which are afforded by the sacred penman: "Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him"? is a request and a prayer which we ought to address to God's Holy Spirit, or to our blessed Redeemer himself. And how cheering, how elevating is the reflection and the hope, that to a meek inquirer after divine knowledge, to a penitent suppliant for pardon and for grace, the answer may be returned! "It is he that talketh with thee." These words may be more strictly applicable than many suppose: "For our conversation is in heaven," according to the words of the apostle, whenever we look for," and search and rely on "the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.' Our blessed Lord has said: “Ask, and ye shall have." And this promise is never more strictly fulfilled than when it regards spiritual information. One who wishes ardently, and prays meekly to know the Lord, is never very far from the kingdom of heaven. When any one is freed from the clouds which a carnal heart has raised, when the eye of faith penetrates the gloom that sin and pride and presumption have collected, he will soon perceive rays of heavenly light breaking in upon his mind. He will wonder that he has not before burst through the darkness in which his soul has been enveloped. When once a penitent can sincerely say, "I believe," he need no more inquire, "Who art thou, Lord?" For the Lord himself hath given him light, and faith, and redemption. "Every good gift, and every perfect gift," says St. James, is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights;" from him, who alone can enlighten and purify man's understanding. It is most important for every one to inquire whether or not the increase of knowledge which he experiences is blended with purity of heart, with chasteness of sentiment, with a better, a more holy course of thinking. If the opinions he has imbibed have led him away from God, if they tend to loosen his faith, to diminish his hopes in the Saviour, he may be sure they will not bear the test of truth; and their brilliancy will fade, they will appear dark and gloomy when brought into the light of an eternal day. Let not men suppose that the sentiments they now willingly entertain, and the language they now boast, will be commended by the wicked in this world, and afterwards sink into oblivion: "Whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the house-tops.'" This scriptural phrase we know cannot be literally verified; but the truth which it con veys to the mind may be, and will be, fully accomplished. The light to which our real characters, our hearts and dispositions will be exposed, is such as to make the purest among us regard it with holy fear; and the knowledge that we shall be confronted with him, who will descend with glory unspeakable, with power omnipotent, with knowledge too keen and searching for any mortal to escape or avoid, ought to render us cautious how we incur blame in the day of his wrath, who has hitherto appeared to his disciples as a pardoning Saviour. A continual and anxious search for truth and light and holy perception, in that sacred book which has been written for our learning, will discover to us our real and sad condition. It will tell us that nen, even at the earliest age, refuse the good, and choose the evil; reversing the character which was alone applicable to Immanuel, to the Holy Child Jesus. From infancy he "knew to refuse the evil, and choose the good." But weak, corrupt, and sinful nen are not only not endued with this discriminate faculty, but willingly and continually prefer evil, and never choose that which is good, till the Holy Spirit has shone into their hearts, and rendered them penitent, converted, and believing. It is well worthy of remark, and of our grateful remembrance, that the service of our church not only supplies us with an admirable form of public worship, but it teaches us in private how to pray. It instructs us continually to beseech the Lord "to give us true repentance, to forgive us all our sins, negligences, and ignorances, and to endue us with his Holy Spirit, to amend our lives according to his holy word." It is difficult to imagine how any one can join in this supplication, and yet deny that every good impulse of the heart, every awakening sensation of the conscience, is and must be the effect of God's Spirit stirring within us, inciting in us penitent affections, producing abhorrence of sin, and enlightening our minds by chasing away all ignorance and hardness of heart. When we feel ourselves relieved from the burden of sin, when evil thoughts recur no longer, when guilty passions are suppressed, then may we confidently trust that the grace of God has purified our hearts, enlightened our minds, and given us a for those joys, that pure delight and heavenly comfort which the world can never give, and, when received with humble gratitude in the soul, can never diminish, or take a e away. How gratifying are the feelings of him who finds himself no longer the willing servant of sin, no longer habitually straying in the a taste wilderness of guilt, no longer distrustful of his Saviour, no longer averse to his Redeemer's service, but is thankfully obedient and religiously hopeful! Sad