the Galatians, that is, as opposed to any dependence on the works of the law, and as entirely the gift of God by faith in Jesus Christ. The writings, however, of this learned and venerable father, though in the main, scriptural and correct, are not entirely free from exceptionable sentiments. His attachment to human philosophy appears to have led him to exercise too much indulgence towards the doctrines of Plato and other Heathen writers; which he declares to be, in some degree, similar to those of the gospel. Of Socrates, in particular, he affirms, that Christ was in part known to him. His mistake on these points evidently originated in an erroneous exposition of the beginning of St. John's Gospel. But though he asserts, that so far as the Heathens improved their reason to the great and excellent purposes of religion, so far they were in some sort christians, and related to the eternal and original word or wisdom of God, he no where affirms, that the Gentiles might be saved witho the reception of christianity, or that their knowledge would of itself avail to that end; but, on the contrary, that natural reason was wholly insufficient to attain it. Some notions, also, of Justin, respecting the state of the soul after death, previous to the resurrection, though supported by the testimonies of several others of the fathers, are evidently fanciful and unscriptural. The most serious charge, however, which has been brought against him, relates to what he calls the self-determining power of the human will. This is a phraseology common to the philosophical fathers; but, though afterwards carried to a great and alarming height, it does not appear to bear so obnoxious and dangerous a sense in the writings of Justin as it has been sometimes represented. It is evident, from what has been already stated respecting his opinions, that when he speaks of the αυτεξέσιον, he by no means intended to exclude the grace of God. The notion was, no doubt, derived from his former philosophical principles, and proves the danger of departing from the plain and simple language of scripture on this point, and the necessity and importance of that solemn caution and warning delivered by St. Paul-" Beware lest A any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." Yet notwithstanding these and other errors and inaccuracies of this learned man, we should do well to imitate him in his ardent and courageous zeal for divine truth, in his piety towards God, and in his love to mankind. These are qualities which peculiarly distinguish and adorn his character. By these, being dead, he vet speaketh, and admonisheth us to be "followers of them who, through faith and patience, now inherit the promises." To the Editor of the Christian Observer, THE rule which your correspondent G.S. (Number for June, p. 331.) quotes from Bishop Kidder, would not have been new to him if he had been conversant with biblical criticism. That an active verb, having no person going before, is often to be understood as a passive or impersonal, is well known. To the examples produced by the Bishop many more might be added, (er. g.) 2 Kings xix. 33. “When they arose early in the morning, behold they were all dead corpses;" which verse ought to be thus rendered, "On the morrow, at the time of rising, behold they were all dead corpses." I particularly mention this passage, because, to common readers, the established version must appear highly absurd. The same idiom occurs very commonly in English phraseology. "They say the Jamaica fleet is come safe into port;" which is exactly synonimous with "It is said that the Jamaica fleet is come safe into port. So, also in the Latin language, ferunt is equivalent to fertur. See III. 414, Eneidos. *It should, however, be noticed, that several infections of the Hebrew verb may. be taken either actively or passively, and that nothing but the context, or the points termine in which sense they are to be where their authority as adanitted, can de taken. This remark is a sufficient solu tion of any difficulty arising from those passages, which have been cited by some critics, to prove that the verb active of the third person singular may be taken indefinitely or passively. Hæc loca vi quondam et vastâ convulsa rainâ Dissiluisse ferunt. And the same indefinite use of the word art occurs in the Iliad passim. But the rule is, I believe, subject to a limitation, which ought to be carefully observed, viz. that the verb is in the third person plural. Thus, in the example quoted by Bp. Kidder, Luke xvi. 19. "That when they fail, they may receive you," i.e. he may be received." Again, in Luke xii. 20. “This night do they require thy soul," i. e, thy soul is required.""If the salt have lost its savor, they shall cast it out.' in other words, "it shall be cast out;" "To whom they have committed much, they will ask the more;" as it is in the original should be translated, "To whom much hath been committed, of him the more shall be required." In all these passages the active verb, which is equivalent to a passive or impersonal, is in the third person plural. But to apply the same rule to a different person or number is neither agreeable to the analogy of language, nor to the usual practice of the sacred writers. Not to the analogy of language, because the plural number and the third person are more indefinite than any other person or number. But it may be replied, that Bishop Kidder has produced an example from Isaiah ix. 6. where the third person singular is thus used, "A child is born, a son is given, and shall call his name vocabit nomen ejus wonderful." In our version it is expressed passively, "his name shall be called." Is not this an example of the third person singular, in the active verb, with a passive signification? I think not. For the original Hebrew verb is either active or passive, according to its punctuation; and the Rabbins are accused of having corrupted the points, in order to determine the verb to an active signification, and thus to render the verse, "The Wonderful Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, shall call his name the Prince of Peace." Another example is cited from 2 Sam. xxiv. 1. with what propriety deserves to be examined, "The anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them, to say, Go, number Israel and Judah."What can be more plain than that God moved David to give this command? Yet some writers contend that God did not move David, because it is said in a parallel passage, 1 Chron. xxi. 1. "Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.” The