BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. the following entry in his diary, the last he ever made: "Felt excited, but I hope trustful. My powers of body fail daily; but I have good hope through grace. Have been considering death as going to church-to the Church of the firstborn in heaven. But what a Church! The house of God where he is gloriously manifested. What a minister in that upper sanctuary! What a pure, happy, glorious assembly! May my family and flock lay hold on eternal life, by receiving Him, in whom it is, and we shall have a happy meeting there!" In a letter directed by him to the Rev. Dr. Harper, dated a week later, he says: "My very dear friend,—I am in no condition to reply to your letter which I received on Friday last, or to the unexpected, unmerited one from the Synod, which it enclosed, both of them so replete with Christian sympathy and love. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Should it please the Lord to restore me to any measure of strength, I shall endeavour to reply more suitably to both. I have been overwhelmed almost with expressions of human kindness, and I hope I have not been a stranger to the visitations of the Divine favour. The Lord has commanded his loving kindness in the day-time, and in the night his songs have been with me." At the same time, in reply to a communication from his long-tried friend Dr. Brown, he says: "I thank you for the book, but especially for the parchment. We have infinite plenty to trust to, if we would but trust; yet I do hope that I place my confidence in the great foundation Christ Jesus, made of God unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, and on the immutable promises of God in him. I account it, as you do, a soulestablishing truth, that God will be infinitely glorified to all eternity in saving any sinner who believes in Jesus." 233 able to remember and believe he has said, On the 7th of June, the last Sabbath he spent on earth, he said: "The ground of my peace is not myself, nor anything about myself, but entirely Jesus and his sure promise to me." In a little, he added: "There is no peace but in him, but in him is great peace." He said also: "I desire to suffer whatever is allotted to me, but I think it will not be more than two or three days ere I see Jesus." On the evening of the same day, he said: "Oh! I have been so wondrously exempt from trials. and loaded with mercies! every day might have brought evil-merited evil-but it never came." He repeatedly dwelt on the sin of unbelief. "There is nothing," said he, "I feel more than the criminality of not trusting Christ without doubt-without doubt. O to think what Christ is, what he did, and whom he did it for, and then not to believe him--not to trust him! There is no wickedness like the wickedness of unbelief!" you After On Tuesday evening, June 9th, two or three hours before his death, he dwelt with much relish on the thought of committing all to Christ. On being asked if this was his last message, he said, "Yes, my last message; but I cannot now distinguish and enlarge. If y had a thousand souls, commit them all to Christ." "Now," he added, after a pause, On his death-bed he often referred to his "that is a relief." On being asked, if it was a prospects in the view of dying, not only with relief to be able to say these things. "Yes," perfect composure, but even with cheerfulness.he instantly replied, "and to do them." 'I have not even disquietude," he said, "not to a short time, he repeated, speaking with the speak of fear, at the near approach of death. utmost difficulty, but with great solemnity, He has undertaken the work for me, and will and with all the energy he could command, perform it." On Sabbath, 31st May, ten days" We must have our loins girt, and our lights before his death, he said: "One should not be in the least afraid to die; if he believes Christ, it should not even be a painful thing. It is like going to church for ever, to come no more back to working days, and to enjoy the company of the just made perfect, and of God himself. Perhaps," he added, " to use a modern figure, the passage is a little dark-a kind of tunnel; but it is soon passed, and we are sure of what is beyond." A few days later, he said, "My case is not beyond the Divine power; but I am disposed to think it is beyond Divine practice, and, if so, I am ready, and joy to depart and be with Jesus, which is far better." And again, while in a state of great weakness: "I am always burning, and be like those who wait for the coming of their Lord." He repeated four times, "Whosoever believeth on him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." "This is the whole Gospel. It is a terrible thing to overlook the Gospel by stinting it. It is a terrible thing to stint the Gospel. It must neither be divided nor contracted." His last words were in reference to the prospect of meeting in heaven those dear to him whom he was leaving behind him on earth. "And having said this, he fell asleep." "Sure the last end Of the good man is peace; how calm his