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God, but how little are we enabled at times to enter into the subject. A fond and affectionate father called upon, at the bidding of God, to take the knife to slay his son-that son which he had waited for so many years. But it is one of the most splendid and delightful and encouraging portions of the word of God, to show that faith, while it does not root out natural affection, can enable a man in simplicity to give it up for Christ: it is one of the most delightful trophies of the grace of God in the soul of man. It did not hinder Abraham from weeping; it did not command him not to shed tears; it only commanded him to give up his child in the faith which wrought by love, and which enabled him to give him up cheerfully.

and to Iconium, and Antioch, confirm- | We read that narrative in the word of ing the souls of the disciples." They were great travellers, great walkers, great labourers; toiling pleasantly, yet severely, in the service of Christ. "Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." They strengthened them in two ways, I apprehend; they told them what they were to expect-that they were to enter the kingdom of God through much tribulation ; and they confirmed them, as the Holy Ghost blessed them, by exhorting them to continue in the faith. Hold fast Christ-you shall have much tribulation-you shall be a loser for him, but you shall never be a loser by him-you shall have much to undergo for his name's sake, but continue to hold him fast. May the Lord the Spirit give us some spiritual experimental apprehension of these truths to-night.

First, observe, it is declared the people of God must through much tribulation enter the kingdom of God. Secondly, they were exhorted, on that account, to continue in the faith.

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That the people of God are an afflicted people there can be no doubt. We see and feel it, and are the subjects of it. We read, Behold I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." "I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people; and they shall say, The Lord is my God." No Christian need be afraid of affliction, then, since here he sees the blessed effect they shall say, He is my Father; God will say, this is my people. Not only do we find God's saints are a tried people, but also that those whom God blesses the most he afflicts the most. In reading his word we see it to be pretty generally so. Where can we find such an instance of the trial of natural affection as in the case of Abraham? It was no light matter for a man to be kept year after year, and then, after all, to have the Isaac of his heart taken away by his own hand, and offered as a sacrifice to God.

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There is something in the suddenness of Job's affliction that appears in itself overwhelming that a man should be called on in the circuit of one little day to give up all. The Lord had blessed him year after year; and in one day, as it were, took all from him. It is no light matter to look at the history of Job. O that we read it more to our soul's profit. May the Spirit write it upon our hearts, lay it upon our consciences, and give us faith to receive it in the love of it, to the praise of the glory of the Father's grace.

In Jacob's history we see scarcely any thing but domestic discord and unhappiness: Joseph and Benjamin, the two sons of Rachel, on one side; and the ten sons of Leah against him on the other. What a trial! how it must have grieved his heart!" I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." Who has ever looked into a smelting furnace, and has thought lightly of it? Who that has ever looked into a furnace which can melt iron, can think of it as a light matter? It was no light matter for Jacob to be living, in the midst of domestic unhappiness, a life of faith and happiness with God.

(To be continued).

London: Published for the Proprietors,
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THE PREACHER.

SERMON BY THE REV. J. H. EVANS.
SERMON BY THE REV. HUGH Mc NEILE.

No. 10.]

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1830.

(The Rev. J. H. Evans's Sermon concluded.)

Look at the case of Moses, which is one of the most instructing in God's word. Forty years was he in the court of Pharaoh, amidst all the gold, and the silver, the music, and the dancing, the pomp, and the circumstance, the luxuries, and the splendour of the most splendid court, at that time, perhaps, on the face of the earth; and yet, Moses, knowing he was called to the high office of conducting the Israel of God, was willing to give it all up for Christ's sake; "esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt." And yet, what did the Lord for him? Just sent him forty years to keep sheep in the desert: so that this great prince is appointed to be the leader of sheep-to command sheep, as it were, in order to be a great commander of the Church. When he came to the office all was trouble, Miriam was against him, Aaron was against him, and the people ready to stone him and, after all this, he was shut out from Canaan; provoked to hastiness of spirit, he never entered the promised land. I know of no history more instructing than the history of the life of Moses. Forty years was he in Pharaoh's court, forty years a keeper of sheep, and forty years in the wilderness, learning the emptiness of all created good.

Look at the case of Paul. Paul was an eminent saint, and he was the means of great good to God's saints. I do not wonder that the Lord dug about the tree, that he pruned it, and purged it: I do not wonder that he exercised all that was in Paul. The thorn in the flesh, whatever it was, was enough to lead him to beseech the Lord thrice. Then, he had the care of all the churches; and some

VOL. I.

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of those churches, too, were maligning and accusing his character; for Paul contends in the epistle to the Corinthians, "Did I make a gain of you?” As if they had said, “You preached, but you preached not for nothing; you have the love of money, and the root of it." Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile. Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?" May God write it out fairly upon our hearts, that there are trials, furnace trials, deep and severe trials, to try his saints. The Apostle tells us himself, that if he was afflicted he was afflicted for the consolation of God's saints. Every man that gets into a pulpit to preach, will have, not only his own, but his people's troubles; he shall not only have his own portion, but he shall be afflicted for their sakes, that they may be comforted, and that they may be blessed with him.

