us to do. And it will be a comfort to us, when we come to die, to reflect, that we have stood in our lot, and done what we could, for the cause, of our Saviour. And when Millenial scenes are ushered in, it will be an honour to us to be remembered, as those who have prayed and laboured to advance them. Our children will then love to say, one to another, "These are the glorious things, on which the hearts and hopes of our fathers and mothers were fixed-for which they prayed with many tears-and for which they cheerfully contributed of their store."

Such a reflection will be of more value to our children, than an estate! They will choose rather to be known, as the descendants of those who have devoted themselves and their substance to the cause of God, than of those, who have amassed for them an earthly treasure. P.

For the Christian Magazine.
A SUBJECT PROPOSED.

Messrs. Editors.-I can, probably,
do more to enrich your pages and
to benefit your readers, by indu-
cing others to write, than by wri-
ting myself. In attempting to do
this, I would avail myself of the
medium of your publication. No
doubt many more would write
than now do, if they could readi-
ly fix on a subject. In order to
remove this obstacle, I would pro-
pose one to some of your corres-
pondents, or to any others who
may be willing to assist you in
your labours.
It is repentance.
I have not often seen this subject
discussed, in that clear and in-
structive manner, which its im-
portance demands. Let any one
who may undertake to write up-
on it, show what evangelical re-

pentance is, and how it differs from every other christian grace. The reason of my being so particular, as to the manner of treating the subject, is, that your readers may have a clear and distinct view of this christian grace, and be able to see in what it differs from all others. They will then perceive whether they are the subjects of that repentance to which pardon and eternal life are promised. Many true, and even important things may be said in relation to the subject, and yet your readers may not be able to know in what it consists, nor wherein it differs from other graces enjoined in the gospel. The christian graces, though nearly allied, have each of them their peculiarities. It is the nature and peculiarity of repentance, which I wish to see exhibited in some of the future pages of the Christian Magazine.

I need not suggest, that if several papers be sent on the above subject, you will publish the one which, in your judgment, is the best, or the whole of them in successive numbers, if you think they deserve a place in your work. Allow me further to propose a short passage of scripture to some of your Biblical writers. It is the following: "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?" Rom. viii. 33.

If the solution of the subject and passage which I have named should meet your approbation, you may expect to hear again in the same way from

PHILO SIMPLICITAS.

REASONING IN SERMONS.

POWERFUL reasoning should be the soul of our sermons. Reasoning in eloquence, is like love in reli

gion; without love you may have the shadow, but you cannot have the substance of religion.-Without love you are nothing; if you have not love, your virtue is only noise, it is only as sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. In like manner in regard to eloquence, speak with authority, open all the treasures of erudition, give full scope to a lively and sublime imagination, and harmonize your periods; yet what will all your discourses without reason be? a noise, a sounding brass, a tinkling cymbal. You may confound, but you cannot convince; you may dazzle, but you cannot instruct; you may delight, but cannot hope to change, to sanctify, and to transform your hearers.

ENVY AND SLANDER.

Saurin.

THE old writers show no mercy to the envious man and to the slanderer. Every college boy, who has read Dalzel's book, remembers, probably, the dying wretch who was filled with envy, because he saw his fellow criminal crucified on a better cross than his own. This is extravagant. Nor less extravagant are the following lines, on one who is represented as having so much more poison than the most poisonous serpent, that the bite of the serpent was fatal to the reptile, not to the man. The thought is bitter enough.

A Slanderer felt an adder bite his side:
What follow'd from the bite? the serpent died.
Ch. Spectator.

DEPRAVITY.

THE Conception of man does not consist in his acquiring wrong

"Of his

Messrs Editors, I send you for insertion in the Christian Magazine an Epistle of Ignatius to Polycarp. For the benefit of those of your readers who are but imperfectly acquainted with ecclesiastical history, I will just state, that Ignatius succeded St. Peter as bishop of the church at Antioch, about the year of Christ 70. birth and parentage nothing is known; that he was an Asiatic there can be no doubt, and he was probably a Syrian." He was sentenced by the Emperor Trajan to be exposed to the wild beasts at Rome. On his way to Rome, where he suffered Martyrdom agreeably to the sentence of Trajan, he visited Polycarp, then bishop of Smyrna; and before he reached the place of his death, wrote him the following Epistle. Ignatius and Polycarp were fellow disciples of St. John. They were both

eminent ministers of Christ, and mar

tyrs to the cause which they espoused.

