with the book of revelation, and that they unite in testifying that they are the work of one true and common author. Some valuable contributions to this kind of evidence are supplied from coins, sculpture, and monuments. It will be enough just to indicate one or two cases by way of awakening observation. An ancient Syrian coin contains the name of Aretas as king, (see 2 Cor. xi. 32,) where it is stated that in Damascus, the governor under Aretas the king, kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison. Coins of Vespasian exist which were struck in commemoration of his conquest of Judea. One found at Gloucester a few years ago, has on the obverse the head of Vespasian, on the reverse the daughter of Zion weeping beneath the palm-tree. There is also a silver denarius of Vespasian illustrative of the capture of Judea. The reverse bears Judea under a female figure seated on the ground. The artist has pourtrayed her as in the posture of humiliation and despair, and had it been his aim he could not more successfully have represented the fulfilment of the prophecy, Isaiah iii. 26, She being desolate, shall sit upon the ground. None of the remains of ancient Rome can vie in interest with the triumphal arch of Titus Vespasian. It was erected as a memorial of the destruction of Jerusalem, and in honour of the victorious general by whose remorseless legions it was so terribly effected. Not one stone of the "holy and beautiful house" was left upon another, but its vessels of " pure gold" used in the temple service were not destroyed or left behind by the conquerors. On the sides of the arch is represented in bas relief a procession of captive Jews with staves in their hands, carrying as spoils and trophies some of the sacred vessels,-the golden table and the censer, the silver trumpets, the golden candlestick, (Ex. xxv. 31,)" with its shaft and its branches; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches out of the other side," all in exact accordance with "the pattern shewn in the mount." The indirect evidence here is stronger as being cumulative. The emperor and the architect as unconsciously as the sculptured marble, but not the less conclusively establish the accordance between the text of Moses and the actual Jewish ritual; whilst they attest a signal and literal fulfilment of a most remarkable prophecy, the ancient monument silently but irrefragably avouching, that though dynasties may change, cities perish, and empires pass away, yet "the word of our God shall stand for ever." Manchester. R. M. CHRIST THE BEST COMFORTER. WHEN the Christian is at any time constrained to write bitter things against himself; when he feels that it hath pleased the Almighty to leave him for a season in darkness, to withdraw from him the "light of His countenance," which is life; and when the adversary has perhaps gained a momentary advantage over him, by raising doubts and fears to which he had been before a stranger, in his progress Zionward; in such a case as this, it is always safest not to flee for consolation to the wise and the good alone, but also to the "Word" and to prayer. The wisest unto salvation among us, are but flesh and blood; a desire on their part to administer consolation, may lead them inadvertently to minister to our vanity, while they intend to strengthen our faith: in appeasing our alarms they may unconsciously weaken within us the impressions we have entertained of the immutable, unchangeable character of God, without imparting or restoring our peace in Him as our compassionate God and Saviour. Besides all this there is a danger that the very society of men of God at such seasons, may engender within us a deceitful calm, which, traced to its source, may prove to be only that earthly confidence which man feels in the company of his fellow-men, and not that holy joy which is the fruit of the Spirit's work within us. Let us not be misunderstood-far be it from us to undervalue any honoured instruments whom God may see fit to employ on such occasions, we would only point out " a more excellent way than the way of resting satisfied with mere human consolation. Let those then who mourn in Zion go at once to their Bible and to a throne of grace; and just as sure as that Bible is true, and that throne occupied by the Redeemer at the right hand of the Father, so sure are they, through the persevering prayer of faith, to receive of that pure unalloyed peace of mind of which they stand in need; unmixed (as in the other case) with any lurking suspicion of its being a false peace, but a peace leading them to deeper and deeper humility, more lively faith, more childlike confidence, more ardent love, more heavenliness of character, and shewing to their delighted souls, that though for a little moment He hid His face from them, yet His loving-kindness will he not take from them for ever. Liverpool. AN ELDER. THE OFFENCE OF THE CROSS. THROUGHOUT the wide extent of what is called Christendom, whether more or less corrupted, early associations have invested the material cross with peculiar venera- | tion. The most gorgeous temples are built in the form of a cross, architecture adopts it as one of its most graceful ornaments; and the gems and diamonds which adorn rank and beauty