like most of its tribe, is conspicuous for its long flower-stalks, which are erect when the plant is in flower and the fruit young, but which bend and hang down as the fruit ripens. "As the flowering of the almond-tree has been supposed to refer to the whitening of the hair, so the drooping of the ripe fruit of a plant, which is conspicuous on the walls of buildings and on tombs may be supposed to typify the hanging down the head before man goeth to his long home' " ("Cycl. of Bib- | lical Lit.," art. 66 Abiyonah").

for ever, we, thy sinful creatures, trusting in thine unspeakable love and goodness towards us, appear this morning before thy divine majesty, most humbly confessing our manifold sins, and our innumerable transgressions of thy commandments and fatherly will. Against thee, against thee only, O Lord, have we sinned. We acknowledge our offences: we accuse ourselves unto thee, O merciful Father, and will not hide our unrighteousness. We find in ourselves nothing but ignorance of thy will, disobedience, want of faith, contempt of spiritual things, self-love, confidence in our own arm, and fervent lusting after the carnal things of this world; and we confess that this tree of our corrupt nature bringeth forth continually in us none other fruit but rotten and unsavoury works of the flesh, in thought, word, and work, unto condemnation. Wherefore, we humbly beseech thy fatherly goodness, even for thy Son Jesu Christ's sake, whom thou hast sent forth to purchase mercy unto us through faith in his blood, make our hearts clean within us: O take away our stony hearts, and fashion them unto newness of life, giving us a true and lively faith whereby we may be wrought unto unfeigned repentance, and amendment of the life we have lived to ourselves, in sinfulness and all disobedience. Have mercy upon us, most merciful Lord God; have mercy upon us, and forgive us our iniquities, for thy dear Son's sake; and comfort our souls with the assurance that they are remitted, and blotted out from the book of thy remembrance. Comfort them by thy Holy Spirit; by whose saving influence, we beseech thee, so mortify in us the old man, that we, continually dying unto sin, may walk in newness of life to the glory of thy holy name, and be found acceptable before thy divine majesty, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour. Amen (adapted from Bull's Prayers,

The caper-plant is too well known to require a description, especially as so many details have already been given respecting its habit. We have seen, in the first place, that it has a name (azuf) in Arabic sufficiently similar to the Hebrew esof or esobh. It is found in Lower Egypt, in the deserts of Sinai, and in Palestine. Thus it is found in all the places where the esobh must have been indigenous, for the Israelites to have been able to obtain it for their religious ceremonies. Its habit is to grow upon the most barren soil or rocky precipice, or the side of a wall; and this is also essential; for it is said that Solomon knew all plants, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that groweth on the wall. It has, moreover, always been supposed to be possessed of cleansing properties: hence, probably, its selection in the ceremonies of purification; or its employment in these may have led to the supposition of its possessing the power of curing diseases like leprosy. Finally, the caper-plant is capable of yielding a stick to which the sponge might have been affixed, as we learn from St. John was done with the hyssop, when the sponge dipped in vinegar was raised to the lips of our Saviour. A combination of circumstances-and some of them, apparently, too improbable to be united in one plant-I cannot believe to be accidental; and therefore consi-1566). der myself entitled to infer what I hope I have now succeeded in proving to the satisfaction of others that the caper-plant is the hyssop of scripture*.

SABBATH MEDITATIONS.

No. XXXVIII.

MARCH 16.-SIXTH SUNDAY IN LENT.
Morning Lessons: Exod. ix.; Matt. xxvi.
Evening Lessons: Exod. x.; Heb. v. 1-11.
MORNING.

"And he went out, and wept bitterly."-MATT. xxvi. 75. Meditation." Men puffed up through a proud opinion of their own sanctity and holiness receive a benefit at the hand of God, and are assisted with his grace, when with his grace they are (not assisted but) permitted, and that grievously, to transgress. Ask the very soul of St. Peter, and it shall undoubtedly make you, itself, this answer: 6 My eager protestations, made in the glory of my ghostly strength, I am ashamed of; but those crystal tears, wherewith my sin and weakness were bewailed, have procured my endless joy: my strength hath been my ruin, and my fall my stay" (Hooker).

Prayer.-O most merciful and loving Father, whose love is infinite and whose mercy endureth

It is a curious fact that St. Augustine, while illustrating the advantage of an acquaintance with science for the understanding of scripture, takes occasion to describe the hyssop.

EVENING.

"Being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him."-HEB. v. 9.

Meditation.

"What transport then shall fill my heart,

When thou my worthless name wilt own;
When I shall see thee face to face,

And know as I myself am known!
From sin and fear and sorrow free,
My soul shall find its rest in thee."

