of dark water measure out there, as they fall, a duration, monotonous, obscure, heavy, eternal.

“And, after a kind of convulsive shiver, one of the shadows, raising its head, uttered a hoarse and dry sound, blaspheming the name of Christ. And the six other shadows started, and altogether raising their heads, the same blasphemy proceeded out of their breasts.

“And at once they were seized with a more powerful trembling, the fog thickened, and during a moment, the dark water ceased to flow. And the seven shadows yielded themselves again under the weight of their secret anguish, and there was a second silence longer than the first.

“At length one of them, without raising himself from his stone, fixed and stooping, said to the other: It has happened then to you even as to me. Of what use to us were our councils? “And another replied: Faith and thought have broken the chains of the people; faith and thought have set free the earth. And another said: We wished to divide men, and our oppression has united them against us.

And another: We have poured out blood, but that blood has fallen on our own heads.

"And another: We have sown corruption, and it has sprung up within us and has devoured our bones.

"And another: We have thought to stifle liberty, and her breath has dried up our power even to its root.

"Then the seventh shadow blasphemed Christ as the author of this light and liberty, and they all with one voice joined in. And I saw a hand which moved on; it dipped its finger in the dark water, whose drops measure eternal duration as they fall; it marked the forehead of the seven shadows, and that was for ever."

Yes Popery is a marked thing. The same sentence has gone forth against the mystical Babylon, as foretold the doom of its precursor—" Weight! Weight! Number, Division!"

NONE TOO MEAN TO PRAY.

David professes himself a dead dog to his king Saul, and so doth Mephibosheth to his king David and yet David speaks to Saul, and Mephibosheth to David. No man is so little, in respect

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of God; for here, in that, we have not so much as a measure to try it by; proportion is no measure for infinity.

He that hath no more of this world, but a grave; he that hath his grave but lent him, till a better man, or another man, must be buried in the same grave; he that hath no grave but a dunghill; he that hath no more earth, but that which he carries, but that which he is; he that hath not that earth, which he is, but even in that, is another's slave, hath as much proportion to God, as if all David's worthies, and all the world's monarchs, and all imagination's giants were kneaded and incorporated into one, and as though that one were the survivor of all the sons of men, to whom God had given the world.

And therefore how little soever I be, as God calls things that are not, as though they were, I, who am as though I were not, may call upon God.-Donne.

Enquiries and Correspondence.

Evil overruled for good.

DEAR SIR,--I should feel much obliged if you would explain the meaning of the apostle, in Romans iii. 7,-" For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie to his glory, why yet am I also judged as a sinner?" Respectfully yours,

JEANETTE C

The apostle is here " speaking as a man" disposed to cavil at the dispensations of God's providence, and his argument seems to be this "Why am I to be judged for that which has conduced to the glory of God? If by my lie, my falsehood, or sin of any kind - I have only furthered God's purposes, why am I to be condemned for so doing?"

It is needless to add that such reasoning is both illogical and unscriptural.

The everlasting Father-Italicised texts.

DEAR SIR, - Would your correspondent, R. C. of Penryn, favor me with an explanation of the title, "The everlasting Father," applied to our Saviour in Isaiah ix. 6?

I find in Cruden's Concordance it is rendered "the Father of eternity," but I should like much to see the subject treated more fully

In 1 John ii. 23, I find the words, "He that acknowledgeth the Son, hath the Father also;" but as they are in italics, have they not been added by our interpreters ? N. N.

The verse whence the term “ Everlasting Father" is taken, is an acknowledged prophecy of Christ as the Messiah promised to the patriarchs and their descendants, as "the child" that was to be born, and "the Son" that was to be given, particularly Genesis xlix. 10. All the titles given to him plainly refer to him as the Redeemer of mankind, and assert the increase and perpetuity of his government, He was to be the head and father of a numerous posterity; the father of the Christian age, that is the whole period of the Messiah's reign. He is the everlasting Father, the second Adam, the Lord from heaven; the everlasting Father of the whole church, which derives its spiritual being and life from him, as the whole race of men derive their existence from the first Adam. He is the Author of eternity, by whom the church and every member of it shall have immortal life. And as he hath loved the church with an everlasting love, so will he for ever live to bless it.

