of the Gospel must first appear in an illuminated and embellished form. The external must minister to the internal. Man's devotion must be roused by pompous forms. The depths of his religious nature must be stirred by gorgeous ritual and unique symbols. His spiritual activities must be called into exercise by an imposing ceremonial. Look at that wondrous tent! It bears some faint resemblance to a "greater and more perfect tabernacle." God's justice against sin is indicated by those reeking sacrifices. The golden candelabra with its "everlasting burnings" sets forth the divine purity. The waving incense adumbrates the presentation of acceptable prayer. That scape-goat embodies the glorious doctrine of Christ's atonement. The "Apostle and High Priest of our profession" is there represented by the son of Aaron. Whilst the mercy-seat with its bending cherubim justly illustrates that "throne of grace," when Jesus "maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." What place so fit for the promulgation of the Judaic ritual as the mount of God? From that majestic summit justice has uttered its voice; thence also shall issue the accents of mercy. That hallowed spot of Israel's enfranchisement shall witness the enunciation of both law and Gospel. Amid the deep solitudes of the mount of fire, righteousness and peace shall enter into lasting covenant; angels shall minister unto men; heaven shall come down to earth. Come, see the strange sight! The transaction excites interest in heavenly places. The higher ranks of intelligences participate in the mighty act. The law is "ordained by angels in the hands of a Mediator." The adjacent hills are wrapt in living flame. From the surrounding promontories light flashes upon the consecrated hosts, and crowns the hoary head of Sinai. Angelic legions escort the royalty of heaven, and increase the grandeur of the scene. The tramp of celestial cohorts shakes the mountain to its centre; and Moses "received the law by the disposition of angels."

A few years since a renowned Continental scholar discovered a document in the Greek convent of St. Catharine of the greatest value.

For centuries this treasure had been concealed from both enemies and friends. Its existence was unknown beyond the monastic walls of St. Catharine. None had access to its precious contents, but the monks connected with the establishment. Whilst other writings have perished by fire or by age, Sinai has exercised safe custody over this invaluable treasure. Its material, its uncial characters, its interpunction, and the nature of its text bid fair to outrival existing codices, and to assist in correcting and establishing the text of the New Testament. A gross ignorance was effecting its slow but sure destruction. Sheet after sheet was being torn from the original volume and committed to the flames. Had it not been for

the opportune visit of Dr. Tischendorf this document would inevitably have wholly perished. By order of the Russian Emperor suitable type was cast; and through the generosity of the Czar, a fac-simile copy was presented to all the public libraries of Europe. To biblical scholars Sinai will be doubly interesting now. This fresh association will endear it to the learned.

T. P.

ART. VI.-SONGS OF THE SCOTTISH COVENANT.

The Banner o' Blue; or the Career of the Covenant flag. Being a series of ballads and other poems on the great struggle for the national Covenant of Scotland. By ANGUS MACPHERSON. London: James Nisbet and Co. 1865.

UNTI

NTIL within the last hundred and fifty years when Scotland became politically incorporated with England, its history reads more like a romance than a chronicle of veritable facts. Its struggles for national independence against the pretensions and encroachments of a powerful neighbour are fit to be matched with the heroic patriotism of ancient Greece; and its struggles for religious freedom against Popery in the first instance, and afterwards against a system Protestant in name but thoroughly Popish in spirit and principle, are equally memorable.

After much confusion and bloodshed, the Reformation in Scotland issued in the establishment of Presbyterianism as the national religion. But the Presbyterianism of Scotland, though well fitted to the genius of the people was ill fitted in many respects to be a State church. For one thing, the views it held respecting "the crown rights of Christ" could not fail in the nature of things to bring it into collision with the State,-unless, indeed, the State should prove singularly yielding and compliant. Foremost of all its ecclesiastical principles it maintained, and with invincible resolution contended for, the absolute right of Christ to govern his church by his own servants appointed by him for that purpose, without let or hindrance from the civil magistrate. It indeed claimed that its material interests should be sustained and its ministers subsidised by the State; but on all purely ecclesiastical matters, on all questions of doctrine and discipline it held itself to be free from State control. In effect the Scottish Presbyterians said to their civil rulers," Attend you to the things of Cæsar, but touch no the things of God; enact laws for the civil well-being of the State, but meddle not with the laws of the Church. In all secular matters we yield to you submission and obedience, but in matters spiritual

we hold ourselves free of your authority. Within the sphere of conscience we acknowledge no king but King Jesus."

A church holding by and as it were based upon such a principle as this, would not be likely to move smoothly in the harness of the State. Misunderstandings, recriminations, collisions were inevitable. And so in fact it proved. That Mary Queen of Scots should have hated Presbyterianism and sought its destruction is not to be wondered at, considering the education she received, the associations she had formed, and the ambitious designs she cherished. Mary struggled with all the force of her passionate nature and with all the resources she could command to strangle the religion of her country, but in the struggle she lost her all, her reputation, her liberty, her iife. Better things were expected of her son and successor James VI. That he might be duly qualified to fill the throne with credit to himself and advantage to the country his education was entrusted to George Buchannan, a man whose genius had acquired a European reputation, whose patriotism was of Spartan inflexibility, and whose personal religion conformed scrupulously to the Presbyterian type. But James had come of a bad stock. The worst vices were grained in his constitution. The Church standing in the way of his ambitious designs, he resolved to crush its liberties. By a series of scandalous measures in which every principle of honour was sacrificed he corrupted its courts, silenced or banished its leading ministers and imposed upon it a class of bishops whom the people contemptuously styled Tulchan bishops.*

Charles I. inherited the despotic spirit of his father, coupled with much greater strength of will. Regardless of the remonstrances and entreaties of his Scottish subjects he resolved to suppress Presbyterianism, and to force upon them a system of bastard Episcopacy. The struggle which ensued between the people of Scotland and their infatuated monarch, and which was prolonged with varying fortunes for twenty-eight years, is one of the most mournful periods of Scottish history.