solution of this apparent contradiction is obvious, viz. that God commissioned Satan to provoke David to number Israel. We have, therefore, no occasion to read the verse as some would have it, "The anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he," i. e. David, was moved against them;" when the construction is so much more natural, “The anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he," i. e. the Lord, "moved David against them." There are many passages in Holy Writ, where God is represented as hardening the hearts of those who continue impenitent after hearing his word; and, because in some of these passages there is no person going before the verb active, it is contended, that the verb is to be understood as an impersonal or a passive. In Exod. vii. 13. it is said, He hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them, as the Lord had said." Here the antecedent is not expressed, yet it can hardly be doubted that the antecedent understood is God; the words "as the Lord had said," plainly alluding to the third verse of the same chapter, “ I will harden Pharaoh's heart." The first mention of God's hardening the heart is in Exod. iv. 21. where be says to Moses, "See that thou do all these wonders before Pharaoh, but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go." Will any one say, that, in this passage, nothing more is asserted than that Pharaoh's heart was hardened? Is not that event expressly ascribed to divine agency? So again in chap. x. 1. God says to Moses, "I have hardened his heart;" and in ver. 27. “The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart;" and again in xi. 10. xiv. 8. “I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians." Iu chap. viii. 15. it is said," When Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart." These words manifestly impute his hardness of heart to himself. But how can this be reconciled with the passages where it is affirmed, that God hardened his J. To the Editor of the Christian Observer. heart? The instruction to be derived preme Being, "I will harden Phafrom a comparison of such passages raoh's heart.' is this, that when God is said to harden the heart of a sinner, the mode of the divine agency, however mysterious to us, is such as not to destroy human agency, nor interfere with the liberty and responsibility of man. He gives up the sinner to the lusts of his own heart; he permits Satan, as in the case quoted from 2 Sam. xxiv. 1. to entice and deceive him; he withdraws his providential restraints. When a sinner is thus left to himself, commands, warnings, and expostulations increase his obduracy and in sensibility: or, perhaps, warnings and expostulations are no longer addressed to him; God's spirit no longer strives with him; and the outward means of grace are judicially withdrawn. To use the words of Bishop Kidder, "Where God is said to send blindness or hardness upon any, yet certain it is, that he infuseth no evil into his creatures. He justly punishes such men; he leaves them in the dark, and to their lusts; and only for their great wickedness and obstina cy. After the perusal of the foregoing sentence, which clearly admits the doctrine contended for, I am surprised at the inconsistency of so judicious a critic, when he asserts that the words, "He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts," in John xii. 40. are by no means meant of God, and only import the event that their eyes were blinded. This he thinks is evident from what has been said, alluding to the rule about the verb active taken in an impersonal or passive sense. But that rule supposes that no definite agent is spoken of, which is not the case in this passage of the evangelist, for the forty-first verse clearly ascertains who it was that blinded the eyes and hardened the hearts, viz. He, whose glory the prophet had seen, and concerning whom he spake, the Lord of Hosts, the Holy One who filleth the whole earth with his glory. It is a remarkable, though by no means a singular, instance of the bias which a favourite hypothesis gives to the judgment, that Bishop Kidder, while he quotes those passages respect ing Pharaoh which appear consistent with his scheme entirely overlooks other passages which are not easily to be reconciled with it; such as the des claration, thrice repeated by the Su CONSTANT READER. CHARGE. ALTHOUGH the lapse of three years since we met last, does of course ocdesires to see and speak with you in casion our meeting at present; my our great and common concern, offer a more forcible inducement. I need not tell you in what condition the church now is, assaulted by the furious malice of Papists on the one hand, and Fanatics on the other; and, amidst the machinations of those who are zealous for a sect or party, more fatally attempted by the licentiousness and sloth of those who are indifferent to any, or opposite to all.. When those unhappy numbers are subducted, it is lamentable to think how few the remainder are; what scanty gleanings are left to God, amidst the plenteous harvests which the devil makes. but one accession; that the torrent of To this calamity there can come impiety should bear down all resistance, and at once countenance the disorders of the prophane, and the despondency of the good, and thereby leave no sort of men untainted; and this, I fear, is, in a great measure, our case. of the clergy to labour the reduction If at any time I press my brethren *We question whether any remarks could give additional weight to the good bishop's remonstrances. of the Dissenters, I am told they are perverse and proud, and will not hear, will not be treated with. If I require a constant diligence in offer ing the daily sacrifice of prayer for the people, at least at those returns which our church enjoins, the usual answer is, they are ready to do their duty, but the people will not be prevailed with to join with them. If I call for catechizing, it is said, the youth are backward, and have no mind to come, and parents and mas ters are negligent to send them. If I insist on frequent sacraments, the indevotion of the people is objected, they are not willing to communicate, or they are not fit. And so when the minister has thoroughly accused his flock, he thinks he has absolved himself; his church becomes a sinecure; and, because others forbear to do their duty, there remains none for him to do. ble violence, opposed :-though heathenism, vices, and heresy, though men and devils set themselves against the truth, with their force and reso lution; the courage and virtue of the clergy then