serve, no piety to be exercised. So little worth a wise man's regard, common sense hath adjudged it to live without religion. Learn hence how extreme is the folly of atheism.-Dr. BARROW. Atheism.-Modern beginning! These things are so against philosophy and natural reason, that he must needs be a beast in his understanding that does not assent to them. This is the atheist :-"The fool hath said in his heart-There is no God:" that is his character. The thing framed says that nothing framed it; the tongue never made itself to speak, and yet talks against Him that did; saying that which is made Atheism is a characteristic of our day. On the sentiments, manners, pursuits, amusements, and dealings of the great body of mankind, there is-is, and that which made it-is not! But this written in broad characters-" without God in the world!"-CECIL. Atheist.-The Creed of the The work of demolishing things esteemed sacred, has advanced so far as to leave nothing more for the destroyer to do. He has reached the dreary brink from which many destroyers, by no means craven-hearted, have shrunk back. And from that bad pre-eminence he looks upward to the heavens, vacant at first in his wishes, and now in his creed, and with as much boldness as if he had travelled through the realms of space and beheld all dark and desolate, says—“There is no God." He looks down to the gulf of annihilation, and, amid the troubles of his godless existence, feels something like a morbid satisfaction in the thought that the grave is an eternal sleep, and the present scene the whole of man. He looks abroad upon the mass of human society, ill at ease, and yearning after an enjoyment that it has never found, and to the question-"Who will show us any good?" he has only one answer-"Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die." No religion is his religion. And he struggles, against the expirings of his better self, to rest in the dark dogma that the highest being is man.-T. PEARSON. Atheist.-The Folly of the folly is as infinite as hell, as much without light or bound as the chaos or primitive nothing!-Bp. TAYLOR. The Lord's people are the Atlasses of their several ages, and keep the wrath of God from falling down upon their particular nation.GURNALL, Who in the world is a verier fool, a more ignorant, wretched person, than he that is an atheist? A man may better believe there is no such man as himself, and that he is not in being, than that Atonement.—Believers in Relation to the there is no God; for himself can cease to be, and once was not, and shall be changed from what he is, and in very many periods of his life knows not that he is; and so it is every night with him when he sleeps; but none of these can happen to God; and if he knows it not, he is a fool. Can any thing in this world be more foolish than to think that all this rare fabric of heaven and earth can come by chance, when all the skill of art is not able to make an oyster? To see rare effects and no cause; an excellent government and no prince; a motion without an immoveable; a circle without a centre; a time without eternity; a second with out a first; a thing that begins not from itself, and therefore not to perceive there is something from whence it does begin, which must be without Were believers more fully acquainted with the infinite efficacy of the Saviour's atonement, their dependence on Him would be more steady, and their love to Him would be more fervent; and, were this the case, how patient would they be under all their afflictions-how thankful in all their enjoyments-how ardent in all their devotions-how holy in all their conversation—how peaceful and spiritual in their minds-how joyful in the prospect of death and of a future world! Then would their lives be useful to others, and happy to themselves. The Saviour's purchase of them, by a price so great as His own most precious blood, would be the fact upon which they would chiefly delight to think and meditate.— DENTON. Atonement.-The Blessed Effects of the It It The atonement is the believer's breath of life. He cannot take a step, he cannot speak a word, he cannot feel an emotion in religion without it. It tempers all his hopes, his fears, his faith. governs his humility, his peace, his love. guides his gentleness, his goodness. It opens the fountains of his tears. It is the key-note of the song he sings. And when he goes forth to do good, it turns him from the track of the Levite and the priest, to the better path of the good Samaritan who bears his oil and his wine.--Dr. SPENCER. Atonement.-The Characteristics of the Atonement.-The Meaning of the Word The word itself means at-one-ment. Man is a sinner and deserves to die. Jesus comes in and bears his punishments and weeps his griefs. I was lost once, but now I am found. I deserved to die, but Jesus took the lances into His own heart until His face grew pale and His chin dropped on His chest, and He had strength only to say "It is finished."-Dr. TALMAGE. Atonement.-The Sufficiency of the 'Tis nothing thou hast given: then add thy tears Attainments.-Divine Help respecting our Our Heavenly Master is not as the slothful, unfaithful servant thought Him, "a hard man,” The atonement of the cross is not so much a member of the body of Christian doctrine as the life-blood that runs through the whole of it. There is not an important truth but what is pre-commanding and expecting impossibilities. Whatsupposed in it, included in it, or arises out of it, nor any part of practical religion but what hangs upon it.