liberties. The records of false religion, from the Koran to the Book of Mormon, have owned its superiority and surreptitiously purloined its jewels. Among the Christian classics, it loaded the treasures of Owen, charged the fulness of Hooker, barbed the point of Baxter, gave colours to the palette and sweep to the pencil of Bunyan, enriched the fragrant fancy of Taylor, sustained the loftiness of Howe, and strung the plummet of Edwards. In short, this collection of artless lives and letters has changed the face of the world, and ennobled myriads of its population.-Dr. EADIE. Bible.-The Value of the Of all the books which God has bestowed on this apostate and orphaned creation, we are bound to say that the Bible is the noblest and most precious. We bring not into comparison, with this illustrious donation, the glorious sun of light, nor the rich sustenance which is poured forth from the storehouses of the earth, nor that existence itself which allows us, though dust, to soar into companionship with angels. The Bible is the development of man's immortality-the guide which informs him how to move cff triumphantly from a contracted and temporary scene, and grasp the destinies of unbounded splendour-eternity his life-time, and infinity his home. It is the record which tells us that this rebellious section of God's unlimited empire is not excluded from making comparisons; and that the creatures who move upon its surface, though they have basely sepulchred in sinfulness and corruption the magnificence of their nature, are yet so precious and dear to Him who first formed them, that He hath bowed down the heavens in order to open their graves. Oh! you have only to think what a change would pass on the aspect of our race if the Bible were suddenly withdrawn, and all remembrance of it swept away, and you arrive at some faint notion of the worth of the volume. Take from Christendom the Bible, and you have taken the moral chart by which alone its population can be guided. Ignorant of the nature of God, and only guessing at their own immortality, the tens of thousands would be as mariners tossed on a wide ocean, without a pole-star, and without a compass. The blue lights of the storm-fiend would burn even in the shrouds; and when the tornado of death rushes across the waters, there would be heard nothing but the shriek of the terrified, and the groan of the despairing. It were to mantle the earth with a more than Egyptian darkness; it were to dry up the fountain of human happiness; it were to take the tides from our waters, and leave them stagnant, and the stars from our heavens, and leave them in sackcloth, and the verdure from our valleys, and leave them in barrenness; it were to make the present all recklessness, and the future all hopelessness, the maniac's revelry and the fiend's imprisonment, if you could annihilate that precious volume, which tells us of God and of Christ, and unveils immortality, and instructs in duty and woos to glory! Such is the Bible. Prize ye it, and study it more and more. Prize it as ye are mortal beings-for it guides to the New Jerusalem. Prize it, as ye are intellectual beings-for it "giveth understanding to the simple."-Canon MELVILL. Bible.-Victory Obtained by the The Bible is the arsenal for God's warriors, the spiritual armoury whose walls are overlaid with shields and coats of mail, and glisten and flash with swords and spears. Every one who has at any time gained a spiritual victory, has armed himself here for the strife. Whenever a spiritual Goliath has fallen to the earth defeated, the smooth stones which shattered his temples were here selected. He who frequents this armoury will give the devil something to do. Satan dreads these weapons of the Divine Word, and ever since the world began has been considering how he might empty or close up this armoury of the Scriptures, spike this dangerous artillery, and shiver these lances.-Dr. KRUMMACHER. Bible.-Withholding the Would I withhold the Bible from the cottager and the artizan? Heaven forefend! The fairest flower that ever clomb up a cottage window is not so fair a sight to my eyes as the Bible gleaming through the lower panes. Let it but be read as by such men it used to be read, when they came to it as to a ground covered with manna, even the bread which the Lord had given for His people to eat. They came to it as to a treasure-house, each visitant taking what was precious, and leaving as precious for others.-S. T. COLERIDGE, Bible.—Wonders in the How can it be but that we rejoice and take delight to see so many, so great, so marvellous, so heavenly, and so glorious wonders in one heap all together? How far would we ride, or go, to see the triumph of a mortal king? Here is to be seen the triumph of God--the Lord of lords, and the King of kings; how He hath made the name of His Son triumph over principalities and powers, and over the whole world. Here is a Paradise full of delights; no tongue is able to speak them, they are so many; no heart is able to conceive them, they be so great. Here is a shop wherein is set out the wisdom and knowledge, the power, the judgments, and mercies of God. Which way soever we look, we see the works of His hands; His works of creation and preservation of all things; Bible.