says he, "transferred the Sabbath-day to the Lord's-day." Hilary, A.D. 354, bears a similar attestation: "On the first day of the week, Christians rejoice with the joy of a true Sabbath." Augustine, A.D. 430, informs us that the Christians of his day solemnly celebrated the Lord's-day and some other Christian festivals. Were further evidence required, or were it needful to add to the force of that which has been adduced, I might refer the reader to Eusebius, the most learned ecclesiastical historian of the early Church (A.D. 340), who is strong and clear in his testimony. And I might remind him, further, that the writers who have just been quoted, not only lived at different periods, but in different countries, some of them far apart, and were, besides, most of them men of eminence; so that the witnessing to the observance of the Lord's-day which has been produced, may be justly regarded as at once enlightened, unanimous, and universal. With all | this, I have no hesitation in admitting that it would not be easy to make out the Sabbath as a day of unbroken rest from the New Testameut. It can be shown, conclusively, I think, that it was observed as a day of religious worship; but probably nothing more could be proved. What, however, does this show? The necessity of falling back for argument upon the unrepealed law of the fourth commandment, as equally binding upon Christians as upon the Hebrews. From the nature of the case, a large body of the early Christians, consisting of the servants of heathen masters, could not have observed the Sabbath with the fulness and care with which it is observed now in Christian States. But does this show that it was less obligatory? Owing to a similar reason, the Hebrews, when slaves in Egypt, might not be permitted to observe their Sabbath; indeed, I have no doubt this was one of the main oppressions which led to the infliction of judgments on Pharaoh and his kingdom: but the divine authority and obligation of the Sabbath, as a day of rest and worship, were not thereby impaired. I now pass from the era of the primitive Church to later times. Through the age of advancing superstition and rising Antichrist, marked among other traces by the creation of feast and festival days, we come to the period of the Waldensian Church. Friends and foes carry the history of this Church up to the earliest times. Some link it on to the apostolic age. Whether this be correct or not, there can be no reasonable question that a pure evangelical Church, which never bowed the neck to Rome, maintained its succession of doctrine and ordinances among the mountains of Italy and the south of France, including the range which separates France from Spain. How did this Church feel affected towards the Sabbath? Owing to the malignity of enemies in destroy ing her historical records, and the remoteness of the antiquity, it may be difficult to quote evidence in as many words; but comparative silence is no proof of the absence of Sabbaths. For two thousand five hundred years before the days of Moses, there are scarcely any traces of the ancient Sabbath, and for one thousand years after there are only three historical notices of it; while for eight hundred years there is no allusion whatever to circumcision. Yet we have undoubted evidence that both ordinances were fully observed during the very time that history is thus silent. And so of the earlier periods of the Waldensian Church. She must have inherited the Sabbath, as other Christian Churches did, from the apostles; and as she was throughout the unvarying foe of Rome, we cannot question that she continued to maintain its integrity when other Churches allowed their Sabbaths to be obscured by the multiplying. feasts and festivals of "the Man of Sin." It is certain that, in the earliest record of the Waldenses-the "Noble Lesson" of A.D. 1100there is a distinct recognition of the Law in two tables of stone, and the declaration, that "He [Christ] changed it not, that it should be aban- | doned; but renewed it, that it might be better kept." It is worthy of notice, that the very observance of the Sabbath, and the certainty of the observance, is in some respects adverse to the proof of it. What is universally observed calls forth no remark, and is entered in no record. It becomes like one of the operations of nature-fixed and sure, so much a matter of course, that no one thinks or speaks of it. It is only when there has been some interruption creating controversy, that the institution is marked, and becomes a part of history. Apart from the records of civil law, it might be more difficult to prove the observance of the Lord'sday in Britain a few generations past than many imagine; and yet there can be no question that during the deepest silence the sacred day was invariably honoured. But to return. In a catechism of the same period, doubtless used, says Mr. Blair, in the north of Italy, the south of France, and in Catalonia, in Spain. there is a distinct recognition of the obligation of the ten commandments; while there is a testimony not less clear against Antichrist in general, and saints' days, invocations, and pilgrimages in particular. Twenty years later, in the Confession of Faith, the feasts and vigils of saints, which, it