At the end of three years, Jaenike was admitted to the office of pastor, and at the same time he became acquainted with Spangenberg, a celebrated bishop of the Moravians. He learned, from his instructions and example, to appreciate properly the duties of the holy ministry. Then, in 1799, he received a call as pastor from the Bohemian brethren in Berlin. There he passed the rest of his long life. All know what was the spiritual state of Berlin, and of a great part of Prussia, at this deplorable period. There was hardly any living faith. A dry and cold rationalism had taken the place of the gospel. Preachers inculcated from the pulpit, not the essential truths of salvation, but dry philosophy. Infidelity, for a long time encouraged by Frederick II., marched with a bold front, turning into ridicule the most sacred truths of Christianity, and uttering blasphemies against God the Saviour. What was become of the Reformation of Luther, in Berlin, at this time? It was a thing of the past. The great Doctor of Wittemberg was regarded as a credulous and superstitious man by these new thinkers; and if a pastor dared, in the midst of this sceptical generation, to preach Jesus Christ crucified, he found himself the butt of bitter sarcasm. These corrupt men said that he was another Epimenides, who had slept for a hundred years, and had come back from the grave to preach obsolete doctrines.

Jaenike was almost the only man in Berlin who had the faith and courage needed to testify for his Saviour. But he did not hesitate; he did not shrink from reproach and insult. Endued with strength from on high, remembering that he who is with God is never confounded, he went forward in his holy mission with unshaken firmness. Not only did he perform regularly service on Sabbath-he held a religious meeting every Monday evening, in which he defended the doctrines of the evangelical Church against the attacks of infidels.

This zeal stirred up against Jaenike the most violent opposition. Scoffers came into the church to make disturbance. They interrupted the preacher, and insulted him to his face, denouncing him as a hypocrite. In short they raised a tumult, so that Jaenike, not being effectually protected by the police, was obliged to give up his Monday meeting. Such is the tolerance of sceptics! What they do now in the Canton de Vaud, they did then in Berlin. A poor pastor was not allowed to explain the gospel agreeably to his conscience. He must ask leave of wicked men, and learn from them what he might say from the pulpit!

But the king of Prussia, being informed of these scandals, was indignant, and promised to Jaenike to interfere if he was again insulted. Further, admiring his courage and perseverance, he caused to be built in 1805, at the expense of the public treasury, a large prayer-room, where our preacher soon drew a numerous audience. The rationalists (constant experience shows it) cannot fill their churches, with all their learning and powers of oratory. Sceptics may applaud, but they do not care to go regularly to hear them. The soul needs more substantial food, and the good Jaenike, who was not ambitious to be

an eloquent orator, but who simply taught in plain language the doctrines of the gospel, had larger audiences than the most famous preachers of Berlin. His success raised against him new enemies; and, as the scoffers dared not trouble him in his church, they insulted him in the street. One day, as he passed, Jaenike met four military officers who followed him with scoffs and jeers. Ah! there is Jaenike! Jaenike the bigot, the fanatic! the mad Bohemian ! Jaenike, who would convert us all to his superstitions! | Instead of complaining, the pastor spoke to them with the utmost meekness, and went away praying for them. Some time after, one of these officers went to ask from this madman spiritual advice. Jaenike || received him cordially, explained to him the whole work of Christ for the salvation of sinners, and concluded by praying with him fervently for the Divine blessing on his soul. The young officer retired much!| affected; and the next Sunday he went to hear the pastor, concealing himself behind a pillar in the building; for he dared not appear openly in a congregation so despised by the world. He soon became, however, one of the most faithful members of his church; and used his influence over his three companions with such effect, that they too sought the peace which made him so happy; and Jaenike had at last the joy to see among the disciples of the Saviour all the four officers who had so grossly insulted him-a new proof that patience and charity are all-powerful to soften the hardest heart.

Jaenike was a man of prayer. He passed hours together before the Lord, presenting to him his own wants and the wants of his brethren. Germany was then in a state of war and desolation. Prussia had been invaded by the armies of Napoleon. The pious pastor assembled his flock three times every Sabbath, and almost every day in the week, in order to invoke the blessings of the Most High in behalf of his country. A little after, the Prussians gained the victory of Gross Beeren; and some officers who had met at a national festival having tried again to turn Jaenike into ridicule, a general said to them sharply: "The man whom you deride has contributed to gain the battle. He has prayed day and night, with his flock, to the God of battles. Who dares still abuse such a man? Is he not worthy, on the contrary, to receive all honour for his piety, his fidelity to the Lord, to the king, and to the country? May God long preserve such a devoted servant."

