Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 25, 1858
The Law.
By J. Clarke
A CONVERSATION.
A. I am sorry to see you going back to the old Jewish law, long since outlawed.
B. We deny such a slur wholly. We hold that all that was ceremonial was done away in Christ, and all Jewish rites are now abolished.
A. But you keep the Jewish Sabbath, I understand.
B. You have been misinformed in this matter: we keep the Sabbath of the Lord, which was established in Eden before any nation existed.
A. But don't you understand Paul to say that all these types and shadows have passed away?
B. Paul truly says in effect, that the ceremonial law has passed away, but the Sabbath has no connection with the ceremonial law. The Sabbath was instituted before man had sinned, while as yet there was no necessity of a ceremonial law.
A. But Christ is said to be the end of the law; of course the law is at an end.
B. James says, [chap. v, 11.] Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord. Has the Lord come to an end? End of, often signifies, object of. Christ is the object of the law for righteousness. In the other quotation, Ye have seen the object of the Lord in afflicting Job, &c.
A. How is Christ the object of the law?
B. Christ is called "the Lord our Righteousness." Christ alone is our Righteousness. He alone of all mankind has kept the law perfectly. We have all broken this law, and God cannot stain his spotless purity by passing lightly over sin; and to make it possible to save the sinner, he gave his Son Jesus who has kept the moral law, and made it honorable, and now the sinner hides under his Saviour's righteousness, and depends wholly upon this for salvation, but still strives to be holy by conformity to Christ and his law.
J. CLARKE.
Bearing the Cross.
By J. M. McLellan
Look for a moment at the cross-bearing life of Jesus. He became poor, despised of man, endured reproach, was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; when he was reviled, he reviled not again. Though wounded, bruised, put to grief, his soul made an offering, scourged, spit upon, his temples bleeding from the crown of thorns, his hands and his feet pierced with nails, his soul in agony while hanging upon the cross, yet he murmured not, nor complained. All this he bore for you and I, but not a lisp of impatience was ever heard from his lovely lips. His life was a cross-bearing one. How patiently and meekly he embraced all the ills and crosses that awaited him here, during his ministry on earth. "By the cross he lived, by the cross he died, setting his followers an example worthy of imitation. He says, "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me," [Mark viii, 34,] adding, "And whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." Luke xiv, 27. How often must the cross be taken up and borne? "Daily." Luke ix, 23. Every morning when we arise, refreshed with sleep, we must take up the cross and bow around the family altar and ask for strength from the heavenly Sanctuary to enable us to bear the cross through the day to the honor and glory of God, that when we lie down at night we can enjoy the pleasing reflection that we have done his will. Conscience will not smite us, but our peace will be as a river. Such will soon enjoy the full fruition of their hope in the kingdom of God.
To bear the cross is to confess Jesus in all the acts of life, by patiently and meekly submitting to all the ills, trials, disappointments and afflictions of this life, which are sure to meet us on our journey to Mount Zion. These are all crosses and they must be borne cheerfully by every one that wants and expects to see the inside of the city, the New Jerusalem.
Again, look at the apostle Paul. View him following the great Redeemer in his self-denying life. He hungered, thirsted, was naked, buffeted, and had no certain dwelling-place, was reviled, persecuted, defamed, made as the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things. All these crosses he bore patiently, saying all the way along, "God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world. From henceforth let no man trouble me; for I bear in my body the marks (cross-bearing life) of the Lord Jesus." Gal. vi, 14-17. Again he says, "For many walk of whom I have told you often, and now tell you, even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ."
Who, Paul, are "the enemies of the cross of Christ?" In the next verse he describes them. They are those "whose god is their belly, (hearts overcharged with the cares of this world,) whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things." Phil. iii, 18, 19. These are "the enemies of the cross." They are opposed to self-denial, gadding about in gay attire, "with stretched-forth neck and wanton eyes;" but like the gourd of Jonah, when the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father they will wither and perish.
When Paul returned, "confirming the souls of the disciples," and exhorting them to continue in the faith, he said that we through much tribulation (a cross-bearing life) should enter into the kingdom of God. Acts xiv, 22. None should quarrel with the instrumentalities God may employ to crucify them unto the world, and fit them to be glorified with his Son Jesus Christ.
