learn from many passages. How, then, could he apply these epithets to himself, when he stood, by his own statement, on their level? The words, "until this day," fix the further limit of his possession of a good conscience, but the starting point must be learned from the context. Now, his defence must naturally mean, that he had lived in all good conscience towards God during the whole time to which the accusation applied. This is confirmed by his words before Felix (xxiv. 15,) where "a conscience void of offence towards God and man" is the sequel and supplement of a direct profession of his faith in Christ; and the words "Herein do I exercise myself" answer to his charge to Timothy, "Exercise thyself unto godliness." It could not apply to the time when he was "kicking against the pricks," and "breathing out threatenings and slaughter" against the disciples of the Lord; but only to the later course of his life, when his conscience had been purified by light from Heaven.

The passage 2 Tim. i. 3. is no solid reason for an opposite view. It may be naturally paraphrased thus-"I thank God, whom I also serve as my forefathers have done, and whom I serve with a pure conscience." The service of God was an inheritance from his ancestors, and a public fact in their case as well as his own. That his own service was with a pure conscience was his present appeal to the Searcher of hearts. It cannot, therefore, be reasonably extended either to his forefathers, or to his own state before conversion. Such a statement respecting those ancestors would be foreign from the scope of the passage, and require a miraculous revelation. Again, in 1 Tim. i. 5, he seems to guard against such a misconstruction of his words as would apply them to his state before his conversion. He there places a good conscience midway between "a pure heart," and "faith unfeigned," and contrasts it with those self-righteous perversions of the law, which marked his own course and conduct during the time of his unbelief. To sum up his own statements, he was conscientious, indeed, even before his conversion, like many of his own persecutors, John xvi. 2, Acts xxii. 3, 4, xxvi. 9; but his conscience itself, when he was defiled and unbelieving, was defiled; Tit. i. 15, and neither good nor pure. It became pure and good, when his heart was purified by faith unfeigned, Acts xv. 9, 1 Tim. i. 5, and by the working of the grace of God, 2 Cor. i. 12; and such it continued, pure and unsullied, till he stood before the council, Acts xxiii. 1; and even to his dying hour, 2 Tim. i. 3. iv. 6, 7.

The fourth Lecture is perhaps the most striking of the whole series. Its subject is, St. Paul's spirit of thanksgiving and prayer, but it opens with a beautiful comparison between St. Paul and his Divine Master, when placed in similar positions. We cannot refrain from quoting the passage:

"In the point and contrast of these two biographies is seen the whole significance of Christianity. We sometimes see Paul and JESUS in similar situations. Nay, possibly, we can sometimes discern similarities of manner. Both stood before the High Priest, both were smitten and insulted, and without entering further into the comparison, from which a believer in the Atonement instinctively shrinks, how great is the contrast between the human indignation which we excuse, and the Divine submission which we adore. Each contended with the alternate enmity of the Pharisees and Sadducees, and each baffled, by the exercise of wisdom, both those classes of enemies. But how different is the impression produced by St. Paul's adroitness in the scene considered in the first of these Lectures, from the calm but irresistible rebukes in the Gospel. 'Show me the tribute money.' 'Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures.' And no man after that durst ask Him any questions.' Paul and Jesus are each of them presented to our notice in a storm at sea. In one case, the scene is connected with the little lake of Galilee and a common fishing boat; in the other, with the great Mediterranean, with a gale of a fortnight's duration, and a ship with two hundred and seventy-six souls on board. But how the grandeur is inverted when we compare the two characters! In Paul, indeed, is that serene faith and practical wisdom, which a Christian ought to desire to possess in the presence of danger. But he is only so far strong in the midst of the rage of the elements, as a Higher Power enables him to be so. Jesus is Master of the elements themselves. St. Paul and St. Luke were evidently wakeful on that anxious night which preceded the loss of the vessel and the saving of the crew; but of Jesus we read in all three Evangelists (it is a most significant expression) that in the storm He was asleep. We might pursue the comparison in a variety of incidents. We read that Paul set his eyes on Elymas the sorcerer, and beheld the Sanhedrim: we read too that Jesus 'locked round upon them all' and beheld them' when he spake to them. But who does not feel the difference between the brave and steady look of the servant, strong in his Master's commission, and that look, tender, yet terrible, of the Master Himself, who penetrates all our disguises, and knows what is in man ?' In the prayer of Jesus, as recorded by St. John, is there not a certain awful unapproached sublimity, quite different from anything that we find in St. Paul's supplications? I think we might also give definiteness to our instinctive feeling on this subject by comparing the imagery of the Gospels and Epistles. I can hardly imagine Paul saying to his listeners, Consider the lilies of the field.' In the simplicity of the parable there is a Divine mark which cannot well be mistaken. It is in the expression of sympathy that the Master and the servant are most nearly alike. And yet there is a difference. It may be a fancy; but I do not see in the Apostle any trace of that love of young children, which distinguishes the Saviour. Paul does indeed most affectionately remind children of their duties to their parents, he recalls Timothy to the recollection of his mother's early teaching; but I find no scene in the Acts and Epistles like that, associated in that case with the moment when Christ's blessing first came to usthe scene in which the Saviour' took the children into His arms, put His hands on them, and blessed them.' No, my brethren, there is

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something in Jesus which we never see in Paul. No position in theology seems to me so untenable as that which accepts in the New Testament a Divine Revelation, and yet degrades Jesus Christ to a mere human teacher and reformer. No. The Redeemer of the world is infinitely removed above the highest of His apostles."