is well known, war against the Sabbath, are pronounced "an unspeakable', abomination;" and in a work "Concerning Antichrist," a testimony is lifted up against him, for fulness and clearness worthy of modern times. In an "Exposition of the Commandments," again, of the same early date, we have such a statement as: "They that will keep and observe the Sabbath of Christians-that is to say, to sanctify the day of the Lord-must be careful of four things: the 1st is, to cease from L !! DEATH IN A BALL ROOM. earthly and worldly labours; the 2d, not to sin; the 3d, not to be idle in regard to good works; the 4th, to do those things that are for the benefit of the soul;" and then follows a more expanded exposition, such as intelligent Christians of the present day would give. Testimonies to the same purpose might be quoted from the subsequent history of the same Church, as in 1532, 1541, 1655-the last immediately after an awful massacre for their fidelity to the truth of God; but it is unnecessary to enlarge the proof. It may merely be mentioned, that when the commissioners of Louis XII. returned from their inquiry into the character of the Waldenses, in 1505, they expressly reported, among other admirable features, "that they lived like honest men, without injuring any one, and that they observed their Sabbath with punctuality." Returning to earlier times in another quarter, what is the testimony of Wickliffe, the morning star of the Reformation, born A.D. 1324? He expounds the decalogue, and, among many excellent views on the fourth commandment, states, under the occupations of the Sabbath, that the Christian should be careful to attend public worship, and when it is over, visit the poor and afflicted, to minister relief; adding, "And so men should not be idle, but busy on the Sabbath-day about the soul, as men are on the week days about the body." Descending the stream of time, we come to the Bohemian Church. There are various Confessions of Faith of this body, some of them very ancient, but all substantially harmonious. From one published A.D. 1508, it appears that, in addition to the Lord's-day, a variety of days were held" of the apostles, and also of others, and especially of those whom the Scripture mentions" but that these observances were matter of indifference. In one of the editions it is said: "Most Churches not being compelled by any such necessity (deference to others), have, without the offence of other Churches, utterly abolished even these things also, not only as unprofitable, but as hurtful." The plain meaning of the above is, that the Church of Bohemia, which occupies a middle place in time between Wickliffe and the Reformation popularly so called, honoured the Lord's-day like other Protestant Churches, but bore with many of the Popish festivals, until the people generally were ready for a more complete change. (To be continued.) PHARAOH'S HARDNESS OF HEART. GOD sometimes delivers up sinners (as he did Pharaoh) to "hardness of heart," not by any positive infusion of such an evil habit into the conscience, but by subtracting his grace; as also administering occasions in his providence by which the sinner, thus deprived of grace, is more and more hardened: and further than this, I see not how any evil or sinful disposition in the creature can be said to be from 203 God. It is sufficient that God effectually works his end upon sinners this way. As the sun is the cause of night and darkness, not by any operative influence producing them, but only by withdrawing his light, the corruption of a man's heart, unrenewed by grace, is the cause of its own hardness; or as when you melt wax, remove but the fire, and the wax will harden of itself; but there is no way so sure and dreadful by which God binds over a sinner to death as this. For thus he dealt with the Jews: "He gave them eyes, that seeing, they might not perceive; and ears, that hearing, they might not understand; but made the heart of that people gross, that they might not be converted and healed;" that is, that they might be hardened and ruined, as it is in Isa. vi. 9, 10.— South. DEATH IN A BALL ROOM. ONE beautiful, but keenly cold evening in January, a young gentleman entered Dr. C's office (where I was spending a vacation), and hurriedly inquired where he should find the Doctor. Not being able to inform him, he requested me to accompany him down street to H's hotel, as there was a young lady in the ball room very ill. Supposing her in a fainting fit, I put a bottle of hartshorn, together with a lancet, into my pocket, and accompanied him. On the way he told me, as I already knew, that a ball was in progress at the hall, and had been interrupted by the unfortunate illness of one of the belles of the evening. Arriving at the hotel, we were somewhat surprised by the rapid filling and driving away of the carriages at the door. We caught now and then an exclamation which betokened extreme horror, but heard nothing sufficiently distinct to admit of forming! a conclusion as to the cause of the apparent confusion. Passing up the stairs, we encountered numbers of young ladies, with their mantles thrown carelessly about them, with cheeks as pale, and lips as bloodless, as though themselves were the subjects for