Protestant, with emotions of regret and pity, that men seemingly so estimable, should be the votaries and advocates of a system based on the most awful errors, and upheld by the most fraudulent and monstrous pretensions! The different changes of dress, posture, and attitude, which took place in different parts of the service, had, to the eye of the soberminded Protestant, a farcical appearance, better suited to the scenes of a theatre, than to the ceremonies of Christian worship, or worthy only of the vain pomp and sensual attractions of some idol temple. For many a curious spectator they had, however, doubtless a charm of novelty; and the interest taken in viewing the splendid vestments and other accompaniments of the worship, would not be by such an one too strictly analyzed, but would go to increase the general fascination exercised over the mind by the services of the day.

The music and singing were especially adapted to hold the soul captive in a thraldom of delight. One felt alternately elevated and melted, and the ear and heart joined, if the phrase may be allowed, a willing audience to such divine enchanting ravishment.' Professional singers of eminence were engaged for the occasion, and there were among them, some

6

'Who, as they sung, would take the prisoned soul,
And lap it in Elysium.'

Circe with the Sisters three,

Amidst the flowery-kirtled Naiades

Culling their potent herbs and baleful drugs,'

never sang so delightfully and bewitchingly as did some of the females engaged on this occasion, and truly they were fit auxiliaries to the worship of a religion, the aim of a great part of whose ceremonial

stood together on the list, and I do not think the one chosen should have been esteemed equal.'

In utter confusion, Mr. Sandford said, 'Maria! Maria! do not proceed in this way; you will make me perfectly ashamed of myself, and you only humble me in my own eyes, more than I at present feel to be true.'

Henry was not accustomed to give up points of this importance, without using every endeavour to leave an impression: he therefore continued, • We will not suppose ourselves to be personal at present; so let me ask, if you ever reflected on the parable of the labourers sent into the vineyard, after they had stood idle for want of an employer? You remember the point of that parable?'

Yes, it was that each one received a penny, the Lord making the last one equal with the first.'

'But you do not mention the effect produced.' 'Oh, those who had borne the heat and burden of the day, murmured because they who had wrought but one hour received as much as they.'

'What was that disposition?'

'Discontent: they thought it unfair.'

'But the Lord, who knoweth the heart, gave us the exact truth, when he said, in rebuking words, " Is thine eye evil, because I am good? Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?"

'Now that parable was an instructive lesson, forewarning the Jews of what the Lord intended in grace to perform, even the calling of the Gentiles from the east and west, and north, and south, to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. A mercy which the Jews abhorred; and whenever the Lord, or his apostles, intimated this

as it is

purpose of grace, they became enraged. This was envy. They resented that those privileges should be extended to the Gentiles, though they themselves rejected them; and it proceeded to that awful height, that if Jesus Christ would be the Saviour of the Gentiles, he should not be the King of the Jews! Thus the deep-seated leaven worked. Even the Roman governor Pilate detected the crime, declared, Matt. xxvii. 18. and Mark xv. 10. For he knew that for envy they had delivered him,' and that envy made them choose the release of the murderer Barabbas, that Christ should be crucified. Therefore let no one think lightly of the smallest indication of this evil temper; though it manifest itself in little and contemptible things, it increaseth, on the occasion, to the highest, and stops not till satiated in the foulest, deepest crime.'

Maria Evans shuddered, as Henry brought his argument to this conclusion, and was silent.

"You have risen,' I said, 'to the highest possible degree of this deceitful sin. Wherever it lurks, it poisons the whole heart; and when once we see it let loose, so we trace it through progressive devious paths, still striking at the same murderous design. The conversion of the Gentiles, as it proceeded, invariably provoked this malicious passion, so that the preachers and the followers of Jesus crucified, and their rejected King, were alike exposed to all their malignant persecution.

'I know no sin more active in despoiling families of their peace and harmony, troubling the most domestic scenes, and embittering the comforts of the home circle. How often do we see children of the same parents envious of each other, daughters of one

household emulating each other, ambitious to obtain admiration, applause, preference, to the exclusion of the other; instead of that beautiful peace-preserving grace of charity, which delights in the superiority of others, and when the base passion was prompt to rise, would crush it with the recollection of the law of Jesus. There are many families embittered with this secret sin, besides the family of the patriarch; there are many sons who for envy could sell their brother Joseph! It is cruel as the grave. "Who," says the proverb, "is able to stand before Envy?"

The account given by Stephen is, "The patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt, but God was with him." Are any conscious that they are under the shafts of this wicked malevolence? They have the same refuge of God. Like the martyr Stephen, who had no sooner given his testimony than he became a prey; but the Lord, to whom he had committed his spirit, was with him, as he fell asleep.'

Henry took the hand of Maria, as he addressed us generally: Let us watch against this natural disposition of the natural man; it is numbered among the hateful works of the flesh, Galatians v. 21. Where also we read, the heaven-born fruit of the Spirit, which, pervading the soul, cannot admit the evils of envy; for, in connexion with them, the Apostle says, "They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts." This is offering ourselves as living sacrifices; and the duties belonging thereto are, that if we live in the Spirit we also walk in the Spirit, not being desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another!

'We may covet earnestly that more excellent way of charity. Let us be watchful in prayer, that we suffer it to maintain its power and character, remembering always that "charity envieth NOT." So we shall obtain the complete victory, for the grace of love must expel the sin of envy. But" where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work." O for that wisdom which is from above, to pervade our hearts, which is "first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy!" ELIZA.