correct translations and the readiness with which they allow the perusal of De Saci's version, is a proof of the necessity of this being remedied, since it is obviously only to propagate error, thus to lead men to suppose that God's Word sanctions that, which if it were truly rendered, it would be found to condemn.

MARGARET PENROSE; or, Scenes
in the Life of a Sunday School
Teacher. Sunday School Union.
Fcap. 8vo., pp. 308.

THIS unpretending little volume is
written with spirit, and with a good
aim, and will well repay a perusal.
The principal part of it appeared in
chapters in the "Union Magazine;” but
it deserved a more lasting influence
than periodicals can generally exercise.
That the scenes described are almost
all in Dissenting schools is but natural,
considering the source from which the
book is issued; but the writer appears
to us to have purposely ignored all
differences, not only of opinion, but of
practice, on this head, the result being

occasionally somewhat confusing. Set-
ting this point aside, we can recom-
mend our readers to open their ears
and their hearts to many a valuable
suggestion and warning to be found in
these pages.
The writer has clearly
entered into the full spirit of the Sun-
day school system, and pleads well for
that deep, serious devotedness which
alone, humanly speaking, draws down
a blessing. The heroine makes many
mistakes, and suffers accordingly; but
it would be, indeed, a blessing if all
our teachers built on as sound a found-
ation as did Margaret Penrose.

Notices to Correspondents.

OUR readers will observe that in the present part we have added several pages to the number usually given, in order to find space for the double series of Notes on Lessons which will be contributed during this year. In so doing additional expence will be incurred; and we therefore trust our friends will make every effort in their power to extend the circulation of the Magazine, and to save the Society from loss entailed by this endeavour to increase its usefulness.

The continuation which appears in this number of the Series of Papers on "the Articles of the Church of England," contributed to this Magazine by the LORD BISHOP OF BOMBAY, will be as welcome to our readers as to ourselves; and we are especially thankful for the continued interest manifested by his Lordship in our Society, of which he was one of the earliest friends and supporters. A further portion of these papers will appear in our next Number.

As there are fifty-three Sundays in the year 1860, the Series of fifty-two Lessons selected are not intended to commence till the second Sunday in the year, i.e., the 8th of January,-the first Sunday being left free for a New Year's Lesson.

CONTRIBUTIONS are thankfully acknowledged from N. H. ;-W. C.;-" Dora ;"-J. H. J. R. T. P.;-G. N. S.;-W. S.;-E. H.;-" A Teacher;"-S. B. ;-and J. G. F.

"An Admirer" is informed that he will find articles regarding Bible Classes, and Notes of Lessons suitable for them, in Vols. 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12 of this Magazine. As Lectures have been printed in very many numbers during the last twelve years, the Editors fear that it would occupy too large a space to re-print a list of them.

The Editors would feel much obliged to their Correspondents, if they would send contributions intended for the next Number, as early in the quarter as convenient.

Church of England

SUNDAY SCHOOL QUARTERLY

MAGAZINE.

2ND APRIL, 1860.

The Teacher in his Closet.

A HANDFUL OF CORN FROM OLD FIELDS.

LOVE TO GOD.

THE true religion must enforce the duty of love to God. Nothing can be more just than this, and yet no religion but ours has enjoined it. The true religion must recognize the propensity of man to evil, and his inability to attain virtue by his unassisted efforts. It must also furnish the remedies for these maladies, of which prayer will be the principal. All this our religion has done; no other ever instructed men to seek from God the power to love and imitate Him.

Pascal.

The love of God differs so much from the love of sensible objects, and from all our other passions, that it can hardly be called a passion in the same sense in which they are so called. It differs in this, that it is at first raised, and afterwards kept up by reason. It is therefore a religious act and a virtue, which no other passion is, unless it hath God, and morality, and religion, for its objects. In this also it differs from them, that being both produced and preserved by reason, it is a sober and moderate affection, accompanied by no blind impetuosity, no restless uneasiness, no violent commotion of the mind, like

other passions, and as it riseth not to the same height with them, so neither does it sink so low at other times; but shews itself in an uniform and sedate love of righteousness, and of everything which God approves.

Some persons, not duly considering this, sincerely desire to please God, and carefully endeavour to lead a good life; and yet sometimes are afraid that they have no love for God, because they experience not in themselves that warmth of affection, to which others pretend, and which is expressed and required in some books of devotion. They may learn from the Scriptures, that where there is obedience there is always love; and that whosoever delights in holiness and justice, goodness, mercy, and truth, may reasonably conclude that his heart is right towards God.

Other love towards God than this, the Scriptures know not; they never recommend that spiritual fever, those warm transports, and that bold familiarity, which some zealots affect; nor that cold, refined, mysterious, and disinterested devotion, which another sort of fanatics require. For first, the love of God is sober reason, and not blind passion; reverence, and not presumption; and secondly, it is gratitude; we love Him because He first loved us.