J. M. McLELLAN.
Hastings, Mich.
CONDITIONS OF SALVATION.
By M. E. S.
As intelligent, accountable beings, passing through a probationary season, it becomes us to fully understand the duties assigned us, and the promises attached to faithfulness in their performance. We will show in the course of this investigation, that the promises are immortality and eternal life in the kingdom of God. Having learned what these are, it next becomes us to inquire into the means of securing them; and for brevity's sake, we will immediately proceed to the latter, the conditions of salvation, which Christ and the apostles have made plain to us.
Notice first, Mark xvi, 15, 16: "Go ye into all the world," &c. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved," &c. Here we perceive faith is one essential condition of salvation. But there are multitudes of faiths abroad in the world, quite as many as there are subjects of any kind which receive belief. Let us therefore endeavor to ascertain what the faith is here spoken of, as it is of infinite importance for us to understand fully a belief upon which our salvation is to depend, "He that believeth not shall be damned." Let us read carefully the text to which we referred, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth"—what? why, believeth the gospel, the message the disciples were to deliver. Has that commission run out, as some teach, thus making these conditions no longer obligatory upon us? Says Jesus, (see corresponding passage in Matt. xxviii, 20,) "And lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." The disciples to whom this commission was personally given died long since, consequently it must have been designed for all who should go forth "to the end of the world."122Now it is evident we cannot exercise faith with regard to any subject which we do not and cannot comprehend; hence the gospel must be so plain a proposition that every accountable creature is capable of comprehending it; otherwise God himself, (and we would speak reverently of him who is perfection,) would be chargeable with injustice in requiring faith respecting a thing which is so mysterious as to make it incomprehensible. Let us refer to the sacred scriptures, which Paul tells us are able to make us wise unto salvation, and see if he has not vindicated his own character, in giving us an explanation which is simple, concise, and easily understood.
1st, Notice in the commission Jesus speaks of it as the (or one) gospel; consequently the same gospel which they were to preach to one individual, or nation, was to be preached to another and all persons or nations, Jew or Gentile, bond or free. Paul also informs us there is but one gospel. Gal. i, 6-8. "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ, unto another gospel; which is not another, (correcting himself) but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." (We shall presently see what it was Paul preached.) We can now understand the origin of the great number of faiths abroad in the land, at the present time, amounting to nearly "the number" 666. Rev. xiii, 18. It is plain a perverted gospel, when proclaimed and believed, will produce a perverted faith; but since there is but one true gospel, there can be but one true gospel faith. Eph. iv, 3. "One Lord, one faith," &c.
The Bible defines the word gospel as good tidings. Luke iv, 18. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor." As Christ was here applying to himself a prophecy, let us read where he read. Isa. lxi, 1. "The spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek." &c. Webster says godspel is the original of gospel, god signifying good, and spel history.
From what has been said, regarding the unity of the gospel, we must conclude that this "good tidings" relates to some particular subject. Matthew informs us (iv, 23) that "Jesus went about . . . preaching the gospel of the kingdom." Then the gospel is good news of the kingdom. It now remains for us to investigate the kingdom, before we can perfectly understand the gospel, the basis of our faith; but before proceeding to the kingdom proper, we will examine another feature of the one gospel. Gal. iii, 8. "And the Scripture foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham saying, (hear the gospel,) In thee shall all nations be blessed." Let us turn to this promise as given to the worthy patriarch. Gen. xii, 1-4. "Now the Lord had said unto Abram, get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee." Verse 3. "And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."
How was Abraham to become a blessing to all nations? Let us read farther. Chap. xiii, 14-18. "And the Lord said unto Abraham, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever." Also xxii, 1-9. Verse 8. "And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession," &c. (It seems that Paul understood this promise to include the entire earth. See Rom. iv, 13. "For the promise that he should be the heir of the world," &c.) In Gen. xxii, 18 we read, "And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." So it was through his seed that Abraham was to become a blessing to all nations. The same promise which was made to Abraham, was renewed to Isaac and Jacob. Gen. xxvi, 3-6; xxviii, 13-15. Were they or their fleshly descendants the seed spoken of above? Gal. iii, 16. "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ."