-The Writers of the If we had had the writing of the Bible we would have said-"Let one man write it. If you have thirty men to write a poem, or make a statute, or write a history, or make an argument, there will be flaws and contradictions." But God says"Let not one man do it, but forty men shall do it." And they did, differing enough to show there had been no collusion between them, but not contradicting each other on any important point, while they all wrote from their own stand-point and temperament; so that the matter-of-fact man has his Moses; the romantic nature his Ezekiel; the epigrammatic his Solomon; the warrior his Joshua; the sailor his Jonah; the loving his John; the logician his Paul. Instead of this Bible, — instead of the Bible that the child can carry to school-instead of the little Bible the sailor can put in his jacket when he goes to sea-if it had been left to men to write, it would have been a thousand volumes, judging from the amount of ecclesiastical controversy which has arisen. God's way is infinitely best.-Dr. TALMAGE. Bible.-The Wrongs of the nought, and utterly disregard me. I came, the fulness of the knowledge of God: angels delighted in my company, and desired to dive into my secrets. But ye, mortals, place masters, over me, subjecting me to the discipline and dogmatism of men, and tutoring me in your schools of learning. I came not to be silent in your dwellings, but to speak welfare to you and your children. I came to rule, and my throne to set up in the heart of men. Mine ancient residence was the bosom of God; no resi. dence will I have but the soul of an immortal; and if you had entertained me, I should have possessed you of the peace which I had with God when I was with Him, and was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him. Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear cometh; when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you; then they shall cry unto me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me!""-E. IRVING. Bigotry—Cursed. O love-destroying, cursèd Bigotry! Cursed in heaven, but cursed more in hell, Bigotry.-Persons Distinguished for The persons whose tempers are peculiarly distinguished for bigotry are those who have drunk most sparingly of the water of life. It is generally young, weak, self-sufficient converts, who are anxious that their zeal should be made known. The more fully men become acquainted with the Oh if books had but tongues to speak their truths of the Sacred Volume, and imbibe its benewrongs, then might this book well exclaim-volent and gentle spirit, the more fully will they "Hear, O heavens! and give ear, O earth! I came feel the force of the assertion-that "the kingdom from the love and embrace of God, and mute of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, nature, to whom I brought no boon, did me rightful and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." The homage. To man I came, and my words were to more fully that men discover the infirmities and the children of men. I disclosed to you the blemishes of their own characters, the more will mysteries of hereafter, and the secrets of the throne they see the necessity of forbearing one another in of God. I set open to you the gates of salvation, love-of "following after the things which make and the way of eternal life, heretofore unknown. | for peace, and things wherewith one may edify Nothing in heaven did I withhold from your hope another."-BISSLAND. and ambition; and upon your earthly lot I poured the full horn of divine providence and consolation. But ye requited me with no welcome, ye held no festivity on my arrival; ye sequester me from happiness and heroism, closeting me with sickness and infirmity; ye make not of me, nor use me for your guide to wisdom and prudence, but press me into your list of duties, and withdraw me to a mere corner of your time; and most of ye set me at Biography.—Advice concerning My advice is to consult the lives of other men as we would a looking-glass, and from them fetch examples for our own imitation.—TERENce. Biography.-Christ's The biographies of others are valuable-the serviceableness or practical worth of them comes out-when the persons are themselves with us no more; when personal fellowship with them has henceforth become impossible in this world. Christ's biography, terminating as it does, with the astonishing assertion-“Lo! I am with you alway," seems to be the very means whereby we are consciously admitted to His presence, and enabled to maintain with Him a personal and living intercourse. I take up the memoir of any other friend with the melancholy feeling-Alas! he is gone, and this is all that remains; and as I look upon it or peruse it, it reminds me of my loss, and makes me feel my brother's absence. But this memoir I may rather take into my hand as the means of causing me to realize my Elder Brother's presence; for it breathes the closing promise that He will never leave me.-H. MARTIN. Biography.