kingdom of heaven, and they themselves shut

out.

There are some in every congregation who are called well-disposed persons, amiable and excellent in the relationships of life, but who have not yet felt the over-mastering power of the love of Christ, have not yet disengaged themselves from the vanities as well as the sins of life, and opened the treasures of their hearts to Christ, and presented him with all they have (be it much or little) as a testimony of their sincere desire to be accepted and honoured as his servants. Now these are the persons over whom the heart of the minister (especially at such times as these) yearns with the most anxious fondness. He longs| to see them not only almost, but altogether, such as he is. He longs to add them to the number of the seals of his apostleship, and to reckon them among his future fellow-helpers in the Lord. Oh, ye who are conscious that this description belongs to you, do not neutralise his longings, do not disappoint his hopes! If ye cannot open your own hearts to Christ, beg him to do it for you. Use at least the appointed means of grace, and I well believe that the grace itself will not long be waited for and sought in vain.

But I must add one word, which I feel is almost unnecessary, but which, therefore, shall be very brief. It is but to remind you of a practice in perfect unison with this spirit of self-dedication of which we have been speaking.

You must remember that it has been usual to double the sacramental offerings this day, and on the first Sunday in the year, which, together with what may be collected at the doors, are devoted to the relief of the poor, and to be administered through the channel of our district society. The sudden severity of the weather will plead the cause of the destitute even to our feelings of natural compassion; and those who have any thing of Christian love in their hearts will give, not only for the sake of the poor, but for the sake of Him who has constituted them his living representatives. They will most cheerfully communicate, out of their comparative abundance, to the supply of temporal necessities, and add at the same time their fervent prayer that the pressure of spiritual poverty may be removed, that the light of heavenly truth and the warmth of heavenly consolation may visit the homes and the hearts of the sons of want, and that though poor in this world's goods, they may be made rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which God hath promised in his dear Son.

LITURGICAL HINTS.-No. V. "Understandest thou what thou readest?"—Acts, viii. 30. CHRISTMAS DAY.

"THIS feast of our Saviour's nativity seems to have had its beginning in the first, or, at least, in very early times of Christianity. We have no certain evidence of the exact time when it was first observed; yet it appears plainly to have been very early received all over the west; and the immemorial observation of it is an argument of its primitive institution." "Mass" is a Saxon word meaning festival: thus we have Candlemas, Martinmas, Michaelmas.

The collect for Christmas-day, "though" it "is not directly translated from the ancient offices of the Church, yet we may trace a similarity of ideas between it and two collects in the Sacramentary of Gregory, and the Liturgy of Sarum." These collects are as follow: “Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that the Sa

viour of the world born this day, as he is the author to us of divine generation, so he may be also the bestower of immortality; who liveth and reigneth with thee, a God." The other collect runs thus: "Almighty, ever

lasting God, who hast consecrated this day by the incarnation of thy Word, and the offspring of the blessed Virgin Mary, grant to all thy people a share in this commemoration, that they who have been redeemed by thy grace, may be safe in thy adoption; through the same thy Son."

The COLLECT draws a parallel between the relation which Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, bears to God the Father, and the relation which his "children by adoption and grace" bear to the same God, their Father. Christ is the Son of God after a special and peculiar manner, in that mysterious and unique sense which is implied in the term “only-begotten:” we, if we be Christians indeed, are also the "children of God, by faith in Christ Jesus;" and we here "pray God that the evidences of the 'spirit of adoption' may become conspicuous in our daily renewal by the Holy Spirit." We cannot too often, nor too earnestly remind ourselves, that if we be sons of God, the Spirit of God's Son will be "shed abroad in our hearts," and its fruits will be manifest by our being not of the world, even as he was not of the world, by our daily growth in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth.

"The EPISTLE is purposely selected to confirm the doctrine of the Godhead of the Son. It affirms that he who was the Son of man was also the great God, whose

dignity was never lowered, whose glory was never clouded, whose majesty was never sullied. Unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever.'" And not only does this passage of Scripture

powerfully establish the Deity of the Son of God, but it announces a truth of personal interest, that, "by his Son God hath spoken to us." "This is a day which especially directs our thoughts to the mighty truth declared in these words of the apostle. And words they are which, every one of them, deserve to be 'graven with an iron pen' upon our hearts for ever. God hath spoken-Have ye not known? have ye not heard! It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that

Dr. Nicholls, Nelson.
James on the Collects.