We are now led to inquire whether this promise has ever been fulfilled. It is evident that Abraham, being dead, does not now possess the land; did he while living? See in answer, Acts vii, 2-6. Verse 4. "Then came he (Abraham) out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell." Verse 5. "And he gave him none inheritance in it, no not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him when as yet he had no child." (Lest the "promise" in verse 17 should be confounded with the one we have been investigating, we will notice that a moment. Stephen is tracing down the history of Abraham's literal descendants. He notices them in Egypt, and then speaking of the promise, says in connection, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt. Did God make a promise to Abraham regarding the Egyptian bondage? He did. See Gen. xv, 13, 14. Which promise Stephen repeated in verses 6, 7.) Paul's testimony harmonizes with that of Stephen. Heb. xi. After noticing righteous persons who lived previous to Abraham's time, he says, [verses 8, 9] "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, (note, he was not to receive it then,) obeyed; and he went out not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise." This does not look much like receiving the land forever, for an everlasting possession; but it may be thought their seed received it after their return from Egypt under Moses. Let us read farther. Verses 11, 12. "Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and the sand which is by the seashore innumerable. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off and were persuaded of them and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." They did not receive the land for an "everlasting possession," which was the promise made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their seed. God "promised," says Stephen. Says Isaiah, "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand forever." But how can God fulfill his word in this instance? Manifestly, in no other way than by giving them a resurrection from the dead. Has the Lord proposed to do this? Jno. v, 25. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live." This was fulfilled when Christ at that time spoke and the dead came forth. A Lazarus at "the voice of the Son of God" burst the cold fetters of death and the grave, and he that heard, lived. Verse 28. "Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth," &c.
The apostles also preached the resurrection of the dead. See Acts iv, 2; xxiii, 6. "Of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question." Chap. xxvi, 8. "Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?" Verse 27. "King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest." Believing the prophets, he must have believed the gospel promises made therein; hence why should he think it an incredible thing that God should raise the dead in order to verify those promises? The prophets had likewise plainly taught a resurrection. See Eze. xxxvii, 1-15. We might adduce farther proof on this point; but deeming it already established, we forbear. We are now led to inquire whether we have any share in the promise we have been considering. Paul assures us, [Gal. iii, 29.] "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."
(To be Continued)
THE CHRISTIAN WARFARE
Selected for REVIEW.
THE CHRISTIAN WARFARE.
SOLDIER, go—but not to claim,
Mouldering spoils of earth-born treasure,
Not to build a lasting name,
Not to dwell in tents of pleasure.
Dream not that the way is smooth,
Hope not that the thorns are roses;
Turn no wishful eye of youth
Where the sunny beam reposes:
Thou hast sterner work to do,
Hosts to cut thy passage through;
Close behind thee gulfs are burning—
Forward! there is no returning.
Soldier, rest—but not for thee
Spreads the world her downy pillow;
On the rock thy couch must be,
While around thee chafes the billow:
Thine must be a watchful sleep,
Wearier than another's waking;
Such a charge as thou dost keep,
Brooks no moment of forsaking.
Sleep as on the battle-field,
Girded—grasping sword and shield:
Foes thou canst not name or number,
Steal upon thy broken slumber.
Soldier, rise—the war is done;
Lo, the hosts of hell are flying:
'Twas thy Lord the battle won;
Jesus vanquished them by dying.
Pass the stream, before thee lies
All the conquered land of glory:
Hark! what songs of rapture rise,
These proclaim the victor's story.
Soldier, lay thy weapons down,
Quit the sword, and take the crown:
Triumph, all thy foes are banished;
Death is slain, and sin is vanished!
The Sabbath in England in 1632.
By Theophilos Brabourne
BRABOURNE'S APPEAL TO THE BISHOPS.
To the most Reverend Archbishops and Bishops of this Kingdom.
RIGHT REVEREND Fathers in God, and Right Gracious Honorable Lords, I presume to offer this treatise of the Sabbath-day, unto your gracious and judicious consideration, as unto whom it doth more principally appertain, to weigh and determine of questions and controversies, of such great consequences, and whose it is, in a most eminent manner, to see that all corruptions in God's worship be reformed—all truths of God fostered and cherished, and all the parts of God's worship, duly and religiously observed.
