word, and especially by the monitions and convictions of the Holy Spirit. But all are brought under its action. "Every one," says Christ, "shall be salted with fire."

remarkable expression mean? Now, you will probably remember the precept in the book of Leviticus, which enjoins the use of salt, called there "the salt of the covenant," with every sacrifice that is offered to the Lord, by the chil- Having settled this point, brethren, the condren of Israel. "Every oblation of thy meat- nexion between this statement and those which offering shalt thou season with salt; neither have preceded it seems obvious enough. The shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy Saviour is speaking to disciples, and he reminds God to be lacking from thy meat-offering, them-for they are well-acquainted with the With all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt." ceremonies of the Mosaic ritual-that, inasmuch It is to this precept that our Lord alludes; and as they are intended to be living sacrifices unto his meaning is that, just as under the Jewish God, they must expect to be salted with the fire law and by the direction of Jehovah every sa- of the presence of God. Now, the purpose of crifice was to be salted with salt, so every one, this fire is to burn up and consume the sin and every human being, or certainly every human impurity that exists in their hearts. Let them, being within the pale of the covenant, shall be then, recognize this purpose. Let them throw salted with fire. The salt, then, universally themselves open: let them yield themselves up used in sacrifice, is symbolical of the fire, which to the action of this heavenly fire. True, it will is to be universally brought to bear upon the have a stinging, smarting, burning effect. Selfbeing of man. But what is the fire? Here, denial and self-mortification are irksome efforts again, I must ask you to remember that, in the to the corrupt human heart, but they are efforts symbolism of holy scripture, fire represents the that must be made. And, though the fire be presence, and purity, and holiness of God. I painful, it will purify. Though the salt be punneed not multiply quotations; but you will gent and stinging, it will certainly preserve. allow me to offer you some. For instance-in If, then, they are willing to surrender themthe bush at Horeb; in the mysterious pillar, selves to this heavenly influence, acting upon which guided and accompanied the movements them through the word, and acting upon them of the Israelites in the wilderness; in the clo- through the monitions of the Spirit, they will ven tongues, which rested upon the heads of be ready to make any sacrifice that may be rethe disciples, on the great day of pentecost-quired of them, and to part with any possession the presence and power of God were indicated by fire. The same symbolism prevails in the book of Revelation. The eyes of the Saviour in his resurrection-glory were as a flame of fire: his feet were glowing as if they "burned in a furnace." His head and his hairs were "white like wool, as white as snow"; not white with the whiteness of age, but white as in the centre or core of flame in a furnace, when it is kindled to an intense degree of heat. And he sits on a "great white throne"-a throne that is blazing with the bright and insufferable splendours of the light of his glorious Godhead. This symbol of fire, then, is intended to represent what perhaps I may venture to call a twofold action on the part of the Godhead. The symbol is not used only when the idea which is to be conveyed is that of the overthrow of enemies, and the utter destruction of everything that is opposed to the will and purpose of God. It does convey this idea: it does mean this; but it means something besides. It represents that purify ing process by which God purges out the sin of his people, and makes them fit for his own presence in the eternal kingdom. Look, for instance, to that passage in the 4th chapter of the prophecies of Isaiah: "When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof, by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning."

We are coming, then, nearer now to the meaning of the words of our Lord. The "fire" is the action of God upon the human spirit. As in Jewish times, every sacrifice was salted with salt, so now every one-every one at least who stands in an outward covenant-relation to God is brought under the influence of that God who is a "consuming fire." This fire acts upon us in various ways, especially through the

the retention of which would preclude them from entering into the kingdom of heaven. Such seem to be the connexion: "Cut off thy right hand which offends thee; pluck out the right eye that endangers thy salvation; for 'every one shall be salted with fire; and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.'"

