Publishing Committee · Rochester, N. Y. · Jun 12, 1855
THE MORNING.
By H. Bonar
"THE watchman said, 'The morning cometh;' (Isa. xxi, 12:) and though, while making this answer, he forewarns us of night, he also assures us of morning. There is a morning, says he, therefore do not give way to faintness of spirit; but there is a night between, therefore take warning: that you may not be surprised nor dismayed, as if the promise were broken, or some strange thing allowed to befall you.
There may be delay, he intimates, before the morning, a dark delay, for which we should be prepared. During this delay the watchman encourages us to "inquire," to "return," to "come." He expects us to ask "how long," and say, "When will the night be done?" He takes for granted that such will be the proceeding of men who really long for morning. To the hills of Seir they will again and again return, to learn from the watchman what is the promise of day. For no familiarity with the night can ever reconcile them to its darkness, or make morning less desirable and welcome.
It is right for us to desire the morning, to hope for it, to weary for it, to inquire as to the sight of it hour after hour. God has set this joy before us, and it were strange indeed if, when compassed about with so many sorrows, we could forget it, or be heedless as to its arrival. For the coming of the morning is the coming of Him whom we long to see. It is the coming of Him "who turneth the shadow of death into the morning." Amos v, 8. It is the return of Him whose absence has been night, and whose presence will be day. It is the return of Him who is the resurrection and the life, and who brings resurrection with him; the return of Him who is creation's Lord, and who brings with Him deliverance to creation; the return of Him who is the church's Head, and who brings with Him triumph and gladness to his church.
All the joy, the calm, the revivifying freshness of the morning are wrapt up in Him. When He appears, day appears, life appears, fruitfulness appears. The curse departs. The "bondage of corruption" is no more. Clouds, storms, troubles, sorrows vanish. The face of nature re-assumes the smile of unfallen times. It is earth's festival, the world's jubilee. "The heavens rejoice, the earth is glad, the sea roars and the fullness thereof, the fields are joyful and all that is therein, the trees of the wood rejoice, the floods clap their hands, and the hills are joyful together before the Lord; for He has come, for He has come to judge the earth; with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with his truth." Ps. xcvi, 11; xcviii, 7.
This morning has been long anticipated. Age after age it has attracted the church's eye, and fixed her hope. On the promise of it her faith has been resting, and towards the hastening of it her prayers have gone forth. Though afar off, it has been descried, and rejoiced in as the sure consummation towards which all things are moving forward according to the Father's purpose. "There is a morning," has been the word of consolation brought home to the burdened heart of many a saint when ready to say, with David, "I am desolate," or with Jeremiah, "He hath set me in dark places as they that be dead of old."
Let us dwell for a little on some of these Old Testament allusions to the MORNING. Let us take first the 30th Psalm.
David had been in sorrow, and in coming out of it he makes known to the saints his consolations:—
"Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For there is but a moment in his anger; in his favor is life; weeping may endure for a night, but JOY COMETH IN THE MORNING." Ps. xxx, 4, 5. The earnest of that morning he had already tasted, but the morning itself he anticipates. Then joy has come. Then he can say, (verse 11, "Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness." But it is the voice of a greater than David that is heard in this Psalm. It is one of Christ's resurrection Psalms, like the 18th and the 116th. He was "lifted up," so that his foes were not made to rejoice over him. He cried, and was "healed." His "soul was brought up from the grave." There was anger against Him "for a moment," when as the sinner's substitute he bore the sinner's curse. But in Jehovah's favor there was "life." He had a night of weeping, a night of "strong crying and tears," when his soul was "sorrowful even unto death," and when beneath the waves of that sorrow he sunk, commanding his spirit into the Father's hands. But it was a night no more. Morning came, and with morning, joy. Coming forth from the tomb, he left all his sorrow behind: his sackcloth was put off, and he arose "girded with gladness." He found morning and joy; and he is "the first fruits of them that slept." His rising was the rising of his saints. There was a morning for him, therefore there shall be one for us,—a morning bright with resurrection glory.
