Son made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because we are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Thus the Father decreed our adoption, the Son came to redeem us from bondage, and the Holy Spirit takes possession of our hearts, teaching us to call God, Father. The purpose flowed from. the Father's grace, the way was cleared by the Son's blood, and the nature and knowledge are imparted by the Spirit's work. The Father's love is the source, the Son's redemption is the channel, the Holy Spirit is the guide, and adoption into God's family the blessing. The Father chose us to dwell with and enjoy him, the Son paid our ransom price with his blood, and the Holy Spirit effects our freedom and leads us to the Father's throne. Thus we are equally indebted to each of the divine persons in Jehovah, and should daily bless the Father, praise the Son, and adore the Holy Ghost: uniting the Father's purpose, the Son's merit, and the Spirit's power in our thoughts and our songs. Without a trinity we can form no scriptural idea of salvation; and no one understands the bible doctrine of salvation, who does not perceive that three divine persons are engaged in effecting it. The sons of God are sinners, they are convinced of it, they deeply feel it, they mourn over it, and seek to be restored to God's image. They hate sin, love holiness, and daily pray to be made like Jesus, who was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. They love the Saviour, placing all their dependance on his perfect work, pleading his name before the Father for every blessing, and endeavouring to copy his example in the world, in the family, and the church of God. They look up to God as a father, craving his blessing, seeking all their supplies from his hand, and doing his will from the heart; or, if they cannot claim the relationship, they are ready to envy those who can, and sigh and cry for the Spirit of adoption, that he may bear witness with their spirits that they are the children of God. To them no privilege is so precious, no blessing so desirable, no favour so great, as to be able to claim and enjoy their covenant relationship to God. They suffer much from temptation, are often harassed with doubts, and are hated by the world which lieth in the wicked one. Here they have no continuing city, but they seek one to come; they are strangers and pilgrims on the earth, as all their fathers were. They live by faith in God's promise, providence, and presence, and expect every blessing from his unmerited love. They know they have no claim, because they have sinned, yet they have confidence and hope because God is gracious and hath given them his word. They expect to be chastised, because their Father is wise, and yet often fret and complain when they smart under the rod. They long for their home, yet dislike the way to it; and they pray for deliverance, yet cleave to the earth. The sons of God are all singular characters; they see Him who is invisible, taste that the Lord is gracious, crucify the old man with his deeds, walk with God in friendship and peace, and set their affections on things above not on things on the earth. Beloved, if we are the children of God, our privileges are great, but our trials will be great too. Our joys will be peculiarly sweet, but our sorrows will be proportionably bitter. If we enjoy the friendship of God, we must endure the hatred of the world. If we walk with Jesus in love, we shall be tempted and harassed by Satan. If we have confidence in God's word, we shall be exercised with ten thousand fears. If we have the assurance of faith, we shall be plagued with many gloomy doubts. If our hearts are renewed by grace, we shall be distressed with their hardness and indifference. If we have the spirit of prayer, we shall groan because we know not how to pray, or what to pray for. If we are at peace with God, we shall have a constant conflict in our own bosoms: the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. If we are strong in the Lord, we shall feel that we are not sufficient to think any thing of ourselves, but that God must work in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure. If we hate sin, we shall feel it working in us, disturbing and distressing us, and often causing us to exclaim, "O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death?" Our lives will be a paradox, and we shall understand the Apostle when he says, "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things." "How strange is the course that a christian must steer; The hope of his happiness rises from fear, And his life he receives from the dead. "His fairest pretensions must wholly be waiv'd, Nor can he expect to be perfectly sav'd, Till he finds himself utterly lost. "When all this is done, and his heart is assur'd Of the total remission of sins; When his pardon is sign'd, and his peace is procur'd, From that moment his conflict begins." New-Park-Street, London. JAMES SMITH. THE BRUISED REED AND THE SMOKING FLAX. BY THE REV. W. H. ELLIOTT, LONDON. In the garden of God there are plants and shrubs, as well as trees laden with fruit. The smallest degree of grace is not to be despised. It is infinitely precious. It exalts our fallen nature, and enriches the soul for eternity. We love to behold its first impressions on the heart, and to watch its growth and improvement in the christian's experience. Piety, in its first appearance, is like the dawn compared with the light of perfect day, or like life in its infancy. It is weak, helpless, and dependent. It requires time, nourishment, and support, to increase its strength, and mature its principles. It resembles the seed in the earth, which bringeth forth first the blade, then the