But our Saviour passes on, as you will observe, to make, in the next verse, another hypothesis. Suppose that you do not choose to yield yourself up to the action of this fire, with which every one is salted; suppose that you are resolute in rejecting the word and in resisting the Spirit; suppose that you turn away from the self-mortification and self-sacrifice which are demanded of a Christian-what then? Why, then, the fire-which is the presence and the power of God-produces its other effect upon you. It is no longer the fire of purification: it is the consuming fire of eternal wrath. This salting fire would have turned you into its own nature. It would have made you salt, like itself, intended for the purification and preserving of the spiritual life in others. But ye, by resisting the purifying influences of the Spirit, have become like unto salt that has lost its savour and its value. Utterly useless now, and utterly incapable of being restored, because ye have rejected the divinely-appointed means of restoration, ye shall be cast out, and trodden under foot; for the things that were intended to be for your wealth have just become unto you an occasion of falling. Therefore," says Christ (as the conclusion and consummation of the whole matter)-"therefore, have salt in yourselves." O ye disciples, keep in your hearts, cherish, make use of, make much of, this purifying presence of God. Hearken to his word when it stings with a prohibition, as well as when it soothes with a promise. Yield your

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selves to the Spirit when he rebukes you for the evil that is in you, and imposes upon you rules of self-denial, as well as when he fills your soul with gladness, or administers the comfort that comes down from above. Thus have salt in yourselves. Thus keep in your hearts this grace of God, this Spirit of adoption. So shall your dissensions be ended. No longer will there be any strife amongst you-strife unseemly, and un-Christian, about the highest places in the kingdom; but each shall be lowly in his own eyes, and ye shall have "peace one with another.'

The Cabinet.

miserable and wretched I- and it is wonderful that my heart melteth not when it thinketh on it-have sinned against a God that became a man for me, against a God that died an ignominious death for me, against a God that hath left me an example of love and holiness. I am more unworthy than the devils.—Eusebius Emissenus.

Poetry.

TEA.

(Translated from the Welsh of the celebrated Iolo Morganwg.
the bard of Glamorgan.)

BY MRS. PENDEREL LLEWELYN.
THAN ebrious cup more sweet to me
Is God's kind gift-delicious tea:
In morning's prime or evening's close
It gilds our joys, it soothes our woes.

Miscellaneous.

THE LORD'S-SUPPER: THE Elements.-M. Is not the bread and wine changed into Christ's body and blood? C. No surely; for then (1) Christ's glorious body now would be subject to corruption: (2) then a finite body can be in heaven and earth, and in many places of the earth, at the same time: (3) then I do not know bread and wine when I do see it and taste: (4) then MARRIAGES.-At the end of 1866, for which year there would be no signs of the thing signified, and so this would be no sacrament: (5) then a drunkard the returns have lately been completed, there stood might eat and drink Christ's body and blood, as well as a registered for the solemnization of marriages in England true believer: (6) then the minister would as surely give and Wales as many as 5,576 chapels not belonging to the things signified as the outward signs, whereas this is the church of England. Six hundred and twenty-six bethe gift and prerogative of God alone (Luke iii. 16): longed to the Roman-catholics, 1,666 to the independents, (7) then at the first institution there were two Christ's-1,317 to Wesleyan methodists, 272 to Calvinistic methoone that gave, and another that was given: (8) the cup is said to be the new testament, as well as it is said to be Christ's blood (1 Cor. ii. 35); but in that there must be a figure, whether the papists will or no, and so there is in this.-Doolittle's Dialogues on the Lord's-supper: Ed. 1764. There is in the present day considerable mention made of what is called the real presence of the Lord Jesus Christ; but it is well to observe that, when we read those scriptures which we have gathered from Jewish hands, it is not the real presence but the real absence which is maintained. The scriptures tell us we are to "do this" in order that we may "show the Lord's death until he comes." You sec from that he has not come yet, and is not bodily present. We have not yet come to that period when all things shall be made clear, and we shall see no longer as through a glass darkly, but face to face with God. We have not yet come to the time when we shall be in the presence of our blessed Lord, and rendering to him that high and holy and heavenly worship which we are to offer, and which we like to think we all shall render in the heavenly temple above.-Rev. Dr. Miller.

