we

cause the two Synods are so. Bodies changeable in their sentiments, and from year to year partaking of the varying influence of the times, are no standard for fixed principles however highly we estimate the talents and orthodoxy of the Synod of Ulster, when we examine its own proceedings connected with the Institution in 1824, 25 and 26, and when we consider the indirect support afforded by itself, orthodox as it is, to Arianism, cannot regard its protests as of sufficient weight to prevent a more distinct pledge. The Seceders' Synod has no authority direct or indirect in the Institution, and has been contented with a strong, and we are convinced, a sincere declaration against Arianism. Nor are we satisfied at being told that the obnoxious individuals are only elected to the Professorships of Greek, Latin and Hebrew, to the Headmasterships of the Classical and English Schools, and to the Professorship of Elocution:-It might be difficult to select more dangerous subjects of lecture; they who are acquainted with the Socinian controversy, even slightly, must be aware of the philological character it has assumed; and that a professor lecturing in Greek or Hebrew cannot avoid, if sincere, giving a view of his religion in discussing his grammatical opinions-we would as soon expect a Christian geologist to suffer his class to depart in ignorance of his belief in a first cause. We say nothing of the influence which the masters of the schools must have, of the confidence which affection reposes, and talent and exertion claim, of the colour given to opinion even by the daily and hourly occurring conversation, of the partizanship which of course, attends a division of interest, of the opinion expressed in the pulpit, or escaping in the lecture. We feel the influence of these things to be so important, that though not visited we trust with more illiberality than belongs to consistent churchmen of the present day, we would not trust our children to the daily instructions and teaching upon any, even the most indifferent subject, of a person, from whose religious opinions, we had occasion decidedly to dissent. If any principle be powerful, it is religion; if any influences the manner, the character, the gait of life, it is religion; and the youthful pupil who respects the taste of the classic, or the skill of the mathematician, will imperceptibly imbibe a feeling of respect for the sentiments of the theologian. It is not as a professor merely, but as a schoolmaster, we would dread the disciple of Socinus or Priestley.

We are quite aware that Messrs. Foster and Glassford have exposed themselves to all the obloquy and censure of the advocates of modern liberality,—of those who are too philosophical to have any, or to have religious opinions :-that they will hear in a country possessing a national religion, that the State has nothing to do with religious opinions, and although enquiry has a thousand times disproved the want of evidence in the assertion, that Newton and Locke were Arians. We have descended to argue the case on independent grounds, and with scarcely a glance at the peculiarity of the creed in question, but we would be sorry to leave it so we would call upon all the Presbyterians, who with a late Moderator feel anxious to stem the

progress of heresy, to add the weight of their sentiments to the recorded opinions of the two Commissioners; and we trust that the representative of a University, which not long since. refused a professorship to the most accomplished botanist in the empire, because his sentiments were suspected of Arianism, will perceive the importance of guarding Presbyterianism in Ireland from the dangers of invidous invasion. No plea of want can be advanced, no excuse of numbers set forth, no charge of intolerance brought; the measure is but defensive, and while we have some doubts as to whether the plan, the very moderate plan proposed by Messrs. Foster and Glassford will be effectual, we hope for the sake of the interests of sound religion, that some mode of protecting those interests will be adopted. In conclusion, we would express, as advocates for the principles of toleration, no less than as attached to the principle of sound religion, we would express our gratitude to the protesting members of the commission, and our full concurrence in their sentiments. We would rejoice at their emancipation from that piseudoliberality, with which we must take the liberty of saying, their good sense and good feeling seemed on a former occasion to be enthralled, and while we can promise them the fervent gratitude and thanks of all who value true religion, and the future acknowledgments of posterity, we would express our acknowledgments, that in a day of spurious liberality and pretensions, there are found some whom .. Non civium ardor prava jubentium

"Non vultus instantis tyranni

"Mente quatit solida.—Hor. Lib. Od. iii. 3.

RELIGIOUS COMMUNICATIONS.

GOD'S GREAT QUESTION.