Let us next take Psalm forty-ninth. These are Christ's words, as is proved from the quotation of verse 4, in Matt. xiii, 35. He summons the whole world to listen. He "speaks of wisdom," for he is Wisdom. He points to the vanity of riches, and their insufficiency to redeem a soul; and who knew so well as he what a ransom was needed? He sees men going on in their wickedness, self-confidence, and vain-glory. He proclaims their madness and guilt,—speaking of them as incurable from generation to generation. He contrasts the end of the wicked and the end of the righteous; "like sheep the former are laid in the grave,"—buried out of sight, forgotten, unmourned. "Over them the righteous shall have dominion IN THE MORNING." The morning then brings dominion to the righteous,—redemption from the power of the grave. In this Jesus rejoiced; in this let us rejoice. This joy of the morning was set before him; it is the same joy that is set before us. Dominion in the morning is that to which we look forward,—a share in the first resurrection, of which they who are partakers live and reign with Christ.
Look again at the forty-sixth Psalm. It is the utterance of the faith of Israel's faithful ones, in the time of "Jacob's trouble." The earth is shaken; (verse 2, compared with Haggai ii, 6; and Heb. xii, 26, 27;) the sea and the waves roar; (verse 3, compared with Luke xxi, 25;) but there is a river whose streams gladden them. God is in the midst of her. Nay, "God helps her WHEN THE MORNING APPEARETH," (verse 5, margin,) just as in the morning watch he looked out from the fiery cloud and troubled the Egyptians. Then the heathen are scattered at his voice,—he sweeps off every enemy, he makes wars to cease, and sets himself on high over the nations, as King of kings, "exalted in the earth." From which we gather that the morning brings with it deliverance from danger,—victory over enemies,—the renewal of the earth,—peace to the nations,—the establishment of Messiah's glorious throne. What a morning of joy must that be, for the church, for Israel, for the whole earth!—resurrection for the church, restoration for Israel, restitution for the earth!
Look at the 110th Psalm. We see Jesus at Jehovah's right hand,—waiting till his enemies be made his footstool; and then He who said unto him "Sit," shall say "Arise." Ps. lxxxii, 8. He is yet to have dominion on earth, and to sit upon the throne of his father David. Instead of a "gainsaying people," as he had in the day of his weakness, he is to have "a willing people in the day of his power," all arrayed in the beauties of holiness; more numerous and resplendent than the dew from the womb of THE MORNING. Willingness, beauty, holiness, brightness, number:—these shall mark his people in that morning of joy which his coming shall produce. "The dew (says one) is deposited in greatest plenty about the breaking of the dawn, and refresheth with its numerous drops the leaves and plants and blades of grass on which it resteth; so shall the saints of God, coming forth from their invisible abodes out of the womb of the morning, refresh the world with their benignant influence; and therefore are they likened to the dew, for all nature is so constituted of God, as to bear witness of that day of regeneration, which then shall dawn."
Read also "the last words of David," (2 Sam. xxiii, 1-4,) in which, as in the 72d Psalm, "the242prayers of David are ended," or summed up. "There shall be a just one ruling over men, ruling in the fear of God; as THE LIGHT OF THE MORNING shall he arise, the Sun of an unclouded morning, shining after rain upon the tender grass of the earth." Not till that Just One comes is the morning to dawn, for he is its light; and from his countenance is to break forth that light in which all earth is to rejoice. Then the darkness of the long night shall disappear, and the brief tribulation tasted in the time of absence be forgotten in the abounding blessedness of his everlasting presence. *
Thus we see all kinds of joy brought within the circle of this MORNING. It is a morning of joy, because it is the morning introduced by Him, who said, "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full;" (John xv, 11:) by Him "in whose presence there is fulness of joy, and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore." Ps. xvi, 11. But let us mark the different kinds of joy and the different figures denoting it.
