144 THE NATURAL CREATION. Courage, Christian! Creation tells us that there is a God, good, and great, and glorious! and Revelation tells us, that "this God is our God for ever and ever," Psa. xlviii. 14. THE PEDANT. ARE you open to reproof? for if so, there is hope of amendment in every error; but if you are obstinate and high-minded, you are in a pitiable case. We are told that a pedant, being shipwrecked, and seeing every one around him clinging to something to keep himself afloat, laid fast hold of one of the anchors. This story at first seems a little extraordinary. That a man vain of his knowledge should manifest such extreme simplicity and folly, is hardly to be believed; but if we look about us in the world, and regard the actions of mankind, or examine narrowly the errors of our own hearts, we shall not be quite so much surprised at the pedant's absurdity. It is very true that the man of books, in his eager desire to preserve life, adopted the readiest means to ensure his destruction; but it is equally true that we are continually committing acts of folly and incon sistency. Heirs of immortality as we are, we cling to the things of time, set our hearts on uncertain riches, and for the temporal accommodation of our bodies, endanger our very souls. Where is the man who does not give way to anger while he seeks for forgiveness? who does not practice severity while he hopes for mercy? and indulges pride while he praises humility? We ask for God's gifts, and then deem them our own acquisition. We claim his promises, while we neglect his precepts; and petition for his grace, while we are unmindful of his glory. Angels may look down with wonder on the aspiring pretensions and low deserts of men, marvelling at our inconsistency. Do we not trust the weakness of a spider's thread, and doubt the strength of a cable? Do we not let go a substantial good, and grasp at a fleeting shadow? and rely on the opinions of our fellow-men, while we call in question the truth of the word of God? In short, what shall we say of our own folly and inconsistency? for we prepare to reap where we have not sown; prefer temporal honours to an eternal crown; and bind ourselves to the earth while we are looking for heaven! THE HILL GOOD HOPE. DID you never, after toiling up a steep hill, sit yourself down, or stand still for a season, to take breath, and to look around you? No doubt you have, and it is just the same with the pilgrim Zionbound. He trudges on through brake and brier, mud and mire, over hard rock or stony ground, as the case may be, toiling and panting; but when once he arrives at the top of the pleasant hill called Good Hope, he makes a stand. This eminence is not a pile of rubbish of his own scraping together, but one of the King of Zion's own hills; and standing, as it does, right in the highway in which he trusts to travel till he enters the golden city with the jasper walls, why he feels disposed to lay down his staff, to rest himself for a season, and enjoy the goodly prospect before him. There is many a rising ground in a pilgrim's path, where he gets a breath of pure air, and a glance at goodly objects; but he never can be in good spirits till he stands on the top of the hill Good Hope. The Garden of Gethsemane, and the Mount of Olives, and the Hill of Calvary, are all seen from this place, as well as the spot where the angel rolled back the stone from the door of the sepulchre. A glance may be had, too, of the peace THE HILL GOOD HOPE. 147 ful valley where David composed that sweet psalm, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters," Psa. xxiii. 1, 2; and the city of cities, whose walls have twelve foundations, is seen in the distance. The heat and burden of the day are yet to be borne. Many a battle is to be fought, and many a victory is to be won; but the pilgrim is so much comforted by his temporary rest, and the fresh air, and the goodly prospects from the hill Good Hope, that he enters again on his pilgrimage, feeling like a giant refreshed: taking up his staff he journeys on, singing the song of Moses of old: "The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation," Exod. xv. 2. KINDNESS. In a world wherein even the heirs of eternal life have so much of tribulation to endure, how desirable is a spirit of kindness, to relieve, to support, and to assist each other in our pilgrimage to heaven. There are few hearts so hard, few spirits so churlish, as not to be affected by kindness. A kind thought is influential, a kind word is encouraging, and a kind deed is at all times a blessing. Many years ago, I spoke a few kind words to a young woman who was in ill health. The words were but few; but though years rolled along, they were never forgotten. The poor girl remembered them; and, when stretched on her deathbed, she expressed an earnest desire to see me. I went directly; when she told me, that the words I had spoken to her when unwell, many years ago, had led her to believe that I would not be unwilling to render her a deed of kindness in her dying hour. The young woman was looking forward to an eternal world, with a mind rightly directed to the Friend of the contrite in heart, who can support those who trust in Him, in death as well as in life. But one thing lay heavy on her mind: she had for some time been at variance with a friend who had judged her unjustly, and treated her hardly. This had led her to unkindly feelings. To forgive and be forgiven, and to die in peace with her estranged friend was the desire of her soul. I think that I was eloquent in pleading her cause, for I brought her erring friend a contrite penitent to her dying bed. They wept, they prayed, they forgave each other; they read the words of God together; and, in a few days, with a mind impressed with a sense of God's abundant mercy in Christ Jesus towards her, the young woman died in the presence of her reconciled friend, calmly and confidently committing |