His lordship now changed his mode of attack. Instead of threatening, he began to entreat: "Berridge," said he, "you know I have been your friend, and I wish to be so still; I am constantly teazed with the complaints of the clergymen around you. Only assure me that you will keep to your own parish; you may do as you please there. I have but little time to live; do not bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to the grave." At this instant two gentlemen were announced, who desired to speak with the bishop. "Berridge," said he, "go to your inn, and come again at such an hour, and dine with me." I went, and on entering a private room, fell immediately upon my knees. I could bear threatening, but knew not how to withstand entreaty, especially the entreaty of a respectable old man. At the appointed time I returned. At dinner, I was treated with great respect. The two gentlemen also dined with us. I found they had been informed who I was, as they sometimes cast their eyes towards me, in some such manner as one would glance at a monster. After dinner, the bishop took me into the garden. "Well, Berridge," said he, "have you considered of my request?" "I have, my lord," said I," and have been upon my knees concerning it." "Well, and will you promise me that you will preach no more out of your own parish ?" "It would afford me great pleasure," said I, "to comply with your lordship's request, if I could do it with a good conscience. I am satisfied the Lord has blessed my labours of this kind, and I dare not desist." "A good conscience!" said the bishop, "do you not know that it is contrary to the canons of the Church?" "There is one canon, my lord," I replied, "which saith, Go, preach the Gospel to every creature."" "But why should you wish to interfere with the charge of other men? One man cannot preach the Gospel to all men." If they would preach the Gospel themselves," said I, there would be no need for my preaching it to their people; but as they do not, I cannot desist." The bishop then parted with me in some displeasure. I returned home, not knowing what would befall me; but thankful to God that I had preserved a conscience void of offence. I took no measures for my own preservation, but Divine Providence wrought for me in a way that I never expected. When I was at Clare Hall, I was particularly acquainted with a fellow of that college; and we were both upon terms of intimacy with Mr Pitt, the late Lord Chatham, who was at that time also at the university. This fellow of Clare Hall, when I began to preach the Gospel, became my enemy, and did me some injury in some ecclesiastical privileges, which before-time I had enjoyed. length, however, when he heard that I was likely to come into trouble, and to be turned out of my living at Everton, his heart relented. He began to think, it seems, within himself, We shall ruin this poor fellow among us. This was just about the time that I was sent for by the bishop. Of his own accord he writes a letter to Mr Pitt, saying nothing about my Methodism, but to this effect: "Our old friend Berridge has got a living in Bedfordshire, and, I am informed, he has a squire in his parish that gives him a deal of trouble-has accused him to the bishop of the diocese, and, it is said, will turn him out of the living. wish you could contrive to put a stop to these proceedings." Mr Pitt was at that time a young man, and not choosing to apply to the bishop himself, spoke to a certain nobleman, to whom the bishop was indebted for his promotion. This nobleman within a few days made it his business to see the bishop, who was then in London. "My lord," said he, "I am informed you have a very honest fellow, one Berridge, in your diocese, and that he has been ill-treated by a litigious squire who lives in his parish. He has accused him, I am told, to your lordship, and

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wishes to turn him out of his living. You would oblige me, if you would take no notice of that squire, and not suffer the honest man to be interrupted in his living." The bishop was astonished, and could not imagine in what manner things could have thus got round. It would not do, however, to object; he was obliged to bow compliance, and so I continued ever after uninterrupted in my sphere of action.

TRUE SELF-DEVOTEDNESS.

