The Guiding Star. BY JOHN BRUNT. "And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy."-Matt. ii. 10. "He leadeth the blind by a way which they knew not." WHO those men were is not revealed; but they are described by what they possessed and by what they sought. They were wise, yet they sought Him who is the wisdom of God. Happy they, who, though they possess much, are not satisfied, except they may possess Him who is the Pearl of Great Price; who is the unspeakable gift of the ever blessed God. The Father knoweth the Son; and they who are taught of God desire to know Jesus as the salvation of God; therefore, whatever leads to Jesus will occasion joy to those so led. They who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. If God the Holy Ghost lead a poor sinner, that poor sinner shall become wise unto salvation, shall grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible is the cradle where Jesus shall be seen; its sacred pages unfold Him, its dimensions hold Him, who is the Incomprehensible. To make Jesus known, the patriarchs lived. To hold Him forth, the Old Dispensation was ordained. That they might speak of Him, prophets were instructed. To melodiously make Him known, the sweet singers of the Temple were set in their various orders. That Jesus should be a man was the substance of the first promise; that He should be a Jew was the next; then, that He should be of the family of Abraham, of the tribe of Judah, of the house of David, were matters which filled up those further promises which were given respecting Him. Just as it is in nature; there is first the blade, then the ear, and finally, the full corn in the ear. So was it in promise and prophecy. The seed of the woman and the seed of Abraham. Shiloh; the law maker for the people and the ruler of the people; the antitypical serpent to which the people should look, and the prophet to whom men would hearken. Death's plagues and death's conqueror. The hind of the morning, starting from the vale, climbing the mountain side, and gazing from the mountain top of labour, taking in the whole horizon of blessedness before Him (see Psalm xxii). The King of Israel; Immanuel; the Wonderful; Councillor; the Mighty God; the Everlasting Father; the Prince of Peace. The Lord God with strong hand; his work before Him, His reward following Him. The shepherd-feeding, gathering, carrying, and leading His flock. The passive victim, giving His back to the smiters, His cheek to them that plucked off the hair, His face as the target of shame and spitting. The mighty victor, setting His face like a flint, nor ever feeling shame. The arm of the Lord, and the sin-bearer of the people; the bruised of the Lord, and yet the bruiser of His enemies. Jehovah Tsidkenu; in whose days Judah should be saved, and who, as the branch of David and King of saints, should reign and prosper, executing judgment and justice in the earth. The Most Holy, Messiah, the Prince, and at length the Sun of Righteousness, with healing in his beams. Thus was the root of David raised up in promise, that He might reign over the house of Jacob for ever. It was heaven's work to make Jesus known. It was, and is, a heavenly work to lead a soul to Jesus Christ the Lord. Blessed is he who is so led. Satan never has had the power to bring any to Jesus, but he has always had the disposition to draw away any who were coming to Christ ; and, in accordance with that disposition, he has always acted; yet he must know that Jesus must ultimately triumph. In Macgowan's "Dialogues of Devils," Satan is represented as saying, "It surprises me much, that once when we refused to honour this Christ we were cast out of heaven; now, men repeatedly insult Him, and utterly reject Him; yet is He merciful to men and not to devils." Well might Satan be surprised! Wonder, O heavens, and be astonished, O earth, Jesus Christ is the Saviour of sinners, even of the chief. Brooks, in his "Precious Remedies against Satan's Devices," says, "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.' Eph. vi. 11. The Greek word that is there rendered wiles, is a notable emphatical word: 1st. It signifies such treacheries as come upon us unawares; it notes the method, or waylaying, of that old subtile servant, who, like Dan's adder in the path, bites the heels of passengers, and thereby transfuses his venom to the head and heart. The word sig nifies an ambushment, or stratagem of war, whereby the enemy sets upon a man at unawares. 2nd. It signifies such snares as are set to catch us in our road. A man walks in his road and thinks not of it; but, suddenly he is taken by thieves, or falls into a pit, &c. 3rd. It signifies such as are set purposely and craftily for the taking of the prey, at the greatest advantage that can be. The Greek word signifies, properly, a waylaying, circumvention, or going about, as they do which seek after their prey.' Yet, although Satan seeks to hinder, God will work; and who shall let it? Why those wise men of the East were first of all moved to go in search of Jesus, does not appear. Doubtless, they had seen that wonderful transiation of the ancient Scriptures into the Greek, called the Septuagint; for that book had obtained a wide circulation through those countries where Greece had become mistress. ROLLIN, in his "Ancient History," says, "This version, therefore, which renders the Scriptures of the Old Testament intelligible to a vast number of people, became one of the most considerable fruits of the Grecian conquests." What that star could be, by which these eastern sages were led or guided, has been a matter of controversy. Jeremy Taylor thus speaks on the subject: "The Greeks suppose this which was called a star, to have been indeed 'an angel in a pillar of fire,' in the semblance of a star; and this is made the more likely by its coming and standing directly over the humble roof of His nativity." Jesus was to be known by Gentiles and Jews; therefore, a star appears to the Arabians, and an angel to the Jewish shepherds in the plains of Bethlehem. To know Christ is to be wise indeed; and to have been led to Him, to have gazed upon Him, to have come into personal acquaintance with Him, to be able to say, as Simeon said, "Mine eyes have seen thy salvation," is, without exception, an astonishing favour. The writer just now quoted, adds, "Thus, also, God deals with us. He gives us the first grace, and adds the second; He enlightens our understandings, and actuates our faculties, and sweetly allures us by the proposition of rewards; He wounds us with the arrows of His love, and influences us with fire from heaven; ever giving us new