however great. He that is looking for preferment from the world, is seldom ready unreservedly to follow Christ, and to do all for Christ; he cannot serve God without reserve. What the divines of former days would have called " self-seeking and self-sparing," must be the result of the present ease and credit of professors of religion, together with a want of that entire devotion of spirit which was so eminent in the characters of the Reformers of our church. The faithful minister will not, however, judge harshly of others; but will frequently reflect with fear and humble contrition upon his own weakness, and confess that he has often felt the effects of these dangerous allurements, and betake himself to earnest supplication at the Throne of Grace, for strength and wisdom effectually to withstand them.

VII. The present spirit of inquiry into the meaning of prophecy has also, valuable and interesting as are such pursuits, been found pregnant with snares to many ministers. While all essential Divine truths are, by such as are led by the Spirit of truth, at once admitted without controversy, too many who suppose that they take the Bible for their guide are misled by their own imaginations; and upon no subject more than in the mysterious speculations into which some have entered upon the subject of prophecy. If we are right in judging from past experience, it seems probable that the predictions of Scripture are not intended to be fully understood till made known by their fulfilment, and then they gloriously display the infinite wonders of the foreknowledge and predestination of the Divine Mind, and serve greatly to confirm our faith. To presume to prophesy upon prosphecy, is dangerous ground; but when predictions are fulfilled, and their accomplishment is made known to us, how clear and lucid do they appear. But there is a danger that those who have been misled in their wild

speculations on revelation, should be found, in the disappointment of their vain and groundless expectations, to give up revelation altogether. It is also to be feared that some should have their attention diverted from the great doctrine of Christ crucified to Christ personally reigning, and overlook the important truth before alluded to, that the Gospel is the dispensation of the Holy Spirit, and that this spirit was given to Christ without measure, that from Him as an exuberant fountain his influences might flow in fertilizing streams through every part of his church. Ministers, as well as Christians in general, cannot sink too low in humility, nor rise too high in heavenly mindedness; but they may soon be lost in the wilderness of unprofitable speculations. If we are wise, according to what God has revealed, we shall be profitably wise; but if we would be wise beyond this, we must pay the penalty of our folly.

Great, however, as is the snare of indulging in ingenious and fanciful speculations upon prophecy, there is a fear lest, by means of the reaction consequent on a conviction of the danger of this failing of too many in the present day, we should fall into the opposite danger of neglecting the subject altogether. Prophecy may be profitably used as a species of chart by which the discreet Christian may ascertain the real position of the church in its great voyage. We have chronological predictions of a plain and distinct nature, which, wisely considered, point out to us in a wonderful manner, and with a valuable tendency to confirm the believer's faith, the present point at which the Christian world has arrived. these things the Christian minister not only needs knowledge but wisdom, derived from Him in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

In

VIII. Lastly, it may be remarked that, in the present age of liberty and freedom of thought, there are

many snares arising to ministers from the political spirit of the day. It cannot be right for the Christian minister to be indifferent to what is passing in the world, or to the welfare of his country, but it must be very dangerous for him to embark in political speculations beyond the interests of religion. It undoubtedly becomes every minister, as well as every Christian, to remember that he ought to look at what is taking place around him, and to cherish a warm patriotic affection for his own nation; but to enter into politics in the spirit of party, and with an inclination to temporize in such matters, must be extremely detrimental to real spirituality, if it does not, as is most likely to be the case, entirely destroy it.

These appear to be some of the chief dangers arising to ministers of the Gospel, from the nature of the present times, and which Satan makes use of to give effect to his great and too-successful device, which is to draw us away from communion with God; from that inward religion, that living closely to him with the heart, that walking with him, which is the soul of piety. In all ages of the church, there have been two classes of pious persons among those who have been distinguished for their piety; the busy and active, and the meditative and spiritual; and unhappily these two, although there have certainly been some exceptions, have seldom been united in one. The present times are favourable to the former in one sense, but dangerous to them in another, because peculiarly unsuited to the junction of the latter character with them. By this a duty is clearly pointed out; the cultivation of spirituality of character. This cannot be effected without our taking a decisive course for ourselves, with the Bible for our guide, resolving in the strength of the Lord, whatever others may do, that we will serve the Lord with our whole heart, mind, and soul, and

strength; that we will, like Enoch, seek to walk with God. This must be done by all Christian ministers and people, in humility and selfabasement before God, watching against pride, that root of bitterness which has planted itself deeply and firmly in the heart, winding its fibres round its very core, clinging to the cross and arm of Christ, being much in prayer, and frequent in renewing acts of repentance before God, remembering that the strength of the church is in her praying, watching members.