ear, and which gradually grows until it becomes the full corn in the ear. A "bruised reed" is exceedingly weak and frail. It has nothing to shelter or protect it. Already injured, a slight wind, or a little force, would break it. But this simple object of nature may present to our view the first blossoms of piety, the first breathings of spiritual life,—a mind enlightened by the Holy Spirit, a sinner convinced of sin, a broken and a contrite heart, a soul oppressed with the weight of its guilt. In such a case, the beauties of nature, the charms of life, the smiles of friendship, fail to give relief. Retirement is sought for meditation, godly sorrow, and prayer. The pardon of sin, the salvation of the soul, are now the chief objects sought and desired. A "smoking flax," or a candle dimly burning, gives a similar descrip. tion of the slender attainments of the young convert. He is a babe in Christ, -a lamb in the Redeemer's fold. He has saving knowledge; but this is small in its degree, and very imperfect. Of the truths of revela tion, of the wonders of redeeming love, of the depravity of his nature, and of the wiles of the devil, his knowledge is only partial. His faith is weak, and mixed with unbelief; his hope is succeeded by gloomy fears. He has but little experience of divine things, and has much within him and around him to check the growth of every grace. His religion is like the feeble light of the candle just as it begins to burn. -- Reader, have you not been frequently distressed on account of the weakness of your piety? You may have seen others, too, who have long professed religion, but who have not made much progress in the things of God, who have not been distinguished for faith, and love, and usefulness, and this has discouraged you. But if you resemble the bruised reed, you have cause for gratitude and hope. Cultivate the graces you possess; seek after higher attainments in religion. The compassionate Jesus "will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax," nor will he permit any of your enemies to do it. They are all under his control, and shall all be trodden under your feet. The frost and the blight may injure the plants and the trees in our gardens; but nothing can wither or destroy the plant of grace. This is a heavenly principle imparted to the soul, which gives it spiritual life; it is a spark of heavenly fire from the altar of God; it is the work of His Spirit, the impression of His image on the heart. This work is too valuable to be destroyed. It will be carried on, until it is consummated in eternal glory. The blossoms of piety shall ripen into fruit; the feeble rays of light shall issue in the splendour of noon day; and the smoking flax be raised to an immortal flame. The union that subsists between Christ and his people secures this result. Apart from Him they would wither and die; but they are dependent upon him for strength and support. Supplied from his fulness, sanctified by his Spirit, and preserved by his power, they shall surmount every difficulty, overcome every enemy, and ultimately attain the glory of heaven. Reader, let these thoughts on the bruised reed and smoking flax, inspire you with confidence, determination, and zeal. A life of faith upon Christ, diligence in your attention to the means of grace,-entire devotedness to God, and continual prayer, are necessary to secure soul prosperity here, and heavenly bliss hereafter. But, reader, if your heart be not bruised and broken for sin by the Spirit of God, it is still a stranger to the first impressions of religion! NEARER TO GOD. Nearer, my God, to thee- E'en though it be a cross BY SARAH ADAMS. Then with my waking thoughts Or if on joyful wing, Sun, moon, and stars forgot Still all my song shall be, Christian Treasury. Biblical. HOURS WITH MY BIBLE CLASS. No. 4. BY THE REV. J. A. BAYNES, OF NOTTINGHAM. IV. THE NEW TESTAMENT CANON. There are many difficulties which meet the student of external evidence, in the settlement of the books that are to constitute the complete New Testament catalogue. These difficulties make the road to a decision more circuitous than with the Old Testament, but do not make the decision itself at all less sure. The points of perplexity are such as these: though the books in question may have been written by inspiration, there is no inspired authority, extraneous to themselves, to attest their canonicity. We have no New Testament `Ezra; and, indeed, when the canon was fixed, all the apostles were dead, and inspiration had ceased. Again, the number of Apocryphal books is not inconsiderable, nor the claims of some of them wanting in plausibility; and, on the other hand, several of the books which we receive as genuine, have been questioned with much show of authority, and with no small pertinacity. The first difficulty is manifestly the greatest. We at once acknowledge that we can reach no such "end of controversy" as would be secured if we could call in an inspired umpire to decide for us amidst all contending claims; nor have we the short and easy method here to which we can resort with the older Testament, and which is so triumphant there:-Christ and his apostles quoted, and by their authority sanctioned, a volume named and known as THE SCRIPTURES: this is that volume: therefore this is the divinely sanctioned and inspired book. Nevertheless, we believe that in this matter we are by no means left to be for ever agitated on the sea of doubt. Harbour and anchorage we may have. The sincere and devout enquirer will reach foundations firm enough for an intelligent and unfaltering confidence. The supply of external testimony to the divine character and worth of these records is enough to command for them the thoughtful heed