There is the joy of deliverance from overwhelming danger. There was the joy of the Jews when their adversary perished, and Mordecai was exalted: "The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honor: . . . the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day." Esth. viii, 16. Such shall be the church's joy in the morning of her great deliverance. There is the joy of escape from captivity and return from exile, such as made Israel feel "as men that dream." Such shall be the church's joy when her long captivity is done. "Then shall her mouth be filled with laughter, and her tongue with singing; having sowed in tears she reaps in joy." Ps. cxxvi, 2. There is the joy of the harvest, (Isa. ix, 3,) and such shall be the church's joy. There is the mother's joy when her pangs are over, and the child is born into the world. John xvi, 20. With such joy shall we rejoice, and our joy no man taketh from us. The joy in reserve for us is manifold and large; it will abide and satisfy; it is the joy of the morning,—a long glad day before us; no evening with its lengthening shadows, no night with its chills and darkness. "There shall be no night there, and they need no candle neither light of the sun, for the Lord God giveth them light, and they shall reign for ever and ever." Rev. xxii, 5.
The prospect of this morning—this "morning of joy"—nerves and cheers us under all our tribulation. Were this morning an uncertainty, how dark would the night seem! how difficult for us to fight against faintness and despair! But the thought of morning invigorates and braces us. We can set our faces to the storm, for behind it lies the calm. We can bear the parting, for the meeting is not distant. We can afford to weep, for the tear shall soon be wiped away. We can watch the tedious sick bed, for soon "the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick." We can look quietly into the grave of buried love and cherished hope, for resurrection shines beyond it. Things may be against us here, but they are for us hereafter. The here is but an hour; the hereafter is a whole eternity.
But for the world—the heedless, pleasure-chasing world, they have no such brightenings for their dark hours of sorrow. No morning comes to them. Their sun sets, but rises not again; their life goes down in darkness, without a hope. It is night—night infinite and endless, to them; "the blackness of darkness for ever." No healing of their wounds, no wiping away of their tears, no binding up of their broken hearts! They reject the infinite sacrifice, they sport away their day of salvation, and their history winds up in judgment and the second death. "If they speak not according to this word," (says the prophet,) "there is no morning for them." Isa. viii, 20, margin. This word, "which by the gospel is preached unto them," (1 Pet. i, 25,) they slight or scorn, and vengeance overtakes them for rejection! "Therefore," says the same prophet, "shall evil come upon you; thou shalt not know its morning." Isa. xlvii, 11, margin. An evil without a deliverance, a night without a morning, is their portion!—H. Bonar.
Worldly Conformity.
By M. E. S.
Let the world pass on in its boasted pride,
Its glitter and hollow show;
It is treading a way that is false as wide,
Where the gates of destruction blow;
But those who would walk in the narrow path,
Will find it is too confined
For the swelling titles and wealth of earth,
And the homage of human kind.
Then Christian, away from its witching smile,
To the pride of life bid adieu;
And let worldlings mock as they may the while,
To God and thyself be true;
Oh why should you care for the scoffer's sneer,
Or heed what the world may say?
They're seeking, receiving their happiness here,
Nor ask for a brighter day.
But we who are looking beyond this earth
For our portion of treasured bliss,
Should turn for aye from the senseless mirth
Of a world full of sin as this;
Let fashion and folly control the gay,
Be duty and love our guide,
And though former companions deride our way,
Let us walk by our Master's side.
And let us remember the feverish dream
Of fame and wealth no more;
Oh, little we'll prize the world's esteem,
When its fitful song is o'er.
I know that this life hath a magic spell,
And a thousand voices too;
But a Saviour's hand is guarding well,
Every trusting heart and true.
Then be not conformed to the changeful ways
Of this passing, seductive earth;
But be ye transformed by renewing grace,
And the power of a nobler birth.
