Know that he is God, in a manner which comes more nearly home to our experience. Nations and communities are but composed of individuals, he is the controller and governor of the whole by being so of each,— he claims to himself as God the power of dispensing happiness or sorrow. It is he who turns our joy into mourning, our sackcloth into gladness,— who orders all that affects the destinies of ourselves, or those near and dear to us as our own souls. "I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me. I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I the Lord do all these things" (Isaiah xlv. 5, 7). Does the day of adversity overtake us? Are our worldly enjoyments affected by the changes of time? Do we ourselves personally fall into affliction? or does the hand of death lessen the number of our friends, and open up the fountain of grief in our hearts? We are to know that we are "under the mighty hand of God," that he is God, the sovereign Lord of all, he who has given, and at his sovereign pleasure takes away. II. Let us consider the state of mind here enjoined in view of the Divine sovereignty, "Be still." There seems here to be an allusion to a tempest when agitated by a storm. The human heart is sometimes in a similar predicament, when moved by the severe and mysterious dispensations of the Almighty. It is apt to rise in turbulent opposition to the allotments of Divine Providence, and thus to be the seat of tumultuous and painful, because rebellious passions. This state is represented by the condition of "a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke," restive and unhappy, rebelling against unexpected restraints. In opposition to this ferment of murmuring and distressing emotions, which are alike sinful and miserable, the Divine command is, "Be still, and know that I am God." Be silent, in humble submission to my sovereign will. Let the rising tumult of disappointment, sorrow, and rebellion, be hushed into a calm by the consideration that "I am God," that all things are under my government, and ordered in perfect wisdom and love. We have some very bright examples of this humble resignation recorded in Scripture for our imitation. Fearful was the calamity that befel Aaron, when the death of his two sons filled his parental bosom with the profoundest sorrow; but we are told that he was still before God; "Aaron held his peace." The deeply afflicted and bereaved Eli said, "It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth unto him good." The Psalmist, "I was dumb and opened not my mouth, because thou didst it." They all knew that Jehovah was God, that he was the sovereign disposer of them and theirs, and therefore in the stillness of calm submission bowed their will to the will divine. I may here also add the well known example of the greatest and most illustrious sufferer upon earth, the Lord Jesus Christ, who when bowed down with the prospect of the heavy cup which was before him, meekly exclaimed, "Not my will, but thine be done." There are a few precious truths connected with the sovereignty of God, which when believed and felt, will enable us to "be still." 1. That He only removes what he himself freely bestowed. All his blessings are undeservingly given to us. They are favours lent us only for a temporary period, to be recalled when he pleases. Let us, then, in the remembrance of this, and that as sinners we have no claim to his goodness, be still, in holy resignation, breathing the language of the ancient patriarch, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord." 2. He who deals with us acts towards his people not merely as a sovereign, but in the character of an all-wise and loving Father. "Like as a father pitieth his children, so doth the Lord pity those who fear him, for he knoweth our frame, and remembereth that we are dust." So far from afflictions being a proof that he has forsaken us, they are represented as evidence the very reverse,-"For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." It is the discipline through which all his children pass, and needful to subdue our sins, humble and sanctify our souls, and prepare us as vessels of mercy for glory. "Blessed therefore is the man who endureth trial, for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." Be still, therefore, knowing that he who afflicts is the Lord, that he is perfect in wisdom, and faithfulness, and love, and that all things are even now working for the eternal good of those who love his name. 3. To comply with this divine injunction, "Be still," is to seek our own true peace and happiness. Most miserable is the soul that frets against the Lord, and feels dissatisfied with his will. But when the rising tempests of the heart are hushed into a calm, and we are enabled to say, "All is well" which he doeth, then the peace of God which passeth all understanding keeps the heart and mind through Christ Jesus. Then the refreshing streams of consolation flow into the soul, "the streams of that river which maketh glad the city of God." Then his gracious presence is experienced, for he is in the midst of the church, and "will help her right early." The consideration of God's sovereignty, the character and design of all his dispensations, and our personal peace, alike enforce the Divine precept, "Be still, and know that am God." Edinburgh. HOW TO DISCOURAGE A MINISTER AND HINDER THE PROSPERITY OF THE CHURCH. BY THE