concerned, have always held what are generally called the doctrines of grace, looking for justification simply and solely by the merits of Christ through faith. The honored names of Pascal and Quesnel stand out in beautiful relief from the dark and degraded ranks of Jesuitism, and other forms of Popery; and seem rather to belong to the evangelical school of modern Protestantism, than to that which teaches the efficacy of superstitious mummeries, of self-inflicted discipline, and the mediation of saints and angels. Nothing, indeed, can demonstrate more forcibly the innate hatred of the Jesuits to all that is really good in Christianity; than their inveterate hostility to the followers of Jansenius, who, whilst they conscientiously conformed to all the outward rites of Popery, insisted only on holding the fundamental principle that Christ was all and in all. The controversy, which gave rise to the Jansenists, began towards the close of the sixteenth century, and in 1606 Pope Paul V. was appealed to on the subject, but postponed any formal adjudication, leaving the Jesuits at liberty to maintain the opposite doctrine, as laid down by Molina-that free will, without the aid of grace, could effect all that was necessary to salvation. man. Jansenius, who was born in 1585, being brought into contact with others who held secretly the doctrines of grace, determined to arrange and methodize all the statements on the subject found in the writings of St. Augustine, whose authority none of the Jesuits thought of disputing; and in 1640 produced the "Augustinus," a digest of the opinions held by this great Five propositions, said to be contained in this work, gave offence to the Jesuists; and unwearied exertions were used to obtain their condenmation, and bring the body of Jansenists, who were declared to hold them, under the Pope's ban. In this they succeeded, and on the 31st May, 1653, Pope Innocent X. declared them to be heretical. But to the surprise of their persecutors, the Jansenists declared their willingness to condemn them also, inasmuch as they were not found at all in the writings of Jansenius! Instead of using their own judgment in the matter, the Jesuits again resorted to the Pope, who, in spite of facts, decided that they were! The Jansenists, as a body, had originally resided at the abbey of Port Royal des Champs, situate in a valley a few miles from Versailles; and in 1626 had added to it larger premises in the French capital, since known under the name of Port Royal de Paris. 7 Various impediments frustrated the evil purposes of the Jesuits; but in 1656, many of the nuns at Paris being required to sign a formulary condemning the writings of Jansenius, refused, and the dungeons of the Bastile were soon crowded with these noble minded women to such an extent that even the passages of the fortress were occupied by prisoners. Their abbey in Paris was taken from them, and given to the compliant nuns, and for many years they sustained trials and privations of no ordinary severity. But in 1668 the prison doors were thrown open, and the remnant of this faithful body again took possession of their original house near Versailles, the other, as already stated, having become forfeited to their persecutors. They still exist as a separate body at Utrecht, where they have an archbishop of their own, to whom our author paid a visit in September 1850, a circumstance which led to the publication of the volume whence our abstract is taken. The names of its publishers sufficiently guarantee the scriptural character of the work, which is beautifully printed, and embellished with three portraits and a view of Port Royal des Champs. Its publication is especially well-timed, when such great mistakes are made as to the distinction between rabid popery, and genuine spirituality encumbered by the beggarly elements of Rome; and whilst on the one hand it shews that there exist in that grossly-erring church some who are really looking to Christ, it proves still more clearly that the vast bulk of papists really hate the light, and persecute all who lean toward the truth as it is in Jesus. A GRAIN OF MUSTARD SEED. OUR kind friend and correspondent, B. H. C., translates for us the following:-"The expressions 'mustard' and a 'a grain of mustard seed' are used proverbially among the Hebrews to denote a very little thing. Hence, when treating of meats for bidden, the Talmudists say "Whoever eats any unclean thing, though less than a grain of mustard seed, is chastised.' Again, 'If one see a drop of blood, like a grain of mustard seed.' Again, in More Nevochim, Maimonides contrasts the 'sphere of the stars which is of extreme magnitude' with ‘a grain of mustard seed, which is of extreme littleness.' Christ has imitated this common mode of speaking in Matt. iv. 31., &e., where he compares the kingdom of heaven to a grain of mustard seed; and in Luke xvii. 6., ‘If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed.' What is said of the grain of mustard seed in Matt. xiii. 31, Mark iv. 31., Luke xiii. 19. is illustrated by the following from the Jerusalem Talmud-There was once in Sichim (Shechem) a plant of mustard which had three