Oh, sink to the station where Jesus stood,
And learn, where the lowly live—
Take for an ensample the only "Good,"
And strive for the life he'll give.
M. E. S.
The Judgment of God upon the Nations.
By Editor
We had the curiosity, not long since, to compare all the books on unfulfilled prophecy, within our reach, to see how far they were agreed as to the precise position which the present generation occupies in prophecy. The writers belonged to so many schools of interpretation that we were not at all disappointed in discovering that there were very few points in which they were agreed, and the comparison was not by any means confirmatory of the idea, that prophecies were intended to be understood in their details before they are fulfilled. We are aware that there seems to be a blessing pronounced upon him who reads and understands them, but it is a blessing which we fear but very few in this age of the church can claim.
There is one point, however, in which most of these writers do agree, and it is to that that we specially invite the attention of our readers at this time. They all agree that we are on the eve of very great changes and revolutions of some kind. The plot of the world’s history seems to be thickening fast, great revolutions are to follow each other in quick succession, and crowd themselves into a very short space of time. We were struck with the very great changes which were supposed by most of these writers to be predicted as to take place from the year 1848 to 1866. The latter is the time fixed upon by some of the millennarians as the end of the 1260 years of Daniel and John, and as the period of the second coming of Christ, which is, according to them, to be preceded by great convulsions among many of the nations, and the infliction of terrible judgments upon them by God. It is fixed upon by many of the advocates of a spiritual millennium as the time when that delightful season is to commence; others place it later, making it commence about the close of this century, and making the millennium the seventh thousand of the world’s history. Both classes of writers, however, agree that the period styled the millennium is probably not very far off, and that it is to be immediately preceded by great changes of some sort, and most of them by great and sore judgments being sent upon the nations of the earth. We undertake not now to decide which view of the millennium, or whether either, is right. It is a subject upon which dogmatism, as it seems to us, is exceedingly out of place. Our object in referring to it now, is simply to turn the attention of our readers to the contemplation of the subject, and to prepare their minds, by a calm and confiding reliance upon God, for whatever may await us as a nation or them as individuals.
If we look to the present condition of the nations of the Old World, they appear to be passing through fiery ordeals and convulsions which are to shake them to their very foundations. The prospect now is that the whole of Europe and a portion of Asia will be involved in the fearful struggle which has commenced between Turkey, France, England, and Austria on the one side, and Russia on the other. The Vienna Conference has been, and is likely to be, wholly barren of results, except to render the question of a permanent peace more difficult, and to put off the time of its consummation to an indefinite period. The most sagacious statesmen have predicted, from the time it was proposed, that any peace which it might effect would only be temporary, to be followed by fresh struggles, in which some of the parties to the contest would change places. When we think of the immense armies that are, or can be, marshalled for the conflict, the almost inexhaustible resources of the belligerents, and the increase in the facilities of destroying life, which modern improvements have placed within the reach of the parties, the coming struggle almost overwhelms the mind with its greatness and with the destruction of life and the amount of human suffering which it will probably cause. China, too, that great nation, containing nearly one third of the whole race of man, which had by outsiders been supposed to be stereotyped, and secure against revolutions, is now in a state of revolution, at sea without compass or chart, drifting, none but God knows whither. What other neighboring nations she will involve in her struggles, before they are over, none can tell but an omniscient being. We know so little of the continent of Africa, that we can give no guess as to what changes are awaiting her. Should her exiled sons and daughters be returned to her in large numbers, bearing with them the seeds of civilization and Christianity, they may infuse new life and vigor even into her, and effect changes which may even cause Ethiopia to stretch forth her hands unto God. On our own continent, the South American and Mexican Governments are mere ropes of sand which may be broken into a thousand fragments at any moment. They are sleeping volcanoes whose internal fires may burst forth in an hour, and spread desolation all around them.
