66 haik," or cloak of that material; it is either black or white, with or without broad stripes; it consists of a square piece, with holes for the arms, and has no seam. The Druses of Lebanon and the people of Mesopotamia not only wear a coat which is "without seam," but " of many colours," having variegated stripes, proceeding to a point downwards from the shoulders, like a reversed pyramid. This is believed to be of the same description as that bestowed by Jacob on his favourite child. We are informed that our Saviour also wore 66 a coat without seam, woven from the top throughout ;" and that in the wilderness, St. John "had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins." The "sackcloth" of the scriptures was a similar manufacture, but of the roughest and coarsest kind, like that which is worn by dervishes and reputed saints. It is still used for sacks and tent-covers. We can easily understand the necessity of a girdle; no persons in loose flowing robes can engage in active occupations without first" girding up his loins"-that is taking up a portion of their dress out of the way. Some lay aside their outer garments for the time; others prepare to put forth their strength by fastening a belt or girdle round the waist, and by laying bare the arms to the shoulder. Thus Elijah "girded up his loins and ran before Ahab to Jezreel;" and the sacred writings abound in passages which, like this, illustrate the habits of those who wear the oriental costume.-Yates's Modern Egypt. REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS.-Repentance and forgiveness are the first two gifts which Christ offers to every sinner. If he accepts them, if he does indeed repent, if he seeks the forgiveness which is granted to all such as seek for it earnestly, his offences are blotted out, his debt is cancelled; he is changed from an enemy into a child of God; and is let in, and becomes entitled to a share in the privileges which Christ bestows on his peo ple. But if the sinner does not accept these gifts, if he slights God's proffer of forgiveness, if he scorns the help which would enable him to repent, then does he continue an enemy to Christ, and a rebel against God; and as such, when the day of judgment comes, he will be delivered to the executioner. Therefore, once more I call upon you, and say to you, Sinners, enemies of God, hasten to accept the repentance and forgiveness which Christ so mercifully sets before you. The repentance and forgiveness, I say; for you must take both or neither. Christ will not part his two gifts. You must take them both, or you must leave them both; you cannot have one without the other. Unless you repent and turn to God, you will not, you cannot be forgiven.--Rev. A. W. Hare. THE DISTRESS OF A CHRISTIAN PARENT.-Some years since, a minister was preaching on the joys of that heavenly inheritance which is the portion of all the saints of God. Among his hearers sat a venerable pair of aged pilgrims, just about to set their feet on the threshold of their celestial home, and their son, a thoughtless, dissipated youth, the grief of their aged hearts, on whom all their pious efforts seemed to have been thrown away. As the preacher expatiated on the glories and felicities of the heavenly world-"ah!" thought the youth, "this will just suit my parents.' He looked to them, expecting to see on their countenances the expressions of rapture and delight; but, to his great astonishment, they were both bathed in tears. At the close of the service, when they returned home, a remarkable expression of pensiveness and dejection sat on the countenance of each parent, which the youth knew not how to account for. At length, addressing his mother, he said, "how is it, mother, that you appear so gloomy? you always told me that religion made people happy. Now, though you have been hearing so much about the joys in heaven, both you and my father appear quite miserable and melancholy." "True, my dear child," replied the mother, "the hope of heaven is indeed enough to make us happy; but-the thought of missing you there—it is this which makes us melancholy." The touching sentiment found its way to his heart; the youth too retired and wept, and prayed that his parents' God would be his God, their portion his portion, and that they might meet at last a family unbroken in the skies. From that time he became a changed character; and his aged parents were not called from earth, until on his behalf they could say, with Simeon of old, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation." (Luke ii. 29.) Let Christian parents be encouraged still to pray, and hope, and endeavour, even under the most discouraging curcumstances. Often has it been seen, that those who have long sown in tears, at length have reaped in joy. SELF WILL.-A child, who had been trained in the ways of religion by a parent who was kind but judiciously firm, as she sunk to rest in peaceful reliance on her Saviour's love, affectionately thanked her beloved mother for her tender care and kindness; but added, "I thank you most of all for having subdued my self will." THE GLORY OF GOD.-In our narrow and limited views, we see but the present moment: Christ, in his dispensations towards us, sees our eternal destinies. We see but the wants which press upon us, the deliverance for which we sigh and weep: Christ sees an eternal destination, which he would make us reach by ways unknown to ourselves. We see but our earthly and mortal body: Christ sees our immortal soul. We see but time; Christ sees eternity; and above all things, and in all things 'the glory of God.' Whoever we are, whatever be our condition, or rank in the world, we, as well as the whole of his immense creation, can have but one destination, for which, alone, we have been called into existence- the glory of God'-the glory of the Son of God.—Bonnet. POETRY. THE LORD OUR PRESERVER. "So he bringeth them to their desired haven."-Ps. cvii. 30. Can a bark like mine, so shattered, Mast, and planks, and all must fail. So they would: but One that's greater He it is, whose Name is sweeter Far than music to my ear; When the tempest roars around; What though every plank is starting, THE COTTAGE MAGAZINE; OR, Plain Christian's Library. A BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE REFORMATION. I. After the miraculous effusion of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, on the day of Pentecost, the ignorance and mental blindness, by which they had previously been possessed, instantly disappeared; they no longer entertained vain expectations of a temporal Messiah and an earthly kingdom. From timid and doubting followers, they were suddenly converted into bold and faithful preachers of the doctrine of Jesus Christ. In obedience to his command, they went forth and preached the Gospel every where with great success, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs or miracles following: and they carried his Gospel to most, if not to all, parts of the then known world. After their death it was propagated still further. In vain did sanguinary persecutors endeavour to crush the Gospel: the blood of the martyrs became the seed of the Church. Heathen historians and Christian writers equally attest the progress of the Gospel during the second and third centuries of the Christian era; and at the beginning of the fourth century, Christianity, being embraced by the Emperor Constantine, became the religion of the Roman Empire. The city of Rome, at that time the metropolis of the empire, was one of the earliest scenes of the triumph of the Gospel, which is supposed to have been planted there FEBRUARY, 1844. VOL. XXXIII. E |