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' « 4 . ,,.• C r~n Addittonal commantt:/ ' Ca doeumant att filmi au taux da rMuction indiqu* ci-dattout. tex 14X 1BX , . 22X ". 7 ■•<• ' ■' t , « ■12X. . .1iX_ . 20X ' 1L.-V m^Mi^iX ■ '.... I Hum I NoM MdMiHHiM tt l i i W i u pili M llim hii a M poMikto * w proaww. Ut MttH* di CM •MMplakf 4«i MM pMt4fra iMi«pM Ai pokit (it VIM raproduHc, OM qui pwnant ciiitw MM MMrfiflMtlMi Ci-dMMUS. 1 1 ^irf^^^^^^B'^W P^^^^^" L_l PSfM tft COUlMV OS: □ raflM rMtprai and/or lamlnatad/ PSfN rattaurtot at/on pil ll cfii U ti « QHm^ diaeokMiradl. tiainad a* ffoiiad/ raws oaaoMifaai r~| PtiflH datachad/ QShoMrthrotilh/ Tfantpafanaa Qdualitv of iwint variat/ QiialMinitriadanmpr □ Contimioyi pagination/ Pagination eontinua D Inciudai ind8x(a«)/ Comprand on (dH) indax Titia on fiaadar takan from:/ La titra da i'an-ttta proviant: □ Tittap^ofisMia/ Paft da titra da la iivraison r~~1 Caption of i«^ia/ a Titra da dApart da la Iivraison Miaithaad/ Q4n^i4iia (p^iodiquai) da la livraiutn liJT . 22X ^sir TBjr aox 24X 28X 32X fht Mpy fUiiMd Niii Ifii bttn ftproduMd tlwniir to tiw |«fMffMltV 01 1 TIN UiM CiMiNli *r eMii|AnMM| poMlbl* eonsMorlng th* eondHlon and togiblllty of tho ort0lnol eooy f nd In kotiilno wHh tho Yllming oommot opooHiootleni. / : '■ . Original eoploa In printed papar aovort ata fllmad baalnnlng wHh tha front acivar and andlng on thajaat paga wHh a printad or llluatratad Impraa- aion. or tha baak aevar witan appropriata. All otNor original aoploa arp fUmad ^Inning on tha. firat paga wKh a printad i^Jlluttratad ImptM- aion. and anding on tha ldi|l>aga with a printad or llluatratad impraaalon. tha taat raaordad frama on oaoh mlcrofloho •hall aontain tha aymbol ^-^ (maaning "CON- TINUID'n. or tha aymbol ▼ (maaning "END h whiahavar oppHaa. Mapa. plataa, charta, ate., may ba fllmad at ^ diffarant raduetlon ratlpa. Thota too larga to ba antlraly Inoludad In ona axposura ara fllmad baglnning In tha uppar laft hand comar. laft to right and top to bottom, aa many.framaa aa raqulrad. Tha following diagrama illuatrata tha method: . ■ ' -'^^ • • « 1 2 3 » • • iMdtiuifiiir VwMliiipHriw mn$ fut ffpfv^uM ffiM * to I togiblllty mth* i art filmed ding en tad ImprM* wm. All ling on the, ItnpfM- I A printed Bfiohe g "CON- -|NP"K nedat ' :^' ■rga to be ^ nimed ir. left to netae itMtethe .. * l^ Tka ailiii aMnik tf OMi* AMkM Ue bnagee tulvantea ont 4t« l e pcedii h e e avee la plwa grand aeln. eompte tenu de la aendMon at da le netietd de reMmpMHi lllmd««et en eonformli* avee lea aondHlona du aomrat de Im emmpMret arlglnaiiii dont le aalivaftufe in pepler eat tanpilifida aent fNmde en eemmenvant per le premier plat at en termlnant aah per la demMre page qui eomperte une emprelnte dimpraeelon eu dlHiietfptten. ioH per le 9^9*4 plat ielon le eee. toue lee autraitettemplelrea origlneuK aont INmda en eemmengam per le premMie pege qid eompone une emprelnte dimpraeelon ou dlHuatratlon at enf termlnant par la demMre pege qui oomporto Mne te^ emprelfitat ■„,,. ^ ..-; Un dee eymMee euKranta apperettra aur la V damMre Imege de ehaque mierofieha. aelon le aaa: la aymbole -^ algnHle "A SUIVRr*. le aymbole ▼ aignHle **nir. T Leaeertoi. pleneliea. tablaeux, eta., pauvent Atra fllmto i dea tauK da rdduetion dIffAranta. ^ Lorsqua la doeument eat trap grand pour «tre reproduH en un eeul elleM. II eat fNm* i portir de Tangle aupdrlaur geueha. de gauebe i drone, et de heut en baa. en prenant la nembre d'imegea ndeeaaaire. Lea diagrammw •uivanta lliuatrant le m^hode. * "^^ 1 2 . . 3 :',■#■.■:■■'■• » ■...'■* "-- A 5 6 . Hr ** • » t ■ , ■ ,....' *. • %L • ; ■ '.■ ■■" .*' V " * " ' ■. ■ • . Y- '■' ^^ p* AMNIVta '■■.**■■ #■,■'■ '■s -J": ■*.i' \ ■.■■-■/. . ■ ^hhh '^**^- -•sn . s^L-^xr - m »» i ■ i ■tlUlHM MM ^m-'^ffz 1 PRECIOUS LESSONS "r ■ . ■' iff'' ■ ■ THE iilPS OP JESUS: OOlTAlVlVO goes OF «W DI1CIPI#M OF CH»IiT AS ABM •BBKlia TO BB LIKB THSIR LOBD. ^BT REV. DANIEL WISE, • AimiOli Of "TH« PATH Or UFB," "▼<>";• JJJf'* Tlili to mr toWf«d »«», htM j« Wm. — J w«ta«. |l«v 7«M««toM tknW2k Ifcf wfl»d «yak I h«T« - BIOETH ^BOUS AND. : '.-isiJ-: i(c '« ORONTO: PVBLISHKD\ BT O. E. SANDMUWiW. 1855. ■'4 ' 4 .J 1 r'" -., > y'' n- ^ - - > »^ ^' . 1 ^. •.#'^ ^ '■ f. •.'-:^ * ,. ' ■'. M r *" -..^'-"E"*'^ ' ^''••TKO CHURCH ANCHlVfc 4 1 o v^'K ) ■' I -■■■ : W.^ ^-, /^ to ut NATHAN B. MALI./ or pBonoiMCB} ^'• AMD to lU., Of ITttT tICT, WHO LOT! TO WOMi , Of JHOI, ^ • eiilf mark V Af fWrnoVATILT UnOBIBfD* ^''^, .-• nt'Tf. fw^ '^^rf^ ." I '.' ' ■'>,."''• f . , ■ I CONTENTS. CIPLI. '^■^* W AM IlfDOLW Dm. «"£x. »«ct, . . . . • . ij LI880N Xn.— A LissOH of BwDintAvoi ^ SOCB AS FIIL WifABT OF IiABOUSO FOB CBBIST. Napolaon and iha aolUicr who cava hint a cruat -» Cbriat Mira to raaraid hit Grttnds — Mknm U»ik»t to H«m— JBx- •»••*» • ..... . . . ri LESSON xni.-*A Lissov fob gvcR ailoti mi WoBLD too fomdlt^^^ Aeonvanad ■•tronomcr-. Spirit a Chriatian.Rov to aaa tha world — Why Maoaaibla to aanra (kd mmd Mam- mon.A ioMpa Ik9m Jhm Nhtiva — fisicaet from Laifhton, . . , , ... . ., 74 LESSON XtT.-A L«Mir or FOB IJSWABlr DtSOIPLMI. Lifa a Mntla — Voicoa of alarm — Call t« vatth.- tTkal ft wauhinf 1 — WUt it lo ha «rateha4 «-Tha loat MnUoala / tHj^n"*'*^^?^ ▼I OOHlMfif^ A ■piruu.l mind neceS-rV wu . , ^ • ' • lit » « gjlayTp%t^^j3g.H^^ ^ '^.' f^^- »i,;' V U BiMMdBMS •f the Fraltfil Blsdple. <W;>r^"i» 8 UM0N8 IBQH ftstation eharmed his soal and aflbrdod Um ^q-JBSte delight, while the eta-ging beU «Uled him to a mere earthly daty. The fcrmer might never be Tonohaaftd to him »8^ ; the latter he eould perlbm at aiv> toft What ahoald he do? HH hearC fiUed with true oharity.bade him haMen to the oonyent-gate. He obeyed it. prompt. «««». departed to diatribnte the wmted •Jaw; and, then returning to hia oeU.he fcund,toh}8inexpre8»ibleg»Hfcailoa.that the Twon still remained in all ito bright- «« -d beaufy. As he bow^i bdta^it. with a stream of gratitude gushing from Jlk«rt. the Sa,iour spoke. «d ^, a«dst thou stayed. I had not WBilnwl » i _ Hmt this, to be sure, fa only » hg^j . J«t rt may serr. to topre.. thee. tSow. Oh«a«. with the trutt.,thrt God I. W IJibtta.. a, ia the yiAm. the «d«ni «,^ t»w. of «Iffliring loTe; the eagle giane. ^^^■nadfthebsatMppwwBo^amj,^ -I I' fl ^msiiiA\. fir •■•?gj*"iw^ TBI ixFf or jnufl. T a ing to y^ ■f-l », - \ I' ™"ow noM w«i<«M*d 7onr iflbettona to Ohrf- ™» •P«d y<«r rtrmgth. your tohnto. i, '"^.your «m.. in ,igor«» «»d«To« to wis K*'^'^* "-^-^fl-fr-lto wlilcli. wh«, mniftrted la jw lat d.. *^ li* iHthIa ^. «^ „S^«'; Storifr y«r h«T«.Iy Frt«. Item wj^ tf^^ en«sy any proo««L /^^ 'j;*»f f the tnioB. WitUioId thtM >»gfc Wh«I ta««fc. ^ ^^^ "UM* KImL all -'^ - '^ fphniut *-«>— L ^"wp^ ii»»t«>«yaro compelled *™*ST ^ '^ ***«'• traaT If Sr .S^ /^*^** "^ ^ Christ, who i^ >» not ooljr to i«- to la% f!.;■ ' Bi|t if thoa art » ban^%i. ali*«i«^ of the uafl yby ItnuSi i^ ^th«. (o/N)mnMdt Fearflildes. j|» ■••.?lf^ ^ft■ 4 12 LBMOUrS ntOM #1 tiny ! 0, view it well, and shudder, and wpent, ind become the beai^ of mtioh fruit ! And this the more, beoanse the time is short As saith the poet — '* Whether we nuie or nwep, ^inie wtogi hii flight) DajB, houn, thcgr nerer, eraep^ ^ Life ipeedf like light V ** Whether we ehafe or chide, On if I1me*i pace ) Nerer hif noiieloM ftep l>oai he retrace. ** Dare not, then; wane tlgr daji, Benito and proud I I«it, #hile je 4reain not, 3^ qmd^ fhnmd.** " Bon J go work t»^ In agr ?ineyafd.» Jitam «!• iolflniiii wordi. They ^- Pfm the aflbetion of the ihther, and the aathority of the aoTereigii, iheyiihplya dutjy hr the n^Ieet of which no excuse ^^ be deipertn ffi fl ien t . n o di s p e nsatJoii -^- ^^sfo! .■; . ^. nUB UPS Of JKSUS. 18 «^«?V '^^^^ ^ no^temative between d«ln*.4T(e Master's work or suflfering bis iw. Do you inquire, Christian, ^ are expected to do ? Which is md of labor? ivhen you are to V lfoii?/oi|^youaretotoil? Let to these q^uestions through a ^act bistory b^ a man of the world. _ '¥«nian, named QuATREMER Dis- J05VAL, was on^ thrown, into a dungeon in the city of tftrecbt Witbolit a com- pwfion, without books, what could he do in liis solitary prison ? Apparently noth- ing. But unwilling to be ic^e, even there, he gave hio»seif to the^onreful study of the h^ of •iSpider, *which had spun its web within -fiis cell. He soon found himself •ble toprediot.chAnges in the weather from itslnownents, — a trifling discovery, but yet vastly useful to him in the issue. For the next winter a French army invaded Holland, and was in the full tide of victory, when a sudden thaw stopped its progress' and led iU chiefe to resolve upon a retreat. ^7!fi 14 UB80N8 ntOlC 1 But the prieonep, who had learned, its movem^ts from hi« jaUer, and who, from the conduct of his spider, judged that se- vere frost would soon retum, contrived to inform the French of his opi||iion. They put faith in his judgment, and maintained their ground. The frost soon returned, as he predicted. The viot{)rious French com- pleted their conquest. Di^oi^val was set at liberty. " In this fact, we see a man doing all that was possible io his powers under his •cir- cumstances. It was a little thing he did, but it had mighty sequences. It deter^ mined the issue of a war and gave him his freedom. And what does Christ require of thee, Christian, but to do always what may be possible, under your circumstances, to diminish the amount of human sin and sorrow, and to increase human purity and happiness? A smile, a word, a tear, a gift, a prayer, or a sermon, may be the* thing required, according to your ability ahd opportunity. Every moment is the „~1 A -1 TUM UPS or tamm. 16 time; «Tery plaoe Um ipMre of jot^ hbon; erery hunum Mag wM oomM within reach of your inflacnoe the nilijeel for you to act upon. The duty to be done may appaur trifling in itaaU; or it may Iwem weighty and aerioue j but^ if done aright, it wiU be fraugjit wiih mi^ty oon- aequenoea. Remember, « Tirtuoua aqt is never loat, eyen aa no aetion teraiiiifttea in the oauae whiohl^vea it birtli. Ck), then, C^riatian, in tiNo apbit of thie command, and do '• whataoiier thine hand findeth to do." Seek %^ work, and it wUljoifte to thee. Perfbtm ||i|raU, and it shitf Remain to thy p: aeeat ita fruit, rejoice ; not. continue, neyerthi The child, who 80W4 garden at night, ia moniing if the expeotei apu|r. Itiaw^ifhe^W wWy his firat'wibr, by f»kitfg _ ■eeda, to aee if they have epnwted, a gpirit varyaimilar to tht«^ A> n y^ If then 1 3^f*.f Vi^VXfvM 7 ' kj /-» fl^ . ' _ Jr^r^. 19 .:^ * UMOm FBOH m- > thM tabor fcr ChxL With mI tlu, »» Un ■M'»»«• thdr labor loali "IMS is not only oUldfah oondwt^ h jj worw ; It betrays u nndisoipUnad spirit. •11 onaanotiiM wiH, and as impati«i«. nnwortl^ofadiaoiplo of Christ Itsavon not a little of seUdi rwiity, which jwm to fted itself en the prooft of its power to •woaplish moral result* It indicates that earthly afan, ^ mixed with his reUgion W»«« 5 othertrise the mind wouM indfts «w»nl In the coniMioiuness of dafy donet of God's appwTaL It would not ftethsslf •wtethesoiL ^M weUastokbor. You must oo^ pnhend that it is your mission to sow. to Jtot, Mid td w»ter These things dow. «;^-.i«fth.»«Itothwwoutits WW fa not always apiw f that its vitality «l^)!«»*»!B9l»«W!*«»'">««»..jr!WM^ *>!' t ^ -«.- K^--:.' 1 Till ur$ Of jImvi. 17 |ii lost ^ that a moral harvest is often I reaped a long time after it is loirii -^ ftre- quently after its sower has gone to his long home. Therefore»,wait in hope! -^—^ A boj onoe shot an arrow in the air. So lofty was its flight, that he lost sight of it in the clouds, and failed to detect the place of its desoent. Long time he searched in vain' around the meadow, and, at last, went home mourning the loss of his arrow. Years passed away. The boy became a man. After many wanderings, he revisited the haunts of his boyhood. Walkmg around tl/o meadow, he /gazed upon a venerable oak« whose widekipreading branches had frequently sheltered him, in his boyhood,* from the rays of the sultry sun. Full of old memories, he^used until his eye rested upon a foatherl which protruded from a hollow in the ttee. He drew kibrth, and with it the ic^entical arroir whioh years before he mouhied as lost ! ^^^^^ v ;^^^^^ , And is it i^ot thus with th« eibrts of aod*s ehililreu ? Tliey speak in the ears 18 LBSOHI # •«"■ !