world, because I preserve an unworldly spirit," since the essence of them is so earthly and inconsistent with our profession, that the very fact of partaking is sufficient to prove him guilty, in spite of any mental reservation. The Christian therefore, who attends worldly amusements, may indeed salve his own conscience by the reflection that he goes in an unworldly spirit; but the unprejudiced observer might fairly remark, that, if an amusement is purely worldly, all who patronise it are in effect worldly also; that he can see no difference between him and others, since a really unworldly spirit would show itself in external acts and not be content with inward and invisible protests. Such a Christian will find the distinction he has drawn in his heart will not be recognised, because not known, by any but himself, for all who see him will look upon him as one of themselves, and hence he must make up his mind, either to go as one "of the world," or not to go at all. In fine, when things are of doubtful propriety, a mere mental reservation will never constitute a spirit of real Christian non-conformity, for that must have the existence of "works,” before its existence can be credited, and this simple answer may suffice for all who differ from us-" Show us the non-conformity you profess without your works, and we will show you our's, by our works." Furthermore, Scripture teaches us that repentance is not merely the saying "I repent," but implies also" the doing works meet for repentance," and declares also that " he that doeth righteousness" is the man whom we must call "righteous."

I have said much on this point because of its importance, since it is continually used as a loop-hole for escaping the pressure of the text we have considered. For my own part I should be amply satisfied, if men in every rank of life would only keep in view the promises and vows made for them, in that much-abused sacrament, wherein they were first dedicated to God and made at least members of his visible Church; if the explicit and decided language of the baptismal service might only be taken, as an authoritative comment upon the meaning of the above-mentioned passage.

In that service we are solemnly bound by our sureties, to " renounce the pomp and vain glory of this world," and to this we add our own deliberate assent at Confirmation. Now I declare with all sincerity, that I am acquainted with nothing, to which the expression "pomp and vain glory" apply so forcibly as the fashionable amusements of modern society; there is no 66 pomp and vain glory" upon earth for any besides kings and princes, if these things contain none. Secondly, "to renounce" implies a very decided line of conduct; it is a stern unbending word which must signify the actual giving up of certain things, and if any man is prepared to say that it means anything short of this, I can only reply that he uses a vocabulary with which I am not acquainted, and seems to be a most ingenious perverter of the plain meaning of his native tongue.

EXTRACT FROM THE DIARY OF A CLERGYMAN.

THE DYING DEAF MAN.

FOUND on my study table, on returning from my daily visits, a paper with the following request, "John B- requires to see you immediately-he cannot survive the night-he is quite deaf." I went out, asking what can I do for this man if he is quite deaf? (but the Lord was about to teach me.) I was dispirited that the door of hearing was closed. After passing through several of the meanest streets of the town (Liverpool), I at length found the number of my direction correspond with a door before me. I stooped and entered; every mark of extreme but struggling poverty was there. I was invited into a small parlour, the lodging of the sick person; he lay behind the door, the lamp of life apparently at its last glimmer-the jaw was fallen, the cheek marked with the pallid hue of death; I stood beside him, his eye rested on me, but in that glazed glance, nothing was to be read but death. inquired," is it possible to make him hear ?"

"No, sir," was the answer.

"Can he read the Bible ?" was my next question:

"No, sir, the print is too small," said his wife, who sat weeping by the fire.

"How, then, am I to converse with him ?”

"By writing, sir, and here is a slate and bit of chalk, I borrowed for you."

I took the slate, cheered in my heart that I could perhaps do something for Christ, and began to write. I wrote, and showed him the question," Is there any hope for sinners ?"

The dying man read the sentence, in an instant he was changed a smile played upon his white lip-his eye brightened, he answered, 66 yes, sir," and added the words of Paul," There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus."

I was astonished with the striking propriety of the answer, and said to his wife," he knows the Lord, and has tasted his mercy."

"He was just," said she," telling us how comfortable he felt, because he had sought the Lord before he came to die, and how he gloried in having Him present with him in this time of trouble.”

