The influence of holiness.

rected talent falls useless to the dust. Now, splendid genius seems to be drawn out simply by the love of intellectual exercise-by the mere fondness of its play; and a useless poem or novel is all the memorial which is left to tell, that the man once lived. And yet again, talent, just adapted to all the hardy enterprises of making the race better, expends itself in some wild and devious plan of wandering, like that of Ledyard; or in exploring the memorial of ancient folly, like that of Belzoni.

"Now, the same mighty energies of mind, which are summoned into action by ambition, the love of gold, and of sin; or the very energy, that seeks employment adapted to its nature, in traversing continents, ascending streams, and penetrating frozen seas, might be called forth by the same principle which moved the minds of Paul, and Buchanan, and Martyn. Nay, higher powers of mind might be developed by an inextinguishable desire to be holy, and to save the world, than the love of gold or fame has ever yet excited. If a man wished to make the most of his talents, to put them to the severest and most enduring test, to labour simply to extend and prolong his influence, he would tread the path of Paul and Howard. The influence of the Cæsars of the world must die."* The influence of Paul and Howard can never die. The results of their toils will exist throughout the ages of millennial glory, will endure to the end of all things-yea, will last as long as the wasteless ages of eternity.

When the mind is led into a train of thought like this,— and, when viewing the tremendous responsibility that rests upon us, as redeemed and divinely enlightened beings, we see, in looking back upon the past, how little we have ever accomplished for the cause of truth and holiness,-how much of our time has been frittered away, and can never be recalled, how much of our strength has been wasted for which we have now nothing to show,-who that loves the Saviour, and realizes that he must soon stand at the

* Christian Spectator, vol. vi. pp. 552-554.

The origin and design of this work.

judgment bar, will not feel an irrepressible desire, not only to consecrate all his future labours to the glory of God, and to the promotion of truth and holiness, but will not look around with deep solicitude, and see if some of the results of his past efforts may not be gathered up and devoted to the same cause?

It was a feeling not unlike this that first suggested to the author the idea of the present volume. He believes that every Christian minister is bound, by the most solemn obligations, to consecrate his time, and talents, and influence to the cause of the great Redeemer, and to seek to bring mind in contact with divine truth, by every means in his power, whether by the pulpit or the press.

With the solemn conviction resting upon his mind, that the time is short,-that as yet, little has been done, and that it is in accordance with the divine will that nothing should be lost,-he has ventured to bring together the fragments that compose this volume, and lay them as a freewill offering on the altar of God, asking him, who not unfrequently chooses the weak things of the world, to confound the things that are mighty, and base things, and things which are despised," to accomplish his great and glorious purposes, to bless this effort, and make it tributary to his glory.

The only object which the author has proposed to himself in this volume, is the everlasting good of undying souls. The thought frequently presses upon him, that he is floating down the rapid current of time, in company with nearly nine hundred millions of immortal beings,—that he and they will soon be in the ocean of eternity,--that only a very small number, a mere fraction of these millions, have yet laid hold on eternal life,—and that now is the only time in which they can be reached or rescued. As this thought has come up before him again and again, he has been driven back to the conclusion, Wo is me, if I do not seek, by every means in my power, to bring the truth of God in contact with undying minds.'

The Bible of a narrative character.

The author has been encouraged to hope that the present volume may exert a salutary influence from two considerations.

The first is, that the method here pursued in the inculcation of truth, has for its model and sanction the record of divine truth. A large portion of the Bible is of a narrative character. A large proportion of the materials that make up that volume consists of a history of God's people, and of his various dealings with them. There is no doubt that the truth contained in the sacred volume, from this very circumstance, has produced infinitely more effect, than it would have done had the same truth been communicated in a more didactic or philosophic manner. Facts have been remembered, and have made an impression, where abstract principles would never have reached the mind, nor left a single lodgement of truth in the heart.

