is created for himself in a better life; the life which is to continue for millions of ages of ages, and still continue to exist for millions of ages of ages, in an inconceivable and solemn eternity. Now the preferring the future life to the present is wisdom: the preferring the present life to the future is folly. He who so fears God that he resolves, at all events, to save his soul, and to count all the things of this life as less than nothing, and vanity, when compared with the pardon of sin, hope in a Saviour, change of heart, and fitness for heaven, he is a wise man; whereas he who does not fear God, who will only aspire to so much outward morality as the customs of society and the decencies of life require, and cares nothing about his soul, and counts the things of this life as more dear and more precious than the pardon of sin, hope in a Saviour, change of heart, and fitness for heaven, he is a fool. He chooses the lesser good and rejects the greater. He chooses that part which shall be taken away from him at his death, and he banishes his soul from God.

Can it be necessary that I should endeavour to make this plain statement of spiritual folly still plainer? Let us compare the two characters of the wise man and the fool to two children in a place of education. Both are told that, at the end of seven years, if they are found to be fit for possessing it, they shall have a large and valuable estate; only, they must so pass their time of education, that no toys, no holidays, no love of their own home, no delight in the innocent amusements of the more unworthy pursuits of their schoolfellows, must take away their hearts from the hope, and from the certainty, from the belief in the promise, and from the constant preparation for the invaluable property which shall be granted to them when their period of education is over. One of these children devotes his whole time to the object before him. He does not despise, either, the companions about him he does not disregard the toys, or the holidays, or the home of his parents, or the amusements or the pursuits of his schoolfellows; but they have no possesion of his heart they are less than nothing, and vanity, when compared with the inheritance before him. He improves his time: his education is over: he obtains the estate: he is wise. The other pays no regard to the promise of the greater blessing. He thinks of nothing he cares for nothing but toys, holidays, amusements, follies. His time is over: he is not fit for his inheritance: he is not worthy he is a fool.

Such is the comparison by which I would illustrate the subject before us. But it is very weak and very incompetent to describe

the folly of the spiritual fool; for there can be no proportion between all which the world can give to the child who uses his season of education rightly, and that solemn, that awful eternity which is promised to the spiritually wise. What shall it profit a child if he gain a toy in his infancy, and lose an estate? but "what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" "What can a man give in exchange for his soul?" The whole world, with all its riches, honours, wealth, and pleasures, is but as the toy of infancy, when compared with the salvation, the eternal salvation, of an undying, immortal soul.

All this is very obvious: it 'cannot be disputed; and I am sure that none of you will deny the truth of this plain and humble statement. Why, then, why is it, that so many pass through life, as if all that I have said were false and not true? The auswer is given in this passage of psalms: "The fool"-the man who acts in this manner-" says in his heart"-he does not say it in words-"There is no God;" that is, he wishes there was no God: he wishes and he hopes, that all the truths of the bible, all the doctrines of immortality, all the revelation of Christ, all the threatenings of future judgment, and all the promises of future blessings were alike false. He is a fool. He has made choice of this world. No arguments will convince him, no reasonings persuade him, no power convert him. He turns away from the light: he quenches the Holy Spirit: he grieves his Saviour. Why is this? Why does the wretched man so act? He is the schoolboy, fond of toys. He loves the present world. He worships money. adores prosperity. He resolves to indulge in the desires of his heart, and to walk by the fire himself has kindled. He bows down to the world. He says to his soul, "Take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. And so he goes on, year after year, his vain thoughts remaining unchanged, his heart more and more estranged from God, and devoted to vanity and the world.

He

But why, you will say, why, supposing that this is his character, why can he not live in this manner, without saying in his heart, "There is no God-O, I wish there was no God to judge me, no Saviour to reproach me, no heaven which I can never reach-no hell which, if the word of God is true, is that banishment of the soul from heaven which follows unfitness for heaven?" Why cannot he enjoy the present world without having thoughts like these? Why must the poor fool say in his heart, "No God, no God-O, I wish there was no God?" My Christian brother, the reason is that, when the man makes