%:•. * ¥ r of linnera, they be0tailiPCraot,.they utter tax exhortation, di', if in th4 ministry, pre&oh a sermon. They strive to watch the flight of their shaft. Vain endeavor ! They cannot traclc it, as it enters the mys- terious regions of the mind ; and.t)iey too often foolishly deem it lost. But it is not •0. It has done its work ; and either in the ftiture years of time, or in eternity, that effort, like the long lost arrow, shall come back to the bosom of its owner, bringing with it a biessing, even' (Ke reward of a dut/i5iithfttlly performed.' It is ^iyy^* Coky^ati4rhile jour- keying iMHrnRa, he ^nco attempted to ford a river ; but his horse lost its foot- hold and was carried down the stream. The doctor narrowly etoaped drowning by clinging to a bough, which overhung the river-side. A kdy, in the vicinity, gave him ^tertainment in his distress ; sent messengers after his horse ; and did Sa much kindness. When he left her roof, he gave her a tract ! — — ^ — ^ -w*n>ffn -*«*.! ram uvb ov jnvs. «pi ■iBMBiV llnll For five years the good doctor toiled oi in i the cause of Qod in England and Araerioiu Whether his tract had l^n deatroyed» or had pierced a hama#Mirt, lie kneir nol — nay, he had forgotten its gift. But one day, on his way to a ConflirenGe, a young maa approached him and requested tbe favor of a brief conversation. '* Do yoa remember, sir, being nearljr drowned in — river some five yean tkg^V* " I remember it quite well,** replied the doctor. 'Hi *• Do you Recollect the wid«w Jady, *t' wholie house you were entert^ned,. iwr esoaping from the river ?'• 1 • * ig^: ^|^ **I do, and never shall Ilbrget'tlie'' kindness she showed me." a J **^And do you also remember pving her' a tr»ei» when you bade her fkrewell"?**^ i •* I do^ I but U iB yery poesibteI4id •0 >» '"■r%*^ ■ "Yes, rir, yon dit leave Ik tt«et lady read it, and was eonverted^ She I loaned it to her neighbors, and many of j( .1^ .jSK>„^ x,y •"^Vtl^fSi-^ ' .■ ■»-Af*; ■ y ■> '•# •W n:'t ■^■.-i- 20 US80NB raOM them were converted too. Seyeral of her ohildren were also saved. A aocietj was ibrmed, which flounshes to this day.'' 1^18 statement moved the doctor to tears. Bnt the young ni(an, after a bri^ pause, resumed, saying : *' I have not quite told you all ; I am her wn. That tract led me to Chmt, And now, sir, i am on my way to GonftrenCe lb teek admission as a travelling preacher.'' Bins did the good Dr. Coke find his 9mm in an unexpected hour. And thus, will your shafts come back to you, CSiria^ t>*n» in due season. Courage, therdbro, drooping fifiend ! Weep hbt over any a|fc, pMent want of success ! But as ymi have learned to kbor, so learn also to vfaii. Only see to it, that you toil on inikith, and WAltin hope^ Yea, ••&.. Be thou like yon old m«^t^^n oak Of itiinlj miea— In parpoie etroDf, And prove tt^ieir to be unduuiged In efciy M»ie from rtglit to wroiw. ... ,jj,,_ «?.4'> THB UF8 or anus. 21 Lst not ittooesi unbalance mind I In advene timea be honesti then,— Bapport the truth and thou ihalt march, A monarch in the ran of men. 8. XeasoA far an Indolent Dlsdi^e* • ¥. ^<8trlTe to enter fai«l the atralt gate $ for miogr, t eiiy unto yon, will seek to enter in, and ihali not beabl^." • ■ :;^ ;■: •••■-■.*■: ErroBT 18 the price of saooees in eyeiy deportment of human action. From the attainment of radimeiital knowledge to the salTation of the soul, eyery progresdye step is made by undaunted toil. The boy irho drones oyer his book» a slaye to list- 1ms laziness, thereby secures a place toir himself at the fi>ot of society. The num who shrinks from difficulty in his busiirass or profession, who reftises to climb because the rock is sharp, and the way steep, must make up his mind to slide back and to lie in the shadows below, while others use him as a stepping-block for their own rising. 't '■' r ,., ., 'n*^'''J**'P* -,•71 4 22 iBWoira moM For this, such is the oonstitation of society, there is no help. The poet wrote truly* whosftid: '* Thou smst «ither so^i^ Btoot>, Fall or trtumph, j^^ droop j Thou miut«itlier'^l^ or govern f Must be tlftve or most be ■orer^ign ) Must, in fine, be bldck or wedge, ^ Must'be aiivU or be iledge.*' And these words of Jesos teach thee this lesson, Christian, with respect to thysal- [ftation. Eternal lift dan be seonred only by eager, earnest, toiling along the narrow way of duty. That way is well defined •»d free of access to ftU who sternly will 'if enter it But its entrance is beset with difficulties, and all along its length are ob- .^atacles and ambushed Ibedf ieekibg to turn .rp^e f iinting traveUer aside. He ifto, like Bunyan's Timorous and Mistrust, flees from the T^ of Uons, is undone. He may desire to triumph; he may even make fteble and l^asmodio attempts to tread the pftth ) but unless he strive with all the energy of his nature, stimulated by the *^ . \ -km THE UPS or JESUS. 28 diyine influences wliioh attend the exeroise oMb true finith, he will not be able to enter in. Thus hath the Master said, and thus shouldst thou believe, disciple ! And why should you object to agonize and strive when the prize is eternal life? It is said of Tasso, the poet, that the manuscripts of his ^* Jerusalem Delivered " were' so blotted with innumerable correc- tions as to be scarcely legible. Anolher poet. Pope, kept his works M his study from one to two years before he alloi^ed them to-be printed. Noil, if, to secure ail the perfection possible to their writings, these poets strove so painfully, how much . more ought you to strive for the purity of your heart and the salvation of your soul! Strive mightily, therefixre, Christiai^ since to shake off an indolent spirit, to stir your soul to exertion, to reach constantly upward, to. struggle for a. firm foothoUl in the most slippery places, to wrestle man^ fully, even when principalities^ and powers are your fi^es, to refuse submission to any ; ''"'■'*,"' ;^ fi^ -tf Q UBSOjfS imOM you».«.t «ther fUfii, 0, aUA to ««,«,«; »«*. \with a bwe heart and ui nnooa- to the Vork of the daylriring wS ^Se «*• tune, shiU come at last Sar tfcC^^ with the poet: /^ ^' ^'^ We finlu. tor the common Ught Ana rtrong fa Him whoe, «,a» h „___ * JJ* f^ *• »«•!»» Be 1». gi,w. ZCZ ^i > V Tfll UF8 Of tmjJB. 4» Ufwia tf cheer fer De8p«>dla■*>. US80K8 niOM I voice of love from the oeleitial shore, u thou wandsrest, a beiriMered ohil^ of trib- ulation, on theniisty sea of life, fiearkto ' Be of food cheer! is the oiy-th^t greets tuee. It comes from Jesus, who Uts over- come this very world, which is thb scene Md source of your trials. His conquest of your adyeikar^ fa the pledge of your ^ctory. Ther^ore. Be of ^ cheet ! There is no person living wio does not. •t tames, fed a spirit of discouragement stealing over him. As fc cloud ofcsouwg the moon, as mists shwud the sunbeams 80 despondency spreads a curjtain befere the mental eye, and eveiything in and about the soul assume a duU, sombre, ttroitoitog aspect tSouds and storms ftowirloweringly from above ; difficulties w«ai np life's path.; dangers, like spectral' .»««. with large, malignant eyes. ga» fiercely through the gloaming; and the ««d.^8huddering with terror, and shrink to ««e. This spirit is not peculiar to on^ •^ t^S^ §■ .*,"• -^^ "r* A THE LIPS OF JESUS. 27 clasB, but is common to all. It assails the weary and feeble worn an, borne to the dust by bodily affliction, oppressed with a mul- titude of domestic perplexities, harassed witt innumerable petty, but consuming cares ; and, if she submit to it, she loses heart and hope, the sun of her life sets untimely, and she weeps away her exist- ence in self-consuming sadness. It is equally powerful in its sway over the high- minded merchant and the lusty artisan, who, in their dark days, seem walled in by forebodings of bankruptcy, poverty, and the poor-house. It often affects Chris- tians, too, and, hiding the cross from their vision, leads thepa to contemplate their past sins and remaining corruptions, until their redemption seems hopeless. And, more mendacious still, it stalks into the pulpit, whispers in the ear of the minister, insinuating that he does not en]oy the con- fidence of hia people, that he is not appre- 9iated» that his gifts are diminishing, and t h at he h a d better seculariz e himself -as^ 28 LESSONS FROM speedily as possible. Thus, a despondent spirit assails all classes and professions, and no man who suffers from it, need deem himself peculiarly trjied. As it asscMls hira, so it assails all. ^ - ^ ^ . But there is a yast difference between different persons, in the degrees of power which this spirit attains over them. In some, owing t& natural temperament, to the state of the health, or, more frequently, to the absence of a prompt and vigorous resistance to its influence, it gdlns the em- pire of the Boul. Such persons, like the unfortunate Cowper, sink into settled mel- ancholy. They become the victims of a morbid sensitiveness. They acquire a mar- vellous power to discern evil in everything ; but are blind to all that, is lovely and beau- tiful in life. 1*8 thorns they diligently gather and hug with unnatural fondness to thdr pierced bosoMs^ fascinated, it would 0eem, by the ills which so cruelly lacerate them. But, on the flowers which bloom with beauty at their feet, they refuse ■ '•■''J ■h3 T ■"T^w^F*^"**^'' * "^'W^'T'W^. pondent ^ deem ilshiro, )etween f power in. In lent, to uently, - igorous he em- ike the d mel- iS of a a mar- thing ; i beau- gently adness ^, it sruelly which refuse ■Ti THE LIPS or JB8U8. 20 even to gaze. There is scarcely anythmg in human life, except guilt, more to be dreaded than such a state as this. To avoid it, its incipient f^mpfoms must be manfully resisted. To prevent Its first shadows from falling darkly on the soul is impossible. Those shadows fkll unbidden, suddenly, apparently without cause, and often in the midst of our most sunny hours. Even the mighty spirit of Napoleon felt them. When he stood before his pavilion, tcTwttness his gran^ army cross the Nie- men, on its way to Moscow — and a grave ; and, after itf almost innumerable battal- ions, with their standards floating proudly in the breeze, their helmets and bayonets glistening in the sun, had defiled in his^ presence, and presented .to hisgaie an' army such as no previous commander had ever led into the field, he is said to have suddenly assumed a grave and gloomy ae- pect. Turning from the speotaole before him, he hummed a martial air and liastened within the impe r ial tent What icn did tliis L "r^^WJrW" •',■'■' 'r" iM- 80 LBC^ONS fSOM ia : — ; , — act signify, if not that (||krk shadows fell on his heart, and that l^jnwardly trem- bled before some spectraLevils, like a com- mon man ? ^^^^^ .^ _^ _ _ What these shadows are, and whence they come, are. tnysteriesi Perhaps they proceed from tlbtsoul itself, which, Jn the midst of its most glowing triumphs, re- members its inherent weakness ; beholds itself a mere ^sparkj^^glfmmering like J|ie tiny glow-worm, amidst the Infinite ; and liable to be trodden into dust by the foot of Almighty Power. Or, perhaps, they fall from the earthly objects we almost uncon- sciously choose as suns and stars, to light us on our pilgrimage, instead of deriving all our light from God. But no sooner do we look for light, than, lo ! the shadows come, — merciful shadows, if we under- stood their meaning. They teach us our creatiire suns are opaques. They bid us fly from them to Him who liveth in light, --^who is Light, whose presence casts no shadow on a truatful mind, and who I TBB LIP8 or JESUS. 