ble; because his honor, and the advancement of his kingdom, are infinitely more important, than the whole material system. The kingdoms of this world and all their most splendid glories, dwindle into dust and vanity, when compared with the glory of the great Redeemer. He confirmed this, when he rejected with holy contempt, the offer of the tempter in the wilderness, that he would give him all these things, "if he would fall down and worship him." It is always viewed consonant to right reason that the less important interest should be sacrificed, for the promotion of that which is of far superior magnitude. And it may be added, that if people consult their own true happiness, a cordial compliance with the proposal of Christ, to forsake their earthly all for him, is the only possible way to secure it eventually. How paradoxical soever it may appear to unbelievers, that those who lose ther lives for Christ sake, shall keep them unto life eternal; yet they are assured by him, whose word is everlasting truth, that this blessed consequence will follow. When Peter said to Christ, “Lo, we have left all, and followed thee;" he said unto them, "There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come, life everlasting."‡

II. It may be remarked, that Christ's terms of discipleship are invariably the same in every age. Though christians are not called actually to forsake their nearest relatives, or to lose their lives, in consequence of their attachment to his cause, in every period of christianity; yet, as they know not when they shall be openly persecuted for righteousness sake, by the enemies of religion, so, all that would be his faithful followers, should imbibe the spirit of martyrs. We are assured, that perpetual enmity exists between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman." And saith Paul, "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution.” And we may doubtless suppose, that one principal reason why Christians of the present age meet with no greater opposition from their enemies, is their criminal deficiency in their zeal and fervour in the service of Christ, and their sinful conformity to the world. No sooner do revivals of religion commence in particular places, and professors become fervently engaged in the work, than a warm opposition is excited, among those who remain in their impenitent and hardened state.

III. It is worthy of particular notice, that after Christ had stated his terms, on which sinners might become his disciples, he called upon them to count the cost, before they professedly engaged in his service. See Luke xiv. 28–30. Which of you intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he has laid the foundation, and was not able to finish it, all that behold it, begin to mock him, saying, this man began to build, and was not able to finish." We may note, that he does not enjoin it upon sinners to count the cost, as though it were a matter of indifference whether they should embrace or reject him; but that they might conduct + John xii-25.

Luke xviii. 28-30.

understandingly, in this most interesting transaction. He would have those who desire to follow him, take into due consideration the trials, persecutions and tribulations, to which they may be exposed by espousing his cause, together with the supports, the consolations, and sublime enjoyments, which he promises his faithful servants in this life, and the exceeding and eternal weight of glory, which he hath reserved for them in heaven. On the other hand, he would have sinners inquire, whether they shall be gainers, by enjoying the pleasures of sin for a short season, intermingled with the disquietudes, the guilty fears and cruel hardships, which attend the way of transgressors, while passing through life, and at last lie down in everlasting sorrow!

The Saviour does not, like that grand impostor Mahommed, labor to induce men to become his followers, by holding forth to them the allurements of the riches and honors of the world, or by promising them the enjoyment of a sensual paradise hereafter, but the motives which he sets before them, are chiefly derived from divine and everlasting things. He uses no arts of deception with mankind. When a certain man mentioned his determination, to follow him whithersoever he would go, he let him know his indigent circumstances. "He saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." Denoting, that if he followed him agreeably to his resolution, he must subject himself to the inconveniences and hardships of a poor man, who is destitute of house or home, and who depends on the charity of people for sustenance.

IV. Christ's terms of discipleship are so offensive to those who continue under the dominion of worldly lusts, that it is not marvellous, when the rich and carnally minded hear them stated, that they, like the young man in the Gospel, go away sorrowful! Nor is it unaccountable, that those who have professedly commenced his followers, without counting the cost, should turn out stony-ground converts. For the same reason, great numbers that enjoy a preached Gospel, did thus have repeated and painful convictions of their sin and danger, and their need of an interest in Christ, yet stand halting between two opinions; and though they are almost persuaded to be Christians, yet find some worldly object,-some lust or pleasure, too dear to relinquish, or some cross too formidable to bear for Christ's sake. Here it is to be feared, after many hard struggles betwixt conscience and the world, multitudes become fixed in their rejection of the Saviour, and finally perish.

And we may conclude that the frequent apostacies which have taken place in the church, since the commencement of the Christian era, have originated from the want of a correct understanding of the holy doctrines and precepts of Christ, or his terms of discipleship. previously to a public declaration of friendship for him. Though the defection of all who have forsaken him, may doubtless be traced back to an unsanctified heart, and the total destitution of that holy love to him, which is strong as death, which many waters of afiliction cannot quench, nor floods of persecution drown.

If, Christian reader, you possess this love, you will be prepared

to follow your dear Saviour, to prison and to death; and nothing shall be able to separate you from the love of Christ: Neither tribulation, nor distress, nor persecution, nor famine, nor nakedness, nor peril, nor sword: In all these things you will be more than conquerors, through him that loved you. But if you lack this divine principle, notwithstanding your high protestations of friendship for him, when you shall be thoroughly tried by the fire of adversity, you will either bid your Saviour a final adieu, or settle down on the quicksands of error, or of some fatal delusion.

H. L.

Mr. PILGRIM,

FORCE OF A SCRIPTURE METAPHOR.

I HAVE often thought there is a peculiar beauty in the figurative language by which the Bible represents the moral state of man. Its imagery is drawn from natural objects, by which the affections of the soul are embodied and held out as the subject of actual inspection. By this means, a man may literally look on his own heart, and behold the loveliness of virtue and the deformity of vice.

