charge. When misinformed, it will sometimes authorize horrid crimes with a view of doing God service. But most frequently it is darkened by being inattentive to its charge. Amidst the temptations of the world its voice is silenced; it becomes by degrees hardened, and makes no opposition to the perpetration of any immorality. Lastly, the Holy Spirit of God may be darkened within us by our improperly presuming upon it or by our leading wicked lives.

In the former case, by carrying the idea of inspiration higher than any scriptural warrant allows, a man may be led, as we have often seen, into innumerable follies, and even crimes. The idea of immediate inspiration stamps a divine authority on every thing which a weak mind can imagine. -And when a man quenches the Holy Spirit of God by wickedness, his mind is left under the influence of its greatest darkness.

LXXXI.

He killed James, the brother of John, with the sword; and because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded farther to take Peter also,Acts, xii. 2.

WE have here a remarkable passage. Two of the apostles, James and Peter, on an equal footing, as far as appears, are treated in a different manner. A tyrannical prince seizes them both. James is put to death: Peter is delivered miraculously by an angel.

Now, on the face of the story, there seems to be great partiality. Whence arises this difference in the ways of Providence? Why was one more favoured than the other?

If either was favoured, it seems to have been James. He was immediately taken into glory; while Peter bad a long, laborious life before him, with a cruel death at the end of it.

But we consider neither favour nor distinction meant to either of them. On the face of the trans

VOL. II.

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action

action, we see only God's common mode of dealing with mankind. He leaves us always in uncertainty with regard to the time of our death. One is taken, and another left, without any material difference in the case of either.

Christ's servants have various offices. ordered on this service, another on that.

One, is

One

preaches the gospel, another serves the cause of Christianity by suffering martyrdom.

That there should have been early martyrs in the church, many reasons might be suggested.

They gave a proof of the truth of the gospel that is, of their belief of all those matters of fact on which the truth of the gospel depended. This, no doubt, would strengthen the faith of many new converts.

They afforded also a degree of confirmation to all the gracious promises which Jesus had given his disciples. These promises were always guarded with intimations that they should be hated of all men for his sake; that they should be persecuted, and put to death. They might reasonably, therefore, found a hope, that their blessed Master would never have involved them in suffering, unless he had meant to lead them to glory.

The martyrdom, also, of one of their body was an example to the rest of the apostles. None of them could draw back, after seeing St. James so nobly lead the way.

It would be a test, also, of the faith of novitiates. Our Saviour wanted only true disciples; and wished none to follow him who looked back, after they had put their hands to the plough. He himself often used to bring them to proof, by telling them he had not where to lay his head-and that through much persecution they must enter the kingdom of God.

LXXXII.

They were stoned- they were sawn asunder-they were slain with the sword-being destitute, afflicted, tormented. — Hebrews, xi. 37.

THE Christian church glories in its noble army of martyrs, who bore such variety of torments for the sake of religion.

I do not see much ground, says the objector, for glorying on this occasion. I could bring various instances, from modern times, of persons who have suffered torments and death with equal resolution, and yet without any connection with religion. Look into the accounts of North America particularly: there you will meet with many

well-authenticated narratives of chiefs who have braved the extremes of cruelty with as much fortitude as any of your boasted martyrs.

It is true. The mind of man can exert amazing fortitude, when it is screwed up by some powerful worldly motive, as well as when it is actuated by religion. But the motive should appreciate the

action.