are arranged in its figure; but the degradation which it originally carried along with it as an instrument of punishment, may be seen in many passages of ancient history and poetry, and in none more remarkably than in an oration of the great Roman orator. He was engaged in the defence of one of his countrymen, against whom a prosecution was raised for a political commotion which had taken place many years before, and for which the accuser wished him to be found guilty of treason, and adjudged to death by crucifixion. This was resisted by Cicero with horror and indignation "Far be the very name of the cross, not only from the person of a Roman citizen, but even from his thoughts and his notice, not only the actual suffering, but the very mention of such a thing is unworthy of a Roman citizen and of a free man.' For the satisfaction of our learned readers we subjoin the nervous words of the original: "Nomen ipsum crucis absit non modo a corpore civium Romanorum, sed etiam a cogitatione, oculis, auribus: harum enim omnium rerum, non solum eventus atque perpessio, sed etiam conditio, expectatio, mentio ipsa denique indigna cive Romano et homine libero est."-Cicero, pro Rabirio, 5. : "IT should calm our spirits, that it is the will of God to suffer it; and had he not suffered it, it could never have been as it is. This very consideration quieted Job, Eli, David, and Hezekiah: that the Lord did it was enough to them, and why should it not be so to us?"-Flavel. PURITAN REASONS FOR EMIGRATION. IN the "History of the Pilgrim Fathers," by the Rev. Cotton Mather, are given the following "general considerations for the plantation of New England: " 1st. It will be a service to the Church of great consequence to carry the Gospel into those parts of the world, and raise a bulwark against the kingdom of Antichrist, which the Jesuits labour to build up in all parts of the world. "6 2dly. All other Churches of Europe have been brought under desolations, and it may be feared that the like judgments are coming upon us: and who knows but God hath provided this place to be a refuge for many whom he means to save out of the general destruction. "3dly. The land grows weary of her inhabitants, insomuch, that man, which is the most precious of all creatures, is here more vile and base than the earth he treads upon; children, neighbours, and friends, especially the poor, are counted the greatest burdens; which, if things were right, would be the chiefest of earthly blessings. 66 4thly. We are grown to that intemperance in all excess of riot, as no mean estate will almost suffice a man to keep sail with his equals, and he that fails in it must live in scorn and contempt: hence it comes to pass, that all arts and trades are carried in that deceitful manner and unrighteous course, as it is almost impossible for an upright man to maintain | his charge, and live comfortably in them. 5thly. The schools of learning and religion are so corrupted, as most children, even the best, wittiest, and of fairest hopes, are perverted, corrupted, and utterly overthrown, by the multitude of evil examples, and licentious behaviour in these seminaries. 66 "6thly. The whole earth is the Lord's garden, and he hath given it to the sons of Adam to be tilled and improved by them; why then should we stand starving here for places of habitation, and in the mean time suffer whole countries as profitable for the use of man to be waste, without improvement? "7thly. What can be a better or nobler work, and more worthy of a Christian, than to erect and support a reformed particular Church in its infancy, and unite our forces with such a company of faithful people, as by timely assistance may grow stronger and prosper?" Clyde has arrived; and the second, with Capt. Cargill the interim director of the colony, was at that time daily expected. We shall watch with interest the progress of the colony. It is a new scheme of emigration, or rather the old plan of the American pilgrim fathers revived. We would individually prefer the wilder adventure and freer movement of inde If such "considerations" prevailed in those times, and to the extent, as stated by the historian, that "the God of heaven served, as it were, a summons upon the spirits of his people of the English nation, stirring up the spirit of thousands which never saw the faces of each other with a most unani-pendent immigration, but we recommend mous inclination," &c., may we not expect that a portion of the same spirit shall descend upon many in our own day; for, unquestionably, the same causes are now operating with far greater energy, and upon a vastly extended population. to every one else the more settled and safe system of colonization. THE OTAGO EMIGRANTS.-There was a very interesting service in Regentsquare Church on Sunday, Sept. 3, the passengers of the Ajax having been invited to attend previous to their leaving this country. The service was conducted by the Rev. W. Chalmers, who officiated with special fitness on the occasion, two of his own brothers being among the colonists. The sermon was from the appropriate text Heb. xi. 8, "By faith Abraham when he was called to go out &c." The application to those who were now called by God's providence to go out from their native land, was striking and affecting. We trust that the words of counsel and of comfort then spoken may be remembered and felt many days hence. THE POPULATION OF CANADA.