darkness to light, by the same power, that first caused the light to shine out of darkness. But whether God will ever shine into their hearts by his Holy Spirit, or will send them strong delusion, that they may believe a lie and be damned, rests in his own sovereign breast. "Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy; and whom he will, he hardeneth."

7. If the depravity of sinners lies in their hearts; then the grace of God in the renovation of the heart, is special grace. It is more than that common grace, which simply awakens, convinces and persuades, and which is resistable,and is always resisted. This grace, which is rendered efficacious by the Almighty power of God, takes away all inclination to resist, pro duces unconditional submission, and is peculiar to those who were 'chosen in Christ, before the foundation of the world, that they should be holy.'

Let those who have been saving *ly enlightened by the Holy Spirit, feel their peculiar obligations to walk as children of the light, having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.

And let sinners seriously consider, that 'this is their condemnation, that light has come into the world, but they have loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil.'

L. S.

From the Christian Spectator. EXPOSITION OF ROMANS, Ix. 3.

I could wish that I were accursed from Christ, for my brethren.

This sentence expresses an intensity of feeling seldom exhibited, and is accompanied with a solemn appeal to the Searcher of hearts.

On such an occasion, Paul proba bly used words according to their obvious and common acceptation. The precise import of these words is the subject of our present inquiry.

Euchomeen ego, I could wish.— This verb has the form of the indicative imperfect; but as is often the case, it is evidently used for subjunctive.

The connexion shows that Paul is speaking, not of his past but of his present feelings.

"I could wish," einai anathema, to be accursed. The word anathe ma is of Greek origin, and according to its etymology signifies to set apart, to separate, and answers to a Hebrew word which means separated from a common use, and either devoted exclusively to God, or deThis voted to utter destruction. word is found in the Old Testament forty times. In eight places it denotes consecration to God, and in thirty-two places it means abandoned by God, and is translated in our English versions, accursed, a curse, or utter destruction. In twenty places it has reference to the extermination of the Canaanites, and wherever it is used, it is emphatic. and is generally applied to idolatrous nations, as objects of divine wrath. So in Isaiah, "My sword shall be bathed in heaven, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse to judg

ment."

The Greek word anathema is used only six times in the New Testament. Those Jews who imprecated on themselves the direst vengeance of heaven, if they should eat before they had killed Paul, as it stands in the original, "anathematized themselves with anathemas." Paul uses this word five times."No man speaking by the Spirit calleth Christ anathema." "Ifany

preach another gospel, let him be anathema." This he repeats, "If any man love not Christ, let him be anathama." These citations show that this was the most emphatic word among the Jews, to denote complete separation from the favour of God; and that in Paul's mind, it was most vividly associated with the thought of eternal perdi

tion.

anathema, in any sense, to Christ.

Others suppose that apou tou Christou means by Christ, and they would translate the passage, "I am willing to endure all temporal evils nflicted by Christ." To this I reply, the word anathema is used eight times in the Bible, to denote entire consecration to God; above forty times it denotes dest: uction without rem

edy, but is never applied to crucifixion, trials, persecutions, the hidings of God's face, or any other class of sufferings inflicted on the children of God.

"I could wish myself accursed." ao tou Christou, "an anathema from Christ." What does apo tou Christou mean in this connexion Anathema, when used in the sense of consecration, is generally followThese remarks, I trust, have, ed by the dative case; but when used int he sense of being accursed, shown that the plain meaning of the expression, anathema apou tou it is in no case, except the one unChristou, is eternal separation der consideration, followed by an adjunct. As the word anathema from the Messiah's kindgdom. That this is the more obvious is employed to designate the idea of separation, as well as destruc- meaning, no critic ever denied. tion, the most natural rendering of But many have objected to the the preposition apo is from. A sentiment as being inconsistent, passage of similar construction is impossible or absurd. found in the epistle to the Thessalonians, "punished with everlast ing destruction, apo prosopou, from the presence of the Lord." The word here translated destruction, is olethron, from the word ollumi, which is repeatedly used in the Septuagint as synonymous with the word anathema.

Some suppose apou tou Christou, in our text, ought to be translated after the example of Christ, which would make the sentence run thus, I could wish myself to be anathema, as Christ was an anathema, referring to his crucifixion.

But to this there is a serious objection; for though Paul says Christ was made katara, that is a curse for us, yet he says, "No man speaking by the Spirit calleth Christ an anathema." With this passage be fore our eyes, it is difficult to see how Paul could apply the term

To these

objections, and any others like them, I have one plain answer to give.

Our benevolent desires are not limited by our power to do good.→ Paul was not coldly deliberating about the power or consistency of exchanging his condition with that of his unbelieving brethren; but he had a most ardent and intense desire for their salvation; a vivid and distinct emotion filled his bosom-he uttered it just as it arose in his mind. What though it was a desire which he had no power to accomplish. When death is near, and the expiring sinner sees the pit opening to receive him he has often exclaimed, "I would give all the world for the salvation of my soul." This surely is not an ir rational state of feeling. And yet to talk of purchasing heaven by the werid, that is by the treasures which

the world contains, is to propose an truth whatever, which is scen in vident impossibility.

[To be concluded.]

For the Hopkinsian Magazine.

ON TRUE FAITH.

its true light. Any true knowledge of God or man, or of our relations to either, is therefore a proper ground for the requirement of true faith in a moral being. As soon as a person commences his moral ex

In the scriptures, faith is sometimes used as a general term, to existence, he is bound cordially to press and imply the whole of the believe all truth, as fast as it is Christian graces, and at others in made known to him. And every a more limited sense. It certainly or any exercise of such belief, is is convenient to have a general true fith. An oral being may be term to denote the whole of the under obligation to exercise true Christian graces, and no other could faith, before he knows any thing have been selected which is more respecting the way of salvation comprehensive, and mor expressive trough the topenen of Christ.--of the peculiar character of true But whether all true faith is a conreligion, than faith. Though the dition of pardon and justification, or apostle says that charity is gre ter whether saving faith is particular than faith, still it has a very con- belief in Christ,and the way of salvaspicuous place on the sacred pages, tion throug: him,is an inquiry Heave and especially in the theological for others. If all true faith is not writings and instructions of most a condition of justification; all such all religious teachers at the present faith will doubtless be succeeded day. But much error, obscurity, by saving faith, in those who exenthusiasm and finaticism, in va ercise it, as soon as the way of salrious forms, and at different peri- vation is made known to them. ods, have been and are still attached to this subject, which is a reason why it should be explained, divested of error, and set in a true and clear light.

The design of this essay is, to show the nature, ground, extent and efficacy, of true and living faith.

True faith may be said to consist in a holy, firm and joyful belief of the truth respecting the character, purposes and works of God, as revealed by his word, and manifested by his providence. It is both an intellectual perception, and a cordial approbation of the truth respecting the divine perfections and pre lictions, promises and threatening,design and conduct, however made known to us. In a more limited sense, it may be said to consist in a cordial belief of any divine

The only ground of true faith, is the evidence of revealed truth, respecting God and his works. This evidence is made known to us by various means. The nature of divine truth, carries certain evidence to the minds of moral beings, of its reality. We are conscious of the existence of many facts, which is the highest evidence of their truth. We are conscious that we exist, and are intelligent and moral beings. And from this infallible evidence respecting our own existence, we can demonstrate and perceive the existence of God,and of many truths respecting his character. How can we help perceiving the truth of the testimony of God respecting his own moral character; when we know from our moral sense of right and wrong, that it is just such a character as he ought to possess?