81 orieth to us from nfkr, Be of good cheer ! I To fljr Arom a despondent spirit into the light becomes, therefore, a first duty. To yield to it is the death of happiness and usefulness. A life of darkness is wretch* edness^ And who, with despondency prey- ing like a ghoul upon his spirit, can achieve any great result in life ? No man ; for melancholy robs the mind of strength. It is as rottenness to the bones : it is a mental mara«mu8, under whose iiifluence the noblest powers will pine away into desuetude and desiccation. There was once an eccentric instructor of youth, ifrho, instead of following the ancient and ap|Nroved &shion of beating knowledge into uUwilling skulls with a rod, was accustomed to help a perplexed scholar through a crooked problem by a word of ezplai^ation, ^d by urging him toasuC' cesctfui effort with the exclamation, '* Nkveb besfa^b!" ■ ThiJB " Neyer despair" became the battle* 5^ Jv^a'ii i. ^ .. ■ 'f f'^ ' •♦- w S2 LESSONS FROM cry of his school, And the source of rfiany an algebraic victory. How much more should the "Be of good cheer" of the blessed Christ become thy battle-cry, Christian, and thy ohairm against despond- ency in the great strifes of life ! It pos- sesses a mystic force, beyond all the Amulets of oriental fame. ** Bs or aoop I ortBpi!" "N^vER despair!" How\ cheerfully it echoes along the chambers of the soul !. What a call to its sinking energies ! How it silences the silly prattle of fear ! hIjw it revives the silent, droop- ing heart of hope ! Mver despair ? No, never! Be of good cheer always ? Yes, always ! "What, not when one has failed, as I have done, after ten thousand efforts, to rise into spiritual triumph ? What can I do but despair?" Is this your inquiry^ discouraged disciple ? Do ? You can TRUST ! As when one is fainting, he falls helpless into the open arms of a friend, so V«»>' you, in your perfect weakness, can leave all •if:. VBM UPS Of TttUi. r i —I- ■'!.; nnto the Lord, traat abo fa hiiaa. Jmd 9 other aid. alone, and .Ink in «,lMe.prir mto Chn.f. bowm. « But he will let me , utterly MI" Hu.h ! dear ««der. That wywg w an inmilt to Christ Itexpowea conviouon, on your part, that Chrlrt oan be that doubt, therefcre ! Ton oak rink into Chnet and riw to epWtual life «nd Tie toiy ; therefcre, " Be of good oheer ! " " ^'** *••»* oan I do but despair ? " exolaim. a\ meroantile reader. ««l hare Med in burine«, ; I hare thereby nndewrv- Jdly lort the oonfldence of my brethm,. I ««» Poornow. and I «» no gtoundftr hope Tnri,. man ! Never de«air. Great poiw« He riumbering in your «,uL They only wait your munmoni Wae. thMe&re. intbemajerty of an «noonquer«l will. Be raperior to year mirihrtunefc AMert the miwaauM^ of mind oter oii^ wwrtanoe^ Begin life «b,^. ^^..^^ you obrtade. with rturdybtew^ and look well to Him who mm. » firm.m.> ^i,, ^- '~^- LESSONS nOM i-- 84 LESSONS he shall bring it to pass." Be of good "cheer I ■ ■ ; ■"/■ ■,^:.:.^ '■•'.;■ '^ But I hear another yoioe. It comes from the delicate invalid —the exhausted mother. ** I haye nothing to hope for, ' ' is her language ; **my health is gone ; my hopes crushed. Motion is toil to me, and exist- ence ptun. Darkness is in my ^ul, and I am weary of life, and yet I dare not die. Must I Aot despair ? ** No, child of affliction, no"! Even you must hope. Never despair ! J^us loves toti. That thought is « cheerful ray of light, in which you may rejoice, at least a little. True, you are a physical sufferer— perhaps yW always will be— yet ** Look yonder at that cload, which, throagh the sky Sailing long, dotjU cross in her career The rolling moon. I watched it as it came, And deemed the dark opaque would blot her beams; ;. But, melting like a wreaOi of snow, it hangs In folds of wavy silver round, and clothes The orb with richer beauties than her own y Then passing, leaves her in light serene." ^^Jt..i* ^&, •"V, i*^ n you I loves ray of Least a jret-— thesky lot her « ■ /■■ ' ags 1 f. k / •tI"^' ■rr THB liPS OF JESUg. 85 Do you understand the poet, lady ? As that cloud clothes the moon in richer beauty, so shall your afflictions, patiently borne, robe your suflfering spirit in lustres, which will make ii all the more precious to its Redeemer forever — yes, fobbveb ! Can you not then endure a litite hour of suflfering for an eternity of increased bliss ? Ay, you can ! Then let hope sing its songs once more in your soul, and what- ever may be your pangs, bear them, gazing most lovingly in the &ce of Jesus, and Myingj" Lord, I willnever deipair." Thus applied, this motto has £>rce to keep the mina from falling into confirmed mehincholy ; and to lead it to the height of its power to achieve gr^t and good things. For, while despondency unmans it, a hopeful spirit, by creating a conscious- ness of power, sets all its iSicuIties into vigorous motion. Thus, the ttrtist 09^- reggio, when young, saw a painting by Raphael. Long and ardently did the thoughtful boy gaze on that picture. His 'h ' '^iT, '^ ^^dta^ ^ ^ Ml^iti}^/'^ .,ijA -■"■^ 'I P., '■•" '-•"'^ •" " ", ,'l''', ^'^ '.f ' T w r t- 86 LB880NS FEOM stml drankin its beauty, as flowers drink moisture ftom the mist. It waked to Hie oonsoiousness of artistic power. .Buming with the enthusiasm of enkindled genius, the Mood rushing to his brow, and fire flashing ftom his eyes, he cried out, «« I •iao am a painter ! »» XhatooitTiotion carried him through his lliitial studies, it blended the colors on his I»iett» ; it guided his pencil ; it shone on his canvas, until the glorious Titian, on Idtnessing his productions, exclaimed : " W«e i not iStian, I would wish to be CMB«giQ.» Thus l^ wfaring % despidr •ad bja^mmmons to ius powers, Correggio dniW tfaemibrth and triumphed. Anditmust beso with thee, CSiristian, if ytmcfver attain; to happiness, holtoss, I ^ usefolness. «*Be of good cheer," tftVkit heyoui^ watchword in eveiy strilfe. If ywi arc borne down to-day, by Jbrce ot IfiSk, yott must lihout your battle-ciy, and tiittnte the contest to-moirpw. If the ^ *'^ ^'^$i^-~ ii .^."lifc-T-i^jsi , -s^a,;,. , ifmr':WfVf.-»,-'w.r«-.,„B» (« THB UPS or J1SU8. wj whelming waves oyerflow you, sn^ jcm sink ia deep waters, you must gftUterfreili strength from the mysterious depths of your soul, and from Ood ; an^ onoe more mount the sur&oe and rcjdce. Howeter .tried, walled eye be fixed on l^od, «Dd your ery be heard echrang above all your Ibes, *'I wiU be <^ good oheer.'* Do this, and you are sure to win srane spoils, and to attain the glorious goid to- ward wiiich you run. oppressed, hin||red, cruhed, in, or tempted, still let^Kr ey ** dnward, Chrlatiaii, ttimtghtlie tj^fitim Where thovi art be drear and lone t Ood bath let a guardian legion Very near theer^piesf thou on ! " '4 # ■-■■■Li:*2 -J *^i 4 ■.V ■#■ '^•.■f J ^1 h ill UBBSOirS vsox ■*v #•: ■•■<■ & llwsoii Bttntf wlti'tiM^ect to # Chflst'g €livcli« ■«' ■ «'**i/. , ^.^Hdly nutter, keep throngb thine own name Chbiewhoiii thou hait given nie,tlutt th^ maj Im : oiie,af 'w^,«n^; .^.-v -^' ,g^. v ,.i..:, ExoBBDiHOiiY betuUfhl and exquisitely jKmehing is this prayer ot Jmm ibr the yiMfi^ Mb disoiplee. He deirir^ that tMr union should be spiritual, gem^e, Tisihle, andendiirin|. He wished IJi&^^t the grace of God inig^t be glctdfied In the prodaotion«of ft brotherhood or oiiardh diik sfanilat from all o^her obmjatmnities, that Ihe^l^^ by behfl^g it^llnd that his disoiples ntf^^t, thereibi be mutaally hUped to maintain J&eir ftW %• Mf»,thk, can ally iblloirer*!^ %ithiSil|^^ iiti^^i||> Jbpil •oi^ ahstain tr6m, or de^iis^ i^ ^^oniMiBtion irith the Tieible choroh ? :^ The Sootoh pdet, Allan Bamsay, in Jiii dddltrated. IIRStoral drama, the *< ai«i^^^^ iindcr a beautifUl iDis % >l^ ,^, wfeiaiAibi t ilfe*-fr-^^ "r?^M»i!^ H^ gfir^WT^^ -^m THK UM or JEBUS. 89t t. .i>^/ ' .-i of marriiige in two ag«i «Wb grof^g aide by ride. He supposei them to lM#«lJii^» « Bome yeaw tfnoe,'* M bridegrtOTsii^^ radf. Eaokykrtheyhav* I and nearer to each otber,until their ing branches haVe mingled; a|A» rings, in old SoottiskphrMW, ^ * Jad ttoy stood a|)artW alnril^eabh tflpl jJave bonie the ▼iotocWeverjr irtnd, «id bowed unriielter^ beforeyery riojm. ^, ^Tbis driigh^ linage ii^^^^^#^ - -Aw-*.,--' the benefit of cburob-fe 1^ the ad^antag^ of Tmr^^ pniM|i-memberriiip br&il^s fa^o relation? of matoal jtjon.^ tends to dev^ _ illiies S regenerated hi totsieatethe purest iSAnidriiipill^ ^piit^ ntetrMoiBi "" Ser instraots the ftUy l|1ii^ Strong fiultii of an< if 18 i. ror -*^ --■••-It- '■'^^.»>, "< * tnSOMB' TBOM v^A 1'\ r •«wnent to hi, doabtiiig wmpanlon ; the Jo^Jttperienoe of «k« aged is fruit^il of fJiBgoiia to guM« jho inwaryoonwrt t^r^ tbe mtrioatihJM>yra»tlw of Satan ; « rtunly Ti^of the yoang aets lyon the ^^g fteMoHese of the ^The flmuuM of the reeolate i*. laAe haldng adi onstable ; and the ■of the bold ^ntot^ the timid. •w helpe(«|r each. V C What niiCkiioiriniJ^hinmdf, w*nie* For he lAo does so jpwst be !!Sf **Sr* "^ *• «»«>e«to of aohnwh. '2f^|ffi* oTerehaijged with inflated no^m^ 4^ own strength. Better ftr ««Aper*ms. if, st«ijriBg theiMves, their < «»^. .M their aarwitages, they wonld Jitt|:|^nnMdTe>^ Christ's risible body. >3.i, *T #: •<**-- """/V |*i .***■>" . V,?; "^1 ; . '«»* IPuMi in Btieama bma hfa wwindll, and oried aUnid : v,«I«i»tot dead, my childiwi 5 lam ™""8 •* y«« to«iB yrti do your dafy." ^The» wordkreviTed the sinking oonram of hw brsTe H^Maodew. Hew wa. » charm in the ISwt that flwy g«il fciid,t '•wfa* the qre of thdr ohiei: It toued ■■^* ?^ thrir mightiegt energies. " 'Sat humiin ^lugth WiJd '%, ' ^■\''""^ ■^,'r'<^'^ A'.. ■ «^'%? . TBI UP8 Of JI8U8. 48 pledge the King of JluMEB* the to seourii' hun an* /if heaMe Ihithful? flasle not sildd^ohini^'' there sl||ll not a hair of y^'lfild perieAi ''f Itet him, then, endure th^ pain caused' by the poiwned arrows of ^his eneknies with torless forti-* tude and ib^beflfiiig courage ! r Thi^t he may do this, let him remember ^^ilf to be 'misundeig^ and misrepre- Vis the proper f^tage of an actiTt I^MIiiwi. His master Iras misnamed |Mb» jebuD,l^d he should mtexpeot better Jinm ntent Indeed, the hatred of tlie world fbrms .,Mi ith ■i sa its ■ i the rer he^ P^ 1«- old i Ig^ ., -.- .^H. the wi- ll? ia * ' t ■ ^ • en. led » rti* iMur VI .• re- , ■ . .. ^ iv« i g ms ^ TBI UPS Of Jliini. + "^^a: ^ ^ essential portioa of the oross of Chri8i» we taking up of which is a conctition of dis- cipleship. Eyerydisoiple should, iheiefiMre, receiYe his meed of workUjr asperity with unoompUinhlg dignity and meek submis- ' siipni And the more so, because he^eannot be really injured by his enemies. God is his jrtiieM. J^oraih^^^^^ over his InterestiB. He needs r thou art salb! Bt^ i*<— >■ I?- feT '/< CO itT. ^r: UBSOirS VBOM silent, God is thy defendei; I Say with the poe^- ::■•■., ■■ " O God, If I must thiu afflicted be, n' To suit aoine wise ^erign, ij _^ ^®" man my soul with firm rasolTet ^ To bear, and not repine.** ■♦— "S'-r. fc 1 Umn of IMOiiMiieffi to Chrigt ^ 1^^ an CbrcuMtances. "He that is ftOthlhl in that which is leart, Is faith- All also in much j and he that is onjost in the least, iSsQi^ust alsainmuch.** JoHH MiLToH, the chief of poets, held i the> post of Latin Secretary under Crom?