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VOL. IV. NO. 7

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THE

PRESBYTERIAN MAGAZINE.

JULY, 1854.

Miscellaneous Articles.

DR. PLUMER'S SERMON BEFORE THE ASSEMBLY, 1839.*

EVERY pious man ought to be far more anxious to derive benefit from afflictions, than to get rid of them. And every wise man will be more careful to gather up "the peaceable fruits" of his chastisements, than to gather leaves and blossoms to weave wreaths for his brow, after he has endured evil and come off victor. We have no doubt that enormous guilt will attach to the Presbyterian Church, if she is not greatly profited by her late trials. Some of these benefits are the following:

1. We can now, better than ever before, understand a great many portions of Scripture, both in the Old and New Testaments. We have seen the meaning of many of the Psalms in a new light. Let us search the word of God with this object in view. Perhaps a circle of friends, met for prayer, never were more impressed by any portion of Scripture, than one lately was in reading 2 Chron. 20th chapter. See also 2 Chron. 32d chapter. Whatever leads us to understand the word of God is useful.

2. There has been much more prayer than would probably have been offered without these trials. That is no small benefit which drives God's saints to their knees. Jonah was asleep in the ship, but he says of himself- "Out of the belly of hell I cried, and thou heardest me." We trust the spirit of prayer will not soon be lost.

3. Many good people have acquired increased confidence in God by these afflictions, (and if all have not or shall not, it will be their own fault and loss.) They have found by experience that they can

* WILLIAM S. PLUMER, D. D., as Moderator of the Assembly in 1838, preached the opening sermon in 1839. The lawsuit had been decided in favour of the Old School on the 8th of May, 1839, a few days before the meeting of the Assembly.-Ed.

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be as happy and as safe when haled before judges, as when under their own vine and fig-tree, in a time of unbroken quiet. God reigns everywhere, and whosoever trusts in him shall not be ashamed.

4. "The path of duty is the path of safety." Daniel's safety in the lion's den, Paul's safety in carrying his cause to Rome, and Samuel's safety in reproving Saul, were in connection with their walking in the way in which Providence would lead them. In like manner, the church and all her interests have been perfectly safe, while for a season the grasp of temporal power seemed to be upon her; and the very court that, at the suggestion of others, ordered her arrest, is the very body that has declared her innocent in the eyes of the law, and free from all temporal control in the propagation of her tenets, and in the administration of her government. And if she shall be called to meet yet greater trials, she has nothing to fear. God will defend her.

5. We should learn the great folly and sin of exulting and vainglorious boasting. There is no sin forbidden under more solemn sanctions or punished more condignly than all ostentatious boasting. Prov. xxiv. 17, 18: "Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth, lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him." The greatest of all victories is that which one obtains over his evil heart. Prov. xvi. 32: "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city."

6. "All is not lost that is brought into danger." "In the mount it shall be seen." "Man's extremity is God's opportunity." "The darkest hour is just before day." "When things get to the worst, they begin to get better." Besides these proverbs, which are familiar to all, the Jews had a very striking one, often referred to by old writers-" Cum lateres duplicantur, venit Moses," i. e. when the bricks are doubled, then comes Moses. God will take care of his own interests, and in nothing on earth has he so great a stake as in the purity and holiness of his church.

7. Whoever risks anything for the truth and cause of God shall in the end be no loser. "He that loseth his life shall find it." Show us a child of God in heaven or earth, that ever cheerfully consented to forego some present advantage for the cause of truth, and we will show you one that has a basis of perpetual rejoicing. "He hath a

continual feast."

8. God's time is always the best. Let us judge nothing before the time. It would indeed have saved Jacob and his eleven sons much suffering, at the time, if Joseph had revealed himself at the first visit of his brethren. But then interminable quarrels, and perpetual fear, and jealousy, and hate would probably have ensued in Jacob's family. Joseph selected the wisest method. So our Lord knows what is best, and "though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies, for he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men."

9. We should also guard every part of the church with which we

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