THE most striking instance of self-devotedness in the cause of Christ of which I ever heard in these days of deadness, I was told of last week by an English minister. It has never been printed, and therefore I will relate it to you just as l'heard it, to stir up our cold hearts that we may give ourselves to the Lord. The awful disease of leprosy still exists in Africa. Whether it be the same leprosy as that mentioned in the Bible I do not know, but it is regarded as perfectly incurable, and so infectious that no one dares to come near the leper. In the south of Africa there is a lazar-house for lepers. It is an immense space, enclosed by a very high wall, and containing fields which the lepers cultivate. There is only one entrance, which is strictly guarded. Whenever any one is found with the marks of leprosy upon him, he is brought to this gate and obliged to enter in, never to return. No one who enters in by that awful gate is allowed to come out again! Within this abode of misery there are multitudes of lepers in all stages of disease. Dr Halbeck, a missionary of the Church of England, from the top of a neighbouring hill, saw them at work. He noticed two particularly, sowing peas in the field. The one had no hands, the other had no feet-these members being wasted away by the disease. The one who wanted the hands was carrying the other who wanted the feet upon his back, and he again carried in his hands the bag of seed, and dropped a pea every now and then, which the other pressed into the ground with his foot; and so they managed the work of one man between the two. Ah! how little we know of the misery that is in the world. Such is this prison-house of disease. But you will ask, Who cares for the souls of the hapless inmates? Who will venture in at this dreadful gate, never to return again? Who will forsake father and mother, houses and lands, to carry the message of a Saviour to these poor lepers? Two Moravian missionaries, impelled by a divine love for souls, have chosen the lazar-house as their field of labour. They entered it, never to come out again; and I am told that as soon as these die, other Moravians are quite ready to fill their place. Ah! my dear friends, may we not blush and be ashamed before God, that we, redeemed with the same blood, and taught by the same Spirit, should yet be so unlike these men, in vehement, heart-consuming love to Jesus and the souls of men.-M⭑Cheyne.

Miscellaneous.

Real independence consists in being altogether dependant upon God, and thereby virtually independent of all else.

ANGER.-Wise anger is like fire from the flint; there is a great ado to bring it out; and when it does come, it is out again immediately.-Matthew Henry.

"I would reprove thee," said a wise Heathen, "if I were not angry." And hall not Christians say as much?

Daily Bread.

FRIDAY.

Rejoice in the Lord alway."-PHIL. iv. 4.
Rejoice, believer, in the Lord,

Who makes your cause his own;
The hope that's built upon his Word
Can ne'er be overthrown.

The true comforter in all distress is only God, through his Son Jesus Christ; and whosoever hath him, hath company enough, although he were in a wilderness all alone; and he that hath twenty thousand in his company, if God be absent, is in a miserable wilderness and desolation. In him is all comfort, and without him is none.-Cranmer.

SATURDAY.

"Rejoice with trembling."-Ps. ii. 11.
Though much exalted in the Lord,
My strength is not my own;
Then let me tremble at his word,

And none shall cast me down.

There is a fear without diffidence, and a trembling that may consist with joy. Trembling is an effect of fear; but this fear, which we must affect, is reverential, not slavish, not distrustful. Indeed, when we look upon ourselves, and consider our own frailties and corruptions, and God's infinite justice, we have too just cause of doubt and dejection, yea, were it not for better helps, of utter despair; but, when we cast up our eyes to the power of him that hath undertaken for us, and the faithfulness of him that hath promised, and the sure mercies of him that hath begun his good work in us, we can fear with confidence, and rejoice in our trembling. For what are our sins to his mercies-our unworthiness to his infinite merits-our weaknesses to his omnipotence? -Hall.

SABBATH.

"Call the Sabbath a delight."-ISA. lviii. 13. Thanks to thy name, O Lord, that we One glorious Sabbath more behold; Our Shepherd, let us meet with thee Among thy sheep, within thy fold. Philip Henry would often say, at the close of his Sabbath devotions-Well: if this be not heaven, it must be the way to it. Yes; it is then Christians often feel themselves, like Jacob in his vision, at the gate. They have earnests and foretastes of the glory to be revealed. Perhaps they are never so willing as then to go. Many of them have wished to be released on this day; and many have been gratified. But if they do not leave on the earthly Sabbath, they enter on the heavenly one. For there remaineth a rest to the people of God.-Jay.

MONDAY.

"Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead."REV. iii. 1.

