might be brought to the contrary, by the false shame of commencing informer. By such views and motives must Judas have been actuated, had Jesus been an impostor, and he a man of integrity and conscience. But supposing, what indeed is the fact, that this Judas was a man of a very opposite character, was an abandoned wretch, destitute of honour, conscience, and love to his country; yet, even in that case, interest, powerful private interest, must soon have determined him to make a discovery of the fraud, if any such was carrying on. A man of such a character must certainly have commenced disciple from worldly views, concluding that Christ was to erect a temporal kingdom. He hoped, by joining Him so early, to merit the highest preferments in that future monarchy. But finding himself disappointed, and that there was neither honour, riches, nor fame to be got in His service; nay, that the very Master himself seemed, by some unaccountable conduct, always to decline any advantages that were thrown in His way, and whimsically talked of a spiritual kingdom; observing this to be the case, would not rage at his disappointment naturally lead him to divulge the secret? which, too, would have been a sufficient apology for abandoning a sect which he had once espoused. If covetousness was the chief bent of his mind, this was the most likely to be gratified by a discovery. He knew how inveterate the chief priests and rulers were against Jesus, and with what malice and keenness they sought His ruin: so that he might reasonably expect to be well paid for what discovery he should make to them. Nor can it be alleged that such a discovery would either have subjected him to odium or danger. To odium or reproach it could never have exposed him with any man of sense and reflection; for his discovering such a fraud, stood justified by every motive and consideration which can have weight in such a case. So that, instead of reproach, his uncommon honesty would have merited universal applause. Nay, we may go one step farther, and affirm, that the applauses which he merited would have been liberally conferred upon him; immediately he must have become the darling of all the rulers; and this fully obviates the other part of the objection, that possibly he might have been deterred from fear for making the discovery. But of whom, pray, was he to be afraid? Of Jesus and his followers? A very inconsiderable party indeed, without either number, power, or influence; who, so far from being able to injure others, could not even defend themselves.-J. Bonar. THE DOCTRINE OF DEVILS. DISBELIEVERS. WE are met, at the outset, by 'the disputer of this world! He is a wise man, of sober mind, and 'slow to believe.' What others fully credit, he doubts or denies. He must have proof, before he will yield the assent of his understanding. He accosts us with a preliminary question. He requires the reason of our belief in One, whom we designate the Prince of darkness. That reason we are ready to produce, though it may not be such as to satisfy our rational inquirer. It is derived from a Source, at which he looks with suspicion or aversion: a Document, which he treats with disrespect, and whose informations he hesitates or refuses to accept. How shall we disarm this opponent? Great would be our happiness, to cure him of his incredulity; to dislodge him from the strongholds of his scepticism. But, such a triumph, we fear, is not likely to be the reward of our effort: his mental condition, and the prejudices amidst which he entrenches himself, almost preclude the hope of achieving it. His scruples are not so easily overcome as some may be apt to imagine. Why? He calls for a kind of proof, which neither we are competent to give, nor the nature of the case admits. Otherwise, he demurs to our conclusions, and maintains his position with all the pertinacity of disbelief. An unfair disputant, who sets no price upon Truth, and brooks not the confession of error, he resorts to artifice: a cavil, or a sneer, or a growl, muttered in a tone of contemptuous pride, is his usual weapon of defence. What answer shall we frame for our modern Pyrrhonist? By what line of argument may we carry conviction to his mind? How can we strip him of 'the armour wherein he trusteth?' Wise in his own conceits,' he may charge us with simplicity or weakness. We retort the charge. He it is, who opens his lips in folly whose judgment is misled by the deceitfulness of the heart. His supercilious airs daunt us not. His 'swelling words of vanity' only move our pity. Every emotion of anger dies in us, when we advert to the doom of the immortal creature, who dares to 'reply against God.' Such guilt he contracts, by questioning the doctrine under review. His Maker has taught it, among the other discoveries of the unseen world, included in the Volume of Inspiration. In repudiating