Jaenike was also familiar with the Bible. After having read the Scriptures many times, he re-read them continually with new delight, and discovered in them new treasures. He passed part of his nights in these excellent meditations. During the last year of his life, a pastor of Berlin passing before his house at a late hour, perceived still a light at his window, and wished to see what he was doing. He found him sitting with a Hebrew Bible in his hand, and his face beaming with heavenly joy. “Ah! dear brother," said Jaenike to him, after the first salutations, "what an unfathomable depth each word of the Bible contains! I was just reflecting upon the rich and sublime meaning of the word Elohim, and I cannot leave off pondering it. What

other occupation should I have-I, a poor and feeble old man-but to converse with my good Saviour, who has borne with me so meekly through all my sinful life, and who pardons me so kindly? I cannot enough read his holy Word; and the more I search it, the greater the treasures I discover. It is only now, when I am come to the close of my life, that I see clearly how ignorant I have been of the profound meaning of the Bible. At every text which relates to my Saviour and to my Supreme Benefactor, my heart prompts me to sing a new hallelujah to his honour."

Jaenike was also a charitable man. He was not satisfied, as so many are, to give some money to the poor; he added to his alms a personal concern-a rarer and more difficult kind of devotedness. When he could do good to an unfortunate or a sick person, ||morning, evening, or night, he left all and hastened to him. He was often a nurse to those who were not with their relatives or friends. He prepared their food, administered to them the remedies prescribed by the physician, and performed the humblest and most painful duties. Amidst these bodily cares, he never forgot the spiritual wants of the wretched. If I did not fear to extend this notice, I could cite some instances of his admirable charity; but the reader can easily imagine them.

What is especially worthy of attention in the life of Jaenike is, that he founded several religious societies, which are yet flourishing. He had but small pecuniary means, and his congregation was not composed of wealthy persons. This pastor seemed, to human view, more incapable than any other of establishing associations which require great expense. But in such works zeal avails more than money, and they who have nothing derive from their confidence in God abundant means of action.

One of the establishments founded by this good man was a missionary school or institute. In the year 1800, when no one in Berlin thought of pagan nations, he received into his house seven young men, whom he prepared for the missionary work. Some friends said to him, "Where will you find money to defray the expenses of this school?" Jaenike replied simply, "I trust in Him who governs all things; God will provide." In fact, resources were not lacking. He received aid from remote countries, and in moments when it was most needed.

About a hundred young men were taught by Jaenike, and several celebrated missionaries have sprung from his school. I will mention among others, Gutzlaff, who has acquired so great renown by his evangelical labours in China; Rhenius, who was in Ir dia the instrument of the great awakening in Tinavelley, where 10,000 idolaters were converted to the | Gospel; Nicolayson, companion of the missionary Gobat, in Jerusalem; Albrecht, who carried the good news of salvation to South Africa, and who first dared to penetrate into the country of the formidable chief, surnamed Africaner, to preach to him repentance, &c. Jaenike was not animated by a sectarian spirit. He received pupils from all evangelical communions to right them on the basis of the Bible, and then confided them to Societies of different de

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nominations, who were glad of the privilege of having labourers formed in the Berlin Institute. Jaenike kept up a correspondence with his old pupils, and sent to them in all parts of the world his fatherly advice. It is perhaps proper to remark, that he refused always to publish reports upon his excellent labours. To do all possible good, remaining himself obscure and unknown, was his principle in all his Christian efforts.

Another institution, of which he laid the first stone in 1805, was the Bible Society. He corresponded with the friends of the Bible in London, and began to distribute the Scriptures. Afterwards, influential persons showed their sympathy for this work; the kings of Prussia took a lively interest in it; and the great Bible Society of this country distributed the sacred volume by millions of copies. Jaenike was the indefatigable secretary till the close of his life.

