THE CHRISTIAN WITNESS, AND CHURCH MEMBER'S MAGAZINE. OCTOBER, 1846. Theology and Biblical Illustration. THE CULTIVATION OF THE HEART. It appears to me, that the religion of the present day is too much of a public nature, and that the religion of the heart is not sufficiently cultivated, and not as much as it has been at some periods. Far be it from me to suggest, that any one is or can be too actively engaged in the promotion of the cause of Christ; but in the constant call for action, action which has been made by the various enterprises of the day, we have been led to feel too much as if all religion consisted in action, and thus neglected its chief, and in reality its only main spring, the heart; for there can be no right action, none that is acceptable to God, but that which proceeds from a heart under the actual influence of his grace. We have been too unmindful of the precept, “Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life;" and, if we have not already done so, we shall ere long be joining in the mournful lamentation of the spouse, "They made me the keeper of the vineyards, but mine own vineyard have I not kept." To There are many reasons, aside from the tendency of the age, why the cultivation of the heart is neglected. It is a difficult work. To those who have never attempted it, the exercise may appear easy, but there is none harder, as many find to their discouragement in undertaking it. The very abstraction of the thoughts from the world without, and their direction to the world within, in the manner required for the right performance of this duty, is one of the most difficult exercises of the mind. And all the work is difficult. follow the heart through all its forms of sin, to trace out all its changing varieties of iniquity, to detect its deceits, to study the motives that govern the conduct and ascertain their character, to distinguish in its religious exercises between that which is true and that which is false,-all this is difficult but this is not the whole. It calls for humiliation of soul, the mortifica2 G VOL. III. tion of the corruptions of the heart, however eloquently they may plead to be spared; it calls for the most fixed and solemn resolutions to live nearer to God; it demands constant watchfulness against sin and constant resistance to temptation, and all this is difficult, exceedingly difficult. It is a secret work, and for this reason it is neglected. We are too apt, even when we enter with vigour into any and every public enterprise, to shrink from those duties which must be performed in close retirement. Very few are aware how much they are influenced in religious matters by the opinion of others; if the desire of human applause be not a powerful motive, why is it that we are so strict in attending to those duties which are performed before the world, when we can think lightly of passing by those which are to be performed before God alone? Are any so much afraid of being seen by the eye of God out of their closets at the appropriate season, as they are of being seen by their fellow-worms out of the sanctuary in the time of public worship? The cultivation of the heart is necessarily attended with self-abasement, and is neglected on this account. Every one naturally desires, not only to be esteemed by his fellow-men, but to entertain as good an opinion of himself as he consistently may, and is averse to that which will lower him in his own eyes. But one end of this work is to detect and bring to light all the sins and corruptions of the heart, to spread before the eyes all that is vile and loathsome within, to establish the mortifying and condemning assertions of God's word, and to make one abhor himself. And many fear that they will find their hearts in a desperate or lost condition if they are too rigid in inquiring into their state, and are unwilling to institute the scrutiny, vainly thinking, with the silly bird of the desert which only hides its head from its pursuers, that shutting their eyes to their danger will be sufficient to avert it. There are many cogent reasons which urge a diligent and laborious attention to the cultivation of the heart. Our personal salvation depends upon it. It is but another name for attending to the great concern. The heart must be cultivated, or the soul will be lost; and every one must attend to the matter himself. It cannot be done by proxy, unless we can enter heaven by proxy; and this no one desires, even if it could be. Our growth in grace depends upon it. Every man's heart is a vineyard, which, left to itself, will grow up with rank weeds. These need no cultivation. The heart, just let alone, will produce all manner of wickedness: but the soil is so hard, and the plants of grace are so purely exotic, and the atmosphere by which they are surrounded is so uncongenial, that they will never strike down their roots and grow and yield fruit, without care and labour. If any fancy that they have found an easier way to advance in religion; if they suppose that they are progressing when they are devoting no careful attention to their hearts, it is all fancy, a mere delusion, and they will discover it sooner or later. The enemy of souls could desire no better cheat than this, with which to delude the people of God. Nor is there any true heavenly comfort, any real spiritual enjoyment to be found, where the cultivation of the heart is neglected. There may be false peace, the natural emotions may be occasionally excited by religious truth, and something that appears like religious joy awakened; but they who can retain it, or even experience it, without attention to this duty, have reason to suspect its nature. Our permanent usefulness demands it. There is no stable foundation for any extensive usefulness, but such as is laid in the knowledge of one's self, and in the subjugation of one's own heart. He who goes forth to combat other evils, while this duty is not attended to, is like the soldier going out to wage war upon a foreign foe while his own country is falling a prey to civil strife. He that would arrest the evil that is in the world, must begin with himself. He that would do good to others, must begin by doing good and getting good to himself. He that would be instrumental in promoting the glory of God, must first glorify him by offering him the homage of a pure heart, and must continue to cultivate that, as the vineyard which God has committed to him above all others. He must not end here, but here must he begin, and here must he continue to labour, until God by his grace shall lay the final blow at the root of all his corruption, and translate him to a world where all his toils shall cease. IOTA. THY MAKER IS THY HUSBAND. WITH what exquisite taste and tenderness does the apostle Paul, when enjoining Christian duties, draw his illustrations from domestic life! Who can read without a thrill of emotion that finished passage, Ephesians v. 23-33 ? "This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.' Thy Maker is thine husband, the Lord of hosts is his name." Let us enumerate some of the qualities of this husband. 