himself only will bring it to an end at his coming. Yet were they not shaken in their mind. So soon as their claims are rejected, they will break up the church of Scotland as an Establishment. But out of this wreck a new and noble church, they hope, will spring. For holding out their arms to all who approve their views, the brethren will gather into one all in this land who can stand with them on the same basis, whilst, at the same time, they will draw into fellowship the sound, and pure, and free in every region, until the church of Scotland has of new become the rallying point and central fortress of evangelical protestantism throughout the world.

Thus, at the very moment when infidel and papist have met to celebrate the obsequies of a common foe, our church will clothe herself with the beauty of the Lord, more majestic than ever, and upon her the interests of vital godliness will lean for their ultimate triumph. Even now, the protestant world are feeling the need of a citadel, from which they may watch the movements, and lead out their forces to repress their potent adversary; and with this view it is proposed, when the bicentenary of the Westminster Assembly is celebrated, to organise a platform, and a plan of united operation for all the evangelical bodies of Christendom.

That church, however, which is the true representative and only depository of all the principles contended for by the Convocation at Westminster, must needs take, at such a meeting as is contemplated, if not precedence, at all events an important lead. But this the church of Scotland can never do, until free from those influences and restrictions with which an unrighteous party, within her very bosom, fetter all her movements. Untrammelled, however, by any such bonds, and respiring the air of her mighty forefathers, who guided the deliberations, and moulded the views of the Westminster Assembly 200 years ago, she will resume their position on the theatre of Christendom, and the first reward of all her present self-denial and suffering may be to marshal, and animate, and lead on the army of the faithful, to whom shall be committed the standard of protestant truth in these last times.

We would not, indeed, calculate too confidently on the success of a non-Erastian church, for we see the might of satanic influence, pouring along this kingdom in a spring-tide that sets all ordinary computation at defiance. The prince of darkness has come down among us with infuriated energies, and now the battle must wax hotter and hotter, until with his sore, and strong, and great sword, the Lord himself shall punish leviathan, even the piercing serpent' of infidelity, and that crooked serpent,' even popery. Still Christ's testimony shall be taken up, maintained, and transmitted, amid peril and shame. Love, too, shall flow

alongst the lines, as well as boldness, and the hearts of all shall be melted into one. As the enemy advances, the brethren of Jesus will close up their ranks, and when the last conflict comes, there shall be seen flying over all the mighty camp, their Captain's banner thus inscribed, one body, and one spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all!'

In prospect of such events as these we do confess that we feel more solicitous for the strength than the number, the compactness than the extent of the martyr-band whom the Government casts out. It would be well that, as the church of Scotland, we could dissolve her connexion with the state ere we left it, and so throw upon the legislature the odium of the disjunction, which is all their own, and the perilous burden of her organisation under another aspect. It would, indeed, be well that we came out, not as a seceding minority, but as a protesting church, strong in our adherents, as well as in our cause. Still, when we calculate all the difficulties of our route, it will be better, we are convinced, that we withdraw with a smaller number, if they are all authentic men, than swell our front with a mixed multitude,' who will only distract us with their timidity or treason. On this account we hope no overeagerness will be shown in seeking to obtain signatures to the Resolutions of the Convocation. For the sake of brethren whom we have been in the habit of esteeming, we trust that some who were at the Convocation, but did not vote,-some who were there, and left it early, some who were invited, but shrunk from attending, may yet see where the course of duty lies, and how alone God can be glorified. But we would make no effort to secure them. We would regret if any who are really with us in sentiment are not with us in testimony. But rather could we miss some sound and loyal friend, than be paralysed or betrayed by some covetous or cowardly adherent.

--

Only let them who mean to abide on Issachar's rest, and separate from their brethren, reflect on these things. First of all, it is not the mark either of a strong or an amiable mind, to pursue a course different from what has commended itself to the best and wisest of their brethren. "Surely," said an ancient bishop, "if I had a singular opinion, different from the opinion of all others, and had confidence to plead for it, and wisdom enough to manage it unto plausible correspondences, and forehead enough to undervalue the judgment of all other godly men concerning it, I hope either modesty, or piety, would constrain me not, by an unseasonable obtruding of it, to offend my brethren and trouble the church of God.' Again, they agree with us in principles, and so they deem themselves at liberty to differ in their application and detail.

This is the fallacy under which all the forty' labour, and it is a common one. But it just amounts to this, that if a man's principles are right, he need not care for his practice. It is downright Antinomianism. Whereas the sole use and value of sound doctrine is, that it measures and exacts from us a corresponding course. How, too, let us ask, will they who, holding the views of the church, remain with her enemies, feel, on being separated from brethren whom they must only love the more for their disinterestedness and heroism? And how will they embitter their remorse, on finding that they have missed the most noble opportunity of serving God and testifying for Christ, that a faithful witness ever possessed? Above all, how will the remnant of the evangelical side left behind, relish their association, not with the moderate party merely, for they are at least so far respectable from their consistency, but with that squadron of cross-benchers, now forming under clerical auspices, and with the help of government patronage, and which, beyond all parallel, will form the most abject and worthless party that ever sold their conscience, and betrayed the Lord who bought them? Yet we shall not be taken by surprise, though many of whom we expected better things, refuse to flee to Pella. Christ now melts,' says Rutherford, an old drossy kirk, that he may bring out a new bride out of the fire again. He is just repairing his house, and exchanging his old vessels for new ones. going through the land and taking up an inventory and a roll of so many of Levi's sons, and good professors, that he may make them new work for the second temple. And whatsoever shall be found not fit for the work shall be casten over the wall.'*

He is

As for those who have brought things to their present passwho have caused the state to sin against its own well-being, and have opened up the sluices of anarchy, let us bear them on mind at a throne of grace. Who knows but that even the injurious and persecutor' may find mercy yet, and build up the faith they once destroyed.' When the house is builded, however,' says Rutherford, Christ will lay by his hammers, having no more to do with them. It is possible he may do worse. I think the vengeance of the Lord and the vengeance of his temple shall be upon them.'

