kingdom? It was even so, for the scripture narrative goes on to inform us that "Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him, and he eyed David from that day forward." 1 Sam. xviii.

Now to what can we trace this evil conduct in the infatuated king of Israel? It was no new principle then for the first time reigning in the human heart, and adapted to Saul's peculiar circumstances. It was the same principle St. John speaks of (1 John iii. 12.) as actuating Cain when he slew his brother, "because his own works were evil and his brother's righteous;" it was that spoken of by the apostle Paul with reference to Ishmael: (Gal. iv. 29.) “ As he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now: it was that alluded to by our Saviour when he said, (John xv. 19.) "because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you:" and it was the same that now influences the hearts of men, when the consistent walk of the believer in Christ sheds such a bright light around him, (John iii. 20.) that the careless or hypocritical professor hates his Christian neighbour, while he envies the light he sheds, though he draws not nearer to the source whence it is derived, "lest his deeds should be reproved." It is an evil sign when we dare not bring ourselves to the light of God's truth, or when we cannot bear a near comparison with God's holiest and most eminent saints, without feeling envy and bitterness. Whenever such tempers are excited, we may well tremble lest it be with us as with Saul, for "the Spirit of the Lord had departed from him." And here let us distinguish between the gifts and graces alike distri

buted by God the Holy Spirit, the third person in the ever-blessed Trinity. Saul, like Balaam, possessed the valuable gift of prophecy; but prophecies may fail, tongues may cease, and knowledge vanish away, while the Spirit of grace never finally leaves the heart in which he has once dwelt, but conducts it safely, through many trials frequently, to glory. O let us beware of grieving that Holy Spirit, lest by departing from us it is proved that we have hitherto had nought of his existence but the most ordinary gifts, which, like the strength of Sampson, may at any time be taken away.

Nor is it surprising that from envious thoughts, the enemy of God and his servant should proceed to deceitful and murderous action: the repeated endeavours to smite him to the wall with his javelin, while in the act of ministering to his comfort, not succeeding, he presses upon him the honour of marriage with one of his daughters, requiring that for a dowry the acquisition of which would expose him to almost certain death. In this too he was disappointed; the God who had given his servant strength to kill the lion and the bear, and who had given to the stone from his sling force sufficient to hurl Goliath to the earth, gave him success in this instance also; so that Saul was yet more afraid of David, and became his enemy continually, endeavouring to put him to death with his own hand, or watching his house to kill him, on which he was forced to fly from the court to which he had been invited, and to which he had rendered such faithful service.

In all these passages of David's life we cannot but see in him the type of the suffering, persecuted Saviour, and with him his militant church. Christ

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wrestled with Satan in the wilderness, and came off conqueror in a battle much more important than that of David with Goliath of Gath. His gainsaying enemies would have hurled him from the precipice, had he not used his own omnipotence to pass through the midst of them and escape their malice. In his very infancy the enemy sought his life, and sent out a fierce edict that the sword should pass through a certain portion of the land he governed, that he might smite the Saviour and annihilate his kingdom. But both David and Christ were preserved; the one to sit upon the earthly throne to which God had appointed him, and to be a beacon to Christians of every age; the other to finish the work his co-equal Father gave him to do when he said, Awake, O sword, against my Shepherd, against the MAN THAT IS MY FELLOW; smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered." (Zech. xiii. 7.) And who (to follow out the type and antitype in this part of the history) was the faithful servant, the wise steward, the perfect man, of whom David in all these characters was.but a mere shadow? Who but he of whom it was said, “Never man spake like this man; and men "wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth;" who went about doing good, and who, when his time was come to be offered, could say in the perfection of his manhood, as well as the perfection of his Godhead, "I have glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work thou gavest me to do, and now, O Father, glorify me with thine own self, with the glory that I had with thee before the world was." (John xvii. 4, 5.) But here the type falls miserably short of the antitype, for David was but a sinful and imperfect man like

others, and whatever he had of perfection in his character and holiness in his conduct, were imputed and imparted to him by the Saviour of sinners.

Let us endeavour to learn one lesson at least from the contemplation of David in the character of a good, faithful, valiant servant. Are we not, too many of us, easily satisfied with low attainments in Christianity? It was said of David, that "he behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul." And this was because he acted from filial love to God; the very same principle by which Christians in the present day profess to be actuated. And yet the world sneeringly taunts us, that they see no great difference after all between themselves and those who profess to be separate from the world; or that the only difference is, that the latter do not attend balls, plays, races, or play at cards, but are otherwise as frivolous, as worldly, and as thoughtless as themselves. Let the Christian ladies, the readers of this Magazine, should they glance over these humble pages, be led by them to be more and more careful, that these taunts shall not apply to them; let them seek to be the kindest mistresses, the most tender wives, the most self-denying mothers, the most affectionate sisters, the most dutiful daughters, and thus shew forth what Christianity really is. And although, on the one hand, after we have done all, we are unprofitable servants, on the other hand we are exhorted to " go on unto perfection," and is there not a promise that we shall know, if we follow on to know the Lord?" (Hosea vi. 3.) It is true, that were we to live millions of ages in this world, we could never, with all our exertions, attain to sinlessness, and the moment our consciences acquitted

us of sin, that moment we should throw off that mantle of righteousness which the Mediator must cast over all who can be acceptable before God the Father. But Christ is our example as well as our atonement; and surely that professor who cares not to assimilate himself to the image of his Lord, will not be recognised by him at his coming.

"The path of the just is as a shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day."

M. W.

THE LAST ARCHBISHOP OF TUAM.

DR. TRENCH, the brother and the uncle of an earl, appeared at Achill without either shew or pretence. He came on a jaunting-car, he could not be distinguished from the two other clergymen who attended him, except by his age, and venerable but humble demeanour. The people seemed astonished at his not, as his rival, assuming the god, and shaking the spheres of Achill; therefore some, almost doubting the reality of the thing, asked, Can this gentle man be an ARCHbishop? But the doubt was soon removed -all saw, when they looked to the scriptural definition of a bishop, that his calling was to bless and curse not; and so that worthy man, after performing his episcopal functions with the simple dignity and decorum that belong to the Christian bishop, went away, pleasing and pleased; and it was hard to tell whether the people were more satisfied with him or he with the people.-Tour in Connaught.