and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus | came into the world to save sinners, even the chief."

DOUBTS OF THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIAN-
ITY A HINDRANCE TO ADVANCEMENT
IN HOLINESS.*

entirely as if they were still dwelling in their own land. "Like the bush of Moses," Bishop Newton observes, "the Jewish nation hath been always burning, but is never consumed. And what a marvellous thing it is, that after so many wars, battles, and sieges,-after so many fires, famines, and pestilences,-after so many rebellions, massacres, and persecutions,-after so many years of captivity, slavery, and misery, they are not BY THE REV. JAMES MARSHALL, A.M., destroyed utterly; and though scattered among all people, yet subsist a distinct people by themselves! Minister of the Tolbooth Parish, Edinburgh. Where is any thing comparable to this to be found in THE miracles of Christ and his apostles were such as all the histories, and in all the nations under the sun?" Omnipotent power alone could achieve, and they are The scheme of salvation, also, which the Bible unstated to have been performed in circumstances that folds, the high-toned morality it inculcates, the submake it impossible they could ever have been credited, lime, elevated devotion it exemplifies and enjoins,-the had they not actually been wrought. To deceive with perfect suitableness of its truths to our circumstances pretended miracles, wrought in obscurity, is easy; but and wants, duties and temptations, are internal evito have made men believe that, in the public streets, dences attesting the divinity of its origin. Nay, the were daily to be seen individuals healing the sick, giving very style and language of the message of inspiration sight to the blind, making the lame to walk, the deaf proclaims its superiority. A modern traveller, on visit to hear, would, unless the statement was correct, have ing the tomb of David, observes, "He is the first of been impossible, each one having only to go and satisfy sentimental poets, the king of lyric bards. Never did himself, whether what had been reported was in accord-human heart-strings sound with such inward, penetratance with fact. Yet we know, when the evangelists ing, and solemn notes. Never did poet's mind soar so announced that such cures were effected by Christ and high, or speak with such propriety. Never did human his apostles, multitudes believed: no one denied the soul unfold itself before its fellow-men, or before the fact of such miracles having been wrought; and myriads Deity, in sentiments so tender, so expressive, so pathesuffered persecution, imprisonment, torture, and death, tic, so inspiring. All the most deeply seated groanings for their adherence to doctrines, in proof of which, of the human heart have found accents and notes on were wrought those wonderful works, for the truth or the lips and harp of this wondrous man. And if we go falsehood of which, they had only to appeal to the evi- back to the remote era, when such songs resounded on dence of their external senses. the earth; if we reflect that, for long after that time, the lyric poetry of the most highly cultivated nations only sung of wine and love, of bloody war, or of the triumphs in the Olympic games, then we cannot avoid being struck with a profound astonishment at the mystic words of the royal prophet, who speaks to the Deity as one friend to another, who understands and praises his wonderful works, who admires his justice, implores his mercy, and seems to be an anticipative echo of evangelical poetry, repeating the words of Christ before hearing them. Read Horace or Pindar, if you will, after perusing a psalm: for my own part, I cannot do it."*

The prophecies of Scripture, foretelling the history of individuals, of families, of communities, of empires, -predicting what we see realized in the present day, -the miserable, degraded condition of the posterity of Ham-the desolation of Nineveh, Babylon, and Tyrethe dispersion, blindness, and unbelief of the Jews-the removal of their candlestick from the Seven Churches of Asia-the dominion of the Man of Sin-the gradual decline of the Turkish empire,-bear testimony to the Bible having emanated from a Being who is omniscient and omnipresent, before whom futurity is as unveiled as the present or the past.

Or if we confine our attention to one particular branch of Scripture prophecy,-the present state of the Jews,-it presents an evidence the most satisfactory of Divine inspiration. As early as the days of Moses, it was declared, "The Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other." Deut. xxviii. 64. "Yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the Lord their God." Lev. xxvi. 44. No one can be ignorant of the remarkable manner in which these prophecies have been fulfilled.

"O Israel, of all nations most undone !
Thy diadem displaced, thy sceptre gone;
Thy temple, once thy glory, fallen and rased,
And thou a worshipper, e'en where thou mayst;
Thy services once holy, without spot,
Mere shadows now, their ancient pomp forgot;

Thy Levites, once a consecrated host,"

No longer Levites, and their lineage lost:

And thou thyself o'er every country sown,

With none on earth that thou canst call thine own."