the wrong choice, and lives as I have de-a perpetual covenant. I call upon him to scribed, then his heart is miserable within repent of his evil way, and return to the Lord him. The world cannot make him happy. his God; and may God hear his prayer, and He tries in vain to be satisfied. He has pardon and change and bless him. much, perhaps, and he desires more. But, if II. But let us now consider the reasonings of he had all the gold that was ever dug out of such persons. What is the apology which the earth, or all the honours that ever crowned they make to themselves for conduct so unthe brow of the ambitious, or all the pleasures worthy their Christian name and their noble that ever misled the souls of the worldly, if origin? Reasonings! the reasonings of the he gained the whole of the present world, he spiritual fool! Alas, there are none: there could no more be happy with it, than a hun- can be none. If the spiritual fool endeavours, gry man could be fed with flattery, or a as many have done, to take refuge in open thirsty man with the sand of the desert, or a infidelity, he must do so by denying the facts dying man be healed of his sickness by gold of scripture, and resisting the evidence which and silver. The soul is immortal; and no- has ever convinced the most powerful minds thing short of immortality can content it. and the most impartial reasoner. There is The soul is spiritual; and nothing but a spi- no infidelity in the world but that which proritual God can bless it. The soul is sinful; ceeds from ignorance or from sin. I speak and nothing but a Saviour can give it peace. advisedly. A man may as well tell us that The soul is a soul that has wandered from its the history of England, or the history of any God, its hope, and its happiness, to seek for other nation, was all false, as tell us the happiness where it cannot be found; and no-bible was false; for the bible is only the histhing but the Holy Spirit can restore it to its God, its hope, and its happiness, to seek for happiness where it can be found.

And the heart of the fool knows all this. He knows that death is before him, and that judgment follows death. He knows that his soul cannot die. He feels that he can never sleep in peace till he has banished the reflection that he must be born again, that he must be converted in the spirit of his mind; but he will not come to God, that he may have peace. Habit, folly, money, vain reasonings, the spirit of delay, the fear of ridicule, all fasten his soul to the dust; and he is so miserable between the constant endeavour to be happy in the goods of this life, and the constant endeavour to banish the thoughts of eternity, that he cannot help indulging the vain and wicked thought in question-"O that I was born for this world alone! O that there was no God to judge me! O that my soul was not to live for ever in heaven with God and the spirits of the just made perfect, or in hell with the spirits of the banished, who make this world their portion, and worship no God but themselves."

Such is the character which all persons are in danger of becoming who wilfully restrain prayer before God, and who resolve, at all risks, to prefer the lesser good, and to give their affections and their hearts to the world. If I have described any person who is present, I warn him of his danger, and implore him to seek the Lord while he may be found, to put away the hope of happiness in this world, and to pray that the power of the Holy Spirit may be so restored to the soul, that he ask the way to Zion with his face thitherward, and join himself to the Lord in

tory of the providence of God, proving to us the immortality of the soul, the way of salvation, and the necessity of fitness for the happiness of the future state. I have studied infidelity, that I may see if it has any arguments; and there is no reasoning in it. The causes of infidelity, and therefore the reasonings of the character I am describing, are all summed up in ignorance, which I cannot now impute to any of you, who have been born and educated in a Christian land; or they are summed up in the love of sin, which I do now impute to you. I ask any of you-if, indeed, there be any such among you-who may be endeavouring to take refuge from spiritual misery in infidelity, whether you would not be a Christian, if the bible permitted sin instead of reproving it? I ask you whether you would think of being an infidel, if the religion which you have been taught allowed you to walk in the desire of your heart, and in the light of your eyes, and to be as foolish, as vain, as wicked, and as worldly as you pleased, and then told you you might be blessed for ever.

Be not deceived, my unfortunate, unhappy brother; if you are the character I have described, you have no reasonings by which to justify yourself; and I cannot, therefore, waste your time by refuting them.

III. Let us, then, proceed to our third and last consideration, the folly of such conduct; and let us pray to God that our reflections may be so attended with divine power, that God may meet you, and convert the heart within you from the world to himself.