I wrote the passage, "Come unto me, all ye that are weary, &c." and after it, "The Lord invites-hold to his cross, and fear not." The answer that he gave me was as Scriptural as the former.

66

Yes, He invites, and him that cometh He will in no wise cast out." After a little space on account of his weakness, I wrote, "The cross of Christ is to them that perish foolishness, but to us who are saved it is the wisdom and the power of God."

B answered slowly," my flesh-my heart trusteth in the living God, then firmly winding up his sentence, every word showing the firmness of his faith, "the Lord is my strength and my portion for

ever.'

I next wrote, "the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin, is not that sweet?"

"Sweet, indeed!" said he, "sweet to him that comes to Jesus, that feels His power, for the Lord says, Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow, though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool.'

After some further conversation, I commended him to God, and took my leave; as I pressed his cold hand he said, "Sir, God enables me to say, 'Whom have I in Heaven but Thee, and there is none upon earth I desire beside Thee.' "

I left the house glorifying God for his mercy to poor John Band praising him for the lesson I learned at his dying bed, the illustration of the words of the Prophet, "The ears of the deaf shall be unstopped," the abundant answer to the closing Prayer of so many sermons. "Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that the words we have heard with our outward ears may, through Thy Grace, be grafted inwardly in our hearts."

MONEY:

ITS USE AND ABUSE BY CHRISTIANS.

If the Bible be true, it is to be feared that very many accredited Christians, and not a few men holding office in the church of Christ, are living in the commission of a crime which if not abandoned, must exclude them from the kingdom of Heaven. Without looking beneath the surface of the Christian world;-the most superficial view of it fully justifies the affecting opinion of an eminently holy man,a that," the love of money, will, in all probability, prove the eternal overthrow of more characters among professing people than any other sin; because, it is almost the only crime which can be indulged, and a profession of religion at the same time supported." And but little acquaintance with many acknowledged modern Christians will establish their identity with those criminals of olden time, of whom it is said: "from the least of them, even to the greatest of them, every one is given to covetousness." This ancient, universal, and damning sin,

66 Brought death into the world, and all our woe."-MILTON. for, it was this that led to the expulsion of our first parents from paradise; and some faint idea may be formed of the importance and guilt attached to it by Jehovah himself, who from amidst the loud thunders and vivid lightnings of Sinai, proclaimed: "thou shalt not covet." But it is not intended to look at covetousness in all its varied and distressing developments,d but principally as it is manifested in acquiring and hoarding beyond what is requisite, for necessary,-for Christian purposes.

In the following pages every statement will be sustained by reference to the Bible, the Christian's only directory, and standard of appeal. He is guided by it through his pilgrimage, and he will be judged by it at the last great day; when it shall be said to him: "give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward."e The a Andrew Fuller. b Jeremiah vi. 13. viii. 10. c Exodus xx. 17.

d Vide Mammon, p. 50.--60.

e Luke xvi. 2,

maxims and practice of the world, are diametrically opposed to the clear and decided requirements of the book of life, and especially on the love of money, for " men will praise thee, when thou doest well for thyself;" and "the wicked blesseth the covetous man whom the Lord abhorreth."g And it is very remarkable it was in connexion with this deadly sin, that our Saviour said to the covetous: "ye are they, that justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your heart; for that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God."h The language of the sincere Christian is: "I love thy commandments above gold, yea, above fine gold, I esteem thy precepts concerning all things to be right, and I hate every false way." He is anxious to know, in order that he may do the will of his Lord and master and whilst he will acknowledge: "faithful are the wounds of a friend,"k the insincere, under a feeling of self-reproach will condemn many of these sentiments as too strong and uncharitable, only, because they come home to his conscience; and in his pride and rebellion against God, he will quarrel with even Scriptural statements, which expose his guilt and his danger. But Christian charity cannot invalidate, or soften down the unalterable declarations of the Most High, who associates the covetous with the vilest of criminals, and threatens them with the direst punishment. The fulness, and variety of Scripture on this subject is very remarkable: and it is extremely difficult to select from the mass of appropriate passages which bear forcibly upon it; for there is no other crime so often referred to, and denounced, both in the Old and New Testament; and no one more frequently adverted to, or so strongly condemned, by our blessed Saviour during his personal ministration on earth.

