remain" prophet Elijah, or as will be the case with those who are "alive and at the coming of the Lord, who shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye," so would man receive in an instant the impress of the spiritual, and take his place among the nobler races of God's intelligences. Perhaps no organ of the frame would have been destroyed, but the perceptions of all made much more acute: the eye would range among worlds which to present human vision are buried in the bosom of boundless space, and the ear would drink in sweet harmonies which are now lost upon the dull organ. Dissolution there would have been none. Human death is the offspring of sin. Though man was of the dust, yet to return to dust was a penal infliction. This is now the law of his nature, and, to some extent, the same sentence appears to extend to the world in which he lives; as though the pollution which issues in his own dissolution had been communicated to the atmosphere which he breathed, and the earth on which he trod. The dissolving power of time may now be traced in the crumbling away of the stupendous edifices which have been raised as monuments of human pride, and power, and skill, and which they would fain have transmitted to the latest ages. The sites of celebrated cities, the centres of vast and mighty empires-Babylon and Sparta-can no longer be traced upon the face of the earth. The trophies which have been erected to perpetuate the exploits and immortalize the fame of men, have ceased to tell their tale. Nay, the period will arrive when "the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also, and the works that are , therein, shall be burned up." "All these things shall be dissolved." The dissolution of the material elements by which we are surrounded, is in consequence of the sentence passed upon the "earthly house of this tabernacle." Within our own bosoms the decaying process is going forward. The seeds of decomposition have been scattered through the whole frame. Sin has interwoven them with every fibre of the body. In the innermost recesses of the "tabernacle," unperceived by human eye, and unbeknown to human science, the frettings and attritions are carried on, which I will terminate only when the whole structure has been laid in ruins. Occasionally we are conscious that the work of demolition is progressing. Shock after shock announces that some portions of the fabric are weaker and more susceptible of assault than others. One storm after another causes it to totter, and sometimes we are led to think that the last moment has arrived, and that dissolution is at hand. And not unfrequently does a fair exterior conceal the secret operations of the destroyer within. The fair cheek, the bright eye, the agile step, the blithesome heart, may mask the sapping operation, and be the signs of the downfall of the edifice. The spark may be the brightest at the moment of extinction; the worm may prey on the root when the blossom is emitting its sweetest fragrance; the core may be decaying when the fruit appears most rich and mellow to the eye. Certainly the period of dissolution cannot be far distant with any one of us. Then this frame which is so "fearfully and wonderfully made;" in which are united and combined into one, so many and such delicate parts; on which the wise and beneficent Creator has impressed such wondrous sensibilities and powers; will return to the dust from which the plastic hands of the Creator first moulded it. Then the close union which has existed between this outward shell and the enshrined spirit, shall be no more; matter shall no longer clog, enfeeble, and circumscribe mind, and mind shall no more be necessitated to use gross, diseased, decaying, dissolving matter as the organ of perception and action. The light will shine as brilliantly as ever, the seasons will return, and the earth will be clothed with its accustomed beauty; the south wind will waft its annual burden of fragrance; the warblers of the wood will send forth their joyous shouts; but the organs for which these were designed to be sources of happiness, have been dissolved. The "dust has returned to the earth as it was; the spirit has returned unto God who gave it." THE HEAVENLY MERCHANDISE. RECOMMENDED AS A PROFITABLE ENTERPRISE FOR THE How many carefully digested schemes of pecuniary speculation have failed during the past year, and what wrecks of individuals, of families, and of companies, are strewed all along its banks; yet the busy men of this busy world are still saying, "Who will show us any good ?" and many are the projects that are doubtless being formed for the new year, which, like those of the past, will engulf multitudes in ruin. "Well," the readers of "The Church" will be ready to say, "and what scheme of profit have you to propose?" The answer is at hand; we propose your joining a company that has been formed for thousands of years, "whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth." In a word, we desire you to seek without delay, the "unsearchable riches of Christ." For, "This is the field where hidden lies, The pearl of price unknown; That merchant is divinely wise, Who makes that pearl his own." Hence our Lord says, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." Permit us, therefore, in order to awaken your interest in this Heavenly Merchandise, to point out to you some of its peculiar advantages; and, It First, It requires no capital of your own to begin with. This is surely an advantage; for it would be of little use, you know, for a merchant to go on to the exchange or the market to purchase any commodity, without the means of paying for it. But over the Royal Gospel Exchange is written, "The poorer the wretch, the welcomer here;" all the rich blessings of grace and glory being provided "without money and without price." is true, the proud heart of man rebels against this merchandise, as Naaman at first despised the remedy prescribed by the prophet, because it was so simple and so free. He had carried with him "ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment," and