tossed them backwards and forwards, and turned the leaves as carelessly as if they were those of a day-book and ledger.' The doctor was wise enough to see the force of these observations, and ever after avoided the faults they were designed to reprove." B. H. B. RELIGIOUS WRITERS OF SPAIN. I PASS BY MISS M. A. STODart. No. V. FRAY DIEGO DE ESTELLA. over some chapters on the vanity of every thing in this world, the contempt with which the Christian should regard it, and the vain end of earthly things, and transcribe two chapters on the vanity of human judgments. Clear as the author's views are, and forcibly as he has stated them, it is but justice to him to add that in a subsequent chapter he takes a view of the other side of the question, and proves that a due regard to our reputation is not only allowable, but laudable, and sanctioned by the example of our Lord himself. It is necessary to mention this, lest any one should consider what is here stated is too strong, and that the other view of the subject has been overlooked. At the risk of being accused of repetition, the translator must again entreat that a whole may not be judged by parts, and without further comment, she proceeds to transcribe the two chapters referred to; the former one treating OF THE VANITY OF HUMAN OPINION. "Put all thy trust in the Lord, and he will sustain thee," says the prophet. Let all thy endeavour be to please and serve God, and thou wilt neither be lifted up by human praises, nor be disturbed if men speak against thee. The reason why their evil-speaking gives thee pain is because thou endeavourest to please them; and the reason why their praises delight thee is because thou wishest for their approbation. O would to God that thou wouldst determine altogether not to desire nor seek any other thing but to do the will of God, and to stand well with him and then how little account wouldst thou make of the words of which thou now thinkest so much! Determine within thyself not to seek to please any other but God alone, and thou will live quiet and happy. Nothing will give thee pain but to offend him; and in nothing wilt thou have comfort but in a clean conscience. All the care of the saints was to please God alone, not setting any value on the vain sayings of men. The apostle says, "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ." He does not tell thee to put on the garments of Christ, but Christ himself. Hypocrites, and all those who seek to please men, put on only the vesture of Christ, and not Christ; because outwardly they appear religious in words and demeanour, but inwardly they are full of sin. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, having him within thy soul and thy heart, being truly good; and do not labour, whilst thou hast God for thine enemy, to sell feigned sanctity to men, who see only the outside. Many are righteous before men, who are not so before God. To Noah, who was truly just before God, the Lord said, "Thee only have I found righteous before me in this generation.” The evangelist Luke says of the parents of John the baptist, that "they were both righteous before God". Not as the Pharisees and Scribes, whose desire it was to be justified of men, and to be praised by them. If thine object is to please God alone, thou wilt easily despise all that men may falsely say of thee. It is vanity to care for the iniquitous judgments and sayings of men, if we stand well with God. Many have been praised by men, who are now in hell; and many have been accounted mad, who now enjoy glory with Christ. "The ungodly," says the psalmist, "hath made boast of his own heart's desire, and speaketh good of the covetous, whom God abhorreth." And the book of Wisdom says that the condemned will say, being in hell, and speaking of the righteous: "These are they, whom we once held in mockery and in scorn. We, as fools, thought that their life was madness." And the apostle tells the Corinthians: "We are fools for who are dear to God, and to praise the wicked. Christ's sake." Men are wont to ridicule many when thou art praised, nor to grieve when thou Then, if this be so, thou oughtest not to boast art blamed. If thou art rightly praised for some good thing in thee, do not grow proud, since there knew of, they would not praise thee. And, if are many secret faults in thee, which if men they praise thee for the virtue which thou hast not, endeavour to have it, that thou mayest not deceive the world. If they speak against thee with truth, seek to amend thy ways. Many ev livers are angry with those who find fault with them, which is vanity and manifest madness. Those who speak against thy evil life, thou not having offended them, is it not clear that they will say more if thou art angry with them? The proper remedy is to amend thyself of that which they truly say against thee, and thus thou wi close their mouths. If they speak against the unreasonably, and thou art wrongly judged, remember that they are but men, and that they ca do thee no harm, but much good, if thou art only patient. If to admit thee to glory, or to cast the into hell, God had to consult inen, and to take counsel with them, then it would be well that the shouldest make every effort for men to praise thee, and to consider thee as a saint. But, as God bas to do with thyself alone, and thy soul and have to enter alone into the reckoning, it is vanity to expect that our life should be approved by me. God has not to take the votes of men: he has to be asked respecting them by thee; nor have they to give their opinion at his tribunal. And even though they should say what they think thee, God will not be ruled by their sayings, bet by what he will find in thy conscience. And, all condemn thee when thou art accepted of God, what injury can they do thee, even though