CHURCH OF ENGLAND MAGAZINE. highest," resounds again and again, as they behold each member of Christ gathered around their Head. pre 3. In meditating on such a subject, we are indeed ready to exclaim with Peter, "It is good for us to be here!" or with Jacob of old, "This is the gate of heaven!" Refreshing and cheering it is, while sojourning here on earth, to catch, as it were, a glimpse of "the glory that shall be revealed;" to be now and then favoured, as Stephen in his dying momeuts, with an "opening of the heavens," and with the sight of "the Son of man standing on the right hand of God;" to be" caught up," in a manner, "to the third heaven" to see such "a vision and revelation." How comforting to think of that happiness and bliss which our brethren and sisters in Christ, who have departed hence in the Lord, are now realizing before the throne of his sence in glory! How consolatory for the bereaved members of each Christian family to picture to themselves those who have preceded them to glory, now crowns" at the feet of him "who liveth for casting their ever and ever!" And what a joyous prospect does it hold forth to their sorrowing survivors (but on which I would not lay too great stress) that, when they shall " depart hence in the Lord," they shall again meet and recognise in heaven those whom they so loved in the endearing bonds of the gospel while on earth! And though, like Peter, it be not permitted us "to make tabernacles" (an exclamation perhaps that escaped him in the confusion of the moment, for "he wist not what to say"), nor, while partakers of "flesh and blood," to see God, we may yet anticipate that period when the "earthly house of this tabernacle shall be dissolved," and we shall have " building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens"-a tabernacle "builded of God," in which God himself shall dwell together with his people; when that glorious state of things shall be realized, described in the apocalypse: 66 Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men,' and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God." (Rev. xxi. 3). a Then shall take place another "transfiguration;" not brief and fleeting as that on Mount Tabor, but abiding and for ever. Then not merely "Moses and Elias," prophets and apostles, shall be admitted to participate in it; but the whole multitude of the redeemed shall "appear in glory with Christ, who is their life." They shall then eternally "see him," because they shall be eternally "like him :" they shall be "transfigured." Their "vile bodies shall be changed and fashioned like unto Christ's glorious body:" "They shall see his face, and his name shall be in their foreheads ;" and they shall "shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Fathe." Amen. SABBATH MEDITATIONS. No. VIII. AUGUST 25.-TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. Morning Lessons: 2 Kings x.; Acts. xxiii. MORNING. "But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal."-2 KINGS X. 19. " Meditation.-"Would to God we would conform primitive church, who never looked but on one Christ, our ways of faith and devotion to the example of the and never worshipped any other God but the holy Trinity" (Stapulensis). It is a heinous thing to reverence the creature, much more to pray unto it, pray unto Christ, unless as he is man so he were also whether it be saint or angel. Neither ought we to God: we direct not our worship to his humanity, but to know the secrets of the heart, and discern the wisto his Deity. So must we pray to them that are able nature as is omnipotent" (W. Perkins). thou in all the works which thou doest. Lo, in Day by day, Lord, let us inquire of ourselves, "Is our heart right? Do we set up no idol there? Has thy blessed Spirit prepared it to seek thee only, and make thy testimonies our delight that form of doctrine and worship which was deand our counsellors? Do we obey from the heart livered by him, the Counsellor, and Prince of peace, and is built upon the foundation of his holy apostles ?" In much mercy, O Lord, show us if we have a foolish heart, darkened by men's traditions and the wisdom of this world; or a hard and impenitent heart, receiving not the love of the righteousness; and by the riches of thy goodness truth, but deceived with the deceivableness of unin Christ Jesus, which leadeth to repentance, turn thou our hearts unto thee, O God; and so shall our souls be saved in the day of thy wrath. · though it be a soft and delicate affection, yet it is hardy and strong withal, for love is strong as death.' Labour to be affected with a strong, ardent love of God and Christ, 'the kingdom of God and his righteousness; of virtue and holiness, the impressions of the divine image on the soul; and of all those spiritual excellencies which fit and prepare the soul for heavenly glories" (Worthington). Prayer.-How wonderful was thy love, O Father, that thou shouldest have manifested to us thy sinful creatures, thine own Son in our flesh, and that thou shouldest have sent him in whom was no sin to lay down his life for us, to the end that, having destroyed the works of the devil, thou mightest bestow upon them who believe in his name the glorious adoption of sons! Have compassion, we beseech thee, on the world that hateth us because it knoweth not thee: look with pity on the fleshly heart that doeth not righteousness and is not of thee, O God; and draw the soul of him that sinneth unto thee, that they may both see thy salvation and know the greatthings thou hast prepared for them that love thee. All glory be to thee, O heavenly Father, in that thou hast breathed into our spirits that stedfast hope and affiance in thy gracious promises, whereby, trusting in the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, we are enabled