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treatment: he is fully persuaded, that to display insolence toward any man, and particularly toward those who are inferior in nothing, but in the dignity of rank, and the splendor of riches, is contrary to propriety, to eternal justice, and to the revealed will of God. "Honour all men," is a sacred injunction, which all men are bound to observe; and which the courteous man labours conspicuously to exemplify in every part of his conduct, both in private and in public life. Kilmarnock.

R. J.

REMARKS ON GALATIANS III. 20. Now, a Mediator is not a Mediator of one; but God is one.. (Translated from the French of P. Du Bosc.)

As the principal obstacle in explaining this passage, is in the word one, which the apostle repeats twice, it will be necessary to enquire particularly to what it really refers. By consulting ver. 16, we find it thus introduced: -- "Now to Abrahain and his seed were the promises made; he saith not unto seeds, as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ."; by which it is evident, that the promises were made to Abraham and his seed, in the singular, and not to seeds, in the plural. St Paul's design is to shew, that not some, but all believers whatsoever, whether Jews or Gentiles, without regard to birth, state, or condition, in whatever part of the world they reside, were included in the blessing of Abraham, the father of all believers. This is clear from verse 28," There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus :" thereby intending, that there was not one blessing and one promise for Jews and another for Gentiles, but that both were alike heirs of the same grace of faith; and therefore, as to the blessing, Abraham had not many seeds, but one, inasmuch as all believers, both Jews and Gentiles, are united and made one by faith in Christ, " and to thy seed, which is Christ ;" that is, not simply the person of Christ, but his church and people, who are one in him, and are called by his name, as the Jews were called Jacob and Israel, on account of their descent from that patriarch.

It is, therefore, to that one seed that the apostle alludes, when he says, Now, a Mediator is not a Mediator of one."This idea will be still more confirmed, by a slight change in the translation of the text; and if, instead of saying a Mediator, we substitute the word this, an alteration by no means considerable, and which the genius of the Greek language fully authorizes (for the article, joined with the particle a, frequently signifies this) our subject will then become clear

and perspicuous; for St. Paul, having said that the law was "ordained by angels, in the hand of a Mediator," that he might not confound the mediator of the law and grace together, adds,' Now, this mediator is not of that one seed to which the promise of salvation was made, and which unites in it all the nations of the universe; for Moses was the mediator of a particular nation, which was separated from all others by the nature of its covenant; a people who dwelt alone, and whose laws, religion, &c. were altogether peculiar; consequently he could not be the mediator of that one seed in which Jews and Gentiles were but one.'

We proceed now to the other expression," but God is one." The apostle's meaning is, that Jehovah is God of all; so that all are one in him, agreeably to Rom. iii. 28, 29. "Is he the God of the Jews only is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also; seeing it is one God who shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith." In the legal covenant, God was not one; his grace not regarding a seed which extended to all people; but under the economy of faith, God is one towards all; for in his Son Jesus, there is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free; but all are one in him. The Ethiopic version favours this sense of the passage; for, instead of the words "God is one," it is "There is one Lord only of both;" that is, of the circumcision and uncircumcision.- Ecumenius also, in his Commentary, which is a synopsis of different authors, quotes one, who, noticing these words, expresses himself thus: There is one God of all nations.*

This exposition appears perfectly harmonious with the apostle's general design, in opposing the law to faith as well as to the interrogation which follows, " Is the law against the promises of God?" for Moses, not being the mediator of that one seed which unites all nations,-God, on the contrary, who had given the promises to Abraham, being the God of all, it would seem that the law, which was confined to a particular people, was contrary to that promise of divine grace which regarded all nations universally, and united them in Christ Jesus. We conclude, then, with this short paraphrase of the text: "The apostle having said that the law was given by the hand of a Mediator, adds, Now this mediator of the law is not of that seed which we have called one, and which unites all nations; for the office of that first mediator regarded the Jews only; but God, who gave the promises to Abraham, and to his seed, is one God of all, - his grace making no distinction between believers; and his Son having abolished, in his flesh, the enmity, even the law of commandments, contained in ordinances, in order to make in himself of twain (i. e, Jews and Gentiles) one new man; so making peace." IGDALIA.

* Επειδα και παίων εθνών εις Θεός.

THOUGHTS ON PSALM LV. 19.

Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.

AMONG the various proofs of the depravity of man's heart, none is more conclusive than his abusing the long-suffering and forbearance of God, connected with the displays of his goodness in providence, into an occasion of insulting his Bame, disbelieving his threatenings, and casting off his fear,

Because some mens' affairs in life appear to glide on very prosperously, without any sudden or alarming changes, — because the course of the natural world from year to year is the same, "all things continue as they were, except that the fathers are fallen asleep." They therefore vainly imagine, either that God has abandoned the government of the world in which we dwell, and left it to the operation of certain natural laws (concerning which laws these men can tell us very little); or else they do not so fear the wrath of God as to flee from it, but suppose that their character and conduct are approved by God, and will assuredly merit his favour. This corrupt disposition was evident both in the men of the old world, and in the inhabitants of the citics of the plain.

