from inspired, but from uninspired testimony. Hence must the links, otherwise failing, be supplied.

revelation there made to him was, (to use the same author's words,) "certainly not the least instance of that kindness and favour which our Lord particularly showed to his Apostle: and it seemed very suitable at this time, that the goodness of God should overpower the malice of men, and that he should be entertained with the more immediate converse of heaven, who was now cut off from all ordinary conversation and society of men.”

It appears most likely that St. John did not, finally, leave Jerusalem until the beginning of the Jewish war, which ended in the destruction of that city, and that he did quit that doomed and guilty metropolis, when the Christians fled away, and took refuge in Pella. That soon after Ephesus became the place of his abode, and that he chiefly re- The two striking narratives on Cerinthus sided there during the remainder of his days, and the Bath, and on The Young Robber reis a statement on which ecclesiastical writers claimed by St. John, may be considered as seem to be agreed with unanimous consent. quite authentic. It appears to the writer of This city was the chief in all Asia Minor. this article, that the testimony proving the It was one of full and frequent communica- truth of these two histories, will more and tion with Asia, Africa, and Europe; and it more appear of a valid kind, in proportion to was in every way fit for the centre of Mis- the care employed in sifting it, and balancing sionary work, such as that committed to St. its due weight. Neither need we hesitate John. And in the neighbouring isle, even to receive St. Jerome's account, that the oftthat of Patmos, he was to suffer "for the repeated address, "Little children, love one word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus another," constantly proceeded from the Christ;" to behold the Lord, revealed to him loving Apostle's lips, when led in extreme old once more on earth in His own majesty, and age and infirmity to the public assemblies of to write that glorious book, of which it is the church, and unable to give utterance to recorded,—“ Blessed is he that readeth, and | farther exhortation in behalf of his beloved they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein."

Any record of St. John's life would be very incomplete, were it to pass by without observation certain well-known narratives of ecclesiastical history connected with his name. The account of his being cast into burning oil, occupies the first place as to the date assigned. And this transaction is said to have taken place in the city of Rome. Tertullian is the first author of the statement; but that St. John ever was at Rome at all, is a matter by no means proved; and much uncertainty attends the whole account of his ever having endured any persecution of this especial kind. No decision on the matter is attempted here.

The next event, which claims to be mentioned here, is St. John's banishment to the Isle of Patmos. Here his history is again established on the sure ground of the word of God, at least, so far as regards the locality and cause of his exile. That he was banished thither, is not expressly told in the Scripture; but is asserted by Tertullian, Origen, Eusebius, and many other early writers of the church; and the most probable date of this persecution was, the 15th year of the Emperor Domitian's reign. This manifestation of his glorified Lord on this "disconsolate isle," (as Cave terms it,) and the wondrous

flock.

The anecdote respecting Cerinthus is, that the apostle hastened, with great abhorrence, out of a bath in which that heretic was, saying, that he feared the building would fall.

The other anecdote is somewhat long, but is altogether too interesting to be omitted. It is thus given by Clemens Alexandrinus :"Listen to a legend, or rather a genuine tradition of John the Apostle, which has been faithfully preserved in memory. On his return from Patmos to Ephesus, he visited the neighbouring country to appoint bishops, and to set in order the churches. In a city not far from Ephesus, which some even mention by name, as he is exhorting and comforting the brethren, he perceives a fine, ardent youth, who so attracts him, that he immediately turns to the bishop of the church with these words: 'This youth I most earnestly commend to thee, before Christ and the church as witnesses.' The bishop took charge of the youth, promising to do everything for him; and on his departure John repeated these words yet again. The elder received the youth into his house, took care of him, and watched over him, until at length he could admit him to baptism. But after he had received this seal of the Lord, the bishop remitted his care and watchfulness. youth, too early freed from discipline, falls into bad company. At first he is drawn

The

by our dispositions and deeds. Every man made the well-spring of innumerable per is a link in the great chain of humanity. Per-sonal joys. The weak look to the strong fect isolation from the race in which he forms the ignorant to the educated, the poor to the an unit, is as impossible as an absolute rich, the child to its parent. Is not that vacuum in nature. He may become mis- look a glance of deep meaning from the God anthrope or ascetic; but he must live from and Father of us all? Why are you strong, the soil which nourishes the race, and breathe or educated, or rich, or a parent, whilst he the air which they inspire; and the invisible is neither? Among the glorious truths bond which binds him to them cannot be which fell from the lips of Him who “ came severed whilst life continues. The doctrine not to be ministered unto, but to minister, of mutual dependence is little understood. and to give his life a ransom for many," It wants the hand of a master to do it justice. there was one which none of the Evangelists Neither philosophy, theology, nor poetry has have recorded; yet it is recorded as a veridone anything yet but glance upon it. It re- table saying of his. "I have showed you all mains an almost unexplored region, which, things," says Paul in his valedictory address once fairly laid open, would disclose many a to the elders of the church at Ephesus, stirring motive to gentleness, kindness, bene- "how that so labouring ye ought to support volence, self-sacrifice, and charity, of which the weak, and to remember the words of the we think not amidst the superficial activities Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed of life. Men are acting everywhere and con- to give than to receive." stantly, and by this unbroken action are giving tone and colour to the character of the great family. The history of the human race is being thus written daily. From the rising to the setting of the sun this great diary of human feelings, dispositions, thoughts, passions, and social activities, is spread before the eye of God; and every man has a word, or a line, or a sentence in it. Every man in every land enters something daily on the pages of this vast journal. There is not an idle man in being. All are scribes. And reluctantly or willingly, each writes the truth respecting himself. Guilty indolence, or criminal activity; cheerful benevolence, or wretched selfishness; enmity towards God, and hatred of men; or ardent love to both, —there it stands. It is recorded, written, engraved, by the man himself! This book is destined to be opened before all its authors, when He who has said to each, "Occupy till I come," shall return to take account of his servants; and the praise or the blame will have reference at once to the man, and to his relative position. The man and the brother's keeper, the man and the brother's benefactor, the man and the brother's tyrant,the man and the brother's curse, as the case may be, will then be identified. It will be found literally true, that no man either liveth or dieth to himself.

