the prospect-they never hinder kindly intercourse, but increase it. For instance nobody thinks of making love to a married person of course not. It is a dreadfully dangerous step when any of these fences are overleaped in the mind, and the of course not is put aside. Potiphar's wife had long stepped over this fence. Not so Joseph-" He has given me every thing, of course not his wife.

46. (verse 9) How can I do this. How many people would have said-How can I resist this. When you are in a temptation you may always know which way your heart leans (whether to God and escape, or to the devil and the sin) by its asking one or other of these questions. How can I do this? says the heart that loves holiness :-how can I resist this? says the heart that loves sin.

47. (verse 9) But not only did he boldly reason, but he also boldly preached. Potiphar's confidence increased the greatness of the sin but after all the sin was against God. All sin is rebellion against God: whatever other evil it may do besides to men, it breaks God's law and offends him.

48. (verse 10) Day by day :-continual coming often gets what is wanted. It may overcome an external resistance, but not one founded upon real principle. But this unchaste woman's vile passion has the peculiar curse of unceasing restlestness. The devil makes people pay a large duty of worry and wretchedness for their gratifications.

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49. (verse 10) Joseph hated the sin, therefore her importunity had no effect only it made him not only refuse, but take care to keep out of her way-he would not be with her "-he would not keep company with her. This was wise it was keeping out of the way of temptation himself, and keeping temptation out of his way.

50. (verse 11) About this time—that is, about the time when Joseph so carefully kept himself from the company of this bad woman. In spite of this care he did not fail to do the duty and business entrusted to him. Real purity of heart, while it keeps clear of all temptations which can be avoided, does not allow the fear of falling under temptation to make us neglect a plain duty. To shrink from duty, because of temptation connected with it, is a sign that the enemy has got hold of our inclinations, and that we are afraid of ourselves, rather than of the external inducements to sin.

THE PASTOR'S REMEMBRANCER.

"It is in the power of every old and established clergyman, to render great and peculiar assistance to his younger brethren in the ministry; and the good which he can do, he is bound for his Master's sake to attempt, towards all his fellow-servants. The experience which every man of advanced life has gained, his knowledge of men and books, probably will enable him to offer some useful hints to those who are just entering on the ministry. But besides these, the very circumstance of possessing a settled home, something more or less of domestic society, enables such persons to offer to the lonely and unfriended curate, that sort of support and relaxation, on which the cheerfulness of his mind and the usefulness of his ministry may materially depend.

"But from all, of every age and of every degree, that measure of co-operation and of help must be expected, which men, engaged in the same work, serving the same Lord, struggling under similar difficulties, are bound to offer to each other. Even in common Christian society, no man liveth for himself. Whatever means he may possess, he possesses not for his own purposes, but for the good of others. But this feeling, which holds good with regard to all in its general sense, must be supposed to have a still closer and more particular application to those who, like the clergy, are engaged in one office; fellow servants of God, and fellow-workers; and who know that the success of their common labours must depend, in no ordinary degree, on the union which exists among themselves.

"On this account, every thing which tends to strengthen this spirit of union is not less to be encouraged than the very feeling from which it proceeds. The assemblage of the clergy at the stated periods of visitations, may be rendered useful in this view by the acquaintance they produce, and the intercourse to which they give occasion. Other clerical meetings of a private kind, either monthly or quarterly, and under regulations which may be adapted to local circumstances, but which shall give a religious character to the conversation, are found to conduce to the same result, the increase of friendly feelings and religious union. By means such as these, knowledge is easily communicated, groundless prejudices are abated, the monotony of a secluded parochial residence is broken; and all men may hope to derive that encouragement in labour, and that wholesome excitement of mind, which it has pleased our bountiful Creator to connect with social intercourse."

Raikes, on Clerical Education.

THE IRISH CLERGY. No. I.

In the previous number an endeavour was made to call attention to the unity of interest that exists between the Clergy of the Church of England, and the branch of our Church in Ireland; which is at present maintaining the principal struggle for the whole in both countries. The immediate occasion of that appeal was to quicken the current of intercessory prayer, which has begun to flow, and which is called forth by the pressing exigencies of our Irish brethren. But we in England require to have our hearts more warmly drawn out towards the exemplary men, whom God has raised up to do our outpost duty; in order that our prayers may be as earnest as they ought to be both with reference to the claims of christian sympathy, and on account of our personal interest in their present position. Some further statements therefore, concerning the Irish Clergy, cannot be considered as out of place in pages which are intended to render assistance to Pastors in the ministry of the Church of England.

