Saviour's image. "He that liveth (at my coming) and believeth in me, shall never die."

Christian is not this a consummation to be desired? Let the prospect of it now cheer you in your earthly pilgrimage; and, should you be called to taste of death, let the hope of the resurrection brighten your passage to the tomb, and enable you to lie down peacefully in the grave, there to wait all the days of your appointed time, till your glorious change shall come-for come it will. "Thou shalt call, and I will answer :" "The hour is coming, in the which all that are in their graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth :" "Sown a natural body, raised a spiritual body." Nor will you have long to wait; for, "He that testifieth of these things, saith, Surely I come quickly." Let the response be sincere, loud, and universal-"Even so, come Lord Jesus." Amen.

LAMED.

Literary Notices.

PREVENTION BETTER THAN CURE. By MRS. ELLIS. (Fisher.) If books on domestic morality will cure the growing degeneracy of our age, our good friend Mrs. Ellis certainly has determined to do her part in the work. This last production of her prolific pen brings before the reader many truths of most weighty import, deserving the serious consideration of every Christian parent and citizen. Her remarks on the

different dangers to be guarded against in the training of boys and girls, have struck us as particularly judicious. From some things, however, in the course of the work, we can not but dissent. A high moral standard seems to us to be too much insisted upon, as something separable from true religion. The following extract will illustrate our meaning.

'Owing to the prevalence of this great mistake, education has neglected the most powerful engines either for good or for evil. It has trusted to the spread of religious truth to do all, and unquestionably for this it is sufficient if it could reach all. We know, however, that in comparatively few instances, the truth is listened to, in fewer still it is understood, and in fewer yet received into the heart. What, then, remains for the many, who are not of this happy number? Are they to go forth into society guided by no other rule than

mere inclination, and actuated by any low motive that may gain the ascendence.'

This does not seem to us the teaching we want in these days; we rather need to be reminded of the promise, 'According to your faith be it unto you.' We want more men, who, like the author of 'The Convict Ship,' will not despair of the efficacy of the Gospel on the most hardened. A high moral tone will spread through the whole of society, in proportion as the children of God are multiplied among us. We know the excellent authoress of the work before us will fully agree with us in these sentiments, and may perhaps be induced so to modify her statements, as to avoid the possibility of misapprehension.

FREE THOUGHTS ON PROTESTANT MATTERS. BY THE REV. T. D. GREGG. (Curry and Oldham, Dublin.) This work of Mr. Gregg answers well to its title. It is a stirring, and, in many respects, a powerful and able series of Essays on Irish Protestantism, the English and Roman Churches, the right mode of controversy with Popery, and the true principles of national policy in religion. The taste of the author might be more refined, and his language more carefully guarded from misconstruction, and kept more free from seeming intemperance. There is also, here and there, something too near akin to personal ostentation, though we believe it is mainly, if not entirely, in appearance, and due rather to an excess of openness and candour, than to real vanity. But these are lesser faults, and amply redeemed by solid excellences. There is, throughout the work, a firm grasp on the great principles of Protestant truth, a clear and full sense of the inestimable importance of a truly religious policy, and an ability and power of thought that deserve high praise,

and cannot fail to tell on the mind of all readers, not thoroughly perverted by the liberalism of the day. Our chief regret is, that Mr. Gregg has brought his quarrel with the Archbishop of Dublin into such needless prominence, mingled with a degree of contempt inconsistent with the maxims of Scripture, to say nothing of his own high views of episcopal succession, in which point alone he seems to join hands with the Tractarians. In the whole work there is a degree, we think, of unripeness and partial precipitance of judgment, that is likely to hinder many from appreciating the solid thought and real scriptural wisdom which it contains. His remarks on the right method of conducting the Romish controversy, seem, in the main, very just and sensible. He argues that Protestant writers and speakers must take the whole armour of God-that they must view special errors, as Scripture views them, namely as cumulative proofs that Popery is the great apostasy of the latter days.

"I am convinced (he says) that the spirit of Popery is bloody, base, and treacherous; but I am equally convinced that, to make this conspicuous, palpable, plain, and effectual, all its objectionable peculiarities must be brought forward as part and parcel of an illustration of the Word of God. We must let God himself be the Author of the indictment, and we must prefer it in His own way; we must not merely not supersede the views He has brought before us, but we must exalt and glorify them. That would be strong and unanswerable, brought forward as an illustration of the Scriptures, which identify Rome with the apostasy, which, if laid to her charge in the abstract, and made use of merely to prove that she is a false, corrupt, and dangerous society,

might be evaded, and prove not only unsuccessful, but dangerous.'

One or two more sentences will illustrate the tone of the work, both in its main excellences and its chief defect. It is a bold, vigorous, manly defence of national religion and the Protestant faith, but we could desire somewhat more of delicacy and tenderness, to mingle with its protest against evil.

"Even though the speaking of truth in the ears of our princes involved danger, it should still be spoken, however distasteful it might be. The length of time in which there has been the habit of speaking smooth things in reference to the Popish system, has a tendency to make the truth distasteful. We are required the more imperatively to speak it out.... Here is the mighty work, that is set before faithful Protestants at the present day -the rectification of the Legislature, and the obtainment of Christian legislation at their hands. Is it to be wondered at that the people should be demoralized, when their rulers are infidel? Everything like fixed principle is renounced. Truth is viewed as a thing undiscovered and undiscoverable. Men are sent into workhouses, and other institutions, by authority of the State, to teach contradictory systems. Idolatry is promulgated by law, blasphemy inculcated by the national treasures. Is it any wonder, under such awful circum stances, that misery, wretchedness, and heart-breaking should be constant attendants and characteristics of the subjects of the British crown. . . . In fact, to whatever department of society we now turn our eyes, we behold evidences of the God-despising, Bible-despising spirit, that has admitted Papists to Parliament. . . . It is the duty of all to arouse themselves from their indifference, and to