felt his dignity insulted, that, notwithstanding his rank and riches, he must be healed as a pauper, or return home a leper. After the same manner, also, the Pharisee went to the temple, but his good works were not money" in that market, and therefore he was sent empty away; while the poor publican, who felt himself a ruined bankrupt in the sight of God, "went down to his house justified rather than the other." If, then, you would be "rich towards God,"-if you would be pardoned, justified, sanctified, saved, you must renounce all those "goodly pearls" of self-righteousness in which you have been trusting, and part with all for Christ, the "one pearl of great price." current Second, An excellent bank is provided for you. "The fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ." "For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell," and as all banks issue their promissory notes, so you have many great and precious promises" written by the Holy Spirit, and sealed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and you must make use of these bank notes. If a person of unquestionable opulence should give you a note of hand for a sum of money, you would "He is a man of say, such wealth and integrity that my money is as sure as if I had it in my pocket;" give, then, the same implicit faith to God's promises; you have, under his own hand and seal, "Whoso cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out," "My grace is sufficient for thee," and many more such promises; take them in the hand of faith, plead them in fervent prayer, and you will not be sent empty away. This bank, too, is open at all times, morning, noon, and night, and it can never fail; it was established in the everlasting covenant, and was opened here about six thousand years ago, for the first note was issued immediately after the fall, and although millions have been supplied from it, its riches are undiminished and undiminishable; no extraordinary run upon this bank, such as there was on the day of Pentecost, or as there will be in the latter day glory, will at all shake its stability or affect its resources, for it is the "fulness of Him that filleth all in all." Third,-In this merchandise you are sure of all profit and no loss. This you are aware is more than can be said of any earthly commerce. The vessel may perish at sea. The agent may be unfaithful on land. Or unexpected falls in the market may reduce the rich merchant to a poor beggar. But who ever lost anything by serving Christ? Peter once spoke of the outlay he had made in this merchandise, saying, "Lord, we have left all and followed Thee." But Jesus soon showed him that he was a great gainer thereby, saying, "Verily, I say unto you, there is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come everlasting life." There is a note of hand for you! Oh, then, be entreated this year to trade more largely with Heaven. Correspond with it much by prayer, always be on the exchange and market-place of social and public worship. Be but as diligent as the merchants of this world, and what a prosperous year we shall have! "Our garners will be full, yielding all manner of store; our oxen will be strong to labour; there will be no breaking in, nor going out, and no complaining in our streets;" and it shall be said of the church of Christ, Happy is that people that is in such a case, Happy is that people whose God is the Lord! Fourth,-If you should die this year you will lose nothing, but gain everything by this merchandise. How many during the past year have toiled to accumulate wealth, and may have succeeded; but not being "rich towards God," not being spiritual merchants, seeking the "pearl of great price," have died and left all their riches behind them; and what would it have profited them, even if they had gained the whole world and lost their own souls? Oh, foolish merchants! Oh, miserable traders! Your gains are all over now! While many an humble believer, who ate the bread of penury, many a poor widow in an alms-house, have "died in the Lord," and have entered upon their inheritance above; for through grace they carried on a spiritual traffic, whereby they laid up treasure in heaven," and now they have entered upon the possession of it. So, be it our concern this year, to trade much with that distant land, and then, if death should summon us thither, how cheering will be the thought, that though we are embarking for an unknown country, yet it is a place where we have many friends who are already settled there, so that we shall be, in fact, at home the moment that we enter upon it. Christian brethren! our treasure is on high, let our conversation be there also. Then, "When heaven shall sign our grand release, 66 Bury St. Edmunds. CORNELIUS ELVEN. MISTAKES ON CONVERSION. BY THE REV. JAMES LISTER. A christian church is a society of christians, and as we cannot search the heart, and have no right to search it, we are to believe them to be christians, who give evidence of being renewed in heart. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; all things are become new." If churches receive into their number persons who do not show by their experience and conduct that they are "born again," the glory is departed, and a door opened for declension in doctrine, in order, and moral conduct. But what is conversion? Let me advert to some common errors and mistakes on this subject. I shall state them as briefly, yet as perspicuously, as I can. 1. An infidel may be led to renounce his unbelief and embrace the truth of christianity. This is a great and most beneficial change, and may be eventually a step to his eternal welfare. But a belief of the truth of christianity does not involve either a knowledge of wherein vital godliness lies, nor a cordial submission to evangelical truth. Some superior defences of revelation have been made by writers who have given no proof of personal religion. 