had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." But the action which follows this sublime introduction, must be reserved for another chapter. FASTING.—No. IV. G. G. "MOREOVER, when you fast, look not dismal, as the hypocrites, who disfigure their faces, that men may observe that they fast. Indeed, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face; that your fasting may not appear to men: and your Father, to whom though he is unseen himself nothing is secret, will recompense you." Matt. vi. Some professed Christians tell us, that the mode or form of an institution is nothing-only attend to the thing itself, it matters not how, and all is well. Others tell us, that the mode or form is every thing; and the thing itself may therefore be neglected. They tell us that fasting is not what the word literally imports; but simply "an abstaining from sin "-a washing of the face and an anointing of the head, that we appear not to men to fast.-That we may eat and drink as much as we please-that we need not deny ourselves any good thing,-only put on our Sunday clothes, and Sunday countenance, and go to meeting and hear a sermon; and then return and praise or blame the preacher, and keep on eating and drinking: and this is fasting. So liable are mankind to extremes! But, you will observe, my brethren, that the hypocrites are spoken of as fasting, as much as the disciples. They performed all as far as related to the subject matter: (that is, that in which fasting essentially consisted,) but they erred in the mode or form of it—in the adjuncts or circumstances. They fasted: but the disfiguring of their faces that they might appear to men to fast, was not acceptable to Him who sees in secret: and so displeasing was it to him that the Saviour adds, "Indeed, I say to you, they have their reward."That is, they have it as they go along in the reverence and praise of men. For their disregard to the mode or form, no reward is reserved for them to be conferred by your Father in heaven. Here observe, the sad or dismal countenance, the disfigured face, and the motive of the hypocrites, that they might appear to men to faststand opposed to the anointing of the head, the washing of the face; and the motive of the disciples of Christ, not to be seen of men, but of God. These adjuncts or circumstances we denominate the mode or form of fasting. Strictly and philosophically speaking, however, they are no more the mode or form of fasting, than is a mode or form of one of them-the real mode or form of a thing being inseparable from the thing itself. However, they are not altogether mis-named, if this name conveys the general meaning which is here intended by it. There is not, manifestly, that impropriety and absurdity in calling these adjuncts or circumstances, in a figuratire sense, the mode or form of fasting, that there is in calling the subject matter of one thing, primarily and literally, the subject matter of another thing-for instance, the calling of sprinkling a mode or form of immersion, or immersion a mode or form of sprinkling. We are taught by the mode or form,-the adjuncts or circumstances, (or, whatever else you please to call them)-of fasting, brought to view in our lesson under consideration, what God does, and what he does not require of us in performing this duty. He does not require a disfigured face, and a sad countenance, and a deal of parade and show of humility. He does require the contrary: and with the contrary, he requires that preparation of heart, which will enable us to pray, and seek in earnest what we pray for. A preparation of heart is necessary to acceptable fasting. There must be integrity and sincerity in our souls--we must from the heart forgive every one his brother his trespasses. If we have done wrong, we must feel willing to make reparation-to confess and forsake. In fine, we must feel willing to do, and do it, so far as we know, perfectly right. The Prophet Isaiah very strikingly confirms these remarks of ours in chapter lviii. of his prophecies: "Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? Wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold in the day of your fast ye, find pleasure, and exact all your labours. Behold ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness. Ye shall not fast as ye do this day to make your voice to be heard on high. Is it such a fast that I have chosen-a day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, and to undo heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh." The question has been asked, Is fasting a private, or a public, social duty? The Scriptures we, have already noticed answer this question. It is both. David, Cornelius, and Peter fasted alone, in 157 private; Esther and her maidens, Mordecai and the Jews with him -the king, the nobles, and the people of Nineveh-and the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch, fasted publicly. Fasting being connected with prayer is proper, wherever and whenever prayer is proper. 66 ADELPHOS. THE PRISON-KEEPER AT PHILIPPI. 66 SOME persons will have it, that the jailer at Philippi, (Acts xvi.) went out of his house to be baptized at the dead hour of the night. Why, what's the difficulty? Just this. If they went out of the house for that purpose, it will go in favour of an idea that the Philippian baptismal Jordan necessary for the occasion, could not be dipped up in a basin, nor bowl, and therefore that notion of Paul's about persons "being buried in baptism," would gain strength. Well, did they go out of the house or not for the business of baptising? The word says that the keeper" sprang in and brought them out," and enquired what he must " taught him faith in Christ, "and spake to him the word of the do to be saved?" They Lord, and to all that were in his house." But, say some, Paul and Silas were still in the prison yard. Ah! what a noise and uproar they must have made in Philippi, to set up a cry so loud that they all heard in the jailer's house, babies and all. they had all come out to the prison yard." Well, then, there was No, stop," says one, nobody left in the house, "and they preached the word," it is said, to all that were in the house." What orators in imagination Paul and Silas must have been, to preach to all that were in the house, and persuade them to believe, when in fact there was not a soul there, not even Paul nor Silas. Well, we rather believe the word of God than the wilful imaginings of partizan religionists. We are told that after the jailer was baptized, he "brought them into his house," and before this, that they spake the word in his house"-and now if they did not go out for baptism, then the to all that were shape of the