souls might have been united, that are now bitterly opposed to each other! how many hands been joined in fellowship that have been raised in unholy passion! how many eyes that have flashed anger and scorn at each other, might have been turned upward in peaceful devotion to the same God! The faith which can only be expressed in one form of words is no faith at all; and yet there are christian parties who only know their sentiments when expressed in particular terms, like hireling soldiers who know nothing but the colors above them, of the side for which they give their blood.

Again; we may see the effect which party violence produces on an intelligent and candid mind. There are some, it is true, who consider that cause the best whose advocates are most passionate and loud. There are many who measure zeal by bitterness and earnestness by professions. Even now, in the broad daylight of Christianity, whoever determines to form a party can succeed if he will; and the world, which would laugh to scorn his opinion on any other subject, will invest him with authority in matters of religion. It is only in religion that men are content to be led away from their friends and families, and even from their own convictions. They wish that some one else should take their own responsibility. It is easier to depend on others than to form opinions for themselves; and as there is no earthly interest that seems endangered, they attempt to employ an agent to settle their account with heaven; and they are enraptured with the one, who shows them how to atone for sins, by light and passing emotions-how to substitute flattery for true devotion to God. It may be said the Jews, with all their violence

did not carry their point. But why? It was because they had a judge who thought and acted for himself, and did not suffer himself to be overborne by the reproach or flattery, the outcry or acclamation of a party. It may be said too, that the bystanders-the Corinthians were not influenced by the zeal of the Jews. They were the waves of the people, like the great ocean, rolling under the breeze that would hardly bend the flower; they were ready to receive an impression on either side, and when they saw which way the opinion of the magistrate inclined, they knew what to do; and doubtless had he discountenanced the Christian instead of the Jew, their zeal would have taken the same direction, and they would have been as ready to destroy the Apostle as the Hebrews were to murder his Master.

Here too, we may see the effect of christian innocence; how awful goodness is.' Well is it called 'the armor of light,' for it has often protected those on whom earthly arms would have brought swift destruction, simply by the mild submission which Christianity inspires. This disarms violence except in cases of unusual excitement. The enemy cannot find it in his heart to injure one hair of the bended head. Probably Gallio knew the character of St Paul, who when he was arraigned had resided nearly a year in Corinth, quietly attending to his duty and interfering with none;

-never injuring others nor giving others provocation to injure him. The wise and impartial magistrate, who was impartial both from feeling and a sense of duty, must have respected a faith which resisted the usual tendencies of human nature, as developed in corrupt

society, and made men mild, humane, charitable and forgiving; and could have felt no sympathy with a party, who burned for revenge where they had sustained no injury, and longed to take away innocent lives. When the first Christians stood meekly before the `judgment seat-when words of patient endurance came from the lips whence indignation would more readily have sprung-there was more eloquence in their silence more persuasion in their quiet waiting for their doom, than in all the pleadings which mortal agony ever wrung from the dying tongue.

For us then, it remains to correct our impressions of an injured character, and to follow his good example, though he was not a Christian. He can teach us to

be patient to hear, and slow to condemn. He was just and impartial, though unblessed with the Christian light, and doubtless he has his reward; since 'in every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted with God.' W. P.

ADVANCES MADE IN THE CRITICISM AND INTERPRETA

TION OF THE SACRED TEXT IN RECENT TIMES.

Only a century, nay less than a century ago, the student in theology was taught to endeavor to unlock the treasures of divine truth by poring over huge Bodies of Divinity, as they were called, and committing to memory the famous Catechism of those famous old divines, who had seats in the Westminster Assembly.

He is now taught that the only key adequate to give him the proper knowledge of God and his duty, are the scriptures themselves, separated from all human admixtures, and stripped of every human gloss. To what they reveal, he is taught reverently to bow, whether it squares with one or another of the creeds which men have adopted, or whether it squares with none of them. To aid him in his researches, the industry of learned men of various countries has furnished many instruments. And by the faithful use of these, and the faculties of reason and judgment with which God has gifted him, he is enabled to discover the corruptions which have crept into and disfigured the sacred text, to elicit more clearly its meaning, to establish the consistency of scripture with itself, and to attain and unfold more correct notions of the character and design, of the writings of the Prophets and Evangelists and Apostles of the Old and New Testament.

This criticism of the sacred text, with a view to understand and establish its purity, has almost of necessity led to an equally free and resolute investigation of the doctrines it teaches, or is alleged to teach. Men are fast learning to feel, even in the very bosom of the most exclusive churches, that no system, nor creed, nor confession of faith, has any claim on human affection or belief, unless it coincides and corresponds with the Bible.

I know very well, indeed, that anti-scriptural creeds have not, in as many instances as they ought, been openly renounced. But when you consider how difficult it is to break the union of truth with error, which has been for ages cemented, and is still maintained by

prejudice and blind attachment, you will not wonder at this. How is it upon other subjects? What are the disputes which now agitate the senate-houses of Europe, and the difficulties which vex the cabinets of her Kings, and the almost phrenzy which has seized the multitude of their subjects, but new proofs of the obstacles which attend every effort to disunite truth and error, thus bound and held together? Still we see those efforts gradually succeeding. So is it upon the subject of religious doctrine. We do not indeed find large bodies of men, together and of course, renouncing the faith in which they have been educated, and embracing a more rational system; but we do find that a mighty change has come over the mode and phraseology in which favorite points of faith are stated and defended. There is every proof we could desire, that the necessity of softening down the more repulsive and revolting peculiarities of the belief of certain sects is felt; probably the strongest proof of it, is the disputes, carried on frequently with a very great degree of warmth, as to the true nature and importance of some of these very peculiarities. There are violent leaders, indeed, who seem determined if possible, to pursue with a high hand the exclusive and illiberal measures which they have devised. But, I trust in God, that the great mass of men whom they are thus endeavoring to affect, are in heart opposed to the design. The right of private judgment in all matters of this sort is more and more, not only theoretically but practically admitted and acted upon; and the time is hastening forward, when the extreme measures to which some religionists are now giving their strength