Christian in passing through varied and deep afflictions, in circumstances of strong temptation, and a manifold experience of the duties and difficulties of life. This is the main object of the work; and it is so executed as we think it could have been by no one who did not express his own experience. This is the charm of this admirable work. But this is combined with other things of no small value. There are concise solutions offered of some difficult problems in theology, and expositions of portions of sacred writ, as well as occasionally beautiful representations of the truths, doctrinal or practical, contained in plainer parts of the inspired volume.

We are truly in the predicament referred to in the proverb, "Wealth makes wit waver," in selecting specimens for the use of our readers, there are so many, the matter of which we could wish them to ponder, and in which they would have great satisfaction; but our space limits us to the few following.

We give, first, "The Mourner's Text," as it may be useful to some in being called to similar exercise of faith and resignation

"Twas the Lord gave;

The Lord hath taken away;"

So, at the grave,

I stand, and strive to say:

"Twas the Lord took;

Hence I have pledge most sure, Again to look

On smile so sweet and pure.

Yielding, O God, although with strug- Thou tak'st not to destroy, but to re

gling groan,

Thy right to take thine own.

"Twas the Lord's gift:

I muse on sunny years;

And heart I lift,

With thanks amid my tears:

store,

More bright, and loved much more.

So, as it boards

Together joys and woes,

The text affords,

O Lord, the fitting close.

Lord, thou conferr'dst on me beyond my I say-and turn to leave the hallowed

share

Of good, and dear, and fair.

sod

"Blest be the name of God!"

The next immediately following in the volume is on "Good Thoughts"

Holy Spirit, when I rest,

In my heart good thoughts suggest;
Like a friend, whom curtains hide,
Speaking gently at my side.

When the bustling town I thread,
Holy thoughts by thee be bred,
Whispered, as in crowds hath been
Warning hint by friend unseen.

When I walk in gloom or fear,
Thoughts of God instil to cheer;
As from friendly presence learned,
Though for darkness not discerned.

At my death beside me be,
Like a clearing mystery;

With such gracious thoughts dispensed,
As are heaven's talk commenced.

How sweet the deep humility expressed in the lyric, "The Thief on the Cross"

Well I can trust the Scripture story,
Of sin at once replaced by glory,
In him, who, by the Saviour's side,
Was with the Saviour crucified.

My works could never bear me thither;
Daily my hopes of heaven they wither;
Did I this moment meet my grave,
"Twould be a grace like his would save.

92

For what am I, who, by demerit,
Each day a doom like his inherit,
But one who must, from sin forgiven,
At last, like him, go straight to heaven?

My deathbed will a cross resemble,
On which, for sin, to groan and tremble,
Save for a trust, like him, to rise,
Through Christ's own word, to Paradise.

The experience of many will echo the following stanzas on "The Earthly Service:"

Some serve thee, Lord, as most at first will do,
With sense of grace rising in rapturous praise;
They walk in prayer, with thee in constant view,
And talk to thee aloud in all their ways:
But these have snares; rash zeal, contentious heat,
Presumptuous faith, false judgments, grace defeat.

A time of greater calm with most succeeds;

Less prayer, more work; less fervour, greater staidness;
But ah, this course its own correction needs,

Showing cold love, scant homage, frequent deadness;

So, oft the heart sighs for the pristine time;

And more for heaven, which mends, yet keeps, its prime.

We can only add the following lines on "The Psalms," which, though the ideas expressed are not new, indicate distinctly the spirit of the author :

Poet of Israel, and in this ordained

The Psalmist of God's people, earth throughout,
Thou, by a varying course of faith and doubt,
Of joy and woe, wast for thine office trained:

All which the holiest saint hath e'er attained,

Of grace, and light, and peace, thou knew'st thine own;
Alas! not less hadst sin for which to groan,

Deep as hath e'er the lowliest suppliant stained.
Within thy breast was struck each several chord,
Strung on the heart renewed; the griefs that pained,
The gleams that cheered thee, all alike constrained
The rising notes to speak a dying Lord:

So hast thou left God's church, through all her throng,
For every feeling woke its own appropriate song.

