MULTUM IN PARVO. Hail, holy Scriptures! book divine, all hail ! In whose mysterious natures, past the ken Here we are taught how Providence supreme Nor sword, nor tortures, fires, nor death could move, Which, like Ezekiel's wheel,* right onwards moves, E'en from eternity, with Jehovah's plan Down to the hour when time itself shall die. * See page 100. b SPIRIT OF THE REFORMATION. The very ground no vain religion breathes. When priesthood, prophecy, and kingship crown'd In dim rehearsal, or in dawning grace May witness. Hence our being, at the best, Go! stand the living and the dead between. In bleeding glory! Heaven and earth, and hell, Elements combined to throw around a preacher Which makes the earthen vessel bend, To think it treasures such a peerless trust! R. MONTGOMERY. CONTENTS. DIALOGUE I. All men ought to be grateful to God.-Food provided by God to all who seek it.-God's blessing on all diligence, especially when he is looked up to for assistance and guidance.-Great variety given to us, that men may choose and be pleased.-God will be enquired of.-God able to bless and curse.-) -Man altogether dependent on the great Creator.-The folly of man cherishing an independent feeling against God.-Satan endeavours to mark the pleasure deriveable from God's gifts to man.- -Satan delighted to see pride in man.-Satan hates humility and a care for the soul. -Man indisposed to believe everything that he sees not with his natural eyes. Reasonable proof of the existence of good and evil spirits. The evil spirit under the power of God.—God bringeth good out of evil.-Satan and man the cause of all misery.—Why the will of God is not attended to by man. DIALOGUE II. The believer in Christianity generally happy.—A guilty conscience a barrier to happiness.-The kindness of God in humouring man with innocent fancies and pleasures; that such enjoyments become sin when used to excess, or to the hurt of any person.Knowledge given to man to understand the use of things made for him.-God the owner of all things, which are but lent to man.God's earthly and heavenly treasury.-Want of wisdom the cause of abuses and excess.-Variety of fancies and gifts among men.God maketh poor and rich-Power of death given to Satan, yet God's power over all.-The interposition of God to save men from falling in any way. The hypocrite, both a rogue and a fool, and the worst of men.-Hypocrisy the cause of religion being brought into disrepute among worldly men.-The effect of true religion on man.- Good works the result of faith in Christ and are works of the heart.-The sinful world mad.-Delights of the ungodly.-Names and titles; the use of them; what the greatest title on earth.-Man's glory and happiness can be increased but not God's. Pleasures not happiness. God's pleasure and delight in man All men children of God; two sorts of children. -God's power to prevent sin when he sees fit. Three sorts of prayer and fear.-God knows the trne feeling of man's heart.A meaning to the Lord's Prayer. DIALOGUE III. Page 18. God first inspires or moves man to think of his soul.-Natural dislike to spiritual things and the propensity to worldly enjoyments. Voices of the elements, insects, leaves, flowers, pleasures of the world, death and the grave!-Satan pleased to see men depend on good works for their salvation -Costliness of the pleasures of the world.-Innocent pleasures allowed by God for our recreation, if they are not carried to excess -The real enjoyment of amusement lost by immoderate use. All men subject to excess but seldom escape unpunished.-God is seen only in his word, providences, and creation.-God's word, or the bible, spoken against by those who see not its beauty, grandeur, gems, value, harmony, &c. &c.-God in his word declares that his will is absolute, and that He is Justice, Mercy, and Life, or Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.-The only way of access to God is through the Son.-The two spiritual births of the first man Adam. None will see heaven without a spiritual birth. Necessity of the plan of salvation.- Flesh and spirit distinct things.-The God of nature reserves his prerogative to stop any orderly course established by himself. - God's knowledge of the thoughts of man.-Reflections on God as the great architect of all things.-Reasons why man should not boast in himself, but in God only. Folly of man to refuse the best of gifts.—Why man ought to be thankful for the bible.-All improvements are from God. His watchful care over all. DIALOGUE IV. Page 30. Sickness.-Impatience and dread in affliction.-Consolations to the afflicted when the mind is troubled.-Pride the hindrance to prayer.-Mystery of pride.-How God overrules pride for good. Pride and sin natural to man, and the necessity of not letting them have dominion. Acknowledging ourselves sinners, and feeling that we are sinners quite different things - Religious denominations stumbling-blocks to many.-Only one gospel and one way to happiness.-Religion designed by God to make men happy -A real Christian will fight with his spiritual adversaries, and speak for God and his cause, and by such means will praise and glorify him.-Happiness not found in profession of religion only, nor in anything but a renewed and honest heart. - The artfulness of Satan in religious matters.-Falling from grace.Election and predestination.-God the only prophet. Men who are called prophets, but instruments and servants to God.-To foretell an evil is not to cause the evil.-On effects and causes.- The Bible like a boundless ocean.-What the Bible is as a whole.- The limits of man's wisdom considered.-The benefit and comfort of knowing Christ aright, or the three persons in the Trinity.- The folly of man to suppose the unity of spirit with flesh will ever be understood by finite minds.-The body considered by many as the superior part of man, while the mind is the man, and the body the tenement.-Happiness caused by soul and body being of one mind. The persons of the Holy Ghost and the Son of God having but one mind, which is God the Father, who filleth all space, and why he should be addressed in prayer.-The eyes of the mind considered.-Observations on the four Gospels.-A glance at the Gospel by John, proving the Saviour to be subject to the Father, and proving also the truth of Isaiah's prophecy in his 9th chapter to have been accomplished, "that he shall be called Wonderful, Councillor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace," &c.—A glance at the doctrine of Christ as a whole.-Faith and its effects.-Harmony of Scripture. -Gratitude, where it exists, cannot help showing itself, and that one out of ten only prove themselves grateful.-Eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Christ somewhat explained. Either person of the Trinity called God, when considered in unity only. -The first and Second Adam, brothers.-The word soul often used for the mind and body.-A Dialogue between the body and soul.-A few of the prophecies of the particulars of Christ's Life |