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your own salvation," and not only so, but "work it out with fear and trembling." This imports that there are peculiar discouragements and difficulties, which may well induce us to fear lest we should fail in accomplishing so important an object.

The remainder of the sermon is carried on in the same lucid and impressive style, but however strongly tempted, we are compelled to desist from any further extracts from this truly valuable discourse.

Our last extract shall be from the twentieth sermon, entitled, The Christian warring against undue anxiety, from Matt. vi. 34. "Take therefore no thought for the morrow," &c. And how many are there who, like Mr. Scott, surrounded with a large family, and a slender income, and above all, an income mainly depending on his own personal exertions, and feeling at the same time a variety of painful symptoms which can scarcely be explained to, or understood by others, but must feel at times strongly tempted to this undue anxiety. Let such take up Mr. Scott's discourse, and they will find it indeed a word in season.

It thus begins

There is a stream of mercy flowing through every part of God's word. The whole intent and design of the Bible is, to teach man, as a fallen, and therefore a miserable creature, the way in which he may be happy. Its object is, the advancement of his everlasting interests; and it unfolds to view such a boundless display of the love of God toward our guilty race, as must fill the soul with wonder. It tells us, that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved." The main purpose of the Scripture is to set forth this gracious Saviour, and to persuade men to come to him, in order that they may be saved, and made eternally happy.

But though this be the prevailing object of divine revelation, yet the temporal suffering and sorrow, attached to human nature by sin, is not passed unnoticed or unpitied. The godliness which the Scriptures enforce, has the promise of the life that now is, as well as of that which is to come. All our present wretchedness is

traced back to sin, and with reference to this, the divine voice says, "do thyself no harm," proceed no further along the road that leadeth to destruction, but be wisebe holy-be happy.

In considering the precept, Mr. S. justly observes,

Man is in reality, wholly destitute of the power of foreseeing any thing. He "knoweth not what shall be on the morrow." "He cannot tell what a day may bring forth." This we all are aware of, and often make it the subject of serious remark; yet how inconsistently do we act! We are looking forward, and anticipating future events; not only for days and weeks, but for months and years to come: sometimes we promise ourselves pleasures, to be enjoyed at a distant period of time, and sometimes we forebode evils, which will probably never occur, or which may occur to others, when our heads are laid low in the dust. Now much, very much of this is forbidden by our Lord and Master in the passage before us. But in order to our rightly understanding this precept, I think it will be necessary, before we inquire what the text prohibits, to consider what it does not forbid.

After enlarging on this point, Mr. S. proceeds,

Our Lord clearly meant

1. To forbid all such anxious attempts to provide for ourselves, or for our families, as would in any way imply a forgetfulness of our entire dependance upon God.

Such care is the natural tendency of our hearts. We are proud, we like not the idea of depending upon God. We employ certain means for attaining our objects, and generally speaking, the means are successful; but we forget who made them so, and take the credit to ourselves. We have found the means answer the end, and the more so in proportion as we have been skilful and industrious. We therefore say we will be skilful and industrious for the future, and then we shall be sure to succeed. The husbandman cultivates his land with care, and is rewarded with an abundant harvest; and he says, here is my good management, and forgets Him "who caused his sun to shine, and his rain to descend." The fisherman spreads his net, and toils all night, and collects a great draught of fishes, and then, as the prophet says, "he burns incense to his net and to his drag and gives them the thanks, that are due to the God of providence. The tradesman carries on his business successfully, and grows rich and great, and says, my hand, and the might of my arm hath gotten me this wealth," and forgets the Lord, who

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gave him the power to get wealth." And not content with what is past, these men, in the ungodliness of their nature, all say it shall be the same for the future. And they are taking thought for the morrow, and for next year; and to-morrow's plan, and next year's plan, and all their schemes, are formed without any reference to God, and are expected to succeed without him. To such persons may be well applied the expostulation of the apostle, "Go to now, ye that say, To-day or to-morrow, we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell and get gain; whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live and do this or that."

2. We may conclude, that all such care about our future temporal state, is forbidden, as prevents serious attention to our spiritual welfare.

God graciously intends the happiness of even his sinful creatures. The import of every part of his word, as addressed to us, is, "Do thyself no harm." Man is in every way the cause of his own unhappiness, he has ever been his own worst enemy. How much this is the case with regard to the subject before us, we are all in some degree aware. Troubles we have, we are indeed, "born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward," but our present distress is enormously aggravated by the anticipation of future evils; by anticipating disasters, which may never befall us, and then making ourselves unhappy about them, just as if they had already arrived. In the case of those who are already seeking the Lord, and endeavouring to serve him, this practice springs from forgetfulness of his word, distrust of his providence, and want of faith in his promises. He has again and again assured them, that his eyes are upon them, and that his ears are open to their prayer; they are taught that nothing can befal them without his appointment, that "the very hairs of their head are all numbered;" and that "all things shall work together for good to them that love God." For them therefore, to look forward to the future, and thence to derive causes for anxiety and trouble, is unbelief and sin; it is to distrust their heavenly Father, as though his love and care were not to be depended upon.