^f welL At the restoration, he was of course ^ispiissed from his office; He waa^ow poor asd blind, and to these afflictions Caiarles IL added poHtical persecutions; he tned lu]^, and doomed his writings on liberty to be publioty burned. Nothing « man of &ith, standing d'oftant and nn-* iaW^ amid the dashing wares of hUmai^ i powor/hecaose ippheld bjan iaunoTabW ! trusty and by an^nnoofiiipw^ tothe invisible Qodr VeU did the ancie^ ; heathen exoliuin pf a good man, in similar bironms&noes t V See a^ ilight wwrthy of ; Qodrf 1 V^^';- '\^p': ;---^ --i'^:; ■■;■-■■ V;^-' ■ : ^ ^ Sow^yiot^ iih^ tt&e SM^ "maiest^ Milton, you should rt6il tqiaoquire a oorrespiondingfatthfulneM to tiutk«nd duty, j^ feitruej you may ; nevj^r be Ji)roi!ight| like liim, into a siridt ; lAtere the ohoipci'between duty and present linieresi wiUl haVeto be so diktinctiy and ijpiil|iiinj iiiriflri But, b;)r a thousand little ithlngs^ your fi^cpy if daily subjeetad to i strong testa. It is by proving true in th|Se^ jyoiimiiiBt prepare yourself to stand ftnH -in agreat exig^n!i?y« -^dl^ measuro ! of your fkithfotbess in^ittle things* y<^ ' jinny pass, a safe judgment on your abili)^ to abi^ a fiery triai. If sdMi policy,^ I • *r-lr '¥?*5 •' ■« : ¥T r 64 3UI880H8' IXOll if mt^mtBnM and Mlf-se^ing are the detepmining motiVee ef year aotJom in your ordinaiy interoonnto with ttankfaid — Ifymi ave readj to take adyantagedf ti^igiMymttee ^ iwoeirittee ^ ii^ W ttftttew of ImsinfesB^if «aiyy, xeTen^ wounded vanity, or any other low aotlve, has a dominant liifliiei»oe over ymw ^ duct, yon may beissur^ that in a severo' teet of integrity, like «iat of MUton's, yoir iwwld prove felseio troth and duty; You would kneel at the ftet of po^g, and ^1y kii« iti weptre ibi- thTSo of Ite^aes and wwaJrde. «neh, at leait, is the jiidgment of Christ, who weertt, that •• He that ig fki^fild in that which ^ l«88t, i* firfthM al«Mn nraoh; and he that ia «nM in theleaat; h unjoat alio in mndi/' aV, heooa»^^ 1^^ grtot, therefeie, m IPeonliar ex^wioeB, you must habltnftlfy wi-1ot to «onihmt great danger, you i vWm be prepar ed to itead truA, firm, ihifli. . : . . . . • ^ 1 ^^:y f tf ' , f """^^l \''l^ A in- « THB mhi or $mu9* + 56 •>^ii*>i Sr- Mt and ta|^Te oocpuri7 habitusl self-train- ing, and by careiVilly observing the nuini- fidd uses and purposes of tJtkL -tJnusual trials do not necessarily ditine displeasure agidnst- the sufferer* ^Shxy ^T6 other ^ and somelimei occidt •^ uses, beddes being eart^ctive. They . 4*:, :\ \ i ' .^„; M m^ f ",¥','•(■«!! 'Vo^ :■ i^*- ■ ;"\ I 58 ■* tmm L UBMONS IBOX test and thus strengtlien, the graces ; they wean the heart firom earthly affeotions ; they exhibit the power of iUth to the gaie of mankind^ and they pr0|>are Ibr the suf- ferer a more radiant crown'^^a higher joy in the eternal world. True, the speciflc use of many trials is oonoealed, and cannot be discerned by the suflferer. But all such cases must be viewed in their relation to God's immutable promise. Thwi, and then only, will the suflforing soul hear the voice of Ibve whispering, " I %ill see you again, and your heart shall rejoice.'* " My grace is sufficient fc|r thea" *Oiis will satisfy it ; tintil Jesus lifts the veil of mys- tery and explains ill the plans of Old. It is recorded in history that a beautiftil miuden, named Blanche^, the serf of a^ ancient nobleman^ was wooed by her mas- ter's son. Kdt admiring his character, she scorned hie suit. Upon this his coarse love turned tp bitter hatred. Just then, a prepious stHng of pearls , confided to the maiden's care, was lost. Her pseudo ■:* ¥ • L / of a^ *IIUW- aoter. Doarw then. ^the MQdo THS UPS Of JBIITf. 59 loTer charged her wkh 4lhe theft, and, iji aocoi^ahoe with the ouBtoms of that rude age, she was doomed to .die.^ Oa^e day of the execution, as the innocent girl knelt to otfer her dying prayer, a flash of light- ning struck a statue of justice, which adorned the market-place, to the dust From a scattered bird's nest, hviilt in a oreyice of the image, dropp^ the Ibst*^ pearls ! thus declaring her innocence. In 8v moment the exultant crowd nudied to tqe scaffold , demanding h^r relelN. There me knelt beside the block, pale, and beauti* ftil, and with a smile of peace upon her lips. They spoke ; she answered B6t ! They lotiohed her ; she was dead ! To preserve her memory, they raised a statue ihers; and to this day, when men gaxe upon her image, they condemn her op- pressor, they praise her for the purity of her character, th^ recognise the ju8tie| of Hin^ whose Ughtmags tett^M to her innocence* m,^ . ■ Here, then, we have an example of a . i M2S ■ }i4 Jr -/'] .its^. 60 f i LBMOHB raOM ■»-■-■ inystio proYidenoe. Painfiilly that maiden luflfered fbr oauses beyond her oontroL But her sorrows, by leading to a perpetual abhorrence of oppression, and admiration of Tlrtuons innooence, have done good tQ I thousands. If, then, that sufferer's piety be rewarded in eternity, with honor and praise, she will not only not complain, but will be eyerlastingly g^tefUl for the privi- lege of being called to the bitter trial, so blessed to herself and others. Afflicted reader ! '«ill you apply this Uai to your- self ? Fail not to reflect, as you tread the burning payement of your thrioe-heated ftimace, that ''the trial of your &ith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though ijt be tried mthflre^ might be found (L e., if properly main- tainjsd) unto .praise and honor, and glory, »t the appearing of Jesus Christ*' Be^' kved child of sorrow ! is not this enough?* Theirefbre, let not your heart be trouble! ! r^^l ^(; 1 " 1 tti! |i tt| w ho muumwt on thy w »y, ■vj- With longingt for the dote of day, I ' \ «. , mftiden oontroL irpetual liraf ion good to '8 piety lor and bin, but B privi- rial, 80 kfflioled oyour- tiad the i-heated r &iih, of gold r main^ " Be- DOUgh?' )ubl«l ! » ■. : \- '" ■ "M t^ ffi-'-jiiiiir '; . TBI UPS OF JliUS. fil kf with thee, that anfd ntiy wliiapen,-^ * B« ml up, htBX on, Um end thftll The dear Lord ordereth all thlngi weUI " .1 10. A:-IiM80i of Filtli for the Em of ** He that beltereth in me, thoagh he were jfead, yet ihall he live { and whoeoeTer Ureth and be* liereth In me ihaU never die.** ..m-. When the «f|^of the Alpe wonld d^ Btroy the timid ^f fleetrfooted chamois, he resorts to a carious dey^ He makes feigned attacks, darting; down toward his prey, as if to seize it The frightened chamois flies from its assailant, to its ac- customed place of reftige tram, the hunter -^to some jutting crag on the edge of a precipice. To so diszy a spot no moun* tatneer, however bold, dare Tentnre ; and the hunted animal has often Ibund safety ' there. But the same spot, which protects it from man,* is t(M w hen the eag le. p- is its pursuer. For the cunning bird eZ^^tfti. 'v-:\^ 62 LBBS02f& mOM |oomes swooping down, in the might of his strength, and with his huge wings beats it over the crag into the fearftil gorge beneath. Dashed to pieces by its fall, it becomes food to its foe, which, swiftly pouncing iipon its remkins, bears them in his talons to his eyrie in the tops of the rocks. ■■■ -S"^'- . ■:■■■■•■:;■■ ■..■^ ■-*;,. . ■':'■. Batan has a similar device for the destruction of believers. He knows that i^e can do nothing btit annoy them, so long as they receive his assfitulls at Calvary, in full view of a bleeding Christ Hence, like the eagle, he drives them, if .po|»ible, to **ll|ount Sinai," He datts upon them witl| i«Jci\pation8 pf legal Imperfection. He trusts the laiv: before them, and calls them to judge fiieir lives and tempers by its stern demands^ and by its Ikr-reaching daims on theob^iinoe even of the thoughts and purposes of the heart. By these means he motes the unwary disciple to- ward Horeb and Sinai ; whtre, beholding nothing but the law, w it h its mercilesa •*& '-^ 4i.t^ 'a THE UPS or JESUS. 68 ight of e wings fearAil its Mi , swiftly them in 3 of the for the iws that , so long vary, in Hence, po|»ible, on them rfection. nd calls apersby peaching thoughts (y these ciple to- eholding nercilesa \ terrors,' hearing only yoices of thunder and wrath, he sinks condemned and sor« rowful to the dust. Shame covers liis face ; strength departs from hiin ; and he readily iUls a victim to some new device of his malicious adversary. Knowing this, the believer, when tempts ed, should obstinately refuse to judge of himself, or of his safety, by a legal stand- ard. He should! meet every .accusation of Satan by immediately flying to Christ in an act of resolute faith. Every discovei^ of legal deficiency, of spiritual poUutiimr^ or even of actual guilt, should be followed by deep contrition of spirit, by confession, by an act of i^|hropriating faith. By a steadfast pres^tation'of Christ's promise he should siiy, ''Lord, thou hast said * He that believeth in me, though he were dead yet shall he live.' I believe, let me live ! " However sore the temptation, however vio- lent the assault, however fierce the attack, he must never allow himself to lose sight of Christ as Jiis present SaviouH His victory ■;&'-. ;t- ^■■•'W^i 64 LBBS0N8 ntOM depends on this. He must fight the bi^ttle at Caiyary, or be defeated. But, contend- ing there, defeat is impossible. Faith will spring up,^and grow mighty, irresistible, and Tictonous bi any heart, ' however tempted, that stead&stly persists in " look- ing unto Jesus." Failing of this, allowing himself ^^ dmoi to Sinai, like the chamoiif t^&e cra«, he will be oyercome, * l^erhaps destroyed. ^ -r Go, therefore, tempted .Christian, to Calvary. Your heart feels cold and liard ;■ your soul is dark : you find it difficult to drag yourself to tiie act of prayer ; and you seem fotrsaken of God ; but, notwith- standing all this, you Must fly to Chri^» and claim Bim as your |^resent Saviour. Lie, just as you are, tossed, distracted, bttJGfeted, at Christ's feet, with a prayer on your lips, hlKi promise in your hand, and with your eye stead&stly gazing on his fiu^, and your heart believing that for his own sake alone he does now accept and - ' justi^ yon. Do this, remain in this a tto^ J ■W\ .-I'l jr<»^;5s^r^T^'^7',tJ^ '^T^3»™'- ''♦' ■f»."'» le bivttle ;oiitend- uthwUl isistible, however I ** look- allowing like the rercome, tiatly to id hard ; ficult to et ; and notwith- I Chri^, Saviour. Btracted, rayer on md, and I on his it for his sept and thisatti" J 1 THU UPS OF JESUS. iiide patiently, stopping your ears against all tl)e fdiil whispers of your foe, and, in a little while, a s^eet persuasion of his love^ .a delicious outgushing of affectipn, will spring up, fresh as living water ftwn the Jli^rerlasting hills, in your spirit. The life of holjp love, which gushes from the trusting^ heart, as waters from the smitten rook« will pour in renovatin^tides through your comforted souL Waves of joy will swell your.h%ppy boSom, and your disappointed enemy will draw baok, leaving yopi u^disturbeli fellowship with your ap ing ^viour. And Jn all Satan's fiiture • endeavors to destroy you, meet hin) ix^ the sam^ manner, according to the apostle| who, speakmgi^f the Tenipter, says, «« Whom RESIST, CJTBADFAST IN TBE FaITH,'? and ixf obedienoe to Christ, who says, << He tbi&I| B)BLlETiBTH Ilf ME, THOUGH. HE WEttE DEAD, YET SHALL HE LIVE ; AN1>< WHOSOBrBB LTVETH Ain> BELIfyETH.lN ME SHALL KEYEB DIB. 99 r * v/ #• \ ^^ ,*\ "W- ^■. ■•-•»■ ^ r-t," f '^■: 66 LESSO^TS FROll Sometiniet a light Biirprises The Christian as he sings $ ' ' .\ |Xt te the Lord, who rises < "S^lih healing in his wings s When comforts; are dedinhig,^ / He grants'^ soul.again A season of clear-shining ; To^cheer it after rain. —'CdVfpet.\ ^ !(.*»■ 11. A Lesson of Xote for sitelt as liaTft Enemies* .-.■.'■■■.■ ■■ .-. ■ ■■ * . -■ ■ ■ •■ . - ■■-■». ■ ■"•«' • "I say unto you, Lore your enemies, bless them that curse you, do ^ood to them tiiat hate you, and pray for them which despitefuUy jK^se you and per- secute ycwu'* \.: . ,-/,«.; ■■ ; ■.