aside his maps and charts, and discarding for a time his practical and scientific lore, his visionary spirit took fire at the doctrinal objections of his opponents, and he met them upon their own ground, pouring forth those magnificent texts of Scripture, and those mysterious predictions of the prophets, which, in his enthusiastic moments, he considered as types and annunciations of the sublime discovery which he proposed." Notwithstanding the dense bigotry and stupidity of his audience, a few were convinced of the reasonableness of the new theory, and these converts, doubtless, shielded Columbus from the ecclesiastical censures of the prejudiced. But the greater number doggedly persevered in their old opinions, and the poor navigator, as our readers well know, had to fight an uphill battle for years, and had to conquer many adverse circumstances before he saw the "Land of the Free."

The nobility of genius is often best seen under the most disadvantageous circumstances, and with the spiritual life the same thing holds good. Columbus braves the ridicule of the learned and the bigotry of the ecclesiastics, because he is convinced of the truthfulness of his position. So the jeers, taunts, and reasonings of an ungodly world, though unpleasant and grievous, are to the Christian, things to be borne with calmness and magnanimity, because his faith is in the ultimate realization of the hopes which the world derides. The deep convictions of his heart are not to be disturbed or uprooted because others will not be convinced of the superiority of the future life to that in which they now grovel. Whoever prefers to follow the theories and practices of the "old man," the godly man aspires after a perfect knowledge of the new life." With him old fancies have passed away, and behold all things have become new. The enmity and ridicule created by this antagonism between the conventionalities of life and the earnestness and devotion to the prospects of the more glorious future are intensely strong. A teetotaller was struck down a few days ago and killed merely because he would not treat some rascals to a drop of beer; and many a man has been slandered simply because of the distinguished purity of his character and life. Nevertheless, if we believe in the world to come, and feel its power, we must not be slow to declare our convictions at all hazards, and, like Columbus, play the man.

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That which many learned philosophers may not perceive, the simplest Christian may discover. True, it takes a wise man to be a Christian; nevertheless, the most advanced in worldly wisdom are dull in spiritual things. Columbus ultimately gained the object of his ambition, and his name continues to be honoured as one of the greatest benefactors of his race, while for his opposers nought is reserved but the ridicule which their own foolishness has heaped upon their memories. And the man possessed of even the mustard-seed of divine grace shall yet find his way to the kingdom above, where honour and renown shall through the eternal ages attend him; while those who sympathized not with the aspirations of his heart, but scoffed and ridiculed his godliness, shall yet learn the emptiness for good of everything that is not based upon the truth of God. Courage, persecuted comrade, truth's victories are slow, but sure.

5

The New Life, the Living Hope, and the Anfading

Inheritance.

BY THE REV. ROBERT MURRAY M'CHEYNE. LATE MINISTER OF ST. PETER'S

CHURCH, DUNDEE.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away."-1 Peter i. 3, 4.

THE

HERE are three things, dear friends, I would have you to notice from these words.

I. CHRISTIANS ARE "C BEGOTTEN AGAIN." "Blessed be the God." Peter here blesses God for it in these Christians with the utmost boldness, so that it must have been true of them all. And if true of Christians then, it must be true of Christians now-that they are all "born again." It cannot be said of Christians that they are all rich, or that they are all poor, all learned, or all unlearned; but this one thing may be said of them-they are "born again." born again." If you are a Christian, then you have been "born again." Some people wonder, and are vexed, that we always preach about conversion and being "born again." Some ask why we do it.

Answer (1.) Christ and his apostles did so. John the Baptist came preaching repentance, or conversion, and the forgiveness of sins. Christ himself began his ministry with "repent, and be converted, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." His first word to Nicodemus was, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." The preaching of Peter was, "repent, and be baptized every one of you," and again, "repent, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out," and last of all, you find him here blessing God for these very men that they had been "begotten again."

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(2.) All need to be "born again." If we preach against drunkenness it applies only to some. If we preach against stealing, or lying, or swearing, still it applies only to some; but if we preach that you must be born again," then it applies to all. You "must be born again" if you would be saved. O you that are kind and gentle, and outwardly respectable, my heart trembles for your souls. I do not tremble for the openly vile and profligate nearly so much as for you. It is so hard to convince you that you need "to be born again”—that all your kindness and amiable gentleness will not save you from hell. Oh! how often I have seen the words of the Saviour fulfilled, “The publicans and harlots enter into the kingdom of heaven before you."