1. He is of noble birth. "This," says the eternal King, "is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." He was born indeed in humble circumstances, but with solemn and imposing attestations. A choir of angels was sent from heaven to celebrate that birth in anthems of lofty praise. The earth had not heard such music since the symphony of the morning stars at the birth of creation itself. Brilliant portents were seen or heard on every side: "Ring out, ye crystal spheres, Once bless our human ears, If ye have power to touch our senses so; Move in melodious time; And let the bass of heaven's deep organ blow; Make up full concert to the angelic symphony." Thus sang the muse of Milton on the rapt and congenial theme of "the morning of Christ's nativity." It was the birth-day of the Prince of peace, the Heir of all things, the Head over all things to the church. "He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end." It 2. He possesses boundless wealth. pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; fulness of grace, of truth, of mercy, of salvation. In him is vested more than the wealth of worlds. Unsearchable riches are in him, riches incalculable by any mortal arithmetic. happy bride, that receives the love of this chief among ten thousand, this altogether Oh lovely one! He endows her with life and immortality, with joy unspeakable and glory unfading. All the blessings of the new covenant are to us without money and without price, for we are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ. Here is an exhaustless fund, on which we may perpetually draw. 3. He possesses inestimable beauty. If beauty, intellectual, moral, and physical, be the object of admiration, if it attract love, then who so attractive as the heavenly Bridegroom? How are those exalted spiritual charms set forth in that splendid epithalamium in the Canticles! He is "the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valley,” beautiful, fragrant, medicinal. So in that other bridal hymn, Ps. xlv. "Thou art fairer than the children of men, grace is poured into thy lipsall thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad." Well may the Spirit say to the church, "He is thy Lord, and worship thou him." On his immortal beauty time writes no wrinkle; on that, death hath no powerthe grave brings no decay. To it eternity itself will bring its tribute. Art thou not charmed with such loveliness? Is not thy heart towards this Prince of peace, who condescends to woo you to himself, and to offer you the joint heirship with himself to eternal life and glory? 4. He is a most AFFECTIONATE Husband. There is no love like his love: "I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." This is no wild and transient emotion, no heedless and romantic passion, but the pure love of a holy and compassionate heart: "Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it"-himself! Oh what a gift! This was affection's gift. Oh, to "know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge!" Amazing paradox! How true, that "when he loved his own, he loved them unto the end!" Many an apparently fond suitor deserts the object of his attachment. Not so Christ. His love is stronger than death. Hence, 5. He is a FAITHFUL and CONSTANT Husband. How often have you been unfaithful to him-how often wandered from him! but he has pursued with his love. He has brought you back again and again. How often have you provoked him by your irritability! but he has met and melted it with love. How coldly have you received him! but his He is lovingkindness changes not. faithful and he is constant. 6. He is an ALL-POWERFUL Husband. "For thy Maker is thine husband, the Lord of hosts is his name." Therefore trust in him. He is able to protect thee. As the tender ivy twines around the sturdy oak, without which it could not for a moment be sustained, so must the church cling to Christ, in whom alone she has righteousness and strength: "God is thy strength" is written in the marriage deed. The last words the illustrious King uttered before he ascended to take possession of his kingdom_ were: "All power is given to me in heaven and earth." 7. He is an UNDYING Husband. All other husbands die, and thereby the farriage contract is dissolved. But, although he died once, it was not so much death, as a suspension (though entire) of life for a part of three days; when again he lived, and lives for ever! His death affected not the union of believers to him, but so perpetuated that union. For a great purpose he went down into the grave: "Where should the dying members rest, But with their dying Head?" With whom should they rise, but with him? "And I will betroth thee unto me for ever." Oh glorious union! Neither shall they die any more. What a wonderful day will that be when the great marriage feast shall be celebrated! To what heights of sublimity does the voice of inspiration rise when speaking on this theme: "And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Let us be glad, and rejoice, and give honour to him, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And he saith unto me, *** Write, Blessed are they that are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb." J. N. D. AN EPITOME OF PRAYER. "Prayer is a term of great latitude, involving the whole compass of our intercourse with God. St. Paul represents it to include our adoration of his perfections; our acknowledgment of the wisdom of his dispensations, and of our obligations for