Theology.

The Work which the Great Lord of all has given us to do.

UNDER the figure of a householder, he calls upon us to work in his vineyard. And what is his vineyard? It is the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. This, whether in a suffering or in a glorified state, he will have a scene of labour. If we look at it in heaven, all is activity there. Come out of their great tribulation, they who have died in the Lord, rest from their earthly labours that wearied them; but they are not idle in heaven. They are ever before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple. The Church below is not quiet. O what a constant striving-what an unceasing labouring is there! Not a soul can be found in it that is not engaged in a work, compared with which the work of an angel is as nothing. We are sinnersimmortal beings, in a ruined condition; and, it is in consequence of our ruin, that our labours are so many and so great. We have evils to repair, for which all the hosts of heaven could find no remedy; and obstacles to surmount, which all their united strength could not remove. We have, first, a dreadful hell to escape. We were born its heirs; and ever since we were born, our sins have been drawing us towards it, and making it more securely our own. Our first concern, then, is a deliverance-a refuge; our first business, an escaping for our life—a fleeing from the wrath to come; not merely a smiting on the breast with one sinner, or crying out with another, "What must I do to be saved?" but a laying hold of salvation—a casting of ourselves on him who "came into the world to save sinners." A man whose habitation is in flames over his head, rests not satisfied with unavailing cries. He seeks a door-a way of escape. And, look at the mariner, as his vessel sinks in the waves. What is the one great object of his desires, and struggles? It is the means of deliverance-a boat,—a rope,- -a plank. And, then, we have a filthy heart to cleanse. There is within each of us a swarm of living lusts, that are preying on us, and polluting us. These are deeply seated in the soul. They were born and have grown in it. They cling to the soul, and the soul clings to them. They are its torment and its curse; but yet it loves them, as it loves nothing else. Here, then, is a work before us-to discover, to mortify, to kill these lusts to "cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit ; to labour in a heart that is "earthly, sensual, and devilish," till grace has made it spiritual, heavenly, and divine. And, as though this were not enough, we have a suffering world to aid. It has pleased God to make his creatures the instruments of his goodness; to employ whatsoever his hands have formed, in diffusing his benefits. The sun, moon, and stars, in their courses, not only declare his glory, but minister to our wants. The beasts of the field, and the very plants of the ground, are all useful. It matters not how precious a soul we have to save, nor how polluted a heart to cleanse, nor how many burdens of grief to bear; we must think of the souls, and hearts, and burdens of others; we must labour to help them; we must serve our generation according to the will of God." True religion has its seat deep in the heart, and it loves the secrecy of its home; but it dares not hide itself in it. It has a labour of love to perform in a ruined world. Into that world it goes, and strives to leave all it can reach there, holier and happier than it finds them. But we must look higher than the worms of the dust. We have a God to honour. Why were

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THE WORK WHICH THE GREAT GOD HAS GIVEN US TO DO.

we sent into the world? Why are we kept in the world? Merely to be defiled by its pollutions, and to be worn out by its cares? No. We have to glorify God in a world that dishonours him; to praise him where is he blasphemed; to let the light he has given us so shine before men, as to force those who hate him, to do him reverence. Place an angel in hell: how would he act in that accursed place? Forget or disguise it as we may, our situation and our duty in this wicked world are nearly the same. We have to be faithful subjects in an army of rebels; to serve God in the dominions of Satan; to show ourselves his friends among his determined foes. And, after all, we have a glorious heaven to win; to gain possession of a world, to which the spotless beings who inhabit it have no claim, and from which we are distant as far as guilt can sever us ;—a world, so blessed, that eternity only can unfold its happiness; and so pure, that one unholy thought would banish from it, for ever, the highest archangel there.

