"If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."-Isaiah viii. 20. But it will be objected, that salvation by But you will reply, that keeping the comfaith through grace, does away with works, mandments is made the condition of entermakes them necessary no more, loosens the ing into life. Well, admitting it to be so, motives which should lead to the perform- tell me who ever kept the commandments? ance of the duties of life, and tends to the who ever performed the conditions? No destruction of good deeds. No! far otherwise. It takes away, indeed, the base and sordid motives which actuate too many minds, and implants those of a purer, holier, loftier, more heavenly kind. Instead of the praise or fear of man, the hope of mere earthly gain, or the fear of temporal loss to ourselves in reputation, ease, or wealth-the LOVE of God is the animating motive, the spring, the beginning, and the end of all we do. We love him, because he first loved us; and loving him, we endeavour to give that surest test of our love, the keeping of his commandments, well knowing that his yoke and his commandments" are not grievous." Not destructive of good works, nor making them meritorious in the sight of God. Scripture requires their existence, as an evidence of saving faith. The faith and works which are acceptable in the sight of God, one. Therefore none could so be saved-as it is written, "There is NONE righteous, no, not one." And again, "By the wORKS of the LAW shall No flesh living be justified." "ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." "The Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world" (John i. 36) alone could do this. He it was who, "perfect God and perfect man," made honorable God's insulted law, and "opened to us the gates of everlasting life." Still you will say, that good works are spoken of as conducing to salvation-as operating conjointly with truth, to work out the salvation of the soul. Vain delusion! There is no half salvation-there is no half redemptionthere is no compromise with God-there is no intermixture in his plan of redemption. You must be saved by faith, OR by works, not by BOTH-" Whosoever of you is justified by the law, is fallen from grace" says St. Paul. And will you hazard eternity? will you stake your eternal all, upon your fancied power to keep whole and inviolate the law of God? Can you do what none before you have ever done-none after you can do? Scarcely shall the words by which you would ratify so vain, so rash an undertaking, have passed your lips, ere you may stand convicted before the tribunal of the all-pure and heart-searching God, of having violated your condition and forfeited heaven. Throw aside for a moment the delusions of time-dismantle yourself of the veil which a false estimate of things has thrown around you look into God's own holy word observe at once the perfection, the entireness, and the spirituality of his law-He that keepeth "the whole law, and yet offend in ONE point, he is guilty of ALL" (St. James ii. 10). Mark, how not only the outward act of which man takes notice, but the secret thoughts of the heart itself, when wicked, violate this law. "All things are naked, and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to do." The external practice and conduct of the Hypocrite, may differ from the internal tenor of his heart and feelings; but observe how the commands are broken by anger, hatred, and revenge; by unchaste thoughts and the covetous desire, equally as by murder, adultery, and theft. Thus you will find what hard conditions you have taken to yourself-how you are excluding yourself from heaven, by seeking to gain it as of right, of merit, or reward. Oh, sons of earth, attempt ye still to rise By mountains piled on mountains to the skies? Heaven still with laughter the vain toil surveys, And buries fools beneath the Alps they raise. This may you see in time, to throw your self at the foot of the cross-cast yourself at the feet of Jesus-take his yoke upon you, who was meek and lowly in heart, and thus find rest unto your soul. Still, proud, vain man, wishing rather to confer a favour on God, than to receive as an unmerited mercy the gift of salvation, lingers on the fond hope, that something may be done for himself. This is the Popery of the human heart; and scripture itself is appealed to, and the understanding is appealed to, and the moral feelings and nature of man are all appealed to, and their united testimony spoken of as being in favour of the meritoriousness of men's work. "Vain reasoning all, and FALSE philosophy." Man's moral nature is corrupt, unable of itself to receive right impressions. His intellect is but a poor guide in matters BEYOND the grasp and comprehension of his frail faculties. To scripture alone then can we go and what is the nature of the objection brought forward? Why, that the great importance attributed by scripture to good works, clearly proves that it is not by grace alone that man is saved, since without good works he could not enter