been created to terrify and destroy the weaker animals? | the harmless animals, but which are evidently formed No; this, like all apparent anomilies in the works of God, is found, on due reflection, to be a strong confirmation of the wisdom and goodness of the Most High. Had man and other creatures not been permitted to feed on the flesh of animals, the earth would have been crowded with half-starved creatures, who would all, ultimately, have died of hunger, or expired amidst the miseries of protracted life, without any to take an interest in their fate, or to wish to relieve their distress, as they would have been incumbrances and nuisances, rather than benefits to man.

And, on the extinction of the graminivorous animals, all the carnivorous beasts and birds must have perished along with them, as their means of subsistence would have been withdrawn. It is a singular circumstance that beasts and birds of prey feed only on clean animals, that is, such as are used for food or for sacrifice; thus man had a double motive for protecting the clean, innocuous animals,—arising from considerations both of piety and of personal comfort; for, as the price of his protection to the harmless and useful animals, he was permitted to eat their flesh: so that we might almost say that the luxury and epicurism of man were enlisted on the side of mercy, as they led him to protect, and even to pamper, the animals which he had destined for his repast. Thus, instead of considering them as rivals interfering with the productions of the earth, he recognises them as useful auxiliaries of his labours, and as furnishing a wholesome supply of food, in return for the protection which he affords them. In short, not a hare, nor a partridge, nor a beast nor bird of any description, would be permitted to visit the cultivated domain of man, had he not been allowed to convert them to the use of food; but having a charter from heaven to do so, he extends to them his protection, and they enjoy under his dominion that safety and security to which subjects are entitled under a wise and judicious ruler.

This may account for the prerogative which man enjoys; but why, it may be asked, should the same privilege be allowed to beasts of prey? Why is one animal permitted to kill and devour another, and even to make a prey of man himself? This very circumstance compels man to assert his sovereignty, to stand forth in defence of his own safety, and his own rights; serves to rouse his energies by stimulating his fears, and incites him to extend protection to the harmless creatures which God has given him to be subservient to his use.

And, besides, from having the opportunity of seeing creatures of such opposite natures as domestic animals and beasts of prey, we are furnished with so many additional instances of the divine goodness and wisdom, and learn some lessons useful and instructive to man.

The majestic lion, who makes the forest tremble at his roar, the sanguinary and ferocious tiger, the powerful and sagacious elephant, teach man that his dominion consists not in physical strength, and that he owes his superiority entirely to those higher powers which he has derived from God, which enable him to hold every other creature in subjection, and which he, mnost ungratefully, often directs against the God who bestowed these endowments. And, moreover, we see in these creatures a new variety of character and instinct, totally different from those which distinguish

in adaptation to the wants and habits of beasts of prey. On the part of the predacious animals, we see the utmost sagacity and perseverance to secure their prey; their bodily structure is perfectly adapted to the manner in which they seize their victims, and all their instincts and habits are in conformity to the same end; and all this is met on the part of the animals which they devour, by powers, and instincts, and habits fitted for their preservation, and for baffling the efforts of their enemies. If any one should be disposed to think that it is a hardship for the harmless creatures to be compelled to live in fear, I can only say that this is a condition shared by every thing that lives. Every creature lives in fear of death; the weak and harmless dread it from the violence of the more powerful and ferocious, who, in their turn, dread it from the power of man, and he again dreads it from the power of Him whom no power can resist. Is there any hardship in this state of things? It would be folly and impiety to say so. It is evident that destruction and re-production are the laws of animal and vegetable life; every thing that lives or grows on this earth dies and is re-produced; and who does not see the wisdom and beauty of such an arrangement? Our eyes are not satiated with looking always on the same scenery, the same animals, the same productions; there is a constant change; old things pass away, and all things become new; there is no tiresome sameness; we see all the varieties of vegetable life, from the development of the seed to the decay of the full grown plant or tree, going on in uninterrupted succession; and we see the same constant succession and pleasing alternation in animal life, from the thoughtlessness and playfulness of youth to the decrepitude of old age. This never could take place were death excluded from this world: the same set of men and animals would continue to occupy the surface of this earth. Would this be an improvement? With regard to the other creatures, they would indeed stand still; there would be no variety in their habits, no progress in their natures. But this would not be the case with man; he can never stand still; he must either advance, or go backward; and who can doubt what the process would be if sinful man were endowed with earthly immortality: he would outdo all the atrocities of the antediluvian race; and if one were left, amidst the general corruption, endowed with common sense, he would earnestly pray that the obnoxious race might be removed, and room left for new men less hardened in iniquity.