To walk as children of the day,

To mark the precept's holy light;
To wage the warfare, watch, and pray,
Show who are pleasing in his sight.
Not words alone it cost the Lord,
To purchase pardon for his own;
Nor will a soul by grace restored,
Return the Saviour words alone.

An empty name of religion is but a poor and pitiful business. What though men and women have the largest testimonial drawn up, in the most ample form, and subscribed by the hands of all the most eminent, godly, and discerning ministers, and private Christians of the city or country side wherein they

live-what will it signify or avail if Christ's hand be not at it, or if he shall subscribe after all their subscriptions, a plain contradiction to, and a downright denial of, what they affirm. O! when shall we once look more seriously and concernedly after real religion and godliness, and be less concerned, and more holily indifferent, as to the name?-Durham.

TUESDAY.

"Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee."— Ps. 1. 15.

In every trouble, sharp and strong,
To God my spirit flies;

My anchor-hold is firm in him,
When swelling billows rise.

This is the only effectual path out of sorrow. And this is effectual to deliver us from every sorrow-the deepest and the worst. If we catch at worldly things for help, we shall find them but as straws, that mock our grasp. If we cling to men around us, they can hold us up but for a moment; nay, perhaps drag us with themselves into a deeper sorrow. If we depend upon ourselves, our strength is momently diminishing. But if we turn to God, in penitence, in faith, with all the earnestness of drowning agony, he can, he will, he does, deliver us from the lowest deep. The Lord is a refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.-Griffith.

WEDNESDAY.

"Adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things."TITUS ii. 10.

O Lord, I would be thine alone-
Come take possession of thine own;
For thou hast set me free.

Released from Satan's hard command,
See all my powers waiting stand

To be employed by thee.

Consider for your encouragement, that if you adorn the doctrine of Christ, it will for ever adorn you; and as you have made it glorious in the world, it will make you for ever glorious in heaven. This is the reward which it promiseth. It will put a wreath of beams, a diadem of stars, a crown of glory upon your heads. "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father."Hopkins.,

THURSDAY.

"A better country, that is, an heavenly."-HEB. xi. 16.
Sorrow and pain, and every care,
And discord there shall cease;
And perfect joy and love sincere,"
Adorn the realms of peace.

The heavenly Canaan, Immanuel's land, a country better than the best of this world, where nothing is wanting to complete the happiness of the inhabitants that land enjoys an everlasting day; "for there is no night there." An eternal sunshine beautifies this better country; but there is no scorching heat there. No clouds shall be seen there for ever; yet it is not a land of drought. The trees of the Lord's planting are set by the rivers of water, and shall never want moisture; for they will have an eternal supply of the Spirit, by Jesus Christ, from his Father.

Boston.

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IT is difficult to understand how any one not blinded by prejudice can read the divine Word without being convinced that, in every instance of a sinner's conversion, there is a special manifestation of the omnipotent power of the Spirit of God. The statements made in regard to human depravity imply this. Fallen man is declared not only to be covered with sin as with a leprosy, so that from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot there is no spiritual soundness in him; but his understanding is said to be darkened—his heart deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked-his conscience defiled-his will bent towards evil, like an iron sinew. He is wise to do evil, whilst to do good he has no understanding. He is without strength-in a sleep-dead even whilst he lives; and as soon may the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots, as he, being accustomed to do evil, may learn to do well. The mighty change which is declared to take place in conversion, illustrates this still more clearly. The understanding is then said to be enlightened by Him "who commanded the light to shine out of darkness." A new heart is given, and a right spirit put within the believer; the hard and stony heart is taken away, and a heart of flesh is given; the sinner is born again-created anew in Christ Jesus. This is done by the exercise of a power great as that which God wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead; so that whilst means are used in the conversion of sinners, these means are in themselves as unable to accomplish the end in view as was the serpent of brass to cure the death-wounds of the bitten Israelites. The Word of God is only the sword of the Spirit. The breath of dying men in preaching cannot awaken the dead. The treasure is in earthen vessels; but the excellency and power thereof is of God, and not of men. He that planteth is nothing; he that watereth is nothing; but God, that giveth the increase.

