Germs of Thought. Subject: Like draws to Like. “And being let go, they went to their own company.”—Acts iv. 23. W HEN Peter and John were set at liberty by the Jewish rulers, "they went to their own," i.e., to their friends, or brethren, or company. This was perfectly natural. They were both impelled and drawn. They had good news to tell, and they knew that their brethren would prove sympathizing listeners. They had a great work to carry on, and they knew that their brethren would prove willing co-operators (v. 23-31). It is the same still. The heart craves sympathy. In the time of need, we instinctively turn to those who are likeminded, and who are able and willing to help us. There may be restraints; but when these are removed, there is play for the real feelings of the heart. Friend turns to friend, brother to brother. Love has free course. Kindred spirits have sweet fellowship. Freedom is thus a test of character. Like draws to like. See children let loose from school, soldiers released from drill, labourers set free from work. So of humanity in all its phases, "Being let go, they went to their own company." I. DAILY LIFE. Life is for labour; but there is a time for rest. "Man goeth forth unto his work until the evening " (Ps. civ. 23). What then? Two men have been toiling in the same field, or working together in the same factory; but when they are "let go,” they separate. Now that they are free to do as they please, they show the bent of their minds. The spirit of the one is different from that of the other. They choose different scenes and companions. How do you spend your "leisure hour?" It is a pleasant thing to see a man who has toiled hard all day, when "let go," turn to his garden, or help the little ones with their lessons, or spend an hour in profitable reading, or devote a while to visiting some sick neighbour. But how often is it otherwise! How many spend their "leisure hours" in idleness and dissipation! II. RELIGIOUS SERVICES. "Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, in it thou shalt not do any work." How do you spend your Sabbaths? Some find them a weariness;" the time hangs heavy on their hands. Others "call the Sabbath a delight;" it is the pearl of days. Could we visit unseen all the houses in a parish on the Lord's day, how diverse would be the sights we should see. The thoughts of many hearts would be revealed. So it is with respect to the Bible, prayer, and divine worship. So long as people are in church, they are under restraint; but when the service is over, and they are "let go," then they show what spirit they are of. Doeg was "detained before the Lord” (1 Sam. xxi. 7); but when he was “let go,” he went his way to Saul, and when he had opportunity he told "his tale, to shed blood" (Ezek. xxii. 9; and Ezek. xxxiii. 30, 31). David's delight was in the House of God. Hence his heart was filled with love and peace (Ps. cxxii.). Blessings flowed from his lips (2 Sam. vi. 20). III. DEATH. In this world we are never altogether free. Law, custom, public opinion, and such-like restraints so far hinder us from doing what we desire. Besides, our company is often chosen for us. We mix with people with whom we have little or no affinity. There is a great deal of what is conventional and unreal. But death puts an end to this state of things. In the deepest sense, death is a letting go, and then every one goes to his own company. There is a terrible significance in the word concerning Judas, "that he might go to his own place" (Acts i. 25). The awards of eternity are based on sympathy. Every spirit finds its own home. Abernethy. WILLIAM FORSYTH, M.A. LUKE X. 42. PERSONAL RELIGION. I. The grand necessity of our being, “One thing needful.” III. The inviolable property of our soul, "Shall not be taken.”— THOMAS BAROW. The Preacher's Finger-Post. Subject: THE ANSWERABLENESS | pliant. "O Thou that hearest prayer, THIS passage teaches us two things I. THE ANSWERABLENESS OF PRAYER. Hearing, here, means answering. He hears millions of prayers He never answers. The prayers of the wicked go into His ear, the cries of hell are all heard by Him. They call, but He does not answer. The grand reason is, that the prayers are selfish. "Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss." Answer to prayer implies change. But change, where? Not in God. He is absolutely unchangeable. Prayer can neither inform Him of what He knew not, nor incline Him to do what He is not ever disposed to accomplish. Nor is the change in nature. The order of nature seems settled. The same causes, under the same circumstances, everywhere and for ever produce the same effects. With the exception of the miracles recorded in the Bible, nature knows no deviation from her march. She runs in the same circle, with the same stately pace, from age to age. Where then is the change? It is in the mind of the sup 66 In all true prayer, the soul submits to the Divine will, acquiesces in the Divine arrangements, chimes in with the Divine purposes. Though the suppliant receive not a single blessing he invokes, if he rises from his knees, and says, Not my will but Thine be done," he has everything he requires. He has all that an angel has. In this blessed state, all the purposes of the immutable God, all the operations of unalterable nature, work for his good. He becomes the possessor