within us our Book of Life, is simply to say that we are ourselves, what our ends, and thoughts, and actions make us.

But character is judgment; and character itself is the gross outcome of our mundane life. Life, then, is judgment. For "not lo here, or lo there, but the kingdom of God is within you." And this is equally true of the opposite kingdom also. Day by day we form in ourselves one of two kingdoms; either we accept the laws of heaven for our own, or the anarchy of hell reigns within us. There is no neutral feeling, thought, word, or deed. Every the smallest utterance of our spiritual nature derives its ruling quality from one or the other source. That motives, thoughts, actions are often the expression of mixed influences, must be admitted-still, one of these will be principal and the other subordinate or adventitious. Hence we need not wait for that final day when judgment shall be pronounced: every day it is pronounced according as our deeds are good or evil. In the life to come we can add nothing to the evidence that shall convict or acquit; the whole is written in clear characters ere we leave this probationary sphere. Nay, why speak of the "life to come;" did not eternity begin at birth? Are we not now writing the first page, which shall give character to that eventful history which never ends? Time is but one short day in the unending cycle of eternity, given that we may deliberately and freely determine our state for ever. And that short day of time would, indeed, be a vain and futile thing, did it not leave that permanent residuum, character, which is heaven or hell to us. But since in that brief day we accumulate all the elements of our final judgment, to which nothing essential can be added, from which nothing essential can be taken away; that day should be precious to us, for it carries our eternity in its bosom. Thus the world is judged for ever, according to a divine and immutable order which cannot err, for all arbitrary and capricious judgments are excluded where Love and Wisdom rule. And what can be more in accordance with true order than this, that what we love and think and live we are— that what we are stamps angel or devil upon the forehead-adjudges either to heaven or hell?

That states form character, that character fixes our eternity, is the strong and sufficient reason why we should explore our states and understand their quality. But to what purpose shall we do this? Unless the knowledge of the disease be followed by the application of the remedy, in vain do we await the cure. Our states are to be explored that we may "apply our hearts unto wisdom," that every evil affection discovered lurking in the will, or exhibiting itself more openly in thought, or uttering itself in word or action, may be removed by the power of truth.

The spirit should be examined, that a sensitive conscience may grow up which will perceive the presence of evil in its most incipient forms. This swift perception of evil in ourselves is, indeed, very different from that lynx-eyed suspicion which, assuming the character of quick penetration, is ready in discovering its existence in others. The former can only co-exist with humility-the latter is not seldom the offspring of that base pride which seeks its own elevation in the depreciation of others. The true purpose of self-exploration is, that evil may be seen, confessed, deplored, and the heart brought to seek that healing wisdom which will make it whole. But it is the heart that we must apply unto wisdom. Too often, indeed, the vain world deludes itself into the fallacy that when it professes a creed, it possesses a religion. But the understanding may apply itself to truth, and shine with all the brilliancy of profound philosophy and extended science, and yet the heart, all cold and corrupt within, may fill with deformity and death that intellect of so much seeming power and beauty. How often are intellectual palaces built up in strength and beauty, and yet no warm and pure affection relieves the silence and desolation! There is no fire upon the cold hearth-there are no children in the house. This duty should not be performed that so the intellect may be employed in the acquisition of lifeless truth-lifeless because filled with no love; but that the heart whence well up the ends and the issues of life-the heart which gives quality to the whole being, and conjoins it to angels or infernals-that this should yield itself to the government of wisdom, and pass the lifeblood of its affections through that purifying alembic. We may be content to play with religious truth as children with a bauble-we may demand in it that which shall stimulate the intellect rather than that which shall smite, even unto death, the evil that lurks in the heart, and threatens the spiritual life; but not to amuse us, but to save us, was religion sent; and never does it accomplish its purpose until, through the intellect, it pierces the heart, and cuts up by the roots the evils that are fostered there. Men have always loved the glitter of religious truth in the intellect, even while they refuse to submit the heart to its influences; still it must ever be remembered that "the Lord seeth not as man seeth, for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."

It is only that wisdom, however, which descends from heaven that can be effective in cleansing the heart. The philosopher may present, in serried ranks of impregnable syllogisms, the truths which he thinks are essential to the well-being of mankind; but his thoughts are not filled with divinity, they have no omnipotence in our contest with the hells. [Enl. Series.-No. 15, vol. ii.]

P

Not by converting the world into a Babel of contending philosophieseach striving for mastery in the chaos-not thus can we "reach to heaven." The pride of intelligence must abase itself, and forget the reasonings of a vain and presumptuous philosophy, and learn to submit itself with the humility and docility of a child to the teachings of the Word of God. That has a power peculiar to itself. It is omnipotent; for "the Word was God." Descending through the heavens and coming still downward until fixed in a literal investiture, it speaks Divine Wisdom to human minds; it forms the link that unites all angels with man, and conjoins the Lord to His creatures. That is the covenant which holds heaven with one hand and the world with the other, and brings both together in harmonious union. Who has not felt the power of its words? Who that reads it with docility and reverence cannot confess that, through it, the Divine works by open and by secret methods to soften and change the hard and perverted nature? It makes known the Lord-His boundless love ever showering blessings upon all-ever desiring to give of His own to others—ever seeking to be conjoined with others-His Providence ever active to make them eternally happy. We are taught there that He created us for heaven, redeemed us from hell, and is ever present with His Spirit to regenerate us. In that Word man may see himself pictured in every his minutest spiritual lineament. It penetrates into all the hidden workings of human hearts; points to the evils that threaten us, the good that will save us; and lays down the chart of that dangerous passage, across a stormy and uncertain sea, that leads to the haven of rest. It paints in all their beauty and glory, the happiness, the joy, the intercommunion of love and uses, that reign in heaven-and pictures, also, the gloomy terrors of hell. It is to this Book, declaring all that it most concerns man to know-unto this wisdom, that we must apply our hearts. True, it is possible that its truths may remain in the outer courts of memory, and never rise to their true vitality and power. We may have its treasures, and yet have them not. But if we are faithful and obedient, knowledge will brighten into rationality—this again will grow into the yet more brilliant light of intelligence-and this may rise into that celestial wisdom to which they apply their hearts who are in love to the Lord. And if it form our daily effort, under the teaching of the Word, to "cease to do evil and learn to do well," we shall become increasingly conscious that "the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes."

