which was nailed to the cross; for "Christ is the end of the law." So Paul was right when he said that, "if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing;" for to conform to the requirements of a law which He had rendered obsolete was virtually the rejection of Him as the Messiah.

The Sabbath Instituted.—“ Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy." (Ex. xx. 8.)

Let

The Sabbath Repudiated.-"The new moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity." (Is. i. 13.)-“ One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." (Rom. xiv. 5.) Let no man therefore judge you in meat or drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath Days." (Col. ii. 16.)

The keeping of the seventh day, as holy time, was also instituted under the law and sanctioned by Jehovah in the Jewish dispensation. Is. i. 13 is addressed to a class of persons who had sinned so fearfully before the Lord that their sacrifices were vain oblations, and their incense was an abomination unto Him. Therefore He saith, "Bring no more vain oblations-incense is an abomination unto Me-the new moons and Sabbaths-the calling of assemblies-I cannot away with-it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts My soul hateth." They had sinned until even their worship was offensive to Deity: for "The prayers of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord." Hence He says, "When ye spread forth your hands, I will hide Mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood." Does not this sufficiently explain why their new moons and Sabbaths were distasteful to God? But the keeping of the seventh day passed away with the law of which it was a component part. It is well to devote one day in the seven exclusively to the worship of God. The disciples met on the first day of the week, and it was also hallowed by the resurrection of our Lord. Hence we recognise THIS as the day of worship; but there is now no law of God which commands us to observe the Mosaic Sabbath. Hence Rom. xiv. 5 and Gal. iv. 5 are to the point.

The Sabbath Instituted because God rested on the Seventh Day.-" For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath Day, and hallowed it." (Ex. xx. 11.)

The Sabbath Instituted because God brought the Israelites out of Egypt."And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched-out arm: therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath Day." (Deut. v. 15.)

Any close observer will see at once that there is no want of harmony here. Ex. xx. II shows why "the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it;" and Deut. v. 15 shows why He

commanded Israel to keep the Sabbath Day, after it was instituted. So there is not even the semblance of a contradiction here. Comment is unnecessary!

No Work to be done on the Sabbath unler Penalty of Death." Whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath Day, he shall surely be put to death." (Ex. xxxi. 15)-"And they found a man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath Day. And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the Lord commanded Moses." (Num. xv. 32-36.)

Jesus Christ Broke the Sabbath, and Justified His Disciples in the same.— "Therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath Day." (John v. 16.)—“ At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath Day through the corn; and His disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto Him, Behold, Thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath Day. But He said unto them. . . Have ye not read in the law, how that on the Sabbath Days the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless?" (Matt. xii. 1, 2, 3, 5.)

The Son of God is here accused of violating the Sabbath; but we answer the charge in the words of Jesus Himself: "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath."

Baptism Commanded.- -"Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.' (Matt. xxviii. 19.)

Baptism Not Commanded.-" For Christ sent me not to baptise, but to preach the Gospel. . . . I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius." (1 Cor. i. 17, 14.)

The infidel here quotes the commission for baptism, and then takes advantage of the words of Paul, and tries thereby to nullify the commission. This logic is so weak that it does not deserve any answer. Suppose Paul did not receive an especial commission to baptize, does that prove that Jesus gave no such commission to any one? Shame upon such pitiful objections to God's Word!

(To be continued.)

THE year before the introduction of cheap postage into England, the average number of letters written by each person in a year was three. The next year it was seven, it is now thirty-six. In 1839 there were eighty-two million letters posted, of which about one in every thirteen was franked. In 1840, the circulation rose to one hundred and sixty-nine million, although franking was abolished. At the present time, it has reached the astonishing total of one thousand two hundred and eighty million.

THE MORAL MISCHIEF OF A SINNER.

"One sinner destroyeth much good."-ECCL. ix. 18.

EVERY man in his sphere has an in fluence. Solomon had seen a remarkable instance of a poor man delivering by his wisdom a small and ill-garrisoned city from the besieging army of a powerful king. This led him to consider the superiority of wisdom to wealth or power. On the other hand, he saw that, as a wise and good man might be useful, so a foolish and wicked man might do great injury. Hence, contrasting the two, he says, "Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good."

In illustrating the text, we shall point out the truth of it:

I. IN RESPECT TO NATIONS:

Men of all classes have influence, more or less in the state to which they belong.

A weak and ambitious monarch; how soon may he involve his people in war, and reduce them to the brink of desolation! Such was Solomon's son, Rehoboam, who, in the space of a few weeks, so goaded ten tribes out of the twelve, over which he ruled, that they revolted from him, and established a separate kingdom. (1 Kings xii. 16.)

A disaffected subject also may, by exaggerating the people's grievances, and promising them effectual redress, stir up multitudes to insurrection, and involve a nation in all the horrors of civil war. Thus did Absalom (2 Sam. xv. 2—6, 10—14): and thus have demagogues in every age, in every state.

What evil, too, may not a cruel persecutor effect! How may such a one waste the Church of God and destroy it! One Jezebel could murder a whole host of prophets (1 Kings xviii. 13): and one Saul depopulate the Christian Church. (Acts ix. 1-2.) And, in this nation as well as in others, one cruel bigot has kindled fires in every part of the country, to destroy, if possible, those who would not conform to the superstitions of Popery.

