openly violated the commands of God; and therefore concluded, that he had obeyed them, according to their spirit and design. So do they. He, in consequence of his supposed goodness, considered himself prepared for the kingdom of heaven. So do they. But when the Spirit of God comes, when the torch of divine truth enlightens the dark recesses of their minds; when they discover the spirituality and extent of the divine law; when they see it extending to their secret thoughts, their wishes, their inclinations, and motives, then will they learn the plague of their own hearts, the crimson depravity of their lives. wish to be, that they are very imperfect. But they have no belief, nor conception of such dark depravity of being altogether in sin; of being the enemies of God, of his law, his gospel, and government. Probably, this arises from a want of perfect self knowledge, from not being enlightened and convinced by the holy Spirit; for sometimes, these very persons without having fallen into any new course of sin, and without being guilty of any glaring immorality, change their opinions respecting themselves, and make as humble, as abasing confessions of sin and guilt, as any men in the world. Such was Saul of Tarsus. As to the law blameless, he lived in all good conscience. But when the commandment came, when the Spirit of God enlightened his conscience, he found himself the the chief of sinners. In the extreme guilt and remorse, and self reproach of his heart, he cries out, "Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Had not the holy Spirit enlightened his mind, he might have continued to justify himself, denying that depravity of heart, which myriads feel and confess. When those, who reject this doctrine shall experience as deep and powerful convictions as St. Paul, then may they like him bemoan their guilt and danger.Till then they may feel themselves as good as the young man, who came to Jesus Christ to be directed in the way to heaven. He had not himself. No wonder then, that he 4. If the Spirit of God produces such sense of guilt, is it strange if they seek relief and comfort from every means, which may flatter their hopes. The pressure of great distress is ever unfavorable to correct judgment, and sound discretion. Too much weight or pressure on a ma. chine impedes its wonted operations; so the burdened mind doesnot turn and examine evidence with its usual prudence and sagacity. As frost stops the current of a river; so intense anguish abstracts the course of thought, the proper movements of the mind. When the Spirit of God comes, with efficacy and power, the anxiety and distress are often violent and terrible. The person sees a naked human heart; he sees reads, and hears, and prays, and enquires the way of every man he meets; that he explores every avenue of hope, and knocks at every door of escape. The pressure of his anxious fears and terrors rack and disorder the understanding, and relief is sometimes sought without much discretion or judgment. Like the Psalmist he may aimost say, "While suffer thy ter rors I am distracted." A conviction of guilt, a sense of danger, a fear of divine wrath, an overwhelming apprehension of everlasting misery, produces probably, the most insupportable agony the mind of man ever endures in this world. No terror i like this terror; no misery is like this misery. Is it very range then, that such persons should seek relief by every means, which accident may presert, or fancy conceive? Is it very trange if cometimes, they "heap to themselves Teachers," and listen to bold declaimers, boasting of visions and revelations; Is it strange fsometimes they embrace the opiate of error and delusion, to quiet the anguish of a troubled conscience? Let all such afflicted souls share in your christian sympathy, your faithful advice, and your fervent prayers. 5. If such be the terrors of conviction; no wonder the soul is joyful, when first delivered, when first she experiences the consolation of hope, and the Spirit of adoption. When the soul, shut up to the faith, first bends and bows to the authority of God, when the heart embraces him as her father, her Savior, and her portion, slavish terrors vanish, faith lifts her eye, hope kindles delight; peace and joy enlivens the heart. Instead of resistance and rebellion, the heart yields itself resigned to the will of God; instead of striving and struggling against Omnipotence; she casts her burden upon the Lord, and looks to him for all she desires. The dark cloud is gone from Sinai; the Sun of righteousness hines; the thunders are silent; the lightaings cease to blaze; the earth no longer trembles; the heart no longer quakes with ter101. A feeble hope, that God is reconciled; a weak faith in Jesus Christ; fairt evidence of salvation sheds tranquility and peace on the soul. "Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered." Well may such a soul cay, The Lord hath done great things, for which I am glad. Come, all ye, who fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. I sought the Lord and he heard me and has not put my soul to shame. I have sown in tears; I reap in joy." Is this reality; or am I like them, who dream? What shall I render to the Lord; for all his benefits? Bless the Lord, Oh my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name. Bless the Lord forever and ever. Amen. CONVERSATION BETWEEN A LIBERAL AND AN ORTHODOX PROFESSOR OF Laberal. Well Mr. the world in a moral sense evidently growing better. Orthodox. The truth of your proposition depends on the meaning, which you attach to your terms. If by growing better, you mean, that the civil and social rights of persons and nations are better understood and more generally regarded than in former ages, your proposition is doubtless true. But if the divine law be your standard of goodness, it may be difficult to prove that the world is any better now than it was 1800 years ago. Lib. Yes. It may be easily proved, that there is more religion in the world than formerly. are willing to grant that good men may be found in all denominations. The prevalence of this catholic spirit is to me conclusive evidence that the world is growing better and that the millennium is begun. Or. There is cause of gratitude, that we live in an age when the principles of religious toleration are better understood than by our ancestors. That catholic spirit among members of different denominations, which you consider conclusive evidence that there is more religion in the world, may however proceed from indifference to all religion, as from a false religion. It is granted, that were men what they ought to be, persecution would be unknown among them. Yet 