HOLY FIRE. A passage in one of the letters of the Rev. John Fletcher, contains much instruction on this point. He says, "In one thing I have seen my error. An over eagerness to the doctrine of the Spirit, has made me in some degree, overlook the medium by which the Spirit works; I mean the word of truth, which is the word by which the heavenly fire warms us. I rather expected lightning, than a steady fire by means of fuel. I mention my errors to you, lest you too should be involved therein."

PULPIT SIMPLICITY.-The amiable Legh Richmond, the fascinating author of "The Dairyman's Daughter," and other kindred publications, was in his preaching remarkably plain and familiar, so as to be understood by the most unlearned in his congregation; nor was he satisfied, till he had explained his idea, and placed it in every point of view. He used to refer his friends, who conversed with him on the subject of preaching, to the advice of his college tutor, "Don't use terms of science. The people have no abstract ideas; they cannot understand comparisons and allusions remote from all their habits. Take words of Saxon derivation, and not such as are derived from Latin and Greek. Talk riches, not affluence; of trust, not confidence. Present the same idea in a varied form, and take care that you understand the subject well yourself. If you be intelligent you will be intelligible."

PULPIT TENDERNESS.-The Rev. Andrew Bonar tells us that on one occasion, meeting the late Rev. R. M. M'Cheyne, that lovely young minister asked him, what the subject of his last Sabbath's sermon had been, and on being told that the text was "The wicked shall be turned into hell," he asked, "Were you able to preach it with tenderness?" Admirably does his biographer add, "Certain it is that the tone of reproach, and upbraiding is widely different from the voice of solemn warning. It is not saying hard things that pierces the consciences of our people; it is the voice of Divine love heard amid the thunder. The sharpest point of the two-edged sword is not death, but life, and against self-righteous souls this latter ought to be more used than the former. For such souls can hear us tell of the open gates of hell, and the unquenchable fire far more unconcernedly than of the gates of heaven wide open for their immediate return. When we preach that the glad tidings were intended to impart immediate assurance of eternal life to every sinner that believes them, we strike deeper upon the proud enmity of the world to God, than when we show the eternal curse and second death."

CYRIL OF JERUSALEM,

AND OTHER DIVINES OF THE FOURTH CENTURY.

BY THE EDITOR.

THE progress of learning, piety and every thing ennobling to humanity was downward during this century. The leading causes, as we have before intimated, were undoubtedly the usurpation of ecclesiastical control by the emperor, thus uniting church and state, secularizing the clergy and laity, sacrificing the commands of God and conscience to expediency, making baptism a saving ordinance, and changing it from its primitive mode, and in fine, ushering into Christendom all the errors and abominations of the "mother of harlots." There were some, however, who were not so entirely corrupted as to bow down to Baal. They opposed, but with little success, the encroachments upon primitive simplicity and piety.

Eusebius Pamphili, seems to have been the first literary man and divine of distinction in the fourth century; but unhappily he was much influenced by the worldliness and party strife with which he was surrounded, and imbibed some erroneous sentiments, on account of which he is classed with the Arians. He was born probably about the year A. D. 270, at Cæsarea, but flourished principally in the fourth century. He is the first uninspired ecclesiastical historian, as Hegesippus and some others who preceded him only wrote a brief history of the church in their own times. Eusebius has given us a history of the same during the first three centuries, and, though it is fragmentary and partial to Episcopacy, still it furnishes to modern historians a great amount of information, without which their histories would be extremely deficient. Eusebius spent most of his life at Cæsarea, the place of his nativity. He was very intimate with the martyr Pamphylus, until that devoted christian was executed, A. D. 309. Eusebius then fled to Tyre, and thence to Egypt, to escape the fate of his friend. After the persecution closed he returned to his native city in 314, and was elected bishop. He acted an important part in the celebrated Council of Nice, A. D. 325. He had the offer of the patriarchal chair of Antioch; but refused to accept of it. He wrote many important works, twenty of which alone are extant. He died about A. D. 340. It is a remarkable fact that throughout the whole of his ecclesiastical History not a word is said about infant bap tism; though the subject of baptism is mentioned in several ploces The former had been practised to some extent in cases of extreme sick

ness, nearly a century before the time of Eusebius, but was not adopted generally, even by what was called the "Catholic Church" till about a century after his death.

Athanasius was a distinguished opposer of Arianism. He was born at Alexandria, about A. D. 298, was well educated, and in 319 ordained a deacon. He was an influential member of the Council of Nice in 325, and acquired high reputation by his able defense of the truth. When twenty-seven or twenty-eight years of age, he became bishop of Alexandria, and for half a century was at the head of the party that opposed Arianism. Finally the enemies to the truth raised a storm of persecu tion against him. He was falsely accused, unjustly condemned, and banished in 336 to Treves in Belgium. Two years after he was allowed to return; but was soon persecuted again He was in exile several years, and it was while concealed at Alexandria, and among the Hermits of Egypt, that he wrote most of his celebrated works, which were generally controversial, consisting of Letters, Tracts, and some brief expositions of the scriptures. What is called the Athanasian Creed, is falsely ascribed to him, as it is undoubtedly a fabrication of a later period.Athanasius died A. D. 373, aged about seventy-five years, much lamented by the orthodox part of the community.