Yet this people, thus scattered over the whole earth, are preserved, and retain their national identity as The work from which this extract is taken, entitled "Inward Revival," has been recently published; and it is pleasing to perceive, that the author's well-known piety and Christian worth are apparent in every page. The subject of which it treats is one of vital importance to every individual; and, we are convinced, that no one, who carefully reads the treatise, can fail to derive much benefit from the perusal. The various motives and hindrances to advancement in holiness are set forth with a simplicity, and fervour, and unction, which will render the book a favourite with the Christian public;

and the beautiful selections, from the writings of our best authors, with which it is enriched, tend greatly to enhance its value.

The blessed effects that have resulted from Christianity to individuals, communities, and nations, afford additional evidence of its truth. Wherever its blessed doctrines have been promulgated, and cordially and practically embraced, civilization has advanced, the arts and sciences have flourished, civil government has been rendered subservient to the public benefit, the rights of property have been respected, the law of kindness recognised, and the different orders of society led to consult and advance their mutual interests and happiness. Whereas, where Christianity is unknown, or where it has been corrupted or rejected, we can have little difficulty in recognising the traits the Apostle Paul enumerates, as characterising the heathen of his day," Filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affections, implacable, unmerciful." Rom. i. 29, &c. “It had been the constant boast of Infidels, that their system, more liberal and generous than Christianity, needed but to be tried, to produce an immense acces. sion to human happiness; and Christian nations, careless and supine, retaining little religion but the profession, and disgusted with its restraints, lent a favourable ear to these pretensions. God permitted the trial to be made. In one country, and that the centre of Christendom, Revelation underwent a total eclipse; while

• Lamartine's Travels,

God, and if the Scripture is the Word of God, Chris-
tianity must be true."

"O how unlike the complex works of man,
Heaven's easy, artless, unencumbered plan!
No meretricious graces to beguile,

No clust'ring ornament to clog the pile;!
From ostentation, as from weakness, free,
It stands, like the Cerulean arch we see,-
Majestic in its own simplicity."

formance, the Scripture chronology, history, and style, | as would have overwhelmed ine, if God had not been my strength. But here I saw also much of the mercy of God, that he let not out these terrible and dangerous temptations upon me while I was weak, and in the infancy of my faith, for then I had never been able to stand them. But faith is like a tree, whose top is small, while the root is young and shallow, and therefore is not so liable to the shaking winds and tempests. But as the top groweth higher, so the root also grows greater, and deeper fixed, to cause it to endure its JOHN KNOX, THE SCOTTISH REFORMER.* greater assaults."

The temptations with which Baxter and Halyburton were thus assailed, are by no means uncommon. Christian ministers, who are in the habit of confidential intercourse with their people, will be familiar with such | causes of spiritual perplexity and dejection.

Nor is it difficult to perceive the advantage the great adversary of our souls must gain, when he succeeds to any extent in thus shaking our confidence in the authority of that book on which we are so dependent for "doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." The mariner may be anxious to advance in his course; he may be ready to make every exertion to accelerate his progress; but deprive him, amidst shoals, and rocks, and quicksands, of his chart, or of confidence in its accuracy, and he will speedily diverge from the right way, become exposed to peril, and probably make shipwreck. And the believer's course being amidst dangers, difficulties, and temptations, the Bible being his chart infallibly and invariably pointing out the way he is to pursue, furnishing with motives for diligence in his exertions, telling him how he may be strengthened for the efforts he has to make, and revealing a haven of peace and eternal rest, -when Satan succeeds in shaking his faith in the Divine authority of Scripture, he obstructs the grand avenue of communication between God and his soul, tears from beneath him the foundation on which he is building for eternity, and leaves him on this tempestuous sea, without light, comfort, or guidance.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

PART I.

JOHN KNOX, the great and distinguished Reformer of Scotland, was born in the year 1505, at the village of Gifford, in East Lothian, if not in Haddington, the county town, to which some authorities incline, though not on very conclusive grounds. He was descended from an ancient family in Renfrewshire, and his parents, who were respectable, gave him a liberal education, an advantage which at that time was far from being common. Having received the rudiments of his knowledge at Haddington, he was sent to the University of Glasgow, where, it is believed, he soon made considerable progress, under the tuition of John Major, a celebrated professor of philosophy and theology, who entertained opinions opposed to the lofty pretensions of the Papacy. Knox subsequently commenced teaching philosophy himself,-most probably as a regent in one of the colleges of the university of St Andrews, and having been advanced to clerical orders, he was, through his own merit, ordained as a priest in the Romish Church before he had reached the usual age of twenty-five.

