In closing this unpretending but faithful narration, the writer would remark, how proper it is for us, as individuals, as families, as a community, to look back, to see the way in which God has been leading us, and to mark the unerring wisdom, the exquisite kindness and fidelity of all his arrangements; how they have unfolded the mercy of his nature, exemplified and confirmed the representations of his word, invigorated and honoured the faith of his people!

And what can be more pleasing than for the intelligent and pious mind to look back, and observe the innumerable traces of God's progress, the innumerable tokens of God's care, the innumerable expressions of God's paternal and covenant love-love unceasingly and most variously exhibited to those who repose unsuspecting confidence in him?

Moreover, we inquire, can anything be more beautiful than to look back, and mark God appearing for us at the very moment when we required his help. If he had delayed, our situation would have been fearful; but, at the identical period, when our cloud was so appalling, when our distress was so pungent, when our extremity was so sensibly felt, he came and interposed on our behalf, not only as individuals, or even as families, but as a large and suffering community. He scat tered the lurid cloud; he removed the deadly blight; he shed down his healing and benignant influence; he imparted his unmeasured goodness; he communicated the rich, the necessary, though the perfectly unmerited blessing. As a nation, then, disciplined by his rod-awed by his terrors, signally crowned with his mercy, -what gratitude should be awakened,— what praise should be offered,-what consecrations to him should be discovered, -what obedience should be rendered, what confidence with regard to the future should be induced!

Let us never trifle with his goodness.

Let us never undervalue or neglect his mercies. Let us never disesteem or despise his word. Let us never disobey his requirements. Let us never desecrate his holy sabbath. Let us never provoke him, either to depart from us, or to inflict positive and awful judgments upon us. If ever we were grateful, let us be grateful now. If ever we discovered obedience, let that obedience be unfolded now. If ever we relied on his providential kindness and paternal care, let that reliance be exercised now. If ever we cherished an earnest desire to love and honour him, let that desire be expressed No people have seen God's hand more palpably extended over us than we, during the last year; and no nation will be more shamelessly ungrateful, if we do not repair to his sanctuary, and "compass his altar with songs of deliverance: "—

now.

"Then, gather, Christians, gather,

To praise with heart and voice, The good, Almighty Father, Who biddeth you rejoice: For He hath turn'd the sadness Of his children into mirth, And we will sing with gladness,

The harvest-home of earth!"

P.S.-As an appropriate pendant to the above communication, it may be stated, that, so abundant have been the crops of wheat in the neighbourhood of Faversham, in Kent, from the late harvest, that in many instances as much as eight quarters an acre have been reaped; and the vicar mentioned in a discourse on the day appointed for general thanksgiving, that as much as ten quarters of wheat had been grown on a single acre of land, and fourteen quarters of barley on a like portion. On a single acre selected from a field of wheat at Reculvers, ten quarters and three bushels were the amazing produce! Similar statements might be furnished with regard to other parts of the country. Everywhere, in relation to the harvest, God signally appeared for us. May his goodness, never more needed or more welcome, never be forgotten by us, as a pre-eminently favoured nation!

T. W.

THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.

WHAT book is there in the compass of human learning which can confer the same transcendent blessing? In the hemisphere of literature the Bible is the sun, and the writings of men shine forth out of darkness only by the reflection of its rays. The writings of the olden divines abound with most glowing eulogiums of the Sacred Scriptures. "The Holy Bible," says one, "is a spiritual paradise; the book of Psalms is the tree of life in the midst of it." Others ex

claim, "The psalms are a jewel-cluster, made up of the gold of doctrine, the pearls of comfort, and the gems of prayer. In the Holy Scriptures are doctrines most divine, prophecies most certain, laws most holy, just, and good; covenants betwixt God and man most gracious, promises most precious, privileges most ample, providences most wonderful, ordinances most comfortable, soul-reviving; that, whatever is taught is truth, whatever is commanded is good, whatever is promised is happiness." What shall we add in commendation of this holy book? It is the Tree of Life, bearing twelve manner of fruits, and the leaves thereof are for the healing of the nations. It is a garden of the most lovely flowers, and the most delicious fruits. The Bible is the well of truth, and faith is the vessel that draws up its refreshing waters. It is a mirror in which we behold the Almighty God in his beloved Son, as the forgiver of sins and the reconciler of sinners. In these Scriptures will be found the most perfect truth, the surest promises, the most gracious invitations, and the wisest counsels? "The words of the Lord are pure words; as silver tried in a furnace of earth, and purified seven times." The instructions of truth, the consolations of religion, display a fadeless bloom, because they possess an everlasting virtue; turn to them at whatever time, return to

VOL. XXV.

them with whatever frequency, they shall always be found budding with new and seasonable refreshment.-Hopkinson.

MEDITATION.

