Reformers. And last but most melancholy feature of all-we observed that the Assembly could not venture to ask her Majesty's Commissioner to present their petition, but consigned it to the care of their law-agent in London! The representative of the sovereign, then, has a favour for the servants of Antichrist—and the government whose choice he is, are irrevocably committed to the same party. Will this not open the eyes of some to their fallen position as members of the Establishment? At all events, let the Free Church rejoice that she is separated from an administration that knows not light from darkness, but at every step is helping on the designs of Satan, and obstructing the progress of Jehovah's truth. Many ministers connected with the State Church, deemed that they were treated unjustly, in not being invited to the great meeting at which D'Aubigne was present, designed to promote Christian union.* But how could a member of the National Church pretend to have any sympathy with such a meeting, when again, in this Assembly they laid down rules in regard to ministerial interchange, which amount to the exclusion of every dissenter from their pulpits? We do not complain of any hardships arising from such regulations; but we seek to exhibit, and denounce their bigotry. Every one knows that when the Free Church was still within the bosom of the Establishment, she introduced the popular element most beneficially into the election of elders. This law the Assembly now rescinds, on the motion of Mr John Paul, and prepares to return to the decrepid system that Moderatism created. There was a time when the idea of missions was scouted by Moderate men, and Principal M'Farlan, with parental solicitude, warned the studious youth of Glasgow against taking themselves up with such projects. Now, the Principal declares, it must be a matter of joy to every religious mind, to find that the Church of Scotland has been able to carry on all her missionary enterprizes with more than her former zeal, and more than her former success.' And Mr Meiklejohn, one of the East India chaplains, well salaried, and not over-wrought, is styled in the House, Missionary from the East!' What a change has come over the spirit of the dream! Missions are the idol of our friends now. Yet how at the same time should their funds exhibit so miserable a defalcation? Why-one source of revenue alone has come down from four to two thousand pounds in the short interval of last year!

No case of disputed settlement, involving the application of Aberdeen's Bill, was before the State Assembly, so far as we observed, and our inference from this was-death now reigns unbroken. There were, however, cases, of Discipline under review:

By the way, seeing that D'Aubigne does not hold the Establishment principle, even he would not be suffered to enter a pulpit of the Establishment.

and in this matter, which will always be found the testing point of an Assembly's faithfulness, our Erastian friends have at one leap reverted to the worst practices of Moderation times. We shall not make any more explicit reference to their doings on this head; but we are bold to say, that from what they did at last Assembly, we are quite certain that they will not hesitate to whitewash culprits whom a civil court would not have absolved, and even order to be set apart to the holy ministry individuals that no other church would have received as communicants. This will be condemned as uncharitable; for no charge is so rife against the Free Church as that of harshness and intolerance. But deeds can as effectually break the law of love as words; and when Erastian churchmen are inclined to taunt us with our severe speeches, let them remember Carmylie, Cannobie, and Cawdor, and be silent for shame.

But we must draw to a close. We might have spoken of the State Assembly's deserted gallery, where on any day thirty would have been found to be the number of friends interested in their proceedings. We should have liked to offer one remark upon the inteltellectual character that was displayed in the debates of our friends in Cæsar's house-for never was there exhibited by any public body such utter indigence and frivolity. During ten days incessant speaking, where is the thought or expression that is worth preserving? We could have dwelt at length upon that sense of helplessness, and disesteem, and insecurity that seemed to us to flutter through the spacious hall, and evinced men who felt that the ground beneath them was hollow, but for the Sceptre and the Mace. These topics, however, we refrain from-and sum up our remarks by affirming, that the late Assembly of the Establishment developed more manifest signs of debility and unprofitableness than even the preceding. Do we rejoice in this? We do rejoice-and even because in our hearts we are persuaded that the Establishment among us is no longer the palladium of Christian truth, but its sore reproach, and the sooner it is struck to the dust, to moulder, and to pass away and be forgotten, the sooner will there be removed an eye-sore and trouble from our beloved land. 'O! generation, see ye the word of the Lord. Thou sayest, because I am innocent, surely his anger will turn from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest I have not sinned.

Thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt as thou wast ashamed of Assyria. Yea, thou shalt go forth from Him, and thine hands upon thine head, for the Lord hath rejected thy confidences, and thou shalt not prosper in them. Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee.'

CRITICAL NOTICES.