assistances, or increasing the old; refreshing us with comforts, or arming us with patience; sometimes stirring our affections by the lights held out to our understanding; sometimes bringing confirmation to our understanding by the motion of our affections, till, by a variety of means, we at length arrive at Bethlehem in the service and entertainments of the HOLY JESUS." In conclusion, we add, that it is still heaven's work to make Jesus known; and, as in the case before us, the objects of persons were selected by Jehovah Himself, so is it now. As the method of revelation was according to the Divine will then, so is it now; as the manner of revelation was then, so is it now. It was by light, then; and it is, and always must be, by light from heaven, that souls shall be led to Jesus. Light is a heavenly body; nothing born of earth can ever direct to or lead to Jesus, ONLY as it may be used by a heavenly agent. Finally: As in the end, those Wise Men were led to Jesus for their present and everlasting welfare, so shall all the Election of God see and perceive, hear and understand; be converted-all their sins being forgiven them. WHEN there deepens oft around thee And thou feel'st thy cup to brim, Those who once thy friends had been: When the lov'd from earth have faded- Deem thy cross not hard to bear? Though on thee His rod hath fell, He will grant thee courage too; And will lead thee safely through. He will be thy shield and stay: For thy cross a radiant crown- New Cross. GOLDEN FRAGMENTS BROKEN-BUT NOT LOST. BY MR. ALFRED PEET, OF SHARNBROOK. 68.-The light of Christians appears in good works; but it is the oil of grace that keeps this light burning. 69. True religion arrays death and judgment with light, and adorns them with all the beauties of a glorious eternity. 70.-The love which true religion inculcates teaches us to cover the defects of others with that mantle of charity which is the bond of perfectness, and to magnify their virtues. 71.-There is no wickedness so desperate as deception,- -we can never foresee its consequences. 72.-Presumptuous ignorance, and wilful prejudice, equally mistake and equally misrepresent. 73.-Be not washed without and foul within: hypocrites are but painted tombs; look on them they please your eyes, look into them they offend your nostrils. 74. He that yields himself a servant to one sin, shall soon find himself a slave to many. 75.-Every one can be rich in promising, though he be poor and beggarly in performing. 76.-Men are dull to conceive, hard to believe, apt to forget, and slow to practise heavenly truths. 77.-Solomon's bed was not so well guarded with his threescore valiant men, all holding swords, as each good Christian is by the power of God without him and the peace of God within him. 78.-Lie not one to another, no, not in jest, lest ye go to hell in earnest. 79.-Corrections are pledges of our adoption and badges of our sonship; one Son God had without sin, but none without sorrow. 80.-Every promise travels from the throne of the Eternal to the heart of the Christian by the cross. 81.-A true Christian indeed doth as earnestly desire to have his sin purged as pardoned, and himself fitted to do or suffer for the name of Christ. 82.-If you say that you do live in His will, let us know it by your doing His will. 83.-We should learn to keep the people of this world at a proper distance; for if we suffer too great a nearness, they may prove a snare in keeping us at a distance from God. 84.-Sin may distress, but it cannot destroy, a believer. Sin does not distress a dead sinner. Surely, then, we may believe that distressing sins are pardoned sins. 85.-Free willers may be compared to a man that has lost his purse, but does not find it wanting till he comes to pay his debts. 'Tis certain such who of their free-will boast, (ENJOYED SUNDAY MORNING, JUNE 18, 1865.) I WAS riding in an omnibus on Saturday morning, reading one of brother Wells' sermons, when the words in the first of Hebrews were applied most comfortably to my soul: " He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." The anxiety and bustle of the Saturday in the city did not knock it out of me; but it was Sunday morning before I could get to sit down to think on that most precious name. His name was, indeed, as ointment poured forth;" and my soul did feel an inward love to Him, whom I have for so many years tried to make known. Some of the ancient Jews had very exalted views of the Son of God -their expected Messiah. There are some beautiful names they have fetched out of the deep places, and in parts of their Talmud you may see them. As, 1. "The Prince of the Lord's Presence." This is one beautiful name they use for the Messiah, and in this name three things are said to be couched, i.e., Lord, Messenger, and Keeper :-He is Lord of All; He is the Great Messenger between God and His people; and He is the Keeper of all Israel. How beautiful these names and offices appear to poor souls, who really feel their need of such a true friend, and have faith in Him! I feel God is too holy, and pure, and good, and high; and I am too vile, sunken, condemned, and weak, ever to come near of myself; consequently, the revelation that there is One who can stand in the presence of God for poor fallen men, is a great comfort indeed. And that He is especially THE PRINCE in GOD's Presence, standing there specially for us, is a fact full of comfort. But this is not all-He is Messenger, or Ambassador. He sends us messages from the Throne, and He carries our messages to the Throne. Hence, we receive promises from Him, and our poor prayers prevail through Him. Again, He is Keeper— "He that keepeth Israel," &c. Ah! how is it we are so well preserved? Christ used that word in His prayer: "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." In this keeping He employs, or works with, the glorious Third Person-the HOLY SPIRIT-of whom He said, "He shall take of mine and show it unto you." Also, He employs angels. How busy they are in doing His will, in ministering to His people, we little know. But as they had a charge to hold Him up in His Incarnation days, so have they a charge from Him to hold us up in our days of darkness, and in all times of temptation and sorrow. So in all these senses He is The Prince of the Lord's Presence. Another name the ancient Jews have given the Messiah is, "The Chancellor of Heaven." Chancel is the place approaching, or nearest to, the altar; so CHRIST stands close to, and opens up the way to the altar or rather to the Throne-for the altar may be said to stand between the Holy God and the people; and close to that altar stands |