All the comely, the stately, the pleasant, the useful works which we do view with delight, or enjoy with comfort, industry did contrive them, industry did frame them. Industry reared those magnificent fabrics, and those commodious houses; it formed those goodly pictures and statues; it raised those convenient causeways, those bridges, those aqueducts; it planted those fine gardens with various flowers and fruits; it clothed those pleasant fields with corn and grass; it built those ships, whereby we plough the seas, reaping the commodities of foreign nations. It hath subjected all creatures to our command and service, enabling us to subdue the fiercest, to catch the wildest, to render the gentler sort most tractable and useful to us. It taught us from the wool of the sheep, from the hair of the goat, from the labours of the silk-worm, to weave us clothes to keep us warm, to make us fine and gay. It helpeth us from the inmost bowels of the earth to fetch divers needful tools and utensils. It collected mankind into cities, and compacted them into orderly societies, and devised wholesome laws, under shelter whereof we enjoy safety and peace, wealth and plenty, mutual succour and defence, sweet conversation, and beneficial commerce. It, by meditation, did invent all those sciences whereby our minds are enriched and ennobled, our manners are refined and polished, our curiosity is satisfied, our life is benefited.-Isaac Barrow.

It is a beautiful remark of Lord Bacon, "Seek not proud wealth; but such as thou mayst get justly, use soberly, distribute cheerfully, and leave contentedly." And," says the late William Wirt-a name that will long be illustrious in American history-" Excessive wealth is neither glory nor happiness. cold and sordid wretch who thinks only of himself-who draws his head within his shell, and never puts it out, but for the purpose of lucre and ostentation-who looks upon his fellow

The

creatures not only without sympathy, but with arrogance and insolence, as if they were made to be his vassals, and he to be their lord; as if they were made for no other purpose than to pamper his avarice, or to contribute to his aggrandisement-such a man may be rich, but trust me, he never can be happy, nor virtuous, nor great. There is in a fortune a golden mean, which is the appropriate region of virtue and intelligence. Be content with that; and if the horn of plenty overflow, let its droppings fall upon your fellow-men-let them fall like the droppings of honey in the wilderness, to cheer the faint and weary pilgrim."

LEARN SOME TRADE.

Tay, the notorious burglar, has been sentenced in Toronto to twenty years' hard labour in the Provincial Penitentiary. He was found guilty on two indictments, and condemned to ten years imprisonment on each. When brought up to hear the judgment of the Court, he was asked if he had anything to say why the penalty of the law should not be pronounced against him. He replied as follows:

"No, my Lord-I have violated the laws of my country. I have been tried by an impartial jury and convicied, and I humbly bow to their decision-throwing myself entirely upon the leniency and mercy of the Court. There are, however, two favours which I would ask, if a felon in the dock dare ask a favour; first, that, as I have no means of my own, though a portion of the money taken from me belonged to myself, the Court would see my counsel properly feed, since he has ably, though unsuccessfully, defended me. The second is, that when I am sent to the Penitentiary, they would intercede, and have taught me some trade or profession, in order that, should I ever be released from it, I may be able to earn an honest livelihood. I attribute my present course of life solely to the circumstance that I was never brought up to any trade. Should I not be taught any occupation while in the Penitentiary, when I come out I shall be friendless, homeless, penniless, and ragged-and I must necessarily resume my old habits, and become what I was before-a robber."

GERMAN MARRIAGES.

Marriage in Germany is preceded by the following forms and ceremonies, and it is by no means an easy affair after all:-1st, proposal; 2nd, betrothal; 3rd, a public family dinner or supper of announcement; 4th, the testimonials required by government; being-1, a certificate of vaccination; 2, a week-day school ticket, in proof of regular attendance there; 3, a certificate of attendance on a religious teacher; 4, a certificate of confirmation; 5, a conduct certificate; 6, a service book; 7, a wander-back (this refers to the compulsory travels of the handicraft men); 8, an apprentice ticket; 9, a statement as to propriety, which, if not considered to be satisfactory, destroys the whole; 10, a permission from the parents; 11, a residence permission ticket; 12, a certificate as to the due performance of militia duties; 13, an examination ticket; 14, a ticket of business or Occupation at the time. The higher classes have even more difficulties than these. Thusa Bavarian officer cannot marry until he has deposited enough to provide £40 per annum for the maintenance of his future family.

it may be useful at the present moment that a voice from the Continent should be heard on the banks of the Thames. Fontenelle, a celebrated Frenchman, has said; "If I had my hand full of truths, I would not open it." But God says, on the contrary: "Speak, and hold not thy peace." I will speak then, and shall do so because I love England. I am a sincere Presbyterian, but not a bigoted one. The essentials are in my view: Christ, His word, His righteousness, His Spirit. Church government is a secondary matter. Our Reformers on the Continent gave the hand of brotherhood to the evangelical English Bishops; Calvin to Cranmer, for instance. I think we should still act thus. There is in the English Church a considerable number of pious men, ministers, and believers of the laity, who are among the most excellent of the earth, and from whom I should at all times be happy to receive instruction, edification, and reproof.

