ism;

in Germany, in Lutheranism; and it also shows itself in the Reformed and Presbyterian Church. It is that mystery of iniquity which had already shown itself in the time of the apostle. (2 Thess. ii. 7.) Let us reject, and let us combat this principle of death wherever it is found. We are men before we are Swiss or French, English or Germans; let us remember that we are also christians before we are Anglicans or Lutherans, reformers or dissenters. These divers forms of churches are as the divers costumes, the divers faces, and yet more the divers characters of nations; the essential of the man is not in all these accessories. It is in the heart that beats beneath all this exterior, in the conscience seated there, in the intelligence shining there, in the will formed there. If they put the church above christianity, form above life, they shall infallibly reap that which they have sown; they shall soon have for a church, an assembly of skeletons, brilliantly clothed perhaps; ranged, I grant, in admirable order, imposing to the flesh; but icy, motionless, and resembling a pale legion of the dead. If Puseyism, (and unhappily some of the doctrines which it proclaims are not in England, in that school only)—if Puseyism advance in the English Church, in a few years the sources of her life will be dried. The feverish excitement which the malady at first produced will soon give place to languor, the blood will congeal, the muscles will freeze, and that church shall soon be no more than a dead body, upon which the eagles shall come from all quarters to feed. All forms, papal, patriarchal, episcopal, consistorial, or presbyterian, have no more than human value, human authority. Do not let us value the bark more than the sap, the body above the soul, form above life, the visible church above the invisible, the priest above the Holy Spirit. Let us hate all spirit of sect, ecclesiastical, national, or dissenting, but love Jesus Christ in every sect, ecclesiastical, national, or dissenting. The true catholicity which we have lost, and which we ought to find again, is that of love in the truth. A restoration of the church is necessary-I know it, I feel it, I invoke it from the depth of my soul. Only let us follow after it in the path where it may be found. Forms, ecclesiastical constitutions, and the organization of congregations, have their importance, and even their great importance. But seek we FIRST the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto us. (Matt. vi. 33.)

Let us then, Sirs, be decided and firm in the truth; and in loving those who stray, let us freely march against error. Let us place ourselves upon the eternal rock of ages, which is the word of God, and we will leave all these vain opinions, all these witless innovations, which endlessly are born and die in the world, tumultuously to fall beneath us.

"Two schemes of doctrine," says Dr. Pusey, "the Genevan and the Catholic, are, probably for the last time, struggling within our church." We accept this definition.

One of those who have most forcibly resisted these errors, the Rev. W. Goode, seems to believe that by "the Genevan system," Dr. Pusey meant to designate the Unitarian, Pelagian, Latitudinarian system, the sad fruit of the eighteenth century, which has desolated the church, not only in Geneva, but almost in all Christendom. "According to the well-known Romish tactics," says Mr. Goode, "the opponents of the Tractators are all classed together under that name which, as is supposed, will bring upon them the greatest amount of odium. They belong to the Genevan school."

Truly, sirs, if it was the Unitarian school of Geneva and of England, which was to wrestle with the semi-popish school at Oxford, we might fear the issue. But these teachers will meet in England, in Scotland, in Ireland, and upon the continent, and, if necessary, in our humble little Geneva, other combatants.

Yes, we willingly admit, it is the Catholic and the Genevan systems which now wrestle; but it is the system of ancient Geneva; it is the system of Calvin and of Beza, the system of the Reformation and of the gospel. What they would throw upon us as opprobrium, we receive as an honour; Geneva has set herself for three centuries against Rome; let Geneva now set herself against Oxford.

"I should like," says one of these teachers, "to see the Patriarch of Constantinople and our Archbishop of Canterbury go barefoot to Rome, and fall upon the Pope's neck, and kiss him, and never let him go till they had persuaded him to be reasonable," that is to say, undoubtedly, until he ceased to proclaim them heretics and schismatics. and gave them his hand.

Evangelical christians of Geneva, of England, and of all lands! it is another pilgrimage which you have to make; it is not to Rome that you must direct your steps, "to those seven hills upon

and

which sitteth a woman arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations, (Rev. xvii.) but it is towards that true and perfect tabernacle not made with hands, (Heb. ix.,) towards that throne of mercy where we find grace to help us in our need. (Heb. iv.)

It is not upon the neck of "the man of sin," that you must throw yourselves, covering him with your kisses and tears, but upon the neck of that man of righteousness with whom Jacob wrestled before the day dawned. (Gen. xxxii.) He who is seated at the right hand of God in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. (Eph. i. 20, 21.) Yes, let the children of God arise, in the east and in the west, those who understand the signs of the times, and see that upon the issue of the actual strifes, so diverse, so numerous and so powerful, really depend the destinies of the church; and they shall form a true fraternity, a holy and powerful catholicism, and being but of one heart and one soul, they shall cry as Moses at the departure of the ark in the desert; "Rise up, Lord! and let thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate thee flee before thee." (Num. x. 35.)— D'AUBIGNE.