But

Do we enquire then, is there any thing sinful in acquiring property? Certainly not, if we do not exceed the rule and limits of Christian moderation. Both reason and revelation m sanction provision for the contingencies of life, that we may be prepared for its vicissitudes, and not become burdensome to our friends or the public, and that we may have it in our power to provide for our families, and relieve the distresses and necessities of the poor; and above all, possess wherewith to advance the glory of God, and the best interests of man. beyond this the Christian must not-cannot go. It is admitted, that in many instances a certain, and even a large capital may be requisite to carry on mercantile and other pursuits, or necessary for the maintenance of those grades and ranks in society, the preservation of which is essential to its welfare. No one can read the Old or New Testament with care and candour without being compelled to admit, that although for the wisest and kindest of reasons, the majority of the people of God, as strangers and pilgrims and mere sojourners on earth,n and citizens of a heavenly country, are poor as regards secular riches, yet wealth is in itself a blessing, as conferring on its possessors the power of doing much good. It was bestowed as a mark of Divine favour on

f Psalm xlix. 18.

g Psalm x. 3.
h Luke xvi. 15.

i Psalm cxix, 12.
k Proverbs xxvii. 6.
7 Ephesians v. 5,

m Proverbs vi. 6.
n Hebrews xi, 13.

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Solomon, Hezekiah, Job, and on many other Scripture worthies who might be referred to.o "Money is a defence, and answereth all things;"'p and it is said of the righteous: "wealth and riches are in his house ;"q and of heavenly wisdom: "in her left hand are riches and honour."r It is admitted that houses, and fields, and vineyards, may not only be possessed by the Christian, but even as an evidence of the favour of God ;s and it is curious, that the Bible itself teaches the doctrine and rules of ancient conveyancing.t It is manifest therefore, that there is nothing sinful in the moderate acquisition of money; nor is there any thing criminal in its possession. But against the love, and hoarding, and unscriptural use of it, the solemn and oft reiterated warnings and denunciations of the Scriptures are directed, and taking them for our authority, there are few things that exercise a more detrimental influence over us than wealth, by its capacity to multiply our attractions to the world, and to wean our affections from things that are above; by its tendency to enhance our fondness for the vain, and trifling, and costly ornaments of life; to minister to our taste for pomp and distinction; to nurture our love of ease and indolence, and to encourage pride, and arrogance, and selfishness. All these circumstances are plainly pourtrayed in Scripture, and verified by the experience of life." And the prophet associates pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness, with neglect of the poor and needy. Well then might the inspired penman affirm, that "the love of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows; for they that will be rich, fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in perdition and destruction."y

But is it possible that so awful a being can exist in the church of Christ, as a hoarder of useless money? Oh, yes, and although his crime and his doom (for "he is joined to idols, let him alone,"a) are written on his forehead in such legible characters as to be known and read of all, except by himself; yet there are not a few of whom it may be said: " they come unto thee as thy people cometh, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts goeth after their covetousness." It is a mournful fact, that not only in the metropolis, and large manufacturing towns, but in all parts of the country, some accredited Christians are so given up to judicial hardness and blindness, that they hesitate not, year by year, to lay up hundreds, and even thousands, although they already possess more than they spend or their families need; whilst the cause of the Redeemer, and the urgent wants of their needy and perishing fellowcreatures, loudly appeal to them in vain for assistance. Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this !e and well may all the dwellers on earth be amazed that Jehovah in his righteous judgment does not cut such o Gen, xiii. 2., xxvi. 12-14. 1 Chronicles xxix. 28. 2 Chronicles i. 12, Job xlii. 12. p Ecclesiastes vi. 12. x. 19. t Jeremiah xxxii. 14. 44, a Hosea iv. 17.