disciple, mellowed by the discipline of long experience, is still found "growing in grace," and "from glory to glory." What a transformation from early life! What power of the Spirit has been put forth in the attainment of such a victory! Religion usually appears in its holiest, sublimest form, when thus ready to transfer its praises to the throne of God. It is true that the aged have some additional infirmities to combat; but they have lived to little purpose, if they have not acquired, through grace, the control of their passions. Their general characteristics as Christians, are meekness of spirit, delight in prayer and in the Bible, deadness to the world, a relish for the company of the pious, conversation on religious themes, and resignation to the will of God. They glorify their Father in Heaven by exhibiting the fruits of a religion, which can guard in youth, direct in manhood, and sustain in old age.

The religion of the aged commonly illustrates the blessings of an early religious education. "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Religion is often cradled in the nursery, amidst instructions which supply it in Heaven with its archangel strains. The peaceful life and triumphant death of an old man, beautifully attest the power of an early training. "Being dead, he yet speaketh" the praises of parental devotion, and the fidelity of God to His promises.

The religion of the aged indicates most emphatically the blessedness of a state of preparation for Heaven. Art thou ready for thy departure, aged saint? Thou art not far from thy reward! How wisely hast thou lived to have kept in view thy latter end! Whilst others have almost reached the boundary of life "without hope and without God," the old Christian has made his "calling and election sure." Instead of being overburdened with cares, as many of the aged are, on the anxious verge of eternity, he is in posesssion of a peace, which sweetly bears him onward to his final rest. Instead of being engrossed with past disappointments and present pains, or with apprehensions connected with retribution, he has made all his preparations according to the Gospel of Christ, and fears no evil in the dark valley, which leads to Heaven. He belongs to the pilgrim land, whose weary feet are almost at their journey's end. "Blessed are their eyes, for they see; and their ears, for they hear" the praises of the heavenly Jerusalem in their near approach to its everlasting gates. How such men, old in years and mature in grace, throw all around them the influences of a better world!

VI. Let us consider old age as AN EXHIBITION OF PROVIDENCE; that wonder-working power which sustains worlds and controls their destinies. Everything is subject to its law. The system of systems lives at its command.

Human life affords a most interesting theatre for the displays of Providence; especially as the ways of God on earth are modified by Redemption so graciously and gloriously. The longer human

life is lengthened out, of course the more will the workings of Providence be ordinarily displayed in our affairs. This is unquestionably one of the eternal advantages of old age. Whatever may be its griefs and sorrows, which are many, it has a joy (if not here, in heaven surely), a joy unspeakable in its providential meditations. If Jacob, for example, had died in early life, how many rich displays of God's goodness would have been lost to the patriarch and to the world! So numerous and wonderful were the divine providences towards him, that now, from the top of the ladder, he surveys with ever-swelling raptures and hallelujahs, the pillar of Bethel, the passing of the Midianites, the famine in the land of Canaan, his own pilgrimage into Egypt, and all the events of his protracted and divinely-planned life. Old age was to him a great blessing in thus unfolding the divine purposes for his adoring contemplation. Old persons generally are made partakers of similar benefits. They see in their own persons more of Providence than those who die in early years; and so have more for which to praise God in eternity. They love to begin their praises in the land of the living. Old men love to relate the adventures, deliverances, and history of the past. They love to "tell to the generation following" the prominent and marked incidents of a diversified life; and if pious, they derive most sweet enjoyment in recognizing the hand of God. They-more than any other class-praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men." An aged disciple once said, "Inscribe over my grave, 'The Providence of God was his inheritance;' an inscription which belongs indeed to all the pious, but the most precious views of whose reality and truth are the most fully discerned by the old.

VII. Let us consider old age, as TERMINATING PROBATION.

God shows his wisdom in not extending probation to a greater number of years. "Threescore years and ten" is not only a long period of forbearance on His part, but a longer period even than is necessary for the formation of character on ours. If a person resists the invitations of grace during the plastic years of youth, the transition state of manhood and the hardened form of age, of what use to extend a probation, which his own long experience teaches he will not improve? There is no more fearful proof of the power of habit than is supplied by old age. Year after year trains the character for good or for evil, until it at last acquires a fixedness of purpose, stronger than the bands of death. The lengthening out of our years beyond the present boundary would not, therefore, in the ordinary course of Providence, increase the prospects of salvation.

Much less can it be believed that a purgatory, beyond old age and this life, would contribute to make man better here or hereafter. This doctrine, founded on the traditions of this world, will,

it is feared, have traditions in eternity of a most awful character. Purgatory tends in this life to pacify the consciences of its believers in the commission of sin, and to make them feel satisfied with the present feeble operation of a very impracticable religion. "The Bible speaks plainly enough of two places beyond the grave, but not of three." Protestants cannot believe in salvation by "fire." Their only hope is salvation by Christ-a salvation which has TIME for its probation, and eternity for its IRREVERSIBLE issues!

If it be true, then, that old age is the extreme boundary of human probation, what ought to be the feelings of the old, who are unprepared to die! Beloved friend, venerable in age, would that the crown of righteousness were on your hoary head! There is indeed still hope; but hope "deferred" so long, that your heart, "sick" of this world, should turn this day for healing, to the "fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness." David described life truly, when he said "There is but a step between me and death." This has been illustrated by supposing our course to be along a narrow isthmus, when a step on either side would dash us to ruin. But you must remember that your long travelling has brought you near to the end of the isthmus; and as you cannot go backward, there is now but a step to death before you, as well as on either side. Aged friend! Stop! There is mercy in heaven! Relatives, friends, pray for him! The star of Bethlehem yet shines, though on the very edge of his horizon! The night is fast closing upon him! Pray! Pray that even in old age, his youth may be renewed by the strength of an immortal hope!