THE BURNING BUSH.-You know the troubles of the church at this day, and we should every one of us run with his bucket and put out this fire. God is crying to us, as Moses to Aaron: "Take a censer, and go quickly into the congregation, and make an atonement for them; for there is wrath gone out from the Lord: the plague is begun" (Numb. xvi. 46). O let us run, for the tokens of his displeasure are in the land! It is your tears that must quench these flames that the bush-the church-is burning in. How is it that we do not weep over the church? We sit here at ease through God's blessing; but how is it with the church of God abroad in this land? How far are our hearts from the temper of God's worthies heretofore!-Alleine.

AGGRAVATION OF SIN.-Though the devil should be damned for many sins, and I but for one, yet mine would exceed the devils' impiety. They never sinned against a God that became an angel for them: they never sinned against a Mediator that was crucified for them; but

dists, 1,163 to the baptists, 168 to unitarians, 166 to Scottish presbyterians, 23 to the New Jerusalem Church, 18 to the Irvingites, 14 to the Moravians. Seventy-eight per cent. of the marriages of the year were celebrated according to the rites of the established church, and 22 per cent. otherwise. There were 8,911 marriages in Roman-catholic chapels, 63 among quakers, 17,215 in the chapels of other Christian denominations, 15,246 in the offices of superintendent registrars, 301 among Jews, 146,040 according to the rites of the established church, making a total of 187,776. Of the number celebrated in the established church 17 were by special licence, 20,297 by ordinary licence, 118,274 were after banns, 4,281 were on the superintendent registrar's certificate, and in 3,171 instances the mode is not stated.

THE SIN OF OUR FIRST PARENTS.-"You, my friends," said Mr. De Sanctis, of Florence, in a lecture, "are very possibly at a loss to understand how the eating of an apple should have deserved so severe a punishment. Now, I will tell you why." Upon this he took the book lying before him, and said: "Now here is God on one side, who says, 'Do not eat, or you die.' On the opposite side is Satan, who says, 'Eat, you shall not die." And here in the middle stand Adam and Eve. They believe the words of Satan, and do not believe God. Their crime was unbelief-want of faith in the words of God."

WHENCE IS FAITH.-It is not the authority of the church which endues us with faith in the word, as the popes pretend: it is not certain principles of reason, as some protestant writers affirm: it is God, who himself creates faith in the scriptures in us, by his word and by his Spirit.-Merle D'Aubigné.

London: Published for the Proprietors, by S. D. EWINS and SON, 9, Ave Maria Lane, St. Paul's; ROGERSON and TUXFORD, 265, Strand; and to be procured, by order, of all Booksellers in Town and Country.

PRINTED BY ROGERSON AND TUXFORD,
265, STRAND, LONDON,

AUGUST 22, 1868.

to those who are pledged to render higher obedience to a foreign prince than to their own sovereign, nor any degree of ecclesiastical equality be safely bestowed upon a church whose priests are the sworn vassals of that supreme and alien power. He also considered, with regard to the admission of the teachers of that religion by our government into any offices of trust, that, as the church of Rome has never proclaimed a truce in her war with protestantism, nor mitigated her persecuting spirit, it is contrary to the rules of war to invite the belligerents of an opposing force to take possession of our strongholds. In addition to this, his conviction was so deep that Rome is the mystic Babylon of the book of Revelation, and that to no other city upon earth could its descriptions and definitions possibly be applied, that he held it to be a national sin to "give power unto it," unless as a nation we should repent. Until the hour of his last illness he ceased not to bear his witness, on every fitting occasion, whether from the pulpit or the platform, in school-room-services or in expositions of scripture within the house, in the language of our church, against "the blasphemous fables and dangerous deceits," as well as the persecuting spirit of the church of Rome, whilst ever advocating the utmost tenderness towards the members of that communion, and firmly believing that multitudes of them, rising superior to the errors of their church, and trusting in Christ alone for salvation, would be numbered among God's saints in glory everlasting (Life of rev. Dr. Marsh).

catholic church; and it has a circulation of 233,300.