Amongst other things in this treatise, I humbly desire your lordships to take these five into your best and deepest consideration. 1. That the sacred ordinance of God's Sabbath, (than which there is not any in our church more ancient, commanded by God in his moral law, ratified by Christ the Son of God, practiced by the apostles, and also, by the primitive churches after them, for three or four hundred years together,) is now sinfully trampled under foot, and profaned. 2. That the decalogue, the ten commandments of Almighty God, are not wholly and fully taught and maintained in our church, but only by parts and by pieces. 3. That God hath not his whole and entire worship and service, prescribed in the first table of the decalogue, but is denied one-fourth part thereof weekly. 4. That God's fourth commandment is by the common doctrine in our church, wholly frustrated and nullified, both root and branch. 5. That by very many in our church there is gross superstition committed, God's worship corrupted, yea, plain idolatry wrought; and that by sanctifying of the Lord's day for a Sabbath day, by the fourth commandment. These things, (as I believe,) you shall find clearly proved in this book.
Unto whose consideration should I commend these things for redress, if not unto your lordships? Hath not his Majesty therefore deputed you unto your several charges, to oversee, and see to the well ordering of the church and worship of God? And hath not the Almighty laid it upon you, to warn some, that they teach none other doctrine? 1 Tim. i, 3. And to redress the things that are amiss. Or, to set in order the things that are wanting? Tit. i, 5. DOWN THEN WITH THAT IDOL—THE LORD'S-DAY SABBATH. (So dealt Hezekiah with the brazen serpent, when idolatry prevailed.) And bring into its room, and into the church of God again, that ancient ordinance—God's sacred Seventh-day Sabbath. Let not an idol of man's devising stand in God's church, where an ordinance of God enjoined by the moral law, should stand.
O, my honorable lords, what a pity it is to see Antiquity, true and honorable Antiquity. I mean the Lord's Sabbath, trodden under foot! Why should not our church become followers of those ancient and purest churches of primitive times, those that existed next after Christ, and his blessed apostles, in the observation of the Lord's Sabbath? Who, so long as they retained their greatest purity, so long religiously observed the Seventh-day Sabbath. Why should not your lordships exhort unto the observation of the Sabbath day, as did that godly Bishop IGNATIUS in his time? And why should not your lordships defend the Sabbath-day, as did that famous Bishop Athanasius, in his time? Cent. IV, cap. 6, p. 410. This done, the law of God should be taught and maintained in our church, in its integrity and perfection. The fourth commandment should be in use amongst us again, and be accounted as moral as any of the other nine; and God should have his whole and entire worship prescribed in the first table, as well amongst us as ever he had amongst the Jews, when they were the only people of God. If it please not God to enkindle your lordships hearts with more zeal for his glory in this behalf, than is to be found amongst common ministers, God's Sabbaths are still (which God forbid) to be123waste, his laws to be partially taught, and his entire worship to be still denied him.
Let no one suggest unto your lordships, that the observation of the ancient Sabbath is Judaism; for Athanasius, living in those first ages of the Christian churches, taketh away this objection, saying, 'We keep the Sabbath-day, and yet we are not tainted with Judaism.' Cen. IV. In the Book of Common Prayer, after the fourth commandment, (wherein the old Sabbath-day is by name specified,) is publicly rehearsed by the minister, we are ordered to use this devout prayer, Lord have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law; which prayer and commandment cannot (under your lordships correction) be understood of the Lord's day, nor of any other day, but the old Sabbath-day only; wherefore, the observation of the old Sabbath is no Judaism, unless we be taught to pray to God to incline our hearts to Judaism.
It is not unknown to your lordships, that not many years since, the cross in baptism hath by some been counted idolatrous, and the holy days Romish, and yet, hath our church freed them from such imputations? I trust, therefore, that in your grace and religious consultations, it will be judged meet, that the Lord's Sabbaths shall be also freed from the slander of Judaism, and the like. If the holy days of the saints may be defended, I trust the HOLY DAY of the Holy one of Israel shall be protected.
I have done my errand, I have discharged my duty, the cause is no longer mine. Then, in my heart, I now commend it unto your lordships for protection, the cause is God's, and therefore your's and the church's. It deserveth the patronage of the greatest and most learned.