it, therefore, he virtually makes the God of truth a liar.' The demand of demonstrative evidence, we tell the disputer, is unreasonable. Philosopher he may think himself, or be styled by a thousand admirers. Proud may be the pinnacle on which eminence in scholarship, or success in interesting paths of inquiry, has placed him. But, whoever he may be, whatever be the splendour of his genius, or the honours of his name, is to us immaterial. Our quarrel with him, at present, is confined to the one point under consideration; and we are bold to remind him, though our plainness should offend his vanity, or move his choler, that his cavils and objections manifest a spirit very different from that of sound Philosophy. They are based on grounds, which she utterly disavows: grounds, too, which, unless the intellect were misled by some deranging or corrupting influence, her genuine cultivators would be ashamed to adopt. Our remarks, in the sequel, we shall throw into the shape of friendly remonstrance. We dare not flatter, but neither do we wish to insult. If umbrage is taken at the style of our address, we scorn to apologize. We point to the overweening conceit, the blustering arrogance, the audacious impiety, of not a few among our leading opponents. On that score, we are ready to defend even a greater severity of language than we have chosen to employ. Besides, who are they, or what are we, that, in replying to their infidelity, we should resort to the apologetic, or discourse in soft words? We give the vainest and mightiest of them to know, that we fear them not. What care we for either the gods of the hills,' or 'the gods of the valleys?' The arena of debate is open to them, and glad shall we be to meet on it the most defiant of Philistia's giants, or famed of Anak's sons. The Existence of Satan is a doctrine, which its impugners have treated with characteristic unfairness. We are not aware of their having, in a single instance, attempted to controvert it by sober reasoning. Ridicule is the weapon with which they have commonly assailed it. Indeed, this has, in every age, been a favourite weapon with many of the more noted enemies, both of Christianity in general, and of certain of its distinguishing statements. It is one, however, of which only a weak or disingenuous opponent will avail himself. It is the artifice of a mind, either suspicious of the tenableness of its position, or conscious of its own inability to defend it. Ridicule disproves nothing. It affects not the merits of the point, the correctness of the belief, against which it is directed it neither establishes the true, nor exposes the false. When employed to do what cannot be accomplished by the more legitimate means of sound discussion, or rational argument-to bring into discredit any of the facts or principles of Revelation, it is symptomatic of extreme badness of heart. As to the particular doctrine in question, make it not a subject of mockery. On those who resort to it, such a mode of attack reflects no honour. It is a mean expedient; an artful evasion of the point at issue. It is unworthy of a candid or earnest inquirer. It consists not with a sincere desire to ascertain what really is the fact. It betrays opposition to a tenet, merely from dislike: a determination to support a theory or hypothesis, irrespective of evidence. Shame on those, who can adopt such a base subterfuge; especially on those, who profess to revere the Book, which propounds the obnoxious doctrine. It is a serious matter, and deserves to be treated in a spirit, and a manner, as remote as possible from the light or the profane. Here, levity or raillery is peculiarly unbecoming. Is its truth doubted, or its reasonableness objected to? Let the grounds of doubt or objection be stated with the utmost explicitness and force. They can then be thoroughly examined, and calmly weighed. Whereas, the simple denial of it, in ever so confident a tone, goes for nothing. Vain, too, is the endeavour, by all the artillery of ridicule, to unsettle the convictions of those, who are firmly persuaded, by careful attention to the language of the Document, of its Scripturalness. The question may be reduced to a narrow compass. Either there is, or there is not, such a being as Satan. Some maintain the negative. Proof is demanded. That they are clearly bound to produce. But proof they have none. What then? They flatly contradict the doctrine. Occasionally they try, by absurd or inadmissible criticisms, to explain away the passages, which directly intimate, or necessarily imply it. These passages, it is affirmed, only personify evil, or speak of sin in the abstract; while we, by a gross but vulgar mistake, conceive an intelligent creature to be meant. Oftener, they attempt to bring the doctrine into disfavour, by presenting it in some ridiculous light. It is a tale of