55 HAVE YOUYOUR CONVERSATION IN HEAVEN ? FROM RICHARD BAXTER. He that hath his conversation in heaven, is a profitable Christian to all about him. When a man is in a strange country, how glad is he of the company of one of his nation! How delightful is it to talk of their own country, their acquaintance, and affairs at home! With what pleasure did Joseph talk with his brethren, and inquire after his father, and his brother Benjamin! Is it not so to a Christian, to talk with his brethren that have been above, and inquire after his Father, and Christ his Lord? When a worldly man will talk of nothing but the world, and a politician of state affairs, and a common professor of his duties, the heavenly man will be speaking of heaven, and the strange glory his faith hath seen, and our speedy and blessed meeting there. O, how refreshing and useful are his expressions! How his words pierce and melt the heart, and transform the hearers into other men! How doth his doctrine "drop as the rain, and his speech distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass, while his lips publish the name of the Lord, and ascribe greatness unto his God!" Is not his sweet discourse of heaven like the box of precious ointment, which being "poured on the head of Christ, filled the house with the odour?" All that are near may be refreshed by it. Happy the people that have a heavenly minister! Happy the children and servants that have a heavenly father or master! Happy the man that hath a heavenly companion, who will watch over his ways, strengthen him when weak, cheer him when drooping, and comfort him with the comfort wherewith he himself hath been so often comforted of God! This is he that will be always blowing at the spark of thy spiritual life, and drawing thy soul to God, and will say to thee, as the Samaritan woman, "Come and see one that hath told me all that ever I did!" One that hath loved our souls to death! "Is not this the Christ ?" Is not the knowledge of God and him eternal life? Is it not the glory of the saints to see his glory? Come to this man's house, and sit at his table, and he will feast thy soul with the dainties of heaven. Travel with him by the way, and he will direct and quicken thee in thy journey to heaven : trade with him in the world, and he will counsel thee to buy "the pearl of great price." If thou wrong him, he can pardon thee, remembering that Christ hath pardoned his greater offences. If thou be angry, he is meek, considering the meekness of his heavenly pattern; or if he fall out with you, he is soon reconciled, when he recollects that in heaven you must be everlasting friends. CHRISTIANS SHOULD BE SPIRITUAL AND BENEFICENT. Believers are brought by the Gospel into the high and honourable relation of sons of God, and consequently "joint heirs with Christ Jesus" of the blessings of his mediatorial kingdom. They are under the special care of the providence of God, who has promised, that "their bread shall be given them, and their water shall be sure," and that "he will never leave them nor forsake them." But a spirit of conformity to the world, a covetous disposition, and an eager desire after earthly honours and splendours, are evidently inconsistent with such exalted privileges. The sons of God must resemble the moral character of their Father in heaven, particularly in the display he has given of his benevolence. But, "if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him," and consequently, he can lay no claim to the prerogatives of sons. "Whosoever is born of God overcometh the world," and, of course, he whose soul is absorbed in its pursuits and vanities, has never been brought into this Divine relation, but remains among "the children of the wicked one." The prospects to which the saints look forward in the future world are glorious and magnificent, beyond any thing which this world can present, or which human imagination can depict. In that world, there are scenes and objects calculated to gratify the sublimest faculties of the immortal spirit; an enlarged sphere of contemplation-the beatific vision of God in the effulgence of his glory-"fulness of joy"-a treasure in the heavens that fadeth not-an incorruptible inheritance,and "an exceeding great and an eternal weight of glory." If Christians, then, believe in the existence of such grand and substantial realities, and have the lively hope of entering, ere long, into their full possession,-is it consistent with such exalted hopes, and such animating prospects, to have their chief affections placed on the vain and transitory objects of this earthly mansion, which must soon be snatched from their embrace? And how can they say it is otherwise, if they are found grasping their worldly treasures so firmly, that nothing but a small fraction can be squeezed from them for the cause of God and the renovation of the world? What should we think of a man come to his full stature, devoting the greater part of his time and attention to amusing himself with tops, marbles, and cherry-stones, as when he was a child, and setting a higher value upon them than upon all the serious employments of life? We should immediately denounce him as a fool, or a maniac, or, at least, as one who acted with the most glaring inconsistency. What should we think of a set of mariners, sent to circumnavigate and explore a large continent, stopping in the midst of their course in an insignificant island, and employing themselves in catching musquitoes, or fishing for shrimps, without attempting to prosecute their course? or of a traveller on an important embassy to a large city, taking up his abode at an inn, in the midst of his journey; and amusing himself for days and weeks with gathering shells, or with the humours of a fair, instead of prosecuting the object of his expedition? It is equally preposterous and inconsistent, for a man who professess to be "born from above," and to be travelling to heaven, as the place of his ultimate destination, to have his heart glued to the treasures of this world, and "to boast himself in the multitude of his riches." Let Christians, then, throw off every earthly encumbrance, and arise and act in a manner befitting their celestial pedigree and their high destination. For what are the treasures of time to him who is begotten to the lively hope of an incorruptible inheritance? What are the frowns of fortune to him who claims the celestial world as his eternal portion? What are thousands of guineas, or dollars, to an exceeding, and an eternal weight of glory? What are the honours, the titles, and the pageantry of this passing scene, in comparison of the riches and grandeur of the New Jerusalem, and the dignity of being "kings and priests to the Father of glory," in the mansions not made with hands, eternal in the heavens? As heaven in its height far surpasses the circle of this lower world, as the earth is but a point, in comparison to the wide extended universe, and as time, with all its circling years, is but a moment to the ages of eternity; such ought to be the hopes and affections of Christians, in comparison of earthly possessions, and of every sublunary misfortune. Were such views fully realized and duly appreciated; were we living under the powerful influence of that faith, which is "the confident expectation of things hoped for, and the conviction of things not scen;" were the great realities of the eternal world, as they ought to be, ever present to our view, in all their grandeur and importance, a very different display would be made of riches from what we now behold, and multitudes, who now stand aloof, when called upon for contributions to the service of God, would come cheerfully forward, "bringing their gold and incense, and showing forth the praises of the Lord."