he will value them highly. But then he will condemn all who would put the forms of religion in the place of its power on the heart. He cannot bear the idea, which some seem to entertain, that Christ came into the world, not to change our depraved and sinful nature, not to renew our hearts to holiness, and thus fit us for heaven; but to appoint for us a new set of ceremonies. He holds it to be the intention, and the never-failing effect also, of the religion of Christ, to turn the heart and affections of those who embrace it, wholly from sin to God: and he labours to maintain in himself, and to recommend to others, such a faith as stands opposed to every thing which is wrong in practice, or which would put mere form in the place of the living spirit of religion.

6. And if the true servant of Christ feels that he is thus called upon to bear his testimony against what is wrong among professed Christians, he will feel it to be no less his duty openly to oppose the loose practices of the world at large. This he does, not by means of harshness or severity, from which his conduct is far removed; but by the purity and uprightness of his conduct, and by a fixed determination not to comply with what is either foolish or sinful. Custom, fashion, the fear of ridicule, the love of praise, all tend to hurry the worldly man forward in the path to ruin, and to fix him in his evil ways. Nor is the Christian altogether free from their influence. He feels their effect, indeed, in tempting him to relax from his strictness, and to become more like the world around him but he resists the temptation, and continues firm to his Lord and Master. He has learned that the friendship of the world is enmity with God; and that if he would avoid its condemnation, he must avoid its sins. To a certain extent the ways of the world and of religion go together; and as long as this is the case the Christian mixes with the

throng: but at the very first point where they separate, he quits the road of destruction, and treads with firm but cautious steps the path of life; and by a conduct at once cousistent and rational, manly and pure, he puts to shame the follies, and reproves the vices, of the age. In spite of opposition or ridicule, often even at the expence of all his worldly interests, he maintains his own honour and that of his Saviour with a courage and firmness which sometimes force admiration even from his enemies. Nor will he bear his testimony for Christ merely by the purity and uprightness of his conduct; he will be ready, on fit occasions, to raise his voice against the evil practices which prevail around him. He will not, it is true, indulge either a captious or a censorious disposition; but, with that charitable zeal for men's souls which belongs to the true follower of Christ, he will be ready to oppose the establishment of false and unchristian principles, to reprove with meekness the profane and profligate, to instruct the ignorant, and to expose the artful enemy of the truth. In short, he counts himself the soldier of Christ, bound to fight his battles and maintain his cause, and he dares to perform whatever duties that character imposes on him. Thus does the Christian confess Christ before men.

II. On the second part of the subject-viz. in what sense Christ will confess before his Father in heaven, those who confess him before menI shall be more brief. This he does in various ways. He appears in heaven as their Advocate, to plead their cause. As their Forerunner, he is preparing a place for them, high and distinguished, in the courts of his Father. As their Judge, he will hereafter pronounce their acquittal before an assembled world. As their King, he will bestow on them honours large as their wishes and lasting as their souls. Without entering on the solemn proceedings of that day, which will place in a

state of happiness or misery each individual of the human race, it will be enough to say, that even to the true Christian that day would be big with terror, did not Christ, his Advocate and Intercessor, appear in his behalf. Conscious of the innumerable defects and errors of their lives, even the best of men could not presume to plead their own cause before Him whose eyes are as a flame of fire, and who knoweth the heart. But we may take courage, if we are Christians; for while we are inquiring, with the lowest prostration of soul, "When saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee; naked, and clothed thee;" he will then confess us before his Father, and declare, "Forasmuch as ye did it unto the least of these my brethren, ye did it unto me." "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, and is even at the right hand of God, making intercession for us."

Nor will he only thus plead for them, but as their Judge he will openly commend the fidelity, the zeal, and patience of his servants; and, putting out of his sight the errors and sins of their lives, he will pronounce this remarkable sentence; "Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Nor will he stop here: he provides for them mansions of glory. We may suppose him to address his Father in such words as these: "These are they who confessed me before men, to the hazard of their lives. No dangers could terrify them, no allurements seduce them, from their allegiance to me. I will now that a separation be made between those who thus confessed, and those who denied me; between those who served me, and those who served me not. I pray not for the world, but for these, whom thou hast given me out of the world, that where am there they may be also.. They glorified

me on earth, and kept thy word: therefore now, O Father, glorify them with the glory I had with thee before the world began."

And now, let me ask, who is there among us who would not take his lot among the disciples of Christ, however despised they may be on earth, to share in rewards so high as these? Who would not count it the highest wisdom to confess Christ before men, when he sees the glorious end of that confession? A few fleeting years will bring us to the close of life; and if we do not now learn to value rightly the vanity of all earthly pursuits, we shall then learn, perhaps for the first time, our folly and our wretchedness. The distinctions, whether of wealth or rank, are but passing shadows, which owe their importance only to the misjudging opinions of men: they can confer no lasting honour, no enduring consolation. Sensual pleasure must end in remorse: the glitter and the pomp of life appear but for a moment, and then vanish for ever. But the distinctions and pleasures of religion are of a higher order. They alone will prove lasting. The effect of our confessing Christ as we ought, will be never-ending honour and happiness.-Let us dare, then, to be wise. Let us dare to confess Christ, whatever be the opposition we may meet with from a deluded world. Let us dare to take our religion from the Bible, and not from the opinions of men. Let us dare to appear in defence of the faith and practice of the Gospel, and to adopt that line of conduct (whatever others may say of it) which God and our own consciences approve. Our name may now be cast out as evil; but this light affliction will endure only for a short season, and doubtless it will contribute to work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. If we continue faithful unto death in our confession of Christ, he will give us a crown of life that fadeth not away. Amen.