Reality of the Gracious Influence of the Holy Spirit. By the late JOHN JAMIESON, D.D., F.R.S., and F.S., A.S., Author of the Scottish Etymolological Dictionary, &c., &c. With Memoir, by the Rev. ANDREW SOMERVILLE, Dumbarton. Glasgow: David Robertson. 1844.

Amid the much false teaching that prevails in many quarters on the subject of the Holy Spirit's work, it is well to have some distinct and full statement of the truth. And though this work was not, of course, written in reference to the errors of the present day, and consequently does not dwell minutely upon the points in question, still there is enough here to bring out satisfactorily, not only the reality of the Spirit's work, but further, what the nature of that work really is. We have no great liking to the word influence, as it is rather vague and cold,-expressive more of some distant effect, such as that of the moon upon the tides, than of the direct, close, personal agency of a living being. But still we have no doubt that to the mind of our author there was present not merely the idea of an influence, but a great deal more. The Holy Spirit works personally, and by coming into IMMEDIATE contact with the soul, not merely MEDIATE contact through the word. The error of our day is that of denying the former and admitting only the latter. The hand of the potter must come into immediate contact with the clay. He may have many ways of coming into mediate contact, and these are all necessary, but there must also be the direct and immediate contact of his hand with the clay he moulds. Again, it is absolutely necessary that this direct contact should be previous to the impression made by the word upon the soul. Not, indeed, in point of time, for both are simultaneous, but in order of nature and of cause. There must be life produced by the Spirit of life before there can be one act of life, such as faith, love, &c., for these are the acts of quickened souls. But this is not the place for taking up these points. Would only further subjoin the following extract:

"In the account given of the manner in which our Lord effectually illuminated the eleven, after his resurrection, we have the clearest proof of this doctrine in the most simple terms that language can supply: Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures,' Luke xxiv. 45. 1. The words of the inspired writer evidently imply that, before the gracious work here ascribed to the Saviour, they had no right understanding of the divine oracles. Doubtless the evangelist immediately refers to the subject of discourse, the necessity of the completion of all the predictions concerning the death and resurrection of Jesus. 2. This ignorance did not proceed from want of means. They had not only the clear and consistent evidence of the 'the things written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning' Christ, as it is expressed in the preceding verse, but they had enjoyed superadded privileges of the highest kind. They had long attended the ministry of him who spake as never man spake.'

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are the words,' said their Master at this very time, which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you.' 3. This mental darkness was not peculiar to the disciples, nor did it arise from any singularity in their circumstances. They were indeed under the influence of strong prejudices in favour of a temporal kingdom. But these were not stronger in the disciples, surely, than in the minds of those thousands of their countrymen who were afterwards converted by means of one sermon. As the natural man receiveth not the things of. the Spirit,' it was the will of God, for the instruction of all succeeding

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ages, that the remaining influence of carnality should eminently appear in those very persons who had not only enjoyed the most distinguished privileges, but had been already converted, and who were not only sincere converts, but the men whom Jesus had selected to be his witnesses to the world, and the instruments of converting all the nations to the faith. The Spirit was not to be given till Jesus should be glorified. It therefore pleased God, by the great ignorance and unteachableness of the disciples themselves, to give a practical illustration of the indispensable necessity of this gift. Many affirm that nothing more is necessary to faith than a clear revelation of divine truth. But, even when revealed, if not absolutely and contemptuously rejected, it is not, it cannot be rightly received without an internal operation. 4. It is evidently meant that, without the work here ascribed to the Saviour, the disciples could not have understood the Scriptures. For, as he never works in vain, it is expressly declared that he opened their understanding that they might understand. Till he be pleased to do so, although the light continue to 'shine in darkness, the darkness comprehendeth it not,' John i. 5. For the darkness is not objective, as if it lay in the obscure or imperfect mode of revelation, or in the abstruse nature of the things revealed, but subjective, being in the understanding itself. 5. It is equally obvious that this operation is entirely different from the mere explanation of the doctrines of Scripture in their meaning, in their connection with each other, or in their relation to the Saviour. When the same evangelist, in the thirty-second verse, speaks of the exposition of the word itself, or of the more important doctrines contained in it, when rehearsing the language of the two disciples who were on their way to Emmaus, he ascribes to them a mode of expression totally different: 'Did not our hearts burn within us, ... while he opened to us the Scriptures?' The same word occurs in the Greek in both places, but it is very differently applied. In the one instance, it is only said that the Scriptures were opened; in the other, that the work of Jesus extended to the mind itself. 6. The language necessarily conveys the idea of a real communication of spiritual understanding. The design of the operation, as well as of the divine agent, was that they might understand. 7. This privilege was common to all the disciples. He opened their understandings." gelist speaks as if they had all possessed the same individual faculty, because the same divine operation extended to all in as far as it was necessary for them. It can scarcely be supposed, that the same exposition, how perspicuous soever, can make a thing equally intelligible to eleven different persons; because they receive what is made known, not according to the external evidence, but according to the peculiar capacity of apprehension possessed by each. But as the subject of our Lord's discourse was the common faith,' Tit. i. 4, as all believers have like precious faith,' 2 Peter i. 1; the Holy Spirit, as the Spirit of faith,' operated in the same manner in all, producing the most full and satisfying conviction as to the truth. 8. This was the fruit of the divine will of Jesus, not only as to the operation itself, and the subjects of it, but also in regard to the season. The time was come when it pleased him who quickeneth whom he will,' that they should have such an apprehension of the doctrines of revelation as they had never previously enjoyed. Then opened he their understanding. And here his will co-operated with infinite wisdom, it being the most proper time, as their faith needed to be strengthened, when they were about to be subjected to that trial which they so much dreaded, of being deprived of the presence of his human nature. 9. This work was effectual. It reconciled them, not merely to the cross, but to the departure of their beloved Lord. Formerly, when he assured them that it was necessary for him to go away, and that this was also expedient for them, they regarded not his testimony, they could not believe it. The dreaded departure of Jesus seemed to involve in it the privation of every thing that de