is the reflection "that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." We cannot early become veterans in God's service, though we may profess ourselves Christ's disciples, though we may anxiously wish to cast off" altogether "the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light;" yet much self-controul, and earnest prayer is necessary before we can say of every revelation of our Almighty Father, "Lord, I believe," before we can worship him continually and cordially in spirit and in truth, and love him with all our heart and mind and strength. The light of Christian truth first dawns in mild lustre on the believer's mind, shows him how vile he is by nature, increases as his faith expands, as his affections purify, and his hopes augment. He feels the propriety book of Proverbs: "It is as the shining as well as the beauty of its description in the light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." It forms the substance of that holy gift for which we often pray, " that we may both perceive and know what things we ought to do, and also may have grace and power to fulfil the same through Jesus Christ our Lord." OPINIONS OF THE REFORMERS ON THE No. VIII. JEWEL. subtle representations of his inquisitors. His sub- for the western circuit. Soon after this he was Baptism." And we say that baptism is the sacrament of the remission of sins, and of the washing which we have in the blood of Christ; and that none are to be denied that sacrament, who will .... profess the faith of Christ; no, not the infants of Christians, because they are born in sin, and belong For this cause are to the people of God. infants baptized-because they are born in sin, and cannot become spiritual but by this new birth of the water and the Spirit. They are the heirs of the promise: the covenant of God's favour is made unto them (Gen. xvii., Rom. xi., 1 Cor. vii., &c.) True it is that the sacrament dependeth not neither of the minister, nor of the receiver, nor of any other. For, though they be all the children of sin, yet is baptism the sacrament of remission of sin. Nevertheless, concerning the faith of the parents and others, the holy doctors have some time written otherwise: St. Augustine saith, 'Satis pie recteque creditur prodesse parvulo eorum fidem a quibus consecrandus offertur' ('It is good and godly to believe that the child is THE eminent author and pillar of the church, from holpen by the faith of them by whom he is offered, whose works the following extracts are made, was or brought unto baptism'). Again he saith, 'Our born in Buden, in the county of Devon, on the mother the church lendeth them other men's feet, 24th of May, 1522. Like his contemporaries and that they may come, and other men's hearts, fellow-labourers, John Jewel exhibited in early that they may believe.' The like saying might life the germ of that genius which in after years be alleged out of Justinus Martyr, St. Cyprian, shed such lustre upon the period of the Reforma- St. Jerome, and others. For thus they write, tion. At the age of thirteen he was sent to Mer- how truly I will not say. Touching the ton college, Oxford, where, under the tuition of virtue or power of the sacrament, if Mr. Harding "master Parkhurst," he became not only a pro- mean thereby the outward element of the water, ficient in learning, but an adherent to the pro- he knoweth, or may easily know, it is a common testant cause. His natural powers, his acquire-resolution amongst all his own school-doctors, ments, and affability of manners, naturally gave him a high position among his fellows; and, until the accession of Mary, he passed a happy time at his college; but he was led to remain at Oxford until too late. He was required to sign articles inconsistent with the faith he had professed, and in a moment of weakness yielded to the The grace of God is not tied to any sacraments.' The meaning thereof is this-that God is able to work salvation both with them and without them. St. Augustine saith, Now are ye clean, because of the word that I have spoken to you.' But why saith he not, 'Now are ye clean, because of the baptism wherewith ye are washed,' saving that because in the water it is the word that maketh clean? Take away the word; and what is the water more than water?' Notwithstanding we must consider that the learned fathers in their treatises of the sacraments sometimes use the outward sign instead of the thing itself that is signified, sometimes they use the thing signified instead of the sign." the gospel? It is the light of the world: it teacheth us to know that God is God, and that we are his people. The credit you give to the gospel is a witness of your election." Faith-"We know that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Christ (Rom. iii.). St. Ambrose saith, Ceremonies. We know that St. Augustine grievously complained of the vast numbers of impertinent ceremonies in his time; and therefore we have cut off a great many of them, because we know they were afflictive to the consciences of men, and burdensome to the church of God. Yet we still retain, and religiously use, not only all those which we know were delivered to the church by the apostles, but some others which we saw.. might