sees the end in the beginning, and chooses in the outset the wisest and the best way in every thing; and He cannot alter that way, without ceasing to be perfectly wise and good. His counsel means his mind, and thoughts, and intentions. He brings his counsel forth as he brought forth the round world-as he fixed the mountains, and land, the bounds of the sea, firm and for ever. His will is a law, more certain and unchangeable than that of the Medes and Persians "which altereth not.' Therefore says the Spirit of truth that "the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand." 66 But let a man's mind be ever so fixed to one purpose, he has many devices to work out his plans. There is something that he wants, how must he get it? "I must go to-morrow to such a city" saith the man; but to-morrow a fever lays him in his bed. (James iv. 13--15.) I must get help from such a person; but the friend refuses or dies. (Psalm lxxv. 6, 7.) I must wait till the harvest that I may have a greater store; but the rain is withheld and the harvest fails. All the plans of man, for small as well as for great things, depend upon circumstances and events, which may make them as changeable as the wind; but God lays a plan which shall include a vast variety of wonderful dealings with a thousand different people, and not one of them shall fail of its intended object-not one of them will alter from the purpose of the divine counsel, that purpose which is always the wisest and the best. This truth points out to us the plainest path of wisdom in forming our plans. It is to ask what is the counsel of God in this or that matter; that God, whose unchangeable love is not turned away from his people because of the foolishness of their devices, but who is ever ready to hear and to help them. If every plan is carefully laid upon the foundation of God's promises, measured by the line of God's truth, suited to God's character, according to the best knowledge we can have of it from his holy word, and humbly submitted to God in prayer for the correction of all its errors, and the overruling of all its mistakes; then we may have a comfortable hope that when we act in this spirit, upon such a plan, and put the devices of our changeable hearts as it were in the machine of God's providence, they will come forth from the working of that machinery proved to have been chosen as the counsel of God that shall stand; and, with the blessing of God stamped upon it, in a seal which bears this motto "all things shall work together for good to them that love God." (Rom. viii. 28.) THE SCRIPTURE LOOKING-GLASS. (Continued from page 255.) THE HISTORY OF JOSEPH.- 51. (verse 11) Nobody in the way-opportunity. Satan is very cunning in making opportunity, and in taking advantage of that which is made. But mark that the essence of opportunity is the suitableness of outward circumstances with our inward desires and intentions. There is no danger that circumstances will lead us to do a painful thing which we very much dislike. To talk therefore of the danger of opportunity, is to acknowledge our inclination to give way to temptation. 52. (verse 12) The last point is made plain in the twelfth verse; which also illustrates the 46th point: the opportunity made her violent, rude: there was no effect of the kind produced in him; but he was unwavering, bold, and determined. With such an opportunity "how can I resist," says the woman: in spite of such an opportunity "how can I do this great sin?" says Joseph. 53. (verse 12) Run away from sin at any rate; but think of the consequences;-what might be said if I leave my cloak which she has got hold of. If she will not let it go, leave it-never mind the consequences.-Any consequences are better than those which follow the giving way to sin. 54. (verse 13, 14) Disappointed passion is like a strong tide in the sea, it lashes the shore at its height and then flows back as fast as it came.-Much of that which is called love is nothing more than selfish and degrading passion; which if it be checked turns at once to hatred. Nothing sharpens spite more than disappointed passion. 55. (verse 14, 15) Such spite makes people very shrewd in taking advantage of things which are already prepared to do evil to the object of it. What cunning there was in this woman's appeal to the Egyptian servants of Potiphar: could they have been well pleased to find a foreign slave put over their head— trusted and promoted before them. Human nature must have worked its effect in such a case amongst the household.—What a readiness there must have been to find fault with him, and bring him down. It was a clever cunning that made her say to the Egyptians "he has brought a Hebrew unto us to mock us." 56. verse 16) Here we find more of the same shrewdness ;the sight of the cloak to Potiphar, when his mind is confused with rage, will be strong confirmation. Oh! the cunning of malice. Yet this woman was for loving Joseph more than any thing in the world five minutes ago! Beware of such love. PRAYER WITH THE UNDERSTANDING. (Continued from page 254.) No. II. (Self-examination as to our use of the Church Services.) 33. (c) What is the reason for the distinction of characters in which some things are printed in the Prayer Book ? 