story must be attributed to Luke's want of inspiration. What a joyful time it must have been there. Babies and all had power to comprehend the doctrine of the Lord and believe, while now it takes a doctor of divinity to comprehend the gospel. The jailer rejoiced, it is said, "believing in God with all his house." The jailer's family must have been adult persons, or his babies were "smart ones," or the gospel is more simple than the Rabbins admit. What think ye, gentle reader? INVESTIGATOR. THE great essential of our happiness is, the resolution to perform our duty to God as well as we are able; and when this resolution is deeply infixed, every action and every pursuit brings satisfaction to the mind. ON THE EXCELLENCY OF JESUS. "Thou art fairer than the children of men; Therefore God hath blessed thee for ever." FROM what is recorded in the gospel of the ease with which our Saviour mixed among the highest of the Jews-the respectful attention shown to him, beyond anything his reputed birth or fortune might demand-and the manner in which his discourses, either of severe reproof or gentle admonition, were received-we may reasonably conclude, that he had a dignity of exterior appearance, remarkably corresponding with that authority of speech, which upon some occasions, impressed even his enemies with awe, and with that dignified mildness which seems to have been his more natural and usual tone, and drew the applause and admiration of all who heard him. "Never man spake like this man," was the confession of his enemies; and upon the first appearance in the synagogue of Nazareth, when he had finished his exposition of a certain text of Isaiah which he applied to himself, "all bare him witness and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth." External feature is generally the impress of the mind upon the body, and words are but the echo of the thoughts. Beauty and grace of speech, are certainly used in the text as figures of much higher qualities, which were conspicuous in our Lord, and in him alone of all the sons of men. That image of God in which Adam was created, in our Lord ap peared perfect and entire-in the unspotted innocency of his life, the sanctity of his manners, and the perfect obedience to the law of God-the vast powers of his mind, intellectual and moral. In him the beauty of the divine image was refulgent in its original perfection born without spot or sin, he grew and lived full of grace and truth-perfectly sanctified in flesh and spirit. With this beauty he was "adorned beyond the sons of men." Again, the gracefulness of his speech is put figuratively for perfection, sublimity, excellence, and sweetness of the doctrine he delivered; a doctrine in truth, intrinsically perfect; sublime, as being far above the discovery of human wisdom; excellent, by its salutary effects and operations upon men; united to matter, perceiving by sense what immediately surrounds him, but contemplating at a distance only the objects of pure intellect ;-a doctrine sweeter to the regenerate soul than honey and the honey comb to the palate, by the disclosure of the great scheme of redemption in all its branches-the incarnation of the Son of God; the atonement for sin by his death, the efficacy of his intercession, and the constant supply of succour from the Holy Spirit. This doctrine cherishing the contrite, consoling the afflicted, banishing despair, raising the fallen, justifying sinners, giving life to the dead-in a word, the glad tidings of salvation"-this was the grace which was poured over the "lips of the Son of God." CHRISTIAN PREACHER.-No. VI. [CONTINUED FROM PAGE 318, VOL. I.] MODEL V. ADDRESS TO THE GENTILES. R. "Or a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation, he that fears him, and works righteousness, is acceptable to him. This is that message which he sent to the children of Israel, proclaiming the glad tidings of peace by Jesus Christ, who is the Lord of all. You know the report there was through all Judea, which began from Galilee, after the immersion which John preached concerning Jesus of Nazareth; how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit, and with power; who went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all things which he did, both in the region of the Jews, and in Jerusalem: whom they slew, hanging him on a tree. This very person God raised up on the third day, and granted him to become manifest, not to all the people, but to witnesses before appointed by God, even to us, who have eaten and drunk with him after he rose from the dead. And he has given in charge to us to proclaim to the people, and to testify that it is he who is appointed by God to be the judge of the living and the dead. To him bear all the prophets witness, that every one who believes on him shall receive the forgiveness of sins by his name." MODEL VI. PAUL IN ANTIOCH IN PISIDIA. "Men of Athens, and you that fear God, hearken. The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and raised the people while sojourning in the land of Egypt, and led them out of it with an uplifted arm. And for the space of about forty years he endured their behaviour in the wilderness. And having cast out seven nations in the land of Canaan, he distributed their country to them for an inheritance. And after these transactions, which lasted about four hundred and fifty years, he gave them judges, till Samuel the Prophet. And from that time they desired a king: and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, & man of the tribe of Benjamin, for the term of forty years. And having removed him, he raised up to them David for a king; whom also he extolled, and said, "I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man according to my own heart, who shall do all my will." Of this man's seed, according to the promise, God has raised up unto Israel Jesus the Saviour; John having, to introduce his appearance, before preached the immersion of reformation to all the people of Israel. And when John was fulfilling his course, he said, Whom do you imagine me to be? I am not He; but behold there comes one after me, the shoes of whose feet I am not worthy to unloose. Brethren, children of the family of Abraham, and those among you that fear God, to you is the word of this salvation sent; for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and their rulers, not knowing him, nor the sayings of the Prophets, which are read every, Sabbath day, have fulfilled them in condemning him. And though they could find no cause of death in him, yet they requested Pilate that he might be executed. And when they had accomplished all things that were written concerning him, taking him down from the |