We add, that he founded also, in 1811, the first Committee in Berlin for the distribution of religious tracts, and that this undertaking has been also as abundantly blessed as the former. All Prussia has been provided by his cares, and by those of his friends, with a vast quantity of useful writings, which have awakened great numbers to faith and piety.

In considering these things, will not the reader be struck with the amount of good which one man can do, when he is faithful to the Lord, and does in his sphere all that the revealed Word commands? Here is an isolated, despised pastor, without worldly influence; he has no money; he is not brilliant or eloquent; he does not figure among the celebrated scholars of Germany-and yet he does more than all others! He founds three great institutions; he evangelizes Prussia; he sends missionaries to the heathen; he is rich in good works! Here is another proof that the power of the gospel resides, not in the glory or wealth of man, but in the blessing of God, who protects always those who wait upon Him. What a precious encouragement for obscure and humble Christians, who say sometimes, "What can I do in my feebleness ? " What can you do? Go forward, looking to the Lord, and you shall be strong; yea, blessed, beyond what your imagination can conceive.

About the year 1817, at the third centennial anniversary of the Reformation, a gratifying revival of religion occurred in Berlin, and in other countries of Germany. Several pastors, or doctors of the University, having studied more attentively Luther's writings, were ashamed of their barren rationalism, and returned to the vital doctrines of Christianity. Jaenike took a very important part in this revival. Being frequently consulted by his colleagues in the pastoral office, he communicated to them the results of his long experience; he encouraged them to go forward; he prevented some from rushing into extremes, and was to all a light, a guide, a model. From year to year his faith became more sound and ripe. "He is a singular man," said some one of him in his old age; "he does not speak of any thing but Jesus Christ."

The career of John Jaenike in Berlin, may be compared to that of the venerable Simeon of

Jaenike reached the age of eighty years. He preached as long as he could the Word of eternal life to his flock, and he felt especially strengthened when the day and hour of his ministrations arrived. At length he was obliged to remain sitting while he preached. On the morning of his eightieth birthday, he had still the satisfaction of assembling around him a numerous circle of pious friends, and of preaching from this text, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith."—(Heb. xii. 2.) Eight days after he was struck with his last sick

ness.

In the midst of his pains of body, he uttered only words of praise and thanksgiving. "I have with me Jesus, my Saviour," said he; "I have always found him faithful during my life; he will be 30 at my death. What is the foundation of my peace, and of the hope which sustains me? My own righteousness? No, no; that is as filthy rags. I trust only in thy merits and thy sacrifice, O Lord Jesus! " On Saturday, July 28, 1828, John Jaenike breathed his last. His friends sung a hymn by his bedside. He sang himself with perfect composure these words: When I shall quit this world, O Jesus, do not quit ne!" Then, full of hope, he lifted his eyes to heaven, and without an effort or a struggle he slept in the Lord.

MAY a man, to hide himself from the plaque, forsake his place, his calling, and remove himself and his?

Calvin answereth this question in one of his epistles thus:-A question riseth from the stupidity of men without sense of humanity, whether we may not avoid the plague? They would have no man change air, nor avoid contagious and poisoned places, nor delight in any pleasing prospect, &c. But this answer being too short for such as desire to walk by rule, we must consider, First, The persons; Secondly, The reasons; Thirdly, The cautious; Fourthly, The objections.

I. Public persons, whom, by virtue of their special calling, the church, or commonwealth, or the family, cannot want, may not flee, unless they by others may competently supply their own absence.

II. But private persons, whose calling the public may for a time want, may avoid the danger; for, among others, the following reasons,

1. All manifest perils ought to be avoided, if without impiety we can shun them. It is lawful to avoid an arrow coming upon us; and not to avoid it if we can, makes us accessory to our own death. But this is an arrow coming on us, and by good means to be avoided, it cannot be less lawful than to avoid

fire, or sword, or poison.

2. God hath given us special commandment for the care and preservation of our own lives, and to use all good means of preservation; and hath sanctified preservatives and physic to this purpose. He that hath charged us with the care of our brethren's lives, much more hath charged us with our own.