+ Palmer.

stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in; that bringeth the princes to nothing he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.' He it is that HATH SPOKEN. 'Hear then, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! Let all the earth keep silence before him.' And he hath spoken to us. We are those to whom the word is come; we are those concerned in it; our duty is declared, our souls depend on this issue. And he, the Lord of all, who hath spoken to us, prefers a still higher claim to our attention, for he hath spoken to us BY HIS SON. The message so important, that it could be accomplished by no less a messenger: the object so great and precious, that it was worthy even of such an embassy: and the party concerned so perverse and obdurate, that they would listen to no other. But surely they will reverence the Son,' who is the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person; whom he hath appointed heir of all things; by whom also he made the worlds.' Surely if this message and this messenger have no effect upon us, we are not frail, dying men; surely we have some power to resist Almighty God; and the prophet was not thinking of beings like ourselves when he said, 'Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker!'"'*

"The GOSPEL also declares, in the most direct terms, the union both of the divine and human nature of Jesus Christ: the Word was God,' yet the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; himself the way, and the truth, and the life: opening the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

"With what joy then should we hail this glad season, this day, on which Christ was born in Bethlehem! Let us keep the feast, not with a worldly joyousness, but with a spiritual joy, which shall shew itself in sincerity and truth-in a more zealous observance of the commands of God, in a more ready performance of those duties of love and charity which we owe to our fellowcreatures, and in a more decided attention to the care of our souls, the one thing needful.' Thus shall we be enabled, through divine grace, to fulfil the object of Christ's coming, by promoting 'glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will towards men.' Our souls will daily be strengthened and refreshed by the word ministered to them by the grace of God, as our bodies by the bread daily supplied by his providence. We shall find our minds strengthened for the performance of our duty to God, our hearts enlarged for the fulfilment of the duties we owe to our neighbour, and our whole souls devoted to our proper work, even working out our own salvation, though with fear and trembling, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." t

ST. STEPHEN'S DAY, 26th December. "Scripture gives us no account of his country or kindred. That he was a Jew appears from his apology (Acts, vii). Antiquity reckons him, and that probably enough, among the seventy disciples. As to his character, he is described as a man 'full of faith and the Holy Ghost.' He was one of the first deacons of the Church, instituted by the apostles to superintend the necessities of the poor, and to keep and distribute the

Bp. J. B. Sumner's Sermons on the Festivals. ↑ James on the Collects.

treasures of the Church. This holy man was violently opposed by several members of five synagogues, of which there were many at Jerusalem, established for expounding the law, and for prayer. These often disputed with Stephen, but, notwithstanding their subtilty and learning, they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.' Being baffled in this attempt, they suborned certain profligate persons to undermine him by false accusations, and to charge him with blaspheming against Moses and against God.' St. Stephen made his defence before the people, in which he represented to them, 'that if they would look back to their forefather Abraham, they would find that God chose him to be a father of the faithful, and that he served God acceptably without those external rites they laid so great stress upon; that when he entered into covenant with him, he used no ceremony but that of circumcision; and that, without any other fixed rite, by this the succeeding patriarchs worshipped God for several ages, till the time of Moses; that, when their fathers lapsed into idolatry, God commanded Moses to set up a tabernacle as a place of public worship; which, after some years, gave place to a standing temple, designed by David, but built by Solomon ; which, however, was not absolutely necessary, considering the nature of that infinite Being whom they worshipped; that, therefore, there could be no necessity for the Mosaic rites, as they pretended, especially since they were designed to last but for a time.' He added that it was their refractory humour, as it had been their ancestors', to resist the Holy Ghost, and to persecute and slay those prophets who foretold the coming of the Messiah, the Holy One, of whom they had so lately been the betrayers and murderers.'

"This defence so exasperated his judges, that they immediately condemned him to death. Accordingly St. Stephen was stoned; a punishment inflicted by the Jews for the greatest crimes, such as blasphemy, idolatry, &c. The witnesses, whose hands were to be first upon him, putting off, according to custom, their upper garments, laid them down at the feet of Saul, afterwards the great apostle St. Paul; whilst the holy martyr prayed for his murderers in the very article of death. His body was carried to be buried by devout men, who, from a sense of the loss of so pious and good a man, made great lamentation for him.'"* St. Stephen is usually called the proto-martyr, which means first martyr, because he was the first of the followers of our Lord who witnessed (martyr, μaprup, is a Greek word, meaning witness) for Christ even unto the death. He suffered A. D. 33.

The original Latin collect is found in the Sacramentary of Gregory, A. D. 590; and is as follows: "Grant to us, Lord, we beseech thee, to imitate that which we revere; that we may learn to love even our knew how, even for his persecutors, to pray to our enemies, since we are celebrating his birthday, who Lord Jesus Christ thy Son." " It is ordered in the missal and breviary that every day till the circumcision, 'there be a keeping of the nativity.""