"Neither angel in heaven, nor man on earth, nor any work that we do, seemeth it never so holy, perfect, and righteous, can save us, but the Lord Christ alone, which is called Jesus. Whosoever, therefore, seeketh salvation at the hand of any other, deceiveth himself, and, as much as in him is, robbeth Christ both of his name and glory" (Becon).

Prayer.-Thanks be to thee, O God our Father, that thou hast given us the surety of a better covenant. All thanks be to thee, that we need no to offer sacrifices and gifts for our sins; and not longer a high-priest taken from among ourselves only for ours, but, as compassed with infirmity, for his own sins also. All thanks and praise and glory be to thee, that thou no more callest on Aaron, the creature of thine own hand, to the office; but hast once and for ever ordained thine only-begotten Son to be a high-priest for ever, even a merciful and faithful high-priest in the better things pertaining unto our eternal salvation; a Redeemer who, by his one oblation once offered,

See August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. De Doct. Christ. Lib. II. 24, hath assured unto every believer an entrance into

62. Tom. III. Par .cols. 29, 43.-ED.

And, now, Dr. Thompson's communications may best speak for themselves. They are addressed to the committee of the association. "Damascus, Nov. 8. "Since my last report to Dr. Hodgkin I have been busily engaged in trying electricity in a large number of cases, and, I am happy to add, with very considerable success in cases of epilepsy in male and female patients, in affections of the eye, partial paralysis, and many nervous affections, totally beyond the influence of medicine. We have all sects visiting us, and some of the chief moslem families, the true descendants of the prophet. We have even gone so far as to get them to look at dried preparations and anatomical plates. No person, knowing the prejudices of the country on these matters a few years ago, could suppose we should have brought about such a change, as to cause them to feel and express an interest concerning them in so short a time. The number relieved up to my last report was 2,500. We are at present comparatively healthy, the weather during this and past month being very mild and delightful. I still continue to visit the two leper asylums, for they are in a truly deplorable state. I have endeavoured to interest some persons on behalf of their wretched inmates; and have latterly sent them some money to buy some bread, and some mutton to make soup with. But I cannot do much myself, if not aided by others. Besides, there is not a house that I visit where I would not feel a desire to supply some nutriment as well as medicine; but all this would be beyond my means to provide for the poor and destitute objects I visit and see daily. I have been latterly called upon to attend some females in their accouchement; and I am now making such arrangements as will secure a female attendant in each of the three quarters of the city, namely the Christian, Jew, and Mahommedan districts, and select one of their own persuasion in each, who will receive proper instructions and an allowance from us; the person will be visited and prescribed for, and further directions given to the nurse who attends her, till out of all danger.

they have a horror of the knife as yet; but I expect next year to be able to disabuse their minds on this subject, as well as on others, which we find we are gradually overcoming.

"We witnessed the departure of the pilgrims for Mecca, amongst whom were many Persians; we were not in the least molested, though others in Frank costume were pelted with stones. We are well known, and I believe should have protection from all parties and sects, even among the Bedouins, many of whom visit us from the remotest part of the desert of Arabia. The rev. Mr. Brockman is here at present, as a medical student, preparing himself to pick up Arabic and a little medical knowledge, to enable him to act as doctor in the interior of the country, which he is about to visit, partly on a geographical tour, and on general scientific pursuits. We are affording him all the aid and time in our power; and hope to dispatch him charged with a useful stock of knowledge to himself and his fellow creatures in the deserts through which he is about to pass.'

"Dec. 8.

"I am sure it will afford you pleasure to hear that, since I last had the honour of conveying through you, to the ladies association committee, the result of my labours in this city, our numbers are daily and hourly increasing. The numbers relieved up to the date of this letter is 3,450 of all classes, sects, and colours; a large majority of the whole being females, in every grade in society. Since my last letter I have had the honour of prescribing for the queen dowager of Persia, a very old lady; and I could only see the tongue and feel the pulse of my royal patient, so closely and scrupulously was her majesty veiled from my view. And still more strange, this privilege was only allowed me through her bedroomdoorway, she sitting, or rather in the semi-erect position, attended by her waiting-maid, or lady of the bed-chamber. However, under these many disadvantages, I am happy to say my royal patient is now better. The ladies in the harems latterly unveil themselves to me, and ask me sometimes to sit down and partake of coffee and a pipe with them, which request, of course, however inconvenient at the time, is tantamount to a command, coming from such a quarter. I am now the medical adviser of the kahia bey, the governor of the city; and he is so pleased with the great improvement in his own person since I have attended him, that he has honoured me with a visit, and brought all his suite with him, about twenty-five in number. They were all astounded at our electrical machine, a shock from which they experienced. They partook freely of wine, which is quite an innovation upon strict moslem tenets. Since then the kahia bey has so far recovered, and is so grate"Were the benevolently disposed people of Eng-ful for his restoration to health, having been a land to witness half what I see in my daily visits, great sufferer for many years, that he has sent me I am sure we should not long lack funds suffi- a present of a young Arab horse. This of course cient to enable me to render more substantial relief made a great stir: it was talked about in all dito the poor than I can at present attempt or ex- rections; and I conceive has done more to estabpect to do. I am now occasionally engaged in lish me in the confidence of the people than a giving medical instruction to some of the native whole year's hard work would have done. In doctors. I have got a young lad with me as a writing to Dr. Hodgkin I have alluded to this; resident pupil: he is beginning to speak English, and said that I proposed to have this horse's price and acts occasionally as my interpreter. I cannot appropriated, with any other moneys which I may prevail as yet on the people to come into the receive, to any purpose that the two societies may house, though I have offered to take some cases suggest. At present I give some small sums of in till recovered from the requisite operations: money to the most deserving objects I see, when

