present you with a bunch of grapes, like those of our country, comparatively sour, nay, positively so, for 'tis out of mine own vineyard, and I dwell in a cold air and churlish soil, that would abase even a generous vine, being fitter for perry and cider. If you can pick out hence any grape meet for your palate that may be for food or physic; if not, like wine to cheer your heart; like vinegar, to whet your stomach to what's better I shall be glad." Our intention is to reprint this book in our Magazine, but as several of the author's anecdotes are either too coarse or too preposterous to be at all serviceable, we intend to cast them overboard, and fill up the space with others either of our own concoction or collection. As an excuse for so doing, we give a specimen of those knocked out, and we think intelligent readers, and we do not write for any other class, will be content to let us drop all others of a similar stamp:-"A crocodile out of the river Niger drew in with his tail nine slaves chained together, and devoured them all!! But the chain not being digestible, proved his destruction. (We should think so.) Lord, at how great sin dare this heart of mine venture, and at how long a train; as the ox drinketh down water in huge quantities, and with great delight; but there is a chain of guilt with it, surely deadly, which can neither be vomited nor vented; this makes me cry, "My bowels, my bowels, I am pained at my very heart, but the comfort is, there is Balm in Gilead, and a Physician there." An excellent moral, doubtless, but so oddly drawn, as to make us overlook it, while noting the quaintness of the style. I. SCIPIO Africanus being shewed a very rich shield, answered that it was the manner of the Romans to trust more in their right hands than their left: but most of those champions set down in the Lord's Book of Worthies are notable as much for the defensive as for the offensive use of their weapons. There is as much honour to be reaped in the field of suffering as in that of active service. The apostle, in that triumphal arch of the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, has remembered not only those who waxed valiant in fight and put to flight the armies of the aliens, but those also who were stoned, were sawn asunder, were tempted and were slain with the sword. It is well to handle with skill both the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit. II. A CONTENTED citizen of Milan, who had never passed beyond its walls during the course of sixty years, being ordered by the governor not to stir beyond its gates, became immediately miserable, and felt so powerful an inclination to do that which he had so long contentedly neglected, that, on his application for a release from this restraint, being refused, he became quite melancholy, and at last died of grief. How well this illustrates the apostle's confession, that he had not known lust, unless the law had said unto him, "Thou shalt not covet!" "Sin, saith he, “taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me, all mannerof concupiscence." Evil often sleeps in the soul, until the holy command of God is discovered, and then the enmity of the carnal mind rouses itself, to oppose in every way the will of God. "Without the law," says Paul, "sin was dead." How vain to hope for salvation from the law, when through the perversity of sin, it is far more likely to provoke our evil hearts to rebellion, and so to work in us neither repentance nor love. III. AGESILAUS, playing with his young son, and riding upon a reed to make him sport, was derided by one of his familiar friends, as being too light and trifling; to whom he answered, "Hold thy peace till thou thyself art a father, and then we will hear thy advice." When we meet with infirmities which have befallen some of the servants of God in their exigencies, we are ready to deride their weakness, or suspect their sincerity; but let us suspend our judgments till our souls be in their souls' stead. IV. WHEN the Spartan king advanced against the enemy, he had always with him some one that had been crowned in the public games of Greece. And they tell us, that a Lacedæmonian, when large sums were offered him on condition that he would not enter the Olympic lists, refused them. Having with much difficulty thrown his antagonist in wrestling, one put this question to him, "Spartan, what will you get by this victory?" He answered with a smile, I shall have the honour to fight foremost in the ranks of my prince. The honour which appertains to office in the Church of God lies mainly in this; that the man who is set apart for such service has the privilege of being first in holiness of example, abundance of liberality, patience of long-suffering, zeal in effort, and self-sacrifice in service. Thou gracious King of Kings, if thou hast made me a minister or deacon in thy Church, enable me to be foremost in every good word and work, shunning no sacrifice, and shrinking from no suffering. 66 V. IT appears that Themistocles, when a boy, was full of spirit and fire, quick of apprehension, naturally inclined to bold attempts, and likely to make a great statesman. His hours of leisure and vacation he spent not, like other boys, in idleness and play, but he was always inventing and composing declamations, the subjects of which were either impeachments or defences of some of his schoolfellows; so that his master would often say, Boy, you will be nothing common or indifferent, you will either be a blessing or a curse to the community." So remember, you who profess to be followers of the Lord Jesus, that to you indifference is impossible; you must bless the Church and the world by your holiness, or you will curse them both by your hypocrisy and inconsistency. In the visible Church it is most true " no man liveth unto himself, and no man dieth unto himself." (To be continued.) THERE is an ancient parable which says that the dove once made cruel tyrant, and was thirsty for her blood. One counselled her to keep below, but the hawk can stoop for his prey; another advised her to soar aloft, but the hawk can mount as high as she. A third bade her hide herself in the woods, but alas! these are the hawk's own estates, where he holds his court. A fourth recommended her to keep in the town, but there man hunted her, and she feared that her eyes would be put out by the cruel falconer to make sport for the hawk. At last one told her to rest herself in the clefts of the rock, there she would be safe, violence itself could not surprise her there. The meaning is easy; reader, do not fail to catch it, and to act upon it. The dove is thy poor defenceless soul. Satan is thy cruel foe; wouldst thou not escape from him? Thy poverty cannot protect thee, for sin can stoop to the poor man's level and devour him in the cottage, and drag him to hell from a hovel. Thy riches are no security, for Satan can make these a snare to thee, and if thou shouldest mount never