Such an instance of simple faith the writer met with the other day on visiting poor widow of more than fourscore years; of whom it may be truly said,

"She knew-and knew no more-her Bible to be true:

A truth the brilliant Frenchman never knew.'

She had her own marginal references too, for against one precious promise w put a large P. Upon asking its meaning, she said, "Oh, that means precious In the margin of another were the letters T. P., which she said meant "trie and proved." The colonial bishop would find such an inwrought experimenta faith impregnable to all his assaults; and, blessed be God, there are tens thousands who have the same inward witness to "the truth as it is in Jesus, and who "believe to the saving of their souls.'

The unlettered Christian may not be able to answer all the cavils, or unravel a the sophisms of the sceptic, but he has such a conviction of the truth of the Bib wrought in his soul by the Holy Ghost, that you might as well try to convinc him there is neither heat nor light in the sun, as to say there is not truth, pr cious, saving truth, in the Bible, which has been the guide of his youth, th stay of his manhood, and the staff of his age, and which he knows, moreove will illumine the dark valley of death, while it assures him of "an inheritanc incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away."

It has struck us, also, as a remarkable fact, that although it is well known the many infidels have renounced their infidelity on a death-bed, no Christian wa ever known in that solemn hour to renounce his Christianity! On the contrary then it is he clings closer to the cross, desiring to depart and be with Chris which is far better. Look then on this picture and then on that, and surel this will be the language of your heart: "Let me die the death of the righteou and let my last end be like his."

Permit us, then, just to submit a few considerations appropriate to th subject.

And first, while you admit the Divine inspiration of the Scriptures, remembe you need the aid of that Spirit who first indited them to enable you to read ther with profit. Hence the prayer of the psalmist, "Open thou mine eyes, that may behold wondrous things out of thy law." All men may have a knowledg of the letter, but enlightened men only can discern the spirit of the Bibl The one may be outer-court worshippers, but the Holy Spirit alone can dra aside the veil and lead you into the holy of holies. It is a tree of life; b it is only when you shake the boughs with prayer that you will find th fruit sweet unto your taste. It is a well; but it is only by faith you ca draw thereout with joy the waters of salvation. It is then with truth yo may sing,

"Rivers of love and mercy here

In a rich ocean join:
Salvation in abundance flows,

Like floods of milk and wine."

Another direction we submit to you is, that you should seek to make the word God its own commentator, "comparing spiritual things with spiritual." Matthe Henry ingeniously remarked, that if you would understand any difficult Scriptu you should use the key which mostly hangs at the door; meaning by the k the marginal references. And those who have not thus studied the Bible litt know the profit to be derived therefrom; one passage explaining another; t prophecies compared with their fulfilment, the types with the anti-types, t books of Moses with the teachings of Christ, and the words of the prophets wi the writings of the apostles. Such a study of the Bible will not only help y to its right understanding, but confirm you in its Divine authenticity; for

"Whence but from heaven could men unskilled in arts,

In various ages born, in different parts,

Teach such harmonious truths? or, how, or why,
Should all conspire to cheat us with a lie?"

In conclusion, dear reader, how is this best of books, which imparts such blessings, regarded by you? Do you search the Scriptures daily? Have you cordially embraced the Saviour they reveal? Do you imbibe his Spirit, obey his precepts, imitate his example, and make his word your guide to heaven? If so, it will be "a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path;" for "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

But if neglected, or only read as a matter of form, with all its light you will walk in darkness, with its ample provisions before your eyes you will perish with hunger, and the sacred book you now despise or disregard will increase your condemnation in the final judgment, according to the words of our Lord, He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day John xii. 48).

Bury St. Edmunds.

THE VERDICT OF EXPERIENCE.

BY THE REV. T. R. STEVENSON.

"As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts."- Psalm xlviii. 8.

MEMORABLE was the reign of Hezekiah, ing of Judah. Never was there a more arked display of Jehovah's care for his eople than in a certain great event which en occurred. The proud monarch of ssyria, with his large and victorious army, vaded the land. For two long, weary ears were the miseries of invasion endured. The wine-press was forsaken, the corn-field emained uncultured, the tide of commerce bbed, and, at last, the gaunt, grim form of he avenger Famine made its unwelcome pearance. But "man's extremity is od's opportunity." When earthly sucur fails heavenly aid comes. Prayer is ighty. One fervent supplication may rove like "the chariots of Israel and the orsemen thereof." Thus was it with the fering Hebrews at the period in question. ezekiah laid his case before the Lord.

cry was heard. In the dark, silent, lema night the Angel of Death went th, and passing through the camp of nacherib, slew well-nigh two hundred ousand warriors.

Take the leaves of the forest, when summer is green,

That host, with their banners, at sunset were

seen:

Like the leaves of the forest, when autumn hath blown,

That host, on the morrow, lay withered and strewn."