"I am sanguine that by such means as these we can soon break through the prejudices of the people, and convince them of the advantage of professional aid in these cases, and that we shall be instrumental in saving some hundreds of lives in the year; for in this city there is a great mortality during this very anxious period of female life. We have already saved some from a premature grave, by preventing the injudicious interference of ignorant female practitioners; and hope that we have convinced many of the older females of the superiority of British medical knowledge in this department.

*

visiting the sick at their own homes. I have been ested in each other's welfare. The indithis day called upon to visit the pacha of Da-vidual, in whose soul the gospel has become mascus, a fine, venerable and intelligent old man, about seventy years of age. I found him suffering from a severe cold and cough. "We have prayers every day; and my young interpreter reads us a chapter of the Greek testament, at breakfast, every morning. He is a lad of about thirteen years of age, and has been with me for a few months: he is beginning to speak English, and has a great desire to visit England. His father is a clergyman of the Greek church at Beyrout. We are comparatively healthy at present; yet our daily numbers are very seldom less than fifty or sixty. The rains have set in since the 2nd inst.; but the past two months were delightful. This is a delicious climate for invalids to whom sudden transitions in temperature are disagreeable and dangerous."

THE COMMENDATION OF GOD'S LOVE TO
THE SINNER:

A Sermon

(For Good Friday),

BY THE REV. THOMAS BISSLAND, M.A.,

a vital principle, will testify the extent of his love for the Saviour by his willingness to benefit his brethren. Delightful it is, indeed, to review the content of those who, counting not their lives dear unto themselves, scrupled not to fulfil the high commission with which they were invested, and, un daunted by the fear of the oppressor, went forth to proclaim to those sitting in darkness the light of gospel truth, and who scrupled not to lay down their lives in seeking the salvation of their brethren. Delightful is it to review the holy ardour of those who, even in our own day, have left all the endearments of social life, all that could bind them to the land of their fathers, in the hope of becoming instrumental in emancipating from the captivity of Satan, and exalting to the glorious liberty of the children of God, those who had long been enthralled in the most galling chains. Such instances of disinterested anxiety

Rector of Hartley Maudytt, Hants, and Chaplain for the salvation of their brethren, are splendid

to Lord Bexley.

ROMANS V. 7, 8.

evidences of the constraining influence of Christ's gospel on the heart. They incontestibly prove that the religion of Jesus is, indeed, a religion of the very purest benevolence, and that he can have experienced bat little of its power who cherishes irascible, hostile, implacable feelings.

tures. Such is the position on which the apostle founds his argument in the text; and it may be well for us, further meditating on the passage, to consider

I. In what manner the love of God towards his creatures is chiefly manifested.

THE principle of holy affection, by which the The love of man, however, towards his members of the Saviour's mystical body brother man, pure, disinterested, and devoted as should be bound to each other in one com- it may be, sinks into insignificance when communion and fellowship, was beautifully mani-pared with the love of God towards his creafested by those early disciples, who, by their mutual readiness to administer to each other's necessities, called forth the admiration even of their heathen enemies: "See how these Christians love one another." To a heathen, indeed, such devotedness of attachment, extending through the whole flock of Christ's disciples, must have been wholly unaccountable. It was a devotedness which the wisest and best of the philosophers had never taught; nay, which they could not imagine to exist. It was a principle, in fact, unknown even to the Jews; for, when our Lord exhorted his disciples to "love one another," he declared it to be a new commandment.