In the COLLECT we have the substance of the EPISTLE brought before our view in the form of a prayer. We shall, therefore, not remark upon them separately, but blend our observations into one form. • Broughton's History of Religion.

Stephen stands out to our view an illustrious instance of the effects which are wrought in the servants of the Redeemer, when the "power of Christ rests upon them." Stephen knew that he was to suffer, not for his offences, but for "the testimony of Jesus." But he did not forsake his Lord, nor "render railing for railing." "The hope of glory" was lively in his soul; and this strengthened him against all bodily suffering; the remembrance of Him, "who, when he suffered, threatened not," kept him from every angry word toward his persecutors. "Full of the Holy Ghost," animated, that is to say, with holy intrepidity by a direct communication from heaven, he gazed up into heaven, and saw Jesus standing on the right hand of God. He declared to those around him what he saw,

but this only increased their mad fury; they stopped their ears, and would not hear: with one accord they rushed upon him, and cast him out of the city. This they did because they were forbidden by their law to shed blood within the walls of their city. They then stoned him in the midst of their deadly attacks he "kneeled down," and offered two short prayers, one for himself, and one for his persecutors. It is very remarkable how closely this first martyr for Christ imitated in his conduct on this occasion his divine Master. Christ had himself resigned his spirit into the hand of the Father; and he had prayed for his enemies, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Even so does the blessed Stephen. He says, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit;" words very similar to those in the Psalm, "Into thy hands I commend my spirit; for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth." We are here taught to resign our spirits into the hands of Christ as a mediator. It is of little importance what becomes of the body in death; but it is of unspeakable importance that Christ should receive our spirits. This is the great thing we have to be careful about in life; for if Christ reject or

disown our departing spirits, whither shall they betake

themselves? To him, therefore, let us daily commit them, to be by him ruled and sanctified, and made meet for heaven.

The other prayer for his persecutors is that part of Stephen's dying example, which the collect sets forth more especially for our imitation. The Church here says to her children, "Be ye followers of Stephen, even as he also was of Christ." We must, however, remember, that it is not in all suffering, but in that only which is " for the testimony of God's truth;" not in all persecution, but only in that which is "for righteousness' sake," that we can confidently look up to heaven, or expect to be supported by the visions of faith.

It will be observed, that this collect is addressed to Christ. There are several other instances of prayers offered to the second Person in the Trinity; and it is with peculiar propriety that this for St. Stephen's day is of the number. In imitation of this proto-martyr's calling upon Jesus, the Church, upon his day, addresses her prayer to the same Jesus; that, as his grace was sufficient for his suffering servant, so it may be found alike sufficient to the end of time to "succour all those who suffer for him."

"The GOSPEL, which contains our Saviour's prophecy of the sad fate and destruction of Jerusalem,

acquaints us with many more that drank of St. Stephen's bitter cup, and were put to death by stoning, which occasioned the Church's selection of this portion of Scripture to be read on this day; in which we are told of Jerusalem's killing the prophets, and stoning them that were sent unto it, and of the sad consequences that ensued thereupon; for it brought that utter ruin and destruction upon the city, as not to have one stone left upon another.”*

PASSING THOUGHTS.

BY CHARLOTTE ELIZABETH.
NO. XIII. THE BALLOON.

QUIETLY seated near the window, on a clear evening, very lately, my attention was attracted to an object floating far aloft, which I knew to be a balloon. Recent events had attached a painful interest to the scene; and as my eye followed the receding speck, and imagination pictured the aërial voyagers looking down from their dizzy height, I fell into a train of thought, founded on the query, whether such perilous exploits can bear the test of scriptural examination,-can be lawful to a Christian man.

The precept was forcibly brought to mind, "Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." I can well conceive that I eat and drink to the glory of God, when I desire, by due sustenance, to render my bodily powers more active in the duties of my particular sphere and calling; and, in like manner, a blessing may be conscientiously asked on many actions that have apparently no immediate connexion with the glory of God, but to which, under right government, they ultimately tend. I cannot, however, think thus of the desperate venture made by those who commit themselves to an element in which they are not fitted to move, and where they cannot for an instant sustain themselves, but by the aid of machinery, that may fail them in the moment of greatest need. The same objection may, in some measure, be advanced against a seavoyage; but there is this material difference, that, formed as our globe is with intersecting oceans, the great command of Christ,-" Go

ус into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature," cannot be fulfilled without the aid of navigation; and whatever conduces to the exercise and improvement of that art, is, in the eye of a Christian," to the glory of God."