exit. "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace." We may conclude our brief sketch of this illustrious man of God with the words of his colleague, to the truth of which all who knew Dr. Heugh will readily bear witness: "He was 'a good man, full of the Holy Ghost and of faith,' of enlightened and fervent piety, of spotless integrity and honour; a safe counseller, distinguished not more by practical wisdom in counsel, than by power and promptitude in action; sagacious in forming his schemes, and indefatigable in carrying them into effect; a sound divine, in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity; an earnest and impressive preacher, skilful in rightly dividing the word of truth;' a devoted, affectionate, and eminently successful pastor; in labours most abundant,' in the pulpit, and from house to house; instant in season and out of season doing good;' the liberal and eloquent supporter of every good cause; a pattern' in all his domestic and social relations; an open, hearty, generous, and most trustworthy friend, tenderly weeping with those who wept, and cordially rejoicing with those who rejoiced; a Christian gentleman, of simple, unaffected, yet elegant and dignified manners; most expansive in his benevolence, with largeness of heart even as the sand that is on the sea shore;' a 'lover of good men;' and unwearied in his exertions to promote the peace and prosperity of Zion. In a word, we may say of him, in the language of inspiration, 'The law of the Lord was in his mouth, in his lips was no guile; he walked with God in equity and truth, and turned many from iniquity.' How much have we lost in losing such a man! My father! my father! the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof.' Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth, for the faithful fail from among the children of men."* A MOTHER'S INFLUENCE. THE mother of the well-known Richard Cecil was a woman of real piety. Richard, when but a young man, had pursued a bold and determined career, till sunk in sin, hardening himself in Infidelity, and instilling the same principles into others, there seemed no prospect of any change. His excellent mother, however, had performed her part, and still remembered that it was good, not only to pray always, but not to faint or desist upon any account. At last, one night he lay contemplating the case of his mother. “I see,” said he within himself, "two unquestionable facts-First, My mother is greatly afflicted in circumstances, body and mind; and yet I see that she cheerfully bears up under all, by the support she Sermons occasioned by the death of the Rev. Hugh Heugh, D.D., p. 33. derives from constantly repairing to her closet and her Bible. Secondly, That she has a secret spring of comfort, of which I know nothing; while I who give an unbounded loose to my appetites, and speak pleasure by every means, seldom or ever find it. If, however, there is such a secret in religion, why may I not find it as well as my mother?" He instantly rose and began to pray, but was soon discouraged, by recollecting that much of his mother's comfort seemed to arise from her faith in Christ. Now, thought he, "This Christ I have ridiculed; he stands much in my way, and can form no part of my prayers." In utter confusion he lay down again; but, in process of time, conviction of sin continuing, his difficulties were gradually removed, his objections answered. He now listened to those admonitions of his mother, which he had before affected to receive with pride and scorn; yet they had fixed themselves in his heart like a barbed arrow; and though the effects were concealed from her observation, yet tears would fall from his eyes, as he passed along the street, from the impression she had made on his mind. Now he would discourse with her, and hear her without outrage, which revived her hopes, especially as he then at tended the public worship of God. Thus he made some progress, but felt no small difficulty in separating from his favourite connections. Light, however, broke into his mind, till at last he discovered that Christ Jesus, so far from "standing in the way," as he once thought, was indeed the way, the truth, and the life, to all who come unto God by, him." After such a change, it is not wonderful that Mr. Cecil should have written and spoken with so much pathos on the influence of the parental character. "Where parental influence does not convert,” he would say, "it hampers-it hangs on the wheels of evil. I had a pious mother who dropped things in professed Infidel; but then I liked to be an Infidel in my way. I could never rid myself of them; I was a company, rather than when alone-I was wretched when by myself. These principles, and maxims, and data, spoiled my jollity." Again he says: "I find in myself another evidence of the greatness of parental influence. I detect myself to this day in laying down maxims in my family, which I took up at three or four years of age, before I could possibly know the reason of them." 