they reject thee? Neither what they reject is rejected of God, nor what they approve is accepted e God. Their judgments are vain: they do not know the heart, they do not understand the deserts of the man; they do not reach the interior of the soul; and many times they are deceived. They did not give grace, nor can they give glory: neither is it in their hearts to condemn thee, nor to be able to save thee. God said to the prophet "there was a picture of the virgin Mary in the school." Attended the ragged school this morning. Twenty-two children were present of the third class. I was very much pleased with their attention, and intelligent answers. We took for our lesson the gospel for the next Sunday, "Jesus healing the sick of the palsy." I noticed the objection of the scribes to Christ's forgiving the man's sins. I asked, "Why was it right for Christ to forgive sins?" They replied, "Because he is God." I inquired, "Cannot every one forgive sins?" "No," was the answer. I said, Samuel, I judge not according to the judgment of men." Though thou hast all the men in the world for thy friends, they will not be able to lengthen thy life half-an-hour, nor can they deliver thee from the rigorous judgment of God. O how much better it will be, in the hour of death, to have God for a friend, than to have spent our lives in pleasing princes and kings, who, even though they love us, will then be able to profit us nothing! Take, then, my advice, and do not be grieved, if, doing thy duty, men speak against thee; still less do thou weary thyself in pleasing men, and seeking their praise; for it is all vanity and loss of time. But, rather, lifting up thyWhat! not the Roman priest?" Several reheart to God with all thy strength, seek to please plied, "No, sir; he is only a man ;" and one little him alone, stopping thy ears against the noise and fellow added, "If he could forgive sins, I could." vanity of this wretched world. ROMANISM AND RAGGED SCHOOLS*. -, a scholar in the ragged school. In consequence of his father being short of work he is but poorly clothed, which has excited the sympathy of the Oratorians, who sent for him into one of their people's houses, who are living in the immediate neighbourhood. He, being ignorant of their devices, went. Told his father afterwards that the priest talked very kindly to him, called him "his lad," &c., and offered, upon certain conditions, to clothe him from head to foot. This is not the first attempt with the same boy. But he said to his father, with all the seriousness of a man in Christ, "What if they would give me a pair of shoes, and I should lose my soul? For they would not let me have the bible in their our Lord's own words simplified (Matt. xvi. 26). school" Some months ago these people were sending two of their children to the Romanist day school, themselves professing to belong to that church, but never went to any place of worship. They were induced to take the children from the popish school, and send them to our ragged school. The priest soon found this out, and went to inquire how it was, and to demand them back again. The mother told him the children were being taught very nicely, and she did not wish to remove them; at which the priest became very violent, and told her she must. She then told him that she would not for him or any body else. He then told her she was a devil, and was taking her children with her to hell. This was not told me by the woman herself, but by the neighbours, who heard the priest say it. In questioning them on the subject of prayer, I asked, "Is it right to pray to any one else but God ?" Some of the children replied, "Yes, sir, to the Virgin Mary, and angels." I inquired who taught them that? They replied Mr. This is a Romish schoolmaster in the neighbour hood. I found these children had been to his school; and, although at the most they had been there but two days, when their parents took them away, yet he had taught them to pray to the virgin and the angels. One of the children said From "Wheat-ears; or, Ragged-school First Fruits;" by the rev. J. C. Miller, rector of St. Martin's, Birmingham, Hatchard. 1852. The Cabinet. PRIDE AND HUMILITY.-"Beware," says the apostle, "lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" (Col. ii. 8). It was pride that was the condemnation of the devil. It was pride and the unlawful desire of being wise, that occasioned the fall of our first parents; and the same pride has been the source of all that opposition to faith and heavenly mysteries, supported by philosophy and vain deceit, or vain and deceitful philosophy, after the rudiments of this world, that has been perpetually giving birth to heresies, and causing divisions in the church of Christ (Mal. iv. 1). If we truly desire knowledge and improvement in waiting with contentment and patience, searching intellectual perfection, let us be meek and humble, after it with submission and reverence; and it shall be given us of him "in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom" (Col. ii. 3). He who layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous" (Prov. ii. 7) will reward our hope with enjoyment, and our faith with vision and certainty, and enrich our understandings with the knowledge of those divine truths, which, though we can neither see nor bear them now, shall be un- "Proud unbelief is sure to err And he will make it plain." PUBLIC PRAYER.-Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." And, if so, it is by the communion of the Holy Ghost. It is not on account of any thing good, or worthy, or excellent in ourselves, but because "the Spirit helpeth our infirmities," overcomes our infirmities, and, notwithstanding them, enables us to enjoy that which is the Christian's highest privilege here to wait upon God, to walk with him, and have communion with him. Now, brethren, this is what we should desire in prayer. Where there is no such sense of the divine presence, the soul taught by the Holy Spirit can find nothing else that will satisfy. Gorgeousness of worship, sensible objects of adoration, are plausible substitutes, often used to aid the delusions of Satan, welcomed as an escape from the dreariness and barrenness of wor shipping God without spirit or truth. They may interest the mind, speak to the imagination, rouse the feelings, or gratify the taste; but they do not bring the abased sinner to fall low at the foot of the throne of SURELY thou comest quickly, Lord! The love of many waxeth cold; And righteous souls are vexcd. Men's hearts are failing them for fear: The swords of anarchy appear, And these, thou didst foretell, Should herald in that day Then shall the Son of man And every heart be bowed. Blest Saviour of my soul! From earthly things to part. Make me that day desire, "HE FELL ASLEEP." (ACTS vii. 16). (For the Church of England Magazine.) "TIS o'er the hour of dread, Thy pains, now quickly past, The martyr's blood is ebbing full and fast- Thy lowly head shall bow, To rise with bliss untold upon thy bleeding brow. Close, then, the glazing eye, The scenes of earth flit by- As the sun i' the glowing west, In brighter garb arrayed, in truer glory drest. Miscellaneous. HERESY." No small portion of the heresies which have distracted the church, may be traced to that de sire for aкpißela, which will be felt most by the noblest and most exalted minds, but which in man's low estate is practically beyond our reach. It is very difficult to aim at what is best, and constantly to strive after it, and yet to use thankfully what is inferior. but otherwise we shall always be dissatisfied, not only with our attainments (which would be well), but with our position, and with all things around us. "The idea of a Christian church" leads one man to popery, another to socinianism, and a third to presbyterianism, and a fourth, perhaps, to downright infidelity, according to the peculiar temperament and intellectual qualities of each. And yet, without some notion of what a Christian church should be, there will be nothing definite in our efforts for the improvement of the par ticular communion to which we belong. So will regard to ourselves, we should aim at principles; possessing the mind of Christ; and the details of the Christian life will follow, not by constraint, bus willingly' (1 Peter v. 2). There will be a new natur infused into us by God's Spirit, and therefore hey pure, unworldly, opposed to all that is evil, a draw ing us up to high and holy things." "Now the that Johnson was an example of a man who wa aiming at details, rather than principles in religist. He was dissatisfied with the 'corrupt fruit,' and prune the branches, and was still dissatisfied, because ma corrupt fruit was again produced; and all was strugge and sorrow, and bondage. He forgot that, as a Christia he was not under the law, but under grace; was not until that grace (the mercy of God in Christ got possession of his soul, and drew him towards G in harmony of mind, by its assimilating influence, that he had peace, or joy, or liberty, or spiritas power, to have victory and to triumph over the work the flesh, and the devil."-The late Bishop Shirley. London: Published for the Proprietors, by JOHN HUGHES, 12, Ave-Maria Lane, St. Paul's; and to be procured, by order, of all Booksellers in Town and Country. PRINTED BY ROGERSON AND TUXFORD, 246, STRAND, LONDON. DEATHS OF EMINENT CHRISTIANS. No. XXXVII. WILLIAM, LORD RUSSELL". (Died 1683. Aged 42.) THE political circumstances which led to the untimely end of this nobleman belong to the province of the historian. Our duty is to consider the example as affording one of the noblest instances on record of the sustaining power of religion at the close of life, and under the most trying circumstances. The Friday before his death being the day he had fixed for receiving the sacrament of the Lord's supper, he determined to pass that day as he would have done the Sunday, had he lived so long. The sacrament of the Lord's supper was given him early in the morning (his servant receiving it with him), by Dr. Tillotson, the dean of Canterbury. It appears that, in the course of his interview, the dean asked him if he believed From "Last Hours of Christian Men; or an Account of the Deaths of some eminent Members of the Church of England;" by the rev. H. Clissold, M.A. London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. No. 978. all the articles of the Christian religion, as taught by the church of England? He answered, "Yes, truly." Then he asked him if he forgave all persons? "That," he said, "he did from his heart." Then the dean said he hoped he would discharge his conscience in full and free confession. He said that he had done it. He told Dr. Burnet he could not pretend to such high joys and longings as Dr. Burton had spoken of, but on an entire resignation of himself to the will of God, and a perfect serenity of mind. A little before he went to his supper, he said to lady Russell, "Stay and sup with me; let us eat our last earthly food together." He mentioned several passages of dying men with great freedom of spirit. To Dr. Burnet he spoke of his own situation, and said how great a change death made, and how wonderfully those new scenes would strike on a soul. He had heard how some that had been born blind were struck, when by the couching of their cataracts they saw; but what, he said, if the first thing they saw were the sun rising? He prayed several times with Dr. Burnet, and afterwards with dean Tillotson, and at intervals went into his chamber and prayed by himself. Once he came out, and said he had been much inspired