ECUMENICAL COUNCIL.-Emperor of the Romans.-It seems now to be fixed that on the 29th of July the pope will have formally announced that the meeting of the cecumenical council will take place on the 8th of December. The grand design of this council, according to the representations of the cardinals and bishops, is the discussion of some religious questions. There are few, however, who are willing to adopt such an explanation. Almost all look upon it as a political meeting of the chiefs of the Romish church, and believe that the cardinals and bishops would never have been called together had the pope not been anxious to see the temporal power of the Roman pontiff recognized as one of the dogmas of the church of Rome. Since the council of Trent the honorary presidency of the general councils has belonged, jure proprio, to the emperor of the Romans; and all the catholic courts, among whom is the house of Savoy, have had the right of sending representatives. But, as now the emperor of the Romans exists neither in name nor in reality, it is said that the emperor of the French intends to occupy this position. Thus there would be another pretence for the indefinite prolongation of the occupation of Rome by the French troops. It is impossible to say whether the Italian government will claim its right of sending a representative to Rome on that occasion, and what the result will be if it persists in this claim.

THE BIBLE AND ROME.-" About a year ago THE ROMISH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.-It apI had the opportunity of preaching one morning pears, from a recent report of the "Society for outside the gates of Rome, and I could not help the Propagation of the Faith," that the receipts selecting, looking at the congregation which of the society during 1866 reached the sum of had been attending the ceremonies of the holy 5,145,558 francs; different countries contri-week, for my text the words, 'Search the scripbuting as follows:

tures,' and calling attention to those wearisome Fr. and superstitious ceremonies which we had looked 3,572,333 upon, without harsh scorn, but with in233,405 tense compassion. I hope the day is not far distant when those words, 'Search the scrip297,343 5,646 tures,' may be spoken in Rome, not outside the 138,238 gates, but within them, and in the chief places 440,336 of coucourse in the ancient city. It seemed 25,419 strange to me that we all flocked outside the 83,315 gates of a city which is supported, to a very 39,963 large extent, by many of the protestant visitors, and that we English and Scotch allowed ourselves to be put outside, as though we were unclean, and moved, the English to the left, and the Scotch to the right. I thought that, in allowing our religious services to be treated with such open contumely we do little credit to ourselves as a great nation, while it was still less to the credit of the powers that be in Rome heathen, Mohammedan, and even semi-barbathat they refuse that religious liberty which rous governments concede. I remember the duke of Argyle recently remarked, in regard to the operations of the bible societies, that it is only in the capital of the Roman-catholic priesthood, and the seat of the head of the Romancatholic church, that those operations are absolutely forbidden, while, at the same time, our Roman-catholic countrymen are accustomed to claim of us absolute civil and religious equality

1,031 48,632 270 6,018 35,208 187,936 27,233 Oceania 3,236 For the missions the following sums were expended:

South America...

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1,046,679 Fr. 1,917,832 452,188 1,051,730 499,658 66 The "Annales" of this society were published, bi-monthly, at a cost of 232,845 francs. It is the only missionary journal of the Roman

only may, but must, be made, and set up, and
bowed unto, and adored, and worshipped. If a
Roman-catholic be told that he (for instance)
worships the cross, he indignantly replies that
he does not, but that he worships Jesus who
died upon it; that he only honours the cross.
Why? Because the Saviour hung upon it.
But what connexion is there between a cross
graven in Dublin, or even in Rome, and the one
on which the blessed Jesus was ignominiously
put to death? Christian protestants, contrast
the following extract from the Roman missal,'
directing how the cross is to be solemnly adored
on Good Friday, and the inspired word of God
above cited, and tell Roman-catholics whether
you can share with them your Christian privi-
leges. You have already admitted them to
legislate in your temporal concerns by emanci-
pation: will you permit them also by emancipa-
tion to dictate to you in spiritual matters P
Rubric for the adoration of the cross: "The
priest proceeds to the middle of the altar, and,
entirely uncovering the cross, then elevating it,
he begins, thrice in a louder voice, 'Behold the
wood of the cross' others singing and adoring:
"Behold the wood of the cross,
On which hung