'Besides, parental influence must be great, because God has said it shall be so. The parent is not to stand reasoning and calculating. God has said, that his character shall have influence, and so this appointment of Providence becomes often the punishment of a wicked man. Such a man is a talk about their family,' and their family," the complete selfist. I am weary of hearing such mer must provide for their family.' Their family has no place in their real regard-they push for themdren shall be so and so, but they shall be rods for selves. But God says: No! you think your chil shall rise up against you. The most common of all your own backs. They shall be your curse. They human complaints is-Parents groaning under the vices of their children! This is all the effect of parental influence." THE CONNECTION OF TRUTH. QUESTIONS WHICH CONCERN YOU. HATH CHRIST GIVEN UNTO YOU HIS HOLY SPIRIT? s Spirit, wherever it is, it is, A praying Spirit.-A “Spirit of supplication f faithful, sincere, fervent, constant, humble, supation. (Zech. xii. 10.) Ask, then, thy soul," Canst u, dost thou, go to God, and cry, as a child, with erence and confidence, Abba, Father? (Rom. 15.) Does this Spirit help thine infirmities' rse 26), and enable thee to understand both for om, and what, and how, thy prayer is to be de?" A mourning Spirit.-It puts a believer into a re-like frame, mourning for the loss of its mate zek. vii. 16); yea, mourning for the offence of a icious God, as for the loss of an only son. (Zech. .10.) Tell me, then, poor soul, art thou apt ever danon to strike on thy breast, with the contrite blican; to "smite on thy thigh," with brokenarted Ephraim (Jer. xxxi. 19); and in a holy conrnation of spirit, to ask thyself, What, O what ve I done?" (Jer. viii. 6.) Do thy God's bottle, d thy tears therein for sin as sin, speak for thee? 3 A sanctifying Spirit.—(1 Cor. vi. 11; 1 Pet. i. 2.) d that with respect to sins, graces, duties. (2 Thess. 13.) (1.) Sins.-The Spirit, wherever it is, "mortifies e deeds of the flesh." (Rom. viii. 13.) Speak, then: thine" old man crucified" (at least as to dominion) th thy Christ? (Rom. vi. 6.) More especially ot to speak of thy more gross, dangerous, disnourable sins), dost thou spit out the sweet morsel ider thy tongue? Dost thou, with Samuel, hew thy dicate Agag in pieces?-with David, “ keep thee om thine iniquity?"-(Ps. xviii. 22)-that iniquity which thy constitution, custom, calling, interest, ostly incline thee? What sayest thou to thy Isaac, enjamin, Absalom, Delilah, Herodias, the calves of an and Bethel? Tell me: Art thou apt sadly to remember thine own evil ways, and thy doings that ere not good, and to loathe thyself in thine own ght for all thine iniquities, and for all thine abomiations ?" (Ezek. xxxvi. 31.) (2.) Graces.-Speak, believer: Art thou "renewed the spirit of thy mind?" hath the Spirit of God e-instamped that glorious image of God? Hath he north wind so risen, the south wind so come, nd blown upon thy garden, that the spices thereof low forth?" (Cant. iv. 16.) "Beholding the glory of the Lord," art thou" changed into the same image rom glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Cor. iii. 18.) Art thou still "perfecting holiness in the fear of God?" (2 Cor. vii. 1.) (3.) Duties. Wherever the Spirit is, it " causeth," effectually causeth, the man " to walk in God's statutes, to keep his judgments, and to do them." (Ezek. xxxvi. 27.) It" worketh" in believers" both to will and to do of God's good pleasure" (Phil. ii. 13)-to porform natural, moral, spiritual, duties, to spiritual ends, in a spiritual manner. 2. DоTп"CHRIST DWELL IN THY HEART BY FAITH?" (Eph. iii. 17.) Namely, by such a faith as purifies the heart; as works by love to God, the word, saints, enemies; as overcomes the world, its Midianitish smiles, its Anakim-like frowns? If thou hast such a faith, remember it is an infallible and momentous truth-that faith's application of Christ to a believer, if saving, is always joined with a believer's application of himself to Christ. Ask, then, thy soul, thy conscience, "Canst thou truly say, with David, 'Lord, save me; I am thine ?'-Ps. cxix. 94. Dost thou indeed, not only lean on thy Beloved, but cleave to thy Christ with full purpose of heart ? 335 (Acts xi. 23.) Does it content thee to apply Christ to thy soul only as a plaster to a wound, to have healing from him? or not rather as a seal to the wax, which takes an impression from it ?" 3. DOST THOU "CRUCIFY THE FLESH WITH ITS AFFECTIONS AND LUSTS?"