The vineyard is one of the most common figures of Scripture. It was in Palestine an object of much care and of great beauty. What more pleasing than to see the declivity of almost every hill covered with vines, arranged in the most exact order, and bending under the burden of their delicious fruit? Their purple clusters hang thick and large; often at the present day growing to the weight of twelve pounds a-piece. Their grapes are much superior to ours, both in size and flavour. The vine of that country is very productive: when cultivated with care, it yields its fruit three times a year. How great, then, the propriety with which God says, "what could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it*? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes ?" (Isaiah v--4.) There is here an allusion to the fruitfulness of the vine. This furnished an image of what should be the children of Israel. God had given them peculiar privileges; had planted them a noble vine, wholly a right seed; he had watched over and protected them; had sustained the same relation to them that the dresser does to his vineyard. He had been a wall round about them, and a tower of defence in the midst of them: had arrayed on their side his power and his glory; had given

The vineyards of Palestine contained wine-presses, constructed with two receptacles, which were either built of stone and covered with plaster. or hewn out of a large rock. The upper receptacle, as it is constructed at the present time in Persia, is nearly eight feet square, and four feet high. Into this the grapes are thrown, and trodden out by five men. The juice flows out into the lower receptacle through a grated aperture, which is made in the side near the bottom of the upper one. The treading of the wine-press was very laborious. The garments of the persons thus employed were stained with the red juice of the grape. How impressive then is the language of Isaiah Ixiii. 1—4! and how dreadful the meaning containe ! in that figure!

them his law and used every motive in urging them to obey it, and render some return of gratitude for his unwearied care. Yet, notwithstanding all the moral culture God had bestowed upon them, they became the degenerate plant of a false vine; and after finding all his measures for their improvement, come to this result, he enquires, what more could I have done for my vineyard? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?

The vine of that country frequently grew spontaneously in the field, and bore good fruits, yet not in so great abundance as when planted in the vineyard. What is called the wild grape, is, in Hebrew, the evil or noxious grape. It is not the fruit of the good vine degenerated, and run wild for want of dressing, but the fruit of a particular species of vine, whose grape was like those of Sodom, and the clusters of Gomorrah. They were so bad that they could not be eaten ;--were of no possible use ;--fit only to be a cumbrance to the ground. That species, called the grapes of Sodom, appeared very rich as they hung on the vine, but when broken open were found to be composed of something nearly resembling ashes: It was impossible to eat them.

The figurative language of the verse, which I have quoted from Isaiah, contains more meaning than most readers have discovered. It has peculiar force, in its application to men of this enlightened age. God has watered his vineyard with the blood of his Son; and may well ask, what more can I do? If this will not call forth the love and gratitude of man, what can do it? God has followed us in all our wanderings from him, with the offers of mercy, and the entreaties of love; his Spirit he has sent to move on our hearts, and gently draw us back to the path of duty. He pours a thousand blessings around us, and renews every moment the expressions of his goodness. What care, what kindness is like this! What ingratitude and hardness like ours! He has given us our being, at the best of times, and in the best of countries; but unthanked, unthought of, he sees us still wandering in the paths of ruin, and sends down the feeling inquiry, what more could I have done for your salvation? I have removed every obstacle in the way of your return;--have promised present peace, and future glory;-have shown you, by a law in your constitution and by my written Word, that sin will unavoidably cut you off from the blessedness of heaven, and pollute every source of earthly enjoyment. What more could I have done? I have exhausted upon you the influence of moral government; have assailed your breasts by a thousand motives of hope and fear; but all results in barrenness;—not one emotion of gratitude; not one transient regret for mercy abused:— Your grapes are the grapes of Sodom, and your clusters are the clusters of Gomorrah.

Come now, impenitent reader, and judge between God and his vineyard. What would you do, were you in his stead? How often have you cut down the unfruitful tree, and supplied its place by one of fairer promise? And does not your understanding approve of this conduct as right? Do not complain then, if God cut you

down, and cast you into the wine-press of his wrath: Nay, do not complain, if he tread you in his anger and trample you in his fury, till your blood shall be sprinkled upon his garments, and stain all

his raiment.

R. S.

BY THE RIVERS OF BABYLON.

ONE of the most beautiful specimens of poetry in the Bible, is the hundred and thirty-seventh Psalm. Seldom, indeed, has Judah's harp been tuned to a sweeter, or more affecting strain. There is such a connection of thought and feeling, as cannot fail to charm every susceptible reader.

Perhaps the transition from one subject, or rather from one part of the same subject, to another, appears abrupt. We have in these few verses, the sad situation of the Jews, the requirement of their captors, Jerusalem addressed, the children of Edom, and the daughter of Babylon. Yet we feel that all these subjects would very naturally arise to the mind, and that they are those of which we should have thought, had we been children of Jerusalem and of the captivity.

"By the rivers of Babylon there we sat down, yea we wept when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof."

Far from their beloved Jerusalem, in a strange land, they sat down. They remembered former days. They remembered the privileges which they had once enjoyed, and the sins by which they had lost those privileges--Yea, they wept when they remembered Zion. Was it because they who carried them captive' required of them a song, and they who wasted them required of them mirth? Once they would have delighted to sing a song of Zion. But in their present forlorn situation, the cruelty of such a request must have deeply wounded them. Before, they had hardly realized that they were in reality strangers and exiles. All seemed to them like delusion, or a dream. This request convinced them that they were in no error. In deep affliction, they hanged their harps upon the willows. Every tender feeling, which the recollection of home could suggest, rushed into their minds.

"How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land ?"

Torn from the country promised to our fathers, that country which we had so long inhabited, transported to a land where our God is not acknowledged, but where idols receive the homage due to him only, how can we sing? Before we do this, we must forget Jerusalem. Her walls, her temple, and her king, must be banished from our hearts. Babylon, and Babylon's God, must become to us desirable. But we will not sing the Lord's song in a strange land: we will not forget Jerusalem.

"If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cun ning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy." Je