will be less wealth, or learning, or eloquence, or sagacity in that day, but that these and all other things in that day will be baptized with the spirit of Jesus, and consecrated to the glory of God.

About the meaning of the word judg ment in our text there is considerable diversity of opinion.-Some writers affirm that that it expresses those principles of truth and justice which are the habitations of the throne of God, on which his government is based, which were satisfied and honoured by the death of Christ, and which will be everlastingly vindicated by the awards of the final tribunal; while others affirm, that it must be understood in the sense of discretion. The meaning is that God does not bestow either favours or punishments at random or by caprice, but with an exact regard to the sins committed, and the reformation required. He does not scatter mental and moral gifts as he does the showers that water the earth, but he bestows them at certain times, and upon certain men, for designed and important purposes. He does not punish every man alike, but he wisely considers the circumstances of each man, when the sin was committed. He does not fall upon men for the first offence, but he gives each man line upon line, and precept upon precept; and when all things else fail, the scourge is employed. He does not limit his regard to the nation or individual which is punished severely, or richly blessed, but he looks at the cause of morality and religion, here and hereafter. Severity and mercy are wisely, and, perhaps, about equally blended in the cup of human experience, and both are intended to lead men to the practical avowal of the truth. Moreover, in the distribution of his favours during the history of the world, he has not limited himself to one people or to one part of the earth, leaving the rest of the world in perpetual darkness and poverty, but his truth has touched and glanced at every land. He went with the seed of Abraham into Egypt, and across the desert, and dwelt with them from generation to generation in the land flowing with milk and honey, where miracles the most brilliant attested his power and their security; and mercies the most melting and abundant enriched their hearts, and proved the greatness of his love. When they crucified his Son, and scorned the mission of the Comforter, Christianity left Judea, and travelled into other lands, taking up her abode in

different places, at different times, giving to each place most merciful displays of the fulness of God, not hastily departing; not departing at all, indeed, till driven out by the blandishments or butcheries of the world. Among the seven Churches of Asia, in Italy, in Spain, on the coasts of Africa, in our own beloved country, Christianity has dwelt, reigned, smiled, blessed; and from all these lands in their turn much light and truth have gone out to other parts of the earth, and many souls have ascended into heaven, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God; and in all these lands Christianity has been honoured and insulted, and from all of them, save one, she has almost entirely departed. How long the lamp of truth and love will continue to burn in our beloved land is known only to God; but while we have the light, let us walk in the light.

Supremely blessed are they who wait upon him who waits to be gracious.—They were happy who waited upon Solomon, for they heard his wisdom. They were happy who waited upon Christ when he was among man, for they heard those gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, and some of them drank deeply of that pure and gentle Spirit which he breathed. They are happy who wait around his throne above, for in his presence there is fulness of joy, and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore. They are happy that wait on the Lord, for they shall renew their strength, they shall mount up above the world and sin, as eagles soar aloft towards the sun, they shall walk in his light, live in his love, enjoy his confidence, drink deeply of the river of his consolations, do his will and his work, show forth his praises, and exult in the hope of that inheritance which is uncorrupted, undefiled, and which fadeth not away. "Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord," Psa. xxvii. 14.

CONCLUSION.

From this passage of Scripture viewed in relation to the context, and in relation to the actual state of Israel at the time it was recorded, to the invariable attitude of God, to the general principles of moral government, we learn some lessons of solid worth, and permanent application, unto which we do well to take heed. We learn the policy of the sentiment entertained by many, and, we fear, practically acted upon by the majority of men,

that the affairs of individuals and of nations are too small to engage the notice, much less the interference of God. Men who admit that there is a God who created all things by the word of his power, who sitteth in the circle of the universe, and around whose throne the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers, assert that he is too great in himself, and too far removed from our habitation, to concern himself with our affairs; while others allow that great events and illustrious personages are ordered by the Lord; but question, yea deny, all direct influence upon lesser means and mortals. By these men we are coolly informed that the Creator, in the beginning, infused into all his works certain principles of vitality, and imposed upon them certain laws of action, and created among them certain degrees of relationship, and spread over them certain appearances of beauty, and predilections of harmony and combination, and placed before them certain attractive consummations, and, having done these things, and given to the new world the original impulse, his care of creation instantly ceased, or was suspended till the time shall arrive to convert it into higher forms and holier purposes. We readily admit that there is a certain degree of truth in this representation, and a certain degree of glory ascending out of it towards the Creator, for it avows that his work is perfect, and well able to endure all the revolutions of time, and to adapt itself, and to be adapted, to all exigencies of man; but the whole truth is not told, neither is the most consolatory part of the truth told, for our text records the most minute and all-pervading intercourse between God and man, while other parts of the Bible tell us that he frustrates the purposes of the wicked, orders the steps of the godly, clothes the grass of the fields, feeds the ravens and the lions when they cry unto him, and even numbers the hairs of our head. Every miracle wrought either directly by the hands of God, or indirectly by the hands of his servants, avows the doctrine of interference, and the answer to every prayer proclaims the same truth. Everything is in the hand of God, and the hand of God is in everything. How agreeable to the feelings and hopes of the Christian is the conviction that the sleepless eye of the Eternal rests upon him as he treads the thorny path of life, and that the resources of infinite wisdom, power, and love, are ever and actively exerted on his behalf. He covers our