heaven. But it is not entirely so; indeed, far otherwise; for only observe here, that though good works are required, they are never spoken of as being the meritorious cause, or as forming the consideration, in respect of which the kingdom of heaven is bestowed. There are no good works apart from faith; and though in rare and extreme cases of late call, and late repentance, (as in that of the penitent thief upon the cross,) faith, without the works of a continued holy life, may prove effectual to the saving of the soul. works without faith do nothing. (See Articles and Homily.) Yet Where those eminent men-men eminent for their piety, their zeal, and their learning -men who reformed our church from the errors of Popery-who, with the lamp of divine truth on the one hand, and the flames of martyrdom on the other, wrought out a way through the darkness of centuries, and were instrumental in causing gospel light and truth once more to shine upon our land, thus write: "For as the fruit is not the cause that the tree is good, but the tree must first be good, before it can bring forth good fruit; so the good deeds of man are not the cause that maketh man good, but he is first made good by the spirit and grace of God that effectually worketh in him, and afterwards he bringeth forth good fruit. And then, as the good fruit doth argue the goodness of the tree, so doth the good and merciful deed of the man argue, and certainly prove, the goodness of him that doth it according to Christ's saying, 'Ye shall know them by their fruit.'" And though reward be given for works, the offer of that reward was of grace, entirely of grace. It was made before any good works had been performed. A humane man, in some time of distress, may say to 10,000 perishing creatures, wanting work, "Here is work to be donedo this and live." Now all hear this gracious invitation. Some do not heed it, because they disbelieve it: they have, indeed, no faith. Others believe, but despair, preferring their squalid wretchedness to better circumstances provided by exertion; others, again, are too idle, and would rather starve in sloth, than live by activity. And to those who hear and obey the call, and work and receive wages, yet to them is reward not of merit but of grace. Free grace devised the plan-free grace offered the reward-free grace offered them the work-free grace enabled them to do it-free grace strengthened them to persevere; yes, it is even sofree grace shall reward their labours. Satan gives wages—what are they? The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Thus, "the sword of the spirit which is the word of God" cuts down the vain crown of man's fallen nature-thus, before the cross, falls the idea of man's works being a meritorious cause in the sight of Jehovah. This also strikes at other errors of the Church of Rome, viz., Works of Supererogation, Indulgences, Penances, &c., of which more hereafter. THE VOICE OF CONSCIENCE. WHILST metaphysicians dispute respecting conscience-its nature, and where it is to be found, there are comparatively few none perhaps, who are ignorant of its existence -none who do not feel its power. The monarch upon his throne, and the peasant in his cottage, the tyrant and the captive, are alike amenable to it. The votary of dissipation, and the recluse, own its sway, and in various ways bear tribute, even against their will, to the almost omnipotence of its nature. causes a Felix on his throne, to tremble before his captive; and as by the purity and majesty of Divine Truth, light from heaven flashes upon his soul, makes him to behold the approaching judgment day, the yawning gulph beneath, and to fear lest he should totter into it. Happy if its call may be attended to while the day of grace yet lasts, and so by faith in the atoning blood of Christ Jesus, the guilty conscience may be washed and made clean. Oh! Infidels may declaim as they please against revelation and religion, and the Atheist fool may say in his heart there is no God-Ps. xiv. v. 1—yet how vain. They cannot by their bold assertions, talk down Truth -they cannot alter the essential properties and relations of things, nor abrogate laws which the Deity has himself establishedthey cannot blot out conscience. They may indeed dispute, as to that of which it consists,-but this is no proof against its existence. Philosophers cannot tell us of what life consists; yet they will in vain endeavour to persuade us that there is no life: so neither can they annihilate conscience, nor depose her long from her power. We see its operation displayed most powerfully oftentimes in those cases, where it might be least expected. When for any violation of human laws, When rightly directed, it is a guide with- the criminal is detected, and drawn before in the breast of man, pointing to what is some earthly tribunal, we may well imagine right, and dissuading from what is wrong; his soul to be harrassed by the most poignant and though its admonitions may for a while feelings of distress, both at the consciousness