-Dick's Beneficence. BIOGRAPHY. MEMOIR OF JAMES BROOKS. "Ye palaces, sceptres, and crowns, Your pomps are but shadows and sounds, The crown that my Saviour bestows, My God, my Redeemer, is mine." THE present short and uncertain life, is a state of probation. Every thought we cherish, and everything we say or do, goes to form our character, and fix our condition for eternity: an eternity of infinite bliss, or endless woe; of rapturous enjoyment at God's right hand, or eternal anguish among the lost in hell. How unimportant then is the consideration, whether we are sick or well, rich or poor, honourable or without reputation, compared with what promotes piety, secures God's approbation, and meetens " for the inheritance of the saints in light." The former is light as vanity, the latter heavy as lead, and more to be desired than gold, yea than much fine gold; the one pertains to this world, the other to that which is to come; the former to ourselves and time, the latter to God and eternity. Influenced by those consideratious, for about thirty four years, the subject of this Memoir considered himself a stranger and pilgrim on the earth; living his life, and employing his time and talents so as to make his calling and election sure. "Why talk ye now of earthly things, JAMES BROOKS, who was the son of JAMES and ANN BROOKS, was born at Chatham, in the County of Kent, September 3rd, 1789. His parents, though in humble circumstances, were industrious, and feared God. They had four children; two sons and two daughters. James, who was their elder son, seems to have had a strong constitution, and to have been a cheerful, active boy; he was bound apprentice to a fisherman, at Gillingham, at the age of fourteen; and though a youth of a warm temperament, and strong feelings, being satisfied with his condition in life, he grew up contented and happy. On one occasion, while hauling fish from the net into the vessel, something fell upon his neck and shoulders which so injured him, that he became deformed; but being young and strong, after some time, he was able to enter again upon his employment as a fish erman. Soon after the expiration of his apprenticeship, he married a young woman to whom he was greatly attached, by whom he had a family; but the information respecting his early history up to the time when he joined the Bible Christian Society, which has been received, is brief, and so conflicting, that it is judged to be the more prudent course to omit the greater portion of it. His wife and all his children died, and he himself was greatly afflicted; but the Most High employed those painful circumstances for his good. He became religiously impressed, and united with the Wesleyans.* After he left Faversham, he resided with Mr. Taylor, at Gillingham. * Whether Brother Brooks was converted when he united with the Wesleyans, is not certain. In relating his christian experience it is not remembered that he Twice during his seafaring life, he was forced by impressment into the navy. While he was living at Mr. Taylor's, in the year 1820, the Bible Christians commenced their labours in Chatham, and the neighbourhood. The brethren, James Thorne, and William Lyle, opened the Mission, and were soon joined in their labours by sister Catharine Reed, and Ann Cory. They were very zealous, earnest, and faithful labourers; often preached in the open air; had large congregations -for female preaching was there, a great novelty-and the blessing of God was upon their labours. And although they had much to contend with, God was evidently with them, a gracious revival was experienced, and many sinners were brought "from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God." A few of whom are still pillars in the church, but many are gone to enjoy the bliss of heaven. The first society that was formed at Gillingham, met at the house of Mr. Taylor. Br. Brooks, having witnessed the piety and zeal of the missionaries, and having been baptized afresh, and greatly benefited by their labours, became a member of that society. This was an epoch in his religious life. He now gave himself fully to God, enjoyed much of his love, performed his duties with fidelity and fervour, and laid himself out to promote the salvation of mankind. From this time his health and strength rapidly improved; and he employed them in doing good. He frequently went among his old companions, the fishermen, told them what God had done for his soul, and tried to persuade them to turn to God. Soon after he united with the society he became a Local preacher, and would sometimes walk more than twenty miles on a Sabbath day, and preach twice or thrice. Indeed, he delighted in the work, it was his meat and drink to do God's will. In this state of mind he came out into the Itinerancy. His name first appears on the Minutes of 1825, when he was appointed to the Sheerness Circuit. But the following fragment, taken from a memorandum which time and ill-usage have rendered almost illegible, it appears that he had been employed as a hired local preacher sometime in the year 1824. He says, "November 2nd, 1824, I began to travel for the Lord. Preached that day at Canterbury, from John xii. 46, and the power of God came down." We are sorry that he did not keep a diary of his life; and insert the following letters to enable the reader to gather a knowledge of his views and feelings at the period to which they refer. To Mrs. P. Robins, then Mary Ann Taylor, under date of December 16th, 1826, he writes from Brighton ;- Dear Sister in Christ. sure. Grace and peace be multiplied in you by Christ Jesus. Having an opportunity of sending you a few lines, I embrace it with pleaIn regard to myself, I can truly say my soul is thirsting and panting after the mind that was in Christ. I have many things to encounter, besides the temptations of the devil. I need be as wise as a serpent, as harmless as a dove. I bless God, I am enabled, by his ever referred to such an event; but he often referred to the period when he first attended the ministry of the Bible Christians, as forming a happy epoch in his history; and often expressed the surprise and astonishment he felt while listening to their preaching, and while attending the more social means of grace.-ED. |