overwhelmed by it. "God saw that the wickedness serve "that worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure." 2. To the ark there was but one door. God, in the minute directions given to Noah, explained the length, the breadth, and the height which the ark should be; and added-" the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof." This door was the only entrance; by it Noah and his family went in, and were preserved. So to us there is but one door by which to enter life, and that door is Christ. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber;" "I am the door; by me if any man will enter in he shall be saved" (John x. 1, 9). “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me" (John xiv. 6). Christ is the only door that openeth on the narrow way that leadeth unto life. There is no access to God except through him; no pleasing God except by union with him; no obtaining pardon except through his merit; no remission of sin, except through his blood. All the invitations of Scripture are given through him. All the promises are made in him. Whatever we require or desire must be asked in his name. There is no promise made even to prayer, except it be offered in the faith and in the name of Christ. There is no petition in our liturgy except in his name. Nor will a single soul be able to stand before God that stands not in the righteousness of Christ. Is Christ our door? Are all our hopes and expectations centred in him? If not, we are lost. By Christ we are pronounced to be thieves and robbers, and as such will be regarded and treated by God. Then where is the moral man, who, trusting to his morality and the fancied goodness of his heart, thinks he shall be saved? Where is the self-righteous man, who, storing in his memory his fancied works of piety, and measuring himself by others from whom he thinks he differs, proudly exults in bis deeds, and relies on them for salvation? Where is the formalist, who, complying with outward forms and customs, coming as God's people come, and partaking of ordinances without reverence, without penitence, without faith, thinks he shall be saved? Where are the millions of professing Christians, who are continually building on every variety of foundation rather than that which has been laid, even Jesus Christ? If any such should read these pages, if any are building even partly on Christ and partly on themselves, or any other unscriptural foundation, let them be assured they are not entering by the door; they will not be owned by Christ; they will be classed with thieves and robbers. Let me urge on my readers, then, without delay, to come to the only Saviour. No fancied merit, no fancied righteousness of your own will avail. Christ is the only door. Reliance on yourselves and your works, is a door that leadeth to destruction; but he that entereth in by Christ shall be saved." When Noah entered the ark "God shut him in," thus effectually excluding the flood, and retaining him. So will it be with you when you have entered by the door of the ark of the covenant of mercy. God himself will close that door behind you; by grace he will keep you from backsliding, and keep you till all danger shall have passed away, and trial have disappeared. But do not delay; the door stands open till God's family shall have entered First, That the salvation of Noah was entirely from God. It is true he built the ark; a laborious task was imposed upon him, in which he was engaged many years: a work so vast, that, if we were acquainted with all the difficulties attending its accomplishment, we should be astonished that it was completed even in 100 years. But Noah did not contrive the ark. It was planned by God, and Noah was merely the instrument employed. The size, the shape, the form of every part, the particular wood of which it was composed, the position of the door and window, were all pointed out by God. And just as Moses was ordered to make all things according to the pattern shewed to him on the mount, so Noah had only to follow the directions given him. All required on his part were obedience and diligence. So is it with our salvation. We have an ark-(and, blessed be God, a safe one!)-the ark of the covenant-the gospel of the Lord Jesus; an ark that will ride securely in the most troubled sea, and defy the utmost fury of the storm, and violence of the waves; an ark which no power can destroy, and no assault of Satan or the world can injure. And whoever is called into that ark by God will ride in safety. The ark of Noah was pitched within and without with pitch, to render it secure; and ours is secured by the love, the counsels, and the decrees of the Almighty. Though the gates of hell may be broken up, and the floods of ungodliness may be poured on the world, our ark will as safely abide the shock and weather the storm as did the ark of Noah, when the windows of heaven were opened, and the fountains of the great deep were broken up. Ours is a sure salvation! There never was, there never will be, a true believer in Jesus that shall fall short of everlasting life! If we abide in Christ, faithful unto the end, a crown of life shall assuredly be ours. Salvation is entirely of God. It was not planned or wrought by man, nor can man do anything to entitle him to partake of it. It is an act of free and sovereign grace! The Father planned it. The Son effected it. The Holy Ghost applies it. And all that man can do is, in faith, hope, and obedience, gratefully to receive it. "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us; by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost" (Titus iii. 5). "By grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not ofthen it will be closed; and be assured, "when yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast" (Eph. ii. 8). Noah had indeed a work to perform, and so have we-to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling;" to walk in obedience; to do all that God commands:-and till we do this, we shall possess no evidence that we are in the covenant of grace. But let us attach no merit to our own performances, for it is God only once the Master shall have risen, and shut-to the door," no effort will save you. You may call, but there will be none to answer, or, if an answer be returned, it will bear the fearful sound-"I know you not," "depart from me, ye cursed." 