An important change, however, soon took place in his religious sentiments. From reading the fathers of the Christian Church, particularly Jerome and Augustine, he not only became acquainted with tenets very different from those taught in the Romish Church, but was led to the study of the blessed Scriptures of truth themselves. This occurred when he was about thirty years of age; and though, from that period, his mind was gradually preparing for the reception of evangelical religion, it does not appear that he professed himself a Protestant till nearly seven years afterwards.

Persons labouring under the influence of such doubts of the truth of Christianity, will find the vigorous, devout consideration of some of its leading evidence important in overcoming the influence of a hindrance so distressing. Many Christians have not time to peruse the valuable treatises in which such evidences are discussed, and many have not had an opportunity of cultivating the habits of reasoning and abstraction, that The change in his views first discovered itself in his are necessary to a discriminating, comprehensive estimate of all the arguments by which the claims of Chris- philosophical lectures, in which he began to forsake the tianity are enforced. But every one can understand scholastic path, and to recommend to his pupils a more the reasoning of Nicodemus,-" No man can do these rational and useful method of study. As from this he miracles that thou doest, except God be with him;" proceeded to reprehend the corruptions that prevailed and can perceive how impossible it would have been to in the Church, he became an object of suspicion to the make men believe that such miracles were wrought daily in the public streets, unless they had actually been bigoted Romanists; and soon perceiving it dangerous performed. All can estimate the impossibility of preto remain longer at St Andrews, which was wholly dicting future events without the guidance of inspira- under the power of Cardinal Beatoun, a determined tion; all can judge of the admirable suitableness of the enemy to all reform, he retired to the south of ScotChristian scheme to the wants and circumstances of land, where in a short time he avowed his belief of the nan, and how entirely different it is from what would Protestant doctrine. Sentence was thereupon passed ever have suggested itself to any human imagination. He was degraded from the The observation of the celebrated author of the "Night against him as an heretic. Thoughts," a few days before his death, must come priesthood; and assassins, according to the authority home to every unbiassed mind:" My friend, there of Beza, were employed by the Cardinal to waylay him, are two considerations upon which my faith in Christ by whose hands he must have fallen, had not Proviis built as upon a rock. The fall of man, the redemp-dence placed him under the protection of Douglas of tion of man, and the resurrection of man-the three cardinal articles of our religion-are such as human ingenuity never could have invented, therefore they must be Divine. The other argument is this,-If the prophecies have been fulfilled, of which there is abundant demonstration, the Scripture must be the Word of

Baxter's Life and Times.

Langniddrie.

During the latter years of the reign of James V., the

The following Sketch, for which we are indebted to an intelligent friend, is founded chiefly on the admirable Life of Knox, by the late Rev. Dr M'Crie; and we may take this occasion to state, that a full Biography of the excellent and talented historian of Knox, is about to issue from the press, written by his son, the Rev. Thomas M'Crie.

principles of the Reformation had been making consi. | derable progress in Scotland; and the political changes which took place on the death of that monarch, in 1542, could not entirely prevent their further increase. Cardinal Beatoun, the chief supporter of the Romish Church, had endeavoured to secure to himself the regency during the minority of the young Queen Mary; but the Earl of Arran, who was attached to the new tenets, obtained the Government,—and Henry VIII. seized the opportunity of pressing a union between his son Edward and the successor to the Scottish crown. The Arran party, however, proved too weak to carry all their designs into execution; and the Regent found it politically expedient publicly to abjure the Reformed faith, while Mary herself was betrothed to the Dauphin, and sent to France for education. Arran bad, nevertheless, been an instrument in the hands of Providence for the dissemination of evangelical truth;—his chaplains had converted many Romanists, and the Parliament had declared it lawful for all classes to read the Scriptures in the vernacular tongue.

To one of the Regent's preachers, Thomas Guillaume or Williams, a native of Athelstaneford, in East Lothian, and formerly a Dominican monk, Knox was indebted for much insight into the beauties of evangelical truth; and the impression made upon him was greatly deepened under the able preaching of the pious and amiable George Wishart, who was subsequently put to death, at the instigation of Cardinal Beatoun.