-They that are united unto Christ do so. (Gal. v. 24; Rom. vii. 13.) Dost thou detest, loathe, hate sin-all sin, in thought, word, deed: and that, not so much for its effects, as its nature? Dost thou "hate" it rather as hell," than for hell? That is our duty (Rom. xii. 9): is it our sincere endeavour? Dost thou ever groan out under the sense of that intolerable burden-of that wolf that lies in thy bosom? Does it make thee cry out, as Paul-" O wretched man that I am ?" (Rom. vii. 24.) Dost thou, when thou appearest before the Lord in prayer, or at his Word, or at a sacrament, put thy Uriah, thy dearest, darling sins, in the front of the battle, that when Christ discharges his keenest arrows, they may be sure to be hit and slain? When God sends a tempest, is it thy first, greatest care to throw those Jonahs overboard? When God seems to beleaguer thee with sharp and threatening providences, is it thy main endeavour to cast the heads of those Shebas over the wall? 4. ART THOU A NEW CREATURE ?" He that is in Christ is so. (2 Cor. v. 17.) Hast thou a new head, heart, lip, life? Canst thou now properly say, I am no longer my former self? Is the lion become a lamb, the raven a dove, the wolf a kid, the persecutor a preacher, or, more, an adorer, of Christ Jesus? Dost thou act from new principles-the Spirit of Christ (Ezek. xxxvi. 27), faith (Gal. ii. 20), constraining love (2 Cor. v. 14), filial fear? (Jer. xxxii. 20.) Dost thou act for new principles-that thou mayest preserve them in thyself, and propagate them to others? (Acts xxvi. 20.) 5. DOST THOU BRING FORTH FRUIT?-Every branch in Christ is a fruit-bearing branch. (John xv. 5.) Art thou" filled with all the fruits of righteousness (Phil. i. 11)-first and second table fruits? Art thou "fruitful in every good word and work?" (Col. i. 10.) Dost thou bring forth fruit suitable to the means vouchsafed? or does the seed of a homer bring forth only an ephah? Dost thou remember. that where much is given, not a little is required? (Luke xii. 48.) Briefly: Dost thou bring forth fruit, like the land of Egypt, "by handfuls" (Gen. xli. 47.) Hast thou any bunches of pomegranates to show? Is thy soul a spiritual Eshcol? And then, too, art thou so desirous of bringing forth more, that| thou lookest on the vintage of thy attainments only as gleamings? In a word: Dost thou "bring forth fruit" constantly, every month," in old age " Art thou ever green and flourishing?" (Ps. xcii. 14.) Do not those apples of Sodom, bitter fruits of apostasy, in principles, in practices, spring from thee? Are not thy grapes turned into thorns, thy figs inte thistles ? Art thou not like Orpah, that the othe: day kissed and complimented, but now forsakes: But rather, like Ruth, dost thou resolve and say concerning thy God, thy Christ, "Whither thou goest. I will go; where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried?" (Ruth i. 16, 17.)—Lye. 66 THE CONNECTION OF TRUTH. EVERY truth single is very precious, and indeed of infinite value, as purchased with, and ratified in, the blood of Christ; but to see the truths of the Gospel linked together in their proper union, facing one another like the cherubims (Exod. xxv. 20), is very glorious: as the stones of the temple, when they were squared and polished in the forest, were very costly for both matter and workmanship; but when they were laid into the building, and formed up into a temple, what a beautiful and magnificent structure did they make! The disciples, beholding it, were filled with delight and wonder. (Luke xxi. 5.) The curtains of the sanctuary, each by themselves, were very rich, both for the materials and curious embroideries; but had you seen them in their connecture, each curtain fastened to the other with taches of gold, and so making up one entire perfect tabernacle, sparkling and shining in all its native splendour, it would have been a ravishing sight. It is in a most eminent manner observable in the crea tion of the world, that of every single day's work it is said, "God saw that it was good;" but when the whole" structure" of heaven and earth was set together into one entire fabric and creation," God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." (Gen. i. 31.) Such a rare piece are Gospel truths in their variety and uniformity; not less glorious and admirable than heaven and earth, sun, moon, stars, elements, in all their order and ornament. ence upon it: "Behold how he loved him!" (John A GREAT CHANGE. THE most experienced in grace can very inadequately estimate beforehand the happiness of standing in the glorious presence of Him, "whom having not seen, they love; and in whom, though now they see him not, yet believing, they rejoice with joy unspeakable.| Gospel truths in their series and dependence are a and full of glory." Had a person been shut up in a chain of gold to tie the truth and the soul close todungeon from his infancy, and seen no light but what gether. People would not be so easily trepanned into was transmitted through some chink in his immurheresy, if they were acquainted with the concatena-ing cell, it would be difficult, or impossible, to give tion of Gospel doctrines within themselves. As, for instance, men would not certainly be so easily complimented to worship that idol of free-will and the power of nature, were they well principled in the doctrine of the fall, and the design of God in permitting it, held out in Scripture in such large and ligible characters that he who runs may read. (Ps. li. 5; 1 Cor. i. 29-31, &c.); if they did with sobriety of spirit observe what the Scripture proclaims concerning the impotency of the lapsed and ruined creature, man's helpless condition in himself (Rom. v. 6; Eph. ii. 1); of the absolute necessity of the quickening, helping, and stablishing influence of the Spirit of Christ, &c. When a chain of pearls is broken, a single jewel is easily lost: divine truths are mutually preservative in their social embraces and coherence.