200 BRITISH BIRDS. 



away even that which he hath." Let^ then, the young 

 exclaim, 



" If I present my youth to God, 

 'Tis pleasing in his eyes : 

 A flower, when oflTered in the bud. 

 Is no vain sacrifice." 



Choose thou, O Lord, my inheritance for me. " My 

 Father, thou art the guide of my youth." It may 

 seem to be but " the day of small things " with the in- 

 dividual as to piety ; but if he waits on the Lord, he 

 shall renew his strength. Though holy principles in 

 his heart resemble, at first, the grain of mustard-seed, 

 which is the least of all seeds, they shall be like it when 

 it appears as a great tree, on which the fowls of the air 

 may lodge. The strongest behevers that ever lived 

 were once " babes in Christ ;" and hence there is the 

 greatest encouragement for those who are " accepted in 

 the Beloved " to " follow on to know the Lord." It is 

 equally certain, on the other hand, that those who have 

 only " the form of godliness," will, at last, be entirely 

 stripped of this, and shown to be utterly destitute of its 

 power. 



