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 We trust the spirit of prayer will not soon be lost.

me.

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

are connected against grasping at what does not belong to her, either in power or wealth. For a time such efforts may seem to be success. ful and promise well, but sooner or later a terrible retribution will come. Ecc. v. 8: "If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they." Jer. xvii. 11: "As the partridge sitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool." The late awful example of some, chiefly led on by persons who are strangers and foreigners to our communion, and who repeatedly refused to receive the only funds to which they had any equitable claim, unless they could control everything, ought to make us 66 exceedingly fear and quake." Having, by the blessing of God on proper means, defeated so unworthy a design, let us not forget the solemn lesson. Let us give them all they are in equity entitled to. It was the custom of the Romans to offer terms, generally thought fair and generous, to their adversaries, and if they declined the offer, and met with a signal defeat in battle, the same terms were renewed. This was magnanimous. But it was the magnanimity of heathen men. We are to be governed by high and holy considerations. Let us remember that we are men of God.

10. Our late trials have also furnished to us all an occasion of seeing what was in our hearts. This is a most important result. This is one great end of the trials sent on God's people. In 2 Chron. xxxii. 31, we have the following remarkable language respecting Hezekiah: "Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land; God left him to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart." Let us review our whole conduct and learn what manner of spirit we are of.

11. Our late trials have also greatly strengthened among our people the love of Presbyterian doctrine and institutions. This is a matter of no slight importance in our view. He who loves not his own family, will not be apt to love any family. He who loves not his own branch of the church of God, will not be likely to love any branch of it. It has cost us something of late to be true and sound Presbyterians; and the more it has cost us, the more do we love our heritage.

12. Our late trials have led to a clearer settlement of the question of religious liberty, than has often been attained in this country. So far as fundamental and statute law were concerned, we supposed the question well settled. But the judiciary of the country have had the question before them in very few forms, and when they have, they have generally given their decision on some collateral question which arose, avoiding the main question. But now the limit between the consciences of men and the rights of society seems to be well defined and rendered peculiarly sacred, and fear of future collision seems to be groundless.

"Deus haec otia nobis fecit."

13. In our late trials, we have also had a most wonderful illustration of the providence of God. We do not wish unduly to magnify the occurrences of our own time, but we cannot easily conceive of a series of events, not miraculous, which should establish and illustrate the fact, the wisdom and the goodness of Providence, even in mysterious dealings, more clearly than many things which have of late come to the knowledge of us all. Verily, "He who will observe the wonderful providences of God shall have wonderful providences of God to observe." "The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice." "The Lord reigneth, let the people tremble." "His kingdom ruleth over all." Let us then humbly and diligently inquire, wherefore God hath contended with us, derive all the good we can from our past trials, confessing our unworthiness, watching against all future measures which might involve us in trouble, and never forget what God hath wrought for us.

When we review our dismal fears,

It's hard to think they've vanished so;
With God we left our flowing tears,
He makes our joys like rivers flow.

We all have heard what God did say,

He spake, and gave his people peace:
But let them run no more astray,

Lest his returning wrath increase."

14. The church is bound continually to rejoice. Whoever else may fall or die, her Head, her Redeemer liveth. Whoever else may change, her God changeth not. However men may act, "the covenant of this peace is forever firm. Julius Cæsar, in the midst of a storm, said to the alarmed master of a vessel, intending thus to quell his fears, "Thy vessel carries Cæsar." So if the church, like a ship, be "tossed with tempests," Jesus Christ says, "Fear not, it is I." Pompey once said to a disheartened soldier on the eve of a dreadful battle, "For how many do you count me?" implying that himself was a host. But Julius Cæsar and Pompey were worms. The Captain of our salvation is the Maker of heaven and earth, the Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God. Oh for deliverance from unbelief, that we might forever rejoice in him, who was, and is, and is to come; the almighty Redeemer of his people. Let us not forget how we have been taught that the government is on his shoulders.

15. The church is bound to engage in great enterprises. She may do it fearlessly. In Isaiah xli. 15, 16, it is said, "Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff. Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the Lord, and shalt glory in the holy One of Israel." One of our great errors is that we do not habitually devise liberal things.

16. Trusting her covenant God and glorious Head, the church need not be alarmed at any combinations against her. Let her hold fast what she has got. Whereunto she has already attained let her

yield nothing. Dr. Thomas Scott somewhere says that nothing but criminal cowardice has ever lost any great battle for the truth and cause of God. The truth is, that when the church is in the path of duty one shall chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight. 17. Let us then hear the voice of God saying to his church, "Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed, for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee, yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Of ourselves we cannot be too distrustful. In God we may ever make our boast, and be confident.

In conclusion, it may be proper to remind you that we are assembled not only under the inspection but also under the protection of Zion's King. The Lord grant that the banner of love may wave over this General Assembly. It now lacks but a few days of being fifty years since this body was first constituted. It first met on the twenty-first day of May, A. D. 1789. That meeting was opened with a sermon preached by Rev. Dr. JOHN WITHERSPOON, on the text, "So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth but God that giveth the increase;" a truth this too often forgotten by every branch of the church of God. At the opening of that Assembly there were thirty-two commissioners present, representing eleven Presbyteries. Notwithstanding defections from our body, and our many sins, who can contemplate the present state of our church compared with what it was half a century ago, without the most fervent gratitude?" A little one has become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation." Such mercies deserve a hearty and liberal thank-offering from the whole church. "HALLELUJAH, FOR THE LORD GOD OMNIPOTENT REIGNETH."

AMEN.

SABBATICAL VERSES BY JOSEPH JOHN GURNEY.

JOSEPH JOHN GURNEY was "one of the noblest works of God." He was more than an "honest" man; he was a devout Christian. His religion was of the most mature character. For him to live was Christ. The grace of his Master shone forth in an ardent love to glorify him daily, in edifying and saving the souls of men. Rarely has there lived upon earth a man of more heavenly temper, tender sensibilities, free self-denial, and active philanthropy. Visiting as a missionary various portions of the West Indies, of the United States and of Europe, his zeal was ever earnest and untiring. The great amount of good accomplished, under God, by this devoted Christian, will only be known in eternity.

As a theological and religious writer, Joseph John Gurney left his mark on his generation. He was one of those Catholic men, like Simeon and Chalmers, whose fame was outside of his own sect, and