divided into two parts; that the water indicated the denial of the old man, the negative side; the spirit, the communication of new life, the positive side. Others have supposed that