worship, as did temporal prosperity in the good things which they were permitted to seek, as tokens of the divine favour. The magnificence of Solomon was overpowering: it dazzled all beholders. But when a greater than Solomon came, the gorgeousness of external show was laid aside, and He who was meek and lowly in heart introduced a doctrine calculated to trample into dust the pride of man, under appearances far as possible remote from any display of personal glory. It is very true that the holy women of old, while decked in jewels and costly array, also adorned themselves with internal ornaments, such as are recommended to the Christian female; but so no doubt, did Aaron offer up spiritual sacrifices, and worship the Lord in the beauty of inward holiness, amid the blaze of gold and gems that distinguished the temple service. We honestly think that those who argue from Old Testament example and authority the expediency of female decoration, cannot consistently object to arraying their parish minister in purple, and scarlet, and precious stones. We know of one church in which this is still done, according to the prediction in Rev. xvii. 4. and we think that some light may be obtained on the subject by placing that description in juxta-position with 1 Tim. ii. 9.-ED.]

INDECISION.

ONE of the greatest difficulties thrown across the "straight paths" which young believers endeavour to make for their feet, is found in the pleadings of natural affection, seconded by the voice of that wisdom which is from beneath, recommending what appears alike the more indulgent and more attractive line of conduct towards the still unconverted associates of their thoughtless days. The enemy of souls dreads nothing so much as decision, in the outward walk of those who have escaped the pollutions that are in the world; and it is a favourite device of his to inspire them with the vain hope of making that attractive in the servant, which occasioned the Master to be despised and rejected of men. The world saw no beauty in Christ, that it should desire him; for the beauty of holiness is repulsive to the unholy and unclean: yea, the world hated him, because he testified against its works, that they were evil. To the end of this dispensation will our Lord's impressive words be verified towards all the faithful ones of his household, "If ye were of the world, the world would love its own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." Now what is it that the world hates? Christ, manifested in his disciples: and just in proportion as He shines forth in their godly life and conversa

tion, even so far will they appear unlovely to those who know not their Lord. To please man, they must hide God: they must find, or fancy, some middle path, so bordering on the world's broad highway as to admit of their walking, or seeming to walk, in company with those who travel thereon. This may do for a while-just to prove to them the miserable inefficacy of their device: but the Lord loves his children too well to let it continue long. He will, by and by, so hedge up their way with thorns that they shall not be able to find their devious paths; but rather be led to lament the folly that rendered such sharp rebukes needful.

There is a severe trial in the call, to come out and be separate from those to whom we are bound by the holiest and most loving ties that humanity recognizes. The comrades of our cradle, the playmates of our childhood, the companions who have trod with us the sunny paths of joyous youth-those who love us dearly, and are daily giving us fresh proofs of that love, while our own heart overflows with tenderest affection, reciprocating the warmth of theirs, and farther taught to yearn over them with feelings of solicitude hitherto unknown-conscious of having chosen a better part, longing to draw them into the same way, and dreading lest, by an abrupt separation from all that they deem innocent and social, we should thereby render our new profession an object of greater disgust and resentment to them. To a tender spirit this is a trial of intense severity; and the watchful adversary, knowing it to be so, has here a fair occasion to transform himself into an angel of light, speaking the language of domestic love, and urging that the wisdom which wins souls

is a carefulness to avoid shocking the worldly prejudices of those whom we desire to see conformed to Christ. It is however worth while remarking how differently he maintains his own ground from what he would persuade them is the best way of maintaining theirs. He does not instruct his servants to temporize; we very rarely find the unconverted members of a family seeking to bring back one who has been led into the right way by volunteering to read the scriptures, to discuss spiritual subjects with prayer, or otherwise to indulge those feelings, or conform to that principle which it is their object to eradicate. No, they carefully shun such compromise; they bear a consistent testimony that the ways of holiness are distasteful to them. Wiser in their generation than the children of light, the children of this world are remarkable for union and decision in resisting the spread of what they call religious enthusiasm in a family; and whatever inducements they may hold out to us to descend into their camp, they will not make a step on the ascent to us.

What, then, should the solitary Christian do, to prove that vital godliness has not extinguished or deadened the warm emanations of domestic and social love? Nothing, until she has spread the matter before the Lord, in fervent prayer, seeking direction from Him who has given the fullest encouragement to such suppliants. It is a work to be achieved by Almighty grace alone, the bringing one thoughtless soul to a stand, so as to compel the inquiry, “ What must I do to be saved?" But our God, having all means within his grasp, works by those means; and it is our bounden duty to examine, that we may adopt them, the most likely methods for the accom

plishment of our own prayers. We are too apt to forget, in our anxiety to spare the feelings of others, that it was not without some rude shocks to our own we were loosened from the dust to which we also clave: and we forget too that, in proportion to the love subsisting between us and our friends, will be their consciousness that we make a sacrifice to principle, in rather enduring to be reproached for unkindness, than to give them countenance in what we denounce as inexpedient for our own soul's good. A young Christian is sometimes placed in circumstances of peculiar difficulty; as, for instance, where some members of the family are already established in the faith, while others remain estranged from it. To pass over from the latter to the former section, without alienating the love of those towards whom our own tenderness is increased by becoming spiritual, and to offend whom would be intolerably painful, is one of the hardest of all things. In some respects it is more trying than to stand singly in the armour of God. The strong do not often bear, as fully and as judiciously as they ought to do, the infirmities of the weak; and the young convert, still bound by many lingering ties that it seems needless, as cruel, to rend, does not see the necessity for that strong line of separation which the exercised Christian has found it indispensable to draw. The writer is no theorist-close observation and personal experience dictate these remarks. Things seen, and felt, and known, not things merely imagined, form their groundwork. Happy it is for the poor members of Christ's mystical body that their Head feels far more tenderly for them than they do for each other!

But the question remains unanswered; How is the