This is the point I would pray the Lord to lay deeply on our hearts-that some of the most eminent saints we read of in this book, are those who have been most signally marked out for especial suffering. But not only these endure tribulation, all the saints must expect it. The word tells us it must be so: "through much tribulation we must enter the kingdom of God." It is not, "we may enter;" but, "through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdom of God." Not that all must go through these signal trials; not that all must expect peculiarly heavy trials; but this is God's appointed way: "In this world ye shall have tribulation." I sometimes think we forgot this truth. We see that it is so; we feel that it is SO ; but forget that it is God's appointment, that it cannot be other

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goodness"-the Lord the Spirit teaching me, I begin to discover that "he that glorieth shall glory only in the Lord."

wise, and that if the Lord remove one ther: but what has that to do with the trial from us he will give us others; bringing in of the truth to the soul? because he declares, that, 'through The Holy Ghost brings me to see a much tribulation we must enter into truth in a particular point of view. I the kingdom of God." Many reasons may have gone round it, and round it, might be given for this exhibition of but may not have looked at it aright. divine wisdom. One great reason is, I have been told there is a friend who that we may know and feel what that sticketh closer than a brother. How body of sin and death is that is within can I know it? Why, by trying every There is nothing in itself that has other friend, and finding there is no a greater tendency to stir up that friend like him. When I discover which is evil within us, than when our that the nearest friend either cannot will is thwarted in heavy trouble. But or will not assist me, and that I canit is no small blessing to have a thief not give any help to myself, then I that is in the heart detected. It is no begin to find the promise of God, small mercy that we should be learning" My people shall be satisfied with my this truth, that "by grace we are saved through faith." Nothing but grace, nothing but a perfect righteousness, nothing but a salvation out of ourselves in another, can suit our case. It is one thing to learn this in God's book, and it is another thing to learn it in our own experience. Many have thought they have understood this truth, and known it well; and yet the issue has proved they have known little of it. I would ask those who have known something of what it is to be tried year after year, whether there is not this concealed mercy in your trials—that they have a tendency, by the power of the Holy Ghost, to show there is nothing in you wherefore you are saved, but that you are saved by the undeserved mercy of your God.

This part of the subject is of deep moment to our happiness, to our peace, to our well-being and comfort in the divine life. We are most of us like children on board a vessel when a storm comes : we think of nothing but the storm. The life of faith is not so, but looks to him who is the Pilot in the storm. We are half our time busy about the storm-what will become of us?-what will that wave do?-whither will that billow carry us?-what will become of the vessel now? But the suitable answer is, It is not my concern; I did not build the ship: I cannot steer it, I cannot support it: my eyes are to the Pilot. When you can say this, you are learning one of the most blessed truths of the Bible; and as the Holy Ghost gives you possession of it, you find that through much tribulation you must enter into the kingdom of God. It was needful spiritually that the Holy Ghost should place you in that point of view, that he should apply the truth with power to your conscience. Then it becomes your own, is really sealed in your hearts, and is kept there as a blessing for you, through time and through eternity.

Another great end in affliction is that we may know the value of Christ, as the brother born for adversity. To know Christ as just adapted to us, to know him as the friend we need, the brother we want, the advocate we require-to know him as having that which our souls stand in need of continually-is a lesson not to be learned in a summer's day. We learn this not merely from what God tells us in this book. He takes these truths, and transcribes them on our hearts and then, and not till then, we know them. They are made substance to us. When God makes a Christian, he writes these truths on the heart; and then they become a man's own, and not till then. It is not a mere argument: what has that to do with the application of the truth? It is not a clear chain of reasoning. I may see all the links connected toge-complish all his will and good plea

There is much force in the words, "Through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdom of heaven." We find we do; but the true reading of the passage is, we must. If we were enabled to reason as Christians ought to reason, we should be less anxious about deliverance out of any trouble, than that the Lord might ac