Epiphanius was somewhat celebrated as an historian and scholar, being acquainted with the Hebrew, Syriac, Egyptian, Greek, and Latin languages. He was born at Bezanduca, not far from Jerusalem, about A. D. 310, and died A. D. 403, aged 90. He was a great controversialist, engaging with enthusiasm in all of the prominent theological discussions of his time. Among other works, he wrote a history of Christian sects down to his time. But on account of his want of judgment, rash

ness and mistakes, little confidence is placed in his statements.

Cyril is thought to have been born at Jerusalem about the year 315, and became deacon of the church in his native city about A. D. 335.— He was appointed a presbyter about three years afterwards, and bishop in place of Maximus after the death of the latter. He took strong ground against the Arian heresy, and in consequence was twice deposed; but was again reinstated and occupied the same post when he died, A. D. 386. He was generally orthodox and conservative in his theological views. His writings in reference to the Christian church are of great importance to us, as he has been much more minute in respect to its ordinances than any other writer of so early a period His twentythree lectures to catechumens in respect to baptism and other rites are invaluable. In respect to baptism he utters his views unequivocally in favor of immersion. When speaking of the descent of the Spirit's influences at the season of Pentecost, he says: "For as he,

d evðuvæv ev toig idaơi, who is pluuged in water and baptized is encompassed, лuvταɣwoɛv, on all sides, by the water, so were they completely baptized by the Spirit. The water envelopes externally; but the Spirit baptizes also, and that perfectly, the soul within." "The house became the re servoir of the spiritual water, the disciples were sitting within, and the whole house was filled. They were therefore completely baptized according to the promise."* Again he says: "As in the night, so in immersion, as if it were night, you can see nothing." And again: "As Jesus taking the sins of the whole world, died, that having put to death sin, he might raise thee up in righteousness; so thou also descending into, the water, and being in a manner buried with him, as he was in the rock, art raised again, walking in newness of life." In these passages, Cyril most certainly speaks of no other baptism, but immersion, and it is clearly implied that immersion was the usual mode in his day. Infant baptism was practised to a small extent; but it was not considered as the apostolic mode, nor allowable unless in case of dangerous sickness. Cyril must certainly be considered as a Baptist divine.

WHAT GOOD CAN I DO EACH DAY OF THE WEEK?

Many men have accomplished wonders by a constant regard to method. Every business should be done in its proper place, and at the proper time. Dr. C. Mather was remarkable in his conduct, and for what he did. Besides the discharge of pastoral duties in a large church, the care of a family, an extended correspondence, an attention to the interests of numerous public societies, he wrote not less than three hundred and eighty-two distinct pieces, large and small, for the press. That all his pursuits might have their proper places, he used to propose to himself a certain question in the morning of every day, as follows: Lord's-day Morning-What shall I do, as the pastor of a church, for the good of the flock under my charge?

Monday-What shall I do for my family, and for the good of it? Tuesday-What shall I do for my relations abroad?

Wednesday-What shall I do for the churches of the Lord, and the more general interests of religion in the world?

Thursday-What good may I do in the several societies to which I

belong?

Friday. What special subjects of affliction and of compassion may I take under my particular care, and what shall I do for them?

Saturday. What more have I to do for the interests of God, in my own heart and life?

THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

We do not for a moment mistake them for signs of incipient conversion. We do not even interpret the most hopeful indication among them into a direct readiness to embrace the truth. The mind may leave one class of errors only to embrace a worse. All that we infer from the moral aspect of the world is, that it be a more promising undertaking to assail a system of error in the season of its age and weakness, than in the hour of its strength; that encouragement is now held out, for that season has arrived. If the time for recasting the metal is when it has reached a state of fusion, now is the period for employing the mould of the Gospel, when the human mind is so generally indicative of being in the crucible, and of possessing unusual susceptibility for new impressions. Look in what direction we will, the horizon of hope enlarges and brightens. The practical zeal of the Mohamedan has burnt out. The priestly power of the Brahmin is broken, and his demons wail in vain for their prescribed libations of blood. The altar of Chinese worship, empty but standing, is waiting to welcome the advent of an unknown God. The South African chief comes from the remotest interior, and offers his herds for a Christian teacher: the vast kingdoms and islands beyond the Ganges are ready for the reception of a number of missionaries.

In one quarter idolatry is losing its hold on millions; in another, the savages awakening from the sleep of centuries; here Popery is falling off from a nation, as a snake casts its gaudy but shrivelled skin; there, philosophy is worn out with its ever promising but unsatisfactory illusion ; and elsewhere, childish credulity is becoming a man, and putting away childish things. Everywhere are to be seen an impatience of the present, a deep presentiment that it is hastening to decay, and a spirit of inquiry, anticipation and change, looking out on the future. As it was

with Judea and the East generally about the era of the advent of the Son of God, the world is waiting for the advent of some principle of means which shall change its destinies. NOW, then, is the time for the Church to proclaim to it, "Behold your God."-[HARRIS.

THE glare of outward beauty is soon darkened; but there is a beauty foreshadowing itself in the grace of action and feeling, which, the more the eye is used to, the more it chooses to rest on it.