We hesitate not to affirm that if the history of any village in England where the evangelical principle predominates could be fully known, it would be seen that in the patient endurance of hardships, the maintenance of an unshaken integrity, the display of a high sense of honour, the willingness to suffer rather than to sin, the offering of pecuniary contributions for benevolent purposes, and the calling forth of kindness and sympathy exhibited in such acts as the tending of the sick, succouring the distressed, and visiting the houses of the poor, the narrative would elicit universal admiration and vie in interest and beauty with anything that has been presented under any religious system whatever. Take the monk away from his own peculiar sphere, and he is nothing, or he lives for himself alone; whilst the man who takes the Bible for his guide is constantly moving in the midst of an extensive circle, scattering around him coruscations of beneficence that are pure as the glory that plays around the seraph when he returns from some mission of mercy to his wonted place in heaven.

We omit all reference to the fact that the great commands of the law cannot be obeyed by the recluse; and pass on to the argument, less acknowledged but equally conclusive, that the system loses sight, entirely, of the mighty privileges that are granted unto all men by the economy of the gospel.

It is matter of surprise to some persons that man has not the power to command the angelic spirits to do his bidding and reveal to him the mysteries of the other world. They long for the power to ascend into the heavens by the rainbow; they would soar in the cloud, dance in the eddy of the waterfall, outstrip the winds or the lightning in the swiftness of their speed, and rush past the visible stars to the spheres that like sand of gold seem to cover the shores of infinity. They ask for dreams, voices, revelations, and spells of power, that they may be enabled to uplift the veil that shrouds the throne of God from mortal ken, and live amidst the thunders of the divine presence. But the word of God sets at nought all these unhallowed aspirations. It says to the child of dust that he is to be simple, meek, docile, and lowly of heart; and that he is to set himself with all submissiveness to do his duty in that state of life in which he has been placed by a wise and good Providence. But it ennobles the man who thus lives, by telling him that when he eats, and when he drinks, and when he exercises the meanest acts of his existence, it is possible for him to "glorify God; " to be adding, by

this means, to the brightness that fills the universe with its ineffable splendour; so that the throwing of the shuttle, or the rinsing of the cup, or the tilling of the ground may become an act as pleasing to the Creator as the awaking of the melody that undulates around his throne from the voices of the hosts celestial. We are warranted in making this assertion by what the apostle has said to the slave. "Servants, dovλot, be obedient. as unto Christ; not with eyeservice as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men. Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free."-Eph. vi. 5. "Servants. whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance; for ye serve the Lord Christ. . . . and there is no respect of persons." -Coloss. iii. 22. This is one of the cheering thoughts, so frequently presented by the Scriptures, that reconcile man to his lot, and enable him to live in the midst of even severe toil and trial with serenity upon his brow and gladness in his heart. The mind loves to linger over these incidents; and they are an additional testimony to the divinity of the record in which they are contained.

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The volume of inspiration does not say to man, "Cease from the combat; flee away from the presence of the adversary; retire to the monastic shades." Other religions have thus spoken, and have thereby confessed their own earthliness and impotency; but the gospel of Christ asserts the high and holy source whence it originated in the majesty with which its commands are uttered. Disdaining to succumb, even for a moment, to the mighty phalanx that is enleagued against it; rejoicing in the conscious possession of a power that will one day render it universally triumphant; it says, with the stately dignity of truth, “ Go, man, right away into the midst of the world; avoid even the appearance of evil, but in all that is needful for thy well-being eat, and drink, and act like other men; there is a power that can preserve thee in the midst of the corruptions that are around thee; bear about with thee an angel's blessedness, and let thy life be all praise, all sweetness, and all love,"

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XXV. THE PROSPECTS OF THE FUTURE.

The sacred records of the Budhists contain a prophecy, in which it is declared that after the elapse of 5000 years (from the time of its establishment) their system will become extinct; and the gradual manner in which its destruction will be effected is set forth at length.

It is said that there are five antardhánas, declensions, or disappearances, in the course of which all knowledge of the religion of Budha will cease to exist. This declension is divided into five different epochs.

1. The first epoch, called pratiwédha, extends to the period when the attainment of the paths to nirwána will no longer be possible. The means by which the four paths and their fruition may be gained, with the four attainments peculiar to the rahats, will first be lost, in retrogressive order. All will be lost to the path sowán; then in successive order to the níla kasina, the first dhyána, the manner of performing the kasinas, and the acquirement of the nimitta illumination.