Love thee! Oh Thou, the world's eternal Sire;
Whose palace is the vast infinity;

Time, space, height, depth, oh! God, are full of Thee,

And sun-eyed seraphs tremble and admire.

Love thee! but Thou art girt with vengeful fire,
And mountains quake, and banded nations flee;
And terror shakes the wide unfathomed sea,
When the heavens rock with thy tempestuous ire.
Oh Thou!-too vast for thought to comprehend,
That wast ere time,-shalt be when time is o'er ;
Ages and worlds begin,-grow old-and end-
Systems and suns Thy changeless throne before,
Commence and close their cycles; lost I bend
To earth my prostrate soul, and shudder and adore.

Love Thee! oh! clad in human lowliness

In whom each heart its mortal kindred knows

Dr. Jortin.

Our flesh, our form, our tears, our pains, our woes;
A fellow wanderer o'er earth's wilderness!
Love Thee!-whose every word, but breathes to bless!
Through Thee, from long-sealed lips, glad language flows,
The blind their eyes, that laugh with light, unclose;
And babes unchid, Thy garment's hem caress.
I see Thee, doomed by bitterest pangs to die;
Up the sad hill, with willing footsteps move,

With scourge, and taunt, and wanton agony;
While the cross nods in hideous gloom above,
Though all-e'en there-be radiant Deity!
Speechless I gaze, and my whole soul is love.

Milman.

Christ will not take sermons, prayers, fastings-no, nor the giving our goods, nor the burning our bodies-instead of love; and do we love Him, and yet care not how long we are from Him? Was it such a joy to Jacob, to see the face of Joseph in Egypt, and shall we be contented without the sight of Christ in glory, and yet say we love Him? I dare not conclude that we have no love at all, when we are so loth to die; but I dare say, were our love more, we should die more willingly; by our unwillingness to die, it appears we are little weary of sin. Did we take sin for the greatest evil, we should not be willing to have its company so long.

Baxter.

Those who have searched into the monuments of Jerusalem, write, that our Lord was crucified with His face to the west, which however spitefully meant of the Jews, (as not allowing Him worthy to look on the holy city and temple,) yet was not without a mystery. His eyes looked to the Gentiles, saith the Psalmist. As Christ therefore on His cross looked towards us sinners of the Gentiles, so let us look up to Him.

Bp. Hall.

"We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." He that believes this, how can he be troubled at any thing? What! troubled for that which a man believes to be the will of God! Troubled for that which he believes is for his good? Troubled for that which he shall have cause to thank God for unto all eternity? It cannot be! no man can believe in God and yet be troubled at the same time for what He doeth; for our very believing that He doeth it, and that He doeth it for our good, must needs fill our hearts with so much joy and comfort, that there will be no room for grief and impatience there.

All are not taken! there are left behind
Living beloveds, tender looks to bring,
And make the daylight still a blessed thing,
And tender voices to make soft the wind.

But if it were not so-if I could find
No love in all the world to answer me,

Bp. Beveridge.

Nor any pathway but rang hollowly,

Where "dust to dust" the love from life disjoined-
And if with parched lips,—as in a dearth
Of water springs, the very deserts claim-
I uttered to these sepulchres unmoving
The bitter cry, "Where are ye, O my loving ?"
I know a voice would sound, "Daughter, I AM,
Can I suffice for heaven, and not for earth?"

H. Bonar.

I remember that Mr. Roberts tells us, in his Treatise on the Covenants, that he knew a Christian, who in the infancy of his Christianity, so vehemently panted after the infallible assurance of God's love, that for a long time together, he earnestly desired some voice from heaven,-yea, sometimes walking in the solitary fields, he earnestly desired some miraculous voice from the trees and stones there. This, after many desires and longings, was denied him; but in time, a better was afforded, in the ordinary way of searching the Word and his own heart. An instance of the like nature, the learned Gerson gives us, of one who was driven by temptation on the very borders of desperation; at last being sweetly settled and assured, one asked him how he attained it? He answered, not by an extraordinary revelation, but by subjecting my understanding to the Scriptures and comparing my heart with them.

Thou hidden love of God, whose height,
Whose depth unfathomed, no man knows;

I see from far thy beauteous light,

And inly sigh for thy repose:
My heart is pained, nor can it be
At rest, till it find rest in Thee.

Is there a thing beneath the sun,

That strives with Thee my heart to share?
Ah! tear it thence, and reign alone,

The Lord of every motion there;

Then shall my heart from earth be free,
When it has found repose in Thee.

O crucify this self, that I

No more, but Christ in me may live!

Bid all my vile affections die,

Nor let one hateful lust survive.
In all things, nothing may I see,
Nothing desire, or seek, but Thee.
Lord draw my heart from earth away,
And make it only know thy call:
Speak to my inmost soul, and say,

"I am thy strength, thy God, thy All."
To feel thy power, to hear thy voice,
To taste thy love, be all my choice.

Flavel.

Wesley.