heads in the day of battle, and feeds us in the time of famine, and keeps us alive in the hour of pestilence, and protects our habitations from unreasonable and wicked men. He delivers us out of the hand of the enemy, and out of the hand of him that hateth us, from the of power sin, from the hatred of the world, from the malice of Satan, from the wrath of God, from the flames of hell, by the blood of his Son, by the power of his Spirit, by the sleepless energy of Providence, he delivers all them that trust in him. Let us, therefore, acknowledge,

the hand of God in all our mercies and sufferings, and we shall be happy in both. If we are disappointed, he has allowed us to reap the fruit of our own folly and sin, that he may teach us lessons of heavenly purity and wisdom. If we are gratified and enriched, he has done it that our hearts may be filled with gratitude and love.

We learn, likewise, how deeply man has revolted from God, and how manifold are the troubles which crowd the path of the sinner. The first man revolted from God when he took of the forbidden fruit; and though he was probably forgiven and restored through faith in the promised Messiah, yet ever after he was doomed to witness the sad effects of separation. As soon as he had laid aside the weapons of rebellion against God, his eldest son, who inherited his father's sin, but not his repentance and faith, took them up, and before God's holy altar the darkest crime was committed in the morning of time. The history of sin, too long and too mournful for recital, must not be entirely passed over. More satisfactory would it be if we could refer to it as to an evil disease from which the world has escaped; but even now its ramifications are everywhere felt. Sin, like an active firebrand, burns up all that is lovely and promising in every department of life; and it casts a dense cloud, surcharged with the elements of eternal wrath, upon the future of man. It kindles the bad passions of

the heart into flames of hatred and malice, destroys the peace of the domestic hearth, impairs the vigour of honesty in the market-place, pollutes the walks of pleasure and recreation, turns the intellect of man against the oracles of God, defiles the sanctuary, and prepares mankind for woes unspeakable and full of wrath. What but sin alienated ancient Israel from God, and brought on the troubles which we have just deplored? Seeing that these things cannot be spoken

against, let me exhort you to look well to the state of your hearts. Would you like to add to the good, or to the evil of the nation? While you live, would you like to be avoided by men who love truth and honour, and to have the curses of exasperated men whom you have injured hurled at you? When you die, would you like to look back upon a life spent in defiance of God, and in deprecation of virtue? When you are dead, would you like for men on earth to exult over your departure, and for fiends in hell to exult over your arrival? Would you

like to avoid all this, and to have the incipient flames of hell extinguished in your breast, and the incipient flames of Divine love kindled in your heart,-would you like to live the life of faith on the Son of God, who has loved you, and given himself for you, would you like to consecrate your energies to the service of man, and to the glory of God your Saviour, and to obtain that blessed immortality which Christ has brought to light, and placed within your reach?— then let me implore you to plunge in the fountain which is opened for sin and for uncleanness. T. M. NEWNES.

Matlock Bath, July 10.

THE WAY OF FAITH.

"FAITH," says Paul, "is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." The Apostle could thus write to the Hebrews, for he expressed himself experimentally, and here gave, according to spiritual things, a brief enunciation of this great Christian principle; but the impenitent and unregenerate, looking only at Divine things in a natural way, cannot see the rationale of the doctrine, and hence multitudes procrastinate a devotion to the Lord until, as they solace themselves, they shall more distinctly discern the way of faith. They know not that this way only developes itself by an outsetting thereon, and that in proportion as we depart from a mere abstract consideration of faith, and advance to its exercise and spiritual realization, shall we see shadows vanish, mountains become plains, and difficulties which previously seemed insuperable cleared away, while the marvel will be that we did not earlier admit its simplicity, and live in its use.