-We THE AJAX, OTAGO EMIGRANT SHIP. -We went down to see the Ajax at Gravesend the evening that she sailed, and we venture to say that a finer ship and more interesting freight has not left the Thames for many a day. This is the fourth vessel bound for the Free Church colony of Otago in New Zealand, and as some English Presbyterians were in this detachment, we were the more interested in the visit. There were upwards of 200 passengers on board, not of the strange kind usually predominating in an emigrant ship, but almost all healthy, hearty, and understand that the result of the census, well-conditioned, such as well-befitted the founders of a Presbyterian Free just completed, of the Upper Canada, will Church colony. Of women and children give that section of the province a population from 689,000 to 700,000 souls; there was a considerable proportion, and while, by the census of 1842-3 it was finer looking groups we have seldom seen. One interesting fact we were told which only 401,061, giving an increase in five indicates something of the moral condi- years, of nearly 400,000. The last census for Lower Canada was taken in 1844, tion of the passengers. The agent of the Bible Society, visited the ship the day the increase upon which, during the last when the population was 690,806 souls, before, according to custom, to dispose of Bibles to the emigrants. One Bible only four years, is calculated, by reference to was sold to an Irish labourer. All the preceding terms at which censuses have others were provided, and our Scotch in- this section of the province a present been taken, to be about 70,000, giving formant was half-amused, half-indignant, at the idea of a man supposing that any-lation of Upper Canada would thus appopulation of about 770,000. The popuone would be emigrating without a Bible in his possession. The Ajax is a new ship, built by Soames, of North Shields, and we are glad to have heard that her bearing does not belie her gallant look. The latest intelligence was from off the Land's End, after a fair passage down the Channel, including a little rough weather, in which she behaved well, and passed every ship in her way. We purposely forbear saying anything about the Colony of Otago, until official communications have arrived from the settlement. The first ship which left the | pear to increase at the rate of about If my IT is good dealing with that over which we have the most power. estate will not be framed to my mind, I will labour to frame my mind to my estate. as NOTHING doth so befool a man extreme passion. This doth both make them fools who otherwise are not; and sheweth them to be fools that are so.Bishop Hall. THE ENGLISH PRESBYTERIAN MESSENGER. THE YOUNG RULER.-AN ADDRESS TO YOUNG MEN. BY THE REV. JAMES HAMILTON. THERE are some persons peculiarly pre- | possessing. Their frank and open aspect, the light of intelligence which beams through their features, or the grace which irradiates their movements, bespeaks your immediate interest; and fine traits which afterwards gleam out from their character fix and deepen that first impression. And from this pre-occupation one embarrassing consequence sometimes arises. To tell such persons painful truth, or to discharge towards them unwelcome duty, becomes a personal martyrdom. The physician who has to pronounce their malady fatal, or the judge who has to give a decision adverse to their plea, or the neighbour who has to refuse their request, feels an unwonted compunction; and though truth or justice, or good sense leaves no alternative, the heart bleeds in doing what the conscience dictates. The neighbour feels, "His request is most unreasonable, and would be his ruin were I granting it; but it looks like cruelty rejecting such filial earnestness, and it kills me to send away disappointed such a winsome suitor." And the judge feels, "Pity that one so amiable should be all in error; and pity that equity and evidence demand a verdict which may break a gentle and ingenuous heart." And the physician feels, "Well, if bright eyes were immortal, here is one who should never die; and now that he has put it to myself to say whether he is to live or not? and now that I know all his reasons for wishing to linger a few No. 11.-New Series. more summers on the earth, I almost feel for once as if it would be wicked to tell the truth and virtuous to deceive him." And the passage we have read tells us of such an instant in the Saviour's history. It informs us how he was accosted by a young nobleman, of excellent character and engaging manners; and it tells how these produced their instant impression on the mind of Jesus. With a promptitude of perception as divine as his depth of sympathy was human, the Saviour recognised the courtesy and candour and kind disposition of his visitor, and surrendered his own benignant nature to their full possession. But the affection which Jesus felt for his person did not interfere with his faithfulness to this young man's soul. Beneath the fascination of his outward manners, and under the amiability of his natural character, Jesus