REV. J. E. SARGENT. It is a maxim well understood and acknowledged, "To do anything well we must do it heartily," and if this be true in the common affairs of life, it must be preeminently so in ministerial labours. This will appear in a moment if we reflect on the nature of the engagement. A philosophical lecture may be given with perfect calmness, the facts may be stated, and well stated, so as to answer every purpose intended, without calling into exercise any emotions or feelings of the heart, either on the part of the lecturer or his audience. But can this be the case with the gospel? The merest tyro in religious knowledge will answer emphatically, No! The gospel is intended, indeed, to reach the intellect, but preeminently to reach the heart, to touch the very spring of feeling, to awaken in the sinner a consciousness of his condition, and to lead him to a heart-broken confession of sin and a cordial trust in Jesus for salvation, to call out the affections of the saint, and arouse and strengthen in him a feeling of ardent love and gratitude that will arm him against temptation, and lead to a renewal of entire consecration to Christ. Need it be asked when this is best done? Every one knows by experience it is when the minister speaks from the depth of his feelings, and when the glow of his own heart dictates his thoughts and words. It necessarily follows that anything that tends to depress a minister's feelings must have an injurious influence, and it, therefore, becomes a matter of the greatest importance for every christian to avoid it most scrupulously. My object is to point out one way in which a minister's feelings are effectually chilled, and his heart thoroughly depressed. By a habit in which some members of churches indulge, of gadding (I use the word gadding advisedly) about to other places and neglecting their own services. Only let it be known that any extra service will be held at another chapel, or a new or popular minister preach, and away they go. And what does the minister find when he goes to his own place? a dreary array of empty places, and those that are there dispirited and gloomy; a damp is thrown over every kindling emotion of his own heart, the deadness and gloom is felt by all, the meeting is attended by an injurious influence, those present go away with the feeling, and express the feeling to others, "What a few there were at the prayer-meeting," or other service, whatever it may be. And who does not know what such a feeling inevitably leads to? first, a general disinclination to attend, short attendance, and then, discontent with the minister, although the fault is not his, but lays at the complainer's door. Were this all it would be sufficient to shew the injuriousness of such a course, but there is something further in it than this. Those who indulge this propensity justly come under the apostle's description, "Having itching ears.' The usual services become insipid and tasteless, and personal piety necessarily declines. It is, too, an indication of the want of a warm and heartfelt interest in the prosperity of the church with which they are connected. I appeal to such characters, and ask, Did you feel your strongest and dearest interests were bound up in its welfare, and did the welfare engage your earnest and constant exertions and prayers, could you desert the prayer-meeting or the other service for personal gratification? (I will not say profit, for profit is only to be obtained in the path of duty.) I know if you respond honestly to this appeal you will answer, No! You stand, then, convicted, by your own confession, of a want of interest in the welfare of the church. In other words, of a want of affectionate allegiance to Christ. And be assured if this wandering spirit is indulged, your interest in the welfare of the church must necessarily decline, the one is incompatible with the other, it is impossible they can exist together. There is yet another aspect of the case,-these very wanderers of course expect their minister to fill his place. They may be absent. They may go here or there as fancy leads, but he must be at his post like a solitary sentinel deserted by the army. Now, what is the feeling of the minister under such desertion? A feeling of the keenest anguish, and bitterest disappointment. He feels and mourns over the fact that his people's interest in the prosperity of the cause is deficient, and knowing if this be the case God's blessing is in vain expected, he anticipates, and anticipates truly, that it will be his lot in solitude to mourn in the prophet's words, "Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed ?" It is also to be remembered that in every congregation there are numbers of unconverted, ungodly, whose interest in religious things is very slight, broken easily as a thread. The effect on them is this, they feel, and say too, "If so and so, members of the church, stay away, it cannot be of any consequence my going." I might also point to its effect on the enquirer, but I forbear. Members of christian churches! if you wish to hinder the prosperity of the church and to discourage your minister, you cannot take a more effectual mode than absenting yourselves from the services of the house of God. There may, indeed, be special cases in which these remarks will not apply. There are among other denominations special services at which it is right to lend a helping hand by our