One shall hardly look with any degree of attention upon the state of men in this world without being struck by the circumstance, how very unequally the good things of this life are distributed. When speaking of this inequality, the ideas are apt to busy themselves about the distinctions between the great and the little ones of earth, between those who wear diadems and coronets, and those who wear none, or at least about the distinctions between those who enjoy an affluence which removes the necessity of a single thought about to-morrow, and those who are compelled to use forecast and ingenuity and effort to secure their daily bread. Unquestionably between such classes there lies a broad line of distinction, and they are unequally placed. But there is an inequality which far surpasses this, and in comparison of which, the degrees of difference between others are as nothing we mean the inequality which exists between the state of him, who is enabled with a reasonable confidence to calculate upon obtaining every day, wholesome food and comfortable rai

ment, and the shelter of a roof against the extremities of the summer's heat, or the bitings of the winter's cold; and the state of him who is secure of none of these things, who coarsely fed, and covered with rags to-day, has yet the additional misery of an anticipated suffering, and knows not, whether even to-morrow's sun when it is going down, shall see him provided with the bare pittance necessary for the preservation of a painful existence, We are very apt to look at those above us, and to measure the degrees which separate us from the highest style of human dignity as being of great dimensions; but did we accustom ourselves to compare our state with the state of those below us, we would find that it was here indeed the difference lay. There seems at first sight, certainly, a mighty distance between the circumstances of a plain tradesman labouring for his daily sustenance, and the golden splendour which burns about the seat of royalty. But if the distance be compared with the distance which lies between that tradesman and the miserable being, who, when he rises from the lap of that cold earth upon which he has stretched his wasted limbs, is ignorant how he shall procure the means of life for himself and for those whom, perhaps, he loves as himself, the former distance great as it appeared at first sight, absolutely vanishes into insignificance.

When we say then, that to one looking attentively upon the state of things in this world, there appears a great inequality in the distribution of its good things-we allude to this inequality, which lies between the person who possesses an every day portion no matter how humble, and the person who withers under an every day beggary. But there is a point of view from which all this appears as nothing. There are lofty mountains upon this earth of ours, mountains so high as that they rear their peaks far above the region of the stormy tempest, and look down from their elevation upon the labouring clouds that carry within their breasts those winged lightnings which terrify the nations underneath. Their height indeed above the level of this globe appears enormous, but it is great only in the way of comparison between one mountain and another could our eyes take in at one glance the face of this our world, all this apparent elevation would sink to nothing. To him who could from a distance survey, our hemisphere, there would be no inequality worth speaking of, all would appear level, and the high hills, (high as they seem to those who are in their neighbourhood, and who look upward to their summits,) would bear no more proportion to the surface of this earth, and take no more from its apparent roundness, than a grain of sand would be to the surface of an apple.

Now it is with moral things as with material, exactly. Those differences in temporal circumstances which affect us so much, would be all invisible, as it were, to the eye of a spirit looking down from heaven upon the children of men. One common calamity under which they labour, which would of course be discernible to him, would reduce all to perfect equality in his estimation. We talk of mighty distinctions; an angel could see none. He could just say as did an Apostle of old, "there is no difference." But why? "For all have sinned and come short of the

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glory of God." Yes, all, high and low, rich and poor, are sinners; and this common sinfulness which thus reduces men to a dreadful level of wretchedness and guilt, would be that which above all, would strike the sight, and occupy the attention of a denizen of heaven.

Now this is only a case of supposition. But what shall we say to a case of fact. What shall we say, that if the very God who made this world, and the human beings which tenant it: what, if he looking upon them, and seeing that they had wants and urgent ones, determined to supply their necessities, and seeing that they laboured under the pressure of a grievous evil, determined on its removal. The thing is undeniable. We know, not only that God looked upon our earth, but came and trod its surface, not only beheld the state of men, but came to redress it, and to put them into the possession of what they never otherwise could have the possession of happiness. Jesus Christ has come amongst us, he has come to propose to our attention the nature and objects of his heavenly mission, as being of all others, preeminently those which should occupy us. He has come in fact, to put a great and deeply interesting question to us, in which is bound up all our joy, or all our sorrow. Has he come then to say to the poor, wilt thou have wealth? has he come to say to the great, wilt thou have permanency of greatness? has he come to say to the enterprising, wilt thou have success? or to the ambitious wilt thou have glory? or even to the sick, wilt thou have restored health? No, these things are not the things to which he calls us to attend, but He puts one mighty soul-searching question, to every individual in this world, however circumstanced or wherever placed. Wherever there be a human being within sound of the Gospel, and within reach of the words of life, then to that individual Jesus saith, "Wilt thou be made whole ?"