sure in us, and by us, and that we that in the hour of danger which the might bring forth all the peaceable Lord taught us in some measure in fruits of righteousness, to his praise the time of quiet-or whether we and glory. The great secret of all this regard it as continuing in faith, living living in much tribulation is, that we not to ourselves, but to God-in either may live out of ourselves and to God. point of view it comes to the same The word of God is full of promises; truth; it is the life of faith. Happy and we never find their worth but as is the man who, the more the waters we are placed in circumstances that come upon him, the higher he rises. make them needful. We need not His corruptions, and afflictions, and ask a hungry man to eat if the bread is peculiar trials, he takes to Christ, and placed before him. Why is it that lives upon him in the midst of all, as Christ is sweet to the soul? It is the Holy Ghost gives him power to because he is the Bread of life to one will and to do. We can honor Christ that is ready to perish. I may be in nothing more than in the life of addressing some whom the Lord may faith. In God's sacred word there is be leading through a particular afflic- an honoring of every grace of the Holy tion, no one knowing any thing of it. Ghost; but there is a special honor We pass through a hospital-we look put upon faith. We read that when at the objects in their beds; but we the faith amounted to nothing more do not see their maladies. We look than trusting the ability of Christ, into a congregation-they sit down, there was a blessing on it. "Lord, if and they stand up, but we do not see thou wilt thou canst." When there in their countenances any particular was a resting on him as willing to marks of trouble. But if they were to cure, there was a blessing attending tell us the secrets of their hearts, it. When the friends of the diseased there is not one but would say, I have man brought him to the Saviour in the my peculiar trouble-there is a part arms of their faith, there was a blesswhere the yoke is heavy-there is a ing on him. The weakest faith is depart in my shoulder that is wrungclared to honor God, though it be but by it; and my want of skill, my want as a grain of mustard, which is the of faith, my want of trust, has led me smallest of all seeds. so long to bear it alone that I am wrung by it. Is it not so? Forget it not, then learn it in the school of Christ, in Christ's own way, being brought to sit at his feet, and taught by himself; not, as we would do, by philosophizing upon truth, but learning it from Himself. I have seen many a man, a dolt in understanding, incapable of putting four ideas clearly together, who has had such a sweet and simple view of Christ as enabled him to walk upon the mighty waters. If you asked him for a clear explanation of this power, he could not give it: but he could speak plainly to God, and God could understand him.

Observe THE EXHORTATION. "Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith." The great remedy for this much affliction is, not to be looking at the affliction; it is to continue in the faith. Whether we regard faith as the doctrine of Christ, continuing in that which we know to be true, living upon the truth the Holy Ghost has brought into the experience of our souls, making use of

It is no small maxim of true wisdom in our hearts, when we are made deeply conscious of the truth, that, as a disciple of the man of sorrows, we must expect sorrow. We belong to him, and as such we must expect tribulation-tribulation from saints, tribulation from sinners, tribulation from ourselves, tribulation from the world, tribulation from Satan. God has ordained, that through much tribulation we enter into the kingdom of God.

I beseech you not to forget the blessed prospect before us, namely, entering the kingdom. We sometimes read of a Chinese taking a traveller through a wilderness, through a rough, rude, blasted desert, as it were, and then bringing him at once into the most beautiful garden that could be presented to his view. over craggy rocks, through brambles and nettles, and every thing offensive; and then in one moment his guide brings him into the most beautiful verdure, the most delightful landscape, the most lovely exhibition of the powers of nature and art. Just so is

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it with God: he takes us through a world of brambles into a garden of Eden. And that which ought to delight us is the prospect of eternal glory. This was that which cheered the apostle Paul. "While we look not at the things which are seen"-as if he had said, I may be misunderstood and accused; I may be tried in my soul, persecuted of men, afflicted of God-but I am looking forward to the full enjoyment of my future inheritance I look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." My brethren, if we had more foretaste of it we should think of it more: we could not avoid it. If a man eats grapes, he cannot avoid being reminded that there is a place where grapes come from. The way to be living above the troubles of life, is to be much in the anticipation | of glory, for as surely as the earnest is given, so surely shall the future reality be enjoyed by us throughout eternity.

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cut off; you cleave to the earth; I want your all-not merely your feet, your hands, your purse, your time-I want thyself. If any of you are at this moment enduring heavy burdens which the world knows nothing of, let me conclude with the admonition of a wise man, who, when it was ob served to him, You seem to be cheerful and happy, you seem never to be greatly cast down, replied, The truth is, I carry a pair of scales with me; I weigh my mercies, and then I weigh my trials; I weigh what God has given me, what Christ is to me, what God has promised me; and when I come to weigh my trouble, it seems to be all gone. If the Holy Ghost gives us the spirit and power to weigh our mercies, we shall go to our homes tonight in great peace and quiet, tranquilly, and in holy joy; we shall find our souls not delighting in mercies merely, but in the God that gave the mercies, in that God who is as the honeycomb, full of grace, which pours out of his own abundant heart into the hearts of his children. It is acquaintance with God that raises a man above his troubles, and makes him calm in the midst of the storm. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee. May the Lord bless these truths to our hearts, and affect us deeply with them. May he take all the glory, which is his own: and to the Father, Son, and Spirit, shall be the praise, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Sermon

DELIVERED BY THE REV. HUGH Mc NEILE,
(RECTOR OF ALBURY, SURREY,)

AT THE EPISCOPAL CHAPEL, CAMBRIDGE HEATH, SUNDAY EVENING, OCT. 17, 1830.

1 Cor. xiv. 1.-" Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts; but rather that ye may prophesy."

My dear brethren, have we been speaking the truth from our hearts this day, or have we been speaking but a form of words prepared by our forefathers who were more righteous than we, when we have said that we "believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceedeth from the

Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together”—as one God-" together is worshipped and glorified, who spake by the prophets?" Have we been uttering before God the very language of our hearts, or only mocking him by a form of words, when we said," O God the Holy Ghost, pro

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