'Tis true, my person is mean, I care not though it be slighted, so that the cause be honored. Judges regard not persons, but causes.
In courts of justice, if any sue, or inform for the king, or if the king's title be in question, though the informer be mean and neglected, yet the cause is much regarded, for it hath all the honor and furtherance, that the judges and court can give it. The judges manage it as if it were their own; other causes stand by, whilst it is tried. Informers and witnesses are countenanced and encouraged to speak, so as if possible, the king's title shall get the day. Let me petition your lordships, therefore, in your trial of this controversy, to have regard to Him, whose title is in this question, it being the Lord's Sabbath, a branch of the moral law—a part of God's worship, and one of the most ancient ordinances that ever God established in this church. The title is plainly God's therefore, yes, it is called THE SABBATH OF THE LORD, or the Lord's Sabbath, and mine holy day.
The title being God's, then let it have like favorable and honorable trial, in your synod's consistories, and consciences, which earthly kings' titles obtain in their courts; let the day be God's, let judgment pass on his side. Let the informer have encouragement and countenance. He pleads the King's broad seal, an express precept, the fourth commandment, one of the ten morals. What higher evidence can be demanded?
Let no argument, or text of Scripture, be urged to the abolishing of this ordinance of God's Sabbath, to the impairing of the moral law, and to the overturning of any part of God's worship once established in his church. Nor let any answer pass for orthodox, whereby any jot or title of the decalogue should be denied. This I humbly beg, and crave of your lordships, and that, in the name of God, whose title I inform for, and whose you are to judge, by virtue of your high offices.
It may easily be thought, that in so large a treatise as this is, wherein is handled so many arguments, and answers, passages, and particulars, and in a new argument, not formerly wrote of by any, that some of them may savor of human frailty, and stand in need of further study. I crave of your lordships, that such a thing may not be dwelt upon, but that the body of the treatise and main argument, may be attended to, the which are so clear and sound, (to my understanding,) as I am quite confident, the cause shall obtain your lordships' patronage.
So demean yourselves in deciding, judging, and defending God's title here on earth, that when the Lord Jesus, that chief Shepherd, and Bishop of our souls shall appear, then you may receive an incorruptible crown of glory.
Your lordships to command.
THEOPHILOS BRABOURNE.
Holy Inside and Outside
By John Mason
All true Christians must be like Noah's ark, that was pitched within and without. Gen. vi, 14. They must have a holy inside and a holy outside—their profession and practice must agree together.—Select Remains of Rev. J. Mason.
Detached Thoughts.
Whoso despiseth little things will never attain great things.
Many a man has rashness enough to do wrong, who has not courage enough to confess it.
To live to ourselves, to take pleasure in the misfortunes of others, to have no heart for devotion when in prosperity, and to regard our own goodness as extraordinary, are four unmistakable signs of a bad heart.
"All my Springs are in Thee."
By Sel.
THE various inspired writings composing the sacred canon may be divided into different classes, according to the nature of the subject treated of, and the manner of presenting divine truth. There is such a marked and striking dissimilarity in these sacred compositions, that the attentive reader may readily discover the natural temperament and character of the writer, as moulded by the spirit of inspiration. We have the impartial historian, giving us the only authentic account of the creation, the fall, the deluge, the preservation and continuation of the people of God through successive generations—the sweet singer of Israel—the evangelical and the weeping prophet. Among all these writings, the Psalms of David stand pre-eminent for their full and accurate delineation of the divine character and purposes, the depths of human depravity in contrast, their faithful record of Christian experience under many trying and afflictive dispensations of Providence, and the joyous language of the Christian, when walking in the light of the divine countenance. We here find the language of a heart supremely devoted to the service of Jehovah, in varied scenes of trouble and trial, joy and sorrow; which is designed to serve all succeeding generations of the people of God, as a correct standard by which they may judge of their character and attainments in the divine life. With what a keen relish does the Christian, in the exercise of gracious affections, partake of the spiritual food here provided! How readily does he perceive the breathings of his own soul to flow in with those of the pious Psalmist, in the most exalted expressions of praise and adoration of the divine character! The clause which stands at the head of this article, is one in which the writer has felt a peculiar interest. "All my springs are in