in his last prayer, and wished he could have written it down and sent it to his wife. He gave Dr. Burnet several commissions to his relations, but none more earnest than to one of them, against all revenge for what had been done to himself. He told Dr. Burnet he was to give him his watch; and as he wound it up he said, "I have done with time; now eternity comes." He pressed lord Cavendish anxiously to apply himself more to religion, and told him what great comfort and support be felt from it, now in his extremity. Such was his last advice and farewell to his dearest friend. He sung within himself; and, Dr. Burnet asking him what he was singing, he said, "it was the hundred and nineteenth psalm, but he should sing better very soon." His concluding remarks were, "I have now done with this world, and am going to a better; I forgive all the world heartily, and I thank God I die in charity with all men; and I wish all sincere protestants may love one another, and not make way for popery by their animosities. I pray God forgive them, and continue the protestant religion among them, that it may flourish so long as the sun and moon endure. I am now more satisfied to die than ever I have been*.” OBSERVATION BY DR. BURNET." His whole behaviour looked like a triumph over death." This we all allow to be essential to success in our work. It is personal piety which gives such vigour to our ministrations. Which of us has not felt the difference between officiating on the Lord's day, after a week of close walking with God, and the appearing in the desk or the pulpit after six days of indolence, carelessness, and worldly. mindedness? In the latter case our strength has become weakness, and our arrows fall upon the souls of our hearers like those of Priam upon the shield of Pyrrhus— "This said, his feeble hand a javelin threw, Which, fluttering, seem'd to loiter as it flew: Just, and but barely, to the mark it held, And faintly tinkled on the brazen shield." Besides, it has been observed again and again that a congregation is unimpressed with words that come from other than holy lips. There is a most important principle laid down by the royal preacher: "Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour; so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour" (Eccles. x. 1). Not only are wrong actions found to neutralize our religious teachings, but even our inconsistencies, our frail ties, and our follies; and surely this leads to the conclusion that if holiness be so essential we must seek for its growth in our souls. And in the ministry of the gospel there is found every thing which can promote this advancement. We are brought into daily contact with that truth which is the grand means of sanctification. always employed in urging holiness on our flocks, prescribing for them those rules and motives which are furnished by the gospel. Our very employ ment, in all its parts, has a tendency to make us holier, while at the same time our peculiar posi tion makes us feel the need of double watchfulness THE Greek word ρоке is, as you are aware, and care lest in any way we should injure the rendered by our translators "profiting." By clas- cause of religion; and, although there is, doubtless, sical writers it is used to denote " progress on a too often occasion for those who minister in holy journey," and hence "progress" generally. things to say, "They made me keeper of the Parkhurst renders it by the word "promotion,' vineyards, but mine own vineyard have I not "furtherance," "advancement," "improve-kept," yet there is no unavoidable necessity for s ment." I think we shall not err in supposing this latter term "improvement" tolerably to express the apostle's meaning. This being allowed, I would open the discussion by stating some of the instances in which ministerial improvement is to be sought after and looked for. WHAT IS THE NATURE OF MINISTERIAL BY THE REV. JOHN BUTT, Vicar of Wingrave, Bucks. Before entering, however, upon our subject, I may observe that improvement is a law of Christianity. No one can be a Christian who is not making progress: in all there must be a "growth in grace." "Forgetting those things which are behind," all who are Christ's must be " reaching forth unto those things which are before, pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." And, if this be a law binding on all, how imperatively must it be obligatory on us, the ministers of Christ, and as such the patterns for our people to copy! This premised, I would advance to particulars. Ministerial improvement has reference doubtedly un We are sad a complaint. God has favoured us, his minis ters, in a pre-eminent degree. We are truly like the trees that are planted by the water-courses; and therefore our leaf ought never to wither, por our fruitfulness at any time to decrease: rather, our improvement in holiness should be continual going on, and our "profiting" should be so mani fest as to verify the words of Ps. xcii.: "The that be planted in the house of the Lord shal flourish in the courts of our God: they shall sti bring forth fruit in old age." II. Ministerial improvement may next be c sidered with reference to our advance in divine knowledge. Here, indeed, is room for improve inent. Many of us at our first setting out spiritual teachers have probably a very limited supply of that knowledge which "maketh wise unto salvation." We know, indeed, the broad outlines of truth, and are perfectly able to poist out to a congregation the way to heaven. Or earliest sermons probably are on some of the great fundamental doctrines of Christianity. preach Christ crucified," and state clearly enough that we can be justified by faith only. Regene ration by the Holy Ghost is a favourite theme: o the necessity of holiness we delight to dwell; nor "We |