There are literally a host of other pieces in this work which we could with equal pleasure transfer to our pages. Some of the very best are somewhat more lengthened than the specimens given. In a few of the poems it would be an improvement were the meaning less obscure; and at times, but rarely, an expression occurs which, in respect to the doctrine implied, might be changed for a better. The hymn for the 25th of December would not have been written as it is, had the author known that there is evidence amounting to a moral demonstration that the birth of the Saviour did not take place at that date, and, moreover, that the date of that event is not known, but is hid, no doubt, for holy and wise ends. We are all but certain, also, that it will be greatly modified or wholly disappear from a subsequent edition, which we

anticipate will very soon be called for, if the writer peruse the pages of "The Two Babylons," the third edition of which is just published. A work in prose, corresponding to this in its object, and executed in the same spirit and with similar ability, would be very valuable, and likely to be extensively useful. Were the onerous duties of the high office, which the author of the present work is said to fill, to permit, such a task is one for which he seems eminently fitted; and important service would be done by devoting his distinguished talents and his matured experience to the composition of such a book.

We hail this volume of very instructive religious poetry from one of the Judges of the land, and shall rejoice to hear that it is highly relished, and extensively read, by Christians of all denominations. We cordially thank the author of "Time's Treasure" for the rich feast with which he has furnished us, and earnestly wish that he may have a continued and increased enjoyment of the spirit of deep piety by which it is pervaded. Were a small type edition published it would be a valuable vade-mecum.

Our Companions in Glory; or, Society in Heaven Contemplated. By the Rev. J. M. Killen, M.A., author of "Our Friends in Heaven." Edinburgh: Andrew Elliot. London: Hamilton, Adams, & Co. 1862.

THE reading public are indebted to Mr Elliot for the example which he has set to publishers in general, by the style in which he has presented this interesting volume. In type, paper, arrangement, &c., it is nearly perfect, and furnishes a model which the "trade" would do well to imitate.

The work itself is one of transcendent interest, not only as regards the topics discussed, but also in consequence of the fresh and original thought brought to bear upon the sublimest of all subjects. Even where unable to accept the writer's views, his mode of stating and dealing with the most abstruse questions is eminently suggestive. He writes with his whole heart, and displays an amount of learning, ability, and originality, which is refreshing, among much of the common-place literature of this book-making age. No believer can read this work without clearer conceptions of, and an increased desire for, the companionship of glory. This book is not like several recent productions upon the same, or similar topics, which are little better than poetic conceptions of heavenly glory, drawn from imagination, without much regard to revelation. This is an original work upon a subject of eternal interest.

While, however, saying all this in candour and sincerity, we deeply regret that we cannot accept many of the writer's conclusions; and we state our objections as candidly, for the consideration of the esteemed author (knowing that this work, like his former, may reach many editions), so that he may reconsider some of his leading positions. One leading defect, in our opinion, is a too literal interpretation of Scripture, and a pressure of texts into the line of argument, which weaken rather than confirm conviction. This, we are aware, is common to earnest writers, whose whole souls may for years be filled with

their subject. It ought, however, to be remembered, that when God speaks to us after the manner of men, a purely literal interpretation is sure to lead us astray.

We cannot notice all the views from which we dissent; but, after indicating the topics discussed, we shall refer to a few of these more fully. The work is divided into the following parts:-"The Vision of God. Personal Intercourse with Christ for Ever. The Society of the Redeemed in Heaven. Our Children who are in Heaven.

The

Companionship of Angels. The Cherubim. The Ministry of Hea

ven."

Under the first topic the doctrine is broadly laid down, that the invisibility of God is confined to the present state of man; but that, in a future state of glory, he shall literally SEE God. There is much presented under this head worthy of the calmest consideration, and not a little calculated to correct misconceptions; but we are not able to accept the view given of the Vision of God, and still less some of the arguments by which it is supported.

