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you. I know that of ourselves we are not sufficient for these things, but the more we feel our own weakness, the more we shall be driven to seek for grace and strength from on high; and let us recollect for our comfort that God has promised to give that Spirit, which alone can help us, to all that ask Him. J. B.

own helplessness, who have gone to Jesus, whose blood can alone cleanse them from sin, who have been sanctified by that Spirit who alone can make them holy, who will both serve their earthly master with all good fidelity, and adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour in all things. And if anything that I have said seems too hard or too difficult, remember that God can help [The above Lesson (one of a series) was written out from memory a day or two after it was given to a class of young women, of ages varying from fourteen to thirty and upwards. The answers are given in the words in which they were received.]

AN ADDRESS ON MATT. v. 14.

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid."

DEAR children, short as this text is, it contains much instruction, for the words were spoken by Him, who spake as man never spake, John vii. 4, 6, and I want this afternoon to talk to you a little about them.

The little word "ye" comes first, claiming by right our first attention. You all know it is a pronoun, and used in addressing some one; so I would now ask to whom our Saviour is now speaking? Yes, to his disciples. Who are his disciples ? Those who sit at his feet and learn of Him. What does he teach them? Hear his own words in Matt. xi. 29, 30. So now dear children, each boy and girl in this school must ask himself and herself the solemn question, Am I one of Jesus Christ's disciples, and if so am I doing all I can to shew my light in the world which surrounds me ?

Their Master says of them that they are the light of the world.

You are all familiar with the word "light," and perhaps wonder I should find anything to say about it. One most important fact we must never lose

sight of; the disciple's light is borrowed
from his Master; who describes Himself
in John i. 9, as the light. You all
know where it is first spoken of in the
Bible, Gen. i. 3, and who created it.
What should we do without it? The
loss of light was the ninth, and (with
the exception of the death of the first-
born) the heaviest plague brought by
God on the hard-hearted Egyptians,
and how severe was the judgment we
may gather from the short account
given in Ex. x. 21-23 of "the dark-
ness which might be felt." As lights
of the world what are we commanded
to do? Our Lord tells us in the 16th
verse of this chapter, in those memor-
able words which ought to stimulate
even the youngest among us to be up
and doing, supplying, as He at the same
time does, a motive for exertion. "Let

your light, &c." Dear children, will
not you so work, that in the great day
of account you may hear our Lord's
own voice speaking to you in those
gracious words recorded in Matt. xxv.
v. 40,
and Mark xiv. 6?

We may now pass on to the second

paragraph of this verse, the city set on a hill.

Jerusalem, as the city of the Great King, Ps. xlviii. 2, the most frequently mentioned in the Bible, and as the city of solemnities Is. xxxiii. 20, dearest to every patriotic Jew, was most likely present to our Lord when He spoke these words. His love for the ancient capital which had in centuries gone by witnessed the glory of his kingly ancestors, David and Solomon, is evidenced by his conduct as recorded in Luke xix. 41: dear indeed it was to Him, and how his heart ached that He could not, to use his own loving words in Matt. xxiii. 37, gather the inhabitants of this favoured city in peace and safety as "hidden ones" of his Father under his own protection, and into a safe "hiding place."

It will be interesting to notice a few of the times when Jerusalem is mentioned in the Bible, and I want to bring it before you under five different

aspects or as I might say in four periods of its past history and one future, for in these various instances it would seem in an especial manner to merit the title given in our text.

In Gen. xiv. 18-20, Salem is first mentioned, and three short verses which contain all we learn about it, tell how exalted was its relative position with regard to other cities and nations. Seven idolatrous nations divide amongst them the fair and fertile country in which it is situated, Genesis XV. 18-20; and five cities known as the cities of the plain, Gen. xiii. 12, of which four Gen. xviii. 20, and Hosea, xi. 8, were so exceedingly wicked, as to call down on themselves one of the most signal instances of Divine vengeance recorded in the Bible, are almost within sight of it; and brightly indeed must the pure and simple worship of the true Jehovah, under Melchizedek, his chosen priest, have contrasted with the idolatry by which it was surrounded. St. Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrews,

vi. 20, and chap. vii. distinctly tells us to regard this mysterious personage as a type of our Great High Priest, who ever liveth to make intercession for us, having once for all offered up the sacrifice of his body given, and his blood shed for the sins of the people. Matthew xxvi. 28; Mark xiv. 24; Luke xxii. 19, 20; and of which the bread and wine carried by Salem's king on his going forth to meet Abraham were eloquent types. set on an hill.

It was, indeed, a city

Fallen from its high estate, in the fifth subsequent generation we find Jerusalem under its now idolatrous king, Adonizedec, warring against the Israelites under Joshua, Josh. x. Let us in passing take a lesson from it, to follow closely our Lord's injunction to "watch, and pray, &c." in Matt. xxvi. 41.

