garden will from him soon disappear, and its flowers and fruits wither away. Love, wisdom, intelligence, and knowledge, with all other blessings, represented by the garden that God planted, will not only remain with man, but will increase in beauty; his joys will multiply even to eternity, if he will but obey the Divine command, and dress the garden. Yes, he must be up and doing: to keep the garden he must be diligent in cultivating the mind, and improve and enrich it with all that is good and true; for the soul is the mental garden or plain which the Lord in mercy waters every moment with his truth.
O reader, be diligent in cultivating thy mind by the truth of God: improve the time allotted thee! Be not at all doubtful of the Divine promise, but know that as long as thou shalt continue with delight to dress the garden, thou shalt keep it. "This dressing and keeping will prove an increasing pleasure to thy soul, and show thee clearly how Paradise is possessed.
January Twenty-fourth.
PARADISE LOST.
"So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life."—Gen. iii. 24.
HOW sweet and joyous is the recollection of the days of innocence, and especially so when innocence is recognised in a close union with wisdom. It is then that the paradise of the soul is seen to bloom with every mental excellence; when celestial affections, like choice fruits, delight the taste; and the truths of wisdom, perpetually expanding, like flowers