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This is the work before us. Say not in your heart that this is more than the Lord our God requires of us. Reader, it is less. There is not a redeemed sinner in heaven, to whom opportunity was given, who has not accomplished more than this: there is not a pardoned sinner on the earth, who is not aiming at more. Put the question to the very lowest of the servants of God: ask what it is that his hand findeth to do." He will tell you of many things to be done, to which no reference has been made in this article; and which, perhaps, have never entered your thoughts. He will tell you of sins to be mourned over, of trials to be endured, of enemies to be subdued, of graces to be attained. But judge for yourself, which of the things now brought before you may a sinner leave undone, and be safe when he dies? Hell, it is plain, must be escaped. May the heart, then, be left alone? "Without holiness," says the Scripture, no man shall see the Lord." And, when "the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised," (this is one of the awful sayings which will echo through the skies,) "He that is filthy, let him be filthy still." And, what if we turn away our eyes from a suffering world: The Lord will turn away his face from us. Nay, so great is his compassion for the wretched, that, on the throne of his glory, he will make our forgetfulness of them the chief ground of condemnation: "Verily, I say unto you, inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. Depart from me, ye cursed." And, then, shall we go away into everlasting punishment. May we venture to leave the great God without his honour? He tell us that he "will even send a curse upon them that " give not glory to his name." And, if heaven be not won, no hope remains the soul is lost; there is no home for it but hell. Search the Scriptures, reader. In a concern of such moment as this, it matters but little what ministers say, or friends tell you, or your own heart thinks. God is the Judge. He will " try every man's work at the last; and he will try it by the standard of his own word. Where, then, shall we go to learn what is required of us? Who shall decide the matter, our Bibles, or our neighbours? we, or our God?

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KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST CRUCIFIED.- Give every kind of knowledge its due attention and respect; but what science is to be compared to the knowledge of Christ crucified? Had a traveller lost his way in some desert, where he had wandered till he was fainting with hunger and thirst, for what would he first ask? for music? for paintings? No! he would ask for bread-for water! Anything else offered him, would be a mockery of his misery.

Holy Daring.

Whitfield, in Moorfields.

IN February, 1742, Whitfield returned to London, where life and power soon flew all around him again; the Redeemer getting himself victory daily in many hearts. The renewed progress of the Gospel at this time in London, he calls, emphatically, the Redeemer's stately steps. Well he might; for, during the Easter holidays, "Satan's booths," in Moorfields, poured out their thousands to hear him. This determined him to dare all hazards on Whit-Monday, the great gala day of vanity and vice there. Gillies' account of this enterprise, although not incorrect or uninteresting, is very incomplete, considering the fame of the feat at the time. The following account is from the pen of Whitfield himself:

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"For many years, from one end of Moorfields to the other, booths of all kinds have been erected for mountebanks, players, puppet shows, and such like. With a heart bleeding with compassion for so many thousands led captive by the devil at his will, on Whit-Monday, at six o'clock in the morning, attended by a large congregation of praying people, I ventured to lift up a standard amongst them in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Perhaps there were about ten thousand in waiting, not for me, but for Satan's instruments to amuse them. Glad was I to find that I had, for once as it were, got the start of the devil. I mounted my field pulpit; almost all flocked immediately around it. I preached on these words, 'As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so shall the Son of man be lifted up,' &c. They gazed, they listened, they wept; and, I believe, many thousands were stung with deep conviction for their past sins. All was hushed and solemn. Being thus encouraged, I ventured out again at noon; but what a scene. The fields, the whole fields, seemed, in a bad sense of the word, all white, ready, not for the Redeemer's, but Beelzebub's harvest. his agents were in full motion,-drummers, trumpeters, merry-andrews, masters of puppet shows, exhibiters of wild beasts, players, &c., &c.,-all busy in entertaining their respective auditories. I suppose there conld not be less than twenty or thirty thousand people. My pulpit was fixed on the opposite side; and, immediately, to their great mortification, they found the number of their attendants sadly lessened. Judging that like Saint Paul, I should now soon be called, as it were, to fight with beasts at Ephesus, I preached from these words, 'Great is Diana of the Ephesians.' You may easily guess that there was some noise among the craftsmen, and that I was honoured with having a few stones, dirt, rotten eggs, and pieces of dead cats thrown at me, whilst engaged in calling them from their favovrite, but lying vanities. My soul was indeed among lions; but far the greatest part of my congregation, which was very large, seemed for awhile to be turned into lambs. This encouraged me to give notice that I would preach again at six o'clock in the evening. I came; I saw, but what-thousands and thousands more than before, if possible, still more deeply engaged in their unhappy diversions; but some thousands amongst them waiting as earnestly to hear the Gospel.