Thus the volume opens―

"Shall God be seen in heaven? or will the vision of the Most Holy be denied to man for ever? Is Jehovah in His very nature invisible, and has it never been, and will it never be, permitted to the most favoured creature to gaze upon his Great Creator-The Glorious I AM?"

These questions have been usually answered in the negative. Our author answers them in the affirmative. While admitting that the invisibility of God is a necessity, and more than a necessity, of our present condition, he holds that it will not continue a necessity of man's spiritual and glorified state. He meets such passages as (John, i. 18)"No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him,"-by showing their application to man's present state. He contends that though man, in the present condition of humanity, cannot see a spirit, there is no reason why a disembodied spirit may not be able to see other spirits. We think the use of those terms which indicate, or express, vision as common to creatures in the present material organisation is liable to mislead us, when applied to the perception or mode of acquaintance with purely spiritual beings by other spiritual beings. That angels or disembodied spirits are capable of realising acquaintance with, and a knowledge of, each other, more perfectly than any man can of his fellows in the present state, is an idea that we presume none will question, or that angels and disembodied spirits will be capable of obtaining a knowledge of, and acquaintance with, the Eternal Spirit-the glorious I AM-more perfect than man at present can realise, seems certain.

But that the knowledge of, or communion with God, shall be visual, or obtained by vision, such as we now enjoy through the visibility of objects to sense, is a presumption which, we think, is beyond the range of either philosophy or revelation. We consequently feel that the use of terms indicating our perception of visible objects on earth must, if taken literally, mislead in forming conceptions of the mode of "mutual

recognition" in glory. As seeing is the operation of a material organ, brought into contact with a visible, material object, we cannot, with propriety, apply this language to cognition of a being destitute of material organisation, without certain misconception. It is in this use of language that we think our author has been unconsciously led to the literal interpretation of Scripture statements, such as "seeing God," "seeing the face of God," "see God," &c., as though our future cognition of God would be the same in kind as that now experienced by the sense of sight. We think that the application of terms expressive of our earthly experience to our prospective, heavenly experience, bas produced not only misconceptions regarding "our companions in glory," but has also led to the straining of Scripture proof in support of the theory of divine visibility. For example (Job, xix. 26, 27), which evidently refers to the contemplation, not of God essentially or absolutely considered, but of the incarnate Son; while (Ps. xvii. 15), where David says, "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness," refers to the fuller contemplation of the divine glory, not as manifested in a visible form, but as perceived in a spiritual manner.

Our author assigns reasons why we cannot now see God,-such as "His dwelling in light that is inaccessible"-the weakness of the mortal body, &c. But he adds one which we deem both untenable and objectionable

"Besides, the highest moral purposes are served by God's remaining in the meantime invisible to man. Our present state is confessedly a probationary one, during which God makes trial of our dispositions by our deeds. But, in order to such trial, it is absolutely necessary that He himself should remain unseen. For who would be disloyal in his Sovereign's presence--who would curse the Almighty to HIS FACE?" (p. 33).

Without waiting to show that man is not in a probationary state since the fall of Adam, it is enough to refer to the fact, that Satan and his angels, though enjoying that beatific vision for which our author pleads, did rebel and become disloyal in their Sovereign's presence. We know, moreover, that the Israelites murmured and rebelled, though the cloudy pillar above the camp, and the shekinah within the Tabernacle, proclaimed, even to sense, the presence of Deity.

Neither are we clear that the beatific state would be enhanced by the face to face, or direct vision here contended for. We think that "the unclouded vision" is not necessary "to full and personal communion," and that it is beyond revelation to say that "thus, but not otherwise, shall we learn to know Him as He is." The Redeemer, in answer to Philip's request, "Show us the Father," replied, "He that bath seen me hath seen the Father: how sayest thou, then, Show us the Father?"

We do not think such a vision of God necessary to assimilation. The assimilation is moral, not physical. Hence there is no ground. for saying, that by David's "beholding God's face, he would have imprinted upon him God's likeness." The moral image, consisting of spiritual qualities, is restored in time, when the believer, according to our author, cannot possibly see God. Neither is it necessary to soul