2 X 2

To the Editor of the Christian Observer.

To the description of the Syriac voJume of the Old Testament in the Buchanan Collection, last communicated, I now add that of the New Testament, in the same MS.

The form, character, and handwriting, are precisely the same as those of the Old Testament. It has likewise several miniature drawings in colours, and richly ornamented; containing explanations of the figures in Syriac, Greek, and Armenian characters. The margin has a few Various Readings, and contains numerical indexes to the paragraphs of the text, which has no marks of chapter and verse.

To the Gospels is prefixed a table of titles to all the paragraphs, with the index of reference to the text. The title to the books of the New Testament is supposed to have been lost, and with it the drawing of Matthew; but as the text is preserved, this loss is immaterial.

*

MATTHEW. Translation of the Subscript: "Here endeth the holy Gospel of Matthew, the blessed Apostle, who spake and wrote it in Hebrew in Palestine. The sections are sixty-six, and lesser divisions four hundred and twenty-six."

MARK.-Title: "Mark: Evangelist."-Subscript: "Here endeth the holy Gospel preached by Mark the Evangelist, which he spake and wrote in the Roman tongue at Rome. The larger sections are forty-eight, and smaller two hundred and ninety."

LUKE. Title: "Luke: Evangelist."-Also: "The holy Gospel preached by Luke the Evangelist, containing eighty-three greater, and four hundred and two lesser sections. -Subscript: "Here endeth the holy Gospel of Luke the Evan

Spake; i. . dictated as to a seribe,

gelist, which he spake and wrote in the Greek tongue in the city of Alexandria. Its words are three thousand eight hundred and three." JOHN. A drawing, with this Inscription : "John, Evangelist, Apostle, and Theologian." He is represented holding the book of the Gospel, and also a scroll before him. In the drawing is seen a fish suspended by the tail, very well executed.---Title: "The holy Gospel preached by John the Apostle." ---Subscript: "Here endeth the holy Gospel preached by the apostle John: preached at Ephesus. Its words are one thousand nine hundred and thirty-eight."

General Subscript: "Here end, by the aid of Divine grace, the books of the holy Gospel of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. All the words, according to their letters, are nine thousand nine hundred and thirtyseven."

Remarks. 1. Subjoined to the pages of the text of the Gospels is an Harmony in four columns, express. ed by numerical indexes to the paragraphs. 2. The history of the adulterous woman (John viii.), comprehending eleven verses, is not extant in this copy.

ROMANS; with a fine head of St. Paul, though much mutilated.---Subscript: "Here endeth, &c. &c. written at Corintb, and sent by Phebe, a servant. In it are forty-eight testimonies from the sacred books; and its words are eight hundred and twenty-five."

I CORINTHIANS.Subscript: "Here endeth, &c. written at Philippi, in Macedonia, and sent by Stephanus, and Fortunatus, and Achaicus, and Timotheus. In it are seventeen tes timonies from the sacred books; and its words are nine hundred and fortynine."

2 CORINTHIANS.-Subscript: "Here endeth, &c. written at Philippi, in

Macedonia, and sent by Titus and Lucas. In it are eleven testimonies from the sacred books; and its words are six hundred and fifty-three." GALATIANS.Subscript: "Here endeth the Epistle to the Galatians. written from Rome. In it are eleven testimonies; and its words are two hundred and seventy-five," EPHESIANS.Subscript: "Here endeth the Epistle to the Ephesians, written at Rome, and sent by Ty chicus and Onesimus. In it are six testimonies; and its words are three hundred."

PHILIPPIANS. Subscript: Here endeth the Epistle to the Philippians, written at Rome, and sent by Epaphroditus. Its words are two hundred and thirty-eight."

COLOSSIANS.-Subscript: "Here endeth the Epistle to the Colossians, written from Rome, and sent by Tychicus."

1 THESSALONIANS. Subscript: "Here endeth, &c. written at Rome, or, according to others, at Athens. Its words are four hundred and seventeen."

2 THESSALONIANS. - Subscript: "Here endeth, &c. written at Roine, or, according to others, at Laodicea. Its words are one hundred and eighteen."

1 TIMOTHY.-Subscript: "Here endeth, &c. written at Laodicea, the metropolis of Phrygia Pacatiana. In it are two testimonies; and its words are two hundred and seventy-five.”

2 TIMOTHY.-Subscript: "Here endeth, &c. written at Rome, the second time of Paul's going there, when he was led in bonds before Nero, In it is one testimony; and its words are one hundred and twelve."