throughout our realm. When they ask for rights which, so far as they are real and proper rights I hope will be granted to them, we have a right to turn round and say to them, 'So far as your views are represented by the government of the church to which you belong, you do not act towards us on those principles, the application of which towards yourselves you so loudly demand.' Italy is now open to the bible. I happened to be in Venice last year at the time when the people were almost mad, not only with the excitement and bustle of the carnival festivities, but with the visit of general Garibaldi, and we found the stand of the hawker of the British and Foreign Bible Society in the midst of the carnival; and I am glad to say that it was not neglected, even at such a time of folly and excitement as that. But we must not yet expect very great results from the circulation of the scriptures on the continent. Enlightenment, by means of the reading of the scriptures, although sure, is also a slow process. It requires not only the blessing of God, but also a certain measure of education and a certain degree of mental independence; and, when you go to countries where the great mass of the people are uneducated and do not buy books, and, being long accustomed to have their religious ideas dictated to them, are afraid to think and to follow book-guidance for themselves, you must not expect the same results as in countries | Rubric after adoration: Then the priest alone like our own. I was much struck by the fact carries the cross to the place prepared before which was communicated to me by a relative in the altar, presently, having put off his shoes, he Syria, that all those Mohammedans who had approaches to adore the cross, thrice bending been converted to Christianity had been so con- his knees before he kisses it. Then others of verted by the simple process of reading the the clergy and laity, two and two, thrice on bible, without the direct intervention of any bended knees worship the cross.' Protestants missionary whatever. Whatever may be the of Great Britain and Ireland, will you, in oppodifficulties, however, there is nothing half so needful or useful as the circulation of the scriptures on the continent. Without the bible, Italy, in particular, cannot shake off the Roman, miscalled catholic, system, which lies as an incubus upon her; and, until she does so, she cannot live a noble life. She may go on as she has been going on; but if she does not break with that system she will break up herself, or, what is almost worse, she will draw out a poor, de-verty of the Romish church. Such men bid pendent, inglorious career" (The rev. D. Fraser at the Anniversary Meeting of the British and Foreign Bible Society).

The salvation of the world.
Come let us adore.'

sition to the word of God, make a compact with idols? Or will you keep yourselves pure, and flee from idolatry? You have temporized too long with popery; and the consequences now stare you in the face. Romanists are not striv ing for equality: it is but a ruse for ascendency. Be not led away by the utterances of statesmen who have no personal knowledge of what they put forth concerning the comparative po

only for popularity, and are not over-scrupulous as to the means they employ. I can name chapels in this city, whose parish priests reckon A WARNING.-I give an extract from a de- their annual income, not by hundreds, but by claration and monition promulgated in Dublin, thousands; and I tell you, protestants of the by the rev. D. J. Mulkerns, lately a Romish empire (and such of the Romish clergy whose priest: "Thus is erected in the Roman church eye this may reach know that my statement the standard of opposition, of rebellion to the cannot be controverted), that the riches of their word. What the word of God forbids tradi- church far exceed that of the church of Ireland: tion commands. God forbids giving any sort exclusive of grants to Maynooth and to others of religious worship to creatures. I will in- of their educational establishments, the aggre stance, out of many, two passages of the word gate income of the Romish church in this of God: Thou shalt not make unto thee country quadruples that of the established any graven image, or any likeness of anything church. No, no: they will accept no pensions. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them' How disinterested! They will not dissipate the (Exod. xx. 4, 5) Ye shall make you no idols golden crop, part of which is voluntarily given nor graven image, neither rear you up a stand-by a blind people to further idolatry, and part ing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it' (Lev. xxvi. 1). But tradition, or the authority of the Roman church, infallibly' teaches that creatures in heaven and earth, and their images, not

extracted from them by playing upon and pan-
dering to their superstition. I repeat it, their
clamour is for ascendency, for the extermina
tion of every shade of protestantism."
IRELAND. Marriage Fees, Sc.-"It appears