who possessed all the outward advantages of the means of religion.

George. But he goes further. He tells her that "it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs."

Minister. Thus the Jews, in their self-complacent pride, were accustomed to call the Gentiles. The figure employed by our Lord was a striking one. The master of the family is seated at table; his children surround him; and the food that is provided, is provided for them, and to them it must be given.

George. And yet from this very figure, discouraging as it must have been, she draws an argument in her own favour. Minister. In what way?

George. She does not disclaim the application of the epithet: she even admits it. She says, "Truth, Lord." But she considers the dogs, though not members of the family, as yet the property of the master, and not rejected from his care. They are permitted to sit under the table, and to "eat of the crumbs which fall from" it. As though she had said, “Be it so, that I am but as a dog: yet I belong to thee; and though I cannot ask for the children's bread, yet I may be allowed to share in the fragments that fall from the table.

Minister. So strong was her faith, and so decided an influence had it on her mind. In the first place, it led to prayer; then it produced perseverance; and now see how it is mingled with deep humility. Neither was her faith presumption, nor her humility despair. She confesses her own utter unworthiness, but she continues to apply, because she only asked for mercy,-free and boundless mercy. She evidently not only believed in our Lord's power, but was persuaded, likewise, of his goodness and compassion.

George. Yes, Sir; and she is now successful.

Minister. Successful because persevering. No discouragement repelled her. She believed that He to whom she applied could help her, and therefore, though with profound selfabasement, she continued to request that he would do so. Her conduct affords us a fine example not only of the power of faith, but of the line of duty which faith marks out.

George. And I suppose I may add, Sir, of the certainty

that the earnest and humble prayer of faith shall not be ultimately rejected?

Minister. That may be called the grand moral of the recorded narrative. Our Lord had now tested her faith, and given her full opportunity to show its sincerity and strength. He therefore now manifests the compassion which was in his own heart:-"O woman, great is thy faith. For this saying, be it unto thee even as thou wilt." And when he said the word, he also willed that so it should be. And here again we see the wonderful power he possessed,-power belonging to no creature. The daughter was not present: but what was distance to Him of whom it was said, "He was in the world, and the world was made by him?" He willed the cure, and it was done.

George. And the woman was contented with this. He tells her to go her way, assuring her that the devil was gone out of her daughter: and, without any hesitation, she departs, satisfied that she should find all to be well on her arrival at home.

Minister. And this is another feature of her faith,-a satisfied acquiescence in our Lord's manner of granting her request. I had almost said, that you see in her an example of the true simplicity of faith. It was faith. She saw that if she had any reason to believe at all, she had reason to believe thoroughly and perseveringly. She was not, therefore, harassed by any doubts. She was persuaded of our Lord's power and goodness; and to that persuasion she, so to speak, completely abandoned herself. Her whole soul was faith, and He whom she thus honoured sent her away with a glad heart.

George. This is the lesson, then, which is to be gathered from the whole?

Minister. It is. Like all the other miracles, it shows our Lord's wonderful power; and thus bears testimony to the truth of his pretensions. But the attendant circumstances, as they are given in the inspired record, clearly exhibit our own duty-I should add, our own privilege-also. Thus are we to believe; thus to pray: and never shall the prayer of faith be vainly addressed to Him who is "the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever."

66

SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS.

GEN. xxxvii. 3. "A coat of many colours."-This particoloured tunic of Joseph has occasioned some speculation; but it seems to us that the real point of interest has not been noticed. It would be desirable to know whether the art of interweaving a piece in various colours was at this time discovered or not. Judging from the information which this text offers, it would seem not; for the word which is constantly rendered "colours," may, as in the marginal reading, with more than equal propriety, be rendered “pieces;" which makes it probable that the agreeable effect resulting from a combination of colours was obtained by patchwork, in the first instance; and in after-times, by being wrought with a needle. The value and distinction attached to such variegated dresses show that they were not common, and were formed by some elaborate process. This continued long after. In the time of David, such a dress was a distinction for a King's daughter; (2 Sam. xiii. 18;) and in Judges v. 30, we see ladies anticipating the return of a victorious General, with a prey of divers colours, of divers colours of needlework on both sides." We may therefore infer that, in these times, people generally did not wear variegated dresses, the common use of which must have been consequent on the discovery of the art of interweaving a variegated pattern in the original texture, or of printing it subsequently. Except in Persia, where a robe is usually of one colour, most Asiatic people are partial to dresses in which various patterns are interwoven in stripes or flowers; and parti-coloured dresses have necessarily ceased to form a distinction. The most remarkable illustration of this text which we have seen, is given by Mr. Roberts, who states that in India it is customary to invest a beautiful or favourite child with "a coat of many colours," consisting of crimson, purple, and other colours, which are often tastefully sewed together. He adds: “A child being clothed in a garment of many colours, it is believed that neither tongues nor evil spirits will injure him, because the attention is taken from the beauty of the person to that of the garment."-Knight's Illustrated Commentary.