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served the name of consolation. They were ready to be overwhelmed with sorrow, because their understanding was not yet opened. No sooner are they made partakers of this mercy, than they are able to look through the cloud that separated them from their Master. They returned to Jerusalem without him whose blissful company had so long solaced them, who had himself 'led them out.' But, notwithstanding, they returned with great joy,' Luke xxiv. 52. 10. No one, save Jesus, is qualified for this work. It infinitely surpassed the power of Moses, of all the preceding prophets, and of all the apostles, notwithstanding the extraordinary gifts conferred on them. Paul could expound the Scriptures; he was himself one of the inspired penmen; but the Lord alone could 'open the heart to attend unto the things that were spoken of Paul,' Acts xvi. 14. No one but 'the Son of God can give us an understanding, that he may know him that is true,' 1 John v. 20; and this he gives only in one way, by the operation of his Spirit. 11. This passage supplies us not only with an irrefragable argument, but with an argument a fortiori. Those who were thus illuminated, were the eleven whom Christ had separated to be apostles, whom he had already taught by his Spirit, who were already sincere believers. If, then, such an operation be necessary for those who are ‘in the faith,' when under the partial influence of spiritual darkness, how can it be imagined, that, without it, men who are yet in their sins can believe to the saving of the soul?" Pp. 300-304.

Seligman, or the Leaven of the Gospel in a Jewish Family; and Nathan, or the Power of Love and Truth, translated from the German. By SOPHIA LLOYD, Two Authentic Narratives. London: Wertheim, 1845.

These two narratives are as interesting as they are authentic. The latter is especially attractive and rivetting. Both are striking illustrations of the way in which God is gathering in the remnant of Israel, according to the election of grace.

Signs of the Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ: A Sermon preached at Gateshead, August 28, 1842. By the Rev. JOSEPH FORSYTH. London: James Nisbet and Co. 1842.

A small work, yet containing much to awaken attention to the ominous character of the passing events of the day, and to arouse the slumbering virgins to prepare for the Bridegroom's coming.

"The coming of the Son of Man in a cloud, signifies his personal and visible coming; the prediction will be literally fulfilled. To put any other construction upon the words, is to do violence to the sacred text. So far as the prophecy has received its fulfilment, that fulfilment has been literal; and, therefore, in the absence of any Divine intimation to the contrary, we are bound to believe, that what remains to be fulfilled, will receive a fulfilment equally as literal. By literal fulfilment, I mean one, in which the predictions, whether given in plain language or in symbol, will receive just the accomplishment that the words, taken in their genuine meaning, would lead us to expect. Now the words in the text, taken in their genuine meaning, lead us to expect that, at the close of this time of distress, perplexity, and disorder, the Son of Man, Jesus of Nazareth, in his human nature, will be seen coming in a cloud. If we do not take the words in this signification, we are chargeable with rejecting the plain testimony of Christ; and if we make something spiritual, or figurative, or mysterious, of this clear and plain prediction, then we are chargeable with perverting the plain testimony of Christ, and in either case