-A. FULLER. I have always considered the atonement the characteristic of the Gospel; as a system of religion, strip the Gospel of the doctrine of the atonement, and you reduce it to a scheme of morality, excellent, indeed, very excellent, and such as the world never saw; but to man, in the present state of his faculties, absolutely impracticable.-Earl KINNOULL. Atonement.-The Marvellousness of the In what offended? The righteous dies, who walked with God true- The sinner lives, who has from God departed: But, oh the depth of love beyond comparing, I taste all peace and joy that life can offer, Such wondrous love would baffle my endeavour ever God tells us to do, He also helps us to do. Our Saviour who knows of what we are made, sends us on no unprofitable tasks. Whatever He makes an object of prayer, is also for that very reason an object of attainment; and He it is who hath taught and commanded us when we pray to say— Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven." GREENWell. 66 Attainments.-The Possibility of High As Christians, we are "called by Him who hath saved us with a holy calling;" and, to "make our calling and election sure," we are urged to "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus ; " and to stimulate us in our sublime endeavour, the bright examples of the saintly men "of whom the world was not worthy," are divinely set before us, and especially the perfect example of Jesus. There is, therefore, the possibility of our reaching high spiritual attainments. True, our weakness is that of babes, while the strength of our fears and our foes is that of giants; nevertheless, divine grace is able to do now what it has done in olden times; so that, without question, we may attain to such an altitude of Christian experience, where the soul may sun herself in the Divine Presence, and "rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory."-Dr. DAVIES. Attainments.-Triumphant in There are some assertions of Scripture which imply high attainments in the whole round of Christian character. "If any man offend not in -Dr. HERMANN. word, the same is a perfect man; " that is--if a Austerity and Sourness.-No Religion in Religion is no such austere, sour, and rigid thing as to affright men away from it; no, but those that are acquainted with the power of it, find it to be altogether sweet and amiable. A holy soul sees so much of the glory of religion in the lively impressions which it bears upon itself, as both woos and wins it. We may truly say, concerning Religion and such souls, as St. Paul spake to the Corinthians, "Needs it my epistle of commendation to you?" Needs it anything to court your affections? "Ye are indeed its epistle written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God." Religion is not like the prophet's roll, sweet as honey when it was in his mouth, but as bitter as gall in his belly. Religion is no sullen stoicism, no sour Pharisaism; it does not consist in a few melancholy passions, in some dejected looks or depressions of mind, but it consists in freedom, love, peace, life, and power; the more it comes to be digested into our lives, the more sweet and lovely we shall find it to be. Those spots and wrinkles which corrupt minds think they see in the face of religion, are, indeed, nowhere else but in their own deformed and misshapen apprehensions. It is no wonder when a defiled fancy comes to be the glass, if you have an unlovely reflection.-JOHN SMITH. Author.—The Delight of an The delight of an author, on launching a fresh volume on the sea of thought, is akin to that of the husbandman, when the last golden sheaf is safely housed, and "harvest home" is ringing on every side. And his feeling is all the more intense, if he believes its contents are in perfect harmony with eternal truth, and that when he sleeps in death, his book will yet live on, and, like an angel of goodness, bless the world with its light and influence.-Dr. DAVIES. Author.-The Dying Acknowledgment of an I have been, perhaps, the most voluminous author of my day, and it is a comfort to me to think that I have tried to unsettle no man's faith, to corrupt no man's principles, and that I have written nothing which on my death-bed I should wish blotted out.-Sir W. SCOTT. Author.-The Farewell of an Read this, world! He who writes is dead to thee, But still lives in these leaves. He spake inspired: Night and day, thought came unhelped, undesired, Like blood to his heart. The course of study he Went through was of the soul-rack. The degree He took was high: it was wise wretchedness. He suffered perfectly, and gained no less A prize than, in his own torn heart, to see A few bright seeds: he sowed them-hoped them truth: The autumn of that seed is in these pages. God was with him; and bade old Time, to the this conviction were fully realized to the conscience! Avarice-Prejudicial and Incurable. Avarice is a principle not only detestable in its Avarice.-The Course of Awake! Thou who shalt wake when the creation sleeps ; Awakings.-Three Different Joshua could stop the course of the sun, but all his power could not stop the course of avarice. The sun stood still, but avarice went on. Joshua There are, for all sleepers, three different awakobtained a victory when the sun stood still; but ings, one of which is at least inevitable. These when avarice was at work, Joshua was defeated.-are-the awaking of death, the awaking of despair, the awaking of faith.-Prof. VINET. St. AMBROSE. Backslider.