49

ON THE DISTRIBUTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF SUBJECTS NECESSARY FOR THE SUCCESSFUL PURSUIT OF PHILOSOPHICAL STUDIES.

No. II.

BEFORE the subject of natural philosophy can be advantageously considered, that of theology, so far as related to it, must be examined. Two opposite errors have existed in reference to it. By some, nature, as presented by natural philosophy, or physics, has been made both the foundation and the test of divinity, as though a divine revelation could refer to no subjects but those which are obviously included in material creation. Others, again, mistaking the proper character and design of revelation, have referred to it exclusively, as though the works of God could contain nothing that was not distinctly stated in his word. The question, after all, is one of fact, rather than of theory; and a careful investigation of the facts of the case, followed by an orderly arrangement of them, would enable the observer to obtain a just theory, which, as might be expected, would be found accurately to agree with the teaching of Scripture.

By the inspired volume, the existence and perfections of God, the great First Cause, are distinctly stated as objects of faith. We are not left first to infer that God is, and then told what is his character. This is an inference which has never been made independently. They to whom this great truth has not been presented, have always been destitute of it. And yet they have likewise always been without excuse. There has always been a traditionary recollection of the fact; and the forms which have been given to that recollection have been such, as to meet with direct contradiction from every correct observation of nature. The apostolic account of the real cause of existing ignorance, is in perfect accordance with the evidence of history. "They did not like to retain God in their knowledge." "When they knew God, they glorified him not as God." The truth was rejected. The traditionary remembrances were wilfully distorted into shapes which nature repudiated. And when the presented truth was banished from their minds, that which was sufficient, as

proof, to have retained it there, was not sufficient again to impart it. Where there is life, it may be sustained by food; but food cannot give life to the dead.

Christianity, taken in its proper extent, is not only the history of redemption by Christ, but of creation, and subsequent providence, as having specific illustration in the government of the Jews. It presents, therefore, the primary truths which relate to the being and character of God. He is thus made known to us, not as a mere abstract Cause, but as a living Being, a personal Agent. All things are said to have been made by Him, and by Him still to be preserved. For this knowledge we are indebted to revelation. We see the sun, not as by instruments which enable the senses to perceive that which otherwise had been invisible, but by a ray proceeding from itself, and travelling over the vast distance between us and itself.

But the divine Being thus making himself known to us, and thus revealing to us the fact, as an object of faith, that all things were made by Him, the question occurs, How are we to obtain the knowledge of physical nature? Is this, also, as in the form of philosophical system, communicated by revelation? And when the knowledge is acquired, the further question suggests itself, What are the inferences which we are warranted to make respecting the Creator?

As to the first question, which is simply one concerning matter of fact, the answer is easy. Using general terms, the evident design of Scripture, evident on the very face of it, is not to teach us natural, but moral, philosophy. For the first, our own faculties, properly exercised, and directed to their proper objects, are sufficient. For the second, they are not sufficient; and even if they were, for the purposes of discovery, they would still be insufficient for the purposes of obligation. Moral philosophy includes the facts and rules of the divine government; and that law may come to us in its proper character, as having an authority binding on conscience, distinct promulgation is requisite. This, therefore, is done. The proper character of the Bible is, that it reveals to us the kingdom of God, both as our original Owner and Lord; and, since the rebellion of the human race, our Redeemer,