1838.] 97 THE ARCH OF TITUS. AMONG the Romans, the warlike exploits of their greatest heroes were kept in remembrance by some public building, on which there was generally a written account of their principal victories. Pillars or columns were sometimes erected in honour of their great men; and the victories of some were recorded on triumphal arches. The ruins of several such buildings remain to this day at Rome. The annexed drawing is the arch of Titus. It was Titus, the son of the Roman Emperor Vespasian, as many of our readers are well aware, under whose command the Roman army destroyed the city of Jerusalem,-and destroyed it so completely, that, according to our Saviour's prophecy, not one stone was left upon another: the great temple was completely levelled with the ground. This event took place in the year of our Lord 70, less than forty years after our Lord's ascension; and it was to celebrate this great event that the arch of Titus was erected, and which remains to this day. Our blessed Lord had warned the Jews of the destruction that awaited them if they continued in their sins and unbelief. They had been the favoured people of God, separated from the rest of the world, and instructed in the knowledge of the true God. But it was the design of the Almighty to make Himself known, in His own time, to all the nations of the earth. The particular forms of the Jewish religion were intended for that nation alone; but the knowledge of Christ, and of redemption through Him, was to be opened to all mankind. But God did not desire to cast off His favoured nation: he would have gathered them together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wing, and they would not; their house was left to them desolate. Let us learn from this judgment, how surely destruction awaits those who refuse to listen. to the warning of their Saviour and their God. V. THE BLESSINGS OF RELIGION. THERE are trials and afflictions which belong to us, as mortal beings, and which no virtue or prudence on our part can prevent. And what, it may be asked, availeth religion here? Much every way; and here the Christian's triumph is indeed complete. He knows that his afflictions are sent by a merciful Father, who does not afflict willingly, or vainly;-he knows that this world is not his home, that life is a journey, and that, therefore, though much is strewed in our path to cheer and comfort us, yet that trials are still appointed, to prepare us for our destined abode. The Christian, then, sees that these are sent for his good, and therefore he can bear them with resignation and submission: he can say with David, "it is good for me that I have been afflicted;" he can even catch a glimpse of that joy, which taught the Apostle to say, we rejoice in tribulation." Well may we, then, be persuaded to give ourselves to God and to seek His favour, when we see that such blessings belong to His faithful servants. The devout Christian will know how to enjoy the truest happiness; and his life will be employed in deeds of usefulness. He does not live in vain; he does not live, like the man who rejects the Gospel, to the injury of his fellow creatures. He does not allow his religion to be a mere assent to certain truths, but he strives that his faith should influence his practice, and that he may bring glory to the religion which he professes by the good which it excites him to perform, and the patient submission which it enables him to exercise. 66 Let every one who has hitherto neglected the Gospel of Christ, see the need of repentance; let him know his danger, and seek for that pardon which the Gospel offers through the merits of that Saviour who died for sinners; let him seek for the help of the Divine Spirit, that he may be enabled to walk in newness of life willingly, and do His will cheerfully. The Gospel of Christ offers her privileges to all, and she prescribes duties to all, she speaks to servants as well as masters and to those in every station, who by faith accept the invitations of the Gospel, the offer of eternal salvation is made, and rules of conduct are given which will guide to that salvation; and the observance of those rules shall rescue them from many difficulties in this life; and God's grace going with them shall guard 1838.] REFLECTIONS ON THE CHURCH SERVICE. 99 them in the hour of trial, and show them the blessing of Christian holiness, and the excellence of Christian uprightness, and honesty, and strict dealing: they shall see the need, and shall feel the wish to be as exact and punctual out of sight as in sight, they do not obey their earthly masters merely with eye-service, but they remember that they are the servants of Christ, therefore they do their service with good will, as unto the Lord and not unto men, because they know that to the Lord they must give account. Happy indeed is that man whose heart is influenced by these motives. But let every one in every station, who is a stranger to them, seek earnestly for that renewal of the mind, which shall lead him to the love of Christian devotion and of Christian