-The Pen of The feather whence the pen I think that, next to the Bible, the lives of God's dear people—their Christian experience and dealings of God with their souls, is most profitable. It stirs one up to diligence, and to press forward to great things. I have felt more than ever, since I read the labours of an eminently devoted saint, what a poor unprofitable servant I am, and have been led to cry to the Lord for more of the mighty influence of His Holy Spirit.-M. WINSLOW. Bird.-A Holy Lesson from a And now as fresh and cheerful as the light, All things that be praise Him; and had Birth.-The Excellencies of the New It is a fine thing to see the light of the sun, and it is pleasant to see the storm allayed and turned into a smooth sea and a fresh gale; our eyes are pleased to see the earth begin to live, and to produce her little issues with party-coloured coats. Nothing is so beauteous as to see a new birth in a childless family; and it is excellent to hear a man discourse the hidden things of nature, and unriddle the perplexities of human notices and mistakes; it is comely to see a wise man sit in the gates of the city, and give right judgment in difficult causes; but all this is nothing to the excellencies of a new birth; to see the old man carried forth to funeral with the solemn tears of repentance, and buried in the grave of Jesus; and in his place a new creation to arise, a new heart and a new understanding, and new affections, and excellent appetites !-Bp. TAYLOR. Birth.-The Joy of the New When man is born anew, While angel-harps rejoice in heaven! Birth.-Proof of the New -GRINFIELD. How shall I know that I am born of God? Our Lord gives a more infallible proof than if an angel from heaven had answered you :-" He who is of God heareth God's words." He understands, believes, and loves them. Mind how God Himself honours His own Word of Inspiration when He spoke from heaven this testimony of Jesus"This is My beloved Son, in whom I am wellpleased: hear ye Him." He uses the words of During the heats of summer, when the rest of the feathered tribe betake themselves to the shade for coolness, the bird of prey mounts above the clouds, and there continues hovering and fluttering till the evening, in order to cool and refresh the heat of its blood. In this let it be a pattern to us all. When the fire of tribulation rages, and when inward or outward cares exhaust our strength, let as direct our thoughts to heaven, and in spirit and faith soar with our heart to God. This is the best of all refreshments for the weary soul.-three Old Testament texts :-"This is My Son "SCRIVER. Bird.-A Morning Address to a Hither thou com'st. The busy wind all night Thy pillow was; and many a sullen storm, Rained on thy bed, (Ps. ii. 7); "in whom I am delighted "-(Is. xlii. 1); "hear ye Him"-(Deut. xviii. 15). Here is both proof of the divinity of Scripture and of your being of God, if you receive God's testimony into your heart by faith; for "whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Son of God is born of God." This precious truth, received and dwelling in the conscience by the power of the Spirit, inspires the heart with heavenly love, animates the soul with joyful hope, and influences the life to all holy obedience.-W. MASON. Birth.-Things Worthy of the New Our spiritual extraction from Him is pretended unless we do things worthy of so illustrious a birth, and becoming the honour of so great a Father. CHARNOCK. Birth.-Young Christians and the New The earlier the new birth, the weightier will be the glory in the kingdom of God. Young Christians regenerated, and enabled to bear head against the temptations of their violent natures, shall have crowns set with more jewels; they shall have "an abundant entrance."-CHARNOCK. Births.-Man's Three Man is made capable of three births: by nature he enters into the present world; by grace into spiritual light and life; by death into glory.J. NEWTON. Bishop.-The Duty of a Blessed.-The Who are the blessed? They who have kept their sympathies awake, cease, Whose smile is pleasant, and whose words are They who have lived as harmless as the dove, Blessed.-Fearing to be As to religious affairs, he cannot but take an active part in them, but let that always be the part of a Christian, not that of a mere Churchman; let him never forget the insufficiency of human knowledge and wisdom; and therefore let him be meek, and liberal, and tolerant to other I never find-Blessed be the rich; or-Blessed | confessions; but let him never forget that he is a be the noble; but-Blessed be the meek, blessed representative of the Church of the land, the main-be the poor, blessed be the mourners. And yet, tenance of which is as important to the country as that of its constitution or its throne. Conscious that the Church has duties to perform, that it does not exist for itself but for the people, and that it ought to have no higher aim than to be the Church of the people, let the bishop show the zeal and eagerness of the Church to stretch her powers and capabilities to the utmost for the fulfilment of her sacred duties to the people, in ministering and teaching.-Prince ALBERT. Bishop.