(3.) This strikes at the root of all sin. If you had an apple tree in your garden, one branch of which always bore sour fruit, I can imagine your going round every apple of the branch, and by some operation trying to sweeten every one of them. But I will tell you a far more excellent way, cut off the branch and graft it into a better tree, then you will change its nature, and it will bear sweet apples as the season comes round. Just so it is with the soul. All of you who are un

Copied from the Author's own unpublished manuscript. Preached Dec. 31, 1837.

converted have got your particular sins. Now I could imagine your minister going over each of your sins and trying to persuade you to give them up; but ah! here is a more excellent way, let him seek to graft you into Christ, to get your nature changed, then you will bear holy fruit. Ah! do not blame us then because we preach so often about conversion. "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." "Repent, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, and that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.

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:

1. It is the work of God. "Blessed be the God." He does not say blessed be ministers, or blessed be the Bible, or blessed be education, but "blessed be GOD." It is entirely a work of God. A man could as soon bring himself into existence at the first as bring himself to be a new creature. (Question.) Is there no use of means? (Answer.) Ob, yes, there is great use of means! The Bible is one means, for James says (i. 18)," Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth." And ministers are means, for Paul says (1 Cor. iv. 15), “ Though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel." And again, in Gal. iv. 19, "My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you." Often it is when souls are searching the Scriptures diligently alone in their own chamber that God gives life to the soul through the Word. Often in waiting on the message of God preached from the lips of his servants, God breaks or binds up the heart. Still it is all the work of God. See the folly of putting off this matter from year Some will say, I will devote myself to business this year, buy and sell and get gain, and then I will turn serious, and prepare for eternity in the end of life." Oh, what utter folly! as if it were a thing you could do for yourself. Cry mightily to God for converting grace. Do, poor dead souls. You that are anxious seek it from God, and not from man. Oh, be not slack to seek it! Another year it may be too late.

to

year.

2. It flows from God's "abundant mercy." When a soul is really seeking after conversion, he very often falls into some error of trying to make himself worthy of it. He tries to recommend himself to God in many a self-righteous way. He forsakes his wicked companions, forsakes his open iniquities, and thinks God will now be pleased with him, and give him converting grace. See here the folly of all this. It is of God's "abundant mercy' that he quickens dead souls. It is not for any goodness in them, nor for any amendment in them, but freely and sovereignly out of his own compassion. Some people think that God is obliged to give man converting grace. Some of you, perhaps, have been long under awakening; you have wept much and afflicted your soul, and humbled yourself before God, and now you think God should bring your soul into light and peace. You think it hard if God does not. You see others, perhaps, brought into Christ who were not so humbled as you. See here the folly of this. It is not out of justice that God quickens dead souls. You never can claim it as a right. If ever you are saved, you will say he did it out of his "abundant mercy." 3. God should be praised for it. "Blessed be the God." Everything in creation was made for God's glory. He set the sun and moon, as

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two lamps in heaven, to shine forth his praise. If we could look aright at all the hills and valleys, we would see them glorifying God in their silent praise. So it is with everything in the new creation. It is all formed for his praise. The reason why God saved any of us is that we should be to the praise of his glory. "This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise." They shall be for a name and a praise." You would think it a great thing if God were to create a new sun in the heavens, or even a new star in the evening sky; but oh! he is doing what is far more wonderful in the midst of you. He is forming souls for his praise, who shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The conversion of a soul is more wonderful

than the creation of a world.

1. Christians, be sure to praise him for what he hath done for your souls. "Blessed be the God." Do not praise men, but God. (Question.) Are we to give no honour to ministers? (Answer.) Yes, you are to "esteem them very highly in love for their works' sake." But give the praise to HIM who says, "My glory I will not give to another."

