plicit confidence; and I used this testimony the less reluctantly because I found it fully corroborated by one who certainly is not as yet labouring under any episcopal predilection, and who, amongst a host of necessary vocations-political and financial, ecclesiastical and religious-has found time enough and to spare to attack the English establishment, with whom presbyterian parity is the beau ideal of ecclesiastical discipline. "A great proportion of our noblemen and country gentlemen systematically forsake the house of God, or are extremely irregular in their attendance; no inconsiderable number profess to be of a different religion from that established by law, and expect that on this account they shall be freed from responsibility. Many who do attend public worship give with a sparing and niggardly hand; and, when called on for occasional contributions, fail to be as liberal as their circumstances would warrant. Those who seldom reside on their property, too commonly leave the business of their poor dependants to the mercenary care of hirelings, to whom personal aggrandisement may be supposed to be the most powerfully influential principle. How seldom do we find a country gentleman taking part in the office and duties of the eldership; or strengthening, by his example and influence, the efforts of conscientious ministers. I am aware, and I rejoice to state it, that there are many, very many, bright exceptions; and we hope and trust that the number of such exceptions will increase. But we appeal to general experience for what we have said; and we would beg just to remind the great proprietors, both in town and country, that, if they wish to prevent the introduction of assessments, they have the remedy in their own hands."

I have been induced to give this quotation at length, that it may be obvious I have drawn no exaggerated picture.

Mr. Creech, a most respectable bookseller in Edinburgh, who arrived at the highest civic honours, and who had ample means of forming a correct opinion on the subject, published, in the Statistical Account of Scotland, a very curious comparison of the state of that city in 1763 and 1783. At the former period, "People," says he, "were interested about religion, and it was fashionable to go to church. Sunday was by all ranks strictly observed as a day of devotion, and few were seen strolling about the streets during the time of public worship; families attended church with their children and servants, and family worship at home was not unfreqeunt." In 1783, according to Mr. Creech, attendance at church was greatly neglected, and particularly by the men. Sunday was by many made a day of relaxation, and young people were allowed to stroll about at all hours; families thought it ungenteel to take their domestics with them to church; the streets were far from being void of people in the time of public worship, and in the evening were frequently filled with loose and riotous persons, particularly apprentice boys and young lads; family worship was almost disused; visiting and catechising by the clergy were disused, except by a very few; and, if people do not choose to go to church, they may remain as ignorant as Hottentots, and the ten commandments be as little known as an obsolete act of parliament. I am very far from saying that there has been a proportionate descent in religious feeling and moral principle since that time. The reverse in the upper ranks has I trust been the case; certainly there is now less swearing and drinking than there was wont to be; still I fear that in the lower, crime has increased in a very much greater ratio than the population, and that there is an imperative call, by legis

See "Historical Dissertations on the Law and Practice of Great Britain, and particularly of Scotland, with regard to the Poor, &c., by the rev. Robert Burns, minister of the Low Church, Paisley, 1819." A really useful work, containing much information, and throwing important light on the circumstances of the Scottish poor.

lative enactments, individual example, and exhortation, to stop the fearful torrent of vice. Some of the causes to which I conceive this increase may legitimately be referred, will be considered hereafter.

THE ROMISH BIBLE *.

"HAVE not the Romanists the bible as well as we ?" My friends, I will leave you to determine this question for yourselves, when I have given you further information respecting the scriptures and the bible, as they are received and used by the Romish church.

First, then, with respect to the bible. You know that the authorized version used in all our churches, and printed by our several societies for general distribution throughout the world, was, by the order of king James, translated from the original tongues, the Hebrew and Greek, by forty-eight of the most learned divines that our universities or our kingdom could produce; a work which engaged their talents for the period of three years, and was completed in the year 1610. From that time to the present day, this version has maintained its character for general fidelity, perspicuity, and excellence. It is received, read, and known throughout the whole world. This, then, is our "bible, translated," you will observe, as it is specially declared, "out of the original tongues:" but what is the bible used and authorized by the Romanists? One that bears the title "The holy bible, translated out of the Latin vulgate, and diligently compared with the originals." This English translation is used by such few of the Romanists alone who have licence from their priests to read it; but, in their churches and places of public worship, the bible read is the Latin vulgate, and none other t. Now, the Latin vulgate was revised for a third time by Lucas Brugensis, with the assistance of several divines of Louvain, in 1573, and was thence called "The Louvain edition." With this edition pope Sixtus IV. was so ill pleased, that he ordered a revision of it to be made with the utmost care, and he himself devoted considerable time and labour in correcting the proofs; he himself also superintending the publication of it, which was accomplished in 1590.