prevailed. And if we would live as exemplary, labour as faithfully, and die as readily for our professions as they did, we should not want the same success. In the mean time, this we know:" events are in the hands of God, but duty is in ours. When we have done all that we can, we have done all that is required, and our gracious God will expect no more. If our labour be lost to our unhappy flock, it shall not be lost to us; and though we save not others, we shall save our own souls at the great day. To the Editor of the Christian Observer. But, my brethren, do we think in earnest, that excuses of this sort can serve the turn, or that they will be admitted by the Almighty when he comes to judge the world? That our account of immortal souls, the price of the blood of the Son of God, committed to our trust, will be so easily dispatched? At the great day of reckoning, we shall find the contrary of this. If our people be negligent, we are the more obliged to industry; if they are indevout, we ought to be more zealous; if they are licentious, we must be the more exemplary: where sin abounds, grace should much more abound. Nor let men say, the people will not be prevailed upon: how know we what will be hereafter? They who resisted one attempt may yield to another; or if they yield not to a single instance, they may to many and more pressing, They who come not into the vineyard at the first or second, no not at the ninth or tenth hour, may be prevailed with at the eleventh of last. And as God Almighty is not weary, but stretches out his hand all the day long to a stiff-necked and gainsaying people, so must his messengers continue their endeavours, must preach the word, be instant in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. As bad as times are, they are not worse than they were at the first planting of the gospel. Yet then, though no ma- "How inadequate have been hitherto gistrates assisted, nay, with all possi- my conceptions of christianity! And THE paper, of which the following is - REFLECTIONS. · his for a considerable term of years, wherein I have not only adopted a alse system myself, but have been so ed away by the opinion of authors, whose authority I used in my discourses from the pulpit, that, I am afraid, I have been the means of instilling the same sentiments into the minds of my small congregation, and eading them also astray in this important matter. To what has this error of nine been owing? I must acknowledge, with shame, that it could only have proceeded from want of consideration in the younger part of my life; from being too much engaged; at that time, in worldly pursuits, and from not studying the holy scriptures with the attention they deserved. Naturally thoughtless and indolent, and, by habit, inclined to pleasure, I was then inadvertently induced, by the imprudent, though well intended advice, of my friends, to enter, as a means of livelihood, into a profession for which I had no particular predilection; and, consequently, in the prosecution of it I followed the usual course of many of my negligent contemporary brethren, who were actuated in their sacred engagement by the same motives as myself; and with whom I chiefly associated, and idled away my time in the sports of the field and other rural diversions. As, like them, I had not paid a due attention to those particular studies which were necessary to qualify me for the sacred office which I had so arrogantly assumed, I found myself, at the first outset, totally incompetent to original composition; and was therefore obliged to have recourse to such authors as I could most easily procure: and from their works I compiled a crude system of mere morality which I delivered indiscriminately on each returning sabbath, without any regard to the particular failings and exigencies of my little flock; and seldom, or never, mentioning, but in slight and superficial terms, the peculiar doctrines of christianity, so absolutely necessary to be known and believed in order to obtain eternal salvation. Thus, for many years, have I satisfied my conscience, and vainly imagined that I sufficiently fulfilled the duties of my station, by performing the public service regularly on Sundays in my parish church; by never neglecting the weekly occasional duties; and by leading a tolerably. decent and consistent life. But now that, by the blessing of God, my eyes are, in some measure, opened to see things in a different light, how am I to conduct myself? I can only prostrate myself before the Almighty (which I now do with the deepest contrition of heart), and acknowledge myself a miserable sinner in having hitherto so shamefully neglected my time and talents; humbly imploring his forgiveness of this unworthy conduct; earnestly craving the assistance of his holy Spirit, to enable me truly to repent of my transgressions; and sincerely requesting him still further to enlighten my dull comprehension, that I may more clearly perceive those truths which he has graciously caused to dawn on my mind; and endeavouring, to the utmost of my power, to make them known to my parishioners. Pardon, therefore, O, merciful God! my great presumption in intruding myself into thy holy ministry without the necessary quali fication of thy gracious call. Pardon likewise my great neglect in not having made a due preparation for that sacred office, and also the many errors and omissions of which I have been guilty during my performance of it. And grant me the assistance of thy all-powerful grace to enable me, for the future, so to conduct myself, in every instance of my ministerial duty, and to perform thy divine service with such seriousness, attention, and devotion, as may tend to the edification of the congregation committed to my charge, and to the glory of thy holy name. Amen. But as I can- : not expect (according to the precepts. of the gospel) the divine assistance without my own sincere endeavours to co-operate with it, let me make use of my reason to examine what is the true religion of my Saviour Christ, in opposition to that I have so long professed, and which I now find to have been deficient in many of its essentials. The first error into which I have fallen is, the having always considered the gospel of our blessed Lord too much in the light of a mere system of morality, without paying any attention to some peculiar doctrines, which, on due examination, must strike every attentive observer. These grand fundamentals and essentials of our religion are certainly the doctrine of the original corruption of human nature; which must fully prove |