Taking this interrogatory then as containing the substance of that question, which it may be fairly said, the God of heaven puts to every soul, when he announces to him the coming of his Son in the flesh to die for sinners? taking it thus, where within the wide range of possibility could we find another, which should so shake our very hearts to the centre? Could there be framed almost, a question more startling, considering that He who puts it, is a being of infinite wisdom, to whom are known all things from the beginning, even to the end? Heaven as it were is opened, a voice proeeeds from out of its bright portals. God is about to bestow some mighty blessing, and he would ask, are we desirous to possess it. It is infinite power which speaks; he who can give whatever (yea far beyond whatever) entered into the mind of man to conceive. God says, Wilt thou ?” But what is to follow? our hearts hasten to fill up the blank with some ideal earthly joy, some coming blessing long wished for, now perhaps to be possessed. Alas, ye deceived hearts, God speaks of none of these things, for it is wisdom which speaks as well as power, it is only "Wilt thou be made whole ?"

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The question then, thus put from the world above, to this the world below, is, we repeat, a most awful one. What shall be said f the answer? For the question, be it observed, has been an

swered. This world has declared its sentiments upon the subject of salvation through a crucified Redeemer. Does Jesus the mighty God say to the children of earth individually, "Wilt thou be made whole ?" The world replies to God, "We will not. We "do not need salvation, for we are under no condemnation from "God, and need no reconciliation to him. We are quite conipe❝tent to stand in our own strength, and can of ourselves secure "God's favour, and will assuredly go to heaven by our own deservings." This is, many will allow, a fearful method of reply. Perhaps some of us are shocked to think of such return being made by sinners to a God who has wrought such great things for them, and at the idea of such a message of mercy, being so met and so insulted. But let us observe, that perhaps, many of us are not shocked enough, for many of us are not aware that we may have ourselves replied in this manner unto the Almighty. True, we may never have uttered such language. But have not actions a voice? If a man shut his door upon some person approaching, need he tell that person in words that there is no admittance for him? Clearly not, the action speaks. But what does Christ say to us all, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if any man open the door, I will enter in." How have we acted, in this matter? Have we all opened our hearts to Jesus Christ? Have we put aside our ignorances, and our pride, and our prejudices, and made a free passage, and made haste to meet the Saviour? Are we all, young and old, converted persons, or persons longing for and seeking after God, as the hart panteth after the water-brooks? If we know what the terms of a Gospel salvation are, we must know also whether we have complied with them, or whether we are seeking to bring our minds (rather indeed to have our minds brought) into such a frame. Or to bring the matter down to the very lowest point, DO we count the kingdom of God and his righteousness the first things? Are they mainly what occupy us? We speak here only of what conscience may say, we speak not of what we might think it right to tell one another. We speak of that voice which is heard only within the recesses of the heart. A very feeble voice indeed often, but yet one at the sound of which many a soul has trembled that would not quail at the loudest thunders of the heavens above, or at the threatenings of combined mankind. We know what our conscience whispers; our fellows perhaps never shall know. Perhaps no human being but ourselves, will ever be made acquainted with it. But the hour is coming when it shall be known to all men; and now even it is known to God. He who has said to each of us, " Wilt thou be made whole." He knows whether we have complied with that offer, and have surrendered ourselves to his teaching and his care.

As we think ourselves borne out in saying, that there never could be framed by the ingenuity of man, a question of more awful import, so we think too, it is but just to say of it, there never could be framed a question more full of comfort and consolation. As it implies our utter ruin by sin it is awful. As it tells us (and it does tell us) that unless we be born again of the Spirit, unless our spiritual hearts receive the healing touch of a