Having relinquished all thoughts of officiating in the Church which had invested him with clerical orders, Knox became tutor to the sons of the Lairds of Ormiston and Langniddrie, in East Lothian. He was very attentive to the religious instruction of the youths committed to his charge, and catechised them publicly at a small chapel in the neighbourhood of Langniddrie, in which, at stated times, he also expounded the Scriptures. This proceeding was not without danger, as the influence of the Cardinal led the existing authorities to persecute, even unto death, all who presumed to depart from the regulations of the Romish Church. As an instance of the cruelty exercised against them, it may be mentioned that four respectable men were executed at Perth for eating a goose on Friday; and a young woman was drowned, with a child at her breast, because she did not invoke the Virgin Mary in her labour. But, in the midst of his cruelties, and while planning still more desperate deeds, the Cardinal was himself suddenly cut off,-a. conspiracy having been formed against his life by a small but determined band, who seized upon the Castle of St Andrews, in which he resided, and put him to death on the 29th of May 1546. This event did not, however, free Knox from persecution. Hamilton, who was nominated to the vacant bishoprick, sought his life with as great eagerness as his predecessor; and Knox was, in consequence, obliged to conceal himself, and remove from place to place, for safety. Wearied with this mode of living, he at length, in the year 1547, after giving up an intention he had formed of leaving Scotland, entered the Castle of St Andrews, for the purpose of prosecuting the education of his young charge. This stronghold, which was in the hands of the conspirators, afforded at the time an asylum to a great number of Protestants; and in its chapel Knox continued a lecture on St John's Gospel,

which he had begun to read to his pupils at Langniddrie, and catechised them publicly in the parish church belonging to the city.

He was shortly afterwards invited to become colleague to John Rough, who at this time officiated as preacher to the garrison, and was afterwards condemned to the flames. Knox having declined this invitation, on the ground that he had no call to the employment, and | disliked being guilty of intrusion, it was arranged, without his knowledge, that an invitation should be given to him publicly,

On the day fixed for the purpose, Rough preached a sermon suitable to the occasion; and, at the conclusion of it, turning to Knox, who was present, addressed him in these words :—“ Brother, you shall not be offended, although I speak unto you that which I have in charge, even from all those that are here present, which is this: In the name of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ, and in the name of all that presently call you by my mouth, I charge you that you refuse not this holy vocation, but as you tender the glory of God, the increase of Christ's kingdom, the edification of your brethren, and the comfort of me, whom you understand well enough to be oppressed by the multitude of labours, that you take the public office and charge of preaching, even as you look to avoid God's heavy displeasure, and desire that he shall multiply his graces unto you." Then, addressing himself to the congregation, he said, "Was not this your charge unto me? and do you not approve this vocation?" They all answered, "It was; and we approve it." Overwhelmed by this unexpected and solemn charge, Knox, after an ineffectual attempt to address the audience, burst into tears, rushed out of the assembly, and shut himself up in his chamber.

After much serious deliberation, on the importance, responsibility, and solemnity of the ministerial office, he composed his mind to engage in the work to which he was thus called, relying on Him who had engaged to make his strength perfect in the weakness of his servants; and resolved, with the apostle," not to count his life dear, that he might finish with joy the ministry which he received of the Lord, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God."

A discussion which he had at this time with Dean John Annand, Principal of St Leonard's College, contributed to fix his wavering resolution, and to induce his immediate compliance with the call of the congregation. This polemic, at a public disputation in the parish church, driven from all his strongholds in argument, by the superior skill and information of his opponent, took refuge in the doctrine of the infallible authority of the Church. Knox replied, that before they could submit to such a summary determination of the matters in controversy, it was necessary to ascertain the true Church, by the marks given in Scripture." For," said he, "as for your Roman Church, as it is now corrupted, wherein stands the hope of your victory, I no more doubt that it is the synagogue of Satan, and the head thereof, called the Pope, to be that Man of Sin of whom the apostle speaks, than I doubt that Jesus Christ suffered by the procurement of the visible Church of Jerusalem. Yea, I offer, myself, by word or writing, to prove the Roman Church this day farther degenerate from the purity which was in the days of the apostles, than was the Church of the Jews from the

ordinances given by Moses, when they consented to the innocent death of Jesus Christ."

The people, on hearing this bold charge, declared, that if it was true they had been miserably deceived, and demanded proof of what he had so confidently affirmed. The following Sabbath was accordingly fixed on for this purpose.

On the day appointed, in presence of the members of the University, the sub-prior of the Abbey, and a great number of canons and friars, Knox, with great eloquence and ability, proceeded to the proof of what he had undertaken. He did not, like the preachers who had preceded him, content himself with refuting some of the grosser errors of the established religion, but struck boldly at the very root of Popery itself; showing the Pope to be Antichrist, and the whole system erroneous and unscriptural. This sermon occasioned great sensation in the public mind, and gave rise to much speculation among all classes of the people.

