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of these riches, "the heavens dropping down from above, and the skies pouring down righteousness." (Isa. xlv.)

It has been before alluded to, that these riches are all secret ; given to certain dispositions—not cast loosely on the world. And the characters described as coming to this inheritance, such as the poor in spirit, and they that mourn, &c., may be considered as certain narrow and confined paths, leading to these riches of the kingdom. And it may be observed, that there is not only such distinctness and appropriateness in each, both in itself and when compared with the end designed, but likewise such a mutual connexion, that the attainment of the one disposition implies the other also in some degree; and that the attainment of all these dispositions is the natural and necessary result of a hearty, honest, and earnest embracing of religion. And, perhaps the great end in which there may be found an union of all these beatitudes as existing together, may be that which is more peculiarly attributed to one,-namely, that "they shall see GOD," see Him according to each of His various attributes, which their own characters most open to them. All of which implies, that they only who do the will can know the doctrine, however it may be thrown upon the world; that "the secret of the LORD is with them that fear Him, and He will show them His covenant1."

The great doctrines which of late years have divided Christians, are again of this kind very peculiarly, such as the subjects of faith and works, of the free grace of God, and obedience on the part of man. They seem to be left in Scripture in a way to give rise to all these disputations among (if I may so speak) the multitude who are without: I mean to say, among those who do not labour to obtain the knowledge of them by obedience, and in

1 See John viii. 31, 32. Indeed, throughout St. John's Gospel it is constantly alluded to; e. g. "He that is not of GoD cannot hear the words of CHRIST." But we know from St. Matthew that he, who loves his enemies, and does good to them, is of GOD; for he will thus become the son of GOD. St. Matt. vi. 45. By thus acting therefore, he shall be able to understand the words of CHRIST. truth."

So also, "If ye keep my sayings, ye shall know the

practical seriousness of mind (i. e. the disciples, of whom it is written, He said, "follow Me," and "they followed Him"). For they appear to be great secrets, notwithstanding whatever may be said of them, only revealed to the faithful. What I would say is, that fully to know that we are saved by faith in CHRIST only, and not by any works of our own, and that we can do nothing excepting by the grace of GoD, is a great secret,-the knowledge of which can only be obtained by obedience,—as the crown and end of great holiness of life. Thus St. Paul, who had always laboured to have a conscience void of offence, and of all the Apostles had laboured the most abundantly, yet felt himself the chief of sinners. And Abraham says of himself, that he was but "dust and ashes;" David, that he was but " a flea," and "a dead dog." May not all these difficulties be like those of the Jews, who knew that no good thing could be born of Nazareth, or like that with which they seem to have suggested to startle the disciples, "that Elias must first come." For in all these things we seem to have JESUS of Nazareth going about still among us-hiding Himself from the many who are engaged in factious disputations concerning Him, or busied with their worldly views; but here and there He is in secret disclosed and acknowledged.

Again, the moral government of GOD, in the light thrown upon it by Holy Scripture, illustrates the point in this way. Signal afflictions, and temporal calamities, are spoken of in Scripture, as the comings and the visitations of CHRIST and of GOD. And in furtherance of this, such chastenings are spoken of as the proofs of God's love to those who are thus visited, and the withdrawing of them, of His displeasure,-" Why should they be stricken any more?" implying impenitent reprobation. Now as the disclosure of our LORD's Divine person was a very signal blessing, but not without a proportionate danger, if not worthily received, so we may observe, that nothing hardens the heart more than temporal afflictions, which are spoken of as the signs of His presence; if not received and cherished with a right spirit, they leave a person at length worse, if not improved by them. And yet it seems agreeable to Scripture to consider VOL. IV. No. 80.

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them as if persons were thereby drawn into a certain nearness to GOD-a great privilege; so great that it cannot be trifled with or neglected with impunity.

7. That Christ, as seen in the conduct of good men, thus conceals Himself.

There is another mode in which we may find (I would speak with reverence) the presence of JESUS CHRIST, as still in the world, and His manner of dealing with mankind,—and that is in the usual conduct of good men, especially if such conduct is at all marked by any peculiarity, and such peculiarity increasing as they advance in strictness of life. And this I think we may find to be the case for notwithstanding that a spirit of true charity has a natural desire to communicate itself, and is, of all things, the most expansive and extending, yet in all such cases we may still perceive the indwelling of CHRIST in them, still seeking, as it were, to hide Himself; for, I think, they are all marked by an inclination, as far as it is possible, of retiring, and shrinking from public view. We might have expected that it would have been otherwise, and that an increasing knowledge of GOD would have been accompanied with an increasing power of setting forward such knowledge to the world. In such instances, we seem to have the same impatience of feeling respecting His true Disciples, which His Brethren once expressed respecting our blessed LORD Himself; "If Thou doest these things, show Thyself to the world."