so high, the bird of prey can follow thee and rend thee in pieces! The busy world with all its cares cannot shelter thee, for here it is that the great enemy is most at home; he is the prince of this world, and seizes men who find their joys therein as easily as a kite lays hold upon a sparrow. Nor can retirement secure you, for there are sins peculiar to quietude, and hell's dread vulture soars over lonely solitudes to find defenceless souls, and rend them in pieces. There is but one defence. O may you and I fly to it at once! Jesus was wounded for sin; faith in him saves at once and for ever. He that believeth on him is not condemned. O for the wings of a dove to fly to him and be at rest. Let our fears hasten us; let our hopes speed us. Away, away poor sinner, Jesus waits to receive you. His wounds are open still. Be this your earnest prayer "Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee." Conscience tells you that you do not deserve to find a shelter in Jesus; this is true, but remember that you have to look to God's gracious promise, and not to your own black life. Sinners are the objects of Jesus' mercy, and whosoever believeth on him is not condemned. It is written, "Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out." Sword and Trowel Tracts-6d. per 100. Passmore & Alabaster, 23, Paternoster Row. LITTLE boy on his death-bed was urging his father to repentance, A and fearing he had made no impression, he said, "Father, I am going to heaven; what shall I tell Jesus is the reason why you will not love him?" The father burst into tears, but before he could give an answer, his dear little son had fallen asleep in Jesus. This question though very childlike, is far from childish, and is well worth pondering. May I beg thee, reader, to muse upon it, and reply to it. You are too much occupied with work and care to afford time to think of Jesus. O poor excuse! Is it honest to make it? Where there is a will there is a way. You have hours to waste with sinners, you must have some few moments to use with Jesus. It is sad that you should not have time enough to be saved, for you will ere long find time in which to be damned. Is Jesus unworthy of your love? He willingly left the glory of heaven to redeem rebellious men. He died upon the cross for his enemies. Is not his disinterested affection worthy of your admiration? Why will you not love him? He will save you if you trust in him; and yet you have never deserved to be saved by him. Is not this generous? It is free, undeserved mercy, which makes him pray you to look unto him and be saved. Your mother spent her strength in nursing you, and you love her; Christ bears sinners on his heart, and shall they not love him? Your friend gave you of his substance, and you love him; Christ gives his heart's blood, and can you despise him? WHAT SHALL I TELL JESUS IS THE REASON WHY YOU WILL NOT LOVE HIM? Will you not answer me? Then I will put it in another shape. WHAT WILL YOU TELL JESUS AT THE LAST GREAT DAY WAS THE REASON WHY YOU DID NOT LOVE HIM? O that by the grace of God, you may be led to cry, I do trust the Lord Jesus; he has saved me, and I MUST LOVE HIM Eword and Trowel Tracts-6d. per 100. Passmore & Alabaster, 23, Paternoster Row. Personal Service. BY A. G. BROWN, OF BROMLEY, LATE STUDENT AT THE PASTOR'S COLLEGE. 66 HATSOVER thy hand findeth WHAT to do, do it," is a sentence expressed by the wisest man that ever lived. It is well known to every Christian of the present day, and yet we fear but little practised. In looking round upon the work of the Christian Church, we are almost constrained to think that a text would have been more literally acted out which had run thus: "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, get some one else to do it for you." Work by proxy has but little countenance in things relating to this world, but prevails much in matters relating to the world to come. Seldom or never do we hear it said, "As I am desirous of increasing my business, I will get some one else to look after it," but often may we hear it said, if not in words, yet by actions, "As I am desirous of extending my Redeemer's kingdom, I will see that others are employed in promoting it." Many leave others to do the work, and expect themselves to wear the crown. There is an old tale of some use here. "A certain man would never go to Church, but when he heard the bell ring, would say to his wife, 'Go thou to Church and pray for thee and me.' One night he dreamed that both he and his wife were dead, and that they knocked together at heaven's gate for entrance. St. Peter (as the legend goes) was porter, and suffered the wife to enter in, but kept the husband out; telling him, 'She is gone in for herself and thee,' whereat he was much aggrieved, and thought himself hardly treated." What a blessed and glorious time it will be for the Church of God, when instead of the cry, "Lord, what wilt thou have me require others to do," it shall be, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do." If the few lines following shall, by God's blessing, be the means of urging any of his children to more active and personal service in his vineyard, the writer's heart will rejoice, and his Master alone shall have the glory. Surely gratitude itself demands personal service. How individualized have been all the steps that God has taken in working out the salvation of each of his elect ones! Before an archangel stretched his wings to obey the high behests of his sovereign Lord, ere the morning stars sang together, and before the pale moon shot her first silvery ray over the new-born earth, God chose his people in the first elect; but how? In families? In groups? In nations? No, but individually. "Grace first inscribed my name And had not Christ, in the work of redemption a special view to each eternally elect one? Paul seemed to think so, for he exclaims with ecstacy, "Who loved me and gave himself for me.' It is the thought of the speciality of the atonement which, to the believing eye, throws so rich a lustre round the cross, and causes the saint to sing, with both the tear-drop in his eye, and the smile upon his cheek "Alas, and did my Saviour bleed, The work of the Holy Spirit, too, is personally applied. The third person of the Trinity stands in close relation to each redeemed one. He does to each, what Christ did to the poor blind man of Bethsaida, takes him by the hand, leads him apart from the crowd, anoints his eyes, and directs them upward. Let God's people testify how the Spirit strove with their stubborn souls, "Convinced them of their sin, how he never left them till the rocky heart was broken, and the iron spirit began to melt. Did God the Father choose me individually? Did Christ the Son redeem me individually? Did God the Holy Ghost strive with me individually? Then gratitude demands an individual surrender of body, soul, and spirit to the great work of extending the glory of the triune Jehovah |