The rest of the Lecture is worthy of this Introduction, and can scarcely be read, we think, without making a deep impression on every thoughtful mind. It is only when the various passages of the Acts and Epistles are brought together, that we gain a due sense of that remarkable union of earnest prayer with devout and holy thanksgiving, which marked the whole ministry of the great Apostle from its beginning to its close. The fifth Lecture, on his Courage and Perseverance, continues and completes the portraiture, which is drawn throughout with a skilful and loving hand. We could quote passage after passage, but it is our duty to forbear. We should be guilty of a breach of copyright, if we transferred to our own pages all those paragraphs in these Lectures, and in the Sermon on Ascension Day, which are beautiful and impressive. Most of our readers, we hope, will procure a sight of the work, and read it for themselves. No University Sermons, we think, have appeared of late, which are so adapted, from the nature of the subject itself, and the simple, fresh, and effective mode of treatment, to make a wholesome and deep impression on youthful and intelligent minds.

Several topics are mooted incidentally, in the preface and the notes, in which we might not wholly agree with Dr. Howson, and which might furnish occasion for interesting and friendly discussion. But it might be scarcely fair, in a brief critique, to give undue prominence to such minor diversities of judgment, where there is so much which we feel bound to approve and admire. Dr. Howson's candour, we think, is in some cases excessive, and liable to become a snare to youthful readers. He intimates in his preface some fear that he may have laid himself open to partial misconstruction by quoting authors from whose views he differs very widely :

"Latent heresy," he says, "is often suspected, except where violent language is employed. I cannot, however, consent to purchase a reputation for Christian orthodoxy by forgetting what is due to Christian courtesy; nor can I help entering my protest against the unfairness with which theological writers are often at once condemned by the application of some vague and general term of censure. How ready an instrument of attack, for instance, is supplied by the phrase, German Theology; as if there were not in Germany a greater multitude of theological varieties than even among ourselves.

These remarks are undoubtedly true; but still there is an opposite side of truth, which is no less important to bear in

mind. The same apostle who used such exquisite courtesy in his defence before the furious multitude at Jerusalem, in his apology before Agrippa, and his letter to Philemon, is the writer of those emphatic words: "But though we, or an angel from Heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." We fear that much of the charity and courtesy of these days differs widely from that of St. Paul, and is only the disguise of a deep and settled indifference to the just claims of Divine truth. A candid temper, and the softening influence of a personal experience of inward perplexities, such as reveals itself in one true and beautiful passage of the third Lecture, help to form an excellent superstructure of Christian character and influence, when the foundation is firmly laid on unreserved allegiance to the just authority of the Gospel. If we may venture to intimate a defect in the present volume, it is the comparative absence of the deeper elements of the Pauline theology, as revealed everywhere in the Epistles themselves. The human, and even the Christian excellencies of his character are admirably portrayed; but we think that some fuller reference should have been made to the higher aspect of his writings and ministry as those of an inspired Apostle and messenger of God. Fundamental truths, in these days, cannot be effectually taught by implication alone. They need to stand out with some boldness of relief, if the trumpet is to give no uncertain sound, and the faith once delivered to the saints is to be maintained with the firmness and steadfastness which befits the sacred trust.

ON THE RECENT GOLD DISCOVERIES.

MANY, of whom I am one, firmly believe that in God's appointed time the whole race of mankind will be Christianized; that "all the kingdoms of the world will become the kingdoms of the Lord and of His Christ ;" and that all earthly events, past, present, and future, have been, are, and will be overruled and controlled by God's providence to subserve that one great purpose; so that, however the rulers of mankind may roughhew the materials on which they work according to their own schemes and plans of policy, there is a Divinity above which shapes them all to that determined end. The whole tenour of prophecy conducts us to this conclusion.

If so, it is not only allowable, but a duty, to trace out, as far as we are able, those workings of Providence which manifestly

tend to further that great design, and thus make the study of history a source of religious as well as of intellectual improvement. For God reveals Himself to mankind by His works as well as His word. It is true that when we look back upon the past," shadows, clouds of darkness," rest upon the wide and unbounded landscape; yet some objects stand forth so prominently, and have spread out into such wonderful resultsresults so contrary to all human foresight and all human expectation that it would be ungratefully and wilfully shutting our eyes against the light, if we did not thankfully recognise them as the work of God, and not the effect of any policy or plans of men.

There is a little book by Archdeacon Evans, in which this subject is treated with much judgment and discrimination, and in an excellent spirit. But leaving the student of history to deduce his own conclusions from the records of time past, I would wish to refer to one obvious interposition of Providence in our own days, the discovery of gold in such unprecedented profusion just at the moment when, by the simultaneous combination of other discoveries, it is enabled to render those signal services to mankind which it could not have effected if isolated and alone.

In the days of our Elizabeth, and the ages more immediately subsequent, what is called the gold-fever was no less high than in our own, and many costly expeditions were then fitted out to satiate its burning thirst. Now this is the wonderful part of their history. These keen searchers after gold were permitted to see the gold, to take it into their hands, to tread it under their feet, and yet were not permitted to avail themselves of their discovery. They found the El Dorado of which they were in search, and yet were not allowed to become aware of it.

Sir F. Drake set out on his celebrated voyage round the world in 1577. In this voyage California was first discovered, and received the name of Nova Albion, the following account of which was published on his return :

"The Admiral and his people travelled to some distance up the country. The earth of the country seemed to promise very rich veins of gold and silver, there being hardly any digging without throwing up the ores of some of them."

The following is still more remarkable. Captain Shelvicke, in his voyage of 1719, thus speaks of what he also had observed in the same country :

"The soil about Puerto, Leguno, and very likely in most of the valleys, is a rich black mould, which, as you turn it up fresh to the sun, appears as if intermingled with gold dust, some of which we washed, and endeavoured to purify it from the dirt. But though we were a little prejudiced against the thought that this metal should