be disregarded-though under the super- of detection and the prospect of punishment. natural influence of the excitement of sti- But what shall account for that restlessness mulating draughts its voice be overruled sometimes evinced, in which those whose or from dulness and almost deadness-it guilt might never have been detected, permay be lulled to comparative inactivity haps never suspected, from very uneasiness of yet in very few, perhaps no cases, is it mind betray themselves? How often has the extinguished. Oppressed beneath false murderer, safe from human vengeance, been maxims of worldly policy, it may lay compelled, by conscience that could not dormant for a while or stifled amidst rest, to turn his own accuser? How often the clamour of gaiety and dissipation, its has thus been divulged what no eye of man voice may not be heard, its continued beheld-no ear of man heard-no heart of knockings may be unattended to, its remon- man imagined. Why is this? We stop strances may so often have met with the " go not to enquire more minutely into the cause, thy way for this time, and at a more con- but from the existence of the fact, proceed venient season I will call upon thee," as to a practical improvement of it. Behold nearly to have lost their power. Yet sooner this man overwhelmed with an agony of grief or later conscience awakes, and arouses at the wickedness he has committed. He its sleeping owner, and then like a giant refreshed with wine, it pursues its work, it forces itself upon the attention of the worlding, it is an interloper at the feast of the convivialist, it reminds the tyrant of the day of future reckoning, when even he, great as he is on earth, must give an account of his stewardship. Yes! it is the responsive call of this monitor within, that cannot contain himself-he cannot make restitution-he cannot restore the life he has taken!-he cannot recall the soul which he sent before its Maker "all unprepared to meet him!"-he can benefit no one by divulging himself as the author of the crime, yet he cannot endure its concealment. His conscience torments him. That silent monitor says all is not right. There is no ap proving smile from within-no approbation no love of God-but all is gloom and terror. And who can put an end to this state? Suppose that it should last for ever-that it follows the sinner into the world of spirits? It must be, then, immortal as the soul: time cannot destroy it-pain cannot consume it—suffering cannot annihilate it! No! still the soul lives, tormented with its own accusations, and fearful imaginings, and nothing but a sense of pardoning love can restore or give it peace. How does this realize the truth of scripture" The wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." No peace in solitude-no peace in society -no peace in time-no peace, no hope, through eternity! We have but very recently had before us a case illustrative of the foregoing remarks, and of the silent but powerful operation of conscience. There was a man who had passed the first years of his life in laborious occupation in the sphere to which he belonged, and been a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God. On one occasion, in the course of his daily avocation, he had secreted some valuable property, which he afterwards purloined and appropriated to his own purpose. None but he and his comrades knew of this. The property was missed. It was valuable from its own nature, and yet more, because it consisted of family relics, which no money could replace, because no money could bring back the identical things. Many and tedious were the searches made, but all in vain. Ten years afterwards, or nearly so, one of the parties called at the house of the writer of this article. It was then late. His name was announced-admission to him was granted. But his appearance!-his appearance was pale-his voice faltering-his manner agitated. After a while however he stated the object of his coming, unfolded what had taken place, spoke of his having now become a different character, how tormented he had been in mind for some years past, and how he sought in vain to find out the parties he had wronged, that so he might make restitution so far as in his power. Various causes contributed to lead to this state of mind, and amongst them these: One of his companions, who had been a sharer in the spoil, met some time after with a sudden and shocking death. He beheld another on the verge of eternity, with no hope of continued life in this world, no prospect of happiness in the other. Strange as it may seem, he who had long, long neglected to pray for himself, had pity for another, and prayed with and for the almost dying sinner. The pious example too, set him while yet a child, by a beloved parent, long gone to rest, now, like bread cast upon the waters, and not found till after many days, produced its effect. The dying expressions of one who watched over his infant years with a mother's love-her blooming hopes of a glorious and blessed immortality, which