This is both the privilege and the duty of the believer. It is the holy and the healthful digestion of his spiritual food. In an honest and good heart, we must not only receive the word, but keep it. The soul is preserved in a healthy condition by constant prayer, and daily meditation. This, however, is a self-denying and pains-taking work; man naturally loves it not. Gladly will he go from one means of grace to another. He finds pleasure in the excitements of social worship; he takes delight in listening to pulpit eloquence; but to retire within himself for a season to make his own heart his church, conscience the preacher, and every thought and feeling the audience, he accounts as dull as it is distasteful. The office of the shepherd, therefore, is to make his sheep lie down. He conducts them to the shady spots within their pasturage, and thus invites them to refreshing rest. And the great and good Shepherd performs this office for all the members of his flock. The satisfaction and the joy which they experience under the Divine Comforter, dis

pose them to lie down in the spiritual

pastures.-Ibid.

The more full the heart of the writer or of the speaker is of the good treasure, the more will he enlarge on those subjects to the disgust of such as, under the influence of pride and unholy affections, savour not of heavenly things, Scott.

PURITY.

Purity, like the refreshing rose, sheds a fragrance, peculiarly its own, over our whole conversation; and, like that lovely flower, leaves its reviving scent when we are gone.-Retirement.

ASSURANCE.

On the doctrine of assurance we remark, that frequent misunderstandings have arisen, for want of distinguishing the objects of which the mind is assured. A full persuasion of the truth in general revealed and testified in the gospel is the assurance of faith. A full persuasion of the reality of future good things promised as suited to our wants with a conscious desire and expectation of them is the assurance of hope. A full persuasion of the meaning and design of the Gospel in the most essential parts, is assurance of understanding; and each of these may be called objective assurance. But a full persuasion of a personal interest in Christ and salvation by him, is assurance of salvation; and to distinguish it from all the preceding, is subjective assurance.-Dr. E. Williams.

WORTH OF THE SOUL.

The human soul is of more value than the whole world; therefore, no length of time or expense of treasure can be too great to be laid out for its salvation. The

SONNETS.

effectual calling of one soul to the fellow ship of the Gospel, is more than all that can be done, given, or suffered. The man who keeps that money in his purse, or employs it in trifling gratifications, which is wanted for the salvation of the heathen, is guilty of the blood of souls. And that man who is furnished with gifts for the work, if, when encouraged by the church to devote himself to this work, declines it, through fear of danger or love of ease, is also guilty of the blood of souls. Churches not seeking out and encouraging such gifts, are guilty of the blood of souls. So that this work is as incumbent on every Christian as any other duty.— Dr. Carey.

THE SACRAMENTS.

I cannot agree with you that administering the sacraments is the easiest and least important part of our office. I always considered them as most important, and found it more difficult to administer them, as they should be, than to preach. If any parts of our work be more difficult than the rest, it must be these; because they comprehend every other. At least, of this I am thoroughly persuaded, that it requires a great deal of pains, with a minister's own heart, to get into such a frame for the administration of them (especially the Lord's supper) as is necessary or desirable, if he would spread a flame of gratitude and devotion through the hearts of those who join with him. The superficial and trifling manner in which many prepare for these ordinances (if it may be called preparation,) and in which they are administered, has been greatly detrimental to the cause and interests of vital religion.—Job Orton.

THE EXPANSIVENESS OF TRUTH. "A little one shall become a thousand," Isa. lx. 22. THINK, ere the day of small things thou despise,

Whate'er thou viewest on this terrene frame

That's great, was little once; from the broad stream

On whose deep breast a nation's navy lies, To the tall cedar, whose green front defies

"Magna est veritas, et prævalebit." TRUTH, aye, has been an alien in this world; A homeless wanderer, with contempt saluted:

Yet still her steady pilgrimage has footed, Despite the constant storm upon her hurl'd.

Even as a slow-growth'd oak, whose feet are curl'd

Around a rock, and cannot be uprooted; Or as a rill, that seems, indeed, ill-suited To work its way; yet ever onwards whirl'd By a still-strengthening impulse, mountains undermines,

And cliffs, and whatsoever else its course impedes :

Yea, even when seeming buried, still proceeds.

O Britain! what an honour Heaven assigns To thee-transcending thy most brilliant deeds

To spread her glorious truth to earth's confines !

Rejoice to execute her blest designs.

THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL."

1 Tim. i. 11.

WHAT is the Gospel? "T is good news of pardon,

THE GRAND REQUISITE.

"O that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down," &c., Isa. lxiv. 1. FOUNTAIN of life! that dost with love o'erflow,

If ever, in reply to earnest prayer,

Thou didst vouchsafe thy spirit everywhere; Pour out in floods the blest effusion now. The moral wilderness Instruction's plough Has penetrated widely, and with care The heavenly seed is scatter'd let it share

The heavenly showers, to make the harvest grow.