The special cases of conversion recorded in Scripture all tend to illustrate this general principle; and especially those cases, and they are many, in which God is found of them that seek him not. Zaccheus is a chief among the publicans, and he is rich. There is reason to think that some portion of his wealth has been gained by fraud. He is impelled by mere curiosity to desire a sight of Jesus; and being little of stature, he runs on, and climbs a sycamore tree. When Jesus comes to the place, he looks up, and fixes his eyes on the ungodly publican. "Zaccheus, make haste and come down; for No. 7.

to-day I must abide at thy house." The look and the words are accompanied by almighty power. Zaccheus is converted to God; and the tree into which he climbed becomes, without any previous purpose on the part of man, the birth-place of an immortal soul. A thief, for his crimes, is nailed to an accursed tree. Even on the cross he is still unconverted, and he, in the first instance, joins his companion in railing upon Jesus.-- Matt. xxvii. 44. But God has determined to save him, and to pass by his companion. "Lord, remember me," cries the awakened man, "when thou comest to thy kingdom;" and Jesus says: "To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise." The cross of shame becomes unexpectedly a ladder into heaven. The conversion of Manasseh (2 Chron. xxxiii.), of Paul, and of many others, whose histories are recorded in Scripture, illustrate very clearly this special power of God in converting sinners. And the subsequent history of the Church of God demonstrates the same sovereignty of divine grace in calling sinners when, and where, and how God pleases-by means, without means, and sometimes in opposition to means that no flesh may glory in his presence, but that he that glorieth may glory in the Lord."

The only difficulty in the way of the reception of this doctrine is the unwillingness of men by nature to submit their understandings to the dictates of divine truth. The pride of carnal reason fills us with a desire fully to explain all the mysteries of the divine procedure; and yet a very little consideration might be sufficient to teach us, not only that we are surrounded with difficulties in the book of nature, as well as in that of revelation; but that the only way to avoid difficulties is to repose on the infinite wisdom of Him who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working, and who giveth to none an account of his matters. This is the plan pointed out in Scripture. For example, men are ready to say: Why preach the Gospel, if sinners have not, either by nature or in consequence of an universal agency of the Spirit of God, the power of receiving it? If men are spiritually dead, why preach to them?—can the dead hear? Now, it is remarkable that, whatever human wisdom may think of it, this is the very plan of God. The message of the Gospel is: "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.”—Eph. v. 14. It is also striking, that Moses, in speaking of the children of Israel, who were a stiff-necked people amidst all the wonders which God did on their behalf, whilst he earnestly condemns April 11, 1845.

their guilt, says: "Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day." When Isaiah speaks of the want of success of his own ministry, he not only asks: "Who hath believed our report?" but, as connected with this, and explanatory of this, he asks: "To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" Our blessed Lord, in upbraiding the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, and declaring that Capernaum, exalted to heaven by her privileges, should be thrust down to hell for her neglect of them, goes on to say: "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight." It would be well were the "disputers of this world" prepared to imitate this exalted example, in discussing the deep things of God, instead of adopting the mad and hopeless expedient of squaring the truth of the divine Word down to the level of their own corrupt and shallow reason. The inspired Apostle Paul follows the example of his Lord in endeavouring to convince the gainsayers of Rome: "Thou wilt say, then, unto me, Why doth he yet find fault for who hath resisted his will? Nay, but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?". Rom. ix. 19-21. No doubt, the "day shall fully declare" the harmony and rectitude of all the Almighty's proceedings; but meantime we are called upon to " be still, and know that he is God,” “ doing according to his will in the army of heaven and amongst the inhabitants of the earth, none being able to stay his hand, or to say unto him, What doest thou?" It ought to be enough for us as poor condemned sinners to know, not only that all God's ways are perfect, but that Jesus is able to save unto the uttermost all that come unto God by him-that God has no pleasure in the death of him that dieth-that the Spirit and the Bride say, "Come;" that whosoever cometh Christ will in no wise cast out-and that if we are not saved, it will be found at the last to be because we loved darkness rather than the light, our deeds being evil.