enabled her through a Saviour's love to bear the pains of sickness, and the agonies of death, not only without murmuring but with holy joy and rapture, contrasted strikingly with the scenes he had lately witnessed. Grace was given him, we believe, to become truly penitent. He sought forgiveness there, where there is plenteousness of mercy to all who ask it; and now reclaimed from the error of his ways, he lives a monument of God's grace and mercy, endeavouring to lead the life of a consistent christian. He has indeed done no penance, performed no acts of corporal severity, to procure peace and pardon; but he has evinced that repentance to salvation, not to be repented of, which shews a change of heart and soul, a conversion and turning from the power of satan unto God. MEDITATIONS FROM BISHOP ON THE SIGHT OF AN ECLIPSE OF THE Light is an ordinary and familiar blessing, yet so dear to us, that one hour's interception of it sets all the world in a wonder. The two great luminaries of heaven as they impart light to us, so they withdraw light from each other. The sun darkens the full moon in casting the shadow of the earth upon her opposed face; the new moon repays this blemish to the sun in the interposing of her dark body betwixt our eyes and his glorious beams. The earth is troubled at both. Oh God! if we be so afflicted with the obscuring of some piece of one of thy created lights for an hour or two, what a confusion shall it be that thou, who art the God of these lights, in comparison of whom they are mere darkness, shalt hide thy face from thy creatures for ever! Oh, thou that art the sun of righteousness, if any of my sins closed thy face, yet let not my grievous sins eclipse thy light. Thou shinest always, though I do not see thee. But oh! never suffer my sins so to darken thy visage, that I cannot see thee. ON A CANCELLED BOND. and eternal death, which I am never able to While this obligation was in force, I was endure. But now that my Saviour has fasin servitude to my parchment. My bond tened it cancelled to his cross, in respect to was double-1. To a payment-2. To a pe- the rigor and malediction of it, I look upon nalty. Now that is discharged, what is it it as the monument of my past danger and better than a waste scroll-regarded for bondage. I know by it how much was owed nothing, but the witness of its own voidance by me-how much was paid for me. The and nullity. No otherwise is it with the direction of it is everlasting: the obligation severe law of my Creator. Out of Christ, by it unto death is frustrated. I am free it stands in full force; and binds me over from curse, who can never be free from obeeither to perfect obedience, which I cannot dience. O Saviour, take thou glory, and possibly perform-or to exquisite torment give me peace.-Bishop Hall. Ar the time of the Reformation, Scotland was not without her martyrs. Many, who were bold for the truth, fell victims to the fury of their persecutors; and there are those in the present day, who like them would contend, and were it necessary, die for the faith once delivered to the saints. The following little dialogue between an old man and a little boy, from a book bearing the above title, and recently published by the Religious Tract Society, will interest many of our juvenile readers. We hope it will edify them also. "I am very glad to meet you so soon, for now you will tell me something about Scotland and Edinburgh, and the martyrs." "Yes, Robert, I will be as good as my word. Scotland is the most northern, and therefore the coldest part of Great Britain. The Highlands are mountainous and barren. Along the narrow valleys you may see The wild deer sporting on the meadow ground. And here and there a solitary tree, Or mossy stone, or rock with woodbine crown'd. While the Lowlands are more level, wooded, and fertile. EDINBURGH, built on three hills, is the capital of Scotland, as I dare say you remember. It would delight you to climb up to Salisbury Craigs and Arthur's Seat, and to look down, from that great height, on the old town and the new town. To gaze on the castle and Holyrood house, which is a palace, and look where the Tolbooth, or public jail, used to stand. "Arthur's Seat would please me best, if that is the highest." "We are most of us, old and young, too much disposed to get above the heads of our neighbours when we can. You would be surprised to see many of the houses in Edinburgh, for they run up, story above story, till they are forty yards high. The castle, too, is a very fine object as you look at it from the hollow, three hundred feet below. It was upon the castle hill that Dean Thomas Forrest was burned. The printed account of what took place between him and the bishop of Dunkeld, sets forth so strikingly the way in which the Romish church proceeded in those days, that having for if I attempt to describe it myself, I shall it with me, I feel disposed to read it to you, not do it justice." it." "Please then to read it me, every word of "Dean Thomas Forrest, a canon of St. |