S.

FAMILY SERMONS.-No. CCLVIII *.

1 COR. xiii. 11.-When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

IN the beautiful passage from which these words are taken, the Apostle had been describing the true nature of Christian charity, or Divine love in the heart. It consists not in mere alms-giving;-for he declares that we may give all our goods to feed the poor and yield our bodies to be burned in their behalf, and yet be destitute of this Christian grace of charity. He then details the lovely fruits of this heavenly spirit-it "suffereth long, and is kind; envieth not; vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseenly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; beareth all things, believeth all thing, hopeth all things, endureth all things." He then ascribes to it immortality, and shews that this beautiful and fragrant flower, having blossomed and flourished for a season in the noxious climate of this world below, is transplanted to the paradise of God, there to shed its heavenly perfumes through an eternal spring! When

From the Rev. F. Close's Sermons, reviewed in our present Number.

faith and hope shall be no more, or shall be swallowed up in sight and fruition, then Divine love will abide for ever; for " charity never faileth." This leads him to contrast the comparatively dark and imperfect state of the believer in the house of his pilgrimage, with the perfect and glorious condition which awaits him in a better world. "For we know," he says, "in part, and we prophesy in part: but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face."

The illustration therefore in the text, appears, in its primary application, to convey to our minds this idea;-that the best estate of a true Christian here on earth, compared with what awaits him in heaven, is but as infancy to manhood-now he speaks as a child, thinks as a child, understands as a child-he is in a state of imperfection; his understanding is feeble, his religious faculties are weak, be is moved to joy or sadness by trifles, and is incapable of fully grasping the higher and more glorious truths which are shortly to be revealed

to him.

But I apprehend that this illustration will admit also of another view, and one that may yield us many topics of deep interest and importance. The glorified and immortal condition of believers in a future state is not more superior to their present powers and enjoy ments, than their present state is to that of the unconverted world around them. Until we are taught the realities of Divine truth, we are like children amused and engrossed by the trifles of a day; but when the all-important considerations of eternity are revealed to us, then we arrive at manhood, and "put away childish things." This This is the view which I purpose, with the blessing

of God, to take of the subject before us; and may He assist our meditations with the grace of his Holy Spirit, that the veil may be withdrawn from our hearts, and that we may be enabled to view all earthly things in that light in which we shall behold them from the bed of death!

I shall first, consider the state of those who are wholly devoted to this world; and I shall endeavour to shew that every one thus engrossed, speaks as a child, understands as a child, thinks as a child: and I shall then describe the wonderful change which takes place in every one who is really awakened to a due consideration of eternal things he becomes a man, and puts away childish things.

I. Imagine to yourselves some glorious and angelic spirit from before the throne of God, commissioned to visit our earth, and to consider the occupations of the children of men viewing them as immortal beings, destined in a very short time to lay their perishable bodies in the grave, and to enter upon a new existence infinite and eternal, heirs of joys unspeakable, or of torments not to be described, and the alternative depending on their conduct while in this state of probation, how, think you, would the employments of most of us appear in the eyes of such a heavenly visitant? Would not his astonishment be great to behold the bulk of mankind living as though they were to live for ever here below; utterly heedless of the vast unknown which lies before them, and engrossed by trifles which cannot profit them hereafter? Would not the sports of childhood, the follies of infancy, appear wisdom and prudence, compared with the infatuation of those who can devote their whole time and their undivided attention to the pursuit of trifles, while they know, or should know, that they have a vast undertaking on hand, and that the time allotted for its performance may be

very short? Such men are in fact children with respect to that knowledge which is best worth attaining, and they may learn an important lesson from the state of childhood. As children are amused with toys, so are these persons delighted with the glittering baubles and foolish pleasures of the world. Gold is the pursuit of one man; honour and ambition of another; vice, with its brute indulgence, occupies a third; and amusements, display, ostentation, and vanity, engross the whole care of multitudes. About these they think, and talk, and argue, with a zeal and earnestness that prove the importance which they attach to them; nor could they be more entirely absorbed in their speculations, were immortality the subject of their discussion, heaven the object they would gain, and hell the evil they would escape. We smile at the petty objects which engage the attention of our infant children—a toy, a trifle, calls forth all their emotions; the countenance is lighted up with joy by possession, and floods of tears and lamentations, or peevish altercation and sullen discontent prevail among the rival candidates, disappointed of obtaining the new object of desire. To them the trifles of the nursery appear of infinite importance; their little bosoms swell with pride and indignation, and every passion which is developed in after life may be traced but too clearly even in children when they are under the influence of excitement. Every scene of life is exhibited in miniature among them: they have their sense of honour, their desire of excelling, their pride of dress, of learning, of bodily prowess, and of hereditary nobility. And what more have the full-grown children of this world? Is the folly of maturer age less than that of childhood? Considered in connexion with eternity, do not the too-frequent pursuits of manhood bear a most melancholy and deplorable aspect? The boy who eagerly pursues the butterfly which

