Benefits.-Loving Christ for His We ought to beware of speaking against loving Christ for His benefits; for the glory of God is eminently displayed in those benefits; and it is in these that He Himself is manifested to us. With what complacency the Apostle Paul speaks of "the unsearchable riches of Christ ;" and how he gives thanks on behalf of the Colossians for "the hope which is laid up" for them in heaven! Observe, too, the language of the prodigal :-" How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!" And listen to the Lord's own invitation:-"Ho every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price!" Christ Himself may really be loved for His divine excellencies which appear in His gracious actings toward us.-Dr. Love. Benevolence.-The Benefits of Benevolence.-The Sources of A moral man and a true Christian may both give something to the poor; but the benevolence of the one may proceed from a natural generosity of spirit, while that of the other comes from a sense of divine favour and bounty already bestowed upon himself.-BOGATZKY. Benevolence.-The Universal Law of "Not for ourselves, but for others "-is the grand law of nature, inscribed by the hand of God on every part of creation. Not for itself, but others, does the sun dispense its beams; not for themselves, but others, do the clouds distil their showers; not for herself, but others, does the earth do the trees produce their fruits, or the flowers diffuse their fragrance and display their various hues. unlock her treasures; not for themselves, but others, So, not for himself, but others, are the blessings of heaven bestowed on man; and whenever, instead of diffusing them around, he devotes them It may indeed happen that the effort of benevo- exclusively to his own gratification, and shuts lence may not benefit those for whom it was in- himself up in the dark and flinty caverns of selfishtended; but, when wisely directed, it must benefitness, he transgresses the great law of creation-he the person from whom it emanates. Good and friendly conduct may meet with an unworthy and ungrateful return; but the absence of gratitude on the part of the receiver cannot destroy the selfapprobation which recompences the giver; and we may scatter the seeds of courtesy and kindliness around us at so little expense. Some of them will inevitably fall on good ground, and grow up into benevolence in the minds of others; and all of them will bear fruit of happiness in the bosom whence they spring. Once blest are all the virtues always-twice blest sometimes.—Bentham. Benevolence-Defined. Benevolence-the minister of God.-CARLYLE. Benevolence.-The Faculty of Each one of our faculties, when well cultivated, becomes an interpreter of God, a window through which we can look out and see God. Take benevolence; in its natural state 'tis mere good nature, not much of a window then; but when you have exercised and trained it, until you see the interest of another lying side by side on the same plane with yours, and can choose that first, doing good to another rather than to yourself; when you give up rest, and comfort, and health itself; when you uncomplainingly endure martyrdom and crucifixion for the sake of your nervous, and sick, and fretful children, who have wound you up and run you down, and almost worn you out, then your benevolence shows you what kind of feeling was Christ's when He suffered and died for you. — BEECHER. cuts himself off from the created universe and its Author-he sacrilegiously converts to his own use the favours which were given him for the relief of others, and must be considered, not only as an unprofitable, but as a fraudulent servant, who has worse than wasted his lord's money. He who thus lives only to himself, and consumes the bounty of Heaven upon his lusts, or consecrates it to the demon of avarice, is a barren rock in a fertile plain, he is a thorny bramble in a fruitful vineyard, the grave of God's blessings, the very Arabia Deserta of the moral world! And if he is highly exalted in wealth or power, he stands, inaccessible and strong, like an insulated towering cliff, which exhibits only a cold and cheerless prospect, intercepts the genial beams of the sun, chills the vale below with its gloomy shade, adds fresh keenness to the freezing blast, and tempts down the lightnings of angry Heaven. How different this from the gently rising hill, clothed to its summit with fruits and flowers, which attracts and receives the dews of heaven, and retaining only sufficient to maintain its fertility, sends the remainder, in a thousand streams, to bless the vales which lie at its feet!Dr. PAYSON. Benevolent.-The Manifestative Attributes of the The truly benevolent can no more hide the attributes of moral beauty than the star its lustre, or the rose its fragrance. They will sound in their conversation, breathe in their spirit, and shine in their deeds. The life of love has many blossoms, whose hues and fragrance are ever delightful to the moral heart of humanity.-Dr. THOMAS. Bereavement.