practice. REFLECTIONS ON THE CHURCH SERVICE. (Continued from page 40.) The Prayer of St. Chrysostom. V. WHEN Christians meet together in the house of prayer, they must not consider this as a mere form and ceremony; neither are they to talk of it as a mere duty: it is more than this, it is a happy privilege, a gracious opportunity which God allows us of bringing good on ourselves. It is, indeed, true, that when God grants anything to His people as a favour and a privilege, He also connects it with duty; and obedience to His commands is a Christian's duty, whilst our heavenly Father has made it the happiness of His people, and united it with all the blessings that belong to His faithful followers. Thus, from the earliest ages of the Church, it has been the practice of devout Christians to meet together to worship God; and this will always be a Christian's duty; and the Apostle Paul has told us that we are not to forsake "the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is 1." But a true servant of God does not require to be told of this as a duty, for he finds it to be an opportunity of good, which he would by no means lose; he expects much good from it, he looks for increased strength and grace to enable him to pursue his 1 Heb. x. 25. Christian course with diligence and success. It is cheering to join in company with those who are on the same journey with ourselves: and thus, when Christians meet together, they can help and comfort one another. Our blessed Saviour has given us every encouragement to meet together to worship in His name. He tells us that "when two or three are gathered together in His name, there is He in the midst of them." Encouraged by this promise, we address this prayer to Christ Himself, pleading His own promise, and begging of Him that it may be fulfilled to us. But if man, ignorant, erring, corrupt man, were left to pray according to his own wishes, he would ask many things, that would ruin him if he obtained them. It was with a knowledge of this, that our Lord's disciples said to him "Lord, teach us to pray:" and the divine prayer which our Lord taught them, serves as a pattern of prayer for His people at all times: we are to pray that God's will may be done, not ours. It is in this spirit that the prayer of St. Chrysostom is written. We do not ask for such things as we might suppose would be good for us, but for such things as God knows to be best and "most expedient for us." pray thus is to pray safely and profitably. Our blessed Lord will hear the prayers of those who pray in faith, and who are earnest in their desire to serve Him: He will make them partakers of His blessings, He will grant their requests." But their requests are not for worldly goods, and wealth, and power, but are always for such things as are most for their spiritual good: and God best knows what these are. Two things, however, the Christian may ask, and he does ask for these; for he is required and encouraged to ask for them, and is told that whosoever asks in earnest for these things shall have them: the one is knowledge of divine truth: Grant us, O Lord, in this world, "knowledge of Thy truth." The other, is "in the world to come life everlasting" and this great unspeakable blessing is, through divine mercy, the inheritance of every Christian who earnestly seeks for it. In truth, it is divine grace that leads us to seek; and he, who, by that grace, is taught to seek, by the same mercy will find. We begin this prayer, To 1838.] EPITAPH. 101 indeed, by acknowledging that it is the Lord who hath "given us grace at this time to make our common supplications unto Him:" and He who gives the heart to pray will hear the prayer. We may observe in this prayer, that we do not plead, as in most of our prayers, through the Son; the reason is, that we address it to Christ Himself, because it was He who told us that He would be in the midst of His people, when they met to worship Him. But in praying to the Son, we are also at the same time, praying to the Father, for our Lord says, "I and my Father are one." But what a gracious encouragement is it to meet together to pray, when we know that Christ is with us! What a call to devout prayer, when we know that we are in the very presence of our Lord himself! 66 Perhaps, (says Comber) we are but few at common prayer; but, since we come as His disciples, and in obedience to His precepts, to ask in His name alone, we are sure that Jesus is among us, and hears our prayers; and then, such is His love to us, and power with God, that we doubt not to obtain them. And oh! whom would it not move to lay aside all needless impediments, and to come to prayer, when we are sure to meet the Lord Jesus there! EPITAPH ON A FAITHFUL SERVANT. THE GOD OF THE TRUE CHRISTIAN. V. THE true Christian is the only man who forms right ideas of the nature of Jehovah. Others miserably mistake Him. The world conceives of Him that He is great and wonderful in His works; and, when it draws nigh to Him in worship, its adorations are formal and unconfiding. approaches Him without comfort because it is not ac It |