There might be times when it would be imprudent to go before the general voice of society, in too readily adopting appellations which were the offspring of sarcasm; but such times are usually followed by others, in which the christian will

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not hesitate to appropriate those appellations, and gladly take advantage of the facility for confessing Christ which they afford; and all the more willingly, because of the seasoning of the Cross with which they are savoured. Such is the term "evangelical;" which a wise man need not have used unnecessarily some few years ago, when it was applied by the enemies of the truth in all the emptiness of mere worldly ignorance and spite; but which in these present days has been marked as worth being claimed by spiritual christians, from the bitter hatred with which it is employed by those more dangerous enemies of the simple truth, the Tractarians. It is the blessing and strength of the Irish Church that a very large proportion of her ministers are not ashamed of being classed as Evangelical; and it is a still greater cause for thankfulness, that these manifest, for the most part, a simplicity of faith in the great truths of the Gospel, a power of courage in preaching that which they believe, and an earnestness of zeal for the conversion of souls, which fully establish their truly Evangelical character.

To speak of a large proportion of men, who are thus doing honour to the truth which they profess, conveys at best but a vague idea of the real amount of the blessing which God has vouchsafed to the Church in Ireland; but circumstances have occurred within the last year, which have afforded an opportunity of ascertaining with something more of definiteness, how far the power of spiritual religion has really spread among the Irish Clergy; and the result is such as cannot fail to cheer the hearts of those who are of the same spirit amongst our English brethren, as well as to stir them up to more earnest and prayerful exertions in endeavouring to promote a similar extension of true religion amongst themselves.

For the last fourteen or fifteen years, it has been the custom for a considerable number of Irish clergymen to assemble in Dublin, for mutual edification, during four days, from Tuesday to Friday, in some week in the month of April. These clerical

meetings have mainly been promoted by some eminent clergymen, of decidedly spiritual principles; and therefore have been branded by many with the mark of the cross; while those who have attended them have thereby in some measure laid themselves open to the charge of being evangelical. Circumstances occurred to render the meetings in April, 1843, a period of more than usual interest: a mistaken view of the nature of these meetings had induced some in authority, in a distant part of Ireland, to denounce them in no measured terms; this led to a full examination of them, and a triumphant defence; which, while

it removed every ground for the charges against them, brought out in stronger light the evangelical principles upon which they were avowedly conducted: hence the occasion in April 1843, assumed a more testing character than belonged to the meetings in former years; the influence of opposing opinions was likely to weigh with one class of mind, and the decided character which had been manifested was likely to weigh with another class of mind, so as to prevent persons of both these classes from coming to the meetings while on the other hand, these influences would give a greater character of decision to the conduct of those who might come. Under these circumstances, it could not but be interesting to observe the manner in which the meetings of last April were attended and conducted; and the testimony afforded, in both these respects, should fill the heart of the Christian with thankfulness to God, and with expectations of comfort and hope, concerning that portion of the Church which is called to such a conflict at the present moment, but favoured of God with such grace wherewith to maintain the struggle.

The testimony afforded by these meetings may be definitely drawn from facts, rather than from opinions. There were 513 clergymen present, including some of all grades and distinctions. of dignity in the Church; all of whom may be fairly assumed as maintaining, although perhaps with various degrees of feeling, the great distinguishing principles of evangelical religion. A succession of similar clerical meetings took place immediately afterwards in the city of Cork, as a central point for the clergy in the extreme south of Ireland; nearly ninety clergy were present at these, of whom only eight had attended the Dublin meetings; so that it may be said that upon these occasions about 600 of the Irish clergy assembled. The whole number of clergymen in Ireland amounts to 1966; of which 15 are bishops; 1555 are incumbents; and 396 are curates. As no fewer than 600 of them were enabled to meet at only two points in the kingdom, it may be fairly inferred that there must have been more than fifty likeminded men who would willingly have attended, but must have been prevented by distance, illness, and other ordinary and extraordinary hindrances: indeed it is known. that upwards of a hundred individuals were so impeded; and thus we have a definite proof that at least one third of all the clergy in Ireland are not afraid to range themselves under the banners of Christ, as evangelical upholders of true spiritual religion.

But the testimony afforded by the mode in which the meetings in Dublin were conducted, gives a still more comforting ground