Still Dr. Watts was fully entitled to say, that "of all our religious solemnities psalmody is the most unhappily managed; that action which should elevate us to the most delightful every and divine sensations, doth not only flatten our devotion, but too often awakes our regret, and touches all the springs of uneasiness within us."

In brief, there really was little or nothing for a christian to sing in public or domestic worship, until Watts's "Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs" appeared. But to characterize their merits would exceed our limits; and so we conclude.

THE PRAYERFUL TEACHER.

I shall not be accused of unjust remark, by those who know the kind of agency through which a sovereign God scatters his blessings amongst mankind, when I affirm that of all teachers the prayerful teacher is the most efficient, and the most needed. If the end of Sabbath school instruction were the communication of knowledge alone, I might hold a different opinion; but believing that the conversion of the young to God is the true and ultimate end of such instruction, I cannot form any other judgment on the matter. The well-informed, intelligent, punctual, earnest teacher, may do much towards enlisting the sympathies and gaining the regard and expanding the minds of his class; but the blessing most coveted may not descend. Human lips may enrich the mind by conveying to it the forms of truth; but the Spirit alone can change the heart, and the Spirit loves to be honoured by prayer. "If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more will not your heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit unto them that ask it ?"

The prayerful teacher is not so vain as to imagine that any amount of knowledge, whether of scripture or of the human heart, is a sufficient equipment for the great work in which he is engaged. He knows that the citadel of the soul is proof against all merely human assault, however skilfully conducted. He knows that even in the case of the youngest, the heart is preoccupied, and that "the strong man armed" is not to be driven from possession by any earthly arm: if he is to enter the palace,

and spoil the goods of the usurping and foul spirit, it must be done through the agency of " a stronger than the strong."

Behold, then, how the prayerful teacher becomes mighty in pulling down strongholds! If it be possible so to do, watch him in the retirement of his closet. It has become a very sanctuary; for God is there. It is an oratory, as well as a study; for the breath of prayer ascends, distilling like dew from the heart. If invisible things might be seen, there you may behold the bright form of the angel of the covenant, as Jacob beheld him in the plains of Mamre, and wrestled with him until the break of day. There human weakness seeks alliance with divine strength, and the spot becomes a very part of heaven. For himself, and for his little flock, he approaches the throne; and it proves a throne of grace. The petition is heard, through the favour of the great Advocate and Intercessor: it is placed amongst “the prayers of saints."

The prayerful teacher comes forth from this hallowed communion richly laden with blessings. Baptized with the Spirit, there is an unction from the Holy One on all that he says. As he speaks, the rock of the heart is smitten by invisible hands, and the waters gush forth. While he teaches, a divine agency opens the ear of the soul, and it becomes subject to God. This teacher is "wise to win souls:" he is a fellow-worker with God. Oh, the bliss of such an employment! Oh, the reward that attends it! "They that turn many to righteousness shall shine as stars for ever."

May every one engaged in the work of Sabbath school instruction understand the divinely appointed method of accomplishing his end. May every teacher become a prayerful teacher!

THE EVILS LEFT UNTOUCHED BY THE

REFORMATION.

[Paper the Second.]

"The Reformation of 1517 was the first successful example of resistance to human authority. The Reformers discovered the free use of reason; the principle came forth with the Lutheran revolution, but it was so confused and obscured by prejudice, by habit, by sophistry, by inhuman hatred, and by slavish pros

tration of mind, to say nothing of the capricious singularities and fantastic conceits which spring up so plentifully in ages of reformation, that its chiefs were long unconscious of the potent spirit which they had set free. It is not yet wholly extricated from the impurities which followed it into the world."

Such is the language of a modern church historian of moderate principles. It expresses in part the view we entertain respecting the Lutheran Reformation. Glorious as a beginning of good things, we lament the fact that it advanced no further towards a consummation. The present efforts of the Papacy to regain its spiritual dominion-the resurrection of damning error in the heart of the English establishment-the impoverished state of evangelical protestantism-would never have been witnessed in the present age, had the early Reformers availed themselves of their advantages by a clear enunciation and exhibition of first and fundamental principles. But we desire brevity, and proceed to specify the evils which the Reformation left untouched. We limit our remarks, in this paper, to the policy adopted by the Reformers in their great controversy. Our view of that policy and of its consequences may be expressed thus:-Many evils were perpetuated along with the Reformation, in consequence of the erroneous principle of conciliation towards Popery on which it was conducted.