This great event is celebrated in the 'salm from which the words at the

beginning of this article are taken. The fifth and sixth verses refer to the alliance with the Kings of Hamath and Arpad, of which Sennacherib boasted, and to their flight after the destruction of the invading forces. Then, in the text, the psalmist bursts forth into an exclamation of timely gratitude: "As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts." That is, "We have heard that God is King in Zion; we have heard that he has promised to befriend his people in the hour of peril; and as we have heard, so have we seen in the destruction of the heathen army." We purpose making three applications of this confession, each in connection with the word of God.

as we have

1. In reference to PROPHECY, heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts." No parts of the Bible have been more abused by injudicious comment than those of a prophetic character. The most absurd interpretations have often been put upon them, and they have been made to support innumerable errors and follies. Some people seem never so much at home as when they are reading or talking about obscure passages of this kind. The book of the Revelation is their delight. If you want to know all about the battle of Armageddon, if you wish to have a full and particular account of Gog and Magog, if you want one of the "seals " unloosing or one of the "vials " pouring out, if you

desire an explanation of the "beasts" and "elders," if you are anxious to learn who the " woman in scarlet" is, they can soon gratify your theological curiosity. Apply to them, and they will have elaborate dissertations ready for you on each of the difficult or disputed topics. All this is to be repudiated. But let us beware of extremes. Because some have fallen into the error. just noticed, others have allowed themselves to be the victims of a reaction more natural than wise. In avoiding Charybdis they have run foul of Scylla. In many minds there is, as it seems to us, a tendency to disparage prophecy. Certainly the danger of the more thoughtful and intelligent readers of Scripture lies in this rather than in the opposite direction. It is well, therefore, for us to remember that, after all, prophecy has its place as a portion, and a valuable portion, of the Christian evidences. He who is our example in all things did not ignore nor depreciate it. Very frequent were his allusions thereto. When he unrolled the prophetic scroll at Nazareth, what did he add? "This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears." When he spoke of men's hatred of him and his truth, what comment did he make? "This cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause." When he made known the treachery of Judas, what fact did he append to the solemn statement? "That the Scripture might be fulfilled." When he had risen from the dead, what was the subject of his conversation with the two disciples who walked with him to Emmaus ? "Beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself."

Guided, then, by the conduct of no other than the Redeemer, let us acknowledge, and that without timidity, in an age of much superficial scepticism, the value of prophecy. How wonderful it is! Not a few of us have, from our earliest days, been familiar with most of the fulfilled predictions, and yet the longer we study them the more striking do they appear. Think of those old prophecies concerning the Jews. It was foretold that they should be "scattered," that they should dwell in "all countries," and yet "dwell alone and not be reckoned among the nations." Strange paradox, and yet a paradox patent to the observation of any one who will take

the trouble to inquire. Are not the chosen
people "scattered" in all countries?
Verily they are. Go where you will, you
find the Jew. He seems ubiquitous. You
find him on the field of battle and in the
congress of peace. You behold him in the
gallery of art and in the laboratory of
science. You recognise him in the senate
and the synagogue, the place of work and
the place of worship. He has been driven
out of almost every land again and again,
but he has always found his way back.
Persecution has tried to exterminate him,
but he still lives. And yet, though
scattered among the nations, he is not
amalgamated with them. "He dwells
alone." "They continue like oil on the
surface of the ocean, everywhere diffused,
but nowhere blended." Their idiosyncrasies
are such that time and custom cannot
obliterate them. The descendants of Israel
are, in character, unlike all other peoples.
Moreover, at the very beginning of their
national experience, it was declared that if
unfaithful to their mission they should
become "a proverb and a by-word among
all nations." Who has not witnessed the
verification of this? The avarice, the dis-
honesty of the Jew has passed into a
proverb. Their name is the by-word that
seems to come most readily to men's lips
when they wish to speak strongly of un
principled dealing. Remember, too, the
graphic and appalling description given by
Christ of the destruction of Jerusalem and
its Temple. Read the prophecy, and then
read history. Do the Roman Tacitus and
the Hebrew Josephus contradict, or do
they corroborate the Saviour's prediction?
The very children in our Sabbath schools
can answer, "as we have heard,
so have
we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts."

Viewed in connection with other proofs of its inspiration, the fulfilled predictions, of which the above are but a specimen, are to be regarded as evidences that the Bible is of God. On what other reasonable hypothesis can we account for them? Insight into human nature may do much, it is true. A careful observation of the great laws, political, social, and moral, which control nations, may lead to a general prognostication of their future, we admit. But what shall we say to the foretelling of an occurrence which, though eventually taking place, appeared most improbable at the time it was foretold? We can say nothing but that "as we have heard, so* * Vide Alford in lor.