And what shall we say of our own nation? Are all the other nations to be scourged and convulsed and we alone to remain calm, prosperous and happy, with no causes to hinder our onward march to greatness? If we have fewer sins than other nations, have we not had greater opportunities to do and be good, than they, and have not our temptations to sin been less than theirs? Where much is given, will not much be required? If exalted to heaven, will we not be cast down to hell, if we do not make a proper improvement of our blessings and privileges? Has not God already begun to deal with us, in the fearful drought of the past year, and who of us is certain that he has yet finished the process which he then commenced? Have we learned the lesson which that Providence was intended to teach? Then, what mean those distant thunders of a coming struggle between the North and South, which a few years must precipitate upon us, unless God in his great goodness avert its fury, before wicked demagogues precipitate the crisis? The great, the wise, and the far-seeing men, who had sufficient force of character to risk their standing at home and reputation abroad, to enable them to lay their hands upon both parties, and hush to silence their angry passions, and bring them into harmony, are nearly all gone, and sectional men from both regions are likely to get into their places. Our hope is in God alone. He can bring light out of darkness, order out of confusion, and cause the wrath of man to praise him. If he has great and wise purposes for us to accomplish as a united people, which is our hope, he will continue us as such, and can easily raise up the instruments to do it with. If our sins have provoked his wrath, as we have too much reason to fear, and if our cup of iniquity has become full, as that of many of the nations of the Old World seems to have done, we may look out for the rod to be heavily laid upon us as upon them. We know that God will overturn and overturn amongst the nations, until everything which he wishes torn down has been destroyed. The only safety for individuals, or for nations, in such times of the out-pourings of his judgments, is to secure his favor which is life, and his loving kindness which is better than life. He will hide his friends and favorites in the hollow of his hand, until the calamity be overpast. They may confidently say, with his servant of old: “the Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice!” “Though the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olives shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flocks shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls; yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” God’s people, and the nations whom he loves and approves, are safe, though he may chasten them, and none are safe but they. He keeps those in perfect peace whose minds are stayed on him.—Pres. Herald.
“To-Day.”
Not at any time, not a future time, but to-day. Not after Satan has had time again to ply his arts on you, not after you have again tried the world, not after conviction has been once more dulled, and deadened, and stifled by business, by pleasure, by care, but now, to-day, while the words of God are ringing in your ears.
To-day—while the great sacrifice of Christ is within view; while Christ still waits at the right hand to “make intercession for all who come unto God by him.” To-day, to-day—while you feel your need, while you still are sensible of your own inability to be your own saviour; to-day, while the Holy Spirit still strives.
“Hear His voice!”—the voice that says, “Come let us reason together”—the voice that says, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink”—the voice that says, “Look unto me, and be saved”—the voice that says, “I am the bread of life”—“I am the light of the world”—“Come unto me, and I will give you rest.”
Oh! that you would hear! grieve not the Holy Spirit of God. “Harden not your heart” as Pharaoh did—as Israel did in the provocation in the wilderness. Sin is secretly gnawing the vitals of your soul. Repentance for sin is a duty now; forsaking sin is a duty, and a duty to-day. Pardon is ready to-day; for the fountain is full to the brim. Purification is ready to-day; for the Holy Spirit is in the gift of Jesus. “Harden not your heart.”
Remember, He who says, “to-day,” limiteth the time—draws round you a circle, as the Roman Ambassador did to the King, saying, “Decide for peace or war, ere you pass from this spot.” He limited a certain time; and the word “to-day” points out how far the circle extends. Long suffering has an end, even the long-suffering of God. Oh! then, “If ye will hear His voice!” It is not man, but the Holy Ghost that so speaketh.243
To-morrow is not as this day; to-day the Holy Ghost says, “Hear His voice,” and shows us God in Christ inviting, calling, urging sinners, imploring them, beseeching them. As to-morrow, the Holy Ghost shows us God, as Judge shutting the door; setting the flaming sword at the gate of Paradise, declaring, with uplifted hand, “They shall not enter into my rest.”