be borne without any inconvenience; because, as St. Paul commands, we desire all things in the religious assemblies should be done decently and in order.” The Church." There was never any thing yet so absurd or wicked but it might seem easy to be covered and defended by the name of the church; for wasps make combs, and impious men have their assemblies not much unlike the churches. But the church of God is in God the Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ: it is the company of the faithful, whom God hath gathered together in Christ by his word, by the Holy Ghost, to honour him as he himself hath appointed. Of this church St. Jerome saith: The church of Christ, which containeth the churches through all the world, is joined together in the unity of the Spirit, and hath the cities of the law, of the prophets, of the gospel, and of the apostles. This church goeth not forth, or beyond her bounds, that is the holy scriptures.' The catholic church of God standeth not in multitude of persons, but in weight of truth; otherwise Christ himself, and his apostles, had not been catholic. For his flock was very little; and the catholic or universal consent of the world stood against it.” Confirmation." Which is so called because that which was done on our behalf in baptism is ratified and confirmed. .... When the children of the Christians were thus brought up, and had learned the religion of Christ, and to walk in the ways of godliness, they were brought to the church, and by their parents presented unto the bishop, and yielded a reason of their faith openly before the whole congregation. This was the ratifying of the profession which they made Election." God hath chosen you from the beginning his election is sure for ever. The Lord knoweth who are his. You shall not be deceived with the power and subtlety of antichrist; you shall not fall from grace; you shall not perish. This is the comfort which abideth with the faithful, when they behold the fall of the wicked. But how may we know that God hath chosen us? how may we see this election, or how may we feel it? The apostle saith, 'through sanctification and faith of truth:' these are tokens of God's election. Have you received .... "They are justified freely; because, working no- Free Will.-"All these and other like errors (of the Manicheans) we abhor and detest as frantic furies. But, as touching the freedom of will and power of ourselves, we say with St. Augustine, 'O malum liberum arbitrium sine Deo!' O evil is free-will, without God! ... Again: 'Quod bene vivimus, quod recte intelligimus Deo debemus. Nostrum nihil est, nisi peccatum, quod habemus.' That we live well, that we understand aright we have it of God. Of ourselves we have nothing but only sin that is within us.' ... To conclude, St. Augustine saith: We will; but it is God that worketh in us to will. We work; but it is God that worketh in us to work, according to his good pleasure. This is behoveful for us both to believe and to speak. This is a godly, this is a true doctrine, that our confession may be humble and lowly, and that God may have the whole." Heresy.-"That is so dreadful a crime that, except it be apparently seen, except it be palpable, and as it were to be felt with our hands and fingers, it ought not to be easily believed that a Christian is or can be guilty of it; for heresy is a renunciation of our salvation, a rejection of the grace of God, and a departure from the body and Spirit of Christ. We know that the word .... which was revealed by Christ and propagated by the apostles is sufficient to promote our salvation and all truth, and to convince all heresies. Out of it alone we condemn all sorts of ancient heresies." Agreement of the Reformers.-"God be thanked we agree thoroughly together in the whole substance of the religion of Christ, and altogether with one heart and one spirit do glorify DIRECTIONS FOR A HOLY AND USEFUL LIFE*. As those who come to Jesus Christ under the influence of a saving faith do receive him not only as the sole propitiation for their sins, but also as their divine Prophet and unerring Example, they are supremely desirous, from a principle of love to him (2 Cor. v. 14), and in dependence upon his God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Certainly St. Augustine, St. Jerome, St. Chrysos-John xiv. 15), and to tread in his footsteps (1 tom, Epiphanius, and Theophilus, as it appeared by their writings, agreed no better together in their time than we do now; yet had they and every of them the word of God; and the same word of God was a light unto their feet." The Sacraments.