Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

sun hath shed its last ray upon the Old. Mingled therefore (as all earthly joys and sorrows must be) will be the feeling with which the mind that gives way to sober thought will reflect upon the title of our present number: painful when we look back upon another numbered period of life gone by for ever-and gone by to swell the items of that awful account soon to be made up at the judgment-seat of Christ. He that can look back upon the past without reflections such as these, or he that makes reflections such as these without feelings solemn or painful, need be more or less than man; and he that affects to trifle under such circumstances manifests little less than the folly of him who saith in his heart, "There is no God." Such feelings then let us rather encourage, that they may sober the joy natural at this season, and fit us to take such a view of the new time opening to our eyes, as may become us as heirs of inmortality;-as beings whom every returning season brings nearer to that awful moment when time itself shall be swallowed up in eternity.

The past is gone.-The Christian reader will let it depart with humiliation and repentance as regards self; with thankfulness and praise as regards Him who hath entrusted him thus far with such forbearance and tender mercy with this precious talent. The present is all he calls his own. While he hails it with joy as an added gift from the Lord for his comfort he receives it as an added talent, upon the manner of his trading with which depends so much of his present peace and future comfort. The mistakes, the sins of omission and commission, whether against God or man, which the memory of the past year places in

review before him, will read him many an useful lesson in his plans for the present-of warning, of correction, of instruction in the way of righteousness. And whilst every New Year seems more abundant in those signs of the last times, which God the Holy Spirit has marked out for our learning, alike by the words of our Lord and his Apostles, we desire still to hold forth to our readers, in our measure, such light as may enable them to steer their course through a path which the events of every day seem to make a narrower one for the Christian's walk.

To mark that narrow path which lies between the awful unity of Popery, which, as the unity of the Church-yard, is the gloomy unity of death; and the fearful licentiousness of schism, with its ever-multiplying points of disunion-the path trodden by our Reformed Church, and consecrated by the blood of those who loved not their lives even to the death ;" and shewn in the language of all her services and formularies; to preserve sted fast in the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace" those who already walk as living members of her communion-to bring back those who have strayed from her fold, and to impress upon those who are merely nominally her children, their awful accountableness in the midst of such privileges, lest Capernaum's doom should be their's. With these views, whereto we have already attained we desire to walk by the same rule, to mind the same thing, through evil report, and good report, seeking ever to lead, guide, and direct the sheep of Christ's fold committed to our charge along that way which the Chief Shepherd has marked out in his word, and manifested in his example; praying that ourselves

our readers may find,-when our years have rolled round and stolen away the breath that first they gave, -when whatever now we do or say we shall have travelled to the grave,'-that the way we have marked out, and the way they have trodden has been the right way to that "city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."

SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

ONE bright sign, amid the many dark ones that lower over our land, is the intended Marriage of our most gracious Sovereign, Queen Victoria. The object of her choice is (blessed be God) one of the few Protestant Princes still remaining, Prince Albert of Saxe Coburg and Gotha, a German Prince, descended from the famous and excellent Frederic the wise,' Elector of Saxony, the patron and defender of Luther, and in him of the glorious doctrines of the Reformation, against the machinations of three successive Popes; there have been some apostacies, but they have never tainted the elder line, -the line from which Prince Albert is descended. It is recorded of one of the Dukes of Saxony at that period, that when he (Henry, Duke of Saxony) received this message from Duke George his elder brother, that either he must renounce the Protestant Faith or lose his right of uccession to the inheritance of Misnia, he returned this answer, 'Pluris se estimare Jesum quam omnem Misniam,'-[That he esteemed more of Jesus than of all Misnia.] Often as it is our privilege to unite in the house of God in prayer that our heavenly Father

[ocr errors]

maybehold with his favour our most gracious Sovereign Lady,' may our hearts be filled with thankfulness for this hopeful sign of mercy to our land, and earnest supplication for the safety, honour, and welfare of our beloved Sovereign,' in the maintenance of those pure Protestant principles which have distinguished alike the houses of Saxony and Hanover; and under the blessed influence of which our land, for the last three hundred years, has been " the glory of all lands.”

SCRIPTURE REFLECTION.

"Arise shine, (or be enlightened,) for thy light is

come!"

SHINE therefore, and reflect back again the beams which the Sun of Righteousness has cast on thy benighted soul! He has risen with healing in his wings, and thou art healed; therefore because he has "sent this word and healed thee, and thou art saved from destruction, praise the Lord for his goodness, and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men." "Unto us a child is born," and his name is Immanuel-God with us. "He is that true light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world." "Unto us a Son is given,"-given freely to be our Lord, our Priest, our King. Given not lent. Given to bring salvation unto his people, and the remission of sins. "The glory of the Lord is risen upon thee." How long has it been risen upon us? For nearly 1800 years this land has enjoyed the bright beams of the everlasting gospel. Blessed beyond all other lands, the Lord might well expos

of Valentinus, of Menander, of Sabellius, of Eutyches, and others? They are blown away as smoke before the wind; the word of God hath confounded them, and beat them away. As Dagon fell, and brake his hands and neck, and could not stand in the presence of the ark of the Lord; even so shall all falsehood fall and hide itself in the presence of the truth of God. As the rod of Moses devoured the rods of the charmers; as the beams of the sun drive away and consume darkness; so shall the word of God chase away errors.

When the two disciples walked by the way with Christ, they said between themselves, after their eyes were opened, and they knew him, "Did not our hearts burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and opened to us the Scriptures ?" (Luke xxiv.) -His words did possess all our senses; this talk was not like common talk; we felt it forcible in us as the word of God.

Israel heard Peter declare unto them at Jerusalem by proof of the Scriptures, that Christ was come; they were not able to resist the word of God, but were pricked in their hearts, and said unto Peter and the other Apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts ii)-We acknowledge our error; the words which you speak are most true; they are the words of life; teach us and instruct us what we shall do. They felt the force of it, and yielded unto it; they did acknowledge it was the word of

God.

St. Augustine, after he had continued long in error, and withdrawn himself into a secret place, where he might make his prayer, and bewail his ignorance,

« AnteriorContinuar »