So she thanked her kind mother for the stories she | had told, and the pictures she had shown her. And she smiled, and said: "What God pleases is best." Her mother kissed her child and said: "Carry this sweet spirit with you, my daughter, as long as you live, and you will have gathered more wisdom from the storm than from the sunshine."-Youths' Cabinet. WHY WILL YE DIE? POOR, self-destroying caitiff, look yonder on that amiable Jesus Christ, for a marriage between whom and thy precious soul I am now wooing. Do but observe his condescending willingness to be united to thee. That great Ahasuerus courts his own captive Esther. The potter makes suit to his own clay; woos thee, though he wants thee not; is infinitely happy without thee, yet is not, cannot be, satisfied but with thee. Hark how he commands, entreats, begs thee to be reconciled (2 Cor. v. 20); swears, and pawns his life upon it, that he desires not thy death (Ezek. xxxii. 11); seals this his oath with his blood. And if, after all this, thou art fond of thine own damnation, and hadst rather be at an agreement with hell than with him, see how the brinish tears trickle down his cheeks (Luke xix. 41, 42): he weeps for thee, that dost not, wilt not, weep for thyself. Nay, after all this obdurate obstinacy, he is resolved still to "wait, that he may be gracious (Isa. xxx. 18); stands yet, and knocks, though his head be wet with rain, and his locks with the dew of the night. (Cant. v. 2.) Fain he would have thee 66 open the door," that he may come in and sup with thee, and thou with him. (Rev. iii. 20.)—Lye. METHOD-ITS ADVANTAGE AND IMPORTANCE. THE reason why people generally remember no more of the sermons they hear, is for want of catechising, whereby they might come to know the priuciples of religion in their order and methodical contexture. Usually in sermons truths are delivered single and apart; and the ignorant hearer knows not where the minister is, nor what place the doctrine delivered obtains in the body of divinity, nor how they are knit together; and so the memory leaks them out as fast as they are dropped in. Order is the very glue of memory. Method in a single sermon, when the hearer is acquainted with it, gratifieth the memory, as well as the understanding; while it doth not only lodge things in their own place, but locks the door upon them, that they may not be lost. When things are knit and linked in one with another (as in a chain), pull up one link, and that will pull up another; so that the whole chain is preserved. "Loose hearing may please, but the fixed will profit:" skipping hearing, for the most part, makes but sceptical Christians. When people hear at raudom; have a snatch here, and a snatch there; here a truth, perhaps, and there an error; here a notion, and there a novelty, &c.; such mixed hearing makes up the garment of knowledge, but just like a beggar's cloak-full of patches. They are never able to bring their knowledge into any form or method; "ever learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Tim. iii. 7), their knowledge is like a heap of pebbles, upon which a man can never raise a superstructure. Whereas, they that sit under a fixed ministry, one that is master of his art, they are acquainted with the way, and course, and project of his preaching; as the apostle tells Timothy: " But thou hast fully known my doctrine, purpose," &c.; that is, the design and method of my ministry. Such hearers, if judicious, can follow their teacher through the series and deduction of his ministry, from subject to subject, and from text to text, and from head to head, till at length they have, before they take notice of it, a hypotyposis, or collection, of Gospel truths formed in their understanding. Such a hearer begins where he left the last time; and so, from time to time, is still going on, shining" and growing and enlightening" unto the perfect day" (Prov. iv. 18); from faith to faith, from knowledge to knowledge, and from truth to truth; "till he comes in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.". (Eph. iv. 13.) Various hearing makes variable Chris tians-St. James' professors (for the most part)} "double-minded men, unstable in all their ways." (James i. 8.) They are still beginning, but never abl to make any prosperous and successful progress in the knowledge of Christ.-Case. THE CHRISTIAN'S CALLING. 1. It is a holy calling.-And therefore "be ye also holy in all manner of conversation." (1 Pet. i. 15.) Methinks, it should sound as harshly in our ears to hear of a wicked Christian as of a dark sun. 2. It is a high calling.-Do you live high? Scoru baseness: blush to appear in your old rags-to be seen catering for your lusts as you used to do. Crown yourselves with the stars-clothe yourselves with the sun-tread the moon under your feet. Let the Gos pel be your crown-) n-let Christ be your clothing -let the world be your footstool-let hidden manna be ļ your constant diet. Keep open house to all comers: set your spiritual dainties before them; bid them feed heartily, and welcome: and, for discourse, tell them what great things God hath done for your souls. (Ps. lxvi. 16.) 3. It is a heavenly calling.-Let your "conversation be in heaven" (Phil. iii. 20): you have a good Corres pondent there. Maintain a constant trade and trafic | thither-expect returns thence. "Lay up your treasure" there," where neither moth nor rust dott corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal." (Matt. vi. 20.) Be always preparing for your passage thither. 4. It is an immutable calling.—Do not droop and hang your heads for the changes and mutations which there are in the world. "The foundation of God standeth sure" (though the foundation of States be overturned, overturned, overturned); "having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his" (2 Tim. ii. 19), and will cause "all things to work together for their good."