light; as a fountain and its flow; or any cause and effect. Justification by works is the issue of justification by faith-correlative, spontaneous exhibitions.

It is desirable to clear away all ground of misconception. It is not so much the nature of works, as their source, that gives them paramount value. Remembering the poor to relieve their wants, under any circumstances, would have a value, yea, a reward. If a man endow a hospital with only a thought and purpose of ministering to the wants of his suffering fellow creatures, "he shall in no wise lose his reward," in this world alone; whilst if he do the same thing to commend himself to the favour of a holy God, apart from faith in His Son Jesus," he shall suffer loss;" it is all only the “wood, hay, and stubble" of human merit. "Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Micah vi. 6, 7.) Now all this is impossible to the old man, for "the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head, there is no soundness in it; but wounds and bruises, and putrefying sores." (Isa. i. 5, 6.)

It is he then who has already been washed, and sanctified, and justified, who has to be justified by works. He thus will justify God who has called him, and likewise the profession he has made that he is justified by faith in the once crucified, but now risen Christ.

James ii. 21: "Was not Abraham justified by works, when he had offered his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?"

There is ever danger that, in advocating a doctrine which has been imperilled, we undervalue, if we do not lose sight of, a doctrine of correlative importance. Thus Luther, in

rescuing from obscurity, which was almost oblivion, the doctrine of justification by faith, at first rejected the epistle of James, because he announced justification by works. This great doctrine had been almost banished to the cloisters. We say to the cloisters, for God had reserved to Him even in popedom, as in Israel of old, those who did not "bow the knee to Baal." The pulpits did not resound with this doctrine, but Luther found some, not so bold as himself, who, in their unproductive monastic lives, held the same doctrine. They, alas! did not justify themselves by their works as did Abraham.

But observe that in Abraham "faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect." Oh, let us do likewise. James is made to say, by our translators, "Can faith save thee?" Surely; faith can, faith does save; except-if such faith can exist-a faith without works: and it is faith of such a kind that James reprobates. But he wrote, "Can this faith save thee?"-this faith that is dead? There is a considerable class of religionists who feed on doctrines -mere principles of truth. Behold them! lean, cold, cheerless. Not so they who are "careful to maintain good works." They are gladsome servants of a loving Master. "The liberal soul maketh fat," both itself and others.

So necessary is this maintenance of good works, that we are urged to "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling." (Phil. ii. 12.) That doing is meant here is proved by the context, "God worketh in you both to will and to do." Moreover the glory of God is hereby manifested, as Jesus declares, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matt. v. 16.) The gloomy ascetic, the selftorturing recluse, the self-immolated nun, do not this. These "kindle a fire, compass themselves about with sparks; they walk in the light of their fire, and in the sparks that they have kindled; but," adds Jehovah, "this shall ye have of My hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow." (Isa. 1. 11.)

James ii. 24: "Ye see then how

that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."

So James concludes his argument: it is so clear that he can, with the confidence of an able advocate, say, "Ye see." Surely; and no speaker or writer of the present day would insult his hearers or readers with any other utterance. There is a straightforward readiness in the minds of all whose evil ways do not force them into evil doctrine, to admit that a man is bound to prove his precepts by his example. The precept may even be accepted, but the teacher will be rejected unless he is a living epistle himself, known and read of men. "Show me thy faith by thy works," is a reasonable demand; and if the tree is bearing no fruit, we shall conclude that it is dead, or ready to perish, or that some pernicious evil is at work, "so faith without works is dead." So great a stress does Scripture lay on works that it declares them indispensable to the perfection of faith. This, we are told, was the actual fulfilment of that Scripture, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." Rahab also was justified by works; she thus proved her faith; it is "the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace."

Now what is faith? A persuasion that God is true in all that He is and in all that He declares-confidence from God, and then confidence in God. What are works such as He accepts? Such as declare and prove our trust in Him. These are often national losses to us, as giving our goods to feed the poor, denying ourselves iudulgences that might add to our personal comfort, or advance us in the esteem of others, who judge of their fellows by their possessions and the pomp thereof. We might be truly reckoned of all men the most miserable, were it not for faith and hope; and thus do the faithless and unbelieving judge of us.

The doctrine of justification by works is what all in reality do believe and maintain. This is seen in the laconic aphorism 66 'deeds not words." The words will be accepted if the deeds sustain them; but "be thou warmed and filled" supports

neither the cold nor the hungry poor. Neither will a friend be satisfied with the warmest protestations when, if able, the heart and hand withhold their complement of help. One of our kings made many foes, and lost his friends, because he said and did not: profuse in words, he falsified them by his deeds: thus, unsustained, his profession brought his head to the block; and thus will it be with those who "say and do not," as the Scribes and Pharisees of old.

