divine hand, which is not wisely and kindly intended, and which shall not, in the end, minister to his eternal blessedness. It matters not what may be before his mind-his business, his property, his reputation, his family or his friends; all are alike under the covenant care of an all-seeing eye, and an all-mighty arm. Let cares like a wild deluge come, and storms of sorrow fall, the Lord of hosts is with him; the God of Jacob is his refuge. Let the heathen rage, and the earth melt, and the foundations be destroyed, he looks serenely up to that Being who rides upon the wings of the wind, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. He knows that all things are in the hand of God. The fire and the flood are but ministers to do his pleasure. The bad passions of men and of devils are under his control, and He can say to either: "Thus far shalt thou come, and no farther." The wrath of man he makes to praise him, and the remainder of wrath he restrains. How happy is the man who has found this wisdom; who can and does thus habitually regard God! How fee from care and anxiety his bosom! How peaceful his days, how tranquil his nights! In prosperity he is not elated; in adversity he is not disheartened; but in either calmly rests on the Divine promise as a confiding child on its mother's bosom. And therefore, happy, thrice happy, is the man that findeth wisdom. V. The Hope of Heaven. As we are concerned with the present and not the future happiness of the believer, I speak not of heaven itself, but of the hope of that blessed inheritance-two things which, however closely connected, are yet perfectly distinct in themselves. While, then, the pious man has in this life a number of sources of happiness, pure and solid and satisfying, he has superadded to them all the prospect of an immense and eternal weight of glory in the future life. And this prospect itself is one of the greatest joys conceivable. "Heaven in reversion, like the sun, as yet YOUNG, VIII. 1055. Hope is often spoken of as the one great blessing of man which survived the ruins of the fall. It is the grand spring of enterprise, the chief incitement to active effort, the main support in misfortune; nor is there any lower deep of distress for him in whose breast hope has expired. He who possesses it is transported from the scene around him to another, fairer and more blissful; and, tasting by anticipation its delights, is raised far beyond his existing circumstances, whether of joy or of sorrow. Prose and poetry have both been tasked to the utmost in setting forth its animating, encouraging, and consolatory influence. But if this be its effect when it is only an illusion of fancy, or when, at best, its objects are confined to the narrow bounds of space and time, what must be its power when it takes hold of eternal life, and brings near the glories of the world to come! Borne aloft upon angels' wings, the soul reaches the very secret of God's presence, and revels there in the contemplation of those joys which are at His right hand, and those pleasures which are for evermore. Nor is its upward flight arrested by any consciousness of uncertainty, or any fear of disappointment. These are left for the children of the world, whose brilliant expectations, indeed, often dazzle only to delude and to destroy. The hope of the Christian, on the contrary, stands like an anchor of the soul, and never makes ashamed. It is based upon the all-sufficient righteousness of Christ; it is inspired by the Holy Spirit of truth and grace, and it is confirmed by every day's progress in the service and knowledge of God. The earnest of its glorious objects is already experienced in this world, the believer's present exercises being " a well of living water springing up unto everlasting life." Having, then, in addition to other joys of the most substantial character, a hope so exalted in its nature, and so immovable in its foundation, there is nothing wanting to the completion of the Christian's blessed lot. If any thing be true, it is this: "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom." There is, however, an objection sometimes offered to this statement. "If this be so," it is said, "then Christians ought to be distinguished by a uniform sense of contentment and peace; they should be the happiest of mortals: whereas frequently the reverse of this is the case." The objection is fair, and we purpose to answer it fairly. First, then, all professed Christians` are not such in reality; and, of course, it is no wonder that nominal believers should have only nominal joy. Man may make a wax flower exactly resembling the production of Nature, but only a simpleton would expect from it the fragrance of God's own handiwork. But, secondly, many real children of God are constitutionally of a gloomy or desponding temperament. This is a part of their physical nature, and will cleave to them until the soul drops its earthly clogs, and soars on high. While, therefore, they may have grace in lively exercise, they will not have the evidence of grace; while they may have abundant reason to rejoice and be glad, they will rather be a prey to anxious forebodings. But as piety does not pretend to change the outward man, these sporadic cases are no objection to the general truth we have laid down. But, thirdly, a great many, of whom we may hope that the root of the matter is in them, feel and show but little of the happiness we have spoken of, because of their weak faith and careless living. God, of course, will not smile upon his disobedient children. If they set their affections upon any other than Him, they must needs lose the light of his countenance: just as, if we hold up a dark body between us and the sun,we cannot but be in the shade. So if faith languishes, joy will languish in like measure. The most beautiful landscape conveys no pleasure to the man who does not see it. The largest promises mean nothing to him who does not know or believe that he has some