In considering the reason of this precept, among much that is excellent, Mr. S. proceeds,

Were we endowed with the faculty of foreseeing events, we should indeed per. ceive, that there would be no part of our future lives, which would not be attended with many sorrows and many difficulties,

though probably of a very different kind and character than we now imagine. Our knowledge of the future is so vague, that it is very probable that even to-morrow will be passed, under circumstances totally unlike what we now conjecture. How then can we expect to make provision for future months and years. But here again, we have the consolation of thinking, that when to-morrow comes, with its train of unexpected difficulties, it will take thought for the things of itself. If it has new wants, it will also have new supplies; if it has new difficulties, it will have also new expedients. Look back, brethren, on the history of your past lives. How often have you met with trials that you never anticipated-difficulties that you never expected—and sorrows that you never so much as thought of! How were you brought through all these? Most clearly not by your own prudence and forethought, or by the provision you had made against the time of trial. No, but when the morrow came, it took thought for the things of itself; when the want came, God sent the supply: when the danger appeared, the means of relief appeared also; when the trouble began to press upon you, the everlasting arms were put underneath, and you were supported through the trial, and your sorrow was turned into joy. Such has been the experience of your past life; and such will be also the experience of your future years, if future years are reserved for you. Your own anxious solicitude has often -increased your sorrows, but it has never done any thing toward relieving them; and why do you refuse to believe that it will be so for the future? You have been supported all your lives long, and delivered from threatening difficulty and danger, and why do you hesitate to trust God for the future, why will you refuse to believe him, when he says, "the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself."

ever.

The Saviour assures us that we have, every day, a burden to bear, which is quite as heavy as we know how to carry; a burden, sufficient to make us groan. Yet he sees us foolishly increasing our own troubles, and making our burden heavier than God ever ïntended it should be; and doing this, to no beneficial purpose whatIf we could take to-morrow's load of cares and sorrows, and so carry it to day, that when to-morrow came we should find it a day of ease and satisfaction, a day free from anxiety and trouble; then there might be some wisdom, in taking thought for the morrow. But this we cannot do ; and yet the burden of to-day is grievously augmented with anticipated evils, with fears and apprehensions; while the load of to-morrow is not lightened a single grain. Thus, beside the burden God has laid upon us, we make another of our own,

and groan and faint under the accumulated weight. Compassionating, therefore, our unhappiness, though it be all the result of our sin and folly, our Lord graciously says, let to-morrow alone,-leave to-morrow to take care of itself,-" sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

And here we lay down the volume-a volume, to us, full of the most pleasing and delightful recollections. We recall how we met, and talked, and heard, and enjoyed the cheerful, the interesting, the delightful society of the beloved author. But the cord is broken-the tie is severed; he is gone, and we are here. How long, O Lord, thou, thou only

knowest. But every page and every line leads our minds on to that glorious rest, that delightful employment, those rich and abundant consolations of which our departed friend partakes. We dare not breathe a wish for his return. All we can pray is, that we may so pass the time of our sojourning here, that when we depart this life, we may rest in Jesus, as our hope, our assurance, our delightful confidence is, that this our brother doth; and that in the morning of the resurrection, we may together rise and reign with him, and all those who are gone before, in glory everlasting.

PLURALISM AND NON-RESIDENCE unnecessary, injurious, and indefensible; and their entire prohibition practical and indispensable to the security, extension, aad efficiency of the National Church; with statistical tables founded on public documents. By a CLERGYMAN. 8vo. Pp. 24. Nisbet. 1838.

THIS judicious and seasonable Tract commences with the following observations:

Twenty-seven years ago Lord Harrowby remarked in his place in the House of Lords, when speaking on the subject of pluralities and non-residence, that unless prompt and efficacious remedies were applied, we were tending towards that most alarming of all situations, in which the religion of the Established Church would not be the religion of the majority of the people. It was therefore,' continued his Lordship, 'one of the most pressing duties of the legislature, to give the subject full and deliberate consideration.' Every year has brought the country nearer to the situation, which the legislature was thus solemnly called upon to take measures to guard against; and yet nothing effectual has been done to secure the general residence of the clergy, and provide the means of religious instruction for the increasing population.

In 1812 the inhabitants of England and Wales were about 10,333,000 They may now be reckoned at 15,045,000

The increase therefore is And for these the sittings provided in the established church, during the last 25 years, are

MARCH 1838.

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The writer then points out that the continuance of the present state of things is dangerous; that pluralism and non-residence promote dissent, and hinder the extension of the church; that the church must at present look to itself; and that 691,982 adequate funds may be raised from

4,712,000

the cathedral and episcopal property, and a graduated tax on the larger livings, &c. to provide glebe houses, &c. that the smallest livings may be disposed of so as to possess resident incumbents; that pluralities are nearly abandoned in the dioceses of Chester and Carlisle, and that since nearly 4000 livings are in episcopal or ecclesiastical patronage, if the same system were generallyadopted, pluralities would be almost terminated. Whereas the plan recommended by the Archbishop of Canterbury for the restriction of pluralities, would have left above three thousand of the existing pluralities untouched; and that even the enactment proposed

in the last session would have allowed of the existence of two thousand pluralities. thousand pluralities. The writer then contends that national rather than individual interests should be consulted; that no substitute can supply the place of the incumbent, and that it is at once our duty and interest to aim at a timely removal of abuses.