2. Praise him for others. Begotten us." Oh, be not selfish in your praises! Be interested about other souls. Ye are members one of another. If one member be honoured, all rejoice along with it. "There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth." When a soul is

All the hopes of

"born again," it may be in some lowly dwelling, in an ungodly family, unknown, unseen by the world, but all heaven rings with new melody. And will you be silent? Oh, be glad, and bess God that another soul is saved from hell-that Jesus has another jewel in his crown. II. ALL WHO ARE BORN AGAIN HAVE A LIVING HOPE. 1. Before a man is born again he has no living hope. the world are dead hopes, because they are about dead things. Nothing deserves to be called living but that which shall live for ever. Now all the bright hopes of the worldly are fixed upon things which do not last for ever. One man hopes for money; he dwells fondly upon the day when he shall have made enough that he may retire from business, and spend old age in idleness and ease. Another hopes for pleasure; the coming feast or the evening's amusement is the anchor of his soul, his thoughts turn to it, like the needle pointing to the north. There is no end to the hopes of unconverted men; but oh! they are all dead, none of them are full of immortality. They are all about poor dead things, which perish in the very using. Oh! examine your hopes, what they are. If they are only about earthly things you are miserable men. In one day your hopes will perish. (Objection.) "Worldly men have often a hope of being saved." (Answer.) True, worldly men have generally a hope of being saved, but it is a dead hope; it has no life in it; it has no power to cheer them. Worldly men never think of an eternal world as long as they can help it. When they die they hope it will be well with them. They hope the Bible will turn out to be false, and God to be a liar, and that they shall be saved. O my friends, take care of the hope of the hypocrite; it shall perish!

2. The sight of a risen Saviour gives hope. When God has mercy on an unconverted soul, he leads it to stand where the three Maryes stoodwithin sight of the cross. He reveals "Emmanuel-God with us". suffering, the curse that should have come upon our souls. He says

to the soul, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Ah! nothing but this gives peace. The soul cries out then, "I shall not die, but live: I never can suffer wrath, for here I have received double for all my sins." Weary souls, seek this light from God. This is the way in which God fills the heart with peace. (Question.) "But how does God fill the bosom with hope?" (Answer.) He leads the soul to stand where Stephen stood-to see what Stephen saw66 I see Jesus standing at the right hand of God." He says to the soul, “See, yonder is thy Surety, who bore thy wrath. He hath gone to take possession of thy mansion in thy name. He is in thy stead. He occupies it not for himself but for thee. Oh, it is this which fills the bosom with a hope full of immortality! O Christian, keep an eye upon a living Christ if you would have a living hope. Now, it appears to me that many Christians are brought to peace who are not brought to a living hope-that many have a sense of forgiveness who have no bright hope of glory. Why is this? Because they believe on a crucified Christ, but not on a risen Christ. O Christians, beware of unbelief; believe in a risen Saviour.

3. It is a living hope. An undying hope. As long as the eye is fixed on a risen Saviour, this hope cannot die. Other hopes die. Often a Christian is stripped of every earthly hope-hope of friends, hope of money, hope of health, hope of life-all these hopes may die within him, still if the eye be fixed on a living Christ this hope will live unquenched in his bosom. This hope dies not when all other hopes perish. O my friends, get this hope, if you would be cheerful and happy. Before another year rolls over you, you may be stripped of all other hopes. You do not know what days are coming-such days as you have never seen. You may be stripped of every earthly friend-every earthly hope. Nothing will abide but this living hope. It is said of the good Bishop Beveridge, when he was very old, that he did know his most intimate friends when they came to him, even his wife he did not know; but when they asked him, "Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ? "Jesus Christ," he said, "I have known him these forty years. Precious Saviour! he is all my hope." O Christians! it is the grand secret of happiness to live on a living Saviour. This hope is an anchor to the soul. You know how the anchor holds the ship when all other things fail. The night may come on dark, you cannot see the shore; the waves may rise into a storm, forbidding all boats to near you; but if the anchor be safe and steadfast, it will keep the vessel safe. Such is this living hope in a living Saviour.

"It doth not yet

III. THE INHERITANCE CHRISTIANS HOPE FOR. appear what we shall be." The glories of that inheritance cannot be explained, therefore he only describes it by removing imperfections"İncorruptible," "undefiled," "unfading." O Christians, let us long for this unseen world of glory.

1. "Incorruptible." Everything here is corruptible. The finest garments lose their colour, yea, rot, and become food for worms. The best bread becomes stale and sour. Even gold rusts and wears away. The sweetest friends die, and though you clasp their cold remains to your inmost bosom, they quite corrupt and moulder away. But everything yonder is "incorruptible." incorruptible." The white garments wax not old. The golden harps gather no rust. The sweet friends die not. O Christians,