of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath-day"-certainly a very different statement from that foisted in, like some of Colenso's alleged facts, as if found in the sacred record. But though it had been a feast such as the religious Jews observed, there is no evidence that it was prepared on the Sabbath, which is the assumption of the writer, in order to find a cover for those who turn this sacred day into a day of feasting. This is in accordance with what the same writer says in page 655, when jesting at the expense of a good man who used fewer plates on the Sabbath, in order that his servants might have less work, in connection with which he adds in italics, "Surely it is no kindness to give servants on the Sunday too much time to themselves. Being only partially educated, they are unable to read for long together; and to allow them a leisure which they cannot put to good purpose, is really to lead them into temptation." The command of God, however, makes no distinction between master and servant, except the additional responsibility of those in authority. The manservant, the maid-servant, and the stranger within the gates, are, equally with the master, the son, and the daughter, forbidden to do any work. This writer restricts the law to necessary work. But what does he include. He has no objections to Sabbath-walkingnay more, his chief objection to the Sunday bands in Hyde Park is, that they interfere with family walking. Regarding Sabbath-walking he says, "If indeed a man's conscience forbids him, let him abstain from it. If it permits it, let him do it the rather." No reference here to a higher law than conscience. In regard to driving, that is all to be regulated by comfort and convenience. As to letter-writing, like the author of "Mistress and Maid" in the same periodical, he would not forbid it-nay, he gives high authority for its commendation. As to reading the newspaper, he seems to have no fixed opinion, provided billiards are not introduced. As to visiting, he would not commend it as a general habit, except the visitation of friends. "Sunday," he says, "is a feast-day," and, judging from his plea for the preparation of the viands, we may safely infer that it is a physical, not a spiritual feast to which he alludes. Such are the Sabbath views set forth in Good Words, endorsed by the editor, Dr Macleod, and scattered broad-cast over the world. The theology and morality of this periodical go hand-in-hand. We have not entered on a review of its novels. Never having had patience to follow out the dreamings of Anthony Trollope or Thackeray, we shall not at present farther allude to such writers. It is enough to say that these are not good words for any day of the week, while for Sabbath they are simply incentives to its profanation. Let parents and guardians reflect upon their responsibility in putting such a periodical into the hands of the young. Let novelists be kept within their own sphere, where they are known, and can be avoided. Let the subverters of Presbyterianism and Sabbath morality take the personal responsibility, and tell the public what they want in explicit terms; but we protest against such pernicious writings being headed and heralded by sermons and lectures from popular divines. Adulterations with pure samples are an abomination in the market: how much more the mingling of decorated

truth and enlightened science with tales of fiction, negative or erroneous theology, and the advocacy of a loose and uncertain morality.

It is high time that the dangers of such periodical literature should be fully exhibited. If Good Words degenerates for the future as it has done during its past brief existence, and retains its present popularity, we tremble for the prospects of our country. A generation trained under such teaching will be utterly unprepared to meet the double currents of infidelity and Puseyism setting in from the south. Let the churches beware. Voluntary silence now may prove the forerunner of constrained silence by-and-bye. Fearful is the responsibility of the editor, contributors, and conductors of any work, the tendency of which is to blot out the line of demarcation between truth and error-to subvert the authority of God, and establish that of popular opinion.

HOW ARE GOOD AND EVIL TO BE RECEIVED FROM THE HAND OF THE LORD?