Here, then, we have a bible that onght to supersede every other version of the holy scriptures that ever was, or ever can be produced; for we see it was corrected and superintended by infallibility-by the pope himself! The pope now declared this to be the only true and correct version of holy scripture. The infallible council of Trent decreed-"That in public lessons, disputations, preachings, and expositions, this should be accounted authentic; and that no one should dare or presume to reject it, on any pretence whatsoever. Yet, in spite of this strong fence thrown around this version for its protection and endurance, the succeeding pope, Clement VIII., discovered it to be so exceedingly incorrect, that he caused it to be suppressed; and he published another still more accurate and authentic, in 1592. What think you now

From "An Address to the Parishioners of St. Mary's, Nottingham, on the occasion of commencing the building of a second edifice for Roman catholic worship in the parish." By the vicar (archdeacon Wilkins). London: Rivingtons, 1842, pp. 66. Much valuable matter touching the popish heresy will be found in these pages; at the same time we cannot agree with many of the writer's views.-ED.

The Greek word (μɛravoɛirε) Matt. iii. 2, used by John the Baptist, which signifies simply a change of the mind, and translated by us "repent," is found by the light of tradition to mean, "to do penance." Hence it is so translated in the Romish testament, which is the English version used by Romanists in this country; and this translation is accompanied by the following note upon the word penance-"Which word, according to the use of the scriptures and the holy fathers, does not only signify repentance and amendment of life, but also punishing past sins by fasting, and such like penitential exercises."

Counc. of Trent, ses. iv.

For this purpose, we will first offer some remarks connected with Lot, and God's dealing towards him, and conclude with an address to those who refuse the call to flee from the wrath to come: and may the Spirit of God be with us; may he enable me rightly to preach the words of truth, and incline your hearts patiently to hear and cordially to receive the word preached!

Chaldees' excellency." I have mentioned | save that which was lost." And, with a soul these circumstances to show you that the in- overflowing with pity and tenderness towards spired preachers of the Old Testament viewed his ruined creatures, as if unable to bear the the terrible indignation poured out on Sodom thought of the final state of the damned, and and Gomorrah as no peculiar interposition yet constrained in mercy to unfold it, he of divine vengeance. Peculiar doubtless it dwells not on its terrific nature, and forbearwas in its manner, but not in its visitation: ing a lengthened description of its horrors, it was only one method which the Lord of simply bids us "remember Lot's wife." heaven takes to vindicate his ways, and to Viewing, then, the scene before us as one in punish his rebellious subjects. I have men- which we are all nearly and deeply interested, tioned them too, to shew you that when held it will, I trust, be profitable for your instrucup as a warning to God's people of old, and tion and spiritual edification to consider a few neglected and despised by them, the predicted of the many striking incidents which the hispunishment invariably followed. But we tory affords for our serious meditation. have the warrant of scripture for viewing this transaction in yet another and more awful light. Were the sinner never so convinced in his own mind, by the frightful picture of Sodom's ruin, that God will not suffer the wicked to go unpunished; were he certain that a like fate eventually awaits his own rebellion, yet he might comfort himself with the sorry conclusion that, when the vial of God's wrath shall be poured forth, the bitter reality of his sufferings will soon terminate; the fire may descend, but he shall heed its burning no longer than till his agonized body shall be destroyed in the devouring flame. But the apostle Jude blasts at once all such delusive hopes. He tells us that the fire and brimstone which fell on the devoted cities were but the beginning of sorrows-they were but the types of that lake whose fire is never quenched; "even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." Need we, then, seek any further proof to convince us that the history before us only supplies us with a faithful portraiture of the fearful and inevitable doom awaiting the sinner of every age? Read it in the second chapter of the second epistle of Peter. He is reasoning with those who, in spite of warning and precedent, still continue in sin, imagining that the threatened vengeance will not surely overtake them in all its promised severity. He shews them that God "spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell :" he points them to Sodom and Gomorrah turned into ashes, and says they " are an example unto those that after should live ungodly." And, lastly, the Saviour himself bids us reflect on this instance of righteous judgment, in his short but memorable allusion to one person implicated in these transactions; an allusion rendered far more striking and affecting by the few and brief words in which it was couched. His errand into the world was an errand of love: he came to "seek and to