whom aid was summoned. They were hurrying away as if from contamination, the hilarity of the occasion having suddenly been exchanged for mute terror. Hurrying through the crowd, we entered the ball room. It was very spacious, and brilliantly lighted, but deserted of its occupants, save a group in the centre who seemed horror-stricken by the sight humanity compelled them to remain to witness. On a sofa, which had been drawn from the side of the room, sat a young lady, in a stooping posture, as though in the act of rising, with one hand stretched out to take that of the partner who was to have led her to the dance. With the smile upon her lip, and eyes beaming with excitement, death had seized her. The smile of joy was transformed to a hideous grin; the beaming eye, now seemed but a glazed mass protruding from the socket. The carmine, added to give brilliancy to her complexion, now contrasted strangely with the sallow hue her skin had assumed; while the gorgeous trappings in which fashion had decked her, seemed but a mocking of the habiliments of the grave. Death under such circumstances was horrible. No wonder the pale mother, as she knelt beside her child, groaned out, "Not here! not here! Let her die at home!" prison, he will bless his chains, and esteem it a privilege to suffer. Blessed are they that suffer persecution, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' If you condemn him to death, you unclose the gates of heaven to him. Prince, would you know the only sure means of revenge? Force him to commit a crime. I know him well; that man fears nothing except to sin.' No; he fears neither exile, nor the loss of property; neither chains nor torture of any kind. He fears but sin." PERSECUTION. We had arrived too late to render aid. The Is it humanity to stand on the shore, and seeing men in a storm at sea, wherein they are ready every mospirit had fled, and all that could be done was ment to be cast away and perish, to storm at them to remove the body, and strip it of its senseless ourselves, or to shoot them to death, or to cast fire paraphernalia. This horrible catastrophe was into their vessel, because they are in danger of being (one of those striking acts of Providence, by drowned? Yet no otherwise do we deal with those which we are forewarned that death claims all whom we persecute because they miss the knowseasons for his own. When the young and beau-ledge of the truth; and, it may be, we raise a worse tiful, surrounded by the consolations of religion, suffer under, as to their intellectuals.-Owen. storm in ourselves, as to our own morals, than they departs in triumph of a Christian faith, we bow ourselves to the stroke, and believe that a seraph has passed from among us, to mingle with the pure above. But a sudden dispensation, like the one above, leaves a shadow upon the hearts of survivors, no after scene can describe. Do they mingle with the merry dancers? In the midst of their festivity comes the awful phantom of the past. PIETY THE ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY, A GOOD fire-side and a well-spread table are but very indifferent substitutes for the better gifts of divine grace; so very indifferent, that I would gladly exchange them both for the rags and the unsatisfied hunger of the poorest creature that looks forward with hope to a better world, and weeps tears of joy in the midst of penury and distress. What a world is this! how mysteriously governed, and, in appearance, left to itself! One man, having squandered thousands at a gaming-table, finds it convenient to travel-gives his estate to somebody to manage for him-amuses himself a few years in France and Italy "Not here! not here !-let her die at home!"-returns, perhaps, wiser than he went, having ac would be the exclamation of any mother, were she to stand thus by her only child; while the only response vouchsafed, would be found in the soul-harrowing exclamation of those around, "Dead! dead! dead! and in a ball room!" In the silence of their own chambers, they weep for the departed, and seek in vain, in memory's store-house, for some fond message, whispered from the bloodless lips, as the spirit sighed itself away. quired knowledge which, but for his follies, he would never have acquired-again makes a splendid figure at home-shines in the senate-governs his country as its minister-is admired for his abilities—and, it successful, adored, at least by a party. When he dies, he is praised as a demi-god, and his monument records every thing but his vices. The exact contrast of such a picture is to be found in many cottages at Olney. I have no need to describe them; you know the characters I mean. They love God-they trust THE EMPEROR AND THE BISHOP. THE Emperor of Constantinople was greatly incensed against John Chrysostom. One day, in-hin-they pray to him in secret; and though he means flamed with anger, he exclaimed in presence of his court, "Would that I could avenge myself of that priest." Four or five of his courtiers assembled around him, ventured their opinion as to the manner in which his vengeance could be most effectually gratified. The first said, "Exile him;" the second, "Confiscate all that he possesses;" the third. "Throw him into prison, and load him with chains;" the fourth, "Are you not all powerful?