It was praise of the highest character which our Lord bestowed on the woman who poured on His head the "ointment of spikenard very precious." In defending her from those who murmured against her, He said "she hath done what she could." Can so much be said of many now. How many of us "seek their own, and not the things which are Jesus Christ's?" (Philip. ii. 21.) This solemn charge, not lightly made by Paul, affected the Christians of his day, men and women who had been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, and who had by faith "laid hold of the hope set before them." Are we better than they? or do not the same things beset us? and do we not bend our necks under the same yoke?

We may bring these thoughts to a close by the solemn entreaty of Paul, "I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." (Rom. xii. 1.)

Many may be ready to admit the reasonableness of this service, who are not able to apprehend the necessity of such, in order to perfect their salvation. We say not to ensure salvation. Indeed, this is rather 66 a hard saying," but not really more so than the utterance that "by works was faith made perfect;" which means that without works a true and perfect faith had no existence. It is reasonable that we should give some proof of our professions; thus said one of old, "How canst thou say 'I love thee,' when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times." (Judges xvi. 15.) To his ruin,

indeed, Samson proved his guilty love, but he was consistent.

Above all stands forth our blessed Redeemer, who presented His body a sacrifice for us, who died, but now liveth for evermore. Let us learn of Him. Ere He gave Himself to be slain for us. His body, His soul, His strength, His all-all He was, all He had, was a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God." He is gone to His Father, and our Father, leaving us a pattern that we should walk in His steps.

Meagre in desires, cold in our love, slow in purpose, ineffective in design, sluggish in effort, how shall we attain to that eminent grace described by the words, "she hath done what she could." No efforts can succeed but such as are in accordance with the counsel of God revealed in His word; and one who would know this counsel must search the word.

Self-indulgence must be resisted. If this be yielded to there can be no presentation of our bodies to Christ and to God. This may be misapprehended. All are not required to deny themselves the same things. Satan may take advantage of a weak understanding concerning this. It is well known that do one may well without what would be almost, if not quite death to another.

Self-will must be mortified with the affections and lusts." There cannot be two masters in one house, especially in the house of God; "one is your Master, even Christ;" and as the Father's will was His, so must Christ's be ours.

Self-judgment must be practised, How clear should this be to every one. In me, that is, in my flesh dwelleth no good thing: " then surely this flesh must be tried, and in the light of the truth only can it be. The best judge will be the one most learned in the law of God, and at the same time the most upright. "The righteous Lord loveth righteousness, His countenance doth behold the upright." (Ps. xi. 7.)

Clifton.

W. HOWELL.

ERRATUM.-In No. 20, p. 476, line 5, read "communion with God the lack of which."

SAMSON IN PRISON; OR, THE BELIEVER UNDER A CLOUD. JUDGES xvi. 20, 21.

"DARK, dark. irrevocably dark" my lot: A veil hath fallen o'er my mental eyeDark,-dark and sad what late was full of light!

Once free as air ;-now bound with fetters fast,

And made the slave of cruel heartless foes,

Who mock and jeer my sorrows to behold,

Glorying in their own impiety,

And burning incense to their net and drag,

In mockery of the LORD of earth and heaven ;

Behold my misery in this prison-house !

Woe, woe is me!-my strength is

weakness now!

Woe, woe is me! The secret of my might

Hath been confided to a treacherous heart,

Whose boasted love was empty flattery, And covert selfishness,-and proud disdain.

Woe, woe is me! Time was when I was strong

In supernatural strength,-in strength Divine.

The Lion, and the wild Philistine hosts

(TO SAMSON real-mystical to me ;Yet, in a deeper sense-realities)— No terror had: the LORD, my " Captain," stood

Ever between me and the enemy, And mine the shout of victory or e'er

The fight began,-so certain the result! Now, scales have fallen, dark and sorrowful,

Between my vision and the glorious

We all are SAMSONS while we safely guard

The secret of JEHOVAH with His saints,

And walk before Him with a holy fear,

Yielding a love - obedience every hour, The fruit of vital, vitalising faith. We all are conquerors in JEHOVAH'S might:

But if we fling our pearls before the swine,

What marvel if they trample them in dust,

And turn again, and rend us !—

Fools we are, Weaving the web of our once punishment,

And throwing water on our spirit's light!

Oh! Thou who knowest "madness in

our hearts,"

From infancy to hoary-headed age ;Watch o'er us every moment :-hold us back

When we would yield ourselves an

easy prey

As to Delilah Samson did of oldTo specious words, deceitful as the fruit

That springs from out the Dead Sea's cursed shore ;

Withhold the poisoned cup we fain would quaff!

Dispel the mirage which would lure us

on

To spiritual dearth in wilds of sin ! Thou- whom Thou lovest never dost betray,

Eccles. ix. 3.