Polycarp was condemned to the flames, and suffered at Smyrna about the year 167, not far from the hundredth year

of his age.

When it is considered

that the following Epistle was written so near the Apostolic age, by one who was himself a disciple of John, under sentence of death for his attachment to Christ, and on his way to the place of his cruel sufferings, it cannot but be read with interest by all. Although it is a mere human production, and perhaps not perfectly correct in every sentiment which it contains; yet the pastoral fidelity which it exhibits, and

the solemn and interesting manner in which it enjoins upon another a faithful discharge of his pastoral duties, strongly recommend it to the attention of ministers.

EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO POLYCARP.

Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to Polycarp, bishop of the church of Smyrna, or rather to him who hath God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ for his bishop-Health.

Hearing of thy purpose which is founded and fixed in God, as upon a rock unmoveable, my heart is lifted up in thanksgiving, for that I am accounted worthy to behold thy face, which I earnestly wish to enjoy.

I beseech thee by the grace of God wherewith thou art clothed, that thou wouldest quicken thy course and exhort all men to be saved. Maintain thy place and office in constant attention to every part of it, whether carnal or spiritual. Be careful for unity, than which nothing is more excellent. Endure all men, that the Lord may endure thee. Be patient with all in the spirit of charity, as indeed thou art. Be constant in prayer. Entreat for a larger measure of understanding than thou hast. Watch always and guard against a drowsy spirit. Address thyself to all according to the help given to thee from above. Bear the infirmities of all men, as a perfect wrestler. The more labour, the greater gain. If thou love only the good and faithful disciples, what reward hast thou? But labour rather to overcome the disobedient by meekness. Every wound is not healed by the same treatment. "Be prudent as a serpent" in all things, and simple as a dove." The time requireth thee, as a pilot requireth winds, and those

who are tossed with tempests, the haven. Conduct thyself cautiously as the wrestler of God: the reward set before thee is immortality.

In every thing let me be unto thee in place of thine own soul, and my bonds which thou hast loved.

Be not affrighted by those, who, though they seem worthy of cred. it, teach other doctrines. Stand firm as an anvil which is beaten with the hammer. It is our duty to endure all things for God that he may endure us. Be more earnest than thou art. Consider the time, and wait for him who is beyond all time, immortal, invisible, yet made visible for our sakes, incapable of suffering, yet made capable of it for us, and who endured all things in our behalf.

See that the widows be not neglected: next to the Lord be thou their friend. Let nothing be done without thy will, neither do thou any thing without the will of God. Let assemblies be held more frequently. Inquire for all by name. Do not proudly despise slaves, whether male or female; yet see that they be not themselves puffed up, but let them serve more faithfully to the glory of God that they may obtain a better freedom from him. Neither let them seek to have their freedom purchased out of the public stock, lest they become slaves of covetousness.

Flee from evil arts, nay even forbear to mention them. Say unto my sisters that they must love God, and be contented with their husbands; likewise also charge my brethren in the name of the Lord Jesus, that they love their wives as Christ Jesus loved the church. If any one is able to remain in chastity to the honour

of his Lord, let him do it in humility: if he boasteth himself he is undone; and if he setteth up his own will against that of the bishop he is undone likewise. Marriages which are made in the Lord, and not according to concupiscence, ought to be made with the consent of the bishop. Let all things be done to the honor of God. Exhort them, hearken unto your bishop,* that God may hearken unto you. May my soul be with them who are obedient to the bishop, priests and deacons; and my part in God the same with theirs! and ye, brethren, labour, and run, and suffer with one accord, awake and sleep together as the joint ministers of God and common stewards of his mysteries. Please him under whose banners you fight, and whose wages you receive. Let none of you be found a deserter. Let your baptism remain upon you as armour, your faith as a helmet, your charity as a spear. Let your works be your pledges that ye may receive accordingly. Be long suffering one toward another that God may be the same to you.