TITUS.-Subscript: "Here endeth (the Epistle to) Titus, first bishop of the Cretians: written at Nicopolis. In it is one testimony; and its words are one hundred and sixteen." PHILEMON. Subscript: "Here endeth (the Epistle to) Philemon, a minister of the church of the Colosjana: written at Rome, and sent by

Onesimus. Its words are thirtyseven."

HEBREWS.Subscript:" Here endeth the Epistle to the Hebrews, written in Italy by Timothy. In it are thirty testimonies; and its words are eight hundred and thirty.”

Second Subscript: "Here endeth the writing of the fourteen Epistles of the blessed Paul, the holy Apostle, and wise master-builder of the church of Christ."

Immediately follows the Book of the Acts, called in the title, "The Praxeis of the twelve Apostles." Here is a beautiful drawing, representing the company of the apostles in the upper chamber, after the elec tion of Matthias: four of them have books in their hands, supposed to be Peter, and John, and James, and Jude.

Their habits and colours correspond with the oriental costume; and over their heads is an effusion of glory, represented in a rich gold.Subscript: "Here ends the book of the Acts of the holy Apostles, written by Luke the Evangelist."

Then follow, the Catholic Epistles; so called because they are inscribed, not to particular churches or persons, but to the body either of Jewish or Gentile converts over the world, or at least dispersed in several countries.

JAMES.-Title: "The catholic Epistle of the blessed Apostle James." It is adorned with a bold drawing,richly illuminated with gold: the apostle is represented in a chair, with the book of his Epistle in his band; and over him is written, in Syriac, "James, the brother of our Lord."Subscript: "Here ends the catholic Epistle of James, a chief apostle, and bishop of Jerusalem."

PETER. Title: "The Epistle of Peter, chief of the apostles."--Subscript: "Here ends the catholic Epistle of Peter, written at Rome."

JOHN. Title: "The catholic Epistle of the Apostle John."---Subscript: "Here endeth this Epistle of the Apostle John, written at Ephe. sus.'

The verse of the three heavenly witnesses is not extant in this copy. "2d Epistle of Peter, chief of the Apostles."

"2d Epistle of John the Apostle." "3d Epistle of John the Apostle." "Epistle of the holy Apostle Jude." General Subscript: "Thus concludeth these seven catholic Epistles of the holy apostles."

The Revelation of St. John is not contained in this copy.

The books of Clemens, called Clemens the Saint, and Disciple of Peter, eight in number, are subjoined to the books of the New Testament. They are not preserved entire in this copy, the four last being mere parts of leaves and fragments. Book i. occupies seven columns, containing some discourses of our Lord with his disciples, and matters relating to church government. Book ii. occupies ten columns, and treats of the ordinances of the church. Book iii. takes up eleven columns, concerning the doctrine of the apostles. Book iv. having seventeen columns, contains the commandments of the apostles sent by Clemens to the Gentiles. Book v. fills twenty-four columns, treating of ordinations. Book vi, vii. viii. fragments.

Search has been made in the books of Clemens published in Greek and Latin, but no translation has been found corresponding with the Syriac text of the above. It is therefore conjectured that the original books have been re-organized by the Greeks, or that those extant in the Greek are not the same with the Syriac. The Ethiopic Christians have in their language books, eight in number, which for their value they frequently bind up with the New Testament, called the Apostolic Canons: it is supposed they may be the same with the Syriac; but the Ethiopic copy is known only by report in Europe.

Cambridge, May 9th.

T. Y.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer.

WHEN Goldsmith once reminded Johnson, that the early reformers were burnt for not believing the real presence; he replied, "No,sir: they were burnt for insulting those who did believe it."

This anecdote serves to illustrate the assertion, that the world's dislike of a consistent Christian is awakened, not by his opinion, but by his life; and it seems to be self-evident, that the hostility of the papists to the refortiers was not so much popery against protestantism, as human na ture against christianity, worldliness and sensualityagainst spiritual-mindedness and self-crucifixion. The distinction between the old system and the new, instead of being a bare alteration of sentiment, was the steady refusal, on the part of the reformers, to obey the decisions, and to connive at the errors, of their enemies. Had the reformers merely expressed a difference of opinion, and there stopped, forbearing every attempt to remove the practical wickedness of the ecclesiastics; the last were too indolent, and too shortsighted, to disturb themselves by calculating consequences. But when the newe learninge, as the monks called it, was resented as a personal affront, when authority and pre cedent no longer stood for proof, the power of indulgences to expunge sin questioned, and the conscience of the sinner convicted and stung by the reproach or example of others; then the ruling powers found it high time to meet the contest.

At such an hour, little difference would be made between a Zuinglian, or a Sacramentarian, and a Papist himself, provided the latter called upon his superiors to imitate the Anselms and Brad wardines of their own church; and provided their reprover realized the pattern recom mended, by acting up to principles alike common to him and his masters, The pious Romanist would be stig natized as a heretic, because he