3. When Noah was in the ark, he had no power to direct it. That vessel was most wisely framed for security; its proportions were admirably adapted for : retaining its upright position; nor was it possible that any violence of the winds or waves could overthrow it but, unlike the vessels navigating our seas, there was no mast, no sail, no rudder. Noah could not in the slightest degree influence its course. It was apparently left to the mercy of the winds and waves-apparently, but not actually! God's eye was upon it; his decree was with it; his purpose was to save the family enclosed within it. And what can frustrate the intentions of the Almighty? And can we direct our course?-reject what is evil?-choose what is good? Are we sufficient of ourselves, even when in covenant with God, to walk consistently in the way of his commandments? God forbid that we should entertain the thought! We have no power of ourselves to help ourselves; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. We can have no power at all except it be given to us from above. And yet, helpless as we are-incapable as we are by our own natural strength of directing our feet in the way of life-so long as we are "in Christ Jesus," we shall fall under no condemnation; so long as we are "under grace," ""sin shall not have dominion over us." God will keep the feet of his saints, and direct their goings in the path. He will preserve them as the apple of his eye. He will never leave them, nor forsake them. It is the Father's good pleasure, that, of all that are given unto Jesus, he should lose none, but should raise them up again at the last day; Christ gives to them eternal life, and none shall pluck them from his Father's hand. My readers, bear in mind your weakness, your infirmity. Trust not yourselves but God. "Cast all your care upon him, knowing that he careth for you." The gospel method of salvation may to some seem inappropriate. You may not understand how you shall be brought by it through all your difficulties and dangers. But if you place yourselves in the Lord's hands; if you walk by the guidance of his, word, and the influence of his Spirit, he will bring you to salvation. He is able, and willing. He is pledged to do it. His word shall never pass away. As surely as Noah and his family were saved in the ark from perishing by water, so surely shall every one that is in Christ Jesus be saved from everlasting destruction ! 4. In the ark there was provision for the wants of all, an abundant store both for man and beast; so that no creature, enclosed within it, lacked any thing needful to its existence. All was prepared by the word and providence of God; his directions being followed by his faithful servant. And what is lacking to the ransomed of the Lord? where is spiritual want in the church of Christ? Ordinances of divine grace are there. Exceeding great and precious promises are made. Nor is there one included in the covenant, who may not find all that will conduce to spiritual health and comfort. There is reproof for the sinner, correction for the erring, instruction for the ignorant, doctrine for the servants of God, consolation for the afflicted, hope for the desponding, encouragement for the timid, terrors for the wicked, assurance for the followers of the Lamb, invitations for all, "grace for all in every hour of need," "milk for the babes; strong meat for those of age." There is nothing lacking. There is no fear that the store will ever be exhausted. All may eat and be filled, and yet the fragments that remain will present an abundant store. Nothing is grudged to the meanest of the family of God. To each is supplied as much as he requires, and each may partake freely without money and without price. Jesus said, "I am the bread of life; he that cometh to [me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." To the ungodly the world holds out many attractions. It offers many things that apparently conduce to comfort and to happiness. But "the world passeth away and the lust thereof;" and famine, disease, and pestilence, and ten thousand causes of death may in a moment come. But it is not so in the ark of God. There all is sure. "The poor shall eat and be satisfied;" "The children of the Lord shall have enough." Let us not look to the world. To that the ungodly looked in the days of Noah. The world then smiled in all its luxuriant fruitfulness. There was grass for the cattle, and green herb for the service of man. There was no appearance of want. But in one moment the flood-gates of God's wrath were removed, and soon all were destroyed. Our Lord relates a parable of a rich man glorying in his riches and worldly possessions, and suddenly called to his account-saying to his soul, Thou hast much goods in store for many years to come, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry, at the moment that God was saying, "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required." And we cannot read the parable without being deeply impressed with a sense of his folly, and solemnly warned to avoid his fate. But in the days of Noah thousands were in his condition-immersed in worldly pleasures, rejoicing in worldly gains, warned in vain of their approaching end, whose souls were suddenly required to stand before God. What a warning voice does this history address to us! 5. Noah's calling was of grace. This is distinctly declared (Gen. vi. 8) " But Noah found grace in his sight." Had Noah been left to himself, he would as surely have perished as the rest of the inhabitants of the earth. He partook of the same nature, was subject to the same infirmity, had the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the law of his members warring against the law of his mind. But Noah by grace walked with God. Aided by God's Spirit, he followed his dictates. He was made to differ from others. He daily exhibited the fruits of grace and holiness. And yet without the special interference of God, he would have perished in the flood. It was by grace that he walked with God, and was saved from destruction. It is the same with us. So clearly is this doctrine stated in the scriptures, that it is wonderful that it should not be generally received, or that any doubts or difference of opinion should exist. Still doubts are entertained-a proof of the corruption of our nature, and the infidelity of the natural heart. By grace are ye saved through faith." "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us." "He hath saved us and called us, with an holy calling; not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." 