childhood, or one of the early impressions of a false education. With the weak, the ignorant, or the superstitious, it may gain credit; but it will be discarded by minds that scorn to be misled by erroneous teaching, or have achieved their freedom from the trammels of prejudice. This is very flattering, no doubt, to the pride of self-esteem. It may cherish the conceit of superior illumination. But, we are persuaded, it is only a pleasing dream, an idle fancy; and those who indulge it had better take heed, lest it be found, that 'the light which is in them is darkness.' We, on the contrary, hold the affirmative. But we are 'ready to give, to every man that asketh us, the reason' of our belief. The substance of that reason may be embodied in a single sentence, and has already been indicated. The doctrine advocated, has been Divinely revealed: it is certified by that infallible attestation, "Thus saith Jehovah.' In other words, it is contained in that Volume, which purports to come from the Faithful and True Witness.' The credentials of this Volume we have minutely investigated; as well as examined, we trust impartially, much that has been written by the abler of those, whose object, whether avowed or concealed, was to disparage or invalidate its vouchers. What has been the result of our frequent and laborious inquiries? Strict scrutiny has convinced us, and each successive repetition of the process has deepened the conviction, of the justness of its claims to a supernatural authorship. It bears, in our decided judgment, the manifest seal of Inspiration: exhibits, in every page, the unmistakable signature of a Divine hand. It consists, unquestionably, of a series of utterances from the Throne: communications directly from the Invisible, and of which Prophets and Apostles were only the vocal organs, or commissioned heralds. Perfectly satisfied in regard to the heavenly origin of the Word, we are equally sure, that its contents must all be pure truth. As Omniscience can be ignorant of no fact; so neither can Veracity declare what is false, or teach what is erroneous. Not more certain are we, that, in nature, darkness cannot issue from the fountain of light, than that deception cannot proceed from Him, who is both a God of knowledge,' and 'a God of truth.' He knows all things, and He cannot lie.' Hence, whatever His lips utter, must be absolute verity; the announcement correspouding exactly with the reality. Now, among the Revelations of His Word, the Existence of Satan has been assigned a place. It is introduced, not once, but often; not in equivocal or enigmatical, but in explicit, phrase; not in the style of figure or metaphor, but in that of simple narrative. We take the statements as they occur in the Record. We adopt such methods of determining their import, as are sanctioned by universal approval. We apply the same laws of Exegesis, which are used in other cases; and apply them in the same manner. We interpret the expressions according to their plain, grammatical construction, the understood acceptation of the terms, and the peculiar idiom of the language. Conformably to these rules of Exposition, the passages which discourse of Satan, must be considered as speaking of a rational being. The scheme of Hermeneutics, which favours the opposite view, we scarcely know by what terms of reprobation to characterize. To us it appears radically unsound: indeed, so false, so extravagantly licentious, that, but for its actual adoption, the proposal of it might have been thought incredible. To explain the passages referred to, as some insist on doing, of a mere abstraction, a personification, a creation of the fancy: what is this but to be guilty of impious trifling, or wretched sophistry? It were to befool alike those who propose, and those who receive, such constrained or perverted comments. It were to subject Scripture to the torture, in order to extort, by the operation of violence, a meaning different from, or contrary to, that which, by fair and legitimate questioning, could be extracted. It savours of the very essence of blasphemy. Yet, such are the desperate shifts, the dishonest expedients, to which 'men of corrupt minds' not seldom have recourse, in their anxiety to get rid of an unpalatable truth, or with a view to support a favourite theory or opinion. We call upon such to act a more manly and consistent part. Try not to disguise, under pretexts too flimsy to deceive any but imbeciles, your unfeigned sentiments. Be bold to avow your hostility to the Bible. Make common cause with the Deist, who, in his antipathy, -an antipathy springing from ignorance, and fostered by prejudice,-openly rejects Holy Writ. Scouting the idea of its Inspiration, he pronounces it the composition of fallible or erratic genius: a congeries of effusions, by well-meaning, perhaps, but often mistaken men: a Volume, which