- -"By these we stop the mouths of heretics; for, if they deny that our Lord Jesus Christ was delivered to death for our sins and is risen again for our justification, we show them our sacraments, that they were ordained to put us in remembrance of Christ, and that by the use of them we show the Lord's death till he come. We tell them these are proofs and signs that Christ suffered death for us on the cross. What, are they nothing else but bare and naked signs? God forbid. They are the seals of God; heavenly tokens, and signs of grace and righteousness and mercy given and imparted to us. man but God which worketh by them; yet is it not the creature of bread or water, but the soul of man, that receiveth the grace of God. These corruptible creatures need it not we have need of God's grace. Sacraments give grace so far forth as sacraments be able to give grace. Your own Bonaventura saith: We may not in anywise say that the grace of God is really con For it is not tained in the sacraments, as water is contained in a vessel, or a medicine in a box. For, so to take it, it were an error. But we say sacraments contain the grace of God, because they represent or signify to grace of God." Thus the grace of God is given unto us in the sacraments, because it is represented and laid before us in the sacraments. Thus saith St. Augustine, thus saith St. Chrysostom, St. Ambrose, and other holy fathers." The Scriptures.-"The scriptures are the word of God. What title can there be of greater value? But what say we of the fathers Augustine, Ambrose, Jerome, Cyprian, &c.? .... Some things I believe, and some things which they write I cannot believe. I weigh them not as the holy and canonical scriptures. Cyprian was a doctor of the church, yet he was deceived. Jerome was a doctor of the church, yet he wrote a book of retraction: he acknowledged that he was deceived..... They say the scriptures are hard, and above the reach of the people. .... But God himself to the ancient fathers of the church said otherwise. God saith: This commandment which I command thee this day is not hid from thee, neither is it far off' (Deut. xxx.). .... The Holy Spirit of God, like a good teacher, applieth himself to the dulness of our wits: he leadeth not us by the unknown places of the earth, nor by the air, nor by the clouds.... he writeth his love in our hearts; he teacheth us to know him and his Christ." (2 Cor. xii. 9), to keep his commandments Pet. ii. 21). For, though they are not saved by good works (Eph. ii. 9), they know that they are created in Christ Jesus unto good works (Eph. ii. 10); and that, if the grace that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto them, it will teach them to "live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present evil world" (Tim. ii. 11, 12). Therefore, if you possess their faith, you are scripturally instructed in the way of salvation, and will, with thankfulness, avail yourself of any directions that may assist you to lead a holy and useful life. 1st, then: Begin and close every day with private prayer (Ps. lv. 17). 2. Read daily, in a devotional spirit, a portion of the holy scriptures (Josh. i. 8; Ps. cxix. 18). 3. Discharge the duties of your station with diligence, cheerfulness, and fidelity, looking up to God during the intervals of the day for his gracious assistance and blessing (Rom. xii. 11; Eph. vi. 5). with God in the duties you perform, in the mercies 4. Keep up a spirit of habitual communion you enjoy, in the trials you endure, in the food you eat, in the recreations you indulge in, as well when you walk abroad as when you sit at home (Eph. vi. 18; Pr. xxiii. 17). 5. For this purpose, store your mind with passages of scripture, with psalms and hymns, with the sentiments of the wise and good (Eph. v. 19). 6. Endeavour for one five minutes, in the middle of each day, to realize the presence of God (Ps. lv. 17; Gen. xvii. 1). 7. At the commencement of every day, calcu late upon meeting with many circumstances that will disquiet and disappoint you; and see to it, that you trust in the Lord, that you may not be afraid of evil tidings; for you know not what a day may bring forth (Job v. 7; Ps. cxii. 7; Pr. xxvii. 1). 8. Set a high value on time. "See that ye walk circumspectly," says the apostle, "not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time" (Eph. v. 16). Redeem your time from unnecessary sleep, from useless visits, from indolence and vanity. 9. Cautiously guard against all temptations, especially to that sin to which you are most inclined (Matt. xxvi. 41; Heb. xii. 1). 10 Maintain a constant vigilance over yourself (1 Cor. xvi. 17; 2 Tim. iv. 5). Often put to yourself these inquiries: Where am I? What am I doing? What would Jesus Christ have been doing in my circumstances? 11. "In thy daily walk and conversation often remember the several eyes that are upon thee; the all-seeing eye of God, the solicitous eye of angels, the vigilant eye of the world, and the *From "The Christian Master's Present to his Household," London: Edwards and Hughes. 1848. "ask yourself these three questions: Is what I am going to say true? (Eph. iv. 25) Is it useful? (1 Thess. v. 11) Is it kind? (Eph. iv. 32)". malignant eye of Satan." "O, my God," says | 26). "Before you speak", says an excellent divine, pious bishop Hall, "let me see myself seen of thee, and I shall never dare to offend thee." 12. Pray for an enlightened and tender conscience; a conscience entirely free from all undue scrupulousness, and sensibly alive to the first approximations of evil." Quick as the apple of an eye, O God, my conscience make; Despise not little things. "He that despiseth little things shall fall by little and little." "Little things are often the most dangerous and the mout fatal things. 