ANECDOTE OF DIDEROT.

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taught obedience from the very Above all give him early impres first. If a child has been accus- sions of religion; teach him to tomed from intancy to do what he fear God, and to tremble at the is bid ; and if his little heart has punishment prepared for the wick. been gained by the kindness of a ed in the next world. This is prudent mother, her displeasure what we all ought to fear. will be his punishment, her praise

Ch. Observer. will be his reward. Though

. language and blows are almost

In the account which the Abbe Bar. always proofs that the parent did

ruel gives of the closing scene of Did. not know how to govern.

It is

erot's lise, is the following interesting observed of one sect of christians,

anecdote. who have a remarkable com

This infidel philosopher had a christmand over their passions, that ian servant to whom he had been kind,

and who had waited on him in his last they never raise their voices in illness. The servant took a tender inspeaking to their children, nor terest in the melancholy situation of his ever permit them to speak loud this world, without any pre paration for

master, who was just about to leave to each other. The good effects another. Though a young man, he of this rule will be evident to all ventured one day when he was engag

ed about his master's person, to retuind who steadily pursue it. The him that he had a soul, and to admonchild wil attend to the meaning the last opportunity of aitending to its

ish him in a respectful way, cot to lose of your

words instead of being welfare. Diderot heard him with atfrightened with the sound of them tention, melted into tears, and thanked

him. He even consented to let the and will soon krow that he is gov- young man introduce a clergyman ;-erned like a reasonable creature, whom he would probably have conand not like a brute beast, which infidel friends would have suffered the

tinuer 10 admit to his chamber, if his has po understanding.

clergyman to repeat his visits. This point being once gained ful lesson.

This story may furnish us with a use

We are often deterred from and the child being accustomed an endeavour to do good, by conceiving to immediate and ready obedience that the attempts will be vain. Yet

surely it becomes us to beware, that without dispute or murmur, it re- we lose no opportunity of being servicemains that you

use this

power

able to another, especially in his highest for his real good. Carefully ity of success.

concerns, by an idea of the improbabil

We may be mistaken watch the very first appearance of in that respect. Christian charity, let

it also be remembered, is not that cold any thing wrong in his disposi. calculating spirit which weighs evertion and check it immediately.- tivo befie it makes it, and which fears Carefully guard against deceit.- least it should be thrown away. True

to venture upon ao act of benevolence, Teach bim to own bis faolis; and charity has its eye more on what its when he does so, forgive them; than on what itself may expend in

THE

CHRISTIAN MAGAZINE.

VOL. II.

NOVEMBER, 1825.

No. 11.

Hinrik SERMON.

ing the character and conduct of JOB 36, 22.--Who teacheth like God, was both pertinent and inhim ?

structive. He represented God Job's afflictions were truly prov- as supremely great and good, and idential. He had long enjoyed as designing to teach mankind great prosperity, and had no pre- very important lessons of instrucvious warning of approaching tion, by the dispensation of proviadversity.

His troubles came dence. He considered Job as in suddenly and unexpectedly and God's school; and admonished rapidly, like the waves of the sea, him to hear the rod, and him who billow after billow, until he was had appointed it. Behold, God completely overwhelmed. He exalteth by his power: who teachviewed them as flowing directly eth like him." This question from the band of God, and upon carries in it a strong affirmation, this ground, he implored the sym- that God is the best of instructpathy and compassion of his ors; and its full meaning may be friends. 6 Have pity upon me, comprized in this general obserhave pity upom me, 0 ye my

vation : friends ; for the hand of God hath God himself teaches men better touched me." , His friends saw than they can teach one another. and pitied him. Though they To illustrate this truth, I shall, mistook his character, yet they 1. Consider what is to be up. did not mistake his condition and derstood by God's teaching men duty. They said many things to himself; and, him, which were very suitable to II. Make it appear, that he can his trying situation. But Elihu, teach them better than they can who spoke last, said most, and teach one another. what was most to the purpose,

1. Let us consider what is to be He undertook to speak on God's understood by God's teaching men behalf; and what he said respect himself.

Who teacheth like him ?” II. To make it appear, that he This mode of expression plainly can teach men better than they implies, that God is a distinct and can teach one another. independent teacher.

He can 66 Who teacheth like him ??? teach of himself, without human Elihu viewed God as the best of aid or instrumentality. It is true, teachers. And this will appear to he hath appointed human teach- be true, if we consider the folers, and commonly makes use of lowing observations. them, to convey instruction to 1. God can teach the most unitheir fellow creatures. He re- versally. He can teach all sorts quires ihe aged to teach the of men, without exception. He young ; the knowing to teach the is greater than the greatest, higher ignorant, and the ministers of the than the highest, and wiser than gospel to teach their people. But the wisest of his intelligent creahe is able to supersede all these tures. There are many men, human teachers, and take the whose abilities, whose stations, work of instruction into his own whose interests, and whose hearts hands, and sometimes he sees it place them above all human into be proper and necessary to do struction.

But God is infinitely it. He never does it, however, above all such persons, and as only when there is something able to teach them as any of the which requires his special inter- lower ranks in life. He is King position and exertion.

He em- of Kings and Lord of Lords, and ploys human instructions in all able to teach the greatest potencases in which they will answer tates on earth. This Elihu takes his purposes.