It is a well-known fact that Luther was very gradually enlightened respecting the errors of Romanism. The same may be said of his coadjutors. The work was not one of a moment, but of a life. Accustomed as they were to old opinions and practices, it was long before even an open bible became rightly interpreted. Indeed, it affords proof of great sincerity and painstaking research on their part that they became so enlightened as they were. To judge correctly respecting this matter we must place ourselves in their position; we must imagine ourselves brought up under a false and pernicious system, and at an advanced period of life to have the word of God placed in our hands, by it alone to ascertain what is erroneous in the views we have so long cherished. It would be a hard task to emancipate ourselves from the ancient toils. Certainly it would be a very gradual task. Perhaps we should not advance so speedily as did the Reformers; perhaps not advance at all- -as was actually the case with many in the reforming age. Even

scripture is easily squared to Popish or any other kind of error long resident in the mind. The force of prejudice can never be estimated too highly—especially in religious matters. How is it that there is so little actual change amongst the various sects? It is because the majority live upon educational tenets and habits; and the bible, instead of being the sole rule of faith and practice, is made to bend to early preconceptions. And never will men see 66 eye to eye," until this natural tendency to retain what has been taught, because it has been taught, be overcome. Remembering this we shall make due allowance for the difficulties which the Reformers had to encounter in the associations and preconceptions of their own minds.

At the same time we cannot acquit them of all blame, when we behold them seeking to conciliate the Papists to so great an extent, after they had become sufficiently enlightened to know better. The attempt was no doubt made from motives of a benevolent kind, namely, with a view not to repel their opponents more than was absolutely needful. But it was likely to prove vain, as it actually proved. Conciliation was out of the question. Luther's personal experience, one might have supposed, would have taught him that lesson. The attempt, however, was made. The Reformers acted eventually on this principle-a principle bad in itself, and detrimental to the Protestant cause- -namely, to alter no more of the old doctrine and mode of worship than was absolutely indispensable. Therefore in the confession of Augsburg, which was the wind-up of the Protestant disputation, no other alteration was made in doctrine, and church order and discipline, than was thought to be loudly demanded. They took the old pattern, and clipped it, and sheared it, only so far as was required by the times. This principle was acted upon both in Germany and in England: and many think the plan both right and just.

We think otherwise on the following grounds. 1, It assumes that to conciliate others is more important than to conform ourselves to the mind of Christ. 2, It implies that the scriptures are not our only standard and rule of faith, order, and religious observance. 3, It is likely to subserve the very opposite end of that for which it is adopted. All these points may be proved. The actual history of Protestantism has proved this. Had the Reformers renounced all connexion, direct or indirect, with a

soul-destroying system, and betaken themselves to the bible alone, whence to gather afresh their views upon all points, keeping closely to the pure fountain of truth, and not attempting to distil the polluted waters of Rome; Catholics would have felt their earnestness, and have learnt a lesson which might have come home before this time to the heart of Europe.

But instead of acting thus, the Reformers conceded all they could, in a matter when concession to man was dishonour to God; reformed the old religion, retaining what they were not compelled to reject; so that nothing was heard for a long time but such cries as, “this may be retained and that may notthis, better managed, may still work usefully, and that, though attended with much evil in Papist hands, may be turned to good account in ours." And what was the consequence? The Reformation came to a close! Protestantism is even now at a standstill! So much of the old, going by the name of the old, and boasted of as the old religion, was retained, that Papists thought they might as well retain the whole. Hence the mass book, a little altered, is retained by one church, and the confessional by another; transubstantiation is slightly changed into consubstantiation by one party, and the Bishop of Rome is compelled to transfer his ecclesiastical power to the reigning monarch by another party; and what wonder if Popery still remains in the ascendant, seeing that Protestantism sets so much store upon whatever it can conscientiously retain of the old system?

THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH.

The unity of the church! How do men talk about it, meaning by it only a conformity of all others to their own individual sect, or denomination! But is this the unity spoken of in the bible? Not at all. It does not consist in an unbroken uniformity in the externals of worship. Its elements are not sameness of ceremonial—similarity of name-agreement as to the forms witnessed to as apostolic by primitive antiquity-using a liturgy and singing those ancient hymns of Addison and others, which have glowed on the lips of apostles. No: these things are all outward—concern the shell-the modus in quo of christianity, not the essence of christianity itself. The unity of the church,