-Case. CHRIST'S LOVE. THE rabbins have a saying, that upon every aper jor "tittle" of the law, there hangs a mountain of sense and doctrine: in every drop of Christ's blood there is an ocean of love: "Who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Gal. ii. 20.) The death of Christ was such a demonstration of love as the world never saw. When God made the world, he intended the evidence of his power. He ordained hell, digged Tophet, and filled it with fire and brimstone; and thereby manifested the severity of his justice. He humbled himself to death; and therein his purpose was to demonstrate the transcendency of his love. This made the love of Christ of such efficacy and constraining influence upon the Apostle Paul: "Because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead." (2 Cor. v. 14.) When Christ once wept at Lazarus's grave, by-standers made this infer him any such impression of the splendour of the sun his countenance would say-the half had not been "O DEATH, WHERE IS THY STING?" WHEN a bee hath fastened its sting in a man's flesh. and thereby lost it, it ever after (they say) turns a drone. Death once fastened its sting in Christ, and hath ever since, to them that are in Christ, been like a drone, that can hum and affright, but not sting and hurt, them. Death now drives a poor trade amongst them: it may destroy the body; and when it hath played that prank, it hath done all its feats: as a fierce mastiff, whose teeth are broken out, it can bark, or rend and tear the tattered and threadbare coat; but it cannot bite to the bone. How feeble an enemy is death, since it travelled, and took a walk to the top of Mount Calvary!-Meriton. "The nature of thy God, O man, Three testaments declare: If well the second you would know." 1. MAN very frequently wishes for preachers -should he not much rather wish for the proper ear? For verily there are preachers all around, wherever we direct our eye-preachers in the sky above us, preachers beneath upon the earth, preachers within and without. What does not even the firmament of heaven above preach the clear blue sky! the sky covered by the storm-clouds! The heavens, with all the wonders of their glory, declare the glory of Godthey declare it with the glory of day and with the glory of night. But how many hear? How undeniable is it, that so long as God does not speak into a man's own heart, man cannot understand the language of God, which is loud around, and above, and beneath him! Tauler* beautifully expresses this: "As to a man who looks for a long time at the sun, the sun impresses itself upon everything that he sees; so is it with a man who looks much at God." And there are hours when we can stand among the works of nature as though we were in a congregation of God's people, where a cheerful song of praise bursts forth from every breast, so that we cannot help it, but must unite in their hymn-absorbed into the universal strain of devotion, we are borne along upon it. But, at other times, how silent and dumb seem all creatures around us-they go as though there was no hand in heaven that led them! It depends upon this, whether God speaks in us! 2. It is still the same heaven to which the Saviour looked up when he prayed; it is the same heaven to which the childless Abraham raised his eyes, when in the still night the promise was made to him: "Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars if thou be able to A German preacher before the Reformation, greatly admired by Luther.- Trans. No. 29 * number them; so shall thy seed be!" It is "And thou, fair Nature, thou Art not of one sort, yet art ever alike, In thine everlasting realm ?" O how does the human heart, that, by the contrast with the order and obedience of Nature to its laws, becomes conscious of its own fickleness and changeableness, long after that inward stedfastness over which the change from light to darkness, from day to night, no longer has any influence! It is this, even this, that gives Nature so edifying, so salutary an influence over mian. 3. The voice of Nature is such that it can be heard and understood in all languages. The voice with which Nature addresses man is like the look of a friend or the faithful pressure of the hand, which are understood among all nations without the utterance of a word. Is it not also really the eye of God, that most faithful of friends, that looks out of Nature upon us; and have not the nations of the earth in some measure understood this voice? But true understanding was wanting in their hearts; there was no interpreter within, for they worshipped the creature instead of the Creator. (Rom. i. 21-23.) And thus they supposed that the song of praise, which all creatures in heaven and upon earth sing, was a song of praise to the creature. Yet all creatures declare only the |