One great man conspicuous for impiety and profaneness, may, by his example, destroy much good. The weak-minded will imitate him in his wickedness till irreligion becomes popular, and things sacred are trampled under foot. What an awful instance of this we have in Jeroboam, who erected idols in Dan and Bethel, which from that hour became the objects of worship through the whole kingdom! (Hos. v. II: In this verse is mentioned not his success only, but the evil it brought upon them.) Hence the epithet, by which he is afterwards called, "him who made Israel to sin!" (1 Kings xxii. 52.)

But indeed any sinner, of whatever class, does much to destroy the peace and prosperity of his country. What is it that arms God against a nation, and provokes Him to visit it

with His judgments? Is it not sin? Every sinner, therefore, in proportion as he increases the nation's guilt, contributes also to its punishment. In many instances, we know, that the whole kingdom of Israel suffered for the offence of one; not for that of David only, who was the monarch (2 Sam. xxiv. 10—15): but for that also of Achan, an obscure individual (Josh, xxii. 20): nor till the last day will it appear what injury this nation has sustained by our means.

II. IN RESPECT TO FAMILIES:

What confusion is often brought into a house by an imperious husband, a contentious wife, or by an undutiful, stubborn child! Instead of love and harmony, there is little else than brawling and quarrelling; so that the very sight of each other, which ought to call forth all the tender emotions of their hearts, excites nothing but enmity and disgust.

A man addicted to lewdness, gaming, intemperance, evil company, or idleness, to what wretchedness may he soon reduce his family! "God has put a price into the hand of such an one to make his dependants happy, but he knows not how to use it." (Prov. xvii. 16.) He might support them in ease and in comfort, but brings them to want and desperation. How many instances of this are found in every town and village!

Nor can we easily estimate the good which a whisperer and tale-bearer may destroy. Behold, he comes into a house where friends or relatives are cemented in the bonds of union and love but he creates suspicion, and alienates their minds, and kindles contentions, and fills with animosity the hearts that once glowed with mutual affection. (Prov. xvi. 28.)

But what shall we say of the vile seducer, who, under the mask of friendship, enters the house of his unsuspecting neighbour, and avails himself of the opportunity of effecting his base designs? Alas! what incalculable misery does such a man create! For the sake of his sensual gratification, how many hearts does he pierce with the deepest and most lasting sorrow! What disgrace does he bring upon the whole family, involving the innocent with the guilty in irremediable shame and grief that follows them to the grave! Would to God that, if such a character exist in this assembly, he might be smitten with remorse, and wounded to his inmost soul!

III. IN RESPECT TO THE CHURCH Of God:

On whom shall we fix our eyes, as mischievous to the Church of God, so soon as on the careless minister? To him God has committed the improvement of Sabbaths, of ordinances, of the Scriptures. To him He has given souls to be nurtured and disciplined for heaven. But the traitor is intent only on his own gains or pleasures: he performs his weekly task, not

caring whether any be edified or not he wastes the precious opportunities, that can never be recalled; and, in the course of his ministry, leads thousands to destruction. Yes; as far as his influence extends, he makes null and void all the purposes of God's grace, and all the wonders of redeeming love. When, humanly speaking, he might have been a blessing to the world, and an ornament to his profession, he brings his sacred function into reproach, scattering the flock whom he should have gathered, and destroying whom he should have saved. Such an one is Satan's best friend, and the greatest enemy of God and man.

Much good, also, may be destroyed, especially where men are awake to the concerns of religion, by a proud disputatious temper. Even though his sentiments be not essentially erroneous, yet if he lay an undue stress on matters that are comparatively indifferent, and form parties in the Church, he distracts the minds of the simple, he puffs up many with pride, he loosens the bonds of brotherly affection, he weakens the hands of a pious minister, and he causes many to relapse into formality and indifference. (Rom. xvi. 17-18.) Of such were Hymeneus (2 Tim. ii. 16, 17, 18, 23; and iii. 6, 13), and Alexander (2 Tim. iv. 14, 15): and "one such root of bitterness will defile many" (Heb. xii. 15; see also I Cor. v. 2, 6; and Gal. v. 7, 9): on which account we should use all means to stop their influence. (Tit. i. 13, 14; and iii. 9-11.)

There is scarcely any one who does greater mischief to the Church than the professor who walks dishonourably. One act of his brings disgrace upon the whole, and makes religion to be loathed in the estimation of those around. (Gen. xxxiv. 30.) Instantly the ungodly begin to triumph (Ps. xxxv. 19, 25), to accuse all the people of God as hypocrites, and to represent religion itself as a mask for everything that is vile. (2 Pet. ii. 2.) Thus the wicked are hardened, the weak are offended, the saints are dishonoured, and the very name of God is blasphemed in the world. (1 Tim. vi. 1.) How does God Himself complain of this in the case of David (2 Sam. xii. 14); and how incalculable must the evil be, when multitudes are thus offended, and set against the very means of salvation!

There is yet one more character that we shall mention, whose conduct indeed is less extensively destructive, but not less injurious to those within his sphere, we mean the scoffer. He brings no disgrace upon religion, because he makes no profession of it. Nor can he greatly affect its progress in the world, because he is no one with authority or power. perhaps there is some relation, or friend, or fellow-workman, he can discourage by sneers and ridicule, if not also by menaces and actual unkindness. Suppose then that, in one single instance, he succeeds in breaking the bruised reed and

But