...

'Eucharist,' and at the altar;' . · of another, who told me, I should find it in ' priestly absolution.' I sought it, but found it not. Another told me, that I should find it in resting upon a finished work, and in accepting a free salvation; and God graciously gave me to find it there. Christ crucified,' still a stumblingblock to man's religiousness, and foolishness' to man's intellect, became to me 'God's power and God's wisdom.' . . . The only way of peace'is to be found in the belief of the truth; in sitting at the feet of Jesus, and learning of Him; in taking his yoke upon you, and so finding REST unto your souls.' God grant you to find it, dear readers."

We have already exceeded our due limits; and must therefore only add, that without acquiescing in every sentiment which this remarkable piece of autobiography may contain, with reference to non-essential matters, we cordially recommend it to the earnest perusal of our readers.

COCKS'S MUSICAL MISCELLANY. A Monthly Journal of Music and Musical Literature. Nos. 2 and 3; Vol. I. London: Robert Lincoln Cocks; 6, New Burlington Street.

We have already spoken of this "Musical Miscellany," as promising to be an exceedingly useful publication; and our examination of Nos. 2 and 3, has confirmed us in this opinion, both as to the literary and musical portion of the work. The notice in No. 2-the first, as it seems, of a series-headed "CATHEDRAL ORGANISTS," cannot fail to be highly interesting to musical amateurs; and the same may be said of the article in No. 3, entitled "Old Church Music, and Doctor Tye." The leading articles in both numbers suggest matter of interesting reflection, and contain much general information.

The Slow Movement," in No. 2, from Haydn's "Clock Symphony," bears witness to the good judgment as well as the taste of the editor. Did our popular musical publications more frequently present their subscribers with compositions of this sterling character, the musical taste of the public at large would speedily exhibit symptoms of decided improvement.

In No. 3, "Let thy various realms, O Earth," is a noble composition, excellently arranged; and the same No. presents us with a melody of a popular character, by Bishop, well harmonized, and adapted to Bishop Heber's well-known missionary hymn. A magnificent "Sanctus," by Dr. Croft, completes the musical portion of this number. All lovers of music must desire the success of a publication which is so cheap as to be within the reach of all classes, and of which it is clearly a leading object to improve, while it gratifies the public

taste.

THE

ENGLISH WOMAN'S MAGAZINE

AND

Christian Mother's Miscellany.

FEBRUARY, 1851.

THE ESSENTIALS OF CHRISTIANITY THEORETICALLY AND PRACTICALLY CONSIDERED.

BY THE LATE REV. JOSEPH MILNER, M. A., VICAR OF THE HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, HULL.

PART II.—CHAPTER V.

THE SPIRIT OF HOLINESS.

(Continued from page 14.)

NDER the influence of the views of God the Father, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, already described as exhibited by the Spirit of holiness, the Christian believer cannot fail to perceive the propriety and beauty of the Third Commandment. How glorious and holy is the God whom he worships! Angels cry one unto another, and say, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts! the whole earth is full of his glory;" so transported are they with joy, admiration, and thanksgiving, by the view with which they are favoured, of the holiness of God; and the man who is God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, has, by the operation of the Holy Spirit, views, the same in kind; though, as yet, far inferior in measure. Hence, whatever belongs to God, is, with him, most honourable. If, before his conversion, he had * Isai. vi. 3.

ever been wont to take the glorious and fearful name of God in vain, he now learns to reverence it in all his language. He sees the futility of the common excuse, "I have contracted a bad habit, but it is a mere habit, and I cannot cure myself of it." The reverence and the love which he now bears to God, his Father, check him continually; and are a guard stronger than adamant against any light use of the name of God. He finds by experience, that the least real reverence for the Almighty is sufficient to eradicate the most deeply-rooted habit of taking His name in vain. But it is not only in his ordinary conversation, that the believer shows himself to be renewed in the spirit of his mind. In his worship of God, both public and private, the majesty of the Most High is before him. He speaks therefore with caution, earnestness, and understanding; not daring to allow himself to use the name of God in prayer without thoughtfulness and solemnity. In every part of his conduct the Spirit of holiness thus instructs him. The same mind is in him that is in Christ Jesus. Being one with his Saviour, he does, in his little measure, partake of His Spirit, and therefore whatever offends against the majesty of God excites in him a mixture of pity and indignation. He has, as it were, a spiritual instinct which renders him, on all occasions, alive to the glory of God. Duty may throw him into the society of mere men of the world, who are devoid of this spiritual taste; but such intercourse is his cross, not his delight. He is, by choice, that which David declared himself to be, a companion of all that fear God, and of them that keep his precepts.*

very

To dwell at large on each of the ten commandments, would carry me far beyond the limits which I have proposed to myself. A few words, however, on each of those which follow, may serve to show the nature of the real work of the Spirit of holiness, as inseparably connected with the Spirit of adoption.

