade? -Will there be

a harvest of the world?

Read Matt. xiii. 30; and Rev. xiv. 14, 15.

Of what may the last season in the year remind you

?.

But is there no difference in the state of men who die?

Can you think of any thing we have noticed, which may remind you of the end of the righteous ?

Where is the fruitful corn laid up? Matt. iii. 12.

Are there no weeds with it?

What is done with these?

Would you be a weed?

Some trees are likewise cut down at the close of the year: what is done with those which are corrupt? Matt. iii. 10.

From this world you must be removed; we are here but a little time-in Eternity we shall remain, age after age. There you may be like an Evergreen which fadeth not. There you may enjoy a state which has no change in its glory, no chilling blasts, no decay; but where there is one everlasting season of Hap

G

piness in the presence of God. The seasons of this world have well nigh reached their close. We are hasting through Time, the season of man; live for Eternity, the season of God.

TEMPTATION.

I.

What are the great sources of temptation? [The World, the Flesh, and the Devil.] St. John speaks of "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life," 1 John ii. 16. [These will be found to embrace the common sources of the temptations of mankind.] Who is the Tempter?

Whom did he first tempt?

In what manner? Gen. iii. 1-6.

What appears to have induced Eve to eat the fruit?

It appears there were three inducements by which she was especially moved. She saw the tree was "good for food," and "pleasant to the eyes," and a "tree to be desired to make one wise." Compare these with the above verse of St. John.

Are you subject to temptation ?

May you yield to it?

May you resist it? Repeat a text upon this subject. [1 Pet. v 8, 9.]

What will be the consequences of yielding to temptation? James i, 15.

Can you withstand it in your own strength? What are the great means of resisting temptation?

What means did our Saviour recommend to His disciples? Mark xiii. 37; xiv. 38.

What are you taught to pray daily? Matt. vi. 13.

Can you expect to be heard if you willingly go into temptation?

How may you lead yourself into it?

Should you associate with those persons, who may lead you into sin?

Should you go into those places where you are likely to be tempted?

If you paid attention to your own hearts you would be conscious of being often tempted. Do you never feel evil passions rising within you?

Do you never feel a desire to do a thing forbidden?

Reflect a moment.

Are not these temptations ?*

Should you not use means to resist them?

You may be especially tempted if you try to seek God, because Satan will do all in his power to hinder you. You may be tempted in prayer. But you are not to leave off seeking God, and praying, because you are tempted.

No temptation shall be too strong for you. What does St. Paul say, 1 Cor. x. 13?

* The little incidents daily occurring amongst children, and the observations the teacher may make upon their conduct and dispositions, will afford many opportunities of explaining the meaning of temptation, and of enforcing the necessity of resisting it. He should endeavour to render the lessons as practical as possible-that each child may be led to appropriate and apply the subject to itself.