his benefits, providential and spiritual; the avowal of our entire dependence on him, and of our absolute subjection to him; the declaration of our faith in him; the expression of our devotedness to him; the confession of our own unworthiness, infirmities, and sins; the petition for the supply of our wants and for the pardon of our offences, for succours in our distress, for a blessing on our undertakings, for the direction of our conduct and the success of our affairs."Hannah More. Ir is exceedingly important to have clear and comprehensive views of truth, especially of practical truth, always at hand, that the mind may at once receive the instruction, admonition, or encouragement they may be calculated to convey; and on no subject, perhaps, do we more constantly require such views as on that of prayer. How various are the lights in which the subject of prayer may be contemplated, and how manifold are its ramifications and relations! The very word can scarcely be uttered without suggesting a variety of thoughts and awakening a diversity of feelings. It is associated with the bright and joyous, the gloomy and distressing, in the history of the Christian. What doctrine is involved in prayer! Not a nobler view of God can be presented than that in which he appears as the hearer of prayer. All the graciousness and majesty of his character is included in it. How glorious he appears above the mercyseat, between the cherubim! We cannot look upon him there and think of guilty man as a suppliant before him, without being reminded of the ground on which prayer can be presented to him and be answered by him. The Mediator—the blood of sprinkling-the name of Christthe gracious Spirit-the sure word of promise; in a word, the grand provision of the evangelical economy burst upon our view. What experience is bound up with prayer! We think of prayer as first exercised by us, long after the use of words of prayer, when it was said, “Behold, he prayeth;" when we sighed under the consciousness of guilt, and, urged by pressing necessity and prompted by the hope of pardon, with a bursting heart we breathed the publican's request, "God be merciful to me a sinner." We think also of the subsequent exercise of prayer; when we were shut up and could not come forth; when our heart was cast down within us, and we said, "My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God;" when we asked in bitterness, "Has the Lord forgotten to be gracious, and will he be favourable no more?" and he was better to us than our fears. We remember the seasons, likewise, when in prayer we drew near to God, and he opened the windows of heaven and poured us out a blessing, that there was not room enough to receive it. But there are other points of view in which prayer is recognized by us. We think of its reflex influence, in promoting spirituality, resignation, confidence, lowliness, peace, and love, when "a softening steals over the character, the harder lines are touched into sweetness and the stronger colours mellowed into calm; while a beauty gentle as earth, but fair as heaven, breathes and looks in the entire life." We think of prayer, moreover, as an instrument of efficacy; as the turning point of the fulfilment of promise and the accomplishment of prophecy; as the secret in given cases of the successful proclamation of the gospel, in the lengthening of the cords and the strengthening of the stakes of Zion; as that by which we become princes and have power with God; that by which we unlock the treasures of Deity, and move the hand that moves the world. Further, We think of prayer as a distinguished privilege; that through which we may come into the presence-chamber of God, and hold fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ; that by which we may seek the supply of every want, cast every burden upon the Lord, and find grace in every time of need. O the honour and blessedness of prayer! But again, We think of prayer as a solemn, binding duty. We listen to the injunction, "Pray without ceasing," and obey it, as part of that homage which the Creator legitimately demands from his erring and dependent creatures; and we feel that to restrain prayer before God is to sin. Such are some of the lights in which prayer is contemplated by saints; and it must be admitted that there is much of interest and of power identified with them. There is one other point of view, however, in which this subject ought more fre . quently to be considered-it is that of advancement. There are multitudes of professors who seem utterly to forget that advancement in prayer is necessary. They receive apparently with the utmost readiness the exhortation of an apostle : Leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith towards God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment." Yet they lose sight of it in relation to prayer. But if we are not to remain satisfied with being babes or children in Christ, but seek to grow and rise to the maturity of men and fathers in knowledge, understanding, and character, then it is indispensably necessary that we should not remain stunted, dwarfed, and crippled in devotion. The prayers of an advanced, matured disciple must differ widely from those of a young or feeble Christian. The devotional exercises of professors may legitimately be regarded as a thermometer, by which we may judge of their Christian temperature; and scarcely any engagement can more strikingly indicate the character and degree of their spiritual attainments. We readily feel the influence of contact with a man of advanced piety in prayer. It is not necessary for us to be told that he is an eminently holy man; there is that in his prayers which proclaims it in the most convincing form. They tell us that he is coveting "earnestly the best gift," and striving to " comprehend with all saints what is the height and length and depth and breadth, and to know the love of Christ, that passeth knowledge, that he may be filled with all the fulness of God." This, however, is not always found identified with towering intellect and mental culture. What an unction and richness, a compass and power, have we sometimes found in the prayers of the wayfaring man! We have felt that notwithstanding his humble position in society, he was, like Saul of old, |