Since, then, there remaineth a rest for the people of God; and since it is their duty and their happiness to acquiesce, with admiration, with delight, and with thankfulness, in the revealed will and purposes of the Lord their God, both in creation and in redemption; the observance of THE SABBATH is felt by them, to constitute a beautiful union of privilege with duty; and to form, under the Holy Spirit's influence, one of the noblest earnests of heaven. While the believer is on earth, he is called upon to discharge various active duties, the performance of which, however necessary, forbids, during his present imperfect state, a constant and delightful meditation on the glories and perfections of his + Heb. iv. 9.

• Psalm cxix. 63.

On the Lord's-day, however,-abstracted from the world and its meaner cares—it is his privilege to converse with his Heavenly Father in a more perfect and uninterrupted manner; to emulate the worship of the Church triumphant ; and to imbibe more and more of the views, spirit, and temper, of the ransomed hosts before the throne; to wash away the defilements of the past week by fresh and distinct applications to the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness;* to lay in, as it were, a spiritual provision from the Redeemer's fulness, for the week ensuing; to catch the vivid glances of his beauty and loving-kindness in his appointed means of grace; to cultivate holy fellowship with his church; and in these and other ways to be prepared and made meet for the employments of the heavenly Sabbath; not seeking his own ways, nor finding his own pleasure, nor speaking his own words; but delighting himself in the Lord, and being fed with the heritage of his children.†

That men should honour their parents, and, by parity of reasoning, all their superiors, is a natural duty; and one whose propriety, necessity, and utility, proves the equity of its nature. The fall, however, forbids the practice of this duty. The commandment enjoining it requires HUMILITY; and pride is the very essence of man's fallen nature. It is in vain, that we think of making for ourselves a way of access unto God, by the performance of duties. The contrary method is the only true one. We must begin with God; have our hearts set right with Him, first; and then a conscientious performance of duties will assuredly follow. BE HUMBLE; and it will be easy to you to obey parents, magistrates, and masters; but none can learn humility, save those who cease to go about to establish their own righteousness, and submit themselves to the righteousness of God.‡ The Holy Ghost alone can work in man a really humble temper. He who has effectually learned to submit to God, will, of course, submit to all his vicegerents on earth; and such, in a certain sense, are all a man's lawful superiors. Of the fifth commandment, pre-eminently and especially, it may be said, that nothing short of Omnipotence can incline the heart of fallen man to submit to it. Certain, however, it is, that he who is lowly in his own eyes, who is willing to sit down in the lowest room, and to bear, with unaffected resignation, the superiority of others, possesses a temper eminently fitted for the heavenly world; for that world where, all the ransomed, confessing themselves to have been hell-deserving sinners, cast down their crowns before God and the Lamb, and sing eternally the "new song," THOU wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy + Isai. lviii. 13, 14.

Zechariah xiii. 1.

↑ Rom. x. 3.

blood." On the contrary, to shine above others; to exercise dominion in the earth; to exalt themselves above their fellow-creatures-these are the delights of the men who act on worldly principles, and who desire, and obtain the world's admiration. The Spirit of holiness roots out these worldly principles of action from the soul of every believer,* and thus lays a solid and durable foundation for the Christian humility required by the fifth commandment.

Why need I dwell particularly on the rest of the commandments?" "for this, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not covet ; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR AS THYLove worketh no ill to his neighbour; THEREFORE LOVE IS the fulfilling of the law."†

SELF.

There needs, in truth, some powerful and active principle to constrain men to render obedience to these precepts. Right reason, indeed, cannot but approve them in their greatest strictness; but blind selflove co-operating with the consciousness of guilt, prevents every unregenerate man from heartily acquiescing in them. Nay, his will revolts against them as being too severe; and he will rather endeavour to explain away our Lord's most holy exposition of the commandments, than submit to their justness and propriety; I here allude particularly to that part of Christ's Sermon on the Mount which is contained in the fifth chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel, from the twenty-first verse to the end. Certain, however, it is, that man's happiness can lie in no other road than in that of obedience to the Divine law; and the stricter the obedience, the more complete is the happiness of him who obeys. What principle, then, can constrain man to obey? Self-righteousness will not do it; it rather irritates natural corruption. Fear may restrain some outward manifestations of sin; but it does but increase the virulence of the malignant principle within, "Quem oderint, metuunt.” St. Paul, who knew by experience how to estimate the force of a legal principle of action, declares this to us, in the seventh chapter of his Epistle to the Romans. LOVE, the heavenly principle described in the thirteenth chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians, is the one and only motive which effectually binds men to obedience. Let me love my neighbour indeed, and I shall not only abstain from injuring in any manner or degree, but I shall desire to do him good in every possible way. Here, then, at last, we have found a principle which really Rom. xiii. 9, 10.

Mark ix. 35.