In the volume now before us many of the heart-stirring incidents of that period are reproduced in poetic form, with much lyrical

* "A Tulchan is, or rather was, for the thing is long since obsolete, a calf skin stuffed into the rude similitude of a calf,-similar enough to deceive the imperfect perceptive organs of a cow. At milking-time the Tulchan, with head duly bent, was set as if to suck; the fond cow looking round fancied that her calf was busy, and that all was right, and so gave her milk freely, which the cunning maid was draining in white abundance into her pail all the while So of the bishops. Scotch lairds were eager enough to "milk" the church lands and tithes, to get the rents out of them freely, which was not always easy. They were glad to construct a form of bishops to please the king and make the milk come without disturbance. The reader now knows what a Tulchan bishop was. A piece of mechanism constructed not without difficulty, in parliament and king's council among the Scots; and torn asunder afterwards with dreadful clamour and scattered to the four winds when the cow became awake to it."-THOMAS CARLYLE.

force and beauty.

The author writes from the fulness and fervour of a heart in deep sympathy with his subject. He has obviously caught the spirit of

The heroic men of old,

In the cause of freedom bold,
Flinching not though often told

They must stoop or die,

and he defends their cause with an enthusiasm akin to that which glowed in the hearts of Peden, and Cameron, and Cargill, and other noble-hearted Scotchmen, who, on the wild moorlands of their native country bore aloft the banner of civil and religious liberty, when in every other part of the two kingdoms it was trailing in the mire. Instead of indulging in minute criticism of this beautiful volume, we hasten to furnish our readers with such extracts as will enable them to judge of its merits for themselves. The first piece we shall quote is called

THE READING OF THE LITURGY.

To bring the church of Scotland into harmony with the English church, public religious worship must be performed by means of a liturgy. So thought Charles I. and his advisers. A liturgy is therefore provided by the Scottish prelates, more thoroughly Pepish in character than that of the English Church. After receiving its finishing touch from the hands of Archbishop Laud, a day is appointed for introducing it in the churches of Edinburgh. On that day public interest centres chiefly in the cathedral church of St. Giles, that grand old structure which had often resounded with the stern eloquence of Knox, and which has ever remained a favourite resort of the common people. On the present occasion it is crowded beyond its wont, and of all the vast crowd within its walls there is, perhaps, not a single individual whose heart does not burn with indignation or bleed with sorrow. At length the Dean of Edinburgh, dressed in white surplice, ascends the reading desk, and begins the service of the day. He had scarcely commenced when but let us now listen to Mr. Macpherson.

KING CHARLES hath sworn, with right royal scorn,

By his king-born right swore he,

That the Scots should bend to his royal command,
And pray through his Liturgy.

But the Scots of old were a nation bold,

They'd a will as well as he:

They could joyful sing, "Here's a health to the King!"

Yet, "Down with the Liturgy!"

When on Scottish ground King Charles was crowned,
How they made the welkin ring!

He was lord of their heart, he was lord of their hand,
Of their conscience he could not be king.

"My will it is law, and it shall be law,
And thwart it, ye Scots, if ye dare;

So, ye men of the crook, go, take ye my book,
And make your flocks bleat forth my prayer."

"But we'll not take the book, ye lords of the crook;
We shall pray as we may to our Lord:
Your liturgical noise is a false pastor's voice,
And we'll listen to naught but the Word.

"Then beware, O beware, what ye tempt us to dare!
We are loyal to kirk and to king;

But if we are driven to play false unto Heaven,
To the Covenant Faith must we cling."

But the king-he had sworn; and now came the morn,
And the kirk-it was crowded, to see

If the king must still have his royal will
To force on them "Black Prelacy."

Then the Dean, all in white, and pale with affright,

Slow mounted the pulpit stair;

But he trembled and shook when he met the fierce look

That scowled on him, "Read if you dare!"

He felt he was doomed, but, courage assumed,
He raised up his voice through his fears,

When a cry from the crowd, fierce, angry, and loud,
Like a thunder-clap tore through his ears.

In the heat of the strife an honest "kail wife,"
With a presence as proud as a queen,

Overbrimful of duty, seized hold of her "cutty,"

And banged it right off at the Dean.

"With an "Out thou false thief! dost thou think to say mass

At my lug!" as it whizzed on its mission;

The Dean saw the stool flying right for his skull,

And bobbed to a humbler position.

Did that blow miss its mark? Let that sound answer, Hark!

Over plain, hill, and dale, fly alarms;

From bound unto bound re-echoes the sound

Of the Scot's nation rushing to arms.

pp. 13-16.

Shortly after the affray in which "Jennie Geddes" figured so conspicuously, the leading Presbyterian ministers, in connection with several distinguished noblemen, resolved to adopt such measures as were likely to draw all classes of the people into a covenant engagement with Almighty God and with each other for the purpose of recovering the liberties of which their country had been robbed, and guarding it against the still greater evils with which it was menaced. The heart of Scotland leaped responsive to this proposal. On the day appointed for submitting the draft of the National Covenant to public acceptance there could not be less than sixty

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