Thee." In this passage David acknowledges God as the source from whence all his blessings, both of a spiritual and temporal nature, flow. When we stand upon the bank and view the rolling current of some broad, majestic river, we are naturally led to inquire, Whence come all these mighty waters, rushing with such resistless force to join "old ocean?" If we oppose its current, in search for its source, we witness with pleasure its numerous tributaries, flowing in to swell the principal stream; perceive that it gradually diminishes, till after we have traveled hundreds of miles, we find the broad, majestic river has now become the rivulet, whose silvery waters course silently down over their pebbly bed from the spring in the mountain side. As in the natural world, so in the moral we are prone to seek the source whence our blessings and enjoyments proceed. All mankind are seeking happiness with the earnest inquiry, "Who will show us any good?" Innumerable are the fountains which are opened to meet this demand of our nature; but the great error of mankind since the fall consists in this—that they have chosen to draw from fountains which cannot satisfy the soul. "They have forsaken the fountain of living waters," and hewn out to themselves "broken cisterns which can hold no water." We are all voluntary in the choice of our springs, and are therefore justified or condemned according to the nature of our choice. The Christian has chosen all his springs in God, far above the effects of sublunary change, beyond the reach of any opposing foe. Nothing can prevent the flow of living water into his soul, but a voluntary forsaking of the fountain. In saying that all the Christian's springs are in God, we do not mean to say that he has no earthly enjoyments. He enjoys all the real pleasures of earth, and they are pleasures to him because he considers them as the gifts of his heavenly Father, as well as a foretaste of heavenly joys. Mothers—ye who profess to be on the Lord's side, who have consecrated your children to God in baptism—where are your springs? Does an approving conscience prompt you to reply, They are all in God? Are you daily drawing abundant supplies from the Fountain of living waters, that your own souls may live, and that you may be well qualified for the arduous duties growing out of the interesting relation you sustain? Are you bringing all your energies to bear upon the one great point of influencing your children to come to Christ, and make choice of him as their portion and hope?—Sel.
Cecil and the Pomegranate.
Mr. Cecil was pacing to and fro in the Botanic Garden at Oxford, when he observed a fine specimen of the pomegranate almost cut through the stem. On asking the gardener the reason, he got an answer which explained the words to his own bleeding spirit. "Sir, this tree used to shoot so strong that it bore nothing but leaves. I was, therefore, obliged to cut it in this manner, and when it was almost cut through, then it began to bear plenty of fruit." Ye suffering members of Christ, be thankful, for every sorrow weakens a lust or strengthens a grace. Though it should cut to the heart, be thankful for every sin and idol thrown away. Be thankful for whatever makes your conscience more tender, your thoughts more spiritual, and your character more consistent. Be thankful that it was the pruning-knife, and not the weeding-hook, which you felt; for if you suffer in Christ, you suffer with him; and if with him you suffer, with him you shall also reign.—Emblems of Eden.
A Saying of Sir Matthew Hale.
In his treatise on the knowledge of God, this eminent Judge thus remarks: "A frequent, solemn, and serious use of the duty of prayer will interrupt a custom of sin, by degrees weaken the old man, and will in time, make a strangeness between our lusts and our souls. Let a man be sure of these two truths; that, as he that comes upon his knees with a secret purpose to hold confederacy with any sin, shall be the worse, the more hardened, and the more neglected by that God that searches the heart; so whosoever he be that comes to his Maker in the integrity of his heart, though sin adhere as close to that heart as the skin does to flesh, he shall find that employment will make those lusts that were most dear to him, by degrees to become strange and loose to his soul."
Christ our Righteousness.
By Cummings
JESUS suffered, having done nothing worthy of death. We shall be glorified, having done nothing worthy of life. Our sins were laid upon him, therefore he fell; his righteousness will be laid upon us, therefore we shall rise. When Jesus cried upon the cross, "It is finished," he had done, said and felt nothing before heaven and earth that deserved death; and when we shall be acquitted at the judgment seat, we shall have done, said and thought nothing that will be worthy of eternal life. Our sins were on, not in him; his righteousness is on, not in us. As he was made sin for us and in our stead, so we are made righteousness by him.—Cummings.
Seeking Every Christian Grace
THERE is not a grace that can adorn the Christian character, but you will have need to appear in at some time or other; therefore seek the whole, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.