of all things; "all things are yours." "Let Thy will be done on earth as it is done in Heaven;" this is the burden of all true prayer. (1) The mind in this state looks upon God's universe in new aspects. (2) Turns all events to new accounts. "More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of." II. THE INEVITABLENESS OF PRAYER. "Unto Thee shall all flesh come." "Flesh here means mankind. As all waters must find their way into the ocean, so all souls must find their way to God, sooner or later. Two things necessitate this. (1) In ternal instincts. In all sentient existences there would seem at times to be something like an instinct of prayer. "The young lions roar after their | shall all flesh come." prey, and seek their meat from God." What an imploring shriek the bird sends into space when some ruthless hand has robbed her of her young; and the poor hare with the hounds about pouncing on her, seems to utter a piteous cry to heaven. Be this as it may, however, we know man has innate forces prompting him to pray. Hence all men have their religions. And what are religions without prayer? (2) External a circumstances necessitate prayer. Men suppress the instinct, and sometimes make it well-nigh numb as death. But in the presence of a great danger, a great sorrow, great grief, it bounds into earnest life. "Those who go down to the sea in ships, and do business in great waters, in their distress they cry unto the Lord." Now every man is liable to such alarming and distressing circumstances as stimulate prayer. "There is no God,' the foolish saith; But none,There is no sorrow; ' And Nature oft the cry of faith, In bitter need, will borrow. "Eyes which the preacher could not school, By wayside graves are raised; And lips say, 'God, be merciful,' Which ne'er said, 'God be praised."" -MRS. BROWNING. CONCLUSION.-Prayerless men, inevitably you must pray sooner or later. "To Him You may try to keep away from Him; but every such attempt must eventually prove futile. Sooner shall the Mississippi keep away from the ocean, or the earth from circling round the sun, than your soul can keep away from your Maker. Conscious contact is inevitable; but this contact may either be a blessing or a curse. Subject: SALVATION, NOT OF "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost: which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour: that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."-Titus iii. 5-7. These words may be thus rendered, "Not of works, works in righteousness which we did, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the laver of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, in order that, being justified by His grace, we might become heirs, according to the hope of eternal life."-Fairbairn. The great subject of these words is, Salvation. And this includes the restoration of the soul to the knowledge, the image, the fellowship, and the service of the great God. The passage leads us to offer two remarks on this subject. I. THAT WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WE CANNOT PERFORM, AND THEREFORE THEY CANNOT SAVE US. What are righteous works? Condensely defined, works inspired ever by supreme sympathy with the supremely good. No other works, whatever their sacred semblance, whatever their beneficent results, whatever their popular appreciation, are righteous. Now, such righteous works we cannot render in Our unrenewed state, because we have lost this affection; and the loss of this, is the death and damnation of the soul. First: Could we render such works, they would save us. They secure the blessedness of the unfallen angels. Secondly Without rendering such works, we cannot be saved. Moral salvation consists in holiness of character. Character is made up of habits; habits made up of acts; and the acts, to be of any worth, must be righteous. II. THAT REDEMPTIVE MERCY HAS BEEN VOUCHSAFED TO US, AND THEREFORE WE MAY BE SAVED. 66 According to His mercy He saved us." Ob serve First: The special work of this redemptive mercy. What is the work? (1) Cleansing. "The washing of regeneration," or "the laver of regeneration." Sin is repre sented as a moral defiler, and deliverance from sin therefore is a cleansing. (2) Renewal. "Renewing." Sin is represented as death, and deliverance from it is therefore a quickening, a renewal. Secondly: The Divine Administrator of this Redemptive Mercy "The Holy Ghost." No agency but that of God can either morally cleanse or renew. That Divine Agent which of old brooded over the face of the deep, can alone morally re-create. Thirdly: The Glorious Medium of this Redemptive Mercy. "Through Jesus Christ our Saviour." Christ our Saviour is the Medium. Through Him the Spirit came, by Him the Spirit works, in Him the Spirit is abundant. Fourthly: The sublime result of this redemptive mercy. "That being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." The word justified means, to be made right-right in heart, right in life, right in relation to self, the universe, and God. What is it to be made right? To be put in possession of that spirit of love to God which is the spring of all works of righteousness. This rectitude First: Inspires with the highest hope. "Hope of eternal life." What a blessing is hope. But the hope of eternal life, what hope like this. This rectitude-Second: Inaugu |