-The Pre-Eminent Curist, and Christ alone, is pre-eminently the true Bishop; for the Infallible Book denominates Him "the Shepherd and Bishop" of a world "of souls," whom He so loved as to give the ransom of His own life for their life.-Dr. DAVIES. Blasphemy.--The Crime of Blasphemy is a crime that aims at God, but does its chief harm to the one that fires it off. So I compare it to a piece of imperfect fire-arms to which the marksman puts his eye, and, pulling the trigger, by the rebound finds himself in the dust. -Dr. TALMAGE. Blasphemy.-The Heinous Sin of To blaspheme the Holy Ghost is to attribute His operations to the devil.-St. BASIL. O God, most carry themselves as if they not only not desired but even feared to be blest !-G. HERBERT. Blessed.—The Fewness of the if If we could see things as they are; if we were not deceived by the masquerade of this poor life; if we were not so easily taken in by the masks and dresses of those who act in this great drama; we could but see what the men are behind the scenes, penetrate their hearts, watch the inner motions, and discern their inner feelings, we should find but few who could bear the name "blessed.” -SPURGEON. If I am allowed to give a metaphorical allusion to the future state of the blessed, I should image it by the orange grove in that sheltered glen on which the sun is now beginning to shine, and of which the trees are at the same time loaded with sweet golden fruit and balmy silver flowers. Such objects may well pourtray a state in which hope and fruition become one eternal feeling.-Davy. Blessedness.-The Actual Possession of The furthest that any of the philosophers went in the discovery of blessedness, was to pronounce that no man could be called blessed before his death; not that they had found what kind of better blessedness they went to after death, but that till death they were sure every man was subject to new miseries. The Christian philosophy goes farther; it shows a more perfect blessedness than they conceived for the next life, and it imparts that blessedness to this life also. The pure in heart are blessed already, not only comparatively that they are in a better way of blessedness than others are, but actually in present possession of it; for this world and the next are not to the pure in heart two homes, but two rooms-a gallery to pass through and a lodging to rest in-in the same house, which are both under one roof, Christ Jesus. So the joy, and the sense of salvation, which the pure in heart have here, is not a joy severed from the joy of heaven, but a joy that begins in us here, and continues and accompanies us thither, and there flows on and dilates itself to an infinite expansion.--Dr. DONNE. Blessedness.-Moments of There are blessed moments in which the soul, by converse with Christ and His eternal kingdom, has such views-that the whole world below seems but one noisy impertinence! Blessed moment— not far off when I shall behold His glory, "And flesh and sin no more control Blessing. The Certainty of a If what I wish is good And suits the will divine, By earth and hell in vain withstood, They cannot keep a blessing back Blessing.-The Change of -C. WESLEY. It is a true rule in divinity-that God never takes away any blessing from His people but He gives them a better. When Elijah was taken from Elisha into heaven, God doubled His Spirit upon Elisha; the disciples parted with Christ's bodily presence, but He sent them the Holy Ghost.-Dr. SIEBES. Blessing.-Christ's Christ blesses us as did the priests of old; and His blessing is not bare words, like the blessing of a man, but a real communication of spiritual gifts.-PICTET. Blessing.-The Measure of God's As, when our infant children are garnered in our bosoms, we do not bless them according to their capacity of asking, but according to the wealth of affection that is in our hearts for them, so does God, lifting us up and looking in our faces, bless us, not so much by what we need to receive, as by what He hath to give. Clouds never send down to ask the grass and plants below how much they need; they rain for the relief of their own full bosoms.—BEECHER. Blessings.-The Appreciation of They who have rarest joys know joy's true measure; They who most suffer value suffering's pause; They who but seldom taste the simplest pleasure, Kneel oftenest to the Giver and the Cause. -NORTON. Blessings.-Believers' There is a blessing from God in the health of our bodies and in the comforts of our homes, in the bounty of the seasons and the variety of our pleasures; but believers in Christ tenderly and adoringly acknowledge far other blessings than these. Our earthly blessings are but the shadows of blessings. True, they win upon our hearts; we are held by them as in a delicious snare; but while we dream of manifold delights, the withering season has already commenced, and the hour hastens which will see us stript and brokenhearted. Our Father's blessings in Christ will never wither, will never leave us. All that the Father hath are His, and what is His is ours. A great welcome and a home await us in the heavenlies; our fortune is made; all the angels are our friends. The life of the Son of God in us is the key that will open all the secrets of wisdom and glory. In His life all things are ours.-Dr. PULSFORD. |