blends, with not a little that is puerile or unsound, much that is sage or wholesome; and which, though worthy of perusal for its judicious maxims, or curious and antique lore, has no better claim than the Shaster or the Khoran to be regarded as Divine. If, on the other hand, you pretend to venerate Scripture as the Treasury of saving knowledge,-as comprising, not what man's wisdom teacheth, but what the Holy Ghost teacheth:' then we ask you to embrace, without omission, without modification, without reservation, whatever doctrines it promulgates. We give you the alternative. Which horn do you prefer? Make your choice: declare it, or we fasten on you the charge of cowardice and duplicity. Either, say you repudiate the Divinity of the Bible: in which case, except, though at your peril, to those of its statements that coinside not with your vain conceits. Or, professing | to revere it as of God,' accept, with the implicit faith, and the reverent submission, due to the Holy Oracle, all its disclosures; interpreting them in the sense which they obviously bear, and which the customary use, and ascertained construction, of language require. The demand seems reasonable: the obligation is imperative. Do you demur? Why? State distinctly the grounds of objection. You are not at liberty either to reject, or qualify, a single announcement or representation, on the score of dislike; or, because of its repugnance to pre-conceived notions, or peculiar partialities. This we hold to be an indisputable point: a principle, as evident as any axiom. We press it upon your attention. We ask your assent, and we shall have it, if reason, and not humour or prejudice, is to guide your judgment. If Jehovah has spoken, it is for us to hear. What He declares, we are bound to believe. Some of His utterances may be disrelished, or may clash with our cherished opinions. Nevertheless, acquiescence is ours: in no instance, and on no pretence, are we permitted to withhold our hearty credence. Perhaps, you think otherwise. You are entitled, you imagine, to carp and choose at pleasure. Here, we join issue with you. We challenge you to produce your warrant. No quibbling-no sophistry-no evasion. We maintain, you are not authorized to deal with the Book of God, as you may do with the work of an erring mortal: not authorized to discard or modify any one of its 'sayings,' as reason, or fancy, or taste, may suggest. If you suppose you have a title, where is the proof? That, you are bound to give: that, we have a right to demand. Where find you the least intimation of it? Ah! you deceive yourselves: you' believe a lie.' The averments of the Word all come from the same mouth; so that you must assent, or object, to them in whole. No license is granted you to embrace one, and refuse another, of the discoveries of Revelation. Though not all equally important, they are all equally true. All are confirmed by the same testimony: all are parts of the same scheme; each necessary to its perfectness, each holding the place which Wisdom assigned it. We tell you with all plainness, yet with much sorrow, that, if you subscribe to the Inspiration of the Record, and receive it not in the entireness of its doctrines, and according to the manifest import of its terms; you act more inconsistently than the Deist, who avows his persuasion of its earthly origin. You feign regard for Sacred Scripture, yet do despite to the Spirit of grace,' by rejecting, or explaining away, such portions of His testimony as offend your pride: thus superadding, to horrid impiety, the guilt of hypocrisy. As to the particular tenet in question, we submit, to the consideration of the sceptical, the following queries. Allowing a Divine Existence, do you believe Him to be a Spirit? If so, do you deem it incredible, that He has created an order, or orders, of immaterial natures? Does it not appear, a priori, more probable, that a pure and infinite Intelligence would be the Father, rather of simple intelligences like Himself, than of compound creatures such as we are? By Angels, we understand rational beings without corporeal parts. That there are such unembodied beings, is a proposition, which none should deny, because none can disprove it. Reason confesses her inability to discover their Existence: but neither does she warrant incredulity or disbelief. Their existence we are enabled to assert on other evidence; evidence, too, which we account superior, at once more direct and satisfactory,THE INFALLIBLE AUTHORITY OF THE WORD. Granting the creation of Angels, may not some of them be evil? While the vast majority have 'kept their first estate,' may not a minority, comparatively small, yet actually large, have fallen? Originally holy, may not the latter have become depraved; spoiled, by some melancholy but unexplained departure from rectitude, of every trait of the