perceived his inveterate worldly-mindedness; though grieved to be the grief of such a one, Jesus gave him the answer which he knew would send him away "exceeding sorrowful." And in this our blessed Lord was a pattern to all his followers. He was a pattern in the regard which he felt for this young man; still more was he a pattern in his faithfulness. A pattern in the affection which he felt for the ruler. He loved him. For the interesting features in his character the Lord Jesus loved him. Some who are stricter than the Saviour would not have felt so kindly. They would have scowled on all the Ꮓ and VOL. I. amenities and attractions of this youth | these inspired volumes, their books were as mere natural goodness, mere carnal virtue, dead morality. But such as they were they possessed a certain charm in the eyes of Jesus Christ. He saw in them the hand of God. Even in these outward accomplishments and in this general correctness of conduct he recognised restraining grace. And the Saviour did feel towards this ingenuous youth very differently from the way he felt towards the false and cunning Pharisees. He felt towards this sincere and devout worshipper very differently from the way he felt towards the profane and jeering Sadducees; and he felt towards this correct and virtuous ruler very differently from what he felt towards the ruffians of Nazareth and the reprobates of Samaria. But with all these feelings of interest and affection, the Lord Jesus did not speak to him premature peace or dangerous comfort; he saw that this young inquirer was still in the bond of iniquity; he saw that he had yet to discover the plague of his own heart; he saw that he was one of those who fancy that they are whole and need not a physician. And he knew that any answer which did not reveal to him his true character, would be to deceive his soul and speed him on to perdition with a lie in his right hand. And with that holy fidelity which triumphs over natural feeling, Jesus gave the unwelcome answer; the answer which sent away dejected and gloomy one who had run up to him radiant with hope and eager to exhibit his reverential regard. Teaching us that our love to our friends should never make us flatter their mistakes or deal falsely by their immortal interests. Let us look for a little 1. At those features in this young ruler's character which, as the Son of man, the Lord Jesus loved. 2. Those defects in this young man's character which, as the Son of God, the Lord Jesus detected and disclosed. I. (1.) He was sound in his creed. At that period the fashionable religion in Palestine was a sort of Materialism. Owing to the Roman invasion and the extensive intercourse with Greece and Italy, the more wealthy and intelligent Jews were becoming well acquainted with Gentile literature; and it had produced a perfect revolution in the young mind of Palestine. With the exception of their inspired volumes, the Jews had few books of any value; and, with the exception of mostly written in a crude, uncouth, and exaggerated style. They abounded in childish conceits, and juvenile disputations, and seldom rewarded the reader with fine sentiments or enlarged philosophy. But when the educated Jews of Asia Minor and Alexandria fell in with the works of sages like Xenophon and Plato, and got acquainted with the grand conceptions of Pindar, Homer, and Eschylus, they felt it a new region: they had not known that the world contained so much genius, nor that human speech embodied such charming speculations. And drinking greedily at a Helicon, too exciting for their unaccustomed heads, they were quickly quite intoxicated. A Hellenistic rage overspread the refined circles of Jerusalem; and much useless pains was taken to deck in Grecian costume Hebrew ideas. The consequence was, that many became ashamed of their old Hebrew Book. The Bible was not sufficiently classical; and in certain coteries people began to talk about myths and mosaic fables, and doubted if there were such a thing as an angel, or a soul distinct from the material frame, or any resurrection of the body. And amongst the young and the rich and the thoughtless, these opinions had amazing currency. They were new, and this recommended them to bold and dashing spirits. They put God and a future judgment out of the way, and that endeared them to the voluptuous and vicious,-to the jovial spirits, who shouted, "Let us crown ourselves with rose-buds and drench our garlands in wine; let us eat and drink, and be merry: for to-morrow we die and all is done." And they had a show of wisdom. Leaving out of sight the sacred books, these Gentile writers were incomparably more clever, more profound, and more brilliant, than any who took the side of the ancient faith: and, as if to provoke every powerful understanding and every cultivated mind into this Sadducean freethinking, the theologians and religious teachers of the day rushed into the opposite extreme: and, to avoid the suspicion of Gentilism, dulness became the badge of orthodoxy and tediousness the test of truth. Now, from the first exclamation of this young man, any spectator might have gathered that he had not left the faith of his fathers, "What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" Contrary to the |