that spotless Lamb, who through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without blemish to the Lord; that he might purge the conscience from dead works to serve the living God. As the child of obedience, therefore, I will no longer fashion myself to the former lusts of an unbridled affection; I will be sober, and rely wholly on the grace which is brought unto me by the revelation of Jesus Christ. The meditation of his wounds shall be the Jordan, wherein I will wash my leprous soul. I will endeavour, that as he which hath called me is holy, so may I likewise be holy in all manner of conversation; that both of me, and of others, he may be glori fied in the day of visitation. THE CHRISTIAN. From Bishop Hall. HIS NIGHT'S REST. In a due season, he betakes himself to his rest. He does not lay himself down, as the swine in the sty, or a dog in the kennel; without any further preface to his desired sleep: but improves those faculties which he is now closing up, to a meet preparation for a holy repose. For which purpose, he first casts back his eye to the now-expired day, and seriously considers how he has spent it; and will be sure to make his reckonings even with his God before he part. Then he lifts up his eyes and his heart to that God, who has made the night for man to rest in; and recommends himself earnestly to his blessed protection; and then closes his eyes in peace, not without a serious meditation of his last rest. His bed represents to him his grave; his linen his winding-sheet; his sleep death; the night the many days of darkness: and, in short, he so composes his soul, as if he looked not to wake till the morning of the resurrection. After which, if he sleep, he is thankfully cheerful; if he sleep not, his reins chasten and instruct him in the night season: and if sleep be out of his eyes, yet God and his angels are not. Whensoever he awakes, in those hands he finds himself; and there fore rests sweetly, even when he sleeps not. His very dreams, however vain or troublesome, are not to him altogether unprofitable; for they serve to discover, not only his bodily temper, but his spiritual weaknesses; which his waking resolutions shall endeavour to correct. He so applies himself to his pillow, as a man that meant not to be drowned in sleep, but refreshed; not limiting his rest by the insatiable lust of a sluggish and drowsy stupidity; but by what his health requires, and what will fit him for his calling: and rises from it (not too late) with more appetite to his work, than to a second slumber: cheerfully devoting the strength renewed by his late rest, to the honour and service of the Giver. SUDDEN DEATH. I had only just returned from a journey into a distant part of the kingdom, whither I was called by the sudden illness of a beloved and now glorified relative, when a deeply affecting event happened to me. On going up to a distant part of my parish, it was my lot to find an old man whom I well knew, and who had been a constant attendant at our Church for several years, lying dead in a field! It is impossible to describe my feelings, while I stood over his body before we got him conveyed to a neighbouring house. The event seemed to strike home to me as a Minister. The deceased had put himself under my teaching. He had sought instruction at my hands, and taken me as his guide for eternity. I could not help asking myself, "have I been faithful to this man's soul? Have I constantly proclaimed in his hearing the one way of a sinner's salvation through faith in Christ; the evil of sin; the need of conversion, and all the grand essential doctrines of the Gospel?-Or, have I been a blind leader of the blind; crying peace, peace, when there is no peace; and darkening counsel by words without knowledge?" And then I turned from the view of my own responsibil◄ ity, and endeavoured to follow the soul of the deceased into the unseen world. It was an awful thought, that now his accounts were made up for the judgment-day; that as the tree had fallen, so it must lie; that while we were gazing on the breathless corpse, the destinies of the never-dying soul were determined; and the soul had discovered its abode for eternity. I cannot help thinking, that I must of late been made so familiar with death for some good design. I seem as it were driven to the borders of eternity; and there I desire to stand looking and preparing for my last summons, while busily engaged in the Lord's vineyard. And while I find it difficult to preach from the pulpit, or to speak from the press on any other subjects, than those connected with the future, I would fain hope that both my hearers and readers may, through me, be benefitted by the histories of this dying world; and be roused to a watchful and heavenly walk. The time is short! And we are reminded on all sides, that “they who buy should be as though they possessed not, and they who use this world, as not abusing it." My neighbour had been much engaged in building concerns; and was going that very day to the market-town to measure off the work, hoping to spend the rest of his days in ease and quiet! How often, when men have reached the summit of their earthly wishes, do they step from that summit into eternity! Now it is not required that we should be so far unsettled by the impression of the shortness of time, as to neglect the duties of our worldly calling. No-men must be diligent in busiThe point to which the fleeting nature of time should lead us, is not to launch into worldly pursuits more than is needful, and to maintain a holy deadness and indifference towards them. Whatever journey we take, we must remem ber, that our last long journey will soon be announced. Whatever business we transact, we must not forget to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Always should we have our loins girt and our lamps burning; and most should we suspect our summons, when we feel ourselves ness. most secure. Nor will this exercise make us melancholy. It is the grand secret of happiness. We must die-and we must often, whether we wish it or not, think of death. He then alone is truly happy in a dying, fleeting world, who can make himself comfortably conversant with death: who seeks to have its sting taken away; and to realize the glory to which it leads the believer. Dear Christian Reader, examine well your faith. Renew your applications to the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness. Daily visit the cross of your dying Redeemer. Think of the greatness of his salvation for poor, needy sinners. Grasp the broad promises of his blessed word; and as your faith in Christ rises high, your fears of death will give way; and you will feel it good and pleasant to live in spirit on the borders of your heavenly inheritance, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God. THE CROSS OF CHRIST. Art thou tempted to think sin a trifle, and to forget its fiul malignity? Think of the cross.-It reveals its utter loathsomeness and abomination. Think of him, whom thou hast pierced; and mourn. Art thou in prayer? Remember Calvary-and may the blood of Christ, sprinkled upon thy conscience, while it tells thee to whom to pray, and how to pray, give thee the holy onfidence of a child, crying Abba Father. Art thou poor? Sweet ought it to be to thee to meditate upon him, who was rich, yet for thy sake became poor; that thou by his poverty mightest be made rich. Art thou in trouble? The hand that chastens thee, is the hand of him that bruised his Son for thee. Art thou in sickness? Think of him, who bare thy sin, the great source of all sickness and misery :—and be glad, whilst thou rememberest, that upon Calvary he gave thee the sacred pledge, that thou shalt soon be in that world, where sorrow and sickness shall be alike unknown. Art thou at the point of death? Still may thine eyes be directed to that sacred spot, which in times past thou didst find the pleasantest and the best. May that Jesus who loved thee, and gave himself for thee, that Jesus who so loved thee, that he died for thee, be thy joy and thy solace then; -while under the guidance of his Spirit thou art led to repose thy soul upon his unchanging love. "Though I pass through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me." |