VIII. Finally, let us contemplate old age, as UNKNOWN IN ETERNITY. There is maturity in heaven, but no infirmity. The old man leaves his staff at the gate; and the transforming crown is put on as he enters in. The perfection of holiness, inalienable and progressive, is the endowment of human nature in the skies.

What joy fills the soul of the aged saint, as the glories of the eternal world burst upon him, amid the hallelujahs of angels! "Death came in by sin, and sin goeth out by death." Every imperfection has passed away, like shadows in the light of a zenith

sun.

No want of interest in surrounding scenes will liken him again to old age. With ardour, mightier than of earthly youth, his soul is rapt in its new service, and glows with the intensity of immortal praise.

The loss of friends is well supplied in the "innumerable throng. The spirits of the just, who were united in the ties of friendship on earth, are "made perfect" in a fellowship that knows no fear of separation. And Jesus, who is Himself the Heaven of love, will sustain relations of tenderest, divinest friendship, eternal as His sceptre, to all the adoring host.

ness.

No failure of memory will ever again harass the spirit, which here below was subject to the pains and perplexities of forgetfulThe quickened powers, like ethereal messengers, will recall the blessings of Providence and Redemption, in the light of new and wonderful disclosures of Divine wisdom and goodness.

The bodies of the saints in heaven will no more be wrinkled by age or care. The resurrection-body is of incorruption, of power. It is like that of Christ upon his throne. No decrepitude will mar the image of its transfiguration; nor will death or any of the ills of earth be known in the celestial habitations.

The redeemed will be the perfection of sense and spirit. They will shine with beams of resplendent and glorifying radiance; reflecting, but never losing, the light which makes their heaven immortal. C. V. R.

SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES

APPLIED TO THE QUESTION OF ABSTINENCE FROM INTOXICATING

LIQUORS.*

BEFORE an advocate for the suppression of intemperance can be successful in his mission, he would need to address his arguments, not only to those who acknowledge, but to those who do not acknowledge, the authority of Scripture. The vice prevails to the greatest extent among persons of the latter description, those who make no profession of religion, either because they have embraced some system of infidelity, or because their habitual stupefaction. leaves them no lucid intervals, during which they might reflect on so solemn a subject. Few of them are likely to read this article, and it would be a waste of opportunity to adapt our pleadings to the circumstances of parties beyond our reach. Our readers consist of those who acknowledge the authority of Scripture, who are prepared to bow to its decisions as a supreme standard in all matters of duty, as well as in all matters of faith, and who, in various degrees of conscientiousness and consistency, are endeavouring to regulate their lives according to its precepts and prohibitions. Many of them practise what they call the moderate use of intoxicating liquors; but they do not deny that there is much drunkenness around them. They admit that it is not unknown within the precincts of the Christian church; they bewail it as a national evil, if not a national sin, and they are willing to do for its suppression whatever can be proved to be their duty. It is with the professors of Christianity we propose to hold a friendly debate, in which we shall endeavour to maintain the following thesis:-That in order to become personal or total abstainers, they need not adopt any new principles, but carry out to their legitimate consequences, principles which are confessedly taught in Scripture, which every

* From the "United Presbyterian Magazine," of Scotland.

consistent Christian acknowledges in his daily walk, and which he acknowledges more and more practically, just in proportion to his progress in vital Christianity.

I. The first principle is, that a Christian should not persevere in any course of action without a clear conviction that it is right.

Christian morality contemplates nothing less than the subjection of man's whole nature to the control of a sense of duty or a regard to the will of God. That spiritual change which alone constitutes us true Christians, imbues us with such a delight in the law of God, after the inward man, that the desire of universal holiness becomes a master-passion of our souls. The higher are our attainments in personal religion, there are fewer and fewer discrepancies between our character and the model we profess to follow, till some are so undeniably superior to the masses of their contemporaries, that, like Noah, they may be called perfect in their generation. We must have searched the Scriptures all our life to little purpose, if we are mistaken in this point, for we have as firm a persuasion as we can well have of anything which is not self-evident, that no man is a Christian who does not take Christ's yoke on Him, and learn of Him, as well as glory in His cross. What a Christian clearly sees to be right, he is bound to do at all hazards; what he clearly sees to be wrong, he is bound to abstain from doing at whatever cost. But, even with the Bible in our hands, and with an honest desire to understand what the will of the Lord is, cases not unfrequently occur where it is difficult to ascertain what is right and what is wrong. There is no explicit deliverance in the statute book, and we are left to the guidance of general principles, which look, or seem to look, different ways; we cannot tell whether the oracle says, Yea, or whether it says, Nay. The greater part of men, we fear, extricate themselves from such a dilemma, by adopting the alternative which is most agreeable to their own humour, if they do not clearly see it to be wrong; the scriptural rule is, that we should refuse the alternative which, however pleasant or profitable, we do not clearly see to be right. We are bound to give religion and morality the advantage of all our scruples. "Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith, for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." There are some of us who have a clear conviction that it is wrong to use intoxicating liquors, and we practise personal or total abstinence. There are some of us who have a clear conviction that it is right to use intoxicating liquors, and we practise moderation. It is our impression that a large proportion of Christian professors do not belong to either of these classes, but to a third class which is entirely distinct; they persevere in the use of intoxicating liquors without inquiring whether, in the sight of God, it is right or wrong. What has religion to do with drinking whiskey? is a question it may have happened to us all to hear, and it is not always asked ironically.