But who can, in the act of stepping into a balloon, utter from his heart the prayer,"Keep thy servant from presumptuous sins?" Who can persuade himself that such wanton hazarding of life and limb will, directly or indirectly, promote "the glory of God?" Is

• Dr. Hole.

there any spot of earth, otherwise inaccessible, but to which the Gospel may be carried in a balloon? Is there any warrant in Scripture for expecting that the providential succour continually afforded those "that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters," will be extended to such as, for the gratification of idle curiosity, or the pampering of their boastful vanity, essay to "mount up with wings as eagles," in a sense and a fashion that God never intended or authorised man to mount in? No. Assuredly, thought I, as the balloon gradually disappeared from my sight, those poor people are doing nothing to the glory of God at this moment, unless their presumption should be overruled to the permanent humbling of their high aspirations. High!-The black speck had floated off towards the west, and in the dark, cool blue of the eastern sky, a brilliant star had already become visible, twinkling with liquid lustre through the air. Alas for the height that our ballooning brethren, with all the powers of gas, can aspire to! That little star had thrown open the illimitable, unfathomable ocean of space and the idea of a balloon, at its utmost attainable distance from earth, was that of a buoy bobbing about in seeming independence, under the bows of its own ship. Man is so very little, at the tiptop of his self-invested greatness, so very earthy in his most aërial flights, that, until he becomes, by regenerating grace, a temple of God, he can excite no admiration unmixed with pity, in a breast where the law of truth is written.

That twinkling star had cast a sad cloud on the achievements of the aëronauts. They had not ascended high enough to add a hair'sbreadth to the apparent diameter of any heavenly body; but they soared at a fearful altitude as regarded their own safety. The question forced itself on my mind,-Are they now, with adoring thankfulness, acknowledging the hand that upholds them in their giddy course, and looking to that hand alone for a safe return to earth? Have their souls risen heavenward, even in the small proportion in which their bodies have ascended; and do earthly things appear as little in their estimation as to their visual organs? Do they consider that, fly where they may, their destination is fixed beyond recall,"To dust thou shalt return;" and that, after a while, the globe from which they have wantonly started off for a small season, shall in turn glide away from them, and for ever? They must yet again be launched forth on space; but whether caught up to meet the Lord in the air, or borne away to regions of eternal woe,-I greatly fear this all-important question is not the subject of their converse,

under circumstances so strikingly calculated to force it on them. And why not? Because, I have come to the conclusion, that no man who holds his life and faculties as a trust committed to him for the glory of God, will, without any adequate motive, place them in such manifest jeopardy. Surely he would, through grace, be enabled to think of his Master on the pinnacle of the temple, and answer the presumptuous suggestion in the words of that Master,-" It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”

The Cabinet.

CORRUPTION OF HUMAN NATURE.-In maintaining the total depravity of human nature, it is not to be understood that all mankind are as corrupt as they can be-for self-interest, regard to character, the dread of human laws, and various other considerations, impose many and effective restraints. It is not asserted that they are all equally wicked-for these restraints exercise a more powerful control over some individuals than over others. It is not alleged that every individual brings with him into the world the elements of every vice which can deform and debase the human character for some vices are essentially destructive of each other, and cannot co-exist in the same person. On the other hand, it is not to be denied that, even among untutored savages, you may often witness the attractive influence of the social affections; and amidst the refinements of civilised life you may observe with delight many amiable and ennobling qualities-such as extensive benevolence, inflexible integrity, unshaken fortitude, and exalted patriotism. The former, in the absence of higher motives, may be supposed to arise from instinctive feelings implanted in the breast of man for the wisest and most beneficent purposes; the latter frequently result from a combination of causes wholly unconnected with any reference to the will of God. Justice, generosity, and reciprocal kindness, contribute so much to the comfort and welfare of society, that they will commonly be held in estimation, and may even be practised to a considerable extent, from motives of pure selfishness, "for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again." By asserting therefore that man is totally depraved, I do not mean to insinuate that he is destitute of every thing that is excellent and praiseworthy in his social capacity: but

I would be understood to intimate my belief that he is by nature devoid of all spiritual desires and holy dispositions; that his heart is alienated from God; and that, till he be renewed by Divine grace, and till a new

bias be communicated to his will and affections, his most splendid actions, however admirable they may appear with regard to their outward form and substance, since they do not emanate from a right motive, are utterly valueless in the sight of God, and may be said to partake of "the nature of sin."-Archdeacon Browne.

HEAVENLY WISDOM.-The only wisdom which shall survive 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; and he who, ignorant of the love of God in Christ Jesus, has not repented, not 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 in manhood.—

Rev. F. Close.