This said, I return to the question: Why has the force of this blow fallen on the Bishops? In reply, I shall relate what we have seen at Geneva. It is well known that the Company of Pastors, which was the Bishop of Geneva, which possessed all ecclesiastical power, and which alone named ministers, had for nearly a century gathered the doctrines of Arianism and Pelagianism. It is also known, that from the time of the awakening in the Church of Geneva, during the thirty years of the present generation, from 1816 to 1846, this company did not cease to spurn, and even sometimes to persecute those who professed the holy doctrines of the Gospel and the Reformation. One of my friends, Dr. Gaussen, often said to me: "God will not be mocked. You will see that judgment will fall upon this company of pastors." I was inclined to believe this, but I could not see whence this evil would come. In 1846, we had, in Geneva, a radical revolution; in 1847, a radical constitution. Those legislators who had not religious interests, and who in matters of doctrine would have been disposed to range themselves on the side of the Company of Pastors rather than with us, deprived this body of its authority and privileges, and gave them to the citizens, or to a body composed solely of laymen, elected by the suffrages of the sovereign people. Thus was accomplished that menace of our Lord: "They shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and leave thee naked and bare," Ezek. xvi. 39.

Jesus Christ rules in his Church. When those who govern it forget their duty, He chastises them : "I will remove thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent," Rev. ii. 6.

What has already taken place in Geneva, is now commencing in England. The majority of the bishops have failed in their duty. Full of defiance for the friends of the Gospel, they have been full of tolerance, and even of favour for its enemies. They themselves have been imbued with anti-evangelical doctrines,-have drunk of the cup of Rome. The superstitions of the Papacy have been remodelled at Oxford. The enemy has entered the sheepfold, and brought there an abundance of poison for the Lord's flock: "His watchmen are blind," Isa. lvi. 10. If an episcopal office be desirable, very well,— but let the bi-hops discharge their duty. Why overseers if they do not oversee evil? I like to recognise among the bishops of England men of such piety, that I pray God to give me the

like. Even amongst those who have turned towards fables, and who by their connivance at error, have encouraged Rome to the recent aggression, even amongst these, I delight to count men of morality, knowledge, and a distinguished capacity. But I must say, and I say it with tears, that for some years past the conduct of the English bishops has filled all Christian men on the Continent with fear, grief, and consternation. We have asked ourselves: What chastisement will fall upon the episcopacy, from which side will it come? A revolution must work in the English episcopacy; the bishops must reject their hierarchical dreams, or they will lose the Church; and must be henceforth as zealous for living, spiritual Christianity, and for the Word of God, as they have formerly been for thir prerogatives, and for the doctrines which lead to Rome. The English Reformer, Tyndal, said: "Neither is it possible naturally, that there should be any good bishops, so long as the bishopricks be nothing save worldly pomps and honours, superfluous abundance of all manner of riches, and liberty to do what a man listeth unpunished; things which only the evil desire, and all good men abhor."* I will not discuss the reform which might be effected in this respect in the English episcopacy; but, I repeat it, the Church of England (and England herself) runs great danger if advantage be not taken of present circumstances, to bring about a reform in the Prelacy. There ought to be legal means of restraining a bishop, if he deviates from the truth of the Thirty-nine Articles,-if he abuses the power he has over his inferiors,-if he raises himself above his superiors,-in a word, if he Romanises. Strange circumstance! It is in this country, the most free in the world, in this Great Britain, where all other nations come to seek those institutions that protect them, it is here that an arbitrary power exists. It was the Christian Church which brought liberty to modern nations, and now, they would drive this liberty from their bosoms! If an English bishop were to become a Papist (I ask the question without affirming anything), would there be legal means to discharge him? bishops of the Romish Church are certainly less autocrats than the bishops of the English Church. Now that the two episcopates are placed side by side, it is time to correct the defects of the old one, it is time to give to the presbyters and other members of the Christian Church, a liberty of rights, and an influence, of which they are at present deprived. If a remedy is not effected in these evils, no long period will elapse before the inevitable consequences of these crying abuses will be developed. The blow that the English bishops have received is a slight matter in comparison with those which may yet fall upon them.

