al flames. From hell, it is true, he saves us, if we are true to him, but from such a hell as is the natural consequence of guilt. Dreadful indeed it may be. Dreadful indeed we already know the hell of the mind alone may be, knowing, as we do yet, only in part the effects of sin upon the soul. the soul. O reader, stain it not. Debase it not. Let Jesus save it as he will, if you will, from the distempering vices that may plunge it, if neglected, into inconceivable wretchedness in the eternal world. What a pang may a thought—a simple thought-inflict upon the mind now! How much bitterer pangs may pierce it when we are all mind, all spirit, with our moral sense refined and enlightened to perfection. If in this faint day-break of spiritual perceptions, the evil conscience feels scorpion stings, what-what will it suffer in the full blaze of the perfect day of moral truth?

These views of salvation, most safely teach us what we must do to be saved. The answer given in that passage of scripture from which this question is generally cited, (I need not stop now to inquire whether in the same or a different sense from that in which it was put,*) is only the general answer; 'believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved;' as of course, without believing, we could not be influenced

*Acts xvi, 30. Many commentators suppose that the keeper of the prison meant no more than how he was to save his life in the present earthquake, and other such manifestations of divine displeasure at the persecution of the apostles; or else, how he was to avoid punishment from the magistrates for what had befallen the prison and prisoners. They therefore translate the question, What must I do to be safe?' Some even suppose that Paul in his answer had reference only to temporal safety. But this does not seem so probable. The most natural impression from the passage is, that he used the words in a more extensive signification than in the question. There are several instances of such a practice in the New Testament.

by his teaching.

This applies indiscriminately to all kinds of people. Under this necessary, but general direction, however, there must be various modes of being saved, if the characters of men be various; and we must adopt that which our character requires. According to its faults, must be the remedies used. Salvation from sin is the great and universal object; but sin is an infinitely diversified evil. Let close examination into each man's own soul, teach him what he must do to be saved. Self-knowledge is the only practical prescriber. From that alone, we can learn what we ought individually and first to do. We may receive the vague and mystical prescriptions of dogmatic theology forever, and never know any better for them, how we are to go to work practically about the great business of being saved.

To make ourselves good men is the whole secret. To this end we must resort to all the helps of the Gospel tending to this effect. We must believe of course; but besides that, we must pray, read, hear preaching, remember Christ in his own appointed way, and do whatever will lend strength to Christian sentiments. But most especially must we watch our peculiar infirmities, and apply to their healing those particular truths and principles of Jesus, which they most need. Thus, I repeat, each individual must aim at his own particular kind of salvation, or he will be but half saved after all. From some evils he is probably saved already. God has already saved him from them, through nature, through providence, through education. These therefore are not to be struggled against as the sins from which he is not yet free. That hell we would flee

from is as various as our hearts. The modes of salvation from it, must be as various as all the instruments and means of moral discipline. When the common people put the same question to John the Baptist, 6 what shall we do?' he answered and said unto them, 'He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none, and he that hath meat let him do likewise.' But the publicans came also, and said unto him, 'Master what shall we do?' and he answered them differently; Exact no more than that which is appointed you.' And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, and what shall we do?' and he answered differently again; do violence to no man neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your wages.'

And we should bear in mind too, that we may be saved in different degrees, as well as in different ways. Our hell is not one and the same measure of punishment to all the wicked. The guilty bosom now carries a foretaste of it about in itself, and knows well, it may be saved from one of its woes, while others are yet piercing to the soul. We are saved to the precise degree that we are sanctified, and no further.' Never is enough done for a Christian's salvation while any more may be done in the work of self-improvement. Onward, is always the saved soul's cry, onward unto perfection.

6

How far are we yet saved? From gross immorality and its unlimited penalties, are we saved? They will begin the Lord's work of judgment even while our graves are yet a great way off, and the entrance to that fathomless gulf of fire some believe in, not yet yawning for the wickedest. They will bring it to us, into our

very souls, long before that time shall come. They will drive us down to our tombs with the whips and stings of self-punishment, the immediate justice of an unseen God; and then leave us not there, but pursue us onward into the spiritual world, perhaps with envenomed severity, and multiplied means of annoyance; and none can say how far they may penetrate into the bosom of eternity.

And the thought of this spiritual world, awaiting all, should remind us further, that we are but half saved, if we are not saved from irreligion, as well as from vice; -saved from suicide to our spiritual nature, from ignorance of our loftiest capacity; from indifference to the soul's most kindling and exalting objects of regard; saved from forgetfulness of God, from deadness of heart to the moral loveliness of Jesus, from utter deafness to all the claims of gratitude. Our souls are low, very low and grovelling still, magnanimous as may be our efforts and sacrifices for men, unless they are saved from the darkness and narrowness of a confinement to earthly interests, and taught to look up to beings of purer love than walks the earth, and a world where virtue will find every circumstance congenial with her own pure blessedness. If there be such a world,-if there are such beings as the Almighty God our Father, and Jesus his best beloved Son,-surely, surely we are not saved as we might be, unless we often think of them, and feel their sublimity, and love their goodness, and long for their communion.

M.

BANNER OF THE CHURCH.

In a late number of this paper, published in Boston by Episcopalians, I find a singular piece relating to biblical criticism. It is a notice of an article in the Andover Biblical Repository, containing an examination by Professors Henderson and Stuart of the disputed passage in 1 Tim. iii. 16. In that examination, these Professors, it seems, came to the conclusion that all good evidence and sound criticism are in favor of the reading of our common version, God was manifest in the flesh,' Griesbach and Sir Isaac Newton to the contrary notwithstanding. Of the correctness of this conclusion I have nothing to say, not having the article in question, and not knowing the peculiar evidence which the Professors think so satisfactory. It is not of them I would speak, but only of the remarks of the 'Banner of the Church,' on the subject.

And the Banner of the Church, it appears, is not at all satisfied with the manner in which Prof. Stuart treats the subject. For while he himself is satisfied, with Henderson, that God,' is the proper rendering, he is not confident, as is Henderson, that the passage can be regarded as incontestible proof of the supreme divinity of Christ. He cannot rely on it in controversy. 'There falls from him the almost startling assertion,' says the paper before us-that 'God might be manifest in the person of Christ, without the necessary implication of the proper divinity of Christ.' Now this is precisely the view that I have always taken of this passage. I have never troubled myself about the true reading as a matter of doctrine, being perfectly willing to take the text as it