From Rouen they sailed to Nantes, and lay on the Loire during the following winter; at which period Knox composed an able work on the duty of prayer. After some time, the galleys returned to Scotland, and continued for a while on the east coast, watching for English vessels, where Knox was seized with so alarming an attack of fever that his life was despaired of. While they lay on the coast between Dundee and St Andrews, Mr (afterwards Sir James) Balfour pointed to the spires of the latter, and asked him if he knew the place; "Yes," replied the sickly and emaciated captive, "I know it well; for I see the steeple of that place where God first opened my mouth in public to his glory; and I am fully persuaded, how weak soever I now appear, that I shall not depart this life till my tongue shall glorify his godly name in the same place!"

The prisoners were afterwards confined at Rouen, Mont St Michel, and other places; and in the year1549, after an imprisonment of nineteen months, Knox obtain. ed his liberty, but in what manner is not well ascer

of the favour there shown to Protestant doctrine, during the minority of Edward VI., and was, from his reputation and talents, subsequently sent by the Privy Council to preach statedly at Berwick. Here his labours were very successful, and great numbers were converted by his ministry. During his residence at this place Knox had paid his addresses to a grand-daughter of Sir Ralph Bowes of Streatlam, but the marriage was not solemnized for some time afterwards; probably on account of the presumed aversion of her father.

A convention of the learned men of the Abbey and University was immediately called, and held in St Leo-tained. He afterwards repaired to England, on account nard's Yards, before which Knox and Rough were summoned to appear. Nine articles having been exhibited against them, Knox conducted the defence, for himself and his colleague, with much acuteness and moderation; and the meeting at length terminated in the signal defeat of a Greyfriar named Arbugkill, on whom the sub-prior had devolved the argument, and who, to the astonishment even of his own party, in his ignorance affirmed, that he apostles had not received the Holy Ghost when they wrote the epistles. Instructed by the issue of this convention, the Papists avoided further disputation, which tended only to injure their cause. Had the Castle of St Andrews been in their power, they would soon have silenced these troublesome preachers, but, as matters stood, more moderate and crafty measures were necessary; and, in order to exclude the reformed preachers from the parish church, orders were issued that all the learned men of the Abbey and University should preach there by turns, every Sunday, and abstain from any of the controverted points. Knox, however, continued his public labours on other days, and rejoiced that Jesus Christ was preached, and that nothing was publicly spoken against the truth. He was so successful in his ministrations, that besides the garrison in the castle, a great number of the inhabitants of the town, renounced Popery, and made profession of the Protestant faith by partaking of the Lord's Supper, being the first time this holy ordinance had been publicly dispensed in Scotland according to the reformed mode.

Knox's labours at St Andrews were not, however, permitted to continue longer than a few months. In the end of June 1547, a French fleet, with a land force, arriving to the assistance of the Governor, the castle was invested by land and sea, and, after a brave and vigorous resistance, the besieged surrendered, on the last day of July, on condition that their lives should be spared, and that they should be conveyed to France, and from thence to any other country which they might prefer, except Scotland. They accordingly embarked, but were shortly afterwards captured by the French, before Rouen, as prisoners of war. Knox was confined, with others, on board the galleys, loaded with fetters, and exposed to many hardships and indignities.

In 1550, a charge being exhibited against Knox, before Tonstal, Bishop of Durham, he delivered at Newcastle an able defence of his doctrine in the presence of that diocesan, the Clergy of the Cathedral, and some lay authorities, which seems to have had the effect of preventing further prosecution. He continued at Berwick during the remainder of this year, and in 1551 removed to Newcastle. The Privy Council appointed him that year, one of the six chaplains in Ordinary to King Edward, two of whom required to be present with the Court, while the other four itinerated by turns.

In a memorable Sermon preached at Newcastle about Christmas, 1552, Knox severely condemned the inveterate opposition of the Romanists to evangelic truth. His language on this occasion being greatly misrepresented, he was summoned to repair immediately to London, and answer for his conduct before the Privy Council; after hearing his defence, he was not only honourably acquitted, but was employed to preach before the Court, where his sermons gave great satisfaction especially to the young and amiable king, who contracted a favour for him and desired his promotion in the Church. It was resolved that he should preach in the pulpits of the metropolis, as well as in those of the southern counties, during the following year; and about this time he was offered not only the benefice of All Hallows in London, but even the high honour of elevation to the episcopal bench, both of which he saw it his duty to decline.

The lamented death of Edward VI. took place in the month of July, 1553, to the great grief of Knox, and all the friends of the Protestant religion, and for the five succeeding years their cause was often sur.