Truth is truth, and dignity is dignity, in spite of the errors and folly of any man living. But this is the outside. What are the greatest . minds, and the noblest projects of the world, compared with a Christian! Takė Mr. Pitt for an instance: and contrast him with the most insignificant old woman in the Church of Christ! If the Bible be not true, you have no standard : all your reasonings, and science, and philosophy, and metaphysics, are gross absurdity and folly. But, if the Bible bé true, Mr. Pitt, great and noble as he is, yet, considered as a mere politician, even Mr. Pitt has a little, contracted, mean mind! a driveller! an earth-worm! Compared with his projects and schemes, the old woman, who rises at Two o'clock in the morning, lights her farthing-candle, stands all day over her wash-tub, at night puts on her red cloak, steals out to some place of worship, hears the truths of the Gospel mangled. perhaps with ignorant yet honest zeal, but draws in good into an honest and prepared heart—why, this woman is a heroine-a noble mind—compared with the greatest of men, considered as a mere man of this world! Bishop Wilkins had said admirably, That nothing in man is great, but so far as it is connected with God. The only wise thing recorded of Xerxes, is. his reflection on the sight of his army, That not one of that immense multitude would survive a hundred years: it seems to have been a momentary gleam of true light and feeling, APPENDIX. À HIDING-PLACE implies secrecy. He, who can say unto God, Thou art my hiding-place, may go abroad about his affairs, and may pass through a thousand dangers, and yet, at the same time, have such a hidingplace, in the favour and protection of God, that when he seems to be exposed on every side, still he is secured and hidden from every evil. A GREAT man, however high his office and talents, is dependent on little things. Jonah was exceeding glad of his gourd. However splendid and towering, man is crushed beneath the moth, if God does not uphold him: so that, while we are admiring the great man as he is called, and however he may be disposed to admire himself and to speak great swelling words of vanity, facts will show that he is a poor dependent creature, who cannot live a moment without God. If the Holy Spirit open his eyes, he will perceive that , he cannot stand alone; but can only support himself and climb, like the ivy, by clasping one stronger than himself. DREAMS are common to sleeping. No man begins to slumber in religion, but he falls into some golden dream. It is a device of Satan to seduce men into a drowsy state, and then to beguile them with some dream. When the duties of religion become irksome, then he presents some novelty which allures and deceives us : whereas, had we been in life and vigour, we should have detected the deceit, VOL. IIT. 37 |