held responsible. Let us constantly recollect that all we do has its influence on our eternal condition. We are warned to let our speech be always with grace, to the use of edification. This is the divine rule, the divine precept, and is given to regulate our mutual intercourse for the improvement of those powers entrusted to us. The Psalmist says, "There is not a word on my tongue, but what thou knowest altogether."-(Psalm cxxxix.) The knowledge that wherever we are, we are in the immediate presence of Him who is the Searcher of hearts, should meet with our most profound consideration. We are so apt to forget the important results which follow the actions of every hour, that unbelief blinds the judgment, deadens the conscience, and throws its dark shade on the pathway of life. We need that living and practical faith which brings truth before us in all its power and sublimity, which leads us to act as seeing Him who is invisible, which constrains us so to take heed to the words of our lips as not to offend, not to speak unadvisedly, or indulge in conversation frivolous or prejudicial to the higher interests of others. As Christians, we must not prove a stumbling-block to such as are impenitent, and worldly-minded, lest we lower the high standard of Christian faith and principle, and thereby exert a dangerous and pernicious influence on their minds. We are to walk in wisdom to them that are without, ever keeping in view the glory of God, and the great end of life. Let our daily prayer be, "Let the words of my lips, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer." How precious is time! How impressive the thought that we have it in our power to confer a lasting benefit on mankind by the language of the lip, by careful attention to our words, by seeking to commend and enforce the great business of life, the preparation for an eternal world. We may speak a word to a friend, a neighbour, which, blessed by the Holy Spirit, may prove the power of God to salvation. We may commend the truth to the careless and unthinking by the spirit we manifest; by a holy example; by the purity of our conversation. We carry with us a power which, if rightly exercised, may bring glory to God, and lay the foundation of a mighty and spiritual change, by directing many to the only source of permanent happiness. "Our conversation is in heaven," writes the apostle.—(Phil. iii. 20.) And the more we seek to carry out the spirit of the Gospel, and to cultivate a profitable intercourse as we mingle in society, we shall not fail to convey a salutary impression of the reality and truth of the principles we profess. As Christians, when we meet, let it not be forgotten that "they who feared the Lord spake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name."-(Mal. iii. 16.) "Unto him that ordereth his conversation aright, will I show the salvation of God."-(Psalm 1. 23.) How evident it appear sthat God is not only the keeper of His people, but the observer of all; and that when we commune with each other on the glorious truths of the Gospel, it meets with His approval, and we distinctly recognize the fact that He is always with us as a witness, as a friend, as one who delights in watching our growth in grace. The more we talk of Jesus, the more will our hearts burn with love to Him, even as the disciples whom He met on the way to Emmaus. In proportion as the tone of our conversation becomes spiritual, it will become profitable, produce a salutary and beneficial effect for good, bring about a hallowed change, and lead to an improvement in character, which may constitute the first step in the progress heavenward, and thus ensure a blessed result. Steady aim to impart good, to tell to others of truth and love, of faith and obedience, of the hopes of the Gospel, to speak to edification, to communicate sound, useful, practical knowledge, with a supreme desire that it may profit our hearers, will assuredly be attended with the divine blessing. Idle words grieve the Holy Spirit, dishonour His cause, injure the profession we make, indicate a low vitality of religion, produce an unfavourable effect on the minds of the impenitent, and hinder the progress of real godliness. We must so let our light shine that others, seeing us, may be led to glorify God. Shine before the world by the lustre of a holy example-speak as becometh the children of God-and thus constrain the unthinking and careless to know that we are Christ's, belong to His kingdom, reflect His image, are living to His glory, and, as epistles of Christ, to be seen and read of all. The good we accomplish in the world will be according to our measure of holy walking and living. As we die to self we shall live to God. As we study to benefit others will be our success in well-doing. Tiverton, 1861. F. S. G. THE GREAT DAY. BY REV. J. FOREMAN OF BERBICE. THERE have been great days in the history of our world. That was a great day, when God said "Let there be light, and there was light." When "He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast." There was a display of great power on that day. That was a great day, when the angels told the shepherds a Saviour was born; and so also was that day when the sun was hid, when all nature put on a robe of darkness, and the earth trembled, because "Christ the mighty Maker died There was a manifestation of great love on those days. Another great day is coming on; John in vision beheld it. He saw men in great terror, rushing into any place where they thought they could hide, desiring death rather than life, and madly calling to the rocks and hills to crush them. Why? Listen to what they say: "The great day of His wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand." "Oh! there will be mourning before the judgment-seat, When this world is burning beneath Jehovah's feet. Friends and kindred then shall part, shall part to meet no more; Wrath shall strike the rebel's heart, while saints on high adore. Oh there will be mourning before the judgment-seat." Now, it is the day of mercy. Then, the day of mercy will have clean gone for ever, and the day of wrath will have come, and you, sinner, will be there. What will you do in that great day? You cannot plead innocence, for you know you are guilty. You cannot hope that your sins will not be known? For God, the all-seeing God, will be your Judge, and your companions in wickedness will be swift witnesses against you. They must speak out they dare not lie, nor hide the truth, with God's eye upon them. What is your hope? Is it this, upon which so many trust? That your sins are but trifles, and that God