P.

115

THE VIRGIN MARY, AND THE HUMANITY ASSUMED FROM HER BY THE LORD.

(The substance of a Lecture delivered in Manchester by the Rev. J. H. Smithson, and printed here by request.)

"Woman, what have I to do with thee!"-John ii. 4.

THE Virgin Mary has been lately the subject of much controversy in the Roman Catholic Church, and the Romanists have decreed, that she shall be acknowledged as immaculate from conception, and as a sinless creature, and that although born of the flesh, she did not bring with her into the world, like all other human beings, a depraved nature, that is, a nature "conceived in sin and shapen in iniquity."

This controversy is not of modern date; we learn from ecclesiastical history, that in the twelfth century the notion of the immaculate conception of the Virgin had gained great authority, especially in France. But when the canons of Lyons instituted in 1140 a particular festival in honour of that doctrine, by which a new Lady-day was added to those already in existence, Bernard of Clairval, clearly perceiving that thus the specific difference between the Saviour and the rest of mankind was in danger of being set aside, strongly opposed both the new doctrine and the festival. Other distinguished men also opposed the dogma on the same ground; and the church hesitated for a long time without coming to any decision. Pope Sixtus IV., however, at length confirmed the festival of the Immaculate Conception, and declared that the doctrine itself should not be considered heretical, without, however, prohibiting those who differed, from retaining their own views on the subject. Thus the controversy did not come to an end, especially as the tendency of the age was rather favourable to the doctrine in question.* Of late, however, the subject has been again zealously discussed, and Rome has recently decided to establish the dogma of the "Immaculate Conception of the Virgin."

It is scarcely necessary, in this congregation, to dwell upon the refutation of this peculiar tenet, as no Protestant believes it, nor is there for this, as for many other dogmas of Romish theology, the slightest support in Scripture. We may, however, as public attention is now awakened to this subject, state some important truths in respect to the Virgin Mary, and the nature of the Humanity which the Lord assumed from her as the medium by which He accomplished the universal Redemption of mankind.

* See Hagenbach's Dogmengeschic, &c.; or, History of Doctrines, vol. ii. 21.

There are various arguments which prove, in a most decisive manner, that the dogma of the Immaculate Conception and of the sinless nature of the Virgin, cannot be true. First, Mary herself plainly declares that she needed a Saviour, when she says,-" My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour." (Luke i. 47.) But no one can feel the need of a Saviour who does not feel and perceive that he has a depraved and evil nature, from which he desires and prays to be delivered and saved; but Mary felt that she had such a nature, and therefore rejoiced in the Saviour who could deliver her from it. Her nature was consequently not immaculate in its conception, nor sinless in its developments, but like that of all other human beings since the Fall, "conceived in sin and shapen in iniquity." Mary, not only in that passage declares her joy in a Saviour, but she tells us plainly who that Saviour is. He is not a supposed Son of God born from eternity, or a Second Person in the Trinity; still less is He a mere man, although highly commissioned and highly distinguished, but she declares Him, and this by the unerring voice of divine inspiration, to be God, and as there is but one Only God, so He is and must be, that one Only God. This assertion also is not a mere solitary assertion, or as some transcendental theologians might say, "the rhetorical expression of a rapturous and extatic emotion of Mary, who at the time she uttered it was in a kind of transport," but it is in perfect harmony with numerous other declarations in Scripture, such as "God was manifest in the flesh," &c. God was in Christ reconciling the world," &c. "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.' 66

&c. &c.

66

His name shall be called IMMANUEL, GOD-WITH-US,"

But secondly, Mary offered sacrifices for her purification. (Luke ii. 22, 24.) Now, two things were involved in the offering of sacrifices; 1, the acknowledgment and confession of the Lord, and 2, the acknowledgment and confession of what the worshipper is in himself,-that he is a sinner and needs a Saviour.

It is true that " Mary was highly favoured and blessed among women;" (Luke i. 28.) this, however, was said, not on account of her supposed sinless nature, but on account of her being chosen for the nativity of the Saviour; and also on account of her being the representative of the true church, in which the Lord is spiritually born in the minds of all the faithful, "so as to dwell in them and they in Him;" thus she was, in an eminent sense, the type of that heavenly Jerusalem which is the mother of us all." (Gal. iv. 26.) We are here brought to consider the doctrine of a Mediator, since the object for which the Virgin Mary has been thus deified as the Queen