But when these notice of in the context. 66 He fail, he goes above them, and in- withdraweth not his eyes from the structs mankind himself independs righteous; but with kings are ently of all other teachers; and they on the throne ; yea, he doth on this account, he claims to be establish them forever, and they the supreme Teacher. “ Thus are exalted. And if they be bound saith the Lord thy Redeemer, the in fetters, and be holden in the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord cords of affliction; then he shemthy God, which teacheth thee to eth them their work ; and their profit.” And of the same people transgressions, that they have exhe says again, “ Though I taught ceeded. He openeth also their ear them rising up early, and teaching to discipline.” God often taught them, yet they have not hearkened the kings of Israel. When David to receive instruction." Thus ordered the people to be number. God taught his people of old, and ed, and Joab could not persuade thus he continues to teach man- him to give up his ambitious purkind himself. I now proceed,

pose, God effectually taught him

humility and submission. When taught. He can bring them into Hezekiah’s heart was lifted up, any situation he pleases, and turn God laid him upou a bed of piping their attention to whatever obsickness, and taught him his frailty jects he sees best to instruct and mortality. God undertook to them. How easily did he strip instruct Nebuchadnezzar the Job of his wealth, of his friends, haughty king of Babylon, and of all the objects of bis affection, humbled him to the dust. And he and fix his whole attention upon made Belshazzar, who had defied himself, which prepared him in him to tremble before him. God the best manner to receive incan teach kings and emperors as struction ? How easily did he easily as the lowest and meanest carry the sons of Jacob into of their subjects. He can teach Egypt, and there teach them huthose who think they know too mility and penitence for their much to be instructed by their inhumanity and cruelty towards fellow mortals. He taught Solo- their brother Joseph ? And how mon the wisest of men the folly, easily can he shift the situation and vanity, and evil of his supreme and condition of any person in the love to the world. He taught world, and teach him the lesson Paul who was brought up at the he needs to learn ? Whatever is feet of Gamaliel, and who had de. , necessary to be done in order to spised the instructions of Stephen, teach men, God can easily do. the knowledge of his own heart. If it be necessary to make them He taught Manasseh humility and rich, be can easily do it. If it be self-abasement, after he had re- necessary to make them poor, he jected the instructions of his fath. can easily do it. If it be necessaer, and of the priests and proph- ry to put them into different staets in Jerusalem. And he taught tions, he can easily do it. Or if it his own people in Babylon what be necessary to put them into any none of his priests and prophets new, uotried circumstances, he were able to teach them before. can easily do it. And when they Thus God is able to teach all de- are placed in

proper state to scriptions of men, whether high receive instruction, be can, with or low, whether learned or un- perfect ease, give them that kind learned, whether vain, profligate, and degree of instruction be pleaor obstinate. In this respect there ses. Men often find great difficulty is none can teach like him. in teaching one another. They

2. God can teach men the most sometimes exhaust both their easily. He has them all in his bodily and mental strength in lahands, and a perfect access to their bouring to teach one another, and minds. He can

always place without much or any affect. But them in a proper situation to be God can teach thousands and mil

ease.

was

lions at once, with the utmost the proper seasons of instructing:

Neither dulness, por obsti- He often chooses those seasons nacy can be the least impediment which men consider as the most to his instructions. Those who improper. But he always judges have re-isted all other teachers, right in regard to the most proper and rejected all other instruction, seasons of instructing every parbecome quite teachable under bis ticular person. He took the most wise and powerful teaching. He proper season to teach Jacob. can open the eye, the ear, and all He was in the midst of prosperi. the powers of the mind, to re- ty, and the greatest of all the men ceive instruction. He can take of the east. This prepared bim to the scales from the eyes, and the feel the weight and hear the voice veil from the heart, and poor of the rod of instruction. When light and conviction through all Isaac was in the flower of his age, the avenues of the mind.

and engrossed his father's affec3. God can teach men the most tions ; then was a proper time for seasonably. They know not the God to try and teach Abraham hest seasons to teach one another. submission. When Moses Their instructions are often en.

come to years, and began to raise tirely lost by being mistimed.- his views and hopes to the throne But God always knows how to of Egypt; then was a proper time time instructions. He never in. for God to blast his expectations, structs too soon, nor too late, but take him from the court of Phaalways teaches when there is the raoh, and teach him humility in most proper occasion for it. He

solitary wilderness. When knows every person, and all his Charles V. had reached the sumoutward circumstances, and inter- mit of his wishes and triumphed nal state of mind. Of course, he over Europe; then was a proper knows the exact time, when any time, for God to seize his mind, of mankind need his special in- shut him up in a monastery, and struction. He sees

proper to teach him in silence the folly and teach come when they are young, madness of his life, When the and some when they are old.- Earl of Rochester had prostituted He sees proper to teach some his nobie talenis to tbe vilest purwhilst they are rising, and some poses ; then was a proper time for after they have risen to distinction God himself to teach him what in the world. He sees proper to no human instructions could teach teach some in the height of their him. In all other instances of this prosperity, and others in the kind, God always chooses the most height of their obstinacy and wick- proper seasons to teach those, edness. God often judges very dif- who need his special instruction. ferently from men, in respect to He constantly keeps his eye apon

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