66 If ever we are saved, it will be by the grace which bringeth salvation, and teaches to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. If now we differ from other men in the possession of Christian graces, it was God that made us to differ. If we continue in the faith, it will be because God upholds us. If we abide in the love of Christ, it will be because Christ, having loved us, loves us to the end. 6. The invitation was not addressed to Noah only, but to all his family. "Come thou and all thy house into the ark." Of the family of Noah but little is said. We are not told that they were faithful; that they loved, or served God. All that we know is that they were perfect in their generations," because Noah was so. They were not the offspring of ill-assorted marriages between the sons of God and the daughters of men. Noah, too, was a preacher of righteousness, nor can we suppose that while he instructed others, he neglected his own family. One thing at least we know they believed in the predicted judg ment, and accepted the offered salvation in the ark. But of Noah only are we told "he found grace in God's sight," and it was evidently for his sake, as allied to him, that they were invited into the ark. "Come thou and all thy house." And such is the invitation to each of us: we are not invited alone, or called upon to separate from our familieand kindred. But as all the family of Lot were in vited to leave Sodom, and all the children of Israel to come out of Egypt; so, through each of us, are all the members of our respective families invited. The promise is to us and our children. "Believe," says St. Paul, "and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." Cornelius believed, and all his house were baptized with him. To each of us to whom the word of this salvation comes, it says "Come thou and all thy house." And would to God we would accept the invitation, and seek salvation through Jesus Christ; that all would come from the world, from sin, from pride, from prejudice, from the strong holds of corruption, and the perishable arks of their own building, to the ark of God; that they would flee to the Saviour, and submit themselves to the guidance of the Spirit! RECOGNITION IN ETERNITY.* SHALL the knowledge of God's elect and chosen people be less in the kingdon of God than it is in this world? We, being in this corruptible body, know one another when we see not God but with the eyes of our faith; and shall we not know one another after that we have put off this sinful body, and see God face to face, in the sight of whom is the knowledge of all things? We shall be like the glorious angels of heaven, who know one another; can it then come to pass that one of us may not know another? Shall we be equal with the angels in other things, and inferior unto them in knowing one another? We shall know and see Christ as he is, who is the wisdom, image, and brightness of the heavenly Father; and shall the knowledge of one another be hidden from us? We are members all of one body, and shall we not know one another? We shall know our Had, which is Christ, and shall we not know ourselves? We shall be citizens of one heavenly city, where continual light shall be, and shall we be overwhelmed with such darkness that we shall not see and know one another? They that in this world continue together in one place but for a season, know one another, and shall we, who for ever shall continue together, singing, praising, and magnifying the Lord our God, not know one another? They that are in one household and serve one lord and master know one another in this world, and shall not we know one another who, in the kingdom of heaven shall continually serve the Lord our God together, with one spirit and with one mind? There is a certain knowledge one of another here in the earth even amongst the unreasonable and brute beasts, and shall our senses be so darkened in the life to come that we, being immortal, incorruptible, and like unto the angels of God, yea, secing God face to face, shall not know one another? We shall know God as he is, and shall we not know one another? Adam, before he sinned, being in the state of innocence, knew Eve so soon as God brought her unto him, and called her by her name, and shall not we, being in heaven, where we shall be in a much more blessed and perfect state than ever Adam was in paradise, know one another? Shall our knowledge "Becon's Sick Man's Salve." Selections from Becon's Works have been lately published by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. be inferior to Adam's knowledge in paradise? When Christ was transfigured on Mount Tabor, his disciples, Peter, James, and John did not only know Christ, but also Moses and Elias, who talked there with Christ, whom, notwithstanding, they had never seen, nor known in the flesh. Whereof we may learn, that when we come to behold the glorious majesty of the great God, we shall not only know our Saviour Christ, and such as we were acquainted with in this world, but also all the elect and chosen people of God, who have been from the beginning of the world. As the Holy Apostle saith, "Ye are come to the Mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, and to the general assembly and church of the first born, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Testament." When we are once come into that heavenly Jerusalem, we shall, without all doubt, both see and