Conflicts Among the Saints
Many a sharp conflict there hath been betwixt saint and saint, scuffling in the dark, through misunderstandings of the truth, and each other.
Discrediting Religion.
By Editor
"He is a godly man, but very sharp at a bargain." This remark referred to a professor of religion and was designed as a disparagement both of him and his religion. Men of the world, whose only gospel is founded on the maxims and customs of business, aim at sharpness in making a bargain; and, while they condemn positive and vulgar cheating, they consider it no discredit to approach as near as possible to the line which separates it from an acute exercise of their business tact, in obtaining an advantage over their less wakeful neighbors.
When, however, one comes among them professing another gospel, enjoying higher principles of action, they watch him closely, and if they detect him adopting their policy, using their artifices, betraying the same restless anxiety to make quick and doubtful profits, in a word, when they see him leaving his gospel at home, and going to his place of business like a man of the world, to chaffer, to screw, to make money at all hazards, they note the inconsistency, and jeer both him and his religion.
With this we find no fault. We commend men of the world for the watchfulness they exercise over Christian professors, and for the rebukes which they express at their manifest inconsistencies. We say to them, "Preach to such men in your pointed way until they reform or lay aside the profession they dishonor."
We do most seriously protest, however, against laying their inconsistencies to the account of religion. Religion is a holy and sacred thing; it has no precept enjoining love of the world, self-seeking, or injury to our neighbor, and he that follows such precepts manufactures them out of his own evil heart, and in utter despite of the gospel.
If a professed disciple of Christ shows himself to be a mean, grasping, over-reaching trader, say of him that he dishonors religion, while you respect the religion, which, if it was truly experienced by him would make him another and a better man.
How cautious should Christians be in their contact with the world! They are entrusted, in a sense, with the very honor of Christ; and they may do immense mischief to his cause, and to the souls of their poor fellow men, when they betray an intense worldly spirit, and especially when they descend to any of the tricks of trade. In every transaction they should be examples to all around them.
Condition of the City of the Popes.
Listen to Kirwan. “Nor, sir, is there any security for property in Rome! It is constantly confiscated on the merest pretexts, to the Church, and when not confiscated it is alienated to the ‘Holy See’ in a variety of ways. Two instances, in proof of this were narrated to me there, and by a man of high position. A Roman of wealth married a lady of foreign birth, and by whom he had a large family of children. After a life of love and harmony, he died, leaving his property to his widow and children, duly authenticated. Although regardless of the priests in health, he sent for one when dying, who confessed him, and anointed him, and fixed him off for purgatory or paradise. A few days after his death, that priest swore before the tribunal having jurisdiction in such cases, that the dying man confessed to him a great sin, and to atone for which he wished his entire property, contrary to his will, to go to the Church, and on the oath of that priest the will of the deceased was set aside, his property was turned into the treasury of the Church, and his widow and children were turned out penniless upon the mercy of the world. Thus nothing is necessary to deprive any family in Rome that has lost its head, of its property, but the oath of a priest; and if you had seen them in crowds, as I have, you would conclude, as I have, that it would be an easy matter to get a priest in Rome that would swear anything. Absolution from perjury that enriches the Church is easily secured.
“Nor sir, is there any religion in Rome. I do not mean to say that among the thousands of ecclesiastics, there are none that love God, nor do I mean to say that the Lord has no chosen ones hidden among the chaff and trash that are every where visible there, but I do mean to say, and affirm as strong as language can do it, that among the masses of priests and people there is no fear of God, and no knowledge of the doctrines of our religion. And how could there be, in the absence of the means instituted by heaven to sustain and to extend religion among the people.