Noah preached 120 years. Men were forewarned; his example corresponded with his preaching; he was moved with fear: but there was not any change in outward circumstances; and they, therefore, were so far from fearing God, that they derided both Noah and his message. The sun arose in Sodom the very morning of its overthrow: there was not the least appearance of any such judgment as Lot predicted; and they, walking only by sight, slighted the warning till the wrath came upon them to the uttermost: and men will continue thus to think and act while under the power of a carnal mind, and destitute of that faith, which looks "not as things seen and temporal, but at things unseen and eternal."

How inexpressibly awful must be the last change to the prosperous sinner! He leaves a world where he has been honoured, feared, courted, and had all his evil passions gratified, for a world where there is "no respect of persons ;" and where his former prosperity will but give the keener edge to his present misery and this last-important transition is much nearer many of such a character than they imagine. -O that men were wise! that they understood this! that they would consider!

Many have had cause to bless God for those changes in their lot, which were not agreeable to nature at the time, Surely, a season of adversity and afiliction, is often rendered salutary to the children of men. It was a great change to

Manasseh, from a throne to a prison; but when he was in the thorns, then he knew "that the Lord he is God."

Let us therefore make a true estimate of things, and judge neither by appearances, nor by our present feelings: not say with Job"Changes are against me;" for if they increase our fear of God, and detach our affections from sublunary good, they are blessings in disguise. "Now no chastening for the present scemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless, afterward, "it yieldeth the peaceable iruits of righteousness to. them that are exercised thereby."

Westminster.

S

LETTER FROM THE LATE REV. DR. CONYERS TO ONE OF HIS SPIRITUAL CHILDREN.

My dear Lad,

NEVER was food more grateful to the stomach, nor water to the panting thirsty soul, than was your gracious letter (which I received last Friday) to him who thinks himself hopoured in the spiritual relation which he is permitted to bear to his beloved lad. May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that God whom you serve continually, still vouchsafe to bless you, and give you an abundant increase of all wisdom and knowledge in his dear Son! Yes; that Jesus, whom you love, and who loves you, shall appear to give you everlasting consolation!" He that is mighty has done for you great things; holy is his name:" and hath he not done great things for me likewise? Yes, even for me, unworthy me! sinful me!-O my child, what have I to be thankful for! I am a brand plucked out of the fire! a sinner, and yet redeemed! I am lost in astonishment! I look at Jesus, and see him, as his name is, Wonderful! I see in him apparent contradictions reconciled, and seeming impossibilities performed, by the Spirit of our God, and by the power of his Christ. Methinks I could take up the words of the holy woman above, and cry out, from the very bottom of my soul," Holy is his name!" I remain yours affectionately, R. CONYERS.

ANECDOTES,

A VERY sensible gentleman, always a member of the church of England, and much prejudiced against those who went to hear what they called the Gospel, was not a little displeased to find his sister an attendant on Lady Huntingdon's chapel. One day, enquiring for a prayer-book, his sister gave

him hers; and opening it on the Articles of religion, he was exceedingly angry at the idea of the gross imposition she meant to put upon him; for, having one day seen another prayer-book, with Lady Huntingdon's Hymns, he concluded that the Articles of religion were foisted in, to support her way of thinking; especially as he had gone to church for twenty years, and never heard any thing like them preached; but that the Calvinists were always spoken of as erroneous. He, however, some time afterwards, happened to open a Bible, given to a servant in the house, in which he found the same Articles, and read them. He was surprized to find them such as he had before seen in his sister's prayer-book; and began to think that nobody would dare print them with the Bible, if they did not profess to believe them. The consequence led to an enquiry how they came there; and, like thousands of others, who never read the Articles, or knew they were the standard of our religious profession, he gave them a thorough serious examination. In consequence, he was induced to come and hear with his sister; and was struck with the clear and evident correspondence of what he heard, with the Articles respecting which he had been so displeased. Conviction instantly followed: he confessed he had been in utter ignorance of the doctrines of the church; and that, henceforth, he never would again attend any worship and preaching where the doctrines of the Articles were not inculcated. It is superfluous to observe, that he was immediately stamped Methodist by all his acquaintances. How immense is the number of those in the Church of England, who never knew such Articles existed, or never gave them a serious examination! The inexcuseableness of such neglect is too obvious to admit of a doubt, and therefore cannot be too soon acknowledged and amended. Let the Articles speak for themselves.

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VERITAS.

AWFUL STATE OF A SCOFFER ON HIS DYING-BED.

I WAS lately called, in Providence, to visit an unhappy old man, who lay at the point of death. For several years he had been an avowed infidel: he had been accustomed to scoff at the sacred Scriptures; but principally exercised his prophane wit in ridiculing the justice of God, and the future punishment of the wicked; and strenuously denied that there was a Hell. He died convinced, but not converted. With his last quivering breath he exclaimed, "Now I know there is a Hell, for I feel it!" and expired. The righteous hath hope in his death; but the wicked is driven away in his wickedness. Verily, there is a God who judgeth righteously; and they who despise his gospel shall feel his vengeance."

Birmingham.

W. W.

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