The author has thus compressed into narrow compass a series of weighty and important observations, every way deserving of the notice and attention of all who are truly desirous of promoting the interests and the extension of our Established Church.

A SERIES OF PRACTICAL SERMONS. By the Rev. CHARLES BRADLEY, Vicar of Glasbury, and Minister of St. James's Chapel, Clapham, Surrey. Vol. II. 8vo. Pp. viii. and 364. Hamilton.

WE have so frequently noticed, in justly deserved terms of commendation, Mr. Bradley's sermons, that it is no way necessary for us to enlarge on the present volume. Suffice it to say that it contains nineteen sermons, will be found fully equal to its predecessors, and

will, we doubt not, meet with extensive circulation, and prove eminently useful. We rejoice to find that Mr. Bradley's health is sufficiently restored to allow of his resuming his ministerial labours at Clapham.

TUNES FOR COUNTRY CHURCHES: more especially adapted to the Selections of Psalms and Hymns compiled by the Rev. Thomas Webster, B. D. Vicar of Oakington, and Rector of Botolph's, Cambridge: together with some approved Chants and Hints on Chanting. Pp. xvi. and 104. L. and G. Seeley.

THE BIBLE AND SPADE; or Captain Brenton's Account of the Rise and Progress of the Children's Friend Society; shewing its tendency to prevent crime and poverty, and eventually to dispense with capital punishment and imprisonment. 18mo. Pp. 142. Nisbet.

THE object of this publication is to promote the education of poor desolate children, especially the neglected orphans of criminals, &c. and eventually to establish them in life, by training them up for the

naval service, or for suitable situations in our colonies. Captain Brenton deserves high praise for his exertions, and we hope that his benevolent plans may meet with extensive support.

Entelligence.

CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY.

AT the meeting of this Society on Tuesday Feb. 6, the Bishop of London in the chair, it was decided that in the Resolution passed at a previous Board for altering the Fourteenth Rule of the Society"The Bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church should be inserted instead of The Protestant Bishops of the Church in Scotland;' this last expression being considered as invidious towards the Scottish Presbyterian Church, and favourable to some of the notions of Pusey, Newman, Dodsworth, &c.

A long discussion took place on the subject of those tracts of the Society which had been allowed to go out of print; and it was eventually resolved That any works or tracts which had been left, by order of the Society, out of print during a space of five years, should not be replaced on the catalogue of the Society until they have been submitted to the process usual on the admission of New Tracts.' A notice was however subsequently given that a motion would be made at the next meeting to rescind this Resolution.

In the course of the debate the Bishop of London expressed his regret that discussions upon the Tracts still continued to take place at the Board. This if continued must eventually lead to a very serious evil, namely, that they must cease altogether to be a Tract Society. These discussions were the reasons why many members who felt deeply interested in the Society absented themselves from the Monthly Meetings. His Lordship feared that this result was approaching, but it might be obviated by avoiding discussions.

We have long been of opinion that this must eventually be the result; nor are we at all sure that it will be an evil. The majority of the Tracts of the Society are for all practical purposes useless. Some are heretical, and only a few calculated for general circulation. If therefore the whole funds of the Society were employed in circulating

Bibles, Testaments, Prayer Books, Psalters, Catechisms, and national School Books in all languages, the Society, would we conceive, be incalculably more useful, and the exhibitions of human infirmity which now so frequently occur in Lincoln's Inn Fields would terminate.

Fifty-nine Tracts are stated to have gone out of print prior to 1813, and One Hundred and Sixty-seven since, while Two Hundred and Thirtyfive New Tracts have been added since 1813.

It has been said that the Society's ceasing to circulate Tracts would immediately lead to the formation of Two distinct Tract Societies in connexion with the Church of England. This might be the case; but we are not sure that it would be accompanied with any serious evil. If the Evangelical Members of the Church of England should unite and form a new Tract Society, we might hope that some successors might be found to our Hannah Mores and Legh Richmonds; that Tracts might be produced free from the twaddle of some of the older school; the uncertain, if not erroneous principles of others; and the vain jangling, false liberality, and hollow-heartedness which are occasionally met with in the productions of mixed Societies. Twenty-five years have now elapsed since a revision of the Christian Knowledge Society's Tracts commenced, and yet the leading members of the Society seemed at the very last Board somewhat doubtful whether any material improvement has taken place. Our opinion indeed is widely different; we conceive many of the modern Tracts are very far superior to those of former days; but mighty efforts are making to check the progress of improvement, and the present appearance of the Society is far from encouraging. We cannot therefore but wish that the hint thrown out by the Bishop of London may be seriously considered, and are satisfied that its adoption would eventually prove highly beneficial.

One Thousand Prayer Books were

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