- is not his life at your command ? Give instant orders for his death." A fifth, possessed of more penetration than the others, and not fearing his master's displeasure, boldly said, "You are all mistaken; if you exile him, what do you gain? Is not the whole world his country? Confiscate his possessions, you but deprive the poor of them, not himself. Throw him in to reward them openly, the day of recompense is delayed. In the meantime, they suffer everything that infirmity and poverty can inflict upon them. Who would suspect, that has not a spiritual eye to discern it, that the fine gentleman was one whom his Maker had in abhorrence; and the wretch last mentioned dear to him as the apple of His eye? It is no wonder that the world, who are not in the secret,:} find themselves obliged, some of them, to doubt a Providence, and others absolutely to deny it, when almost all the real virtue there is in it, is to be found living and dying in a state of neglected obscurity, and all the vices of others cannot exclude them from the privilege of worship and honour! But, behind, the curtain, the matter is explained; very little, however, to the satisfaction of the great.-Corper. THE CHRISTIAN TREASURY. 205 THE DAY OF VISITATION. ADDRESSED TO THE YOUNG. You are now in the dawn of your existence. often compared to a day, for the brevity and It is the morning time with you. The years of shortness of it. Compare it with eternity, and youth are called “the morning of life." It is a day is a figure too great to denote the longest a beautiful expression. The morning is the period of life given to any one below. But the time of dew and fragrance, and of the early, object I have in view in writing this paper for pure, unpolluted sunlight. It is a time that all your use, is not to show you that life may, with enjoy, young and old. In his morning walk, great propriety and with little exaggeration, be the old man feels as if the vigour of youth had likened to a day; it is to call your attention to returned to him, and, though bent with years, this point-that your life below, beginning from he could dance and sing. So refreshing is the youth and terminating with your death, is a breath of the morning, so cheering its sights" day of visitation." If you ask what that and its sounds in the air, in the valleys, among means, the answer is, that your life is the opthe woods, and on the hills and mountain-tops. portunity that God is giving you of attending All is gladness and exuberant joy. Because to the things that concern your peace. There they are the first and the best of your years, is a very affecting portion of Scripture that the years of your youth are called "the mor- speaks on this subject. If you turn to the ning of life." Gospel by Luke, you will find it in chapter xix., verses 41-44. One thing that youth is expert in, is in shaping dreams of future happiness. Old men, and men in middle life, do the same; but youth excels them in this work. Old men have had trial of the realities of life that clips the wings of their aspirations. Youth has had little experience of these realities; hope is its companion, and hope is generous and ardent, bold and adventurous. Of all the dreams of youth, the dream of long and happy years is among the most pleasing. How delightful to you are the ideas you form of this life upon earth! What a long period a single year appears! Your few weeks' vacation from school, or relaxation from business, appears long-they bulk large. What an amount of joy they yield! How much delight you will be able to crowd into them! During his stay upon earth, our Lord Jesus Christ was often at Jerusalem. He might often be seen in its streets, or in the templemultitudes of the people collected around him. and he busily engaged in teaching the doctrines of the kingdom of heaven. Sometimes he was engaged in disputing with leading men, some. times in opening the eyes of the blind, or in making the lame to walk. Now he is engaged in one thing, now in another. But all he did or said had reference to the temporal and eternal welfare of the people. In the passage of the Gospel to which you have been invited to, turn, our Lord was on his way to Jerusalem, it would seem, for the last time. On his journey, he came to a place where a full view of Jeru You can scarcely believe that time is short salem opened upon the sight. It would be a -you will not be convinced of it. You cannot grand and imposing sight, as a great city always understand old men, when they tell you that all is, seen from a distance neither too near nor too the years they have lived seem to them as short remote, and from a point where the whole can as a span, or like a dream of the night, or like be taken in at once. An ordinary traveller' a morning cloud that hastens to pass away, and would have lifted up his hands in admiration. fade out of the sky. They tell you this in all But Jesus, when he beheld the city, wept over truth and sincerity. You do not doubt their it. He wept over its inhabitants, on whom he word; but you cannot comprehend how it had bestowed such pains to instruct and guide should be so. You will understand it by-and-them, but who had grown harder and harder in