Nor ever turn as outcasts on the world;

Nor ever spoil of treasures once possessed:

But dost from day to day a thousandfold [love : Enrich and bless the objects of Thy For having loved, Thou lovest to the end

The end without an end-Eternity!

WHAT THE PATRIARCH OF SYRIA AND HIS SUFFRAGAN BISHOP OF JERUSALEM THINK OF ENGLAND AND ENGLISH CHRISTIANS. THE following addresses, delivered by the two illustrious Oriental ecclesiastics, at present in this country, will be read as an interesting sequel to Mr. Finn's short article in this our number. The distinguished visitors were entertained at a banquet, by one of the City companies, on the evening of the 18th ult. On "the loving cup being presented to the Patriarch, he spoke to the following effect, as interpreted by his young and talented friend Mr. Finn:

And

For many years, and ever since he was a very small boy, the wish had been ever in his heart to see perfect civil and religious liberty, and that he never had seen it till he came to this country. He could not express how much he had been delighted with all he had seen. as God had been pleased to allow him to be present at the banquet that evening, he was glad to testify how much he had been impressed by seeing everywhere he went to—in the streets, in the houses, and in the churches-the name of God reverenced by men, women, and children, and he attributed it to the righteous rule of her Majesty (whom God preserve) and those who had preceded her. It was written that those who obeyed His words should not only eat of the fruits of the earth, but that every one should pursue ten, and ten a hundred, and a hundred a thousand of their enemies; just as in former times as well as now, England had pursued her enemies and destroyed them. So might it be for ever! and he prayed that the people of England might not only

be honoured in this world, but blessed in the world to come. He concluded by drinking to the love of all present.

At a later part of the entertainment, the master-William Thomas Reeve, Esq.-proposed the health of the eminent ecclesiastics in the following terse and becoming terms:

"We have here to-night the honour of numbering among our guests two august representative men from the East, his Holiness the Patriarch of Antioch and the Right Rev. the Bishop of Jerusalem.~ This must be considered a remarkable evening when we think that his holiness represents that great city which once formed so remarkable a feature in the history of civilisation, which once gloried in the name of the Queen of the East, where the name of Christian was first given to the followers of our Blessed Lord; and that his right rev. friend comes from the holy and sacred city of Jerusalem itself. It fills our minds with ideas to which we can hardly give expression.-To think that these venerable representatives of the Christian faith come from the cradle of Christianity, but bound to us by one common faith, that which has come down to us, and which they have held purely, from the days of the apostles. We bid them a hearty welcome, and hold out to them the right hand of fellowship."

The Patriarch, on rising to respond, was received with hearty English greeting. He said (Mr. Finn translating as before with singular facility)— "My Christian brethren and friends, it is stated in Holy Writ that the Queen of Sheba came to see King Solomon and all his glory. And when she came and saw with her own eyes all the wisdom, the philosophy, the glory, and the completeness of all his ar rangements, and all the good things which had been given to him by God Almighty, her heart fainted within her, and she said to the king, 'Truly I had not heard one half of the glory of the greatness of thy wisdom and power. So also we had heard of the glory and majesty of the Queen of England, and of the riches and greatness of the City of London. We had heard of the wisdom, and the riches,

and the proper order of everything in England, and especially in this town. We, like the Queen of Sheba, have seen for ourselves; and we, too, found that in our far off Eastern country we had not heard one half of the truth of that greatness. May God bless your Queen, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, and all your clergy, and all those under whose guidance and arrangement the Word of God is taught in all your schools and colleges. And God bless you for so supporting them, and for so obeying the Divine command, 'Love one another.' Hardly anything has struck me so much since I came here as the love you all show one for another throughout the whole land, wheresoever I have visited. May God keep this friendship and love one for another among you, and may you always as now fulfil the Gospel, A stranger I was, and ye took me in.' May God fulfil all His promises on you. May He bless you and all your friends, and all who belong to you-in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. God bless you all!"

There were calls for the Bishop of Jerusalem, who at once intimated his willingness to address a few words to the assembly. He said-"Dear brethren, and all present, you have no idea of the pleasure and of the love which has been brought out of me towards you. In these last two

months we have seen so much that is glorious, so much of order, so much wisdom, and so much cleverness amongst you all, that, as the Patriarch has said, our hearts have been overwhelmed within us. May God bless the Queen, who is the ruler of you all; and may God make you strong to conquer all who are opposed to you. May you all live a long life of happiness and contentment; and as you have shown so much goodness and kindness to us strangers, so may God in His mercy show kindness to you. And we give thanks to Almighty God, who created this world and man in it, not to be by himself, but to be in fellowship with each other, for bringing us here to see each other to-night. May God preserve your Queen, and not only protect her and