Death, then, is producing constant changes in this world, and instead of being regarded as a cruel appointment, it is a wise and beneficent ordination, for admitting an indefinite succession, a countless multitude, in number numberless, of living beings to share the blessings of existence, instead of confining these blessings to the present generation of men and animals. The whole course of nature is in conformity with this plan, and countless millions of creatures are produced to taste the blessings of life, and to contribute to the comfort and support of others. Consider the fowls of the air, from the lordly eagle who soars to meet the sun, through all the tribes which have similar habits, though inferior power, they all prey on harmless birds; they, like the beasts of prey, avoid the flesh of their own kind, with

as muca aversion as man, in general, abhors cannibalism; | in subduing the earth, in reducing it under the dominion they prey only on such as, by the general consent of na- of culture, and in making it bring forth fruit for the tiens, have been considered clean for food and for sacri- support of man and beast. They are possessed of all fice. We call them ravenous and cruel. But look to our senses, of all our natural feelings; they are susthe harmless tribes themselves, which delight us with ceptible of affection and attachment to those who the beauty of their plumage or the melody of their songs. protect them, and use them well, and it is a most emWhat shall we say of their habits? Why, we must phatic accusation when we see an animal ill affected say that they are the veriest butchers on the face of the towards its master, it is a certain proof that he has used earth; myriads and millions of the most splendid in- it ill. One man may dislike another without having sects form their daily food. And almost all the fishes are any good reason for doing so; but an animal cannot cannibals, preying not only on kinds different from their act on this perverted principle, it has more honesty, and own, but devouring their own species; and the depths never dislikes without a cause. In the Sacred Scripof ocean are peopled by creatures which subsist by tures it was not thought below the dignity of the divine destroying the life of others. So prodigious are the majesty to legislate for the brute creation; and when productive powers of fishes, that they not only people God sanctified the Sabbath as a day of rest to man, the the waters, but supply to their multitudinous inhabi- domestic animals received, by divine command, the tants the means of subsistence. benefit of the benevolent boon. "On it thou shalt not

hid from ages, God was pleased, by a remarkable vision, to prepare Peter for preaching the Gospel to Cornelius, a heathen officer, and those Gentiles that were assem→ bled in his house. And while he preached to them, God was pleased to pour out upon them the gifts of the Spirit, as had been done upon those who believed among the Jews. And thus it was made manifest that, in this respect, there was to be no difference between the Jews and Gentiles,-that the Gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews. Only the Jews were to have the first offer of the Gospel, and on their rejecting of the offer, it was to be offered to the Gentiles. This is particularly stated by the Apostle Paul, in that discourse which he delivered at Antioch, in Pisidia, "Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the Word of God should first have been spoken to you; but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles: for so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I bave set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldst be for salvation to the ends of the earth."

This was the fulfilment of what Christ had promised | complete unfolding of that mystery, which had been before his ascension. By means of it the apostles were enabled to speak in languages which they had never learned. And it was so ordered that there were at that time assembled at Jerusalem, to be present at this Jewish festival, Jews from many countries far distant. They were astonished to hear the apostles speaking those languages which they had become acquainted with from their residence in foreign countries. Here, then, was a certain evidence that the voices uttered by the apostles were true languages spoken upon the earth. And as the apostles had not resided in the countries where these languages were spoken, and as they had enjoyed no opportunity of having the knowledge of them communicated to them by human teaching, it might certainly be concluded that they had been taught of God. But this outpouring of the Spirit consisted not simply in conferring upon them the gift of tongues; that was only one of the gifts. They were endowed with the power of working many miracles. They were thereby qualified in all respects for the great work committed to them of establishing the Church of Christ upon the carth. They were, from that time, enlightened in much clearer views of the leading truths of the Gospel than they had before: they became mighty in the Scriptures. They became bold in the profession of the faith, and fearless in the hour of danger. They acquired a firmness, a fortitude, and stedfastness, that carried them through amidst all discouragements, and opposition, and persecution. They loved not their lives unto the death; they counted not their lives dear unto them, that they might finish their course with joy, and testify the Gospel of the grace of God. The happy effects of this wonderful outpouring of the Spirit soon appeared in the miraculous success that accompanied their preaching of the Gospel. Thousands were sometimes converted in a day. Many of these converts, it is probable, were of those who had been awakened under the preaching of John the Baptist, or under the personal ministry of Christ himself, though they had not then made an open profession of the faith. But now being farther awakened, they openly confessed Christ before men, and were received as members of the Christian Church.