■■':■■■-■ - • "'- BEHfBATa a widcHgpreading tree, /wHch gi^^ on a gentls islope of the Alps, a little ' ► group, of Waldensian worshippers knelt oa the smooth greensward in humble ptayer. Earnestly, and with deep emotion, they sent theit supplioalions to &e eternal throne; Then, rising to their feet, they sung a hoi J sOng of praise ; while iheir heaving breasts, streaming eyes and de<*p^ ** »N THX UP8 pr njavB 67 Boarcely; ceased, before % small, irajwom band of ^men^ stafBi in lumd, weaiy and atoned Yoioes, prodaimed both the ^or ^ The e^oesof theeie etifainsof soog had Ar fiona hand, pale llith climbing tha lofly hills, ap- proached the worshippers. Leaniilg on his staff, one of them, addressed the WaU densi^uu ** tlTe are CathoUcs^'* said lie ; « lUfiPB^ Charity wkioli Jams «^ i.^ (rf'ttelllirty of GhrirtS«u ity; and^ihat itsibsenoe can lead tl|e mind intio tlM er^m paths of itoq^t^^ :^#^-";V how sedulously *iliould you toil to obtain it ■ (^"^'t^'^l^ "f^" .-^ SI" ^ -a "|-^ 70 .LBB80N8 FROM asasaoi^ed talisman ta preyentyou from Injuring the world ; and, as a ** diadep of beauty ' * to adorn yonf brow and to attract ^others to Christ and to salyation 1 Qo, therefore, ^ thy closet, Christian ! and, with patient self-mtrospeotion, search thy heart and see if this heayenly charity is thine. See, whether you ar^ aocnstomed to breathe earnest, sinoei^ ^aspirations ta God ibr the n^l-being of those, who, for any cause, justly or unjustly, reyile and hate thee. Summon thy words, desires and actions, into judgment. Try them by the standardof thy |if aster's words. Commune deeply with thy conscience, until thou art satisfied that (thou knowest thy precise re- hition to the law of Christian loye. . If the result is to con^emi^ thee, repotit,^and dn no more, ^^dfyeyery unholy I ~ sion ; nail eye|^ ielfish af^ion ta the cross ; trust in Christ, for power achieye a ylctoiy ; until, like those nob! f!lir{atla.tia of the Alpp , t^nn Moi at Still the storm of rage in the breasts 6f thine ene- a from dep of attract le ene- y- fHja UP8 or JESUS. 71 niies, with gentle words qt power ; or, if . their enmity is too violent to be calmed by the Yoioet of affection, until thou.iuuiBt^ patiently reoeiye their persecuting spite, praying, while you suffer, for the liaiids which smite thee ; i»memberii£rthat. #/■' ** The s^edi of good are everywhere jifc , Aai^, In the guUtiedt1>o8om, ^R, ■ ^Ay* by the qaickening-^ays of loye, Pat fi»rth their tender blossomi.** U. 1 LessoA of Eadnnuice flit snelt as fed we«ry of laborlog ttyftirist* *Jwi t 76 I4PS0K8 TBOli Christ in aU things Is his infteiabte pur- pose, flo strong is liis self-devotion, he prefers any sacrifice, even the loss of his properly or Ufe, to the frown of iis beloved. For him, therefore, the worW, Iritii its mardfold allnrements and diversions, has no charm suf&oienf to win him from liis al- legisxioe to Chriifc ; it has ceased to be his master ; he has renounced it as unworthy of being sought, as an *end. As b#ng ne^, essary^to his enstence, hl^^ it ; but always lui a imom to a hig}aP^^d ; never as an end. For its own sake,pW to love it Ite amusemwits, spirit, pK!a<>. tice, and society, herejects, because, i^tead of . ^ \t> 'i* Jm. tj> V "^ aflfeotions— l&e I9TQ of ^e world asnd the love dr the Father --^ cannot oqJBii« in the same breast Are they not too unlike, and too confticting m their «ol]^?oe8,J«orkmgs, and tendMioies. to be other tkitt ex^luave of each other? Obviously the love '^ Christ, originating in t|ke work of the Sprit, |bd by Jiwth in t^ invisible, and ^ ever tending upward, toward the purity 'and glo^ of the eternal mind, cannot^ abide with that l6ve of the.wOrid, whiojf springs from a depraved selfishness, is nurtured'by those material objeiots wlii^ gratify tike senses and stimulate the ig^ sions, and which tends only to the visible and sensual/ How, then, can' a Christian, in whom the love of Christ predwimatcfl, be otherwise than dead to the world ? HoW otherwise than without relish or desire for its apusements atid diversions ; without any controUing regard^ its honors and emolumente| * ' ; ; / ^ The Christian j who would we the world innocently, may learn a l esson frompMPe ■ jt — ' ■ ~di #; ' PT * ii** -> J r aT> 78 LESSONS 7B0M N#r V Nature, who is always a wise instruct^ resSk She grows the odoriferous flo1»*6PS, whose aroma is so grateful to the senses ; but it is only when that o^or is wafted; to us in the casual gust of wind, that it is sure to please, ; for, no sodner do we pluck the^owcr, and press it tocfhard, or hold it too nearj than, forthwith, it smells of the stalk, and we throf it away disappointed. It is even so with theworid. Used cau^j tiously, kept at a lawM distance from the- affections, itflelds irinoaent delight ; but j if brought too near, if sou^t toa earnestly, if loved for i1^ own sake, it yield* true pleasure no longer, wather corrupts, and then destroys. Lefthe child iSf God seek, therefore, td understand the difference between the righteous tt«e and the guilty afcttse of earthly thuigs. 1^ The pious Leighton says of that |>rofessbr whQ stands irr^ptete betjyeen God f nd the world, " It is a most unseemly and un- pleasant thing, to see a man*$ life full of up^ioid downs, one step like a Christian, ■■;, ; V ■ vy. T' rr ( , ■■I ' of ■1 : *^: an, '.""'t'i 'WS^'' J?* TBB liPB OV JBS0S. 79 ^ imd anpther like a woildling ; it cannot ohoose but both pain bimself and mat tbe | edification i>f Others." How truly does ihis homely aphorism picture the injurious consequences of the wdrldly Mfe of a professedly reli^ous manl It curses its actor by blighting all his real joy, and blasting all his hopes of heayen. JLfe 9mM$ observers, by ihe unfoyorable m^easAitm of reli^on it makes on their 'minds. J$D. old poet has jjiven the same sentime^t^ a little stronger than Ldgfaton': *♦ God and j^^^rld we worsliip both togeU^er, . praw Jd^^B.Ws to Him, btit Him to om ; ^P'lila^lobcrth, soprosperoiiBinM 3 ^■f^f-TiU imperfect wifi t>rings Jortlubat barren floif'ers; ^f%iiwi8e as aU distracted interests be, Strangers to <}od, fools in Iramanityf Too good for great things, and too great ftp^good. While still *I dare not' waits upon * I would,.' " If this^naint old ^ppet is severe, he"^ also 90Tirect' To be untrue to God and 0ie wjarld is to be •• prosperous in neither^" llxe result of perseverance in this career '■vy^" ttaH ri: . '-^:i '*■ 80 LBBSOKS VBOM I/' . ■'; mast, therefore, be ruinous ! It can ter- minate only in utter apostasy i Cati a worldly spirit look steadfostly on such an end without trembling? But we beisee^h the reader, if he is of tho* claas.'to gaj» fixedly upon tiie iciea until his soul doe^ shudder, for it is better to.be ffliei with fearfuhiess and trembling now, than to perish hereaft^ ; and it is by b^olding the giilftowwrds which he istending, that a tyaveller is effectually roused to a con- sciousness of di^nger. Look, then, thou worldly-minded on^, and tremble. True, fear will not sav9*p>u ; but it mny lead you to feel that sense c^ your guilt which must precede yoiar return, to Christ. > It may induce you tq lookia Christ ; and in^ that locking lies your safety. Beholding. :him, your dying reli^ous affections wiUr be re^^ndled. As they revive, your lote of tjie world irill decline. Instead of being dimwit, a« bj irresistible ^urements, tp w#ldjy lovc^ and diversions^ yoii wiH ijpe Siil^rior to them^alb, eiuMl^ing, " Wham X % /; '>! K ter- h a an e6h ;aze loe^ rith L to that Bon- ^hou rue, lea4 hich ; It «(•;■■; ■'■;'-^,';'-;^"(v; X ding wiUr love 9i to ■«;■ TH« UPS OP jmusr Bl have I in heaven but thee ? and there lis notee upon earth I desire beside thee I" iiook upti^ar^fy therefore, beloved wan- derer from the piMlis of spirituality. Be^ hold the invimble things revealed to faith 'trough the promises! Thus shall you realize the truth of the sentiment of that pious writer, ^ho says, '^V Could we asoend Buffioiently mgh from {he earth, her Alps,. Andes and Himmaleh Mountains would sitik to ft level, and earth appear an 4pyen sphere. Even so are the toys of tiifie, the gifts; honors, and pleasures of earth to him, who, asoencUng on wings of fkith, views th^ vast round of eternity.' \ 1 i-V 99 >* Poor, sffly soul, whose hope and heail lies loir, yiflum fl«^ ddi^hts on earth do oreep/and grow ; to whcill the stars shine not so t^M eyes, Kor solid wq^k, as ftilse embroide|piM ; . fikrk and beware, lest what^wa now do measure, And write fbr swecyli, prove^ most sore ^ispleasi^ 6, hear betimes, le^ thy relenting llay oome too late ! '^ To purchase heayen for r^nUng ^ Xsnohardratift. Vrj— T 6 . ^•• „,i fr?f,n;S;' • -'«',t»: 82 XJdSOlVS IBOM - V 1^ idia be wide of eartWy mould Lettttem to^ gold| , = Ifbomi^nipgiiv .\ , iein unto thehrldndred flyi ihejf can neter be at rest Till they regain their ancient nwt ♦Then, slUy wml, talws hee^, tor earthly Joy i but a bubble, and mallei Uiee a boy,'» ■*-•- HT. 14. A iMsdii <^^ tor; Hstless and miwwry T)iselpl«8i it wateh ai^ iray, tjiatye enter iitfthitoteiBq^ liira ia alkttk The CbristiMi doiitMiia with crafty foes, who seek his immoral nun. He is aided, if he deare to be, by the highest wisdoni, b^r almighty power. ItiU, his success is in lus own^ keeping. He must fight earnestly, wisely, persever- ingly, or he must fall. He must neither pause amid the strife, nor ank into dull, forgetftilness after a victory. To do so is to be surprised and conquered ; for his Ibe is wary and sleepless. Though Med ■t. • r ■ ^ -.- mi* ( an P« re Hi lo ch ■•■ ■ tn ■ ■ ■.: wJ :Ii :.:'«•. ta w< tt in ' to so fo< th its . in • ■ ca -\ < • -*ar^. r/- ■• " t\ ■;*i ■ * ^\ Ada 1 I f-mmmtm^'i'—X^ THE IJM Of .JfeSUS; B3 ifMlii#"«***" rt^-^ ttotd Mftteii back, he Ib stiill al tiand^ pre-^ paring some new strategy^ hy Vliioh to resume the warfare and win a txiumph* Hienee it is' that the. yoioes of Scripture sound a constant alarm in the ear of the church. They ring like the blasts Of a trumpet in eyearjr ear, bictding eyery man, who lironhi overooniet^ to iratoh; ** WJi*i I siiy untq^you,;! say ^to aU> iWA^xiB 'S-^ -•• Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temp- tation,* * **- f * Let us WATCH and be sober' ' -—"Watch thou in. all things ;" are its warning voices. ' ' '■ To wat^, 83 eyery one knowa^ is to be Tigjilant, attentiye, guarded, and prepared. It imjplies the perception of some threaten- ing CYil, which the wiaitcher is determined to resist To be. successful, he must know somewhat of the character of the expected foe. He must understand his object, and thf strategy through wMch he may attempt its accomplishment Otherwise, the niost intense watchfubiess may be in vain, as can be seen in tlie following illustration. .» II,.; ^ 84 LESSONS FBOM During some of the early wars of our English' ancestors with the aborigines (ft this country, a small detachment of sol- diers, Stationed near a fortress, had it& sentinels posted along the margin of the forest which skirted the camp. From one of these outposts a sentinel disappeared one night, and no traces of his departure iiould be found. The next night, during the same watch, a second one . was missing. The night following, a third was in like manner lost By this time the post had become an object of terror to the soldiers. Accordingly, the guard was doubled, and reoeited orders to fire on the first sign of danger. But the two sentinels aiso shared the mysterious &te of their coi^^ rades. The troops now showed a manifest unwillingness to mount guard on that dreaded spot at the^fiital hour; and the commander called for a volunteer, appeal- ii^ to the honor of his men, and to the obvious necesedty of guarding every pcnni. The troops dtood mute fbr a few minutes. 1 f< . A ' n fi • 11 tl ii 1( P a \ fi e. t] h t] h d b • 'i"%wm \ I m^^- THK UPS Of JiaUB. 