-The Cause of We clutch our joys as children do their flowers; rare, And crushed their dewy beauty unaware; But the wise Gardener, whose they were, comes At hours when we expect not, and with eye Bereavement.-Counsel under -CRAIK. Bereavement.-The Lights and Shadows of There are lights amidst shadows; hence we cannot doubt that, at the great day of account of the human race, it will be found that multitudes will trace back their salvation to that bereavement in early life, the consequences of which seemed so sad. They were thrown by it amidst holy influences, they were restrained by it from evil excesses. The first they would have scorned to company with, and into the last they would have plunged, but for the dark shadow that crossed the threshold of their home. And if bereavement has taken away the godly influence of a parent from many a home, it has frequently taken away from children the ungodly influence of an unholy parent. There are such truisms as these uttered in this fallen world :-"Their mother was always anxious for her children's salvation, and they have turned out well; but had their father lived, it is to be feared she would never have had the influence over them for good which she has had." Or a reverse picture is presented, in which the father was the minister for good to his offspring, and the ungodly mother's removal from earth justly esteemed a blessing to them. Such truisms illustrate that bereavement, if it have many shadows, it has also many lights. -VANDERKISTE. Bereavement.-The Night-Sense of Once in my dwelling heard; In dreams of night on each I call- And waken to my own wild cry You have lost relatives; nay, they are not lost to you who are found to Christ; they are sent away, but only sent before; like unto a star, which, going out of sight, doth not die and vanish, but shineth in another hemisphere, ye see them not, yet they shine in another country. If their glass were but a short hour, what they wanted of time that they have gotten of eternity; and ye have to rejoice that ye have now some plenishing up in heaven. Build your nest upon no tree here; for Bereavement.-Resigned under ye see God hath sold the forest to Death; and every tree whereupon we would rest, is ready to be cut down, to the end that we may flee and mount up, and build upon the Rock, and dwell in the holes of the Rock.-RUTHERFORD. Bereavement.-The Design of When engineers would bridge a stream, they often carry over at first but a single cord; with that, next they stretch a wire across; then strand is added to strand, until a foundation is laid for planks; and now the bold engineer finds safe footway, and walks from side to side. So God takes from us some golden-threaded pleasure, and stretches it hence into heaven; then He takes a child, then a friend; thus He bridges death, and teaches the thoughts of the most timid to find their way hither and thither between the shores. BEECHER. "Where are ye, my beloved?"—HEMANS. My friend is taken away, and with him all my joys have departed; new cares rush on, new troubles beat against me, and on all sides I am environed by perplexities, and alone; and alone I groan under the burden. Nevertheless, it is fit I should live, though in sadness and bitterness; yet I repine not. The Lord hath shown Himself at He hath taken away that which belonged to Him. once just and merciful: He hath given to us, and Now my tears put an end to my words; and I pray Thee teach me to put an end to my tears.-St. BERNARD. Bible.-An Address to the O Book-infinite sweetness! let my heart To clear the breast, to molify all pain: How delightful this Bible looks to me when I see the blood of Christ sprinkled upon it! Every leaf would have flashed with the lightnings of Sinai, and every verse would have rolled with the thunders of Horeb, if it had not been for the cross of Calvary. Because we are sprinkled with that same blood, and know, by faith in Him, that "He loved us, and gave Himself for us," we can, therefore, take that precious Book, and find it to be green pastures and still waters to our souls.— SPURGEON. Bible.--Christ in the Every part of this blessed Book is inlaid with Christ.-Dr. CUMMING. The Bible, I say, the Bible only, is the religion of Protestants. Whatsoever else they believe beside it, and the plain, irrefragable, indubitable consequences of it, well may they hold as a matter of opinion; but as matter of faith and religion, neither can they with coherence to their own grounds believe it themselves, nor require the belief of it of others, without most high and most schismatical presumption. I, for my part, after a long and (as I verily believe and hope) impartial search of the true way to eternal happiness, do profess plainly that I cannot find any rest for the sole of my foot but upon this rock only. This, therefore, and this only, I have reason to believe; this I will profess, according to this I will live, and for this, if there The Bible is a precious storehouse, and the be occasion, I will not unwillingly, but even gladly Magna Charta of a Christian. There he reads of lose my life, though I should be sorry that Chris- his heavenly Father's love, and of his dying Satians should take it from me. Propose me any-viour's legacies. There he sees a map of his trathing out of this Book, and require whether I believe or no, and, seem it never so incomprehensible to human reason, I will subscribe it with hand and heart, as knowing no demonstration can be stronger than this-God hath said so, therefore it is true.