and the willing reverence due to "Scripture given by inspiration of God." We may much narrow the limits of our investigation by adopting at once the rule of canonicity devised by Michaelis --- which seems, indeed, the only safe and intelligible rule that whatever can be satisfactorily proved to be the writing of an apostle, may and must, by virtue of that proof, be acknowledged as canonical and inspired. When we consider the office to which the apostles were called, the endowments bestowed upon them, and the special promises given them by Christ himself, it appears a moral certainty that a book coming from any one of them should be received without question into the Canon of Scripture. This remark will apply to two of the Gospels, all the Epistles, and the Revelation. With reference, at least, to these we have therefore simply to ask, were they written by the persons to whom they are ascribed? And this is clearly a matter that testimony, history, and tradition can decide as infallibly and beyond a doubt, as could the authority of an inspired scribe. One thing may be added. The object sought and the authority claimed by a writer may, as a general rule, be ascertained with much of certainty by the reception of his work among his contemporaries, especially if the subject and nature of it are important. At all events, if we find a book received with universal deference, venerated by friends, and, though with an ill grace, respected by enemies; and if such enemies, instead of boldly rejecting it, are compelled to explain it away, we cannot but admit that the book was meant by the writer to have authority, that this authority was openly claimed, and that the right to make the claim was acknowledged by all. When therefore we speak of books treating on religion, and moreover giving new and strange views of religion, we have here all the characteristics of inspired writings. The appeal has now, then, to be made simply and entirely to testimony, and that, too, such testimony as any honest man might give. We call the Fathers; but we do not therefore acknowledge human au thority in matters of religion. We want only their evidence, not their opinion. They are but witnesses, not arbiters. The sole reason why we prefer their voice to that of others is precisely the same as that which leads a jury and a judge to regard the depositions of the most rude and unlettered that ever entered a witness-box, more than the opinions of the wisest and the most intelligent men in court. The first was there when the deed was done, the other not: he was on the scene of action, and beheld the circumstances as they transpired. So we use the earliest writers as witnessesfathers of the church and heretics also. The way is therefore clear to a decision. The limits of this brief review will not admit of the detail of the statistics of evidence. It must suffice to indicate results. The Fathers, in unbroken succession and with unanimous voice, ascribe, for the most part, apostolic writings to Apostles. Not quite all. The remark applies strictly to were included in the catalogues, deferentially quoted in the writings, and read and expounded in the churches, of the early christians. Not in one country only, or of one sect. All, everywhere, are agreed. And thus, if there is any weight at all in testithe evidence is irresistible, that so mony, much of the New Testament at least is canonical and inspired. With respect to 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, James, Jude, and the Hebrews, there were doubts. But the balance of belief and testimony-which is accounted enough for a firm decision in the thousand things of our daily life-is overwhelmingly in favour of them. Origen admitted them all. So did Jerome, who translated them. So did the intermediate Fathers, with scarcely an exception; ascribing, moreover, the Epistle to the Hebrews to Paul. The Revelation of John was unquestioned till the fourth century after Christ, when the extravagancies of the Millenarians led judicious persons to look upon it coldly. Small reason, however, is to be drawn from perverted interpretation against the thing so interpreted. To the above list we may add the Gospels of Mark and Luke, with the Acts of the Apostles, as having received the unanimous concurrence of all the most trust-worthy witnesses. All three of these works were, without doubt, written under the superintendence of apostles,-the first under that of Peter, the two latter under that of Paul. They are therefore, in fact, apostolic, and are thus brought within the scope of the rule which makes apostolicity the law of canonicity. Thus have we, therefore, the catalogue of the New Testament books complete and established. A word only at the close of this brief survey may be added, to suggest the strength there is in the appeal from external evidence to internal, that this may furnish corroboration to the already-reached conclusion. This, whilst decidedly adverse to the whole list of apocryphal writings, is as manifestly and triumphantly in favour of those books which the previous examination has shewa to be the genuine and inspired contents of the sacred volume. Profitable and precious is that volume in its glorious completeness. "Tis a broad land of wealth unknown, "Thy word is everlasting truth, How pure is every page! Tales and Sketches. THE RECLAIMED INFIDEL. WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. I was blessed with a religious education. My parents endeavoured to bring me up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." At nine years of age I lost my invaluable mother, and in my fourteenth year I commenced my apprenticeship. Hitherto I had regularly attended the public worship of God; was frequently |