Faith is more experimental than descriptive, but it is not more discernible by the teachable spirit of man than essential to his Divine initiation and pro

gress. Looking, venturing, believing, and appropriating, are terms denotive of faith in Christ, and imply its active presence; but every element of faith rests upon or merges into the one particle, reliance-implicit, unwavering reliance. He, therefore, that relies on the Redeemer for salvation, has faith in and appropriates the benefits of his death. He that relies on the word and general fidelity of God has faith in God, and in his gracious will and purposes towards his obedient ones. The seeker of salvation, apprehending the Saviour, perceiv ing the Divine claims and immunities proffered, and with soul relying on him for the respective benefits which, according to the teachings of the sacred Word and Spirit, are designed to flow unto all who abandon self and sin, ventures, with his heart, believes in Christ, and receives the elementary blessings of the Gospel; while, exercising faith continuously, he shall realize both the progressive and ulterior spiritual advantages designed for the enrichment of the believing soul.

To prove the success of the course named, we ask, Where is the saint on earth, who, having approached for Divine blessing, and cast himself on Christ, desiring to realize the benefits of his death, that did not, in the very act of soul reliance, perceive the exceeding simplicity and success of faith; and who, continuing to approach God in constant reliance, does not prove that, in proportion to his faith, so is grace from day to day dispensed unto him?-while what saint in glory cannot testify to the final triumphs of faith, by pointing to the immortal realities to which it has conducted him? Multitudes have made both the first and crowning experiment, and received the happy returns into their souls. Still, there are vast numbers who do not avail themselves of the benefits to be obtained by faith. They admit the propriety of serving God, the importance of the Christian religion, and the claims of that religion on the soul; but they nevertheless remain away from God, and seek not, by repentance and the exercise of simple faith, to realize saving blessings. Urge them to the embracement of Christ by faith, and they reply, either that they desire to feel some special indication of the Divine call moving them theretothat they look for some signal manifestation on their behalf-or that they cannot comprehend the way of faith.

God will work as it pleases him, either in the "great and strong wind," in "the

earthquake," in "the fire," or in the "still small voice." He will affect the sinner by awakening providences, or promises of richest mercy; by alarming operations of the Divine Spirit on the conscience, or drawing "with bands of love;" by suddenly casting him to the earth in convicted soul, or gently revealing his will. We are not, therefore, to dictate the way in which God shall lead or bring us to himself; nor are we to look for an audible heavenly voice specially on our behalf, or for a miracle to be wrought to induce us to believe in fine, we are to be satisfied with the Divine requirement that we should repent and sue for mercy; to be satisfied with the declared oath that "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live;" to be satisfied with the indications of Providence, the inward calls or constrainings of the Holy Spirit, and the advantages of freely offered Gospel grace.

Intelligent persons can understand and treat of inductive science and philosophy, but mary alleging an incomprehension of the way of faith, hesitate to advance to the realization of spiritual knowledge, which would be found at first to be inductive too. Not comprehend

the way of faith? Thousands of illiterate men comprehend, walk in, and enjoy that way; surely intelligent persons will not say that the experience of such is a fable and seeing that they, in their dying moments, adhere to the substantial verities realized by faith, and therefrom deduce consolation and assurance inspiring a greater than secular fortitude, and acquire meetening grace for heavenly participation, intelligent persons must admit that these thousands cannot all be deluded! Nay, the way of faith is certain, simple; and the simple and sincerehearted embrace it. The implicit reliance on the atonement made by Christ consisting in sin-abhorrence and abandonment, a decision of soul for the Saviour, and a humble devotion to the Lord of the best heart-affections, presents no difficulty. Here is no logic, no abstract mental science, but humility, sincerity, love,-which latter principles will preponderate in the scale of Divine regard; for let the intelligent soul but apply these, and he will instantly rise to higher things than those of merely intellectual grasp, he will enter on the way of faith, embrace the things of the Spirit, and know the truth and grace of God.