“There is no Sabbath in Rome. The only apparent difference there between the Sabbath and other days of the week is, that the shops are more gaily dressed, the markets are more full, and more people are engaged in buying and selling. On my way to St. Peter's, from the Hotel d'Angleterre, I saw monks and priests in all the shops and markets, buying, as on other days, and chatting like magpies. In Naples, the shops are all closed, and all business suspended on feast days, but on the Sabbath all business is brisker than usual. Romanism knows no Sabbath.
“There is no Bible in Rome. I made my inquiries there for a Bible, but without success. The people have no Bible—they know nothing about it. An intelligent man of fifty told me he never saw one. Multitudes of the priests know nothing about it, and when asked why they have none for sale, the booksellers will tell you that it is prohibited. Captain Packenham, once a banker in the city, and a most respectable gentleman and devout Christian, is now in banishment for circulating the Scriptures there during the short existence of the Republic. Much of true religion consists in knowing God and Jesus Christ; and how can they be known by a people from whom the Bible is excluded?
“There is no preaching in Rome. Now and then a foreign priest or ecclesiastic visiting there in search of a pallium or of a cardinal's hat, may get up a brief course of lectures for the edification of the strangers wintering there; but these are usually vain and ambitious men, who seek in this way to gain favor at court, and to promote their self-interests. There is no preaching to the Italians, and when there is an occasional exception to the rule, it is not the gospel that is preached—it is either an eulogy upon some Popish saint, or a vehement harangue against the Reformation and the Protestants. Popery treats as a nullity the ascending command of the Saviour, ‘Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.’ This one crime, sir, is enough to subject it to the curse of ‘Anathema maranatha.’”—Selected.
How to be Rich in Heaven.
If it is prudent to provide for the time to come, how much more so to provide for eternity! While to be rich in this world is the passion of thousands, to be rich in the next be mine. An appetite after earthly grandeur, betrays a mean spirit, and a base soul; but an ambition to be great in heaven, is worthy of an heir of God, of an expectant of glory: for it is to the honor of the supreme Potentate, that all his subjects be nobles, be priests, be kings.
In this short lifetime is the foundation laid of things of eternal moment, and the wisdom that is from above will teach me to send all my treasures thither. It deserves little or no pity to be poor in this world, but poverty in the other is deplorable beyond the reach of compassion. And yet, according to the capacity of glorified saints, shall that same undiminished fulness be possessed in greater or lesser degree.
"How rich died he?" is the speech of fools at the decease of an acquaintance or friend. But none ever die rich but the saints; for, how can that man be said to die rich, when the very moment of his dissolution robs him of his all?
"Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven," is the admonition of the dear Redeemer. Let me, then, lay down an imperfect plan to myself, how to be rich for eternity.
1. Then, pre-supposing that I am in a gracious state, I must have a Christian contempt of the world. No man ever filled his coffers with sand; so monarch ever wore the pebble in his crown; so the soul that lays up his treasures in heaven, will not concern himself with perishing trifles. If my affections are not weaned from the creature, and set on things above, I shall be but poor in the world to come.
2. I must be watchful in all things. The man that is anxious to be rich will not waste a penny; so must I watch mine actions, my thoughts, my words. Again, I must watch for God, against all my secret sins, and also to reprove the transgressor. A bold and sincere reproof of sin, is a stroke against the enemies of the King, from which a palm of victory shall spring in the world of glory. I must also speak in commendation of the good land, that others may be encouraged to set out for the land of promise. Again, I must watch against carnal sorrow. Should the heir of a crown lament the loss of a feather? What can death do in his family who is the resurrection and the life? It may separate them a little while, but it is only to meet again for ever. Worldly riches give their owners joy, but joy in the Lord increases spiritual riches. So I must guard against carnal delight; none of the gay things of time must be objects of my affection. It would be mean for a noble personage to be charmed with a stable, who has a palace prepared for him; mean for an heir of God to sit down and feed on the refuse of the creation. Again, I must beware of carnal company. These are bankrupts that will spend at my expense, and whatever loss I make by them, yet in their company I shall never be able to add a mite to my celestial treasure. How can I be safe among robbers? They may rob me of a good frame, wound my conscience, and at last leave me with a bleeding heart, which may pain me many days.