A writer remarks, that it is common in the east to describe any quality of a person, by calling him "the father of that quality." D'Herbelot, speaking of an eminent physician, says, “he did such admirable cures, that he was surnamed, Aboul Berekiat, the father of benedictions."

The original words of this title of Christ may be rendered, "the father of that which is everlasting." Christ therefore as the head and introducer of an everlasting dispensation, never to give place to another, was very naturally, in the eastern style, called "the Father of eternity."

I am happy that N. N. has directed my attention to this title of the Messiah; it has led me into a variety of pleasing and profitable reflections. I should have stated that the character of Christ, as God-man, is beautifully represented under the different titles given to him-" the Child, the Son, the Wonderful, the Councillor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace."

The celebrated poet, Pope, in his imitation of Virgil's 4th Eclogue, has the following lines

With regard to the second question proposed by N. N. on the words, "He that acknowledgeth the Son, hath the Father also;" the meaning is" He acknowledges and has a real regard to the Father, and an interest in him." Most critics on the sacred text believe that although these words are not in the common copies of the Greek Testament, yet, as they are to be found in so many good manuscripts, they consider them as having formed a part of the original. Beza has inserted them on the authority of four ancient MSS. and of the Syriac and Vulgate versions. Estius and Doddridge consider them genuine, and Mill mentions a number of MSS. which have them. R C.

Penryn.

Dissimulation.

I shall feel greatly obliged if the Editor of the Youths' Magazine will favor me with his opinion on the following question.

Are there any circumstances which can render falsehood justifiable? By falsehood I mean an attempt to deceive others, whether by direct untruth, equivocation, or ambiguity. Now there are cases, such as the interrogatories of thieves, murderers, &c, where dissimulation of this nature seems likely to prevent far greater crimes.

They have no right to the information they seek; still the question is, are we at liberty to mislead, or should we adhere to strict and simple truth, leaving the event in the exercise of implicit faith with God. May not the swerving from truth, even when it appears almost necessary, be considered as doing evil that good may come, and establishing an axiom which may become very dangerous? The conduct of Hushai, David's friend, exactly illustrates my meaning, (2 Sam. xvi. 15-19. xvii. 8-13.) It is a master-piece of ingenuity in the art of duplicity; and the end to be answered was unquestionably good. The Holy Spirit, however, simply gives us the facts, without approbation or condemnation.

R.

The question proposed by R. is confessedly one of great importance, as it relates to the general and particular conduct of all classes of society. The definition of falsehood, as "an attempt to deceive others, whether by direct untruth, equivocation, or ambiguity," is perfectly correct.

The cases referred to, viz., the interrogatories of thieves, murderers, &c., can never justify dissimulation, equivocation, or falsehood. Where the person or property is perilled, we should make God our refuge and strength, and rely on his promise to keep us from evil by night as well as by day. Equivocation would soon be detected by a robber, and rather exasperate than induce him to relinquish his design. The cases of Jacob in deceiving his father, of Rahab in protecting the spies, and of Hushai in defeating the projects of Absalom, no more justify falsehood or equivocation, than they could the conduct of Gehazi, or of Ananias and Sapphira; punishment followed Jacob, and he who deceived his father was himself deceived by Laban. Gehazi was visited by an incurable leprosy, and Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead. “God requireth truth in the inward parts. Let every man speak truth with his neighbour. All liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone."

Under no circumstances can duplicity, fraud, or equivocation be defended. The evils resulting from this nefarious habit or system, are feit every day in the shop, the parlour, the kitchen, the factory; whether practised by masters, servants, tradesmen, or customers. It is sometimes resorted to by tradesmen for the express purpose of selling inferior goods, by the common practice of “ticketing;” sometimes by servants to prevent their being reproved; sometimes by children to conceal their faults from the knowledge of their parents; sometimes by scholars to evade their lessons; but the whole system is debasing, dishonorable to the character, injurious to others, and often ruinous to the soul! Those parents are truly wise, and consult the real good of their children, who impress upon them at an early period the valuable adage, "ALWAYS SPEAK THE TRUTH." R. C.

Penryn.

Remission of Sins.

SIR, I should feel greatly obliged if you would kindly favor me with your opinion on John xx. 23.

I am, Sir,

Yours respectfully,

NORA.

It does not appear that the disciples were authorized to forgive