This Satan could not brook. One of his choicest servants was exhibiting, trumpeting on a large stage; but as soon as the people saw me in my black robės, and my pulpit, I think all to a man left him, and came to me. For

awhile I was enabled to lift up my voice like a trumpet, and many heard the joyful sound. God's people kept praying, and the enemy's agents made a kind of roaring at some distance from our camp. At length, they approached nearer, and the merry-andrew, (attended by others, who complained that they had taken many pounds less that day on account of my preaching,) got upon a man's shoulders, and, advancing near the pulpit, attempted to slash me with a long, heavy whip several times, but always with the violence of his motion tumbled down. Soon afterwards, they got a recruiting sergeant, with his drum, &c., to pass through the congregation. I gave the word of command, and ordered that way might be made for the king's officer. The ranks opened, while all marched quietly through, and then closed again. Finding those efforts to fail, a large body, quite on the opposite side, assembled together, and, having, got a large poll for their standard, advanced towards us with steady and formidable steps, till they came very near the skirts of our hearing, praying, and almost undaunted congregation. I saw, gave warning, and prayed to the Captain of our salvation for present support and deliverance. He heard and answered; for just as they approached us, with looks full of resentment, I know not by what accident they quarrelled among themselves, threw down their staff, and went their way, leaving, however, many of their company behind, who, before we had done, I trust, were brought over to join the beseiged party. I think I continued in praying, preaching, and singing, (for the noise was too great, at times, to preach,) about three hours.

We then retired to the Tabernacle, with my pockets full of notes from persous brought under concern, and read them amidst the praises and spiritual acclamations of thousands, who joined with the holy angels in rejoicing that so many sinners were snatched, in such an unexpected, unlikely place, and manner, out of the very jaws of the devil. This was the beginning of the Tabernacle society. Three hundred and fifty awakened souls were received in one day, and, I believe, the number of notes exceeded a thousand; but I must have done, believing you want to retire to join in mutual praise and thanksgiving to God and the Lamb."

The Pearl of Days.

Silent Sabbaths.

THE worshippers of God have made their last arrangements, they have left their home to join the multitudes who keep the solemn holy day, the door is shut, and we, afflicted, languishiug disciples, are left behind in the dwellings of Jacob. What a numerous class! Some conflicting with disease, with medicine; others convalescent and agonised with their own meditations; and there are those also who look death in the face, who anticipate the swellings of Jordan. The retrospect of life is painful. Through what a troubled ocean we have passed; and, O, what a wreck of Sabbaths floats on the swollen surface! O Lord, how

justly dost thou shut us up in solitude, and leave us to exclaim at a distance, 'How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! Our soul longeth, yea, even fainteth, for the courts of the Lord; our heart and our flesh cry out for the living God.' Often did we say, 'What a weariness is it?" Often have we been detained before the Lord, and said, When will the Sabbath and its exercises be gone? And now thou hast spoken in thy turn,—that thou wilt not have our oblations,-that our formality is an abomination unto thee. But we will look into our hearts and lives. O God, what need of this solitary, solemn, self-examination? Has there not been some root of bitterness, springing up troubling us?

DROPPINGS OF THE SANCTUARY.

Droppings of the Sanctuary.

REPENTANCE is a tear dropped from the eye of faith, at the sight of a bleeding Saviour.-G. Clayton.

Wisdom prepares for the worst, but folly leaves the worst for that day when it comes. -Cecil.

Sin may entangle the mind, and disorder the affections, and yet not be prevalent; but when it hath laid hold on the will, it hath the mastery.-Dr. Owen.

We cannot begin to lead a holy life, till we first look to Christ for pardon of sin.T. Cole.

Repentance is the greatest honour next to innocence.-Ibid.

Here is ground of faith and hope to sinners, that all things are given into such an Company too often proves a blank or a able hand, who is the power of God as well blot.-J. Clayton, Jun.