Meantime we see many scriptural illustrations of the supposed difficulty to which we have referred. The Prophet Ezekiel is carried down "into a valley of dry bones." He is caused to "pass by them round about; and behold they are very many in the open valley, and very dry." And God says to him, 66 Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord." "What a vain and unmeaning sermon!" says the disputer of this world. "How can dry bones hear, understand, and obey?" The case is precisely parallel to that of dead sinners addressed in the preaching of the Gospel. But

observe what follows. "The Spirit comes from the four winds, and breathes upon them, and they live and stand up upon their feet, an exceeding great army."-Ezek. xxxvii. And so in a day of God's power, his people are made willing, and the Gospel comes, "not in word only, but in power, and with the Holy Ghost, and with much assurance." Again, Jesus goes into the synagogue during the days of his flesh; and, behold, there is a man there having his hand withered; and Jesus says unto him: "Stretch forth thine hand." Now here is the same difficulty; for it might have been asked, How could a man stretch forth a withered, powerless hand? "Where is the wise now? where is the scribe?" But the word of Christ is accompanied with power, and he does stretch forth his hand, and "it is restored whole as the other." The same thing may be said of the sick man whom Jesus commanded to take up his bed and go to his house, and who, by divine power accompanying the word, was enabled to do so. And the truth is still more strikingly illustrated in the case of Lazarus. He has been dead four days already; but Jesus stands on the uppermost step of his sepulchre, and cries: "Lazarus, come forth." Now here is the very case. How can a dead man hear such a command, and obey it? "With man it is impossible; but with God all things are possible." The sermon of Jesus is accompanied with divine power; the soul of the dead man in the far world of spirits hears the cry-Lazarus comes forth, and Jesus says: "Loose him, and let him go." And here is the comfort of Christ's ministers in preaching the Gospel, that whereas of themselves they are no more able to convert sinners than to raise the dead, the same omnipotent Jesus is still with them, according to his promise: "Lo! I am with you alway, even to the end of the world." The power of the Spirit of Jesus is still present to heal. Therefore the weapons of their warfare are mighty, through God, to the pulling down of strongholds; signs and wonders are still done in the name of the holy child Jesus; and as many as are ordained unto eternal life believe.

On the one hand, therefore, we are to use all the means of grace, because God has expressly appointed them, and promised to make them || effectual; but, on the other, we are to use them only in faith and with earnest prayer, and not to rest in means; for this great work of saving sinners is entirely of God, and he will not give his glory to another. It is only when a stronger than Satan comes, that the prison doors are set open, and the lawful captives delivered. The Shepherd must himself go forth, and bring back his lost sheep to the fold on his shoulder. God alone still gives unto the Gentiles, not only life, but repentance unto life; and no man can come unto Christ, except the Father which sent him draw him. Thy people shall be willing in a day of thy power.

MAYNOOTH COLLEGE.