to abide in thee, and to strive more and more by the Spirit which he hath given us to purify ourselves from sin and uncleanness. Take us, O blessed Lord, under the shadow of thy wing, lest we become, as Cain, the children of the wicked one, and hate thy light because our deeds are evil. And do thou, O most loving Saviour, endue us with that same spirit of love which brought thee from the eternal glory to lay down thy life for us; and so fill us with its fulness, that we may love one another, not in word, neither in tongue only, but in truth and in deed, and thereby be assured that we have passed from death unto life. O give unto us that we may know and feel that thy love dwelleth in us, inasmuch as thou movest us to divide this world's good with our brother when we see he hath need, and not to shut up our bowels of compassion from him. Let not our deceitful hearts condemn us; for, if we are not of the truth, how shall we assure them before the great and jealous God, who is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things? But vouchsafe that they may be sprinkled from an evil conscience, that we may provoke one another unto love and to good works, and that we may do those things that are pleasing in thy sight. So shall we assure our hearts before thee, and have confidence towards God, and thy Spirit witness with our spirits that thou dwellest in us and we in thee. S. K. C. The Cabinet. A DEQUATE RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION*.-The knowledge of God in Jesus Christ is of all knowledge the most important. Yet it is of all the most difficult to convey. For it does not respect merely the understanding: it is not like the proved truths of science, readily allowed and entertained as soon as they are grasped by the reasonable faculties. To this there is an antagonist force. Not only is the From "The Pastoral Charge," by the rev. J. Ayre. Burns, 1844. The mode is exhibited here in which additional pastoral aid was obtained for a district which needed it. human mind naturally ignorant, but the human heart does not like the truth when it is presented: it loves darkness rather than light, because its deeds are evil. Hence God has seen it necessary to appoint means whereby his will may be not only known to men, but urged on their attention. Hence he has commanded his ministers to be diligent in instructing the ignorant, awakening the careless, expostulating with the perverse. They are to speak, whether men will hear, or whether they will forbear: they are to reiterate their message," line upon line, precept upon precept:" they are by every possible means to exhibit the danger of neglect, the blessedness of compliance. But it often happens that the means so appointed are inadequate to their end; and that, not only because without the divine help human exertions must fail, but also because physically they are not commensurate with the work they are employed on. This is peculiarly and in the most marked manner the case with missions in a heathen land. Two or three heralds of salvation are located among perhaps effect is visible-no wonder that, when but five loaves, as many millions of idolaters. No wonder that little without any miraculous power in our hands of multiplying them, are distributed among five thousand, no wonder, I say, that there is a famine worse than that of bread, even "of hearing the words of the Lord" (Amos viii. 11). But in our own country very frequently the sphere of labour in which a minister is placed is too extensive for his single strength; and the consequence is, that around us there are multitudes ignorant of the Saviour, estranged from his love, disobedient to his will. Such a state of things ought not to be. And real Christians ought strenuously to exert themselves, that it may no longer be, that darkness may no longer dwell on any portion of our land, gross darkness no more overshadow any of our people. JUSTIFICATION.-Briefly the sum of all in one sentence: Christ is the meritorious cause; faith the appointed instrument; and works the declarative evidence of our justification.-Rev. H. White's Proession and Practice, ch. iii. p. 78. Poetry. THE VILLAGE CHURCH. O'er hill and vale and winding dell. Whose branches o'er the graves are spread; I love to pace the hallow'd spot Where some are laid I once held dear; Whose memory I have ne'er forgot, And o'er them shed a silent tear. But why? for they in dust now sleep : I love within those walls to see The infant join'd to Jesu's band; I love within those courts to meet, Our humble supplications pour. TO MY BROTHER. (For the Church of England Magazine.) My thoughts on thee for ever dwell, Or whether grief within me burn, Who were not once young, blithe, and glad. How joyous it would be to see All that we've ever lov'd once more; Those who are now beyond the sea, A. JERUSALEM.-Viewed externally, and especially from the east, the desolation of Jerusalem is not so apparent, except when the eye glances upon the great mosque of Omar, occupying the site where once stood the temple in its majesty and its glory; and then it is that the tide of her wondrous history rolls through the awakened mind, and the image of her former self rises in marbled majesty, amidst the imagined songs of priests and Levites, and the attendant trains of Solomon and of David, her kings. The sense of contrast then at once takes possession of the mind, and is confirmed, to the exact letter of scripture, by an hour's walk in her lonely and silent streets, amidst her dim and darkened habitations, where the sound of one's solitary footsteps keeps time to the cadence of saddening thoughts which crowd upon the soul. I 'O, let me roost and nestle there! Thus hath the prospect of speedily having done with Though long of winds and waves the sport, |