love God with all his heart who believes that His justice will not admit of his freely extending pardon to sinners upon repentance and reformation alone, but requires that full punishment shall be borne, if not by the guilty, yet by some innocent substitute? It might be shown, in like manner, that every false doctrine which has ever been maintained among men, has tended to counteract some opposing truth, and render it of no effect. Do not these considerations present us with the strongest motives, to convince men of their errors and to spread, as widely as we may, the knowledge of the truth? The prevalence of false doctrines obstructs the influence of Christianity. In promoting the truth, we are furthering the cause of human improvement and happiness: for as all parts of God's universe, physical and spiritual, are adapted to each other, that man must be most happy who acts with a full knowledge of and a constant reference to the truth. In promoting the truth, moreover, we best maintain the dignity of our own natures, for in so doing, we are fellow-workers with God and with his Son.

If we compare the state of the world at the time when the Son of God appeared, with what it has been at various periods since, and with what it is at the present time, we shall find occasion for much encouragement and hope. He came to a world lying in darkness. A thick clould veiled the face of truth. Men were without virtue and without God in the world. Their physical, triumphed over their intellectual and moral natures. Criminal passions and wild impulses prevailed over exalted and virtuous sentiments. Here was much for Christianity to contend with and overcome. A great, an almost total change must be wrought

in the habits, the feelings and the characters of men. Without a miracle, this change could not be wrought It must be gradual. It has been gradual,

at once. but sure. Every age has been an improvement upon the preceding. Christianity has been the chief means in producing the wonderful melioration which has been effected in the condition of the human race. It has transformed barbarism into refinement, vice and deformity into virtue and beauty. It has, to a considerable degree, freed men from a degrading slavery to sensuality and sin; has given them higher and juster views of their natures, their duty and their destiny; and restored them to the glorious liberty of the children of God. The progress which was, at first, slow, becomes more and more rapid the farther it advances. The mountain stream, as it passes along, receiving tribute on every side, flows on with ever-increasing rapidity to the ocean. Christianity is now in this state of rapid progress. Its truths are becoming better understood. Men are growing better acquainted with the true ground of its promises and hopes. They more generally and fully feel and acknowledge its obligations. The band of the truly faithful and pious, in all the denominations calling themselves Christians, is constantly enlarging.

But, though we are permitted to cherish such encouraging anticipations concerning the future condition of Christianity, yet we must remember, that from its very nature and the nature of those on whom it operates, its influence, though great, must ever be imperfect here. It is, therefore, a consolation to us to believe that its influence is not to terminate here; that

those who have imbibed somewhat of the spirit and walked in the footsteps of Christ on earth, shall be guided by the same principles in another state of being; shall be encouraged and aided on by their merciful Saviour and Redeemer; and shall go forward in an unfaltering, unending progress, towards perfection and bliss.

H. A.

THOUGHTS ON THE EXPRESSION, DEPART, CHRISTIAN SOUL,' IN THE SERVICE FOR THE DYING, as ap

POINTED BY THE CHURCH OF ROME.

Depart! Depart! The silver cord is breaking,
The sun-ray fades before thy darken'd sight;
The subtle essence from the clod is taking,

Mid pangs and groans, its everlasting flight!
Lingerest thou fearful?-Christ the grave hath blest;
He, in that lowly bed did deigu to take his rest.

Depart!-Thy sojourn here hath been in sorrow:
Tears were thy meat along thy pilgrim path;
The hope of eve was but a clouded morrow,
And sin appall'd thee with thy Maker's wrath.
Earth gave her lessons in a tempest voice—

Thy discipline hath ended, chastened One, rejoice!

Thou wert a stranger here, and all thy trouble
To bind a wreath upon the brow of pain,
To build a bower upon the watery bubble,
Or strike an anchor 'neath its depths, was vain.
Depart! Depart! All tears are wip'd away,

Thy seraph-marshall'd road is toward the realm of day.

H.

LOCKE ON THE EPISTLES.

A Paraphrase and Notes on the Epistles of St. Paul to the Galatians, First and Second Corinthians, Romans, and Ephesians. To which is prefixed an Essay for the understanding of St. Pauls Epistles. By John Locke. pp. 456. Boston 1832.

We have long wished to see this work reprinted among us. While our press is teeming with productions of an ephemeral reputation, and often of doubtful tendency, it is gratifying occasionally to witness the republication of books of standard merit. Such is the work of Mr. Locke, a layman, a metaphysician, and withal a sound theologian. His Paraphrase and Notes on several of the Epistles of Paul, should be in the hands of every intelligent Christian. We would not be understood to say that his expositions in all cases meet our entire approbation,—but his leading principles of interpretation are undoubtedly correct, and the work forms decidedly the best commentary on the Epistles of Paul, which exists in English. He is rational, clear and consistent, breathes a christian spirit, and affords evidence that the author had profoundly studied his subject.

The preface, which has been very judiciously adopted into the series of tracts by the American Unitarian Association, has been long valued as pointing out, with great clearness and brevity, the common sources of obscurity in St. Paul's writings, suggesting some important rules to be observed for the right understanding of them. The study of it will form an excellent preparation for the reading of the Epistles.

Mr. Locke, in his notes, has, we think, fully estab

lished the position, which, however, Taylor, in his 'Key' has more fully illustrated, that the terms, elect,' chosen,' redeemed,' holy,' saints,' and others of a similar import, were originally applied to the Jews, and afterwards to Christians as a body, or community, and had no reference whatever to the personal character and final salvation of the individual.-But it is not our purpose in these few remarks to enter into any discussion of principles. Our object is simply to call the attention of our readers to the work in question, and urge the study of it. We hope the patronage it receives from the public will be sufficient to authorize the republication of some other works of a similar character, as those of Taylor, Benson, Pierce.

As a specimen of Mr. Locke's notes, we give the following, upon Rom. iii. 24, on the scriptural meaning of the word redemption.'

'Redemption signifies deliverance, but not deliverance from every thing, but deliverance from that, to which a man is in subjection or bondage. Nor does redemption by Jesus Christ import, there was any compensation made to God, by paying what was of equal value, in consideration whereof they were delivered; for that is inconsistent with what St. Paul expressly says here, viz. that sinners are justified by God gratis, and of his free bounty. What this redemption is, St. Paul_tells us. Eph. i. 7, Col. i. 14, even the forgiveness of sins. But if St. Paul had not been so express in defining what he means by redemption, they yet would be thought to lay too much stress upon the criticism of a word, in the translation, who would' thereby force from the word, in the original, a necessary sense, which it is plain it hath not. That redeeming, in the sacred Scripture language, signifies not precisely paying an equivalent is so clear, that nothing can be more. I shall refer my reader to three or four places amongst a great number, Exod. vi. 6. Deut. vii. 8, and xv. 12, and xxiv. 18. But if any one will, from the literal signification of the word in English persist in it, against St. Paul's declarations, that it necessarily implies an equivalent price paid, I desire him to consider to whom: and that, if we will strictly adhere to the metaphor, it must be to those whom the redeemed are in bondage to, and from whom we are redeem