title to them. And hence the disquietude of many of whom it would be harsh to say they had no interest in Christ. Whatever real happiness they have, is because they have a spark of grace; whatever they lack, is because they have only a spark. I submit, then, the objection is fully met. Apart from these cases, it is, it has been, it will be ever true: "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom." Never has a really godly person, of an ordinarily cheerful temperament, walked close with God without being happy. Ransack the history of the world, and you will find no such case. Catechise every soul now living in Christendom, and you will find no such case. My impenitent hearer, you want happiness, and you know where to obtain it. Let me now earnestly entreat you to seek it at once. It is not true that all religion's blessings lie beyond the grave. Oh! no; they are here; they lie around you; they await your extended arm. Godliness has the promise of the life that now is, as well as of that which is to come. Like the man in the parable then, sell all that you have and buy the field which has this pearl of great price. Then life will flow on in pure and tranquil pleasures; mercies will acquire a sweeter relish; afflictions will lose half their bitterness; death will be divested of its terrors; the present will be the seed-time of grace, the future, the harvest of glory; and in short, you will "enjoy God in every thing, and every thing in God." NATIONAL PREACHER. No. 9, VOL. XXVI.] SEPTEMBER, 1852. [WHOLE NO. 309. SERMON DLXXX. BY REV. JONATHAN BRACE, PASTOR OF THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, MILFORD, CONN. THE LIGHT OF CHRISTIAN PIETY. "Holding forth the word of life."-PHILIPPIANS ii. 16. THIS passage has reference to Christians. They are represented "as shining like lights in the world," and are exhorted to "hold forth the word of life." There may be an allusion here to lighthouses. Christians are designed to be, to those who are on the rough treacherous sea of life, what light-houses are to mariners: to warn them off from the rocks of temptation and sin, to keep them fron making wreck of their souls, and to guide them to the desired haven. "Holding forth the word of life." The subject naturally divides itself into three branches: I. The life here spoken of; II. The propriety of the phrase "word of life," as applied to the gospel; and III. The mode in which this life is to be held forth by Christians. I. The life here spoken of. It is not that life which scarce deserves the name, animal life, temporal life; a life limited to but a few days, and a life full of trouble. The gospel was not given to remove all evils incident to the present state, or to confer an immortality of existence here upon the earth. It contemplates something higher and nobler-the life of the soul. The life then here meant, is spiritual life. Men are naturally dead, "dead in trespasses and sins." When our first parents plucked the forbidden fruit, they not only died, but were the occasion of death in all their posterity. "In Adam all die." By his fall, depravity has pervaded the human race. All are born spiritually dead, and must be born again; all are born spiritually dead, and to be saved must be made spiritually alive. Spiritual life implies a conviction of the fact of spiritual death-the creation of a new heart and the renewing of a right spirit; and the existence of this life is manifested by a delight in God and the things of God. The life also of the text is a life of perfect blessedness. Spiritual life being the life of the soul, it goes along with the soul when the body is dropped; and such is the nature of this life, that in the presence of the Lord in heaven its possessor has full enjoyment. The future state of him who is endued with spiritual life in this world is one of pure and unmingled happiness. He there ceases from the toil, fatigue and trouble of his earthly pilgrimage; is made free from the bondage of sin; is no more tempted, terrified, or deceived; is united to the spirits of the just, to angels, to Jesus and to God, and has an eternal weight of glory. This life is likewise a life of endless advancement. The faculties of the soul, spiritually alive, are invigorated and exalted by constant renewal. They expand and receive fresh energy as ages roll away, and hence are enabled to comprehend more and more of the Divine character and government, and to penetrate farther and farther into the unfathomable depths of redeeming love! Such, briefly, is the life here spoken of: "Holding forth the word of life." We pass, 11. To the propriety of this phrase, "word of life," as applied to the GOSPEL. 1. We observe that there is a marked propriety in it, because the gospel publishes the way in which this life may be obtained. The gospel is the only source from which information on this subject is derived. Previous to its promulgation, “darkness covered the earth, and gross darkness the people." All mankind alienated from a life superior to rational, the life of God, and lying under the power of moral death, none could say how they might "pass from death unto life." It remained for Christ to declare the way in his gospel. "I am come," said he, "a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." He proclaimed the mode in which it might be obtained, and inspired apostles to record this mode, and transmit it to us. He applied the key to this great mystery, hidden from ages and generations, unlocked it and made it plain. He sheathed the flaming sword which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life, and opened the medium of access to its quickening fruits. Now all is level to the humble capacity of a child. He who runs may read the gospel, and, though dead unto divine things, be made alive unto God, through Jesus Christ. From these pages we learn, that when Jehovah might have poured out the vial of incensed wrath upon our guilty race, opened the armory of heaven |