image, which once constituted both their honour and their bliss? Equal to their Brethren in mental power, and partaking of the same moral qualities, shining, like them, in the beauty of unsullied excellence; may they not have acted very differently? Capable of retaining, may they not have criminally lost, their primordial integrity: able to stand, have unhappily lapsed; and thus, by their own deed, have forfeited their immortal inheritance? Yielding to 'pride,' which is expressly affirmed to have been the condemnation of the Devil,' might they not have opposed the will of their Maker, and thus contracting guilt, have been deposed from their thrones of glory? To maintain the contrary, were to allege their constitutional impeccability. Or, it were to charge God with unrighteousness, in not preventing the possibility of their sinning; or in not establishing them, unchangeably, in a state of unblotted innocence. Like man, they enjoyed a perfect freedom of will,the indispensable privilege of a moral and accountable agent; but, like him, abusing that freedom, they inherit shame, the meet recompense of disobedience. What was the peculiar temptation of those primitive apostates: how sin was conceived, or the first emotion of it arose, in their hearts: in what form it found ac tual expression; in what particular mode, or by what positive deeds, it first manifested itself: when they swerved from their pristine uprightness,-how long after their creation, or before the Adamic period: whether they revolted all at once, in virtue of some trial to which, as the test of principle, they were contemporaneously subjected; or in succession, and as the consequence of repeated failures: whether each fell of himself, independently of any malign influence from without; or some were permitted to be tempters and seducers of others: these are inscrutable mysteries. They are matters, the knowledge of which, however it might gratify curiosity, could minister no solid benefit, or contribute aught calculated either to instruct or improve. Respecting them no information has been given; and, therefore, to speculate or conjecture were alike unprofitable and presumptuous. We speak, not of the time, or the manner, or the means, but merely of the fact. We hold it to be clearly revealed, that while some remained stedfast, and have been confirmed in holiness and felicity, others proved disobedient, and are reserved in everlasting chains, under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day.' The questions proposed we press on the reflection of our opponents. We entreat their calm and serious consideration of them. We do it the more earnestly, as they relate not to points of 'doubtful disputation,' or of idle though amusing theory, which may engage the contemplations of the ingenious or the inquisitive. On the contrary, they involve matters of practical interest; subjects that have a direct and an important bearing, in ways and to a degree not imagined, both on their present and their future well-being. All the motives, in short, that can be supposed to influence a reasonable creature, desirous to ascertain the nature, or the evidence, of any article to be admitted into his creed, conspire to urge to the careful examination, the patient and dispassionate convassing, of the topic under review. ΓΑΙΤΗ. Y. having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.' Faith produces holy obedience.-'If ye love me, keep my commandments.' 'I will show thee my faith by my works. Faith without works is dead. As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.' Faith promotes inward purity.— God put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.' 'Behold, now are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.' Faith is the source of peace and comfort.'Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.' • But Faith produces patience and fortitude.— 'I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Who are kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation.' let us who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.' 'Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.' Faith spiritualizes the affections.-' While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen, are temporal; but the things which are not seen, are eternal.' 'Therefore we are always confident, knowing that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (for we walk by faith, not by sight.) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.' IT IS WINTER. Ir is winter!-it is winter! With his stern, unbending brow; With his fur-cloak wrapp'd around him, And his locks all fring'd with snow. From the distant northern mountains, From the unknown ice-bound sea, He has come to dear old England— Come to dwell with you and me. It is winter!-it is winter! With his breath so deathly cold; And as potent is his arm, |