Remember, then, that the wish which you form in your heart-the wish that all religion is false, the wish that there be no God to

Thus have we considered the character, the reasonings, and the folly of that person. who is so attached to evil, and yet so conscious of his wickedness, that he has no other comfort than to endeavour to deceive himself, by wishing, and by saying in his heart, "There is no God." I shall only add, that I have spoken to you in general terms, because I have known it to be useful sometimes so to speak; and may God grant that, in the present instance, I may not have spoken in vain. Remember, I entreat you, how long you have already lived, and how great-if you are the person whose portrait I have this evening drawn-has been the patience and the long-suffering of God to your soul. God sees, and has seen-God knows, and has known your backsliding of heart, your foolish thoughts, your impatient resistance to his will; yet he has spared your life till this moment, when so many younger and healthier than you have been taken away; and he has not only spared your life, but he has followed your rebellious and wandering heart with invitations to repentance, with promises of mercy, and, with his abundance of goodness and truth, waiting to be gracious, and entreating you not to forsake your own mercies. O, let the goodness of God lead you to repentance and to faith and to fitness for heaven. Pray to God that your heart may be so renewed, so changed, so converted to himself, that there be no longer any hatred to God and to Christ and to the Holy Spirit of God; but that you give your soul to him, and be reconciled to him, as a son to his father. Pray that you may walk with God, love his will, and prepare for his presence; and so number your days that you may forsake the folly we have considered, and apply your hearts unto wisdom. Pray to God that you may instantly begin to live, as you will wish to have lived when you come to die. Pray that you may say in your heart, "There is a God; and he is my God, my Father, my Saviour, my Friend: there is a God; and he has delivered me from evil, and pardoned my sins: there is a God; and he has guided me thus far on, in my pilgrimage through life; and he is my God, my own God, my covenant God; and he will guide me still. When I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for my God, my own God, shall be the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever."

SCOTTISH EPISCOPACY.

No. III.

THE ecclesiastical history of Scotland, from the murder of Charles I. to the Revolution, can scarcely be adverted to by the true Chirstian without deep sorrow and humiliation, that from the unruly wills and affections of sinful men such scenes of confusion, anarchy, and bloodshed should have presented themselves, and how frequently, under the pretence of a zeal for the glory of God, the natural temper should have been allowed to give uncurbed freedom to its impetuosity. To this charge, episcopalian and presbyterian must acknowledge themselves to plead guilty.

As has been frequently stated in this work, it is a period, the true history of which it is not by any means easy accurately to discover. Statements so directly contradictory, accounts so diametrically opposite, and all with a certain appeal to what might appear unquestionable evidence, confuse and unsettle the mind of even the most unprejudiced inquirer. The question at issue was, in fact, rather political than religious. The extension of vital godliness had nothing to do with it whatever.

It is proposed to give memoirs of archbishop Sharpe and others of the episcopal church, whose lot was cast in these troublesome times. Linlithgow palace, the battle of Bothwell, &c., will also tend to illustrate the events of this period.

The period referred to abounds with so many incidents, which from time to time will be separately considered in this magazine, all illustrative of this portion of history, and which could not be comprehended in a short series of papers, that it may be well at once to go on to the consideration of the

effects produced by the Revolution.

It is hardly necessary to state that the accession of William and Mary to the throne produced a total change in the ecclesiastical polity of Scotland, as by law established; and that, while in England and Ireland episcopacy retained its ground, the anomaly presented itself of the government in Scotland recognising the presbyterian as the form to be countenanced and supported by the state. such a change congenial to the feelings of the nation at large?

How far was

Sage says: "There were but some three or four presbyterian meeting-houses erected on the north side of the Tay, that is, in the greater half of the kingdom, and these, too, very little frequented or encouraged; and that, on the south side of that river (except in the five associated shires in the west), the third man was never engaged in the schism.”

That William was ignorant of the true state of feeling in Scotland is obvious from the following statement made by bishop Rose, who, with sir George M'Kenzie, had gone to London as a deputation to interest the king in the behalf of episcopacy. Referring to a conversation between the bishop of London and himself, he says:-"The bishop, leaving us in a room of Whitehall, near adjoining to the place where the prince was, stayed about half-an-hour from

us; and, upon his return, told us that the king would not allow us to come to him in a body, lest that might give jealousy and umbrage to the presbyterians; neither would he permit them, for the same reason, to come to him in numbers; and that he would not allow above two or three of either party at a time to speak to him on church matters. Then the bishop of London, directing his discourse to me, said: My lord, you see that the king, having thrown himself upon the water, must keep himself swimming with one hand. The presbyterians have joined him closely, and offered to support him ; and, therefore, he cannot cast them off, unless he could see how otherwise he can be served. And the king bids me tell you, that he now knows the state of Scotland much better than he did when he was in Holland; for there he was made to believe that Scotland generally all over was presbyterian, but now he sees that the great body of the nobility and gentry are for episcopacy, and it is the trading and inferior sort that are for presbytery: wherefore he bids me tell you, that if you will undertake to serve him to the purpose that he is served here in England, he will take you by the hand, support the church and order, and throw off the presbyterians.""