But, why should intelligent persons complain that they cannot comprehend the way of faith? Would they witness it in brilliance, splendour, pompous presence? Would they associate its verity with a flourish of trumpets? Do they object that the result or fruit of faith is distant, and that until that is seen no benefit appears? Is not such an objection in the highest degree untenable? Does the gardener look for fruit before leaves?-or may we, in anything, expect priority of effect to cause? In science are not our objectors willing that the personal gratification arising from success, and that the renown attachable to discovery, shall only succeed the achievement; such discovery as the discovery of a planet, being the known result of long and close investigation? Why not, therefore, await the triumphant sequence of a soul's secret penitence before God and reliance on Christ, and be willing that then gracious personal benefit accrue -that the militant Church rejoice, and that there be "joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth;" such joy, both above and below, being appropriately only supplemental to the fact of the Divine consecration of a soul, whose value is of greater compute than that of either a solitary planet or even of worlds on worlds? There is this difference, however, between the two pursuits of scientific and spiritual inquiry: in the first, it may happen that though an individual commence with the hope of success, and be favoured with the best appliances for making a given investigation, yet even after an application extending through long and tedious years, no discovery shall crown his hopes. Not so in the other case the seeker of salvation is encouraged in the very outset with the assurance of certain success, and he meets no disappointment. Blessed," said the Saviour, are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." This comfort we often see come, have witnessed the instant relief of the troubled soul, and many a publican freely pardoned. Still, how true,

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"Who sow in tears, in joy shall reap." "Come unto me," said Christ, "all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Multitudes have listened to this living passage, have gone to him, and proved the riches

of his willing grace; but even all labouring, burdened sinners are invited to draw near-to come, simply trusting in the Crucified.

Do not the intelligent admit that everything indeed must be apprehended in its own peculiar way?-and if they would familiarize themselves with literature, do they not apply themselves to the perusal and study of the works of authors? If they would examine the principles of experimental philosophy, do they not prove the same by scientific tests? And if these and other human studies are only to be realized by the process of application suited to each, is it unreasonable to insist that spiritual things must be apprehended spiritually? Is it a marvel that supernatural things cannot be reduced to natural tests? Who is he that would pursue a natural subject in a supernatural way? Let none, then, complain that supernatural things cannot be disposed of after a natural sort.

Of natural things a man can treat by matters of daily fact; on intellectual things he can employ his powers of mind; but in spiritual things he must be superlatively occupied with the powers and affections of both heart and soul. But, plainly, is not the very simplicity of the way of faith operative with many as a check to its adoption by them? and hence, regardless of the high advantages to which it leads, despising the medium of spiritual gain, do they not become the unconscious sufferers of great spiritual loss? Moreover, despising this very simplicity, as Naaman desired to do more than merely to wash and be clean, so would they fain do something more than believe and be born again. But why not attend to the Divine voice? "To this man will I look," saith the Lord, " even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word." Would that all felt the force of the language of Inspiration, that "to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." Oh! how proper, how interesting, how profitable is it to hearken to the voice of the Lord, to approach him in faith, to yield him the heart, to realize pardon, grace, holiness, and be made meet for partaking the everlasting inheritance on high! Before this occupation every earthly engagement vanishes, and no sublunary concern can compete with its importance ! W. H. R.

Penzance.

REVIVALS OF RELIGION.

A Pastoral Letter from the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (Old School) to the Churches under its care.

[*** We have lately testified to the declining condition of Religion in the United States. We are glad, nevertheless, to find that here and there outpourings of the Spirit, and partial revivals, are apparent, which it is to be hoped are as drops before the coming shower, which will once more refresh the hearts of the people of God throughout the whole of that mighty domain. It is pleasing to see with what candour, humility, and yet courage, the servants of God address themselves to the subject on public occasions, while conventions of ministers and delegates of churches meet. The following, which appeared some time back, will be read with interest, and we trust with edification, on this side the water.-EDITOR.]

DEAR BRETHREN,-With pious delight your fathers have often told you of the wonders which God wrought in their days, when he poured out his Spirit on ministers and people. Yea, many of you have been eye-witnesses of his majesty and grace, in his visits to the churches. You can remember the time when wellauthenticated accounts of glorious revivals were found in almost every number of our best religious journals. It has caused deep sorrow to lively Christians, that for several years past, comparatively few extensive and powerful revivals of religion have been reported to the Assembly. With gratitude to God, we acknowledge that he has not utterly forsaken us, nor left us to an entirely fruitless ministry and barren ordinances; but still the ways of Zion have mourned, and few have come to her solemn feasts. We are happy to say that for a few months past tokens for good have appeared in various quarters. Some of the Presbyteries report that God is with them of a truth. These mercies, so rich and so seasonable, have turned our attention with renewed hope to the exceeding great and precious promises of God. They recal to our mind those gracious chidings of our Heavenly Father: "O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the Spirit of the Lord straitened? Are these his doings? Hast thou not known, hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary ? He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength." We doubt not that these and similar admonitions of God's word, to