And since the church which is at Antioch in Syria, enjoys peace as I am assured, through your prayers, by which my mind is composed to a more settled confidence in God, it is fitting, my dear Polycarp, blessed of God, to call an assembly to choose some beloved brother, an active man, who may be named the divine messenger, to go into Syria, and glorify your charity in Christ. A christian hath not power over himself, but is at the disposal of his God. And this surely when perfected will be God's work as well as yours; for I believe you

Bishop, in Ignatius' day, was mus inter pares."

"Pri

are ready to every work which is agreeable to him.

But although I know your ve. hement affection for the truth, I have thought it good, notwithstanding to admonish you by letter. And since I was unable to write to all the churches, because I was suddenly called to set sail from the Troad to Naples according to the divine will, do thou who knowest the mind of God, write unto the neighbouring churches that they do the same thing; those who are able by messengers of their own, and those who are not by letters entrusted by others.

I salute you all, and namely the wife of Epitropus with her children, and all her house.

Salute my dear friend Attalus. Salute him who shall be ac counted worthy to undertake the journey into Syria. May unceasing grace be with him, and with Polycarp who sends him. May you all evermore be strong in our God, Jesus Christ, through whom I pray that you may continue in unity and obedience. I salute Alee, a name greatly be loved. Farewell in the Lord.

ERASMUS AND LUTHER.

ERASMUS skirmished, as it were, and with great success, against many of the auxiliaries of popery, but never once in his life did he look in the face what, according to Luther's judgment, was the real efficient enemy of Christ and his religion': never did he lay seige to the strong holds of self-righteousness. To pull down these with all his might was both the object and the practice of the Saxon reformer. Erasmus said many excellent things in an elegant way, concerning Christ

and the Gopel, concerning piety, purity of life, christian charity, meekness and peaceable temper. He exposed with great ability and with exquisite humour, and it may be truly added, with much advantage to the reformation, the ambition, covetousness, and ludicrous excesses of the clergy. Luther, who cordially agreed with him in all these just animadversions, went to the root both of the evil and the good. The depraved nature of man he taught as the root of the evil; contrition and humility, with a lively faith in the Redeemer, as the only cure of the reigning evil, and the only source of future good. While the former courted Popes and Cardinals, and temporized with them, fancying that reformation of ecclesiastical abuses might be brought about by mild and prudential management, the latter refused to make any sinful compromises, boldly opposed all antichristian notions, of merit of works, defended the important doctrine of purification by faith, and committed his cause to God. The doctrine of justification by faith was the article which, of all others, this great man had most at heart. If that were preserved, he conceived nothing could go materially wrong; if that were lost, nothing would go right; and in no great length of time he was convinced, that this fundamental doctrine could be established only on the ruins of popery. The opinions of Erasmus and Luther on this subject were substantially different, and in some important views the reverse of each other.-Milnor.

ANECDOTE OF LORD BOLINGBROKE.

IT is much to be regretted that the works of the illustrious Cal

vin are so little read at the present day. Every person who is acquainted with the writings of our most eminent reformers, both in England and Scotland, such as Hooker, Cramner, Knox, &c. knows that no man was held in higher estimation by those distinguished characters than John Calvin, and no human compositions were more read and admired by them than his.-Nor was it only by persons of the above description that Calvin's writings were esteemed. The depth and ingenuity ingenuity of his thoughts, the strength and accuracy of his reasoning, and the purity and elegance of his diction, have led many who have had no relish for the gospel to peruse his works.

The celebrated infidel, Lord Bolingbroke, was a remarkable instance of this; and the following anecdote in proof of it may be depended on. One day a Clergyman of his Lordship's acquaintance (Mr. Ch, who died Vicar of Battersea,) happened to call for him, when he was reading in Calvin's Institutes. "You have found me, said his Lordship, reading John Calvin. He was, indeed, a man of great parts, profound sense, and vast learning. He handles the doctrines of grace in a very masterly manner." "Doctrines of grace,' replied the Clergyman, "the doctrines of grace have set all mankind together by the ears." "I am surprised to hear you say so," answered Lord Bolingbroke, you who profess to believe and preach christianity. Those doctrines are certainly the doctrines of the bible: and if I believed the bible, I must believe them. And let me seriously tell you, that I think the greatest miracle in the world is, the subsistence