3. David used many caves and hiding-places; in a short time he fled from Saul into twelve several hiding-places. To king Achish, to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Philistines, into the cave of Adullam, the grove of Hareth, the desert of Ziph, of Maon, of Engedi, of Paran, &c. Yea, Christ and his disciples fled oftentimes from danger; and why not we till our hour also be come, that in the mean time we may be the more serviceable to God and his Church? Nay, God himself bids Elias go flee and hide himself from persecution by the brook Cherith. He could have kept him safe from Ahab and Jezebel without his fleeing, in the midst of them; but he teacheth us what godly men may do in the like cases.

But this is to avoid the sword of man; but speaketh not of the plague, the hand and sword of God.

What we may pray the removal of, we may lawfully avoid; but David prayed the removal of the plague, 2 Sam. xxiv.; Kings viii. "If thou send a plague and pestilence, and thy people pray in this house, then hear out of heaven," &c. So Aaron prayed, and stood between the living and dead, and the plague ceased.

The fruit of faith is the use of such means as which God hath appointed for the effecting of his own decrees; and the more faith the more use of meanswhereof this is one, to depart from the infected place so far as salva conscientia et charitate we may. Paul believed none should perish in the ship, according to the word of God; yet must they not be saved unless they abide in the ship, for there must be shipmen to guide and govern the ship to land, as it came to pass. III. The cautions or conditions in fleeing the plague.

1. See no profaneness be in the flight, or impiety, as if we would or could avoid the hand of God; we must not intend to flee from God, for whither shall we flee from his presence? but first flee unto God. For as we must not neglect the means of our safety; so we must not trust in them, but in God's blessing, who must watch and hide, or else all comes to nought.

2. Before thou avoid the effect of God's anger, see thou avoid the cause of it, and that is thine own sin; else can no dens, castles, or caves hide thee. John Baptist wisheth men, by fleeing the cause, to flee wrath to come; otherwise Amaziah flees to Lachish; but death flees after him, and overtakes him, because he fled not from sin the cause of his misery. For it is not change of place, but of mind; not of bodies, but vices, which is the true refuge and sanctuary. In returning, consider that faith and repentance must be your rest. No, say they, we will flee upon horses. Yea, but your enemies' horses shall be swifter than yours; no flight swift enough to save him that will carry his sins with him. The first step in fleeing, must be to flee thyself.

3. In fleeing from infection, be sure thou be as beneficial absent as present in things spiritual and

temporal. 1st, Fail not by sound humility and godly sorrow to bewail thy sins, which have provoked the wrath of God, and as well absent as present seek to appease God, and avert his stroke from thyself and others. Even absent thou must put thyself into their misery, as one that hath provoked that displeasure. 2nd, Omit no duty of charity and beneficence. If thy person be removed, leave thy purse behind thee, and thy best help, as one that knowest thou art not loosed from the common law of neighbourhood, but are charged still to see no needful thing wanting to the poor and needy, whether sick or sound.

4. In fleeing look to thine affections, that no excessive fear of death move thee: for thou must still keep a desire to be dissolved, and stand as Sarah in the door of the tent to entertain that messenger, and be ready for death whensoever the hour is come: nor yet incredulity or weakness of faith force thee. But let faith lead thee forth, and let it be no loser. Noah by faith went into the ark, and stayed, yea, till God led him out.

IV. The plague is not contagious, nor comes from man, but an immediate hand of God, and so is not to be avoided.

1. It follows not, because it is the hand of God, that it is not contagious. Was not the leprosy a rod and scourge of God? and yet was it not infectious!

2. It follows not, because it is the hand of God, we must not use lawful means to avoid it: for so is fatine, sword, fire, war, the hand of God; and yet who can deny we may use lawful means to avoid them all? Besides, it was the law of God most carefully to avoid the leprosy, and not to come near persons infected; and why not the plague or other contagious diseases? Balaam's ass, seeing the drawn sword of the angel, will shun it.

But none can resist the providence of God. He hath numbered whom he will smite with the plague, and who shall not be touched: and none of them whom he hath appointed to fall shall escape.

1. The providence of God, being the first cause, takes not away the second causes, but establisheth them, because he establisheth and executeth his decrees by means and second causes: and it were a tempting of God to refuse the lawful and allowed means of preserving life, by which God ordinarily saveth whom he will save.

2. God indeed knows how many shall be smitten; and if we knew the secret will of God concerning ourselves, then were our wills to be surrendered to God's will: and a heart affected with God's glory will be readier for death than life, if God reveal to it that to die is better than to live. But not knowing this, we are not loosed from the use of lawful means for the preservation of our lives till we see our hour to be come.