FRIENDSHIP.

In a world of sin, sorrow, and death, where all are but sojourners, friendship meets man as an incomparable blessing, and by the generality of persons it is thus esteemed. Some have estimated it so highly that they have pronounced life without it not worth enjoying; and correctly has it been styled an antidote for the miseries of human existence, for all the true pleasures of life are enjoyed in friendship; but only souls capable of such refined delights know its indescribable charmthe joy felt in laying open the whole heart to a friend, not concealing follies or weaknesses, for no reserve is allowed where the quality is genuine; the heavier hours of life in such society pass much more swiftly, and even the cold reserved disposition will acknowledge its powerful, irresistible influence: let salutary counsel be imparted when the path is surrounded with diffi

culties; let the balm of peace and consolation be poured into the heart wounded by affliction; in a word, let the voice of a friend be heard, and the spirit which to everything beside is indifferent, shall be roused, shall be tenderly alive to friendship. Words cannot reveal, language is unable to describe, the delightful sensations true friendship imparts; to be cordially united with one, who takes a lively interest in all our concerns, who sincerely rejoices in our prosperity, who can sympathize and almost read those sorrows we cannot disclose, is a privilege to be highly estimated; it gives an additional taste to every enjoyment, and powerfully alleviates every affliction.

Solomon seems thus to have rated it: and in his concise but expressive manner defines "a friend" as one who “loveth at all times," evidently considering that not true friendship which is inconstant; he also recommends this gift of heaven by the oft proved fact, that "there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." A brother he admits is born for adversity, but is not the language of many a heart the counterpart of Solomon's? "There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." In troubles and afflictions we expect sympathy and relief from relatives, but how frequently do we find "a friend" not related to us, not near by connections, the bonds of whose esteem and love prove stronger than those of nature, and who, if effort be necessary, will do more for us than a brother.

Undoubtedly the passage just quoted may with great propriety be applied to Christ, as our heavenly friend; but it is strictly true as to a sincere earthly friend. Where, among brethren, do we meet with a Jonathan, who could affectionately love unto death the man appointed to deprive him of his kingdom? but the young prince "loved David as his own soul;" yes, friendship is the strongest bond of moral union, by which two kindred spirits are so closely united that they appear and become as one. But although thus justly we value the boon, we must not overrate it; we acknowledge that like all earthly things it bears the stamp of imperfection, and though we would cultivate its growth by every means in our power, we would endeavour to bear in mind that there is danger of excess here, and that there is only one being towards whom love and dependence form but one duty.

See then the superiority of friendship with one who is infinite

in power and wisdom, possessed of all excellencies that can recommend a friend, apart from those frailties which lessen the value of that character among men. Who then would not desire the honourable appellation bestowed on Abraham—“the friend of God?" Surely this was his highest title: he was a mighty prince, he was the founder of two powerful nations, the ancestor of a double race of kings; but how contemptible do these descriptions appear when compared with his honourable distinction "the friend of God."

But let us not imagine this dignity to have been peculiar to that illustrious patriarch; far from it-"this honour have all his saints;" did Jehovah personally and by name acknowledge this friendship, and promise peculiar blessings to him and his posterity? "But thou Israel art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend, &c.-hear the words of condescension Christ addressed to all his disciples: "Henceforth I call you not servants, but I have called you friends;" "ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you."

Every believer then is in a state of friendship with God; and it may not be unprofitable to notice a few of those particulars which manifest the superiority of this friendship. There are times when our visits to the dearest earthly friend would be unseasonable, but the presence chamber of Deity is always open; we have ready access there at all times, and in all circumstances; there are thoughts in our bosoms which we cannot reveal to any created mind; there is no subject, however secret its nature, but we can communicate with God upon it, using unreserved freedom, and as the author of all our sensibilities he knows the exact degree in which any trial affects them; there are periods in our pilgrimage when the friend most faithful may be utterly incapable of affording any real service; how frequently has the spirit, wounded and broken by some unexpected affliction, been constrained to use the language of Job, as to creatures: "Miserable comforters are ye all, and physicians of no value." But the heavenly friend can and will afford seasonable and effectual relief, when no other arm can help. See, then, the imperfection that attaches to the most sincere earthly friendship : all-sufficiency, immutability, and perfect faithfulness, are only to be found in the "friend of sinners." Then again, our earthly