-Charity toward a For my part, if my pocket was full of stones, I have no right to throw one at the greatest backslider upon earth. I have either done as bad or worse than he, or I certainly should if the Lord had left me a little to myself; for I am made of just the same materials: if there be any difference, it is wholly of grace.-J. NEWTON. Backslider.-The Course of a As the fig-tree began to wither the moment the curse went forth, so the gifts of a backslider begin to pair as if a worm were still gnawing at them. His knowledge loseth its relish, like the Jews' manna; his judgment rusts like a sword which is not used; his zeal trembleth as though it were in a palsy; his faith withereth as though it were blasted; and the image of death is upon all his religion. After this he thinketh, like Samson, to pray as he did, and speak as he did, and hath no power; but wondereth, like Zedekiah, how the Spirit is gone from him. Now, when the good Spirit is gone, then cometh the spirit of blindness, and the spirit of terror, and the spirit of fear, and all to seduce the spirit of man. After this, by little and little, he first falls into error; then he comes into heresy ; at last he plungeth into despair: after this, if he inquire, God will not suffer him to learn; if he read, God will not suffer him to understand; if he hear, God will not suffer him to remember; if he B. pray, God seemeth unto him like Baal, who could not hear: at last he beholdeth his wretchedness, and mourneth for his gifts as Rachel wept for her children, "because they were not."-HENRY SMITH. Backslider.-The Cry of a Depth of mercy, can there be -C. WESLEY. Backslider.-The Sad Sight of a A stranded ship, a broken-winged angel, a garden over-run with weeds, a harp without strings, a church in ruins--all these are sad sights, but a backslider is a sadder sight still.—Bp. RYLE. Backslider.-The State of a The restless, comfortless state of a backslider distinguishes him from an utter apostate.-CECIL. Backsliding.-The Causes of Let the manifold cares of the world absorb all thought, or improper and unholy connections be formed, or the public and private ordinances of religion be neglected, or self-conceit and selfdependence be fostered, or temptations be listened to and encouraged, or any sinful indulgence be practised, and the inevitable result will be the loss of Christian character and divine peace. Samson will then be shorn of his lock, and become weak as another man.-Dr. DAVIES. Backsliding.-The Fear of Ye do well to fear your backsliding. I had stood sure if I had in my youth borrowed Christ to be my foundation; but he that beareth his own weight to heaven shall not fail to slip and sink. Ye had no need to be barefooted among the thorns of this apostate generation, lest one strike up into your foot and cause you to halt all your days. RUTHERFORD. Backsliding.-The Flattering Nature of Backsliding is a disease that is exceedingly secret in its working. It is a flattering distemper; it works like a consumption, wherein persons often flatter themselves that they are not worse, but something better, and in a hopeful way of recovery, till a few days before they die.-Pres. EDWARDS. Backsliding.-The Folly of When a Christian backslides, it is as if the prodigal son had re-acted his folly, and left his father's house a second time.-Dr. NEVINS. Backsliding.-No Necessity for It is regarded by some, as a law of nature, that our first love must grow cold, and our early zeal must necessarily decline. Not so: "the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day;" and, were we watchful and careful to live near to God, there is no reason why our spiritual life should not continuously make progress both in strength and beauty. Grace is a living and incorruptible seed that abideth for ever, and there is nowhere impressed upon the divine life a law of pining and decay. If we do falter and faint in the onward path it is our fault and our sin, and it is doubly sinful to forge excuses for it.-Spurgeon. Backsliding.—Restored from When one is restored who has lapsed into a backsliding state, it is new life to his soul. His sorrow is profound; so also is his thankfulness. He chimes in with the Prophet :-"O Lord, I will praise Thee: though Thou wast angry with me, Thine anger is turned away, and Thou comfortest me!" Nor this only all heaven shares in his gladness: "There is joy in the presence of the angels of God," as on his first repentance.— Dr. DAVIES. : Baptism.-Christians Honoured with Christ's Christians, you are honoured to be baptized with Christ's baptism-to pledge your dear Saviour in His own cup. Count not honour misery. The wine in the cup is red indeed, but without dregs to you. Christ's drinking first hath sweetened it well to saints.--LOCKYER. Beauty.-Christ the Believer's Believers that are loathsome and crooked in themselves are made excellently beautiful in Christ. You read in the Psalms of the orient beauty and rich attire of the King's daughter. The King's daughter is the real saint, the clothing of wrought gold and the raiment of needlework is nothing but Christ and the graces with which He deed. He is a crown and diadem; He is a jewel invests the soul. Christ is the only ornament inin the bosom ; He is a ring upon the finger. No soul hath any true beauty, though outwardly clothed in scarlet, that hath not on it this garment. Christ is the soul's ornament, as He is a justifier and a sanctifier. He adorns us, as He is our justification, putting us into a state of righteousness; and He adorns us as He is, by communicating unto us His own comeliness in the seeds of holiness.-R. ROBINSON. Beauty.-The Loftiest Beauty shone in self-denial, That hath felt the bitter world's control: |