The

There is a vast amount of truth contained in these paragraphs; but we doubt whether the Doctor does not over-estimate the "blow" which has been given to the English Bishops. We do not consider that they have yet sustained any very great mischief. But we hope for what he prophesies-we hope that what has occurred is only a slight matter to *Tyndal's Works, i., p. 483.

that which will yet come to pass, when they will be hurled from their pinnacle of pride, reduced to apostolic dimensions, and divested of their cumbrous and crushing emoluments. Can any one deny that this is a wish full of charity? D'Aubigné enters copiously, and with characteristic clearness, into the question of the Sacraments, after which we have the following paragraphs :

The errors which I combat destroy the life of the Church. The inevitable consequences are, that thus the great majority of its members belong to it outwardly, by Baptism, Confirmation, and the Lord's Supper; but do not belong to it by a new heart, by a life hid in Christ with God, by the fruits and works of a truly evangelical faith. How can one be astonished, while such a state of things exists, at conversions, or perversions, which cast so many souls into the Romish Church? The Romish Church is essentially external; in laying a great stress, on external institutions, they work, therefore, for her. The Protestant Church is essentially spiritual and internal; the souls in its communion are strengthened by being founded upon Jesus Christ. Communion of members with their Divine Head, through faith and by the Spirit, is the blood which should circulate in the veins and arteries of all the body of Jesus Christ. As soon as this Divine life ceases to flow in any one member, that member dies; and since it is dead, is it not natural that it should go with the dead into the great cemetery of Rome?

Let evangelical doctrine be more and more preached in England; let every member of the Church of England feel his sin, and his inability to gain Heaven by his works; let him acknowledge, let him believe, let him possess a free redemption by faith in the Person and work of the God-man; let him obtain an intimate, a real union with this Saviour,-this is what will save the Church. Union with Jesus Christ is the only infallible remedy to prevent union with the Pope.

There is a point which, as I learn, attracts public attention in England: "To have a reform in the Church," say they, "we must first of all have a reform in the Universities." It is certainly true that if the water in a stream is impure, we must go to the source to purify it. I will only say on this subject, that one of the things which seems to me most necessary, is a sound and lively theological instruction; one which should substitute for the doctrines of the times of decline in the Church, for the follies of the Tractarians, the doctrines of apostolic times, the great and divine principles of Christian theology.

D'Aubigné says, it is not for him to enter into the political question, but he wishes it to be distinctly understood that no man of sense can ever look upon the Roman power as purely spiritual. He further states, with respect to the restoration of the Pope to the city of Rome, that what the guns and cannons of the French there re-established was certainly something terrestrial and temporal. The

Spirit has nothing to do with this kind of arms. The temporal element is not less essential to Rome in theory than in practice. Kings, according to the Romish system, are the sons of the Pope, who owe obedience to their Father. The Historian then inquires, "Since the Pope before the Reformation could not publish any bull like the one which at present occupies attention, without the permission of the English Government, shall it be permitted him to do so now? Shall he do that in England which he could not do even in France?" The following sentiments deserve special attention :—

The Papacy has remained for more than three centuries without daring to do in England what it is now attempting. These three centuries have been remarkable for many changes, for many different movements. Now of all these, the most remarkable is the double movement, in contrary directions, of the fortunes of Rome and England. Three centuries ago, the power of England was small; now it has become very great. Three centuries ago, the power of Rome was great; now it has become very small,-80 small, that even in Rome itself French bayonets are requisite to keep it up. Well, what Rome durst not attempt when she was on high and England low, she dares now, when England is exalted, and Rome abased.

Again I repeat, that it is not for me to consider the political question; it is not for me to say whether the new bishops should or should not be tolerated. Popery from within is, in my eyes, far more dangerous than Popery from without. Whether or not it be right to oppose the Romish episcopacy is not the question for me but that it is absolutely necessary to reform the English episcopacy appears to me unquestionable. What renders the Pope's measure so dangerous is the present state of the English clergy. If the clergy were really reformed,really evangelical, there would have been no danger for England, in a religious point of view. The Bull of the Pope might then have been received with contempt, but without fear and without anger; it would not then have been worth while to burn a man of straw.

Thus much for the opinions of the Historian of the Reformation regarding matters which now agitate the English people. We consider the publication of such sentiments, from such a man, not only seasonable, but highly important. While all will read and profit from them, they will more especially obtain a hearing in church circles, and tend to fan that little flame of generous and devout patriotism which is happily making its appearance amongst the laity of the Established Church. They cannot but be strengthened by the opinions of an individual, so potent, so disinterested, and so thoroughly conversant with the great object of Ecclesiastical action on the Continent of Europe.