2. The second epoch, called pratipatti, extends to the period when the observances of the precepts by the priesthood will cease. When those who have been able to attain the paths have disappeared, others will still exercise karmasthána, perform the kasinas, and practice the fourteen ways of subduing the mind, the irdhis, arppana-samádhi, the power of benefitting others, and the softening of the mental and moral faculties; but as the method in which these will be performed will be defective, they will not avail for the attainment of the paths. In some instances these exercises will be performed with diligence, in order that future benefit may be received; but when it is found that the possession of supernatural powers cannot be acquired by the exercise of kasina, it will be generally neglected, and the four sangwara síla alone will be observed. The priests will then think that as they have kept the precepts and exercised meditation without being able to attain the paths, this is not an auspicious period for the performance of these things. Faults will be committed, and at first confession will be made to the sangha of the priesthood; but afterwards this will be neglected, and that which is forbidden will be practised. Those who thus err will

Sadharmmaratnákaré.

at first be reproved by the more faithful, but others seeing what is done, will follow the same example; and when all the faithful are gone, those who succeed them will become still more careless. Thus the observance of the precepts by the priesthood will be discontinued.

3. The third epoch, called pariyapti, extends to the period when the understanding of Pali, the language of the bana, will cease. In process of time the understanding of the tunpitakas will be unattainable. Whilst this exists, the attainment of the paths, the observance of the precepts, and a knowledge of Pali, will be continued; but when the attainment of the paths is lost, the sentient beings existing in the world of men will love evil, and hate that which is good, by which the affection of the déwas will be diminished. The sun, moon, the twelve rásis or signs, and the nekatas, or lunar mansions, will become unpropitious; the kings of the earth will gradually become oppressors; the nobles will become unjust; the chiefs of the people and the people themselves will become depraved; and on account of this general defection the déwas of the clouds and winds will cease to send the needful showers and seasons. The seasons for the work of the husbandman will be out of their regular course; the grain will not come to maturity; and a famine will ensue. As the people will not have it in their power to present the usual offerings, the priests will be unable to provide for their disciples, who being left to obtain the means of support in any way they can, will be under no restraint, and they will have no opportunity of receiving instruction. Then will be lost the means of understanding the deep Abhidharmma. This will be lost from the patthána prakarana to the dhammasangini, in retrogressive order. After this the understanding of the Sútra Pitaka and the Winaya Pitaka will be lost. Then the sányuttaka-níkáya will be lost, to the óghátarawa-sútra, in retrogressive order; the medum-sanghaya, from the indriya-bháwaná prakarana to the múlapariya-sútra, in the same order; the dik-sanghaya, from the dasottara-sútra to the brahmajála-sutra; and in this way the whole of the Sútra Pitaka will be lost. But the priests will still be able to study the Winaya Pitaka and the Játakas; of these the greater part will neglect the Winaya Pitaka; leaving that which is abstruse, from the idleness of their disposition they will study only the Játakas. In time even the Játakas will not be understood; the Wessantara Játaka will first be lost; then the ten principal Játakas, and thence in order to

the first, Apannaka; and thus the knowledge of Pali will be entirely lost. As long as there is a priest who can repeat only four stanzas of the original bana, the religion of Budha may be considered to exist; but at length a king who wishes to hear bana will place a vessel filled with golden coin upon an elephant, and will proclaim three times through the city that it will be given to the priest who can repeat a single stanza of bana, and such a priest will not be found.

4. The fourth epoch, called linga, extends to the period when the reception of the priesthood will cease. In process of time the priests will put on the robe in an improper manner, and place the hands and feet in a way contrary to rule, so that the faithful upásakas will be grieved. They will put the alms-bowl in a cloth or bag, and carry it suspended from the neck; they will then carry it in the hand, or suspended from some support, as the tirttakas carry their gourds. They will dye the robe in a manner different to that which is commanded in the Winaya Pitaka, of a colour only approaching to yellow, like the seeds of batu, or nightshade. They will then put on a robe that has been worked, or that is of different colours, but will still say that they are priests. They will also practise husbandry and merchandise. It was declared by Gótama to Ananda that until this period shall arrive, those who make offerings to the associated priesthood will receive merit, or be rewarded for that which they present. The priests will continue to degenerate; they will begin to take life, and to plough and sow. A piece of cloth will be tied to the person as a mark of the priesthood; but in time this will be thrown off, as they will say there is no benefit from such a distinction; and at last they will have houses of their own, and families. Thus the priesthood will cease.

5. The fifth epoch, called dhátu, extends to the entire disappearance of the relics of Budha. In 5000 years from the time of the commencement of Budhism, the faith of men in Gótama will be diminished; and as the relics will not receive the honours to which they have been accustomed, they will go to the places where Gótama in his lifetime performed religious acts. They will then be collected together at the Ruanweli dágoba, in Anuradhapura; after which they will go to the Rájáyatana dágoba, in the Nágaloka; thence they will go to the bó-tree at the foot of which Gótama attained the Budhaship. A throne will here appear, upon which they will place themselves, and will form an exact resem