1 think there are two facts clearly established in the history of past ages, which do away the force of your conclusions. First, Persecution is most likely to manifest itself, when true religion is set in opposition to false religion. SecLib. The impenitent, as you ondly, That catholic spirit which call them, 1800 years ago perse consists in believing that good cuted Christ and his disciples, and men may be found in all denomiduring many succeeding ages, nations, generally prevails either cruel wars were waged and pun- among the followers of a false reishments inflicted on account of ligion or among those who are religious opinion. We live in an indifferent to all religion. Paul Or. It is hoped that the number of the truly pious is increasing; but that the impenitent or those who have not been born again have any more religion cannot be made to appear. age of charity. Men of different systems and denominations meet as friends and live as brethren.We do not settle our religious controversies at the point of the sword. Different sects cultivate peace and good will and generally did not preach your doctrine.— Had be told the Greek, the Roman and the Jew, "I believe there are good men in all your denominations, I do not come to condemn you, or to say, you must be damned if you continue in the belief and worship of idols, I am only come to shew you the way of God more perfectly;" there would probably have been no persecution. But Paul told them, that there is only one name given under heaven among men by which any can be saved; and the declaration of this truth brought forth the hatred and persecution of the world. The Greeks and Romans are supposed to have admitted the existence of more than 2000 gods, yet there were no persecutions among them; because, like you, they conceded that the worshipper of one god was equally pious and equally in the way of his duty, as the worshipper of another god. It was not until the claims of christianity to be the only true religion were urged in opposition to their idol worship that they began to persecute and to destroy. The truth is, the world are naturally disposed to support religion, if they may have a religion of their own choice. It is only the true religion, which teaches man's entire dependance on God's mercy, that provokes the enmity of the world. Permit me to illustrate this for a moment. When the Jews of the captivity were about to rebuild the temple, their adversaries came to them and said, “Let us build with you: for we seek your god as ye do and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-Haddan king of Assur which brought us up hither." Now had the Jews possessed that catholick spirit, which you es teem the glory of our age, a union would have been formed between them and their enemies. But, because they contended that salvation was only of the Jews, their enemies became their persecutors. Herod the king, we are told, did many things, and heard John gladly. Had not John reproved his wickedness, his conduct towards him would have been liberal and friendly; but for his faithfulness he caused him to be put to death. The people of Galilee were.glad when they knew that Jesus had arrived among them. They had heard of bis mighty works in other cities, and hoped to see a display of his pow er in their city. Had Christ gratified their curiosity, they would have praised him: but, because he told them of God's sovereignty, they were all filled with wrath and they led him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. From these remarks, it is conceived, that a candid person must admit, that it is easy to awaken the opposition, and easy to secure the praise and friendship of the world. To awaken the one, you need only preach the same doctrine which Ezra and Paul and John and Christ have preached: and to secure the other you have only to allow the world the privilege of being righteous in their own way, and on their own terms. Make the way of life as straight and narrow as Christ has made it, and you will suffer persecution. Make it as broad as the adversaries of the Jews and the Galileans made it, and as the impenitent of our day want to make it, and the world will have no controversy with you on account of your religion. Lib. What then, would you consider satisfactory evidence of the moral and religious improvement of the world? Or. I confess that I have no confidence in that kind of union, and harmony which grows out of the admission, that men may believe in different and opposing systems of religion; that they may travel in different and opposite directions, and yet be equally right and equally secure of heaven. This is the old beaten path of heathenGreece and heathen Rome. Though I freely acknowledge that in minor points, even among good men, a difference of opinion may be supposed to exist; yet with my bible in my hand, I must contend, that he only that believeth shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned. With these views of divine truth, I shall have evidence that the religious state of the world is improving, when the doctrines of the Gospel are more generally understood, more cordially believed, and more generally carried into practice, than in former ages. You may talk of harmony, of union and of charity forever; but if they grow not out of a cordial and firm belief of the essential doctrines of revelation, they are as a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. NOLENS. For the Christian Magazine. An Exposition of I. Peter, III. 19—20. By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; which some the long suffering of God waited in the time were disobedient, when once the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. Various and opposite interpretations have been given of this portion of inspired truth. It has by some been supposed to inculcate sentiments, which,it is believed,are no where inculcated in the inspired volume. The importance of having a correct understanding of it must, therefore, be apparent. To unfold its real meaning, is the design of the following remarks. 1. Who were the spirits in prison, to whom Christ went and preached? It is evident from the passage before us, that they were spirits of persons, who lived on the earth, before the universal deluge. "By which also he went and preached to the spirits in prison; which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah." Since those spirits, to which Christ preached, are here said to have been disobedient in the days of Noah, it is evident, they were spirits of persons who lived on the earth, before the flood. 2. How did Christ preach to the spirits in prison ?-Through inattention to the connexion, many |