3. God knows and hath decreed how many shall fall by the sword in war, and yet who will say it is unlawful to use weapons to defend ourselves, and fight for our lives? So God knows how many shall fall by famine in time of dearth and scarcity; but is it therefore unlawful to buy food to preserve our lives? Did not he command Jacob to go and buy food in Egypt, whom he could have preserved without means, but would not because means were then, though far off.

But the plague is good to the good, so not to be avoided.

It is not simply good neither. It is not good in itself, nor as a cause, but as an occasion of humility, repentance, fear of God; neither is it so but by the work of the Spirit. But it will not follow that it is not to be avoided; for our sins are occasionally good o humble us, and work in us fear of God, and yet

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are to be avoided. So all miseries are turned to good to the good, but yet we may lawfully avoid them. But we have callings in which we must abide, and we have promise of protection while we are in our way, and therefore must not avoid them.

We must abide in our callings unless we be necessarily thrust out; but this is no willing desertion, but a suspending of the exercise of it for a greater and higher reason. For if for some occasions a man may leave his calling many months, as for health, profit, pleasure,much more to save his life.

2. We have promises to be kept in our way, but promises make not men slothful, nor foolishly rash and temerarious to thrust themselves into probable and certain danger, for that is not our way.

But charity seeks not her own, but God's, the Church's, and our neighbour's; and by our flight or fear our brother may perish, for whom Christ died.

1. Charity seeks not itself wholly or only, but yet destroys not itself. Ordinary charity, in saving himself, seeketh God's glory and the Church's good, and not himself only.

2. Charity so respecteth the sick, as the sound be not neglected; to comfort one, we may not hazard many; nor so look forth as forgetting our own home.

3. Charity seeks the good of several persons, but so as it prefers the safety of the universal. That is inordinate charity, when other good means may be used for the comfort of the afflicted: a man casts himself into manifest danger, and with himself his family if he be private, and the Church and commonwealth if he be public.

This question was excellently beaten out between Zanchius and a godly pastor named Curiensis. This pastor held it unlawful to separate from the infected, or to leave the places infected; and commended M. Bullinger, who being sent for by a woman infected, went to her, and brought home the infection into his family, and presently lost his wife and two daughters. Now M. Zanchie commended the charity of M. Bullinger, but did not altogether approve his act, because the woman might have been otherwise comforted than by his going to her bedside, and sets down some directions after long debating. That good pastor, being too venturous, was taken with the plague;" and when he was near death, cried out, O utinam Zanchii consilium secutus essem! Would to God I had followed M. Zanchius' counsel !

But it is further asked, is every prudent man hid from the evil, as this text seems to say? Come not all things alike to all men? Doth not judgment begin sometimes at the house of God? and are not the godly wrapped sometimes in the common danger of sword, fire, and plague, and who more afflicted than they?

Godly men suffer evil with wicked men (for Abra-! ham and Jacob are in the famine with the Canaanites. The good Israelites as well as the bad are under the oppressions of the Egyptians. Caleb and Joshua bare the sin of Israel forty years with the murmurers. Elias was afflicted in the hard times procured by Ahab and Jezebel), but are ever hid. For,

1. Distinguish the punishment. Some are revenges; some remedies, exercises of grace, virtue's keepers, as Aquinas calls them. The prudent are ever hid from the former, but it were not good to be free from the latter.

2. Distinguish the persons punished. Some are vessels of wrath, to whom even benefits are plagues; some are vessels of mercy, to whom all evils work to good. These are ever so far hid, as that the Lord never hides his face from them but for a moment, but that to embrace them with everlasting compassion.

3. Distinguish the manner of hiding. The prudent cannot so hide himself as to be free from feeling of trouble. But he is freed so, as that he shall not fall

in them; or, if he fall, God puts under his hand for a seasonable deliverance.

But how are they that are slain with the sword, or die of the plague, delivered?

Many are the troubles of the godly and great; but the Lord delivers them out of all. But deliverance is threefold.

1. Some are delivered temporally, that others may see and praise God's goodness, as Daniel from the den, the three children from fire, Ezechiah from the plague, that fathers might tell their children, &c.