The attempts, however, to conciliate the favour of the new monarch were ineffectual. Their interview with him did not promote their cause. They acted obviously from principle, against their worldly interests; and they at least deserved respect for their sincerity. By the act which established the presbyterian church in Scotland, the ecclesiastical judicatories were fully authorized to try and purge out all "insufficient, negligent, scandalous, and erroneous ministers" by due course of process and censure; and all who refused to obey their summons were immediately to be deprived of their benefices. This was beyond all question an intolerable inquisitorial delegation of power, and it was most shamefully called into exercise. Men of holy and devoted life were branded as infamous, and treated as such. shadow of toleration was at an end.

All

On the 22nd of July, 1690, an act was passed, prohibiting "every deprived minister from preaching or exercising any part of his ministerial function either in vacant churches or elsewhere under any pretext whatever, until first he present himself before the privy council, and there take, swear, and subscribe the oath of allegiance, and also engage himself under his hand to pray for king William and queen Mary as king and queen of this realm; certifying such ministers as shall do on the contrary, that they shall be proceeded against as persons disaffected, and enemies to their majesty's government, according as the privy council shall direct."

Stringent as this was, it was not deemed sufficiently so to satisfy their opponents; and it was then enacted, that every one holding a public appointment, clergy as well as others, should subscribe the following declaration: "I do in the sincerity of my heart assert, acknowledge, and declare, that their majesties king William and queen Mary are the only lawful and undoubted sovereigns, king and queen of Scotland, as well de jure as de facto; and, therefore, I do sincerely and faithfully promise and engage that I will with heart and hand, life and goods, maintain and defend their majesties' title and government against the late king James and his adherents, and all other enemies who either by open or secret attempts shall disturb or disquiet their majesties in the exercise thereof."

Some of the presbyterian clergy refused to take the oath, but enjoyed a freedom notwithstanding, not extended to their opponents. The non-juring clergy did not scruple, however, to exercise their functions in their own houses, and two of them were punished by the privy council. By an act, passed A.D. 1695, they were prohibited and discharged from "baptizing any children," or solemnizing marriage betwixt "any parties" in all time coming, under pain of imprisonment, aye, and " until he find caution to go out of the kingdom, and never return thereto." Reader, this is no tale of papal persecution. These thunders emanated not from the Vatican. This is no record of the dark ages.

It was not easy to carry these sentences everywhere into execution. In the counties north of the William acted solely from political motives. He Tay, as stated, a great majority of the people, with was afraid of the stability of his throne. He was suralmost all the nobility and gentry, were staunch epis-rounded by persons who regarded episcopacy as synocopalians; and the king had strongly expressed his desire that the clergy, who should take the oaths to his government, and pray for him and the queen as directed by law, should retain their parishes during life, without being subjected to the jurisdiction of presbyteries. In these counties, therefore, they could not always get the episcopal clergy removed. Before an episcopal minister could be admitted a member of a church court, he was required to renounce his creed, as far as church government was concerned. Some who did so were admitted into the presbyterian courts. Those who had taken the oaths, and prayed for the king and queen, but would not abjure episcopacy, were harassed and seized, while those who would not take the oaths were termed non-jurors; among whom were the bishops, and by far the greater number of the clergy who had been removed, and who were soon joined by the others.

nymous with disloyalty. It was the worldly interest of the presbyterian to keep him in the dark: otherwise, surely, he never would have permitted the atrocious behaviour to be exercised towards the episcopal clergy which, though it may have been exaggerated, was disgraceful to his government. An episcopal minister debarred from baptizing a child!—what political bias could the waters of baptism have conferred upon the infant? For a minister to meet a congregation might tend to plotting and treason; but how could baptising a poor baby produce any machination against the government? Under the sheltered rock in the far remote glen, in the miserable hovel, midst the howling of the blast and the pelting of the rain, and the roaring of the thunder, has many an infant been clasped in the pastor's arms.

On the accession of queen Anne, A. D. 1702, hopes were entertained that these stringent statutes would