85 Then, A fine-looking young man stepped forward and offered to ifun tlie fearful risk. At the appointed hour, some of his com* rades bpre him company, begging him to fire at the first token of danger, and wish- ing him farewdl, with words and looks' which showed they deemed him doomed to the mysterious fate of their lost companions in arms. The man, after examining the lock of hiajmusket^ commence^ pacing his prescribe(^|fetance with every faculty fully awake to 'liis danger. An hour passed,. Itod nothing disturbed him. He grew con- fident. Another hour and he i?ould be relieved. *Pne half of that hour, too, had expired, and he wats still safe. But now, through the deep gloom* henaw something moving steiWiily toward him. He l aO1/M7-«M0 Centimeter 1 2 ;5 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 -n 12 13 U 15 imiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiJiiiiliiiiliiiilituliiitliiimiiiliitmiiiliiiiliiiiliiiiliiiiliiiM^ Inches ? . l | l^ t| l^l | l l ( l| l M l ^ l p ^ IM HI 2J |25 2.0 L8 ■ V ^ ^•v A. HPNU^RCTUREO TO flllH STIWCmROS BY MH»LI^ INPGE. INC. ^^ ^ \ ^ o ^^^ ^ ^^jifcBi^t^wiy> p— ^^4. K^ ^ t m '•■>,. i ^ % 88 £KB80N8 nOK them. Hence the Btraw laid by the Sorip* tores on the necessity of keeping the ikith, and of fighting the fight of faith. Paul, summing up his Christian lifci § tates, as its triumphal results^ that he had <^ kept IhefaUh:'* To keep the faith, therefore, is the object for which the good man oon- ^ tends: To induce him to oast it away is the aim of Satan ; ])ecau8e, if faith is lost, all is lost ; if fidth is maintained, heayen is won, the belieyer saved. Hence, the . whole battle of salyation is fought at this point, and for these issues, the man con- tends fi>r his fiuth ; the tempter seeks to destroy it Knowing this, how studiously should you, Christian disciple, watch your Adthf How suspiciously should you scrutinize every fkci, suggestion, influence, or solici- tation which, in any way, tends to weaken your oonfid^ce in God, or to dim your Tision of spiritual objects ! l^ith what keen attentioii and guardedness of mind should you observe the relation of your THB Lm Of 9WBXm. 89 Sorip. ikith, Paul, 68, as ' kept efore, LOQn- ray is ilost, eayen . the , icon- )ka to lyom, ^thr tinize lolioi- saken your what milid your habits of thought, of oontsmtion, of bold- ness, or of inclalgenee, to 4the growth or diminulion of your faith! For, thus to obserre is to watoh ; and thus to watoh is to be sayed tmm surprise, and consequent defbat,— for a fidth thus resolutely guarded will, in all probability, be kept,— ^ until, standing in ftill Tiew of the heayenly dty, with its goldoii light pouring a flood of glory upon your soul, as a yiotorious 1)6- liever you exclaim, with Paul, « I hate fought a good fight, I haVe finished my course, I l^e kept the fidth ; henceforth there is llld up for me a crown of right- eousness ! **' Thus watching, you will leam to sing with the sacred poet. Watts : « ]|y oheerftil foiil now all the daj ., jnttf<^rattliig here and Looks Utrdogh the niins of her day, And practises herwingi. ^'Vaith almost changes into sifiit, While firam aAur she spies Her fair inheritance, in, light,' . Above created skies.^ >^ do UOMONS IBOM 15. A Thovgbt ft r tliMe whd an panliig thrtigli <f the word tr^ulation. Its ordinary dg- nifioation is i^iction, anguish, sorrow.^ Men pray against it, and shrink from it as if it were a positiye evil. Bat its mtening is calculated to calm the unrest of the tried heart It is^deriyed from ** tribulum^** the Boman name of the threshing instru- ment or roller, whereby the husbandman was wont to separate the corn from the husks ; 9knd ** trilmlatio ** signified the act of separation. Tribulation, therefore, is noting but the threshing of the inner man, whereby it is separated firom the husks and chaff, which would unfit it for thegarner of hearen. ' -^^ wy tOB LIPS Of JESUS. 01 14 ii What, then, are our afflictions but acts of lidly and faithftil love ? Our heavenly Father loveth us ; and because he loveth us, he takes away out preciious things. He deals with uslwmewhat after the man- ner of an ancient painter with his pupil. The young artist had genius, and pro- duced a picture of much merit, which was greatly admired by all. His young hejirt then swelled with vanity. He laid aside his palette and pencil, and sat daily before his easel admiring the offepring of his own genius. ^ One morning he found hfe, beautiful creations expunged frem^e canvas. He wept bitterly. His madH^ppeared and said, " I hfive done this for your benefit ; the picture was ruining you." ** How so ? '* demanded his pupil. «« Because, in the admiration of your own talent, you were losing your love of the art itself. Take your pencil and try agfijn. " The youth dried his tears ; seized his pencil, and produced a master-piece ; which , \ ^ 06 ^UMONfl raoic then at the aoouser, a quaint imile playing 'round his lips, as he asked, ** Is that all they haye done? '* Another spokesman now interfered. An old man with gray hairs was he. With eager words he replied, ** No, sir ! Please your worship, they haye conyerted/my wift ! Till she went among them she had such a tongue ! And now she is quiet as a lamb!" This was too much fbr the equanin^ty of the good Justice to endure. Ami yet indignant, at the injbrusion, we see rising slowly on'his great, gouty feet, -^ we can hardly picture a Jtistice of those days without the gout, — he eleyates his T(>ioe, and in a tone of authority cries : ** Carry them back ! carry {hem back ! and let them conyert all the scolds in town." Assuredly, the womMi, whose harsh, rude spirit had become tamed to the quiet of a Iamb, had learned a precious lesson in the school of Christ ; a lesson, which all. ' i^ij^SGsr 'tws.j't)!^ ■** t^ TBI Mn or jnui. 97 who call Jetiifl master, are also boand to learn both as a duty and a priTilege. The oommand is imperious. Take my yolu tfpq^n you I The privilege is a high and holy oiie, pregnant with blesdngs— F« ihall find rtttt _ How is it with thee. Christian reader ? Art thou meek? Is thy spirit gentle? Canst thou endure ii\{ury and insult with an unruffled mind ? Art ^ou Christ-like in thy tempers ? If not, remember, that you are your Lord's disciple only in pro- portion to the degree of your obedienoe to his precepts. Obey him, imitate hhn, and you are his friend. Disobey Him,, trample upon any one of his preoepts, and you separate yourself from him. listen, thereibre, to the leeson of meeknsM he teaches thee— "Ir«arii of nu^for I am meek and lowly in heart,** ** gMitljr Man your brotlier man, 8U11 gentler iliter wonuui j TluNigh they nuiy go a trifle wrong. To itep miide Is hunuui j ■'*^ .'-^4' — ■ *-'"-^-*^i^i|j ■ I 96 MMOMS rftOM One point mait tiUl be greAtly dwk, Tli« moflng why they do It i And jolt M, lamelj caa je mu^ How ter perhapt thej niA It.** IT. A Leflson of Self-deaial for sich as gMk Matirity of CbrlstUii Clianctor. <*If anynutn wiuSqnbe after me, let Mm deiqr himielf, and take up his gtom, and follow me.** The man who does not practise solf-do- nial is assuredly no Christian. Because, to embrace Christianity is to crucifjr selfish aflfoctions. In an unreneifed mind, ielflB the object of supreme regard ; in a con- Yerted man, self is dethroned ; and the loYO of Christ is the paramount affiMstion of I the soul. UnreniVod, a man acts with reference to his own mil; but renewed, he sets his own will aside,#ind cries," Thy will be done.** While unregenerate, he seeks his pUoiure im self-gratification; but, when made a new creature, he seeks it ™A"-, tBM UP8 or JliUfl. 99 in the approbation of God. When, ther^ fore, Christ said, ««If any man will come after me, let UHi deny himself,'* and again, *« Whosoever doth not bear his cross cannot be my disciple,?' he did not merely proclaim a law of his kingdom ; he asserted a fiiot — he made known a necessity of the ChriBtianlife, Hence, his Unguage is Yety poiitive and uhqualifi^ ; "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself ! ** If he will not, " he oimnot be my dis- ciple!" By the degree of his 1 self-denial, a be- lierer may measure ih^ growth of the Christian life within himielH For, just in proportion as Christ I'eig^s, self ,% cruci- fied ; jufirt; 80 fer as the ^ill of bhrist is the law of his acts, emotiohs, and Tolitions, so £ir are self-will and i^elf-pleasing set awde, and he living a Chriistian, or self-de- aying, life.' Every tendency* therefore, to self-indulgehce should be carefully watched ; every disposition to allow one's self in little luxuries, in useless gratifications, in \ 100 LE880N8 FROM former hfl.bits of sloth, in ease, in conform- ity to the world, should be promptly checked. Yea, they must be, or the life of God will grow dim and feeble in the heart. Yet, it mtist not be forgotten, that " toill" v^ship " is not self-denial. And what is wi^l-worship, but the invention of modes of self-denial which Christ never command- ed? What is it but theworkings of a legal spirit, which seeks to recommend itself to the divine fiivor, through /luch inflictions on the flesh as unrequired penances, ex- cessive ftwstings, making extravagantly* long prayers, and the like? Certainly 8uch things are will-worship, and not self- deniaL For iaelf-denial is nothing more tiian the healthy outworking of the life Of God.' It is a beautiM outgrowth of an inward aiffeetion ; while will-worship is a manifestation of self, in the form of spirit- ual pride. The distinction is obvious, and it is worthy of the careful attention of spiritual minds. To judge of the tnre character of an apt » and ►n of ♦ A apt «l>slf>* THB UPS or n. 101 «^- of self-denial, the believer should sit in \ cautious judgment on himself. He should study the motiyes and the aims of his con- duct Why do I act ? Whom do I seek to please ? are the quenes he should often put to himself, when in the practice of self- denial ; otherwise, he may unwittingly lose his sincerity and his faith. So, too^ he shouldcatry on an aggressive war upon the selfiish tendencies of his na- ture. He should inquire if his self-denial ; reaches the claims of the Christian life. Am I sufficiently 6enevo/en^ to subdue my disposition to covetousness ; to meet the claims of the church ; to please theSaviour ? Do I restraiii my appetites within the bounds required by the laws of health and by the will of God? Do I mortify my i(^stre«, educate my tastes^ and regulate tny habits, so as to best promote the growth of the spiritual life? Thus should the Christian often interrogate himself, with the Bible before him ; for, by neglecting to do so, he may continue to practise habits 4' .;.■■; 102 IONS moH which, though not destructive to the initial Ghrisiian life, are fotal hindrances to its Ml development. There is a passage in the Rev. John Wes- ley's Journal, which finely illustrates this subject, and shows how very conscien- tiously he sought to add to his acts of self- denial; not for the mere sake of beinjg* self-denying, but, for the glory of God and the good of others. Let us listen to his statement. He says : — "After talking largely with both the men and the women class-leaders, we agreed it would prevent great expense, as well of health, asof time and money, if the poorer people of our society could be persuaded to leave off diPinking tea. We resolved our- selves to begin and set the example. I expected some difficulty in breaking off a custom of six and twenty years' standing. And, accordingly, the first three days, my head ached more or less all day long, and I was half asleep from morning to night. The third day, on Wednesday, in the after- TBM UP8 or jnv8. 