The gospel of Jesus, indeed, strongly inculcates the cultivation of this holy feeling. It addresses men not as solitary individuals, who, wrapt up in a cold spirit of selfishness, are to live merely for their own happiness, reckless of the circumstances of others, but it addresses them as members of one great family, as children of one common Parent, created by the same Power, protected by the same Providence, redeemed by the same blood, called to the inheritance of the same kingdom of glory, and therefore to be mutually inter

II. What are the peculiar circumstances of those creatures which prove most powerfully the extent of the divine compassion.

And may our imperfect meditations be blessed by the divine Spirit, that we may experimentally feel the love of God in the gift of his Son, constraining us to live henceforth no longer to ourselves, but unto him who died for us, and rose again.

I. When we say that God is a being of infinite benevolence, we affirm a truth which few, even who are not inclined to bow with submission to his authority, dare to call in question; a truth, on the contemplation of which his faithful servants have ever delighted to dwell. "Bless the Lord, O our souls; and all that is within us, bless his holy name; who forgiveth all our iniquities; who healeth all our diseases; who redeemeth our lives from destruction; and crowneth us with lovingkindness and tender mercies."

from him, to stay from going down to the pit when a ransom could not be found elsewhere! How astonishing the incontrovertible truth, that Jesus took man's nature upon him; that, pitying us in our low and lost estate, he should take on him, not the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham, though rich, for our sakes should become poor, should humble himself not merely to become partaker of man's nature, but to a death cruel and ignominious; that he should not merely relinquish the throne of his glory, but become practically acquainted with human suffering, even under the most agonizing circumstances!

This love of God is beautifully manifested in the beneficent arrangements of the universe, in the multitude of temporal comforts bestowed on man, in the rich and varied sources of enjoyment opened for the increase of his happiness. And, though, unquestionably, afflictions are to be expected in our journey through life, many unlooked-for disappointments, heart-rending reverses; although the fig tree does not always blossom, neither is there fruit ever to be found on the vine, yet is there nothing in these to impeach the divine benevolence, or militates against the position that "God is love;" nothing which should give rise to the bitter murmur of complaint, or which can warrant our cherishing thoughts unworthy of his character as that of a kind and beneficent Parent, interested in the promotion of his children's happiness, and devising such means for their promotion as his infinite wisdom points out, "making his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and send-struction, and not feel compelled to admit ing rain on the just and on the unjust."

But, undeniable as are the proofs of the infinite goodness of the Lord Jehovah, which are presented in the world around us, and experienced at every step of our journey, it is in the volume of his word that his love is more prominently displayed; for it is that volume which proclaims the glad news of redeeming mercy, and assures us that God's love to men was such, that he "spared not his own Son, but freely delivered him up for us all;" that he sent "his Son into the world, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life." "Herein is love," says the apostle; "not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and gave his Son to be the propitiation for

our sins."

Who can reflect on the events attendant on the crucifixion of the Lord of Glory, when it pleased his Father to bruise him; who can reflect that the pains which he endured were on man's account, and endured that man might be saved from eternal de

that the love of the divine Saviour passeth human comprehension, that there is in it a length and breadth and height and depth which man's limited understanding cannot fathom?

"Jesus died for us!" What are we to understand by this expression? He died, not merely to seal the truth of the doctrines which he taught, truths a knowledge of which is essentially requisite for man's true happiness; he died, not merely to prove his perfect obedience to his Father's will, an obedience displayed throughout the whole of his eventful ministry; he died, not merely to set before his followers a beautiful example of patient resignation, and to animate them to a devoted attachment to his cause; but," he died for us," that he might bring us to God; that, as "a merciful High Priest," he might

people;" that by his blood we might be cleansed from all defilement; that we might obtain remission of all our sins; that every barrier which interposed between God and our souls might be removed; that God might still be just, and yet the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus. Such views of the efficacy and purpose of the Saviour's crucifixion are essentially requisite to our claim to the title of Christians. They are essentially requisite to our entertaining any rational, well-grounded hope of acceptance with God. "He that hath the Son hath life: he that hath not the Son hath not life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."

It is on this most glorious truth, which forms the sum and substance of the gospel" make reconciliation for the sins of the revelation, which renders that gospel of infinite value, as the message of mercy to a fallen world; its doctrines, of all others, the most important to be known. It is this which raises even the most insignificant disciple to a rank which the most enlightened philosophers could never attain, which imparts to him a knowledge infinitely beyond their reach. How inexpressibly great, indeed, must have been that love, which induced the Father to deliver up the Son; that Son, the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, who upheld all things by the word of his power! It was in this, indeed, that he commended his love towards us. How inconceivably great that love, which induced the Son," who was in the form of God, and thought it not robbery to be equal with God," to lay down a life which no man could take

The great doctrine of the atonement, I need hardly inform you, is a fundamental doctrine of our holy religion. It is that of which "the prophets inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that