-White. DYING COUNSEL. I ONCE entered a room where a beloved youth was dying; and having directed him to Jesus as his only refuge, and urged him to give his heart to God, I asked, And what shall I tell your young con panions" "Tell them," said he, in effect, and with a look and tone of voice which I shall not attempt to describe, "tell them to repent, and give their hearts to the Saviour; tell them to seek religion now-d death-bed is a poor place to prepare for eternity!" THE CHRISTIAN TREASURY. 349 CHRIST THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD; A Sermon. TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN OF HOFACKER. "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall rise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. The multitude of camels to destroy the works of the devil; he can break the cords of sin and Satan; he can make bright || that which was dark; he can set free from the bondage of death; he can help, where none else can give relief. Come to him, then. The night has disappeared, the day has arisen. Every witness of Jesus must preach this, and tell it to every soul: The day has dawned; Christ the Saviour is born; behold we bring you shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; "good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people"-a joy, whose light, opening your hearts, and entering in, will disperse all dark all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall show forth the praises of the Lord."-ISA. Ix. 1-6. In considering this passage, my heart is impressed with the glorious truth, that in Christ the Saviour, the light of day has been ushered in. With God's assistance, therefore, I would speak to you of Christ, and how, in him, the day-spring has arisen over the world. But we must first ask the Lord for his blessing. Dear Saviour, king of the nations, thou who hast arisen as a bright star, arise in our hearts, and remove all darkness, that we may see! Open the eyes of the nations, that they may walk in the brightness of thy glory! Let thy light now illuminate our souls! Amen. We come now to speak of Christ, and how, in him, day broke over the world. Such is the intimation made to us in many passages of Scripture, as well as in our text. Thus speaks the Saviour himself: "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." And is not every soul that has received Christ, that has been saved by his grace from the power of darkness, and that is enabled in consequence to walk in the light of truth and love, in the light of the new covenant-is not every such soul a bright witness to the truth of this his declaration? "The night is far spent, the day is at hand:" thus all the apostles preached. What was it they announced? Hear it, ye poor miserable sinners who are still in thick darkness; it was, The day has dawned. Jesus Christ the Saviour has come into the world, has suffered, and died, and risen-has scattered the darkness, and brought you light. He is able No. 30.* ness. But if the sun has arisen, there must have been previously a night of darkness. And so there was. Before the appearing of Christ, night brooded over the world. Until "the Sun of Righteousness" shines in upon a soul, all is the thick darkness of night, even although the wisdom of the world be there. I shall not speak of the Heathen who, in the vanity of their mind, live in blindness and" without God in the world," and who have changed the glory of the unchanging Creator into lifeless pictures of the creature. The condition of the Heathen, their idolatry, their sins, their ignorance, and their misery-all this is expressed in the words of the prophet: "Darkness covers the earth, and gross darkness the people." Standing on some elevated spot, he looks round on the world, and what does he behold? Darkness, the thickest darkness. He can scarcely discern the face of the landscape, because of the thick darkness of the night. And true it is, in this night have all the Heathen walked, and many millions walk in it still. In this night once walked our fathers. O how melancholy it was with Germany centuries ago! Nothing but idolatry, cruelty, drunkenness, and the grossest immorality, was to be found-where now stand the temples of the living God, where the name of God and of the Lamb is now worshipped and adored. And if we look back to the time before Christ came into the world, O, how many nations walked in the darkness of night! The most wretched superstition, the most lamentable idolatry, reigned. No love to God, no love to one's neighbours, no true humility; but pride, and arrogance, and the horror of darkness. The gods they fancied as objects of worship, were of the most vicious characteradulterers, liars, deceivers, thieves, and murderers. And who were the gods of those who perceived the foolishness of this idol service? Themselves, their own selves, were their gods. "Darkness covered the earth, and gross darkness the people." But it was also night with the people of Israel. They had, indeed, the revelation of the law and the promises. God the Lord had not concealed himself from them, as he did from the Gentile nations. And where the Lord reveals himself, there is not the darkness of night, but light; and the coming of the day cannot be far distant. It was, however, an imperfect revelation; the brightness of the Lord was not fully displayed. They looked forward with hope to a bright day when the promised Messiah should arise; but the veil of Moses was still between them and the sun, so that the heavenly brightness was in a manner obscured. As yet, there were only types and shadows of future blessings. Under the economy of the Old Testament, there was, as it were, a fire kindled from time to time in the midst of the darkness, so that those around it were enabled to see, but not so distinctly as in the light of day. The fire was, however, the token of night; for if it had been day, its light would not have been needed. It was thus with the patriarchs. They died in the belief that the promises would be fulfilled. "These all," says the apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrews, "having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise; God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." Throughout the whole of the Old Testament, there is an earnest longing after the great day of redemption-after the ushering in of the Messiah's kingdom. The patriarchs of the Old Testament were as they who long for the day, and that the night may disappear. Their language was, O that the day were come, that the dawn of the morning were arisen! "Watchman, what of the night?" is written on every page of the Old Testament, although in different forms. The Old Testament believers were as prisoners who longed for liberty; and the voice addressed to them was, Wait a little, thou shalt soon be free. afflictions, the Lord prepared the hearts of his people for his great day; and such was the intensity of their longings, that shortly before the birth of the Saviour, many felt assured that "the Consolation of Israel" would speedily' come, and that they should see that glorious day. Simeon was assured by the Holy Ghost that "he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ;" and as he "took the child Jesus in his arms" in the temple, he exclaimed, “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation”—the Saviour for whom I have longed and waited. There was, indeed, amongst those who gave heed to the word of the Lord in Israel, an earnest waiting for the Salvation of God-for Him who should come, who is spoken of by Zacharias in his song of praise. At length Christ was born-"the Light of the world" appeared; but in poverty and meanness-in the lowly estate of a poor man-child. There was nothing here to nourish the hopes of the carnal mind. It was only he who had eyes to see that could discern the light. But this outward lowliness was accompanied from ¦ beginning to end by a great glory. The extremes of poverty and riches were blended together. While the parents could find no room in the inn for the child, angels from heaven appeared to the shepherds, praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good-will toward men!" Why all this on account of the child that lies so lowly in a manger? And one of these angels is the first evangelist of the new covenant; for he says, " Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people; for › unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." The child grew; and few of the Jews knew that this was the Messiah, the Son of God. From afar must men come, and bring to him gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and tell the Jews that this is their new-born king. They were not ashamed to do homage to this poor child as their sovereign. How deep must have been the conviction that had taken hold of their hearts! But thirty years had to run their course be fore he should make known to the people his saving and redeeming power. Now the ptriarchs were all asleep. Simeon had laid himself to rest, for he had seen the Saviour. The Son of God himself dwelt at Nazareth in obscurity, as any other man-yea, as a poor workIn the meantime, the great hour of salvation man. None thought any more of the glory of drew nearer and nearer. Through trials and the dawn. “He that was unjust, was unjus: 351 for ever-yes, there pre-eminently has the light arisen; thither does the Holy Ghost direct every soul that is thirsting after divine light; for yonder it is that there is indeed light. Over Golgotha is the Sun of the world arisen, with salvation in his wings for all who fear the name of the Lord. Thence, to poor sinners, flow light and life. O, how blessed are they who com CHRIST THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. still, and he that was filthy, was filthy still he that was righteous, was righteous still; and he that was holy, was holy still." Then came forward a man, John the Baptist, a man "in the spirit and power of Elias," and preached," Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight; he standeth among you, and ye know him not." As he stood by the Jordan, preaching to the multi-prehend aright that yonder dwells the brighttude, he saw Jesus of Nazareth walking by the shore, and knew that he was the Messiah; for his heavenly Father had testified at his baptism, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Then this great witness, the forerunner of his Lord, stretched forth his hand, and pointing to him, exclaimed, "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world!" Now was the Lord announced to the people. Now he arose, and taught, and preached the kingdom of God, and wrought many signs and wonders, and glorified the Father, proving that He it was who should come in the power of God, "to preach the Gospel to the poor, to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." His footsteps brought blessings, and his hands wrought mercy. He was the compassionate Jesus, rich in blessings; the Saviour of sinners, the friend of the needy. When the Apostle John would describe his entire walk among them, he says, "We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." But how was it with the children of men? "He came unto his own, and his own received him not." The darkness hated the light; the children of darkness would not suffer the light. They sought to extinguish it; and this was so far permitted by God, that his decrees might be perfected. They seized the Son of the Father, led him forth out of their city, and hanged him on a tree. Then it looked as if the Light had been extinguished-as if the Sun of the world had gone down. But it was as it had been with Joseph: "Ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good." Out of this cruel wickedness has salvation arisen to man; the darkness has unconsciously given birth to the light. In Gethsemane, where he prayed, his prayers being mingled with strong crying and tears;" on Golgotha, where he hung upon the cross forsaken of all, where by every one he was beheld as if he had been a deceiver, where his work seemed to be over ness of the Lord! That which is written in our