-CHILLINGWORTH. Bible.-Belief in the If there is one fact, or doctrine, or promise in the Bible, which has produced no practical effect upon your temper or conduct, be assured that you do not truly believe it.-Dr. PAYSON. Bible.-The Best Way to Learn the Learn the Bible through the Bible, the Old through the New Testament; either can only be understood by the needs of thy heart.-De MULLER. Bible.-Blessings Derived from the Lamp of our feet, whereby we trace Our path when wont to stray; When waves would whelm our tossing bark, Bible.-The Christian and the vels through the wilderness, and a landscape, too, of Canaan. And when he climbs on Pisgah's summit, and views the Promised Land, his heart begins to burn, delighted with the blessed prospect, and amazed at the rich and free salvation. But a mere professor, though a decent one, looks on the Bible as a dull book, and peruseth it with such indifference as you would read the title-deeds belonging to another man's estate. -Berridge. A living, breathing Bible; tables where His life a commentary on the text : -WOODBRIDge. Bible.-The Companionship of the By opening this volume we may at any time walk in the garden of Eden with Adam; sit in the ark with Noah; share the hospitality or witness the faith of Abraham; ascend the Mount of God with Moses; unite in the sacred devotions of David, or listen to the eloquent and impassioned address of Paul. Nay, more, we may here con of the verse with Him who spake as never man spake; Bible.-The Divine and Human Characteristics participate with the spirits of the just made perfect in the employment and happiness of heaven; and enjoy sweet communion with the Father of our spirits through His Son Jesus Christ. Such is the society to which the Scriptures introduce us; such the examples which they present to our imitation.-Dr. PAYSON. Bible.-Converse with God in the Like Immanuel, it is full of grace and truth; at once in the bosom of God and in the heart of man; mighty and sympathizing; heavenly and of the earth; sublime and lowly; awful and familiar; God and man!-Prof. GAUSSEN. The fears of the general class of Christians are In books I converse with men; in the Bible I concerned about the superstructure of religion; converse with God.-ROMAINE. Bible. The Death-Hour and the In that last hour take from me my pillow, take away all soothing draughts, take away the faces of family and kindred, take away every helping hand and every consoling voice; alone let me die on the mountain on a bed of rock, covered only by a sheet of embroidered frost, under the slap of the night-wind, and breathing out my life on the bosom of the wild wintry blast, rather than in that last hour take from me my Bible !-Dr. TALMAGE. Bible.-Delight in the When quiet in my house I sit, Thy book is my companion still; Oh may the reconciling word While, on the bosom of my Lord, And visions of eternal day !-C. WESLEY. Bible.-Denial in Relation to the In order to read the Bible with profit, we must begin by denying ourselves every step of the way; for, every step of the way, it will be found to oppose our corrupt nature.-CECIL. Bible.-The Design of the The Bible is at once the deepest, the most poetical, the most philosophical, and most argumentative, and the simplest book in the universe. It comes from Him who made man in all his parts; it speaks to man therefore in all his modes of apprehension. But it speaks for a profoundly practical purpose-not to amuse--inflate-astonish--but save him. Hence, no jingling of words -no criticism-no parade of thought or learning -no curious questions-no technical logic. The result is plain the Bible was not made for "the schools;" and the schools, as such, have never liked it.-E. YOUNG. but those of speculative minds chiefly relate to the foundation. The less thinking man doubts whether he is on the foundation; he whose mind is of a more intellectual turn doubts concerning the foundation itself. I have met with many of these speculative cases. Attacks of this nature are generally sudden. A suspicion will, by surprise, damp the heart; and, for a time, will paint the Bible as a fable. I have found it useful, on such occasions, to glance over the whole thread of Scripture. The whole, presented in such a view, brings back the mind to its proper tone; the indelible characters of simplicity and truth impress with irresistible effect that heart which can discern them as having once felt them.-CECIL. Bible.-Duty Marked out by the The Bible-the gift which is free alike to the poor and the rich, the unlearned and the learned, the simple and the wise, to subjects and to rulers -the Bible, with equal clearness and power, marks out the line of duty which every man should pursue in that state of life to which it may please God to call him. There we find golden rules for a good and righteous life, in sickness and in health, in riches and in poverty, in lowliness and in power. -J. A. JAMES. Bible.