13. "Endeavour to get your mind deeply impressed with a sense of your mortality. The thought will, at times, come over you like the summer's cloud, and cool your excessive ardours in the pursuit of earthly things." 14. Take your seat in the school of Christ, and pray that you may learn, "in whatsoever state you are, therewith to be content" (Phil. iv. 11). Be content with that measure of mental ability God has given you; with that measure of bodily health he may see fit to grant you; with that measure of worldly prosperity that falls to our lot; with those parents and relations to whom God has united you; with those means of intellectual and religious improvement which he has afforded you; and with the station of life in which his providence has placed you. "Be content with such things as you have; because, 1, you have as much as God thinks best for you; 2, you have more than you deserve; 3, you have more than you improve, or are thankful for; 4, you have more than Jesus Christ had when he was upon earth." "He had not where to lay his head." 15. "Consider one another to provoke unto love and good works" (Heb. x. 24). Consider the various temptations, the natural temperament, the general practice, the probable condition of those over whom you have any influence; and, by your fervent prayers, your attractive example, your affectionate advice, your epistolary correspondence, your faithful reproofs, your timely suggestions, and your unwearied endeavours, prudently and zealously strive to promote their best interests. 16. Introduce, at least, one religious sentiment in the letters you write to your relations or acquaintances: it may be productive of more real benefit than your personal advice, or the most studied discourse from the pulpit. 17. "Recollect that you are really what you are relatively" (Matthew Henry). 18. See that your temper is Christ-like (Rom. viii. 9), that is, kind (2 Pet. i. 7), merciful (Mic. vi. 8), considerate (1 Thess. v. 14; Eph. iv. 2; Eccles. vii. 8). cheerful (Ps. xxxiii. 1; Phil. iv. 4), meek (Eph. iv. 2), and affectionate (John xiii. 34; 1 Pet. i. 22); and remember "that, if religion has done nothing for your temper, it has done nothing for your souls." 19. Pray the Lord, as David did, "to set a watch over your lips, to keep the door of your mouth (Ps. cxli. 3). "For he that bridles not his tongue proves that his religion is vain" (James i. "When the Lord thy God is pacified towards thee, thou shalt open thy mouth no more" (Ezek. xvi. 63) ("to boast, to censure, to complain"). 20. See that you partake of your meals with thankfulness (1 Tim. iv. 4) and moderation (Luke xxi. 34), under a deep consciousness of your entire unworthiness of the least of God's mercies (Gen. xxxii. 10), and under the delightful consideration that what you enjoy is the kind provision of your heavenly Fatlier (1 Tim. vi. 17). "Enjoy God in all things, and all things in God." 21. "Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life" (Pr. iv. 23). 22. Labour after a conviction that a religions life is the only happy life" (Pr. iii. 17). 23. Associate, as much as possible, with experienced, thriving, spiritual, and humble Christians (Pr. xiii. 20). 24. Avoid, as much as possible, the society of the worldly and the undecided. For "association," says a living preacher, "produces assimilation." "Come out from among them, and be ye separate" (2 Cor. vi. 17). "Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them" (Eph. v. 11). "Touch not the garment spotted by the flesh" (Jude 23). 25. "Take due care, • says the excellent Baxter, "of thy bodily health. Thy body is a useful servant, if thou give it its due, and no more than its due. They that wrong their bodies wrong their souls also; as he that spoils the house injures the inhabitants. When the body is sick, and the spirits languish, how heavily do we move in the thoughts and joys of heaven!" 26. Attend not to any thing with a too great eagerness. "Let your moderation be known unto all men" (Phil. iv. 5). Pray for a calm, composed, and considerate state of mind (Luke xxi. 19). 27. Let every lawful employment have its apportioned time. "There is a time," says Solomon, "for every thing" (Eccles. iii. 1). Let order and punctuality mark your whole deportment. 28. Think not you have already attained, or are either already perfect (Phil. iii. 12); but, in dependence upon the Holy Spirit, labour after a more enlightened understanding, a tenderer conscience, a more subdued will, a more vigilant and heavenly mind, a more lively and influential faith, a more contrite and humble spirit, a more Christian-like temper, a more useful, consistent, and ornamental profession, a deeper sense of your own sinfulness and insufficiency, a greater purity of motive, a more cheerful aequiescence in God's will, a more ardent love to the divine Redeemer, and a clearer view of his suitableness and sufficiency, a more habitual sense of the presence of God, a greater deadness to the world, and a greater fitness for heaven. 29. In all you do in religion, be humble (1 Pet. v. 5) and sincere (Jas. iii. 17); avoid, with the greatest care, all ostentation and hypocrisy (Matt. vi. 1-3, 16). 30. Think of your sins in connexion with your Saviour of your trials in connexion with your |