It is a serious thing to live in society; and we cannot live out of it. It is a serious thing to live at all; and this constitutes the dignity and the glory of life. Our social and relative arrangements are eloquent with meaning. They are constantly telling us how this serious social life of ours may be

Now if men would only recognise this simple fact, how amazingly would the sum of human happiness be increased! Let it but be felt as a Divine truth, a law of God relating to, and rewarding the right discharge of, relative and social duties, that it is more blessed to give than to receive; and in proportion to the breadth of society over which it is felt, will be the amount of wretchedness diminished, and the degree of joy increased. And this, be it understood, not because many will "receive." We are not considering their case at all at present,though it is no small consideration that the heart of the outcast, the stranger, the widow, or the orphan, has been made glad through the instrumentality of a brother or a sister whom "the Lord hath prospered." It is in this case blessed to receive, only it is more blessed to give.

Living for others, then, we are satisfied is one of the chief springs of happiness which God hath pointed out to man; and the relative and social circle is the enclosure within which this spring is found. It may be found indeed elsewhere. Some have found it in noisome dungeons, in the cell of the felon, and in the dark retreats of infamy and woe. Some have found it among the diseased, the leprous, and the slave; and have exposed themselves to the stroke of the fatal pestilence, or the fetters of perpetual slavery, that they might minister consolation and hope to the dying and the bound. And some have crossed the ocean and the earth that they might find it amidst the degradingand God and man dishonouring-superstitions and frivolities of polytheism. There, when

upon their source. We may feel sad sometimes that we have to toil so constantly from the beginning to the end of the year,—always excepting that blessed day, the Sabbath,—for the bread that perisheth; and especially when we reflect that the real wants of an individual are few; but the thought that we are toiling for the lovely, the beautiful, and the young, who are dearer to us than existence; or for the feeble and the aged, who watched over us in the days of our helplessness, and who have for many years invoked the blessing of the Lord upon our heads, rushes through our minds like a stream of holy electricity, and we are encouraged and animated to work whilst it is day.

gross idolatry hath pressed human reason to the dust for ages, they have gone to preach the soul-ennobling truths of Jesus to their deluded fellow-men. All these are instances of the morally sublime, which men will admire in proportion to their appreciation of disinterested benevolence, and the power of religious truth as the motive of action. But as all men cannot consecrate themselves upon the altar of God in such scenes as these, he has pointed to the social and relative circle where each man may serve his generation; and, as a strong inducement to do this, he has connected with the service the instant reward of pleasure. Next to the approbation of a reconciled Father in Christ, must be placed the feeling of joy which en- That Christianity sanctions and sanctifies circles the heart when by some real toil, or labour for the benefit of others, our readers real sacrifice, the sufferings of another have need not be told. The practical directions been mitigated or the tears of another dried. given to the early churches, and through them We cannot exorcise demons: but in unnum- to all churches, are full of this. "Bear ye bered instances, the cheerful piety, the wise one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of counsels, and the patient endurance of Christ-Christ," is one of the comprehensive forms in ians, have succeeded, by the grace of God, in rescuing the victim of some strong delusion or sinful habit from his perilous condition. In the domestic circle, for example, where there are variety of ages, tempers, and habits to deal with, how potent is the influence of the pious and intelligent father, or mother, who tries to bring all, not under a uniform yoke of iron sheathed with gloom, but within the genial folds of that home love which is the nearest thing to heaven that this earth can witness ! It is superfluous to ask if that parent finds happiness even in the effort. He does. In his chamber or study he would have found greater quiet, and perhaps have added to his store of intellectual or religious knowledge; but in bringing the genius of God's moral government-love-to bear upon his domestic circle he finds happiness. He is living for others, and is rewarded.

Real charity is true self-love. The selfish man is never happy. Ever grasping, ever jealous, ever discontented, the very accumulation of what he ignorantly considers the means of happiness, seems to drive it farther and farther from his unblessed home. But the man of generous hand and loving heart, who is ever crying "take," instead of "give," is, in fact, securing personal happiness all the time. The unselfish man obtains without seeking, what the selfish seeks without obtaining. Like the sun, he gives out light, and whilst the air around is filled with the incense of gratitude, the beams that radiate from him converge

which it is presented. And what Christian can fail to recognise in the life of his Redeemer the most illustrious example of living for the benefit of others, of which the world has ever heard ? And this life, in every respect marvellous and glorious, was not only consecrated to the glory of God, and the good of the human race, but it was consummated by a death of such unutterable love, that every true Christian gathers from it motives to induce him to live for the good of his fellow-men, and the honour of his Lord.:

RELIGION OF THE POETS.
BURNS.*

THE ravages which sentimentalism commits, and the various aspects which it assumes, are beyond what can easily be told; as well attempt

"To count the sea's abundant progeny;" but in the end, they all leave man precisely where they found him, or rather they thicken the folds of that veil which blinds him, and renders his ruin more certain. Of the effects of this phase of religion, we cannot quote a better illustration than that which the life of the poet Burns supplies. He was trained by godly parents; and familiarized at once with the word, and the service of God. Many

*The present paper is, by permission, extracted from the Rev. W. K. Tweedie's "Lights and Shadows in the Life of Faith."-Johnstone and Hunter. Edinburgh, 1852.