continually eludes his grasp, is far more rationally employed than many who followthe fleeting pleasures ofthe world, and run from vanity to vanity in pursuit of happiness. Is it not a fearful and affecting contemplation, to see those who are born for eternity engrossed in pursuits so utterly unworthy of their natures and their faculties? To look around and consider the importance which is attached to personal appearance, the extravagance of fashionable modes, the invaluable time that is thrown away in studied and anxious preparation for an evening's amusement, frequently as trifling and absurd as the most trifling sports of childhood; and then to reflect that these are immortal beings, yea, liable to be called at a moment's warning to exchange the gay and splendid scenes and trappings of fashionable folly for the cold grave and the winding-sheet; perhaps to pass from the soft and luxurious refinements of polished life, to the abodes of fallen spirits, the prison of despair-do they not think as a child, speak as a child? and are they not wholly devoted to childish things? Will not these very persons see them to be worse than childish when they look at them from a sick, a dying bed?

And this reasoning will apply to every earthly pursuit which engrosses the attention of men, and leads them off from considerations of eternity. What can be more puerile than many of the disputes and contentions of the world? What more absurd than the test and criterion of honour and courage which it has established, and which, for an inconsiderate word, or an illtimed pleasantry, arms with deadly weapons two rational beings, who meet, certain that, if they take effect, one or other of them will thus be plunged into an eternity, which, under such circumstances, may well be dreaded. Do not such persons speak as a child, and reason as a child? or rather, would not the understanding of many a

little child be strong enough to discover their folly?

Nor are they who spend their lives in the exclusive pursuit of human science, entitled to the credit of more wisdom than the devotees of dissipation and pleasure. The only wisdom which shall sur vive the grave, is that which cometh down from Heaven; and is to be found in the pages of revelation; and all who, neglecting that, are not wise towards God, are still children under the elements of the world. He who with all his knowledge does not know himself, his own heart, and his own spiritual condition as a sinner before God; he who, ignorant of the love of God in Christ Jesus, has not repented nor believed the Gospel, is after all only a child, and occupied about childish things; things which will be as useless in eternity as the toys of infancy are now to manhood. Pursuits which in the present state of the world, if followed in subordination to higher and more momentous objects, are useful and excellent, are worse than useless to any man who sees not beyond them, and discerns not why his Maker has entrusted him with talents for their attainment. In a word, nothing is more certain than that all who live without God in the world, whose hearts are filled only with the things of time, and who aspire not after eternal rewards, are in a state of childhood; their mind, their understanding, their judgment, are weak and puerile they mistake the shadow for the substance, "they put evil for good, and good for evil." They esteem that to be of the utmost importance, which is comparatively of very trifling interest; and the only subjects which are really vast, momentous, and of the most urgent nature, are deferred to the uncertainty of a sick and dying bed, or to the second childhood of old age. But let us now proceed,

II. To consider the marvellous change which takes place in the

mind of one awakened to a due sense of the importance of eternity: "He becomes a man, and he consequently puts away childish things." He is arrested in his vain course, perhaps by means of some providential dispensation which speaks as the voice of God to his soul; bereft of some idol which he adored, he is taught this world's vanity; or the whisperings of an awakened conscience excite his attention; or the word of God, either preached or written, is made effectual to convince him of sin, and to lead him to repentance and faith. Immediately a new world is opened before his view: he is astonished that the objects of time and sense should have so long deluded and bewildered him. Stretched out in boundless vision, he beholds the world of spirits, etherial, eternal, infinite ; indistinct, it is true, but real, vast, and overwhelming. On the one hand, regions of bliss and glory, inhabited by immortal beings pure as the God who made them, and happy in the uninterrupted enjoyment of his favour and blessing. Once they were sinners like himself, and they "came out of great tribulation; but now they have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb," and are therefore before the throne of God, and wear crowns of gold, and have harps of gold in their hands, and praise him for ever and for ever. On the other hand, a world of endless woe is revealed to him, where "there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth," "where their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched." Thither he is told many have been led who have pursued the path of pleasure, of worldliness and vanity; and there they will bemoan their folly through endless ages. Then all the other great subjects of God's revelation are presented to his mind-his own state as a lost sinner is revealed to him, the love of Christ in dying for him, the grace of the Holy Spirit which is promised to renew, con