THIS question is suggested by the words of the Patriarch Job. "What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" But we do not enter on the consideration of the connection in which he employed them. Job had large experience of the reception of good, both temporal and spiritual, at the hand of the Lord, and also of the reception of evil-the evil of suffering and trial in various ways. This is eminently a practical question. It involves duty, to the performance of which all men, but all Christians in particular, are called every day of their lives. There are some things common to the dutiful reception of both good and evil from the hand of the Lord. In both cases there is to be an internal recognition of the hand of God in what is received. His hand is not the less to be owned, in the reception and enjoyment of good, that this may come more immediately as the fruit of our own industry or wise and dutiful conduct; for this is as really of God as the good which flows from it. Nor is the hand of God to be less recognised that the good enjoyed may have come to us as the immediate fruit of the love and liberality of friends; for it is of God that any friend has either the heart or the power to do us service. Nor is the hand of God to be excluded from evil things, because they are immediate results of our misconduct or that of others, because this could not have been without Divine permission. Such an habitual internal recognition of the hand of God in good and evil is no mean Christian attainment. In both cases, also, there is to be an external acknowledgment of the hand of God. In this, as well as other things, confession with the mouth is to be joined to believing with the heart. In this, however, we need to take heed that there be some good degree of harmony between the utterances of the mouth and the exercises of the heart, and that the confession be from proper motives and to right ends, as well as in a suitable time. It is possible for persons to be forward in their open acknowledgment of the hand

of God in good and evil from mere sentiment, learned in the school of men, when a true internal recognition of the hand of God is wanting. Farther, in both cases a degree of holy activity of soul is necessary to the right reception of good and evil. While God himself is the great worker, to whom the glory is to be given of all dutiful conduct on our part, in all ordinary cases He so works as to make His people workers together with Him. We are therefore called to be stirring up our souls to a dutiful reception of good and evil from the hand of the Lord. There is a proneness in men to dwell on second causes, while the great First Cause is overlooked or but faintly recognised. This leads us to remark yet farther, that in both cases there is to be a special consideration of the hand from which good and evil come. Without this there cannot be a right reception of the one or of the other. The hand whence all comes is exceedingly high and glorious, as well as unerring. It is the hand of Him who does, and has an absolute right to do, what seemeth good in His sight in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; whose arm none can stay, and whom none may presume to ask in way of challenge, "What doest thou?"

But, more particularly, first, How are we to receive good from the hand of the Lord, either temporal or spiritual? 1st, This is ever to be received with a sense of our own unworthiness of such favour. It was thus that Jacob felt when he said, "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant." It was thus, too, that David felt when God gave him and his people a heart to offer willingly and very abundantly of their substance to the Lord. Instead of thinking that he thereby made God his debtor, he felt that God had conferred honour on him and his people, of which they were unworthy, in bestowing on them the gift of a heart to return freely and with gladness to God what was His own. "Who," he asks, "am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort?" Hence, also, the language of Paul, "To me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." When this is the spirit in which favours are received from the hand of God, instead of rendering those on whom God's benefits are bestowed proud and high-minded, their humility will be thereby deepened. 2d, Good is to be received from the hand of God with lively gratitude; and the more we feel our own unworthiness, the deeper will our gratitude be. 3d, Our reception of good should be with a sense of responsibility to God for the use we make of what He gives, and with fervent prayer for wisdom and grace to be faithful stewards of all. How earnest should Christians be that every fruit of divine goodness to them may be so accompanied with the blessing of the Benefactor, that they shall be effectually prevented from making a wrong use of it, and made to employ it in the best way.

But, secondly, how is evil to be received from the hand of the Lord? The arduous nature of this duty is very generally admitted. It is by this that the spiritual strength of the believer is tried. "If thou

faint," says Solomon, "in the day of adversity, thy strength is small." 1st, Evil is to be received from the hand of the Lord with holy reverence. This is surely pre-eminently due to the Lord our God when He corrects us. Hence the argument of the Apostle, "We have had fathers of our flesh who corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much more be in subjection"-reverential subjection"unto the Father of spirits, and live?" 2d, This is to be received in a spirit of holy submission. It is thus we are to aim at walking in the steps of the glorious Head when, under His sufferings, He said, "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt;" and thus the example of the excellent of the earth will be copied. In an hour of deep affliction Eli is heard saying, "It is the Lord; let Him do what seemeth Him good;" and David's words, in a very trying season, were, "Behold, here am I; let Him do to me as seemeth good unto Him." 3d, In receiving evil, we are ever to ascribe righteousness unto the Lord, acknowledging that "He is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works"-yea, that "He hath punished us less than our iniquities deserve." 4th, Our reception of evil should ever be combined with thankfulness for past and present mercies. Like Job, we are to bless God for what He gave, and for what He has left, however much He sees meet to take awayfor what He is still giving, and, above all, for what He will give hereafter-for the hope of eternal life, which He promised before the world began, and will assuredly bestow on all the objects of His love at last-as well as for the invaluable blessings already conferred, never to be recalled. Moreover, this should be received in a spirit of humble trust in God, as a God of grace, endeavouring to say, with Job, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him," and with abounding prayer that adverse dispensations may be so accompanied with the blessing of the Lord, that, as Job was, they also may be kept in the season of affliction, however deep, from sinning against God, or charging Him foolishly.