-The Emotional Character of the Love in all its effects, ecstasies, and tyrannies is described by Solomon; despair in its inconceivable terrors is set forth by David; sorrow in all its affecting pathos is set forth by Jeremiah, in strains which astonish and transport us. One would think that every letter was wrote with a tear, every word was the sound of a breaking heart; that the author was a man made up of sorrows, actually disciplined to grief from his infancy; one who never breathed but sighs, nor spoke but in a groan !-HENRY SMITH. Bible.—The Enjoyment of the Let our enjoyment of the Bible, as the spiritual barometer-the pulse of the soul, accurately mark our progress or decline in the divine life. With our advancement in spiritual health, the Bible will be increasingly sweet to our taste, while our de clension will be marked by a corresponding abate-trial. All the saints are indeed described as rement in our love for it, and perception of its joicing, but then they are said to be "rejoicing in delights.-BRIDGES. Bible.-Experience Dependent on the If we want to be healthy, useful, joyful Christians, the Bible must be the chief part of our library; if we want to gather honey against wintry seasons, this must be our Paradise among whose flowers we must be busy; if we want tried gold and purified silver, here are the true mines to get wealth untold. Here are concentrated all the objects of faith, of hope, and of love, and all the elements of prayer; none of the three former can exist without their objects, nor the latter flourish without its subjects; and the Bible is the rich cabinet in which the objects of faith and hope and love are hung in all their freshness, wealth, and glory, and the full inventory or catalogue where every subject of prayer may be found for our assistance.-HELY SMITH. Bible.-God's Thoughts in the Thy thoughts are here, my God, Across the ages they Have reached us from afar; Than the bright gold more golden they, More durable they stand Than the eternal hills; Far sweeter and more musical Than music of earth's rills. Thine, Thine, this Book, though given tribulation."-C. BRADLEY. Bible.-Indebtedness to the All other books, which relate to the science of divinity, have grown directly out of this. They are expositions of its teaching, or formularies of its doctrines; commentaries on its meaning, or exhortations based upon its precepts; treatises on its idiom, or discussions of its difficulties; unfoldings of its prophecies, or helps to its correct understanding. They all point back to the Bible; appeal to it, refer to it, submit themselves to its decision. From this celestial armoury the minister of Christ derives all his weapons; at home and abroad, from what is here revealed he makes himself and others "wise unto salvation." Not afraid to profess ignorance of any other book, about this he may on no account make so fatal an admission as that he is but slenderly informed.-Dean BURGON. Bible.-The Inexhaustibleness of the The very idea of such a book, which is for all men, and for all the life of every man, is that it should have treasures which it does not give up at once, secrets which it yields slowly, and only to those that are its intimates. With rich waving harvests on its surface, but with precious veins of metal hidden far below, and to be attained only by search and labour, nothing would be so fatal to its lasting influence, to the high purposes which it is meant to serve, as for any to be able to feel that he had used it up, that he had worked it through, that henceforth it had no "fresh" or "pastures new" to which to invite him to-morrow. Even where this did not utterly repel him, where he maintained the study of this book as a com Beyond all human reach.-Dr. H. BONAR. manded duty, his chief delight and satisfaction in Bible. The Holy Spirit and the If we look at a sun-dial we may understand the use and import of the figures, yet can we not attain a knowledge of the time unless the sun shine upon it. So is it with respect to the Bible; we may understand the general meaning of the words, yet can we not receive its spiritual instruction unless we have that unction of the Holy One whereby we may know all things. The words of Christ are spirit and life.-SIMEON. Bible.-The Honesty of the The Bible does not attempt to cheat us into a profession of religion by false representations. It promises us happiness in heaven, and many joys in the road which leads to it; but, at the same time, it plainly tells us that this road is a path of the handling of it would have departed; he no The Bible alone, of all books in the world, addresses itself to the whole man. It exercises his memory, strengthens his reason, controls his passions, informs his judgment, regulates his conscience, sanctifies his will, enlivens his fancy, warms his imagination, cherishes his affections, stimulates his practice, quickens his hope, and animates his faith.-Bp. WORDSWORTH. Bible.-An Inscription for a Within this awful volume lies |