108 noon, my memory &iled almost entirely. In the eyening I sought my remedy in prayer. On Thursday morning my head- ache was gone, my memory was as strong as eyer. And I have found no inconTenience, but a sensible benefit, in several respects, from that day to this." Of the peculiar act of self-denial, named in this paragraph, we say ^otlung fhui it brings fout, very distinctly, the conscieii- tiousness, the benevolence, the persever- ance, and the self-sacrifice of the great founder of Methodism. He thought he saw an evil effect arising from the habit of tea4rinking among the poorer classes. To prevent it, he denied himself a pleasure next to harmless to himself* and which had not hitheitto injured, his spiritual life. He persevered in his 8elf'4enial» even to the partial temporary loss of his memory! And this for the sole purpose of b^g beneficial to others ! Noble-minded man 1 Would that his spvit yet triumphed in all, who, like him, bear the name of Christian. «&_ /? 104 LB8om nox ; And let it be T«piembered, diBoiple^ tl^t, if you are trolj a Christian, you are, c^ neceauty, self-denying to some asoer- JtainaM extent ; if you are seeking growth and eminenee in piety, you must also seek to know all that is demanded of you, and to perseyeringly aot up to etery eon^ irioUon of dul^. I)oing ^lis, you may be sure of sharing the joy of His orown, whose oross you thus oheerfolly choose to oarry. 0ay then to the voices of sin and self, with jj^ous George Herbert, <* FraM me not to tiike more pleasure Inthii world of fugared Uei, , And to UM a larger measnre Tlifm my Btrlot, yet wdcpme, aiie. **.yintk^thei JESUS. 105 ■7- worship him in spirit drinketh of the water never thirst ; but the 18. Blessedness of the Spiritnally-mlnded Chiristlam V - ■-■" V ■ ■ ■ ■ '■ ^- . . ,'■.■■"■' ■« I • ■ *♦ God is a spirit, and they that worship him must and in truth. — Who^oeyer that i shall give liira shall water that I shall give him Bhsll be in him a wejl of water springing -up into everlastUig life." These words teach that a spiritual re- ligion is the only religion which can be acceptable to God. They also teach, through a beautiful figure, how blessed, how refreshing;, how perpetually invigor- aUng, sjMJh a sgirittlal religion is. In this they agree with that other Scripture which saith that to be spiritually-minded is life and peace. So that both Paul and Jesus teach th^life and peace are sequences of a Bi^ritual mind. If tliis be true, — and if life and peace are of all things the most precious to the human mind, — the ques- tion. Am I spiritually-minded ? is pregnant with interest and importance. •f/i ■1 5! I 106 LESSONS FROM What is a spiritual mind ? It is a mind in harmony with the gfeat spiritual truths of thfe gospel ; a mind that feels the attrac- tion, contemplates and explores the depths, is penetrated by the power, and seeks, with its concentrated energies, to regulate itself by the light of spiritual truth. Divine objects occupy its thoughts, create its emo- tions, and control its decisions. This is a spiritual mind. And every such mind enjoys a life unknown to other men, and a peace peculiar to the child of Gfod. Christ J8 in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. ^ How can it be otherwise? A spiritual mind is habitually conversant with great ideas. It dwells in an exalted companion- ship with the holiest, Idftiest, sublimest object of thought. It lives conscious of the all-surrounding presence of God ! Eyei*y- where, — above, beneath, around ;— al- ways — by day [ and night -~ it recognizes and welcomes the near and real presence of a pers onal Jehovah. Conscious of this ¥ f It is a mind iritual truths sls^the attrac- ts the depths, id seeks, with egulate itself ath. Pivine reate its emo-' IS. This is a Y such mind er men, and a God. Christ springing up • A spiritual at with great id companion- est, sublimest anscious of the God! Eyei*y- iround ;— al- ~ it recognizes real presence ascious of this THE LIP8 or JESUS. 107 august presence, it adores, wonders, wor- t ships, loves! His"attributes, his perfec- tions, his woi^ks of power and mercy, are the themes of its thoughts ; conformity to his will, andj likeness to his moral nature, are the objects of lift pursuit ; and an unallo3'ed enjoyment of his &Yor in an eternal state is the image of its hope^ Viewing the question philosophically t how can such'^a mind fail of attaining a /£/« unknown to mere sensuous persons? Is it not in accordance with the consti- tution of things, that great thoughts quicken, enlarge, and thrill the mind? " . '^ ■ . " *^ W|o can mistake great thoughts ? They seizeilpon the mind — arreet and search,' Anishake it — bow the tall soul as by wind — Rush over it like rlveraoVer reeds, Which quaver in the oirrent— turn us cold, , And pale and vokseless I " ■■■*■■ ';' " *■ So wrote, in strong terms, the poet. And go testify the voices of experience; for every man who thinks, knows the luxury of that intellectual life which springs up in >t t-'<^^JSV3^ '^.^n^ 108 IJ980M8 FBOK ezquii^te fwshnew at the touch of a gwat thought A remark of the great Qerman eoholar, Herder, afifords a further, but mel- anoholy , illustration. Aa he lay dying, in dreamy laantude of spirit, he suddenly raised himself and starUed his weeping watchers by crying, "Giro me a great .^ thought, that I may quicken myself with Here was a recognition of the power of great ideas to stimulate the inncor life. ^ Herder's intellect, though embracing the same objects as those which stand upbe- ibre an evangelical, spiritual mind, did not conceiye of them in the same delight- ful relations ; and hence he could not know thmr ftdl power to call forth an intemsl life. Herder's thoughts were abstract truths Tiewcd merely in their own vast- ness, and overwhelming his mind with emotions of the sublime and beautiftil. Spritually-minded belierers befold th^k great and positive fe«ts of revelation, in T their merciful relation to them sel ves, a n ^ -mlf» . '<^' TBK im or jnin. 109 to mftiikind. Henoe, they not only ftd OTery element of the intelleotaal lift Tiyi" fled, but their emotional and moral na- tures are alio moved ; an enlarged tplritnal t ' life, attended by peace, is the result Ttiis peaoe, which attends the life of the spiritoidly-mikided, proceeds, not ttom, the mere perception and contemplation of ^ sf^toc^' objects, but from that feith, which is both the medium through which they ore disooyered, and the demonstration of their reality.^ The perception of an infinite, self^ens^g God is not of itislf ' calculated to calm the fear of a gidlty ; creature Uie man, but rather to increase ! it And the same may be affirmed of the ; cBiooTery of a (|piritual world, and of im- : mortal eustence. True, where the moral i sCB[S0 slumbers, the mind may deriye an intellectual pleasure from the contemplar 1 tU>n of these great truths ; but it cannot Iderijre peace fSEom^ them until they art ykiM through the medium of a genuhie feith. A truly q^ritnal mind does thii. y "S 110 LU80M8 rmoif '^\ Does it Bee the fomui of Innumerable dan- gers, marching like a epeotrahumy toward it, with frowning brows and weapons of terrible destruction ? Then the infinite ea- sence, in which it liyes, becomes to It an impregnable tower of safety, into which it confidently retires ; andTrom behind bar- riers of Omnipotence it defies its foes ! Does it fall into afflictions ? Do clouds, in black and rifting masses, gather like daikness in the day of doom round its head ? By &ith it sees love and beauty in thofce forms, which to the eye of sense are big with terror ; —just as in a celebrated picture of Jean Paul Richter, wftch is so painted that when viewed at a distance it seems "surrounded with floathig clouds, but wl^ eixamined closely, those clouds resolve themselves into tiAf^o fiwes. Thus fdth, in a spiritual mincl, discovers not only the harmlessness of trials, but discerns them in all the beauty of their true character, as messengers of love. Hence it endures them in undisturbed peace. Does it sui^ THB LIPS Of JnUB. Ill VIA* dth, ^the hem Bter, ares SUP^ ▼ey the hiatory of Its slnftil life— so black with numberless ofifences, so shameftil for its record of unfathomable ingratitude, and so deserring of unlimited punishment ? Still It does not fear, for it turns con- fidingly toward the mediatorial throne. There by feith the spiritual man beholds, in the glorions person of that once crucified Jesus, a manifestation of the love of the infinite for himself ; he sees in Christ a demonstration of a boundless desire to save him. He learns that through that media- tor, loye, yea, infinite love, has a channel along which it may flow, and does flow, in unobstructed ftilness, even to the chief of penitent wnners. And, seeing this, he rests confidingly in that love. God lovetii me^ is the cry of his swelling heart, and it Is followed by an inexj^ressible peioe, which abides with him so long as, looking unto Jesus, he retwns that trust in the love of God to him. ^ -^ j It is just here that fWth becomes the demonstrator of the rea lit y of its objects — A of the tolBtenoe ofj^tpirltnal world. Men can hardly be permuted into the dogmas of thilt Ideallrtlo phUoeophy, which teaohee that the material world hae no exigence except in our own sensations.. No ! U •plte of idealists, men of common sense will still belleye that tiiere is a material , world, which is the cause of tiieir sensa- tions. They aw satisfied tiiat tiie change which tiie presence of an object produces In tiieir minds is an etidenoe «»*<^ J^« object Itself exists. ^ ,11^' id by jvst jach pitoof do spWtnw p_^ dd*btrate tiiefar existence tiirough ^ ihitii The spiritual nund oontelnplates tiiem w tiiey are reTcaled. and is conscious ofan eileot-achange in Iteett This change is as much amattwr of oonsciouj- ness as tiie sensations of heal or cold. » is a real change, demonstraWe botiito iti recipient Mid to observers. IlJpiBPll the whole nature, giving Hfe,^expMiM<^ growth to ^e ini " ^-' *"** pleasure to the emotional, and indeson*- m ■ \THB Un or JKBCiUll bable peace tp the moral nat demonstratlan go farther than thisi Kiif ! Triamphing,, th^re£)re» in this reftttn^oa of inyifllble objeots, the Bpiritual ^M^ ^V" jiDioes in them with a certainty impiMible to other persoiks. He oonfirms that ii#*hle saying of his Master; *< if any man -mfi. do his will, HS saALL know of fiu 90O- How snblime is the life of such a m^i ! How pnre the almosphere he breathe^ How rich and fUll the current of life that ^W8 in Ids soul ! How gres^t his power OTor the Yisible wo^ ! Living in the spiritual, aspiring after the dhine, he Talues life, and time, and eart^^ at their true value. Life has no mirage of deoep- tife beauty ibr him, for he liTOs above the mists and vapois on which suoh false images are painted. This world has no price wMoh can purchase his afeotion, for the smallest treasures of his world exceed in value the visible world itself. Sin has neithe r charm to pl e ase nor pow e r c" ^ 8 V lU. f Fr 'it f.P«t«»^ life? . Is Chntt^in Tou as » wdl of watef > Do you worship 0od with a spiritual worship ? If so, sa- credly guard the growth of the spmtual principle within you. Beware ^f the early srmptoms of declining rigor in irour spirit- ual affections, and check ite feeblest ten- dencies toward the low and s«isual. -niiM ^V Win your life be hid with Cl^rist in God, I andyour enietemalUfe. ' ?_ But if not, — if the carnal Ss/Stropg and the spirit"*! weak,-ioiW-your8elf to ,t endwiTor after the triie life. Your duty is to humble yi)urself before J your second to act ihithfcr ' before pardon I ^^^m* , ^~ ■ r ■_ '' iJ^"jW^H TBI UPS or IMSUB. and for power. Then, in stead&st lo6kln|; to Christ, and patient Waiting Ibr diTilw maniftstations, go fi>rward from graoe to grace, until in the pnre depths of your renoTated soul yon mizror the lift j^id peaqe which is the sequenoe of a spfvit^ uaUy^^ninded state. ■ '..''■.'"- '- ' ; ■ r. • ■■■•'-'/'. '■'■■■ f^ '.