This rapid success of the Gospel stirred up the rage of the rulers and the unbelieving among the Jews; and they made use of every effort, by threatening and persecution, to arrest the progress of this new doctrine, and, if possible, to root out the name of Christian from the earth. But all their efforts were in vain. According to Christ's direction, believers, when persecuted in one city, fled to another; so that the more violent the persecution, the more rapidly was the knowledge of the Gospel spread throughout Judea and the neighbouring countries. For a time, the ministrations of the apostles and first teachers were confined to the Jews, although their commission included the Gentiles also. But the mystery of the Gentiles being admitted to those spiritual privileges, which had been hitherto exclusively enjoyed by the Jews, was what the Jews were very unwilling to receive. And it was unfolded to them gradually as they were able to bear it.

The next distinguishing feature to be noticed in this portion of the Jewish history is the opening of the door of faith to the Gentiles. And this is a subject in which we of the Gentile tribes are deeply interested. There had been intimations given by the Jewish prophets of a time coming, when the blessings of salvation should be communicated to the Gentiles,-when Christ would be a light to enlighten the Gentiles, as well as be the glory of his people Israel,-when the isles should wait for his law, and when all the ends of the earth should see the salvation of God. And our Lord had expressly commanded his apostles to preach the Gospel among all nations. Still, however, for the more

Observe how carefully the footing on which the present dispensation of the Gospel to the Gentile nations stands. The rejection of the Gospel by the great body of the Jewish nation prepared the way for the Gospel being preached to the Gentile nations. Thus some of the branches of the good olive-tree being cut off, because of their unbelief, we, who were naturally branches of a wild olive-tree, have been graffed into the stock of the good olive-tree, and have become partakers of the fatness of the good olive-tree. Thus the falling away of the Jews has been the riches of the Gentiles. But let us not boast that the natural branches were cut off that we might be graffed in. If we boast, let us remember that we bear not the root, but the root bears us. Salvation is of the Jews. And if they were broken off through unbelief, they shall be graffed in again to their own olive-tree. And let us take warning from them, lest, through unbelief, we should be again cut off.

The only other distinguishing feature of this portion of the Jewish history that remains to be considered, is the destruction of Jerusalem, and the scattering of the nation throughout all the earth. This awful judgment had been foretold both in the prophecies of the Old Testament, as may be seen in Deut. xxviii. 47–68, and it was also foretold by our Lord, under the New Testament dispensation, both in parable and in plain language. In the parable of the vineyard let out to husbandmen, it was foretold that the Lord of the vineyard would send forth his armies to indict vengeance on those murderers. And when some of them who heard the parable perceived that it was spoken against them, they said, God forbid. On another occasion, he told them that one stone of the temple should not be left upon another. And when some of his disciples asked him more particularly about the fulfilling of what he had spoken, he told them that, previously, there should be wars and rumours of wars; but when they saw Jerusalem encompassed about with armies, then they might know that the desolation thereof was nigh. And then they were to avail themselves of the opportunity that should be given them to escape out of the city and to flee to the mountains; for these were the days of vengeance, when they should be led captive into all nations, and should fall by the edge of the sword. All that was thus foretold was literally fulfilled by the Roman armies. And the distress that was experienced in the city of Jerusalem, as recorded by their own historian Josephus, and as confirmed by the Roman historians, exceeds any thing that was ever known of the kind. They suffered dreadfully by famine and by pestilence, and by quarrels and contentions among themselves, as well as by the sword of the

prone to be dissatisfied; more soft, and meek, and
courteous, and placable, and condescending. We are
not literally required to practise the same humiliating
submissions to which our blessed Saviour himself was
not ashamed to stoop, but the spirit of the remark ap-
plies to us, "the servant is not greater than his Lord;"
and we should especially bear this truth in mind when
the occasion calls upon us to discharge some duty, as
will be wounded, and we are likely to be, in some de-
gree, degraded from the rank we had possessed in the
world's estimation. At the same time the Sacred
Scriptures assure us, that to the operations of the
Holy Spirit, purchased for us by the death of Christ,
we must be indebted for the success of all our endea-
vours after improvement in virtue; the conviction of
this truth tends to render us diffident of our own powers,
and to suppress the first risings of vanity. Thus, while
we are conducted to heights of virtue no otherwise
attainable, due care is taken to prevent our becoming'
giddy from our elevation. It is the Scripture charac-
teristic of the Gospel system, that by it all disposition
to exalt ourselves is excluded; and if we really grow in
grace, we shall also grow in humility.-WILBERFORCE.
(Practical View.)