by. It shall soon be your own experience. their sin. He also made lamentation over them, In your turn, you will be moralizing to young as the tears of tenderest compassion dimmed people upon the shortness of time. What would you think of the whole of a man's life being compared to "a day?" It is his eyes: wicked. There are none there who would not greatly prefer death to the miserable life they lead without peace with God. They would rejoice could they cease to exist. thine eyes." "In this thy day," he means the | It will be but a wretched and troubled life. day of their visitation-the time when God | But in the future world life is a curse to the gave them opportunity to hear the Gospel, to repent and believe the Gospel-the time when the things that belonged to their peace were still before them. That is the time and opportunity which our Lord had in view in the words, In this thy day." Jerusalem had such a time —such an opportunity. She neglected it. It was her neglect of it that filled Christ's eyes | with tears, and his heart with grief; for such an opportunity Jerusalem was not to have again. The things that belonged to her peace were now beyond reach: "Now," says Christ, "they are hid from thine eyes." This, to be sure, is a very affecting Scripture narrative. You may read it with deep interest. Perhaps it may move you to tears, as it has done to many. If that is all, you receive not much benefit from it. This passage has been recorded in Scripture for a further use than merely affecting you with a passing sentiment of mournful sympathy. Consider if it has any application to yourselves. You will have remarked, from reading the passage in the Gospel, that we have not that peace spoken of when we come into the world. It does not grow up spontaneously in the mind --we are not possessed of it. Our day of visitation is the opportunity afforded you of knowing, or becoming acquainted with the things that belong to your peace. If you had this peace already, there would not be any necessity, nor indeed any reason, that you should be allowed an opportunity of seeking after it. You have it not. None have it in their natural state. Instead of this peace, or any seeds that will produce it, being in your minds naturally, there is in your mind a very different matter. This is peace with God. But in your minds there is enmity against God. Unless two be agreed, they cannot walk together. Unless God be reconciled to you, and you to God, you cannot enjoy peace with God. God cannot be at peace with those whose hearts are full of hostility against him. The state in which you are, until you obtain peace with God, is a very|| dreadful state. It is a dreadful and shocking state of things for a creature that God made, and supports, and daily loads with his goodness. to have a heart full of enmity against God. It is also a very dangerous state. It can yield no true peace-the very opposite of that. Jerusalem, you observe, had a day of visitation-a day of great privilege-one of great opportunity. It might have been turned to great account-it ought to have been; but it was not. You, also, have a day of visitation each of you has. It can be proved and made plain to you that you have. Your day of visitation or of opportunity is the present time. It is now that you are entering upon life. It may be it will continue so long as God keeps you alive in this world. It is elsewhere called the "accepted time"-" the day of salvation"-state is a being under the condemnation of God, because in it God is making you offers of salva- out of whose hand there is none to deliver. tion, which, if refused, shall never again be These things, and much to the same purpose made to you. Jerusalem had her day-you that might have been said but for wearying have your day. you, may teach you how precious a time the day of your visitation is, because in it God gives you opportunity of attending to the things that belong to your peace. Such a The opportunity is given of knowing the things that belong to your peace. As it was with Jerusalem in this respect, so it is with you" The things that belong to your peace." You ask, What are the things that belong to These are important things--so important, that our peace-that make for it-that secure itthey should never be lost sight of till attained, that are the foundation and the substance of laid hold of, got into possession-the things it? I shall try to name some of them, for they that belong to your peace, that make for your | are many, and cannot all be mentioned now. peace, that secure your peace, that are the The first to be mentioned now is, that you are foundation and the substance of it, and without lost and perishing sinners; that you are, by which you never can have peace. And what nature, so sinful, that if things are allowed to is life without quietness and peace-peace of take their natural course with you, you must mind--peace with God? Without peace with inevitably perish; so disabled by sin, that you God, life were a burden here-it shall be a have no power to help yourselves, or to turn curse in the world to come. On earth man from you the destruction that threatens you. may make shift to live without peace with God. | That is one thing that it concerns you to know, |