2. A man may change his religious views, and remain unconverted. He may quit one department of the visible church and join another. The Churchman may become a Dissenter; the Wesleyan become a Calvinist; the Independent become a Baptist; the Papist become a Protestant: such changes, in perfect sincerity, are not unfrequent, and are beneficial so far as they go, but they do not, in themselves, involve a change of heart, and may be experienced by such as afford no proof of godly fear or love to Jesus Christ. 3. Terrors of conscience are not conversion. They often, indeed generally, more or less attend it. No man can be changed savingly who does not repent of sin, and no repentance can exist without some degree of distress from an awakened conscience. But terrors with great alarm and overwhelming fears often spring only from a clear view of the results of sin and its true wages in the eternal world. Many have been occasionally alarmed by dangerous sickness, or a rousing sermon, or an imminent danger, or a faithful reproof, who have never entered the narrow gate of sincere application to the Saviour. 4. Reform in conduct is not conversion. Conversion does necessarily produce morality, but morality may be found in much loveliness where religion is wanting, nay, where it is neglected, or even rejected. Experimental christians would not readily admit the personal godliness of decided Socinians, while it cannot be questioned that among them, and among those Quakers who are anti-evangelical, fine specimens of correct and high-toned morality abound. Nor is it uncommon (and let us rejoice in the fact) that Temperance Societies have operated in many instances to reform the life, though they have not renovated the inward man. On 5. Delusive experiences have been taken for conversion. One or two specimens may suffice. A person may be deeply impressed with the danger of his state as a sinner, and may be much employed in the use of means for obtaining relief; he reads, prays, attends sermons, meets with serious persons, and devotes time to self-examination and reflection. some occasion, when alone and depressed in spirits, and fearing his unfitness to stand before God's bar, he is anxiously looking round for some gleam of hope. In this state, he hears, or thinks he hears, a voice, saying to him, "Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven." His distress vanishes, and he concludes that he is now in safety with God. Another obtains relief from doubts by a dream. If Scripture authority be admitted, dreams have been employed by Him who knows best how to work on the human heart, to alarm and teach. "In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; then He openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, that he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man "(Job xxxiii. 15-17). The lives of some most eminent servants of the Lord bear ample testimony to the fact, that dreams have been sent to promote their highest interests. John Bunyan and Colonel Gardner are instances. But the abuse to which I refer arises from ignorance or presumption. A man who knows not the method of a sinner's justification before God, a stranger to the wickedness and deceitfulness of his own heart, is concerned for his salvation, and looking after some prop of confidence. He dreams that he has been in heaven and seen its beauty and grandeur; or that he has beheld the Lord on a cross, looking at him affectionately; he awakes, and concludes that the dream is a message from above to assure him of his safe condition. 66 Another obtains peace by the application of some part of holy Scripture to his own circumstances. He opens the sacred volume and his eye fixes on the words, "I am He who blotteth out your sins," or, Come, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as wool." It is not the view here given of the character of the God of salvation, or any impulse by the words whereby the reader is led to Jesus, which becomes the spring of eventual comfort. No, it is the fact that the words have presented themselves to the mind, and laid hold of it. This is the ground of hope. 6. Excited feelings may be put for a saving change. A revival has taken place. The gospel is preached faithfully and earnestly, providences are sanctified, the chapel or church is crowded, many are constantly affected, and sinners are drawn to Christ from different classes, and probably from the relatives and friends of the individual. His feelings being strongly roused, and having found no satisfaction in the ways of sin, or folly, or irreligion, and believing these converts to have attained true comfort in their surrender to God and his ways, he decides to follow their example, and to unite with the people of Christ. He does so, he is received, and conceives that all is right. But alas, he has never been brought off from self-dependence, and built exclusively on the Redeemer. His joys soon vanish, and he withereth away. 7. False foundations may be laid, on which a man may repose his trust, and neglect genuine conversion. Many who have the Scriptures in their hands, and who should know at least the elements of Gospel truth, are so far mistaken as to ascribe a saving efficacy to the participation of christian ordinances-Baptism and the Lord's Supper. The writer does not refer to baptismal regeneration as connected with the application of water to an infant in the name of the Trinity. He refers to such as connect salvation and pardon with submission to baptism by an adult, on the confession that "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." The writer knows those who thus confine salvation to those who have been immersed on a simple profession of their crediting Jesus to be the true Messiah, the Son of God. And how many are there who believe all to be right, if they can, by various arguments, induce themselves to come forward to the Table of the Lord. The value of decision depends entirely on the views and motives by which it is regulated. No substitute can be provided for conversion, or, in other words, for repentance towards God on account of sin, for faith in Christ for his salvation, and for a surrender, on these grounds, to the service of the Redeemer. |