Roman soldier. Many of them were sold as slaves. [ and less hastily resent it; we grow less irritable, less Many of them were carried to Egypt to be sold there, until the market was so overstocked that, as had been foretold, there were none to buy them. Even the Roman commander, though a heathen, remarked that the vengeance of heaven had overtaken that devoted people. But the view in which we are especially called to contemplate this very solemn visitation is, that it sets before us an instructive type of that awful destruction that will fall upon the ungodly of the Gentile dispen-patiently to suffer some ill-treatment whereby our pride sation at the coming of the Lord. The one was evidently intended to be a type of the other. And the two events are spoken of by our Lord in such similar terms, that it may not be easy to distinguish in some eases to which of the two events the expressions of our Lord do more immediately refer,-insomuch that some have been disposed to refer them all directly to the destruction of Jerusalem. The similarity of the two events may be remarked in such respects as the following-1. The immediate cause of the destruction of Jerusalem was their obstinate rejection of Christ and the Gospel, their enmity to Christ, in falsely accusing him and unjustly condemning him, and their cruel persecution of his followers. And judgment shall come upon this Gentile dispensation for their abuse of Gospel privileges, and their enmity against Christ and his Church, Inasmuch as ye have not done it unto the Comfort under the Loss of Friends.-Death takes least of these my disciples, ye have not done it un- away our friends and lays them in the dust, and they to me." 2. There were many signs and wonders shall return to us no more. But if they have been warning the Jews of the approaching destruction of worthy of the love we have felt for them, if they have Jerusalem, which were disregarded. And, in like man- been walking in the ways of God, and are meet for that ner, there shall be many signs, in the heaven and on new heaven and new earth in which dwelleth rightthe earth, previous to the coming of the Lord, which eousness," we have good hope, through grace, that it shall be treated lightly by the ungodly. 3. There was is now well with them for eternity. They have gone much distress experienced by the sword, and famine, to "their Father and to our Father, to their God and and pestilence, such as they had never experienced be- to our God." They are where our affection, when fore. And thus shall it be at the coming of the purified from all the weakness and selfishness of humanSon of man, a time of great tribulation, greater than ity, would desire them to be,—in a world where they any that had been upon the earth before. 4. The will sin and sorrow no more,-where all their virtues, utter destruction of Jerusalem was a type of the in which we delighted, shall be matured and perfected, final destruction of the ungodly at the coming of the where all their views of creation, which we assisted Lord. 5. As Christians were delivered from that in forming, shall be brightened and enlarged,-where destruction, and the casting away of the Jews was all their hopes, in which we participated, shall be fully made favourable to the establishment of the Gentile realized,-where all their holy joys, in which we indispensation, so the judgment upon the Gentile dispen- dulged along with them shall become exquisite, unsation at the coming of the Lord shall issue in the final mingled, and permanent, and from whose delightful and establishment of the true Church of Christ, both of the everlasting mansions, where we expect to join them, Jews and Gentiles. Well then may we say with the they shall go out no more for ever. O, my friends, is Apostle Paul, "O the depth of the wisdom and know-it not consolatory to think that death is not an eternal ledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given him, and it shall be recompensed to him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for Amen."

ever.

CHRISTIAN TREASURY.

sleep; that death shall not have eternal dominion over those whose departure we bewail; that their spirits wing their way to the paradise above; that their bodies have a glorious resurrection awaiting them; and that he whom we dread as the spoiler of our friendships and our loves, is but the messenger who conveys our pious relatives to the realms of bliss and glory unspeakable? And while such views are consolatory, is not the comfort rendered sweeter when we are also taught to be "followers of them who, through faith and patience, are inheriting the promises," and to labour for the spiritual welfare of those whom death may snatch from our embraces? If death afflict us by separating from us our dearest and most valued connections, how anxious should we be that they may live here as "the children of the resurrection," and the heirs of immortality, and that we ourselves may not, by our carelessness, or our impenitence, or our unbelief, be cast out, while they are admitted into the kingdom of their God and Saviour. Let this thought rouse us to activity and diligence in the work of the Lord, to personal godliness and fidelity, and to a benevolent concern for the interests of the friends whom we should mourn to lose by death, and rejoice to meet again when "death shall be swallowed up in victory."-Rev. DR ANDREW THOMSON. (Dis

Looking unto Jesus.--He was meek and lowly of heart, and from the study of his character we shall best learn the lessons of humility. Contemplating the work of redemption, we become more and more impressed with the sense of our natural darkness, and helplessness, and misery, from which it was requisite to ransom us at such a price; more and more conscious that we are utterly unworthy of all the amazing condescension and love which have been manifested towards us; ashamed of the callousness of our tenderest sensibility, and of the poor returns of our most active services. Considerations like these, abating our pride, and reducing our opinions of ourselves, naturally moderate our pretensions towards others. We become less disposed to exact that respect for our persons, and that deference for our authority, which we naturally covet; we less sensibly feel a slight | courses.)