is so merciful? Say you so? Sin a trifle? Sin a little thing? Is this true? Are you happy? Have you ever been ill? Do you know what trouble Will is? Do your friends die? you live always? Why all this trouble, sickness and death? What has caused it? Sin! Look at all the misery that has existed, and exists at this moment, in the world in which we live, and what has produced it? Sin! See our first parents driven from Eden; they are out of the gate, and there stands the angel and the flaming sword, to prevent their return. They go forth "in the sweat of their face to eat bread, until they return to the dust from whence they were taken," and why this sudden, awful change in their circumstances? One word affords the answer-Sin! Behold, The fountains of the great deep are broken up, and the waters of the sea are rushing in upon the land. The windows of heaven are opened, and the rain descends in torrents. The waters rise higher, higher, HIGHER, until the top of the highest mountain is covered, and all mankind are dead, except those eight persons in the ark; and why this devastation and death? Because of sin! Look at that man in Pilate's judgment-hall. He is mocked, scourged, and spit upon, "See the sufferer falls-and all the rabble laugh, His hands are bound with thongsHis thick damp hair all clotted is with blood; And, as he rises and creeps with pain, One cries, How will He bear the cross?" And all the rabble jeer again." Behold, they have nailed Him to the cross, and His life's blood is fast ebbing out. Do you know who that is? Draw near, read the inscription nailed above His head-what is it? "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews." Yes, this is Jesus, God's only begotten Son. Do you ask, why is He crucified? What evil hath He done? None; "He did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth." He died "For man the creature's sin." For your sin and mine, and yet you say, sin is a little thing. You must die, and you must be judged. God has coupled death and judgment together in His holy word. "It is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment." The day of your death will come, as certainly as this day, and the day of judgment will follow with equal certainty; and when you stand at God's bar you will find you have lost your soul, for what you call a trifling thing. How then can sin, your sin, be but a trifle, when it costs you your soul? But you say," God is so merciful." Yes, that He is, sinner, more than your heart has ever yet conceived Him to be. But His mercy is only to be had in time, remember that. Only on this side of the grave: be sure of that. God is so merciful, that "He delighteth in mercy." Listen: He says to you, "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him turn unto the Lord and He will have mercy upon him, and to our God for He will abundantly pardon." Listen again: "He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy." Listen: He calls you. "Whosoever cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out." Let your heartfelt prayer be, "God be merciful to me a sinner." Decide this day for God, and then this will be the greatest day of your life. THE REVIVAL SPIRIT. THE revival spirit is a tender, humble, heart-broken spirit. This is essential to the spirit of prayer. "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." This is accompanied with feelings of deep self-abasement. The prayer of Daniel previous to the return from the captivity is a specimen of revival feeling. A great portion of this prayer is the language of Christians on awakening from a long season of spiritual slumber; and whenever this melting spirit becomes general in a church, great and glorious is the work of the Lord. This spirit is far removed from noise and confusion, and vain confidence. The accents of humble, broken penitence will be heard in the pulpit, in the social meeting, and at the family altar; and the secret places will witness the deep struggles of spirit, where the humble souls wrestle with their God, for spiritual blessings upon themselves and others. The unhumbled heart cannot approach near the mercyseat, "for He knoweth the proud afar off." He will not accept the sacrifice of the self-confident, or of the vain-glorious, even though, like Baal's priests, they cry aloud from morning to evening. This is a most tender, melting spirit. It meets a response in kindred hearts, and an affectionate, loving spirit pervades the little band of praying souls. It administers warning, exhortation, and entreaty to impenitent souls, in a tender, kind, and gentle manner. Repulse, and even abuse, is met with meekness. It is opposed to harsh, austere, and bitter rebukes, which stir up the wrathful passions of men. Even opposition and violence are disarmed before it, and rebuke from such a spirit enters into the soul like a sharp, two-edged sword. But this spirit cannot be acquired without deep struggles of soul, nor maintained without great watchfulness and care. It shuns the noisy scenes of carnal strife, and dwells not with the souls that harbour envy, ill-will, bitterness, wrath, or an unforgiving temper. O, that such a spirit pervaded the whole church militant! How soon would the banner of the cross be displayed over the ruins of Satan's empire! What a comfort it is, after a fatiguing day's work, to be able to lie down, and receive that refreshment which is necessary, in order to perform the duties of life. The Bible declares that there "remaineth a rest for the people of God:" a rest from the temptations of this world, from this sinful nature, from God's enemies, who here assail and fight against those who are on His side. Here we are soon tired, "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak;" duty, however pleasant, soon wears us down; and yet we do not look forward enough to this rest, prepared for all those who have received the forgiveness of all their many sins through the blood of Christ. Jesus declared, when on this earth, that in His Father's house were many mansions, and that He went before to prepare a place for us. Reader, are you looking forward with much anxiety for the time when God shall see fit to call you to enjoy rest-from all your labours and trials in this world of sorrows, where we are soon wearied, to thy rest in the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world? or, are you forgetting that Christ has proclaimed a rest, to be enjoyed for a long eternity after His people leave this earth? "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest," said Christ. "Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out." |