34. (b) What are those parts called which are printed in italics? and why? Ans. Rubrics. Because they were first printed in red ink. 35. (c) What are the Rubrics? and what authority have they? Ans. They are the instructions how the several parts of divine worship are to be conducted: and they have the authority of the law of the land by several Acts of Parliament. 36. (a) What is that prayer called which is appointed to follow the first exhortation of the minister? 37. (c) How does the term "general" apply to it? 38. (a) How is this confession to be used? 39. (a) Is the Rubric complied with by any person who only repeats it inwardly in their minds? and why not? 40. (a) How many are to join in this? 41. (a) Who is to speak first? 42. (a) In what posture is this confession to be used? 46. (c) Why are they suitable when confessing our sins? 47. (a) What general acknowledgement do we first make? 48. (a) By what comparison do we illustrate this? 49. (b) What Scriptures warrant us to use this comparison? 50. (e) How am I affected by the acknowledgement that I have erred from the ways of God? 51. (e) Does the repetition of this confession deepen my sense If not, why not? of sin? 52. (a) To what do we ascribe our being led astray? 53. (a) In what degree do we confess that we have been thus led? 54. (a) Upon whom do we lay the blame? 55. (c) What is the difference between the meaning of the words"device and "desire ?" 56. (b) What do we learn from Scripture of the state of the human hearts? State texts. THE PASTOR'S REMEMBRANCER. "A GOOD physician must needs trouble and disquiet his sick patient before he can heal his disease; and a good surgeon must needs lance and rip up festered wounds. We are surgeons; we are physicians. The word of God is committed unto us, that by us it might be applied to season the earth, and that the light thereof should shine forth in all the world. Cry out aloud; lift up thy voice as a trumpet." (Isaiah lviii.) If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? 6 66 "When God had called Jeremiah to the office of a prophet, and said (ch. i.), Thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee, shalt thou speak;' he said further, Fear not their faces, lest I destroy thee before them. For, behold! this day I have made thee a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and walls of brass against the whole land. Thou shalt not bend; thou shalt not yield: thou shalt be a consuming fire; they shall be stubble before thee.' Likewise saith God to Abraham (Gen. xv.), Fear not, Abraham; I am thy buckler, and thine exceeding great reward.' When Moses thought to refuse the message, and thought himself over-simple to go unto Pharaoh, God answered, Certainly I will be with thee.' Exod. iii.) And after he saith, I have made thee Pharaoh's god; he shall tremble and quake at thy voice.' (Exod. vii.) So saith Christ, What I tell you in darkness, that speak you in light; and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye on the houses. And fear ye not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.' (Matt. x.) 6 "The consideration hereof ever moved the Prophets and Apostles to warrant their sayings with authority from God, and to set apart all fear when they speak in his name. When Ahab reproved Elias, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?' he answered, "I have not troubled Israel, but thou and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord; and thou hast followed Baalim.'" He "St. Paul saith, 'I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.' It is the word of God, and shall endure for ever. hath not given us the spirit of fear to flatter, but the spirit of might and of power, to speak roughly and courageously where occasion so requireth; and therefore saith, If I would please men, I were not the servant of Christ.' But I preach God's doctrine, and not the doctrine of men. I seek to please God, and not men." Bishop Jewell on the Thessalonians. THE PASTOR'S ASSISTANT. OCTOBER 1, 1843. PART FIRST. SUGGESTIONS FOR THE PASTOR IN HIS STUDY. THE PASTOR's PLEDGE AND PROTEST. The OUR lot is fallen upon days in which it is no easy task to walk circumspectly, as ministers of the Gospel, and to discharge our consciences under the great responsibilities of our position. spreading influence of the baneful errors of Tractarianism, by which a large portion of the Church is darkened, as by the shadow cast before of approaching Romanism risen from its forced rest and creeping insidiously upon these kingdoms, seems to render it a paramount duty, in all honest-minded adherents to the Protestant truths of the Reformation, in some way or other to declare themselves faithful to their vows: but how such a declaration is to be made is a point of no ordinary difficulty. Attempts of various kinds have been made by clergymen, and some are now making by influential laymen, to shew a front to the enemy who is invading our strongholds of truth. In some dioceses addresses to the bishop have been proposed, and actually forwarded;-protests of different kinds have been written and circulated for signature;-combinations have been arranged, and various other plans have been suggested. Whatever partial good may have resulted from any of these attempts, they have all afforded strong testimony to the great difficulty of getting any large number of clergy to agree, under present circumstances, in VOL. II.-NO. XXII. W |