the troubled in spirit. There are infinitely more attractions in thee than in all the works of the most celebrated writers of classic ages, for our whole souls are overwhelmed with thy splendour. Thou art the rarest and the most inestimable treasure that this world contains. Is there a home without thee? can it be called a home where thou art not? Oh, no: that home deserves not the sacred name of home where the Bible is not to be found.

It is a thought which causes heartfelt thankfulness that Albion does not alone possess this precious treasure to man, the book of inspiration, but she has sent it far across the deep blue main, and with it messengers of peace and love to explain it to our far distant benighted fellow-men. Oh, soon may the blissful time arrive when it shall be as universal as the air we breathe; and when the whole world shall live in accordance with its Divine precepts.

MARRIAGE.

MARRIAGE is an event to which almost every one looks forward at some period of life. And, because it is so universal, it has become a familiar subject with all, and is often looked upon with far too much lightness. Its sacredness, its duties, and obligations, the responsibilities which follow it-these are not enough thought of either by young men or young women. Vanity often leads persons to enter on it who have never considered what difficulties they will have to encounter, what duties to perform; who think too little how far their marriage will prove a source of real happiness, by being a union of minds suited to each other, how far it will prove a help or a hindrance to them in regard to their souls' everlasting good.

It is to be feared that the early buddings of youthful piety have often been blighted by a marriage with an ungodly partner. If close intercourse with wicked persons is injurious, under any circumstances, to a true Christian, how much more fatal to be continually exposed to such influence, whether that influence proceed from the husband or the wife! Doubtless the temptation of Adam, in Paradise, derived its chief strength from his confidence and affection towards Eve. But, where the husband's example and influence are opposed to a life of piety, how great indeed is the danger! For there, generally, the stronger will and the greater influence are both directed to serve the interests of Satan. O! that they who intend to enter the state of marriage would consider those things, and not allow themselves to think of a union dangerous to their real good.

Thus then, remembering that it is a divine and sacred institution, let all consider that it should be entered upon with a view to the glory of God; and, as this principle should guide you in the choice you make, so should it be remembered by those who are married in the plan and manner in which they order and conduct their lives. The praise of His glory should be the constant aim of married, life. And what can so honour God, or be so pleasing in His sight, as a sober and righteous life-a life in which our study in all respects is what God's holy word would teach us to do?

The

Demonstrativeness of True Religion.

BY THE

REV. W. J. CHAPMAN, M.A.,

CURATE OF THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST. MARY, ISLINGTON,

"I will cut off

January 4, 1863.

them that worship and that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham."-Zeph. i. 4, 5.

THE prophet Zephaniah prophesied, we are told, "in the days of Josiah, king of Judah." That zealous monarch had worked a great reformation in his kingdom, and had, under the blessing of God, revived the cause of true religion in a manner unprecedented for its rapidity and success. After the excitement had passed away, this revival had left many-who had mistaken excitement for true religion with empty, disappointed hearts. Their passion for novelty no longer fed by stirring scenes around them, they fell back into a fatal indifference. Some returned boldly to their idols; others, having acquired a habit of formalism, sought to reconcile the worship of Moloch, or "Malcham" (as the god is called in the text) and the worship of Jehovah. Such an attempt was an abomination in the sight of Him who has declared Himself to be "a jealous God;" and accordingly the prophet was directed to denounce such conduct. Idolatry, and all who favoured idolatry, were to be swept off the land by the vengeance of God. "I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims (the idolatrous priests) with the priests (the Levites, who, though priests of the Lord, countenanced idolatry); and them that worship the host of heaven upon the house-tops; and them that worship and that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham."

SERMON VI.

G

You perceive that, in the words of the text, it is a sort of mixed religion that the Lord declares He will not tolerate. Swearing by the Lord was an act of religious worship; and, doubtless, as they remembered the wondrous reformation that had pervaded the land some years before, conscience told them that to swear by the Lord, or, in other words, to engage in the worship of Jehovah, was an imperative duty. But that they were not sincere in this duty is shown by their swearing by Malcham, by their worshipping the idol equally with the true God. And when we remember the universal character of idol-worship, the foul, and disgusting, and licentious rites into which these idolaters were initiated, it is plain that nothing could more provoke a pure and jealous God than such doubledealing.

The same attempt to reconcile the service of Christ and the service of idols was made in St. Paul's days. But he indignantly and vehemently denounced it, demanding, "What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial ? and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols ?"

From the words of the text thus explained, I wish to enforce upon young men the necessity of decision in religion.

Now, I doubt not that to the greatest part of this congregation it would be a most interesting inquiry, could it be made with thorough success-What is the lowest amount of faith in Jesus Christ which will avail to save a man's soul? And indeed this is an anxious question with us ministers. We like to hope the best; but it is often a trial to visit a sick person, and see but a faint glimmer of light in him-see him go down to the grave, leaving behind him very few records which will give a clue to the real state of his soul. And though we sit not as judges of the man, and decide what shall be his fate, yet, as ministers, we must study his spiritual condition, and endeavour to ascertain it as well as we can, in order that we may give that instruction which is most suitable; and if, after all our study, the man die and leave us in doubt, there is one point which always gives a bias to our opinions, and that is, that we believe that a man will hereafter be judged according to his opportunities. "To whom much is given, of them will much be required." We know that the heathen, who have never heard of the name of Jesus, will be judged by a different code-even conscience-to that by which Christians will be judged. And so, also, we believe that God will require higher things from the educated amongst us, than from the poor man who can neither read nor write, and whose understanding has but a feeble grasp. So that when a man has great opportunities of acquiring an accurate and distinct knowledge of the great truths of the Gospel, the difficulty of ascertaining his spiritual state becomes more simple than in the case of the unlettered clown. The educated man has a Bible; and if he does not read it, the neglect condemns him at once; and if he does read it, he must be acquainted with those very numerous passages which command the mortification of sin, separation from the world, the exercise of selfdenial, and the setting a bright and holy example. Take, for instance,