For the third time, we would consider it in the reign of Solomon under whose rule it attained its highest pinnacle of earthly greatness. A type of the true Prince of Peace, the undisturbed tranquillity of Solomon's reign enabled him to fulfil his exalted destiny of building the temple, in whose Holy of Holies God from time to time manifested his true presence, 1 Kings, vii. 10, 11. This temple was built on Mount Moriah, where Abram had once given that wonderful evidence of his faith recorded Gen. xxii., and again by St. Paul in Heb. xi. 17, 19. The great Jewish patriarch with that prophetic knowledge granted to him as the friend of God, 2 Chron. xx. 7, saw that city which had foundations of which the earthly Jerusalem was only a type. The whole of Solomon's history, as contained in the first eight or nine chapters of the first book of Kings, tells us clearly that under him Jerusalem was proudly elevated among the nations.

Sadly tarnished is its glory when "the greater than Solomon" comes to his own, they receive Him not, and the second temple is desecrated by being used as a favorite place

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for buying and selling, Matt. xxi. 13; Mark xi. 17. He foresees its final destruction and his loving heart even in the very hour of his mortal agony bewails the fate of its inhabitants, Luke xxiii. 28-31.

And now, dear children, we want, ere we leave this subject, to consider what God has been pleased to reveal to us even as to Abram of old, of the new Jerusalem, the city with everlasting foundations. The two last chapters of Revelation are devoted to a full description of it. I ask you to consider them carefully at your leisure. I would now only speak to you of a very few of its many perfections.

It comes down from God Himself, and its beauties are summed up in the words "prepared as a bride", God's own glory is shed over it, Rev. xxi. 11. Its foundations are of precious stones, and everlasting, as promised by God in the mouth of his prophet Isaiah, Is. liv. 11. It is of pure gold, its twelve gates are each of separate single pearls, it has no temple, it needs none, v. 22. Sun and moon are useless here, for the true light v. 23, which the beloved disciple wrote of, John i. 9, shines in beams so dazzling, that sun

and moon would be dark in comparison. Here again in Rev. xxii. we find the tree of life, forbidden to our first parents after their fall in Eden, and protected from them by a divinely appointed agency, Gen. iii. 22-24. Here flow

that stream in all its rich abundance proceding from the throne of God and of the Lamb, v. 1, of which our Saviour with his heart full of love

And He

come and

Here we

discoursed to the poor Samaritan woman, John iv. 10-14. says still, as He did to her, drink freely, Rev. xxii. 17. shall see God face to face, and yet live, not as He told Moses, Ex. xxxiii. 20. It will be a light to all the nations of the earth, Rev. xxi. 24-26. Its light will never again go out. Dear children, within it are those who having God's name on their foreheads, "have their names written in the Lamb's book of life," Rev. xxii. 3-5; without, those who have proved themselves Satan's children by loving and making lies, Rev. xxii. 15. How important the question as to whether we are now within or without.

Now is the time to decide the question, for as the apostle warns us, "Now is the day of salvation," 2 Cor. vi. 2.

S. B.

[THE latter and larger part of these Notes would make an interesting Lesson; but we think S. B. will allow that the purport of the text has been lost sight of.— EDITORS.]

NOTES OF A LESSON ON THE COLLECT FOR THE FIRST SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY.

THIS Collect contains three petitions :1st. That God would "mercifully receive," that is that He would hear and answer, "the prayers of his people," who call upon Him. Has He promised that He will do this? Ps. cxlv. 18; Jer. xxxiii. 3; St. Matt. vii. 11; John xiv. 13, 14.

It is "the prayers of his people" which we ask God to receive, because

it is those who ask in faith whom He has promised to hear, St. Mark xi. 24; St. James i. 5, 6. He will not hear the prayers of those who are willfully indulging in sin, Ps. lxvi. 18; or of those who pray with their lips only, and not with their hearts, St. Matt. vi. 7.

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Scriptural examples of answers prayer:-1 Kings xix. 20; Dan. ii. 17, 18, 19; Acts iv. 29, 30, 31.

2nd. The second petition is, "that we may both perceive and know what things we ought to do." None who are really striving to please God need fear being left in ignorance of their duty. He teaches his people by his word and by his Spirit, Ps. cxix. 106; Is. xxx. 31. Thus David prayed for Divine guidance in the path of his duty, Ps. v. 8; cxliii. 3, 8, 10.

Times of perplexity call for special prayer. Instances of an answer to such prayer-Jer. xlii. 1-4, with verses 7-9 of the same chapter. Of error being committed through neglect of it, Josh. ix. 3-15.

Although miraculous intimations of God's will are not now given, yet He has promised to guide us, Ps. xxxii. 8; lxxiii. 24.