- « Vara ye well, dreams of plght, '^ JesQi is mine t Mine is a dawniiig brlgli^ testis Is mfDe ! All that iqy soQlliM ftrie4 Left bat a disnial ToiA ' Jesus has satlsfled, Jesasismine!" -:^y; ^« 'm ^ . • ■■ . ■■■ ;.#i|r U. ne Ideal if a Ckitelbui Httd a fiM- **iniere yoiir treasni^ i8,^ere wil your heart be also. ^Lay up for yourselfea tceasniei bi ^loiBis'ilidai^," day««dlli4iei^^^^ with tratib, Ibr no Ma lifes in ^Nif^ i r^^ t.'isf ' ■ _gj^"^A"As>. vtSaia^ ' 't^ 'W^ 1 16 &• pN8Mitmoment.tait ui«iid«d ftitare. The heateiiflf nu* to "lot ft«re,in tiie pw*- eut. but ra«|fc8om«wh«re in _tot .deri dippedtom%i«at huMof the winbow. Hence, M anoUier poet ti>W» «Mmi n»v«r to, bpt "WV* to be btart." Thta to true, to some extent, both of WHTldlingB and of Ohrisaaae. Tme, the B^Wtualndnd does live mo»in the presMit La, to pomWe to a seoBoons one ; but Sew to so mnoh of triiJ. temptation and toil, mixed irithita joyB.a»t » 8>«»»,*>' *<" fatore. and derives mueh of Mb ?toa»««« from those vtoions of nnmolested repose m heaven wWoh are inspired by the voipes of it ^18 to e^ aocess to them, itnas, therelbre, its ideal irorld, as well as the nnbeOtving one^ ' w ^>i.^ Buthsreihe parallel ceases, ttmcetotth m lines diverge in oppodto dhwrtwos. Olhare to no compariMm to be drawn be- THB IIF8 or JBBU0. 117 tween the two ideals of these two classes of minds. They b^ contrasts in the most ab- solute sense. What is the ideal of a worldly mind? , It is a fiction, a spectre-- a glorious spectre, „ but still tk spectre — an impalpable nothing. It is like the image which is reflected by the woodman's form on the mountain misti so beautifully described by Coleridge : ***Aswlien • The woodman, winding westward up the glen At wintry dawn, where o'er the sheep-tradc't miie The viewless snow-mist weaves a glistening base, Sees fiiU before him, gliding without tread, An image with a glory round its head ; The enamored rustic worships its fair hues, ^otkDxmBM makes the glory he pursues,'" The ideal fiiture of the unchristian mind is like this image in the mist— the reflec* t|on of its own thought, an image of the brain, notMng more. It is neyer realized. How can it be ? It is a fimoy — a dream- land never to be trodden— an imaginary terrestrial paradi^ without any real ex-'J? i istence. V r^ ii^ti.j.r£iSiai„-! t; W^% K7'^ "^■" '^'' '^i"^' ■" But the ideal of a Chriatlan mind ia a reoliiT; Its ftititt« is not a &noy, but a tMl not an image, but an entity; nota dream, but an experience to be ei^oyed ; not a shadow glistening in the utiist,Jut an actual poBseBfflon— a heaven iUled with joedoustreasuree— to be entered on, lived in, rejoiwd over, and that Ibrever. It Bprin^i not ftom the mind itaelf, but from theieality of ftiture things, made known to the mind by the spirit of melation. It 10 an everlaslang life of unspealable bliss — a rest that rmainelh for the people of ck)d—a substantial treasure laid tip in heaven. ^/' , Which is your ideal, friendly reader? What is the character of your fixture? Is it the latter, or is it the former? If the Ibrmer, I counsel you to reject it. Embrace tiie entities,— those mighty substances of the universe ^God, heaven, etemiiy ! I beg you to live in and on these, and not on dwams, fimdes, images. Thus Uving. 4.' ^ .' 4.' THB LIPS OF JESUS. 110 you shall find a deligMful life in the pres- ent, and a more perfect one liereafter. "Through the cross corae^ the crown-, when the cares of this life Like giants in streiigth i^ay to crush thee com-' bine, Never mind ! never mind ! akar sorrow's sad strife Shall the peace and the c^own of salvation be thine." 20. A Lesson concciWlug Faith. "If thoucanst.believe, all tliiWs are possi})lc to him that helieveth.— SVithout fiie ye can do noth- hig.'\ Among some of the anbient nations, a banner peculiarly consccrited to the gods acquired such a sanctity in the popular mind as to create a belief ihat, so long as it remained in their hands, their armies could not be defeated, nor :heir nationality extingtiished. Animated by this supersti- tiouB notion, they guarded it with care in time of peace, and defended it, in the field of battle , with an enthu^asm which fre- ::^ '^1 \W. i^j^^&t. J J .. ^1'. A&Sse&ii^^l / 120 LESS0N8 FROM quently i^rought out a victory. They con- eentvat^d' their energies beneath its folds, and cho^e gather to die in its shadow than to live after its captures What these pagans only imagined of theii: sacred standards is actually true ol faiths iji its relations to the safety and happiness of Christians. With a living faith in his heart, a Christian cannot be conquered or even seriously injured by any foe. For all the duties of his location it makes him omnipotent in action[ W^hile, if he lets it slip, he sinks from irresistible might to infantile weakness. Believing in Christ, he can do all things. Without that belief he can jlo nothing. So Paul felt when he triumphantly exclaimed, "I can do all Tiii^sGS, through Christ that sir engtheneth mt ; ' ' and so Jesus taught, when he said, " Without me ye can do nothing ! " «* All things ar$ possible to him that he- lieveth!*^ • Glorious things are spoken concerning foith in the Holy Scriptures . Wonderful I THE. LIPS Of JESUS. 121 achievements are ascribed to it. By it weak things are said to be made mighty. Miracles have been wrought by it. It has held the laws of nature in mysterious sus- pensio/. It has invaded the grave, and wrung victories from the tyrant Death ! It has even won the harder conquest of sin in the human heart, and restored to fallen man the lordship of himself. Imperious passion, furious propensity, the obstinate >ill, and wayward affections, have all con- fessed its power. Fear has ceased to agi- tate the breast, guilt to gnaw the con- science, and sh^me to tinge the cheek, in its presence. By it even depravity has let go its fearful grasp on the humbn spirit, and the fallen, weakened^ shotted, captive, man, has risen to liberty, purity, strength and honor. It has raised him from the deepest depths of degradation to the purest heights of holiness, and to a .throne in heaven. - , How precious, yea, how unspeakably precious, therefore, is Mth ! How poten- ■^^I^^J*"w^w r -^^^ i 122 IAS0ON8 FBOM tial in its influence ! Hbw necessary to the improvement and elevation of char- But ^at^ ft that gtves m potency to &ith ? Whence does it derive its wondrous power to dhanjge and elevate the human soul? Why is it that, when a gittlty orear ture simply believes that Christ is a medi- ator, standing between Kim and God, his load of accumulated gi^t, the result of innumerable and unspeakably flagrant ofienoes, fells hi an instant from his heart ? * Why is it that, when'a spirit, conscious of its weakness and impurity, appropriates Christ to itself as its Saviour, by believing 'that his blood cleanseth from all an, it rises at once to a sense of conscious purity, and into the possession of a power to conr| ^l ijtpelf, hitherto unfelt ? Is it, as somAi teach,j^the mere effect of truth acting on| the feotllties? Or is it because, in con- 1 junction with the contemplation and recep- ^ tiou of the truth, the Holy Spirit sheds a direet influence upon the mind ? \ tw: THE UPS Of JBSU8. 128 to I .r- to us an Ml- " ■■* di- hi8 of mt rt?* « lOf ktea - Ing • it ity. tonrjl . )me| onl son-| [jep- U a T I The Soriptnres teaoh the last-named doo- trine. They assert, distlnoUy, that the Holy Spirit puts fbrth a direct and per- sonikl influenoe upon hidlTidoal believers. Henoe, he is said to dwell in them, to comibrt them, to strengthen them, to help their infirmities, to witness th^r adoption, and to poriiy their hearts. And these are offices which we cannot conceive of his fulfilling without exerting a direct and positive influence on the mind. Take, fi>r iUustration, the operation of fidth in the forgiveness of sin^ How can the mere belief of revealed truth bring that deUghtfhl sense of divine reconciliation in^ the hearty which is the invariable fruit of evangelical &ith? The office of Go^s word ' Is to produce in our minds a conformity ,b|tween our ideas and the &ots of the i^tual world. By it we learn the pfe- Spirit. He is said to.endue belieyers with POWER FBOM ON HIGH -r- TO PUBXtT TlAltR ^ HEARTS. An actiye, direc^t figen^ is as- cribed to him. And that agen^q^y is iitiirted in coDJunction irith &ith. ; "^h^ N|h« mind trusts, the Holy Spirit acts. £b« a gency^ in the form of a direct i nflKftnflft mi I m :W- y'\ \ s- "■4, w 126 I,n80N8 TmoK the mbd, la exerted ; thoui^ In » manner, as Jesus himself iwig^t. whoHy inoompre- henslble to our ninds, and altogether be- yopd our powers of Investigation. It f»^>dlTin© influenot dlways aooom- IgJifll mak«fe ylieyer, ht tfembling llroii^ nest whioh 'aw weip|nes8, flies with an earnest- [d concentrates all . I I hii eMgies in an ait of trust in his deliy- W. And Mlfcat very i«l he waxes Miong ; for^CJpwr strengQiens him. He exclaims wi4i(Wider, M his soul grows ^nsciois Sf thijM iHias rec^yed, " When I am weak, ^W^^ ^ sTEOKa— Verily. oiyH^f^gg MJ^itibU to him that belier^ eth.*Vl(tgi>M8on t^^ spiritual i#i the hostilities of the world, on ^ life, on the stem demands of ' remembers his past weaknesses, _ every hostile image around him ; and wheE iilidversaries stand up in thwr iS^l^iffgantjofi^ forbidding aspect, and •fr ^'-^ . »'*,.aSk%'U, 1 «>.' ■,ft'S f 1 e rs r- al ' ' on of .1 w, n; . nr nd 1 THE UPS or JB8U8. 127 roar and threaten him most fbarfUlly, he gazes in the &oe of his Redeemer, and, with a full oonsciousness of his approtal, cries, *< I can do all things throngh Christ that strengtheneth me ! " Would you, Christian, have power ? Cultivate faith I and it shall be manifest to all that God is with you. Are you surrounded with difficulties, trials, ene- mies? Is their name legion? Are th^ strong, and are you weak ? Steadfastly believe in Christ its your helper, and you will overcome ! Are you struggling with inbred sin? with unoonquered tem- pers and uneasy pai^i^ions? Crawl to Calvary in meek submission, and believe that Christ lives to save ! and you shall have victory. Fsdth shall be to you an element of power, and through it you shall first subdue yourself on earth, and hereafter " scale the mount of God.*' " Faith, mighty fidth, the pronUie sees, And looks to that alone, Laughs at ImpossibiUties, \ . ^^ And cries, It shall be done i ^f~ ¥ ' - M P • F.- P as.-- ^,^-u.****-.*^-*—" |-^ W t *: « It ".^. 'li. \ -* .... V ■! ^^fWP's^s?^'^^^ 4a^. '^■afcf- J^PjSU- :: 'm ■ I ¥- ' ^^^Jsy^ r i h H 1 f ^ ^ jd6S^» . iSi I ' :^k-«^r^>.,*-'^ ■ •■> -J" "-^f i/^ r'* ' '"*• 1^ ■ '2*' "■ 'S%'r- m.'^" w ' ^^ 1.f ■ w p '# ' w =S'- W'- ■ ifx !? • . i :.(■ 'S: * **. ^ -■■■■p. -^ it»i-» .-^,-^ iflatnif.; ie^^tl^^^^^M UI>i|TEDCHUIIOM ives. '/> y M 1 il f« ' t^^H ''Tni M " w , \ 'iM "1^ ' ' ,*" ' .V* 11 M • I > ::^ / ^ • 1. y m ■^ i>JB ,1 ^ ^^ / ,• >. f , ! 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' ■( ?■ ■V . . . ^^ ^^H ^ ■ ^ ^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ' ^^^^^^H ^ ■. ■ ^ - i : \ ■- .V ---r— ^1^^^^-'' ? " ■ .,.;? ■" '/ J fl W , ' .*■ , • •^ .:.« . . . : 1 ; ■ ■ ' ■ . "' ^^^^^^^^^^^^ ' ,^^1 Wyy ■"'.-.;"* ■ >■■ ■■ ■- ' - ^^^^^^^^B L ■^- ■ " ' -' ' ' ' .^^1 ^^^H ./'^f:, *(;..■-" . ■ ' ^^^^^^^^^^^^H Ik '' ' . . '..^^^^^^1 ^^^^^^^p ' "'■,".' - ' r ' ,' •" "■ k It ■r» ^ f '. ' ' • " ll -■ ^ ^ fc..-- : . ^^^^ J . big with terror ; —just as in » celebrated picture of Jean Paul Ricbter, wHoh is so painted that when viewed at a distance it seems Burrounded with floating clouds, but wl^ Cixainined closely, those clouds resolve themselves into attfS^c fSwcs. Thus Mth, in a spiritual mind, discovers not only the harmlessness of trials, but discerns them in all the beauty of their true character, as messengers of love. Hence it endures them in undisturbed peace. Does it sup-