The other consideration adverted to is this-that God has blessed, in an eminent manner, true narratives of a work of grace in the heart. It seems to be a manifest principle in the economy of grace, that every display of divine power put forth in the conversion and sanctification of sinners shall have a moral influence upon those who witness it or hear of it. How often has an extended revival taken its rise from one striking case of conversion in a congregation! How many minds have been awakened, comforted, and refreshed, by reading what God has done for others! God certainly has a purpose in all this. An inspired apostle could say, "Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting."

In illustration of the idea just expressed, that in the economy of grace, God designs that every display of divine power manifested in the conversion and sanctification of sinners, shall exert a moral influence upon other minds, I will state the following incident.

Many years since, there lived in a sweet and beautiful

An incident.

town in New England, a zealous and devoted clergyman whose labours were remarkably blessed. The words spoken by him seemed "like fire, or as the hammer to the rock." The young, in whole companies, left the scenes of gayety, and gathered around the cross of Christ. Many an aged sinner, who had been slumbering for years in unregeneracy, was aroused from the deep sleep of spiritual death, and led to cry out-Lord, save, or I perish!

There was one individual, however, whom his preaching did not in the least affect. Though this herald of the cross lifted up his voice like a trumpet, and spared not, though he proclaimed the whole counsel of God, and brought the solemn truths of religion before his hearers with a power almost sufficient to wake up the dead, Mr. A sat as unmoved and unconcerned as though he had letters patent from Jehovah, assuring him that his name was written in the book of life. He did not profess to be a religious man. He was, however, irreproachable in his moral conduct, and often declared that he had a great respect for religion. But, in truth, Mr. A―― was very far from being a believer. He had no just conception of the spirituality of the gospel, and was rather disposed to sneer at the idea of an inward work of grace in the heart.

When, therefore, he saw one and another of his acquaintance under the influence of this faithful ministry coming forward to enlist under the banner of Christ, he said to himself, "This is all hypocrisy or delusion." The holy spectacle of awakened sinners coming forward to give themselves up to the Lord Jesus Christ, in the bonds of the everlasting covenant, he could not behold but with feelings of contempt. He was cherishing, in all its unsubdued power, that carnal mind which is enmity against God." Still he flattered himself that he was a very good man. He continued to attend upon the services of the sanctuary. One afternoon, to his great surprise, he saw Mr. J. J. rise up, and go forward to the baptismal font. This individual was a person of great influence in that community.

He

Influence of example.

was known to be a man of calm, and cool, and deliberate judgment. He had on several occasions shown himself the particular friend of Mr. A- And now he stood before an assembled congregation, to enter into covenant with God-to enlist under the banner of Christ-to be signed with the sign of the cross-and to give himself up unreservedly to the service of that Redeemer, who had bought him with his blood. There, as he stood at the foot of the cross, there went forth a silent and powerful testimony in favour of religion. His own heart was touched with deep feeling. The big tear rolled down his cheek, as, with half choked utterance, he solemnly took upon him the vows of the covenant. Mr. A- looked at this sight with amazement.

He said to himself,

"I know this man. He has too much integrity to play the part of a hypocrite. His feelings are too equable, and his mind too well balanced, to be brought under a fanatical influence. What does this mean?"

Mr. A

went home, but the scene he had witnessed followed him there. He began to feel a sort of indignation towards Mr. J. J. that he had suffered himself to be influenced to take this step. Upon a second thought he knew that Mr. J. J. was not the man to be influenced by others. The more he reasoned upon this subject, the more perplexed and dissatisfied he felt. A ray of the Spirit's light soon broke in upon his soul. He began to see that his own mind was dark. He began to suspect that all was not right within. He went into a room by himself, and tried to pray; but found he could not. He then took down the Bible, and tried to read it; but he could not. He felt as though there was an influence upon him, hurrying him on to commit some dreadful deed. While he was there alone with himself and God, the broad blaze of divine truth flashed upon his view, and revealed to him the cause of his misery. He saw it now, as with the clearness of noonday, that he was, to use his own words, "an accursed