THE history of this College is well known. It was founded fifty years ago in the year 1795-by the government of Mr Pitt, for the purpose of securing "the better education of persons professing the Popish or Roman Catholic religion." Previous to that time, it being illegal to endow any college which had for its object the education of Roman Catholics alone, the priests had been educated at the various Popish universities of France and Germany. But when the French Revolution broke out, it was found that the Infidelity which then rolled over the Continent like a flood, penetrated the colleges, and was seizing possession of the young men then studying for the priesthood. Popery is no enemy to Infidelity, nay, is perhaps chargeable with three-fourths of the present Infidelity of Christendom; but at such a time it was not convenient-not for the interest of the Church-that her priests in Protestant countries should be known as imbued with sceptical principles. And, accordingly, it was resolved that an effort should be made to get a college established in Ireland, where the students, free, in a great measure, from Continental temptations to scepticism, might be as well, if not better, trained in Popish policy and doctrine. As without the sanction of the Legislature, such a project was impracticable, the first step taken by the Irish bishops was to present a memorial on the subject to Government. And with that Jesuitical craft which is one of the leading characteristics of their system, and indeed its strength, instead of honestly stating, as the reason of their anxiety, what was the fact that their students were becoming Infidels, and that if they remained on the Continent their Church had no prospect before her but that of being over-run with a Deistical priesthood; instead of doing this, and suiting their plea to the men with whom they had to deal, they urged upon Government the danger of allowing the priests to study on the Continent, lest, imbibing the republican principles which were there so rife, they should, on coming to Ireland, spread these principles among the people, and thus endanger the British connection. This was precisely the kind of plea which, at the time, was likely to be most successful. The King and the Government, warned by what had occurred in France, and afraid of the progress of republican and revolutionary views, were not slow to avail themselves of any means within their reach, by which so threatening an evil might be averted. And as Ireland was the chief source of their anxiety-knowing, as they did, that masses of her people were disaffected to the British sway, and that before then their disaffection had broken out into open and formidable rebellion-they fell into the trap laid for them by the Romish bishops, and, with the view of securing the loyalty of the priests, and thereby the peace of the country, consented to a bill for the establishment of Maynooth College! Will it be believed that, at the very time when the bishops were thus negotiating with Government, and also issuing addresses to the Irish people, recommending allegiance to England, two of their number were active members of a committee which

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sat at Dublin, the secret object of which was, in the language of their documents, afterwards published, to "subvert the tyranny of England, to establish the independence of Ireland, and form a free republic?" It was by this committee that the rebellion of 1798 was originated, and a treasonable correspondence was also carried on by them with France. Of these things, however, the British Government was not, at the time, aware; and, as we have stated, believing the advices of the bishops to be both honest and wise, they agreed to sanction the institution of the College, and voted a grant of £8000 towards its establishment. In subsequent years, sums of £7000 and £8000 were given to assist in its building and maintenance; and thereafter the grant became an annual one; no bill, however, being passed to render it perpetual.

It does not require much, either in the way of statement or of reasoning, to show that this College of Maynooth has altogether and signally failed in accomplishing the object which the Legislature had thus in view in its institution and endowment. These were, as we have seen, the "better education" of the priests, and the securing of their loyalty. As to the "better education," we may quote the opinion of one of the most accurate and intelligent of our

modern travellers (Inglis), in whose "Tour through Ireland" the following striking passage occurs:—

"In the journey which I subsequently took, I had ample opportunity of forming comparisons between the priest of the olden times and the priest of Maynooth; and, with every disposition to deal fairly by both, I did return to Dublin with a perfect conviction of the justice of the opinion which I had heard expressed. I found the old foreign educated priest, a gentleman; a man of frank, easy deportment, and good general information; but by no means, in general, so good a Catholic as his brother of Maynooth: he, I found either a coarse, vulgar-minded man, or a stiff, close, and very conceited man; but in every instance Popish to the back-bone-learned, I dare say, in theology, but profoundly ignorant of all that liberalizes the mind a hot zealot in religion, and fully impressed with, or professing to be impressed with, a sense of his consequence and influence.

"I entertain no doubt, that the disorders which originate in hatred of Protestantism have been encreased by the Maynooth education of the Catholic priesthood. It is the Maynooth priest who is the agitating priest; and if the foreign educated parish priest chance to be a more liberal-minded man-less a zealot, and less a hater of Protestantism than is consistent with the present spirit of Catholicism in Ireland-straightway an assistant, red-hot from Maynooth, is appointed to the parish; and, in fact, the old priest is virtually displaced. In no country in Europe-no, not even in Spain-is the spirit of Popery so intensely Anti-Protestant as in Ireland. In no country is there more bigotry and superstition among the lower orders, or more blind obedience to the priesthood; in no country is there so much zeal and intolerance among the ministers of religion. I do believe, that at this moment Catholic Ireland is more ripe for the re-establishment of the Inquisition than any other country in Europe."

And as to the other object-of securing the loyalty of the priests, and making them friends of the British connection-the agitations which have recently cmbroiled that unhappy country tell emphatically that