3. To grow rich for the world to come, I must study to be heavenly-minded, not by fits and starts, but in one constant, steady, holy frame of spirit. Thus every duty will be my delight; prayer and praise, like my daily food, always pleasant; attendance on the public ordinances, like walking in the King's palace garden; reading the scriptures, like conferring with the dearest friend; and self-examination, like the merchant from a far country, counting over his rich jewels and precious gems, inspecting his gold and silver, that it have the King's stamp, and so be sterling money; that his graces, his duties, his at-244tainments, are approved by scripture and conscience.
4. Holy meditations will mightily augment the spiritual riches. To find God in all things, and at all times, in all places, and in all providences, will enrich my soul for eternity. To find his power in this, his wisdom in that, and his goodness in all, will greatly improve my inquiring, my admiring soul. Meditating much, meditating often, meditating with delight, on him in whom are hid the treasures of wisdom, is a noble way to enrich me for a future world.
5. To be rich in the better country, I must heartily study to approve of all the dispensations of Providence; though not insensible when he frowns, or when he smiles. When the soul of the Christian, with a filial resignation, acquiesces in the conduct of his Almighty Father, however cross to flesh and blood, and, in the midst of all commotions, reposes himself on his unchangeable love, he takes deep root for eternity; while fear and unbelief toss the unstable, like a rolling thing before the whirlwind. It is proper only to children, not to men, to be peevish for toys and trifles; so let the men of this world lament the loss of worldly things but let the heirs of God, the joint-heirs with Christ, rejoice that the treasures of eternity are theirs.
6. To be rich unto God, and for eternity, I must act strong faith on the Rock of ages; for it is from the spoils of battles won by faith, that I amass riches for the invisible world. Faith relying on a reconciled God in all attributes and perfections, on Jesus in all his offices and relations, on the Holy Ghost in all his graces and operations, must remove mountains of difficulty, pluck up trees of corruption, pull down strong-holds of sin, wrestle against principalities and powers, and be more than conqueror at last, through her all-glorious Author and Finisher.
7. I must also redeem time, and improve time; redeem time from this world, and improve it for the world to come. The man of business will be loth to lose a change hour for any trifling amusement; and the soul that would be busy for eternity, should look on every hour as his last hour, and should avoid excess of sloth and slumber. Vain amusements, impertinent employments, are cruel moths of time; and time is to be husbanded, though worlds should be squandered away. As the jeweller deals with gold, so must I with time; he is careful about the filings, and loses nothing; so should I about the smallest divisions of time, the hour, the minute, the moment. It never made a dying person's bed thorny, that, by a bad bargain, he lost such and such a sum; but mis-spent time has made the dying moments of many dismal beyond expression.
8. To be rich in the world to come, I must have an intense love towards God and heavenly things. The men that love the world, pant after the dust of the world, and spare no pains to be rich in the world. A man will never toil himself to gather what he despises; so, unless I prefer heavenly things to earthly, I shall never seek to fill my treasure with invisible excellencies. "He that loveth silver," says the wise man, "shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase." But he that loveth God shall be satisfied with God, and entranced with the exuberant fullness of the covenant.
9. To be rich indeed at last, I must endeavor to maintain communion with God now. To have fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ, in all his divine fullness, his glorious perfections, and his gracious ways, is the most enriching course that I can carry on below. Every moment of divine intercourse would be sinking another sum in the bank of heaven, so that I should be wondrous rich at last. He that quits the Indies for Europe, sends his treasures before him; then, though he be poor at his departure from the one country, yet he is rich on his arrival at the other; so well were it with me, if I could detach my thoughts and meditations, my care and affections, my joy and delight, my hope and expectation, from this perishing world, and centre them on that which is to come.—Selected.