branches. One of these was broken off, and with it they covered a potter's hut or shed, (to work under in summer.) And they found in it three cabs of mustard seed, [nearly nine pints.] The same story is found in the Babylonian Talmud, where there are given nine cabs of mustard seed. On the Jerusalem Talmud as quoted above, Rabbi Simeon ben Chalaphta says, 'I had a plant of mustard in my garden, into which I climbed as one may climb to the top of a fig tree.' It seemed good to quote these passages to illustrate those from the Gospels given above; but we leave the credit of the stories to their authors. There is more in both these places of the Talmuds, about the fertility of the land of Israel. Among others there is a story of somebody who sowed one measure, [one peck and about one pint,] which produced three hundred. On it being said to him, 'God has bountifully blessed thee,' he answered, 'If an evil dew (i. e. hoar frost) had not fallen upon it, it would have yielded twice as much. Compare Matt. xiii. 8." -Buxtorf's Chaldee, Talmudic, and Rabbinic Lexicon: fo. 825-826. THE SPIDER AND THE SUNBEAM. As I was walking through the churchyard the other day, a scene presented itself to my view, which I hope I shall not soon forget. Two old tombstones stood side by side, with a very small space between them. The little cavity looked quite dark, except in one spot, where a spider was spinning its web, and there just there-a sunbeam fell, gilding the insect and its work with a radiance which appeared yet more bright from the gloom which surrounded it. "Ah!" exclaimed my companion, as we stood still to gaze more closely, "We had never seen that sunbeam but for the spider." "No," I rejoined, "Nor the spider, had it not been for the sunbeam." For a moment the spider ran away into the darkness, and then both it and the ray which had adorned it were obscured from our view. "There! we were right!" I cried triumphantly; and then, out popped the spider again; and again the sunbeam danced and glittered, and sparkled upon its fragile web. We left them to their happiness, and went on our way, determining to learn a lesson from them both. "We should never see spiders, were it not for sunbeams," I said to myself, when I was once more alone. "No, never!" They might go on spinning, filling the whole house with their webs, and we should not find it out, until we were almost suffocated with their dirty draperies! And is it not thus with the human heart? Who has ever seen, without some such illuminating agency, all the impurity that reigns within, or felt that he is "wretched and miserable; and poor, and blind, and naked?" But no sooner does the light of the Holy Spirit shine into his soul, than he knows it all. And then, too, he listens to the counsel of his God, and hastens to buy of Him, "Gold tried in the fire, that he may be rich, and white raiment, that he may be clothed, and to anoint his eyes with eye-salve, that he may see." for Dear reader, are you in this purblind condition? If so, at once seek the Saviour, and with Him you will have all you want. God delights to bless those who seek him in his Son. "He who spared not his own Son, but freely gave him up us all, will he not, with him, also, freely give us all things?" He has bestowed the largest gift, and he will not withhold the smaller. Oh! hasten to Jesus! Cast yourself at his feet, and say— No righteousness have I to bring, And then also, we should often miss a glimpse of the sunbeam, were it not for the spider. Unlovely as the spider was in itself, it seemed to enhance the beauty of the ray which shone upon it, and in return the ray lent it a portion of its own beauty and brightness. Were it not for the trials and difficulties that cloud our path, we might never know the depths of kindness and sympathy which find an abiding-place in the hearts of those around us. Did we never wander in the valley of the shadow, we might never know the value of His rod and staff. And the joy which arises from these discoveries, almost overbalances the sorrow. Listen to the words of the Apostle"We glory in tribulation also." "If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." No! Nor are they worthy now. So, that while the comparison sinks them into insignificance, it makes the approaching glory brighter, and causes it already to illuminate our darkened steps. Let us thank God, and take courage, brethren! Let us thank him for the spider as well as for the sunbeam. Let us never cease to thank him till we reach that happy land, where “our sun shall no more go down, neither shall our moon withdraw itself for the Lord shall be our everlasting light, and the days of our mourning shall be ended!" MARY ISABELLA. SLEEP. WE lie down at night in a hope that we shall rise the stronger; and we lie down in a knowledge that we may rise no more. Sleep is an opiate which gives us rest, but such an opiate, as perchance being under it, we shall wake no more. God at first intended sleep only for the refreshing of man by bodily rest, and not for a figure of death, for he intended not Death itself then. But man having induced death upon himself, God hath taken man's creature Death and mended it.-Donne. |