3rd. The third petition is, "that we may have grace and power" to perform

our duty (see St. Luke xii. 47). We pray that we may do this "faithfully," that is honestly, earnestly, not doing part and omitting part, as we may hap pen to like it or not. Col. iii. 23, 24. To please our heavenly Father in all things is the desire of every heart that has been renewed by the Holy Spirit, and thus taught to know and love the Lord Jesus Christ. Strength for even common duties is not in ourselves; our weakness is implied in the prayer for 66 grace and power." Refer to Ps. lxviii. 35; Isa. xl. 29; 2 Cor. xii. 9; St James iv. 6.

The concluding words of the collect, "through Jesus Christ our Lord," point to His mediation, as the only means by which our prayers can be heard, Eph. ii. 18; 1 Tim. ii. 5.

L. M. R.

OUR BIBLE CLASS LESSONS FOR 1861.

THE Committee of the Institute have always upheld the value of systematic instruction in Sunday Schools, insisting on the importance of our Scholars having a connected knowledge of Scripture History, the great means through which it has pleased God to convey most of his Divine Teaching. Several different Series of Lessons have been the natural result of this conviction.

But the other principle, that of Dogmatic Teaching, claims, in turn, its due place and consideration; and it must be also remembered that the tendency so common at the present day, to lessen the significance and the importance of the Christian's DOCTRINES, calls for corresponding efforts to show in contradistinction that there is such a thing as Dogmatic Truth, and that the possession of it (never denied to a teachable, humble, contrite heart,) is NECESSARY TO SALVATION. "He that believeth not is condemned already."

With this object, therefore, we now offer, for the Senior Classes in our Sunday Schools, presumed to be already well trained in the knowledge of Scripture History, a Series of Lessons on Scripture Doctrines and Duties, trusting that by the blessing of the great Teacher of the Church, both Teachers and Scholars may thereby be more fully grounded and established in the Truth as it is in Jesus.

SERIES OF LESSONS ON THE DOCTRINES AND DUTIES OF CHRISTIANITY.-FOR BIBLE CLASSES.

THE SCRIPTURES.

Ir has been said that God has three Books-the Book of Nature-the Book of Providence and the Scriptures. We look around on Creation and see the traces of Almighty Power, Infinite Wisdom, and Goodness; see Job xxxviii.; Psalm civ.; Isaiah xl. In God's Providence (used here in the sense of his dealings with man), we see the same attributes (Psalm viii., cvii.), though we must remember that many of his plans and designs must be far above our comprehension, Job xi. 7, xxxvii. Rom. ix. 20, 21.

23;

But in the Scriptures God Himself speaks to us, to tell us ALL THAT WE NEED KNOW to secure our eternal welfare; explaining many things we see around us which we could never understand of ourselves. Let us note

I. THE DESIGN OF THE SCRIPTURES.

II. THEIR NATURE OR CHARACTER.
III. THEIR VALUE.

I. For what purpose are the Scriptures given us? We learn God's power and wisdom from his works: WHAT MORE DO WE NEED? The answer is clear. All around us are signs of man's guilt and misery; and Conscience threatens still heavier judgments to come: MAN NEEDS A SAVIOUR.

Again, whether we look at earth and its riches, or into our own nature, we soon learn how ignorant we are: MAN NEEDS A TEACHER.

Again, when we strive to do right, we soon find out how weak we are: MAN NEEDS STRENGTH.

All these blessings are revealed and bestowed by means of the Scriptures: see Psalm xix., cxix. 9, 11, 50, 98-100, 105, 130; 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17; Rom. xv. 4. There we see the Saviour ready and willing to save-there we may learn all that we are able to understand about God, or Man, or Heaven, or Earth. There we are taught how to gain strength from day to day to do God's will (Isaiahı xl. 31). God tells us that He would not have any perish, Ezek. xviii. 31, 32; 2 Peter, iii. 9; and his Word is his own appointed means for giving men the knowledge of his Salvation.

II. WHAT IS THE NATURE AND CHARACTER OF THE SCRIPTURES? The Bible is a collection of many Books, written by different authors, from Kings down to Fishermen at different times from 1700 B.C. to A.D. 96-in different languages, Hebrew, Chaldee, and Greek-and of different descriptions, History, Biography, Poetry, Prophecy, Letters, Proverbs.

Let us note here one especial proof of the divine origin of the Scriptures, viz. that all these separate writers, at different times, yet agree both in doctrine and in purpose. All the Books bear the same doctrinal character, as one plain light can be displayed through many coloured glasses.

The History and Biography are examples either to be followed or shunned-the Epistles and Proverbs tell what the Histories show-in the Poetry we find language ready for our hearts-and in the Prophecy we learn to endure in hope. Rom. xv. 4.

No human mind, however learned or intelligent, can grasp all Truth—but even a little child may grasp ENOUGH.

III. THE VALUE OF THE SCRIPTURES. The value we put on them is the sure test of OUR OWN STATE. They who love God love his Word, and prize it (as David did, Ps. cxix. 72), far above all earthly possessions: the latter may be lost, the former is ours for ever.

What is our own experience in this matter?

F

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