2. Some proportionally. Not by pulling them out of danger, but by pulling out the sting, and whatsoever is hurtful, and arming them with strength, patience, and sufficient grace, that in darkness they see light.

3. Some he delivereth eternally from danger, by suffering them to be overcome, and taken away by sword, plague, &c., and dealeth with his vessels of honour as we with ours, which, when we would scour the brighest, we oil, and soil, and foul them, as if they would never be clean again. And as with his natural Son: he will not remove the cup till he has drunk the last drop. Yet he leaves them not comfortless, but gives them by death freedom and victory over death and deadly things; that when they are slain, they are not overcome, but more than conquerors. And one of these ways the Lord ever hides his children.

When the devil gets any one into his sieve, he soon sifts him of all virtue, and leaves him a mere mass of refuse. Faith, penitence, prayer, churchgoing, reading the Scriptures, a tender conscience, the fear of God, horror of gross sins, love of the species, self-respect, character, influence, peace of mind, and hope for the future-all, all escape from the man in this sifting.

What and where is the machinery employed in this fearful process?-what and where is the Devil's sieve?

Look at that shop in the corner, furnished with a counter, and a row of bottles filled with liquors some transparent and others variously coloured, possessing the fearful but common property of inebriation. Those splendid saloons, and the taverns, houses of entertainment, and hotels which are every where seen, both in city and country, possess the same internal arrangements, and keep the same intoxicating beverage on sale. What is the influence of this article upon multitudes of those who buy and use it? Does it not expunge their souls as clean of every trace of conscience as though they had been made without any such thing? After frequenting those places for a while, what becomes of their character, love of home, industry, social attachments, and thrift in business? There comes a man now who was once a wealthy and respectable citizenyea, a member of the Church and a man of prayer. What has happened to him? He looks filthy, ragged, and downcast. His limbs tremble-his face

is bloated-his eyes are inflamed-and he reels to and fro as he goes. What, you ask, has happened to him? Where has he been? He was decoyed by the rum-seller: he first entered the elegant saloon, ornamented with mahogany furniture and painted windows; and he kept descending until he came to be a regular visitor at a miserable groggery in yonder cellar. In other words, he has been in the Devil's sieve!

There are various forms and localities of this ter rible sieve. Licentiousness is a rock upon which multitudes have made shipwreck of all their hopes, both for this and the coming world. The locations where victims of both sexes are immolated, where they are sifted of their innocence and purity, are numerous, and by no means unfrequented. This great sieve is worked upon a large scale in our great cities, and thousands upon thousands are there deprived of every attribute of individual, social, and domestic excellence, and cast upon the world, "neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill.” Let the youth who visit the great cities beware of gins which are secretly laid for their feet-let them avoid the Devil's sieve.

This

There is a prominent and elevated position of this sifting apparatus to which public attention is called, not only by signs and placards, but by nearly all the secular newspapers: we refer to the playhouses, embracing theatres, operas, circuses, &c. part of the devil's machinery is now characterised by great activity, and the most alarming progress. How many comparatively innocent young persons, and professors of religion of all ages, have here been "sifted as wheat," the light of eternity only will reveal.

There are several less gross and palpable, but not the less insidious and dangerous, modes in which the devil gets the unwary under his power, which at least deserve to be hinted at.

Observe a class of young members of the Church, who were once simple-hearted and zealous Christians, engaged in all the benevolent movements of the Church in their appropriate sphere of action. They were actively engaged in the Sabbath school, the distribution of tracts, sewing associations for the purpose of clothing the naked, or raising funds for the missionary cause. But where are they now, and what is their prevailing tendency? All these objects have become to them uninteresting, and the round of duties which they once pursued with such heart | and perseverance has become mere drudgery. Per haps the cause may be found in their reading-pos sibly in their associations and amusements.

Novels are a most terrible form of the Devil's sieve || working a wider-spread and more certain ruin, than perhaps any other. As a relish for " light literature" is contracted, the love of God, and a real│ Christian sympathy for the souls he has made, de part. Alas! how few come out of this novel-reading process without the loss of all that is really excellent in character and useful to mankind.

Unauthorized pleasures, dancing parties, games of chance, and the like, constitute another class of mischievous agencies which the devil employs for