Lot is introduced to us as living in the midst of a wicked and abandoned city. Such was the depravity of its inhabitants, that their crimes are in extent probably unparalleled in the annals of mankind. Nothing can more forcibly display either the forbearance of God towards these guilty creatures, or the depth of iniquity in which all classes of society were sunken, than the remarkable reply which God gave to the pious Abraham, when feelingly and eloquently pleading in their behalf. Could ten righteous men be found within its walls, for their sakes the city should be saved, and the immediate sentence of condemnation on its profligate inhabitants should have had a respite. But the measure of their iniquity seems now complete. Ten righteous cannot be found among the multitude of which it was composed; and mercy, having in vain exhausted her stores, at length retired from her throne, to be succeeded by the ministers of vengeance. Yet, ere the destroyer goes forth to pour out the vial of Jehovah's wrath, angels are sent to proclaim to Lot the approaching ruin, and to point him to a place of safety. And here, brethren, we see fully illustrated that important and cheering truth which characterises every page of the word of God, that "the Lord knoweth them that are his," that he beholds with a watchful eye, and exercises an untiring love over his people. There is no circumstance in which the Christian can be placed, where he will be beyond the care and protection of his God. He may, for the best and wisest purposes, be sometimes brought into cases of extreme suffering and difficulty; but he is not left alone in his misery, to pine in unbroken despair. The rude hand of cruelty may be raised against

him, but there is one with him superior to all cised by God over all his creatures, that it has his enemies, who will soon break the rod of been declared by the lips of the Deity himthe oppressor. Poverty with all its horrors self of the sparrows of the field, "that not may stare him in the face, and, though to hu- one of them falleth to the ground" without man eye a way of escape may seem hopeless, his knowledge and permission; while of his yet the promise will be found to stand un- favoured creature man it is said, "not an hair shaken "Bread shall be given him; his of his head shall perish." Nor is the case water shall be sure." "When minished and of Lot less remarkable. Standing alone in brought low through oppression, through a city, which for its wickedness is devoted to any plague or trouble, though he suffer destruction, he is not forgotten by his God and them to be evil entreated through tyrants, and consumed in the general conflagration. Meslet them wander out of the way in the wilder- sengers from the skies are commissioned to ness, yet helpeth he the poor out of misery, proclaim the coming storm, and to lead him and maketh him households like a flock of to a place of refuge. But here we behold a sheep. The righteous," adds the psalmist, melancholy view of the folly and unbelief of "will consider this, and rejoice." And surely man. "Escape for thy life," said the angel; it is cause of righteous joy, that the loving-"look not behind thee, neither stay thou in kindness of the Lord is not merely theoreti- all the plain: escape to the mountain, lest cally described in the pages of the bible, but thou be consumed." What then is the concompassed about by such a cloud of witnesses, duct of Lot? Do we find him with eager who experience it in their own persons, and steps quitting the scene of pollution and sin, testified to those that are to come its eternal and hurrying to the appointed asylum? No; truth. We see it in the history of David he yet lingered, so that the angels "laid hold himself. Persecuted by Saul, and hunted upon his hand and brought him forth, and from place to place, not knowing whither to set him without the city.' And even then flee for refuge, and hourly expecting his cap- he feared to escape to the mountain, “lest ture and destruction, yet is he preserved. some evil take him, and he die;" so he fled to In the midst of the affliction which cut off the city of Zoar. St. Peter gives us an achis people and desolated his country, his own count of the character of Lot: he says that preservation made him the more confidently he was "vexed with the filthy conversation declare to every believing penitent, that he of the wicked; for that righteous man dwellneed not "be afraid for any terror by night, ing among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed nor for the arrow that flieth by day; for the his righteous soul from day to day with their pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor unlawful deeds." Do we then, with such a for the sickness that destroyeth in the noon-character before us, still wonder at the conday;" that, though "a thousand should fall beside him, and ten thousand at his right hand, it should not come nigh him." "He shall defend thee under his wings, and thou shalt be safe under his feathers: his faithfulness and truth shall be thy shield and buckler." We see it in the case of Paul. "In perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by his own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea;" the Lord delivered him out of all his troubles. Nay, rather than the promise of God shall fail, the laws of nature shall suspend their course, and the elements forego their power. Daniel is cast into a den of lions, but the savage monarchs of the forest lose their fierceness, and assume the harmless innocence of lambs. Jonah sinks in the billows of a tempestuous sea; and his life is preserved for three days in the belly of a whale. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace, but " upon their bodies the fire had no power, neither was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them." Such is the minute and particular care exer

duct of Lot? My brethren, we need but look into our own hearts, and our wonder will vanish away. We are dying creatures in a dying world; the earth on which we dwell is shortly to be consumed with fire from heaven; the wrath of God will take vengeance on the sins of mankind; and we are sinners: a way of escape is open for us, and we are frequently entreated to flee into it and be safe. But have we fled thither? Are we yet lingering in the devoted city? Are we seeking some Zoar in the plain, and tarrying there? or have we obeyed the voice of our God, and escaped to the mountain, lest we be consumed? These are fearful questions, but cannot be put too closely to our souls: our condition is a fearful one; and on the answer which our consciences return depends our eternal happiness or woe.

Let us then

Let us then pursue the history before us, and see where we are standing in the road of religion. It is not till God by his Spirit opens the eyes of his understanding, that the sinner can see his perilous situation. God may send his word and his ministers to reprove and exhort, but they, like Lot to his