text, "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee," has been mainly accomplished on Golgotha. It is here that we exclaim, "Arise, shine!" for here are fulfilled the words of Jesus, "I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I if it be already kindled? I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!" "For it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations." Then was fulfilled the word of prophecy, "O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get up into the high mountain: O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake thyself from the dust; arise, O Jerusalem; loose thyself from the bonds of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion." 66 The fire of God, which was kindled on Golgotha, continued to burn till the day of Pentecost; and from that day it has burned till now. For it is said, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth !" This was the day that expelled the dark night: now began "the fulness of the Gentiles" to come in. Multitudes came from every land, and walked in the light that arose over Jerusalem. Comforted by God, enlightened by faith in the reconciliation-sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit of truth, thousands are now standing before the throne of God on high, "clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands," and singing "Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever." Bright rewards of the work of Jesus! Bright children of light, who have "come out of great tribulation," and through the blood of atonement, have had an 66 entrance ministered unto them" into the everlasting mansions of light and life, and to whom multitudes will be added! But the end is not yet. Even now the fire of God burns in many places throughout the world; and, praised be his name, it is burning in the midst of us; for in our land the standard of the cross is erected. The Gospel, the light which arose over Jerusalem, has been with us for centuries. And O! it is a heavy reckoning that awaits us, if we sin against the light. But the counsel of God respecting fallen man is not yet completed. And it becometh thee to ask, Can it be so? while thou art far from him. Can the counsel of God be fulfilled, so long as 66 the kingdoms of this world" are not "become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ?" "No day of peace nor rest can be, Till his love conquers all; Till earth, with her ten thousand tribes, Till he, in new and glorious life Before his Father's face, Can bring a world from sin and death, And therefore have so many evangelists, in our day, gone abroad over this poor world, to proclaim salvation through Christ, to tell of the light of day to those who "sit in darkness and the shadow of death;" to testify of that light which has illuminated their own hearts, and which may enlighten sinners of every description. Dear brethren and sisters, behold and consider what is doing in our days. Shut not your eyes and ears; read intelligence of God's work among the heathen; consider and own that we live in momentous times. Read, and acknowledge that in our day the kingdom of God, as well as that of Satan, is making rapid progress. Under the standard of which kingdom are you marching? Are you journeying to heaven, or to hell? Read, and acknowledge that God's thoughts are thoughts of love; for he would have men everywhere to be saved, and is calling the far-distant Gentiles to the marriage of the Lamb. O! he has long been calling us: let us now listen to his voice. "Cloth'd in the wedding garment, To joys and endless glories And those that were far from him, Before his Father's throne." The heathen, dear brethren, will outstrip us: many of them have come to Christ before us. Behold how the heathen, and kings of the heathen, worship the Lamb that was slain; read how they cast their crowns at his feet. And what hast thou laid down at thy Saviour's feet? Hast thou denied thyself a single pleasure or advantage for his sake? But all is not yet accomplished. Still six or eight hundred millions of our brethren are sitting in darkness and while the bread of life is liberally distributed to us, they hunger for the Word of God; and, benighted in misery during life, have only sorrow in death. Is it, however, always to be thus? No: the Father hath said unto the Son, "Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." O what a time will that be, when the word of prophecy which we hav this day read is wholly fulfilled, when all t kingdoms of this world shall have become kingdoms of God and of his Christ! Then will they sing of victory in the dwellings of the righteous; then will they sing "the song of Moses and of the Lamb;" then, from the one end of the earth to the other, there will be a spiritual temple, wherein the name of Jehovah is worshipped and ade. Every knee will bow at the name is, and every heart will acknowledge him; and by every tongue will be uttered praise, and honour, and glory to the Lamb which was slain, and to our God. Great, glorious time! But, dear hearers, there are two things of which I would speak. God has permitted us to be born in these momentous times; and are we to contribute nothing to the building of acted towards Jesus and his great cause? Ask Zion? What is your answer? How have we yourselves, Has it been your earnest and heartfelt prayer that light may arise unto the heathen? Ask yourselves, Have you lent your aid by word or deed, or are you keeping aloof! what might not be accomplished, were each Let me speak to you with earnestness. one to give even of his overflowings were abundance! O how much is spent in vanityeach, from time to time, to give out of his in the service of the devil! Will you not lend something to your Saviour? Hear his own words: "Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me: I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink.” Let none excuse himself on account of his poverty. Is it not oftentimes because one has not the will, that he has not the means? But |