It is ever to be remembered, that such a reception of good or evil from the hand of the Lord is not the attainment of any in their natural state. It is peculiar to such as are born from above, and in whom the Spirit of Christ dwells-yea, for all the blissful measure of this which is realised in the experience of believers themselves, they are wholly debtors to the gracious operations of the Divine Spirit in their souls. It will be found also, in general, that the more we are enabled to receive good from the hand of the Lord in a right spirit, the more likely are we to receive evil also, so as to glorify God "in the fires." Nor let any doubt that God can so uphold, strengthen, and bless His people, in the lowest depths of outward adversity, as to make such a season the happiest they ever enjoyed. Such experience was anticipated by the Prophet Habakkuk, when he said, "Although the figtree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will REJOICE in the Lord, I will Joy in the God of my salvation." He is God all-sufficient-a very present help in trouble. Such has

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been the experience of the saints of God in times of persecution. The dungeon has been to them the very gate of heaven; and when about to ascend the scaffold, and lay their necks on the block, or be bound to the stake, their cup of consolation has been made so to run over, that they could scarcely contain the joy with which their souls were filled. The words of John Finlay, in his last speech and testimony, were, "My dear friends, I have sweet peace in my lovely Lord; He has made my prison become a palace to me, and He has made me many a time to bless Him for my lot, for which my soul shall praise Him to all eternity." The words of the Marquis of Argyle, on the morning of his execution, were, "I thought to have concealed the Lord's goodness to me, but it will not do. I am now ordering my affairs, and God is sealing my charter to the heavenly inheritance, and just now saying to me, Son, be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee."" Again, his words were, "I think His kindness overcomes me. But God is good to me that He lets not out too much of it here, for He knows I could not bear it." Hamel, a minister of the Protestant Church of France, who was put to death in the most cruel and barbarous manner, being broken alive upon the wheel, said, among other things, to his wife, "Don't be troubled at this gibbet upon which I must expire; 'tis to me a triumphal chariot which will carry me into heaven. I see heaven opened, and my sweet Jesus with His outstretched arms ready to receive me." Again addressing his wife, he said, "Farewell once more, my well-beloved spouse! I am waiting for you; but know, though you see my bones broken to shivers, yet my soul is replenished with inexpressible joys." Such, too, was the love to men, as well as God, with which his heart overflowed, that he kissed his judges, who are said to have "poured out a shower of tears."‡ Many other like instances might have been added from less accessible sources. But nothing sweeter could be given; and they will be read here by many who will not read them elsewhere, or have not the opportunity.

VOLUNTARYISM.

[Though we cannot homologate every expression or sentiment in the following extract, it undoubtedly contains a very able discussion of Voluntaryism, and merits very special attention at the present time.]

The discussion of these questions has given rise to four systems of opinion; and we shall begin with the newest or most modern, because it is also, in some respects, the simplest and most sweeping. It is what has assumed to itself, though inaccu rately and unwarrantably, the name of the voluntary system,-a name derived from a partial representation of one of the views to which the principle leads, and not in any respect fairly descriptive of the principle itself. It amounts in substance to this, that the only relation that ought to subsist between the State and the Church -between civil government and religion-is that of entire separation; or in other words, its advocates maintain that nations, as such, and civil rulers in their official capacity, not only are not bound, but are not at liberty, to interfere in any religious * "Cloud of Witnesses," p. 254. +"Scots Worthies," pp. 200, 201. Quick's "Synodicon," vol. i. p. 136.