one most familiar passage, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." And, connecting with the fact of his superior advantages the fact that his superior station in society will lay open his conduct to more accurate observation, we perceive that the difference between real and unreal religion ought to be far more easily discerned in the educated than in the uneducated. There is a class of people about the truth of whose religion there can be no doubt whatever. By their works, their language, their companionships, and their self-denial, it is seen by all that they have devoted themselves to God, and that their delight is in spiritual things. Now, a question arises hereAre we to call true Christians those concerning the reality of whose religion we are in doubt; and to speak of those, concerning whom we have no doubt, as advanced or remarkable Christians? Or are we to raise the standard of true religion, and to deny the true Christianity of the lukewarm and undemonstrative, and to pronounce a somewhat less glowing eulogy upon those who are evidently the servants and followers of Jesus Christ?

Now, in discussing such a question, we must first agree upon terms; and, therefore—

I. We shall inquire, What definition the Scriptures give us of true Christianity?—I think I have before had occasion to remark to you, the broad distinction between "coming to" Christ, and "following Christ. Multitudes come to Christ, who, disliking the restraints which they are called upon to place upon their lusts, are offended and "go back." Coming to Christ costs a man nothing; but remaining with Christ, and following Christ, involve the taking up the cross and the exercise of stern self-denial. Now, no one will deny that true Christianity consists in imitating the example of our blessed Redeemer. St. Peter has told us that "Christ hath suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow His steps." And that this example of suffering is one of the distinguishing marks of true Christianity is apparent from the teaching of the apostles Paul and Barnabas, who returned to the infant churches at Lystra, and Iconium, and Antioch, "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." And further, if you are anxious to ascertain the character and the manner of the lives of those who have entered into the rest of everlasting happiness, we can throw back the veil that conceals the mysteries of heaven, and reveal to your astonished gaze the great multitude arrayed in white robes, and the voice of the elder shall be heard, saying, "These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." True, we are no longer called upon to seal with a martyr's blood the faith for which we contend; but there is a moral martyrdom far more trying than the giving our bodies to the flame; there is a crucifixion of the lusts, far more difficult to practise than to endure persecution, as our fathers of old, because it is voluntary, and because it can be more easily avoided. Yes, true Christianity demands an unhesitating following of Jesus Christ-an entire surrender of the heart to God—

a thorough abandonment of wilful sin-and an unceasing vigilance against the wiles of the devil. It pronounces the thought of covetousness to be theft, and the glance of lasciviousness to be adultery. It acknowledges no half measures. It shrinks from every suggestion of agreement between itself and the world. It will have all the heart or none. Its Founder has left us in no doubt upon this point-the simplest can understand His words-" He that loveth father or mother more than Me, is not worthy of Me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me, is not worthy of Me. And he that taketh not his cross and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me." He sweeps away the idea of neutrality at once, by saying, "He that is not with Me is against Me." And to the easy-going, who think the broad way of the multitude the true way, He comes with the startling declaration, "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." And to the moralist and the formalist He saith, "Severed from Me, ye can do nothing." And He gathers into a brief sentence, and imposes upon us all, as the rule of life, that law of unbending strictness,"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself." This is true Christianity-this is the practice which must follow upon a sincere acceptance of Jesus as our Saviour, and upon a living faith in the merits of His atonement. It is not an exaggeration of man's fancy, but Christ's own solemn declaration.

II. Having thus had this point settled for us by the holy Scriptures, which we acknowledge as an infallible guide, the next question that arises is this,-If a man has cordially embraced, with a living faith, "the truth as it is in Jesus," will he can he-be undemonstrative? And here, again, we must first agree upon terms. What do we mean by demonstrativeness? And to convey clearly our meaning is a somewhat difficult task, because nature is often so very like grace. It is far more easy to feel that it exists in the person that possesses it, than it is to describe it.

But in the first place, by demonstrativeness I do not mean talkativeness. True religion is never boastful. It is rather modest and retiring. It shrinks from a parading Pharisaism. It imitates the example of its great Head, whose conduct fulfilled that prophecy, "He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the streets." When He worked a miracle, He did not noise it abroad, but even forbade the healed to speak of it.

Neither is demonstrativeness to be explained by formalism. Forms and ceremonies are good and proper; but when they are allowed to usurp the place of the heart, they demonstrate too much. Neither is it in being charitable-or being regular in frequenting the house of God, or in maintaining family worship. The true Christian will certainly be demonstrative in all these; but it is something moresomething deeper. There are many ungodly people who are very demonstrative in these duties. But by demonstrativeness I mean a quiet earnestness which will show itself as much by what it does not as by what it does. You may detect this true earnestness by its dislike of sinful practices, and by a heart that truly mourns