presence and contributions, and far be it from me to wish to throw a barrier between the inter change of such christian communion. In such cases let the usual meeting be postponed, and minister and people go together; or if this cannot be done, in a special case no minister would object to recommend his people to go, and a short meeting would be productive of no evil but rather of good. I recommend these few thoughts to the prayerful consideration of the wandering members of christian churches, and trust they may be awakened to consideration of the evils attached to their course. And that they may henceforth possess a feeling like the woman who, when she was asked if the king or captain of the host should be spoken to in her behalf, beautifully replied, "I dwell among mine own people;" or the feeling the Psalmist so earnestly expressed, "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy." Experience as well as the Scripture teaches it is only when such feelings are cherished that a church can expect prosperity. Wyken. Sinner, tremblest thou with awe Thon who oft with purpose strong Chose the good and shunned the wrong, Yet, alas, too often stray From the good and heavenly way, He in every time and place Christian Heroes. No. 2.-SOME OF THE FIRST. Eighteen centuries have passed away since the Founder of Christianity first began to unfold the doctrines of his gospel. He came into a world dark and benighted, at a time, too, when almost all apprehension of the spiritual seemed to be lost; and, consequently, though he wandered far and laboured hard to fulfil the high mission on which he came, but few were induced to listen to his teachings, or to receive the glorious and elevating truths he had to tell. And it is difficult for us, living when we do, when Christianity has attained such a different position and influence, to understand the difficulties which then stood in the way of a reception of the gospel. It was not then a system venerable by antiquity, and which had been gathering fresh glories by the conflicts and conquests of two thousand years; no triumphs were then associated with its name, nor had it impressed itself on the character of vast and enlightened nations; it was then a new thing; a new thing, too, presenting itself in aught but an inviting and prepossessing aspect; and which we might have predicted would be rejected, as indeed it was, by the large proportion of those who ever heard or thought of it. Who was its founder? He was a peasant. Who were its converts ? They, also, were, for the most part, poor and ignorant men. The weight of authority was all against it. Power was everywhere wielded to crush it. Philosophy ridiculed it: respectability passed by it: even when it had made some way, it was regarded as a silly and degrading superstition-only another of the follies into which the ignorant and credulous had so often been led. We do not, therefore, wonder that so few were induced, presenting itself as it did, to accept it; we rather wonder that so many believed. They were many of them Jews. They possessed an ancient and venerable religion, associated with all the great events of their national and domestic history. It was as rich in association, and as imposing in ritual, as the new religion was poor. God had given it himself to their fathers. Moses, and Joshua, and Samuel, and David, were among those who had defended it and had handed it down. Its magnificent ceremonial had been their delight in childhood, and its wondrous narratives had been read and told to them from the dearest and most honoured lips. Even in their manhood it had comforted and guided them, if they were spiritual men, when they felt most to need comfort and guidance; and they had been accustomed to look to it for support and consolation, when they should grope amid the darkness of the darkest hour. Thus we see that it was an HEROIC thing, under these circumstances, to catch a glimpse of the divine under the human in Christianity. It needed, it is evident, great manliness and virtue, to see the truth and to receive it, when there was so much to blind. Nor was the struggle over when the new religion had been embraced. Nay, it was then only begun. They were looked upon as atheists after they became christians. The finger of scorn was pointed at them, and they had to meet the cold distant looks of those they loved. It was then a reality, and not a figure, that men had to leave father and mother and wife and child for Christ. It was a stern fact, and not a mere sentiment, that christians were pilgrims and sojourners, and that the world was a desert to them. They, certainly, were not "Carried to the skies Ou flowery beds of ease." Poverty, hunger, stripes, banishments, were the "portion of their inheritance and their cup." Persecution in all its rigour was theirs. Chains and dungeons were familiar and every-day things to them. Nay, many of them ended their course of devotedness and allegiance to the truth, by dying to witness their faith in it! To whom, then, shall we give the name of HERO, if not to these? Men whose life, after their conversion, was one of noble self-sacrifice-of more than manly daring? There is PAUL,-one of the most heroic The writer does not overlook here the evidence which the miracles would have furnished. It will be perceived, however, that the difficulties alluded to above would operate antecedently to the examiuation of evidence. |