The circumstance I allude to is such as this; it is mentioned of James Bonnel, that he was of great "retiredness of spirit;" "solitariness of spirit," is mentioned of George Herbert; he seems to have felt, as it were, an unseen hand pulling him back. The same is noticed of Robert Nelson, and of Thomas à Kempis, whose book is full of this spirit; a similar sacred reserve was the characteristic of Charles the 1st. Instances of this kind might probably be adduced respecting all such characters. Pascal says, "This wonderful mystery, impenetrable to any mortal eye, under which GoD is pleased to shade His glories, may excite us powerfully to a love of solitude and silence, and of

retirement from the view of the world '." p. 264, Dr. Kennet's translation.

The fact must doubtless be admitted, and several concurring causes would tend to produce this effect. In the first place, that humility which must ever accompany increasing holiness of life seeks naturally to hide itself, is desirous not to be known, and would even seem to check, and draw back the strength and wisdom of the natural man. In such a case human nature is humbled under the mighty hand of GoD, and that self-abasement, which arises from a sense of His nearer presence, has a tendency to withdraw a person from what the world considers spheres of usefulness. Now this principle of humility is of all others the most universal in good men, and under all diversitics of characters, and of gifts, and circumstances of life: there seem to be no persons held out to our imitation in Scripture, without some marks of it; and indeed degrees of acceptance and approbation are in proportion to it. We must of course conclude, that the work of God is somehow best done, and His strength perfected, under this apparent (worldly) weakness, that His victory over the world is somehow best achieved by thus retiring from the contest. This is contrary to human calculation, in the same way that no one would have thought beforehand, that the coming on of night would open to us more glorious objects than the light of day. When the light of this world is withdrawn, the heavens open 2. As GoD, in whom we live, is Himself unseen,

Since writing the above, a very affecting instance of the kind has come to the writer's knowledge, in the private journal of one whose memory is very dear to him, and which is now in publication; he says, "Make me to go in the path of Thy commandments, and to trust in Thy mighty arm, and to take refuge under the shadow of Thy wings. Thou art a place to hide me in."—Journal Feb. 10, 1827. Remains of R. H. Froude.-In another place he says, "Felt as if I was getting enthusiastic. I must be careful to check high feelings; they are certain to become offences in a day or two, and must regulate my practice by faith, and a steady imitation of great examples. In hopes that by degrees what I now have only faint and occasional glimpses of, may be settled objects on which my imagination reposes, and that I may be literally hid in the presence of the Lord." Nov. 6, 1827.

2 Thus the great promises and revelations of good seem to have been made in

and His good angels, who minister to us, are unseen, so also good men, as they approach Him in any way, seem to be withdrawn from the sight of the world.

As our blessed SAVIOUR in various ways retired from the view of men, and hid His glories, so it is remarkable how little we know of the saints of GOD; of one of the most eminent of the disciples we know nothing, and next to nothing of St. John's private history and character. Indeed, what little we do know of them is but, as it were, accidental, and the exception to the general rule, as in the letters of St. Paul: and even there, casual intimations greatly tend to show our ignorance respecting them, as of the Revelations of St. Paul, of the time he spent in Arabia, and at Tarsus. Add to these, how many things are there, which more immediately respect our LORD Himself, the account of which, as St. John says, would have been more than the world could contain, yet all lost in silence? So also the things pertaining to the kingdom which were spoken for the forty days. "Verily, thou art a GoD that hidest Thyself, O God of Israel, the SAVIOUR." (Is. xlv.)

It must have occurred to every one, with some surprise at first, how much the sacred people, having the visible presence of GOD among them, and containing, as it were, the eternal destinies of mankind, were overlooked by, and unknown to, the more polished and powerful nations of the world. Gibbon has not failed to take hold of this circumstance. And, in like manner, how little Christianity was noticed or known to heathen writers at a time when it was secretly changing the whole face of the world—the salt of the earth, and on which the earth depended for its existence. There may be something analogous to this in cases of unknown individuals still. And all such are examples of what Aristotle says of virtuous principle, “ εἰ γὰρ καὶ τῷ ὄγκῳ

Scripture in times of apparent adversity to Adam at the fall, to Noah after the flood, by Jacob in Egypt, to Hezekiah in sickness, and the Evangelical promises more particularly come forth at the captivity and ruin of the two kingdoms that contained the promises. For the strength of this world all flows from its most extreme humiliation, that is, from the Cross. Therefore the meek inherit the earth, and the obedient have length of days.

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