know all the holy and most blessed company of the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs, with all others of the faithful. As we are all members of one body, whereof Jesus Christ is the head, so shall we know one another, rejoice together, and be glad one with another. Moreover, the history which we read of the rich unmerciful man of Lazarus, declares evidently, that in the life to come we shall know one another; in that we see that the former, being in hell, knew both Abraham and Lazarus, being in joy; and that Abraham also knew that unmerciful rich man, although the one was in glory, the other in pain. If they who are in hell do both see and know them that are in heaven, and they who are in heaven know them also that are in hell, the one place being so far distant from the other, much more do they know one another that are citizens of one city, fellow heirs of one kingdom, members of one body, and fellow-servants in one household, serving one Lord and God. If there be mutual knowledge after this life between good and evil, much more shall the saints, and the holy ones of God, know one another in the kingdom of our heavenly Father. Our Saviour Christ said to his disciples, "When the Son of Man shall sit in the seat of his majesty, you also shall sit upon twelve seats judging the twelve tribes of Israel." If, after the general resurrection, and at the judgment, one should not know another, how shall then the apostles judge them unto whom they preached? They cannot judge and be witnesses of the condemnation of them whom they know not. Hereby also it manifestly appeareth that after this life one of us shall know another. After that Christ was risen again, and had a glorified body, the apostles knew him, yea, and that so perfectly, that none of them needed to say unto him, who art thou? for they knew well that he was the Lord. Hereof also may it truly be gathered that the faithful shall as perfectly knew one another in the life to come, as the apostles know Christ after his resurrection; or as Peter, John, and James, knew Moses and Elias in Mount Tabor, when Christ was transfigured. Many other things might be alleged out of the holy scripture, to declare that we shall know one another after this life; but these may seem to any unprejudiced person abundantly to suffice. Poetry. THE CITIES OF THE PLAIN. (For the Church of England Magazine.) Whose bars have shrunk from its immortal might, Yet rest not all; on Jordan's banks behold Wrath's 'vengeful armies, nigher and more nigh, And rav'ning Fury spreads on high her pinions wide. Who back towards the palace-walls of sin, Of man thou shin'st, unchanged in thine eternal bloom. Turn spell-wrought by her wiles! Even now a pall, Slow fades the light; the tow'ring cities rear More dimly blended with the dark'ning sky. And o'er it, as a mighty armament, Death's banner, waves on high amid the din Bloom with a dazzling beauty. Woe to sin Ye, to whom kings their lustful homage gave, That from some high volcano's cloud-built cave Sail, tempest-fraught, the gath'ring clouds that lend | That sullen broods above them, and around A deeper gloom than deep'ning night had lent; From pile to pile, and dome to dome, ascend; Earth trembles; but for man, he trembleth not: The world beyond his own polluted breast; And brow unveil'd, walks shameless: unrepress'd Hush'd lies the plain: serene in holy calm, Mountain, and stream, and dale, and hill appear; Fled have the fev'rish dreams, the haunting fear, Flow on, thou gentle Jordan! thy soft stream, Muri'ring, in music hails the breath of morn, An angel message to thy breast were borne: worn Their sluggish way through centuries, and through Creeps on its desolate course, a living grave, Woe to the wicked! whither shall he flee, THE YOUNG COMMUNICANT. Ere the full freshness of thy morning prime, -Colonial Churchman. L. H. S. London: Published by JAMES BURNS, 17 Portman Street, Portman Square; W. EDWARDS, 12 Ave-Maria Lane, St. Paul's; and to be procured, by order, of all Booksellers in Town and Country. PRINTED BY JOSEPH ROGERSON, 24 NORFOLK STREET, STRAND, LONDON. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR INFLUENCE BY THE REV. JOHN JACKSON, M.A. Head Master of Islington Proprietary School, and It is to our limited apprehension one of the VOL. VIII.-NO. CCXXII. PRICE 1d. so low in station, or so deficient in energy, as not to have some influence for good or evil over others. The circle may be small, the Vortex may be feeble; but still there will be those who will be drawn in to it; and they are immortal beings. Now, I do not attempt to explain this mysterious dispensation, which seems to put into the hands of others, in some degree at least, the moulding of our immortal destinies. There may be compensating powers which we know not of, and every man's probation may have been, all circumstances considered, nearly the same. We know that the performance of some duties is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not (2 Cor. viii. 12), and that that servant which knew his Lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes; but he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes (Luke xii. 47, 48). And, at all events, we are sure, that all things are directed by infinite justice, and that the Judge of all the earth cannot but do right. But however this may be, the fact is one of even startling importance, that we are all the centres of one or more little circles, within which our influence acts for good or evil on the souls of others: or, to use an illustration perhaps more correct, we each form one of the meshes in the complicated network of human society; so that every motion vibrates in a thousand directions about us. Now one can hardly expect that those who are careless about the welfare of their own souls, should have much thought about those of others. One can scarcely imagine any thing dreadful to him who can hear of, ay, and believe in, the everlasting torments which await the unrepentant, and not fly for refuge to the only Saviour that man can find, or God [London: Joseph Rogerson 24 Norfolk-street, Strand.? Y |