The state laughs afar off, as if it could do anything against the Lord's anointed with impunity. It deems the church the freight -itself the vessel. Even were it so, who can deny that as in most cases, so here, the freight is worth more than the vessel. But, in truth, the state is the body-the church is the spirit-and if the

Letters, vol. i. p. 347. Edition of Rev. Charles Thomson, minister of Wick.

spirit has fled, what shall the body become?-fit only for the vulture or the grave. Without the state, the church will prosper. Without the church, the state shall waste and perish.

The eagle carried off from the altar a piece of the sacrifice, and brought it in triumph to its young. Alas! there cleaved to the flesh a live-coal, and speedily the nest is enveloped in flame. What then we say, though statesmen succeed in their daring attempt upon the rights of Christ? The great God within the heavens watches the spoil, and in all likelihood his vengeance will spring from the very bosom of the crime. Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them! So shall the Lord of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.'

CRITICAL NOTICES.

Tracts for Eternity. By the Rev. CHARLES F. BUCHAN, Minister of the Scotch Church, North Shields. 1842.

Three Practical Catechisms. By the Rev. CHARLES F. BUCHAN, Minister of the Scotch Church, North Shields.

1841.

The former of these small volumes consists of six solemn and searching tracts, written by the excellent and zealous minister whose name appears on their title-page, to the congregation over which he is the pastor. They are fitted to rouse and impress; and we trust Mr Buchan will find that they have not been unblest, either among his own flock, or among others into whose hands they may have fallen.

The second of these publications consists of three catechisms. In each of them our readers will find something that is "good for the use of edifying," something that is instructive and practical. The first is on the constitution of the presbyterian church, in which there is a brief, but excellent summary of presbyterian principles. The only statement in it to which we demur is that, in which, speaking of the extraordinary office-bearers of the church in apostolic times, he mentions evangelists as one of those which have ceased, as being unnecessary. We are inclined to believe that if evangelists have ceased, it is the church's sin, and to the injury of the cause of Christ. Certainly that order ought to be revived. Never did we need it more than in our day; and if North Shields be not large enough to afford room for an evangelist, its neighbour city, Newcastle, cries aloud for many;-Scotland, England and Ireland cry out for evangelists. May the Lord of the harvest raise up, and send

Why is not the mode of election of office-bearers alluded to by our author? It is important in the present day.

forth many such labourers into his harvest. The second catechism is on the sacraments. In this also are many excellent remarks. We suggest, however, that the word sacrament simply means, as our catechism states it, "an holy ordinance," and not, as most writers make it, an "oath." Strictly speaking, there is nothing of an oath about it. It is a family meal, a friendly feast, with nothing of the military oath connected with it. Perhaps, also, in mentioning the qualifications on which a minister may insist, without attempting to judge the heart, the author has understated these at pp. 17-31. We should be inclined to exclude more from the Lord's Table than merely the "ignorant, immoral, and impenitent." Again, we dare not say to any one that unless he has undergone the whole process of self-examination-"attended to these duties," (p. 36,) he will communicate unworthily. We know of no real fitness for the Lord's Table but simply believing on the name of Jesus. "Is my eye fixed on Jesus?" Then I am a welcome guest, without passing through any process whatever. If I be not looking to him, no self-examination, however elaborate, will avail. In regard to self-examination also, we should certainly send the communicant to ascertain rather what he believes, than how he believes; rather to investigate the truths of the gospel, than his own acts of mind. Most men take for granted that they know the whole truth already, and all their concern is to get it believed or felt in some particular mysterious way. Now, the truth is, that these men really do not know nor believe the truth, but only something like it, which they imagine to be orthodox, and they need to be told so, and set to examine, not their acts or exercises of mind, which can do them no good, but their Bibles, in order to learn the truth, of which they are really and radically ignorant. Again, in giving a summary of the blessings of the new covenant, (pp. 14-27,) the enumeration of our Shorter Catechism is nearly adhered to, save that, in both places, assurance of God's love is excluded. Now, as our Catechism, by placing this first in the list of new covenant blessings, showed not only its order, but its vast and vital im. portance, it would have been better to have given to this first of privileges, -without which there can neither be peace of conscience, nor joy in the Holy Ghost, nor increase of grace,-the place and the prominence which our divines assigned it in our Catechism, and which Luther, and all his fellow reformers, gave it in all their writings. With these remarks, we leave the works before us, wishing their esteemed author much success in his pastoral and ministerial labours, that he may have many souls for his hire at the coming of the Lord, with all his saints.

The Deaconship; a Treatise on the Office of Deacon, with Suggestions for its Revival in the Church of Scotland. By the Rev. J. G. LORIMER. Edinburgh: Johnstone. 1842.

Having been prevented, till now, from noticing this volume, we are happy to be able now to call the attention of our readers to it in this brief notice, as we have in a previous part of this Number done to another admirable work of the same esteemed author. This may, indeed, be nearly unnecessary, as it has already found its way, through Scotland at least, pretty extensively, but still it is too important to be omitted, though but for the purpose of acknowledging its value, and returning our sincere thanks to Mr Lorimer for his labours in a department hitherto too much overlooked, but now forced upon our consideration by the assaults of enemies.

* At p. 18, the author speaks of "the ancient of days, the Lord Jesus Christ," as if these were one, whereas it is evident from the passage in which the words occur, that the one is the Father, and the other the Son.,