Remember not against us past neglect,

Nor of our present vices vengeance take. The cause is thine: thy covenant respect; And for the blessing of a world, awake. Come quickly, Lord: our souls with longing break,

Till thou do come thy kingdom to erect, J. H.

commendable service, in its book department, than when it publishes, at a cheap rate, a standard work, adapted to the use of students and ministers. With its immense resources, it may not only do this without injury to itself, but with great advantage, and increased popularity. Such a volume as the one before us must always continue to maintain a steady sale, and will be as valuable a property ten years hence as at the present moment. We may assure the Tract Society, that they have seldom done a wiser

act than to publish this Harmony of the Gospels, which will be a boon to many hundreds, not to say thousands, of pastors, with slender incomes, and to not a few private Christians,-intelligent, indeed, but gifted with very little of this world's sub

stance.

As the four gospels are but one and the same history, though penned by four different writers, it follows as a consequence, that every one who reads them with care, and with the reverence due to an inspired communication, seeks to make a harmony of his own. To some extent, every intelligent Bible student will be able, in comparing the four evangelists, to reconcile apparent discrepancies, to supply the omissions of one by the statements of another, and thus to obtain a moderate amount of satisfaction, as to the identity of the history, and the harmony of its parts. But without the aid of eminent biblical scholarship, difficulties will still press upon thoughtful minds, which such a work as Dr. Robinson's will greatly relieve, if not entirely remove. Of many of the hundreds of harmonies which have been published, it may be said with truth that they created more perplexities than they relieved: so much so indeed, that some years since an impression largely obtained, even among distinguished scholars, that little relief was to be looked for from this quarter, and that every man must take the evangelists as he found them, and be thankful for the facts they contain, without attempting to fill up chasms, which it had pleased God to permit in the fourfold evangelical record. We cannot but regard such an impression as erroneous, not to say dangerous; and, if there were doubt on this head, the progress made by Dr. Robinson to a perfect adjustment of the gospel history is sufficient proof that such an opinion ought

never to have been entertained.

In the volume before us, the editor has "almost entirely followed Dr. Robinson;" but "two other very important works have been diligently compared, as they were not included in the list of books consulted by Dr. Robinson. One is Greswell's Harmonia Evangelica,' and the other 'Wieselar's Chro nological Synopsis of the Four Gospels.' The result of consulting the former author has been only the introduction of "one or two slight changes ;" and, of the latter, "to support Dr. Robinson's arrangement.'

We regret that the editor has not specified all the changes introduced. This was due to such an author as Dr. Robinson; and if the changes were slight, as they appear to be, it may be matter of doubt whether they should have been made at all. But, certainly, in the preface or the text, they ought to have been distinctly notified, as Dr. Robinson might call them in ques

tion, and ought not to be made chargeable with them. But, with this single kindlyintended criticism, we very sincerely tender to the Tract Society our hearty thanks for this valuable addition to the student's library.

HISTORY of the REFORMATION in the Sixteenth Century. By J. H. MERLE D'AUBIGNE, President of the Theological Seminary, Geneva; and Member of the Société Evangélique. Translated by DAVID DUNDAS SCOTT, Esq., Author of the "Suppression of the Reformation in France." With Notes from the Netherlands Edition of the Rev. J. J. LE ROY, of the Dutch Reformed Church. 3 vols., 8vo.

Blackie and Son, Warwick-square.

This is by far the most splendid edition of this great and deservedly-popular work. The admirable portraits of the leading actors and opponents of the Reformation, to say nothing of the illustrative notes, impart to it a peculiar claim. The portraits are not only authentic, but admirably executed; and add much to the interest of scenes in

which the parties whom they vividly represent performed so conspicuous a part. The three portraits, for instance, of Luther, Charles V., and Leo X., are all equally marked by the qualities they evinced-embody a pictorial representation of the Reformation struggle, in its distinguished friends and foes. In the countenance of Luther, you see the very soul of that mighty revolution of thought and feeling which he was destined to effect; and, in that of Leo and Charles, you trace the elements of gigantic political power and ecclesiastical intrigue and cun

ning with which he had to contend.

feel in the extended circulation which this It is impossible to express the delight we great work is realizing. Surely a blessing is in it. It is impossible, with so many readers of this enlightened defence of Reformation principles, that we can retrograde to the former times. follies, the superstitions, and the crimes of Dr. Pusey and his antiquityloving compeers may dote over the traditions of the Nicene age, and others less bold, but more daring, may try to sap the foundations of Bible Protestantism; but with an evangelical pulpit, and a free and enlightened press, we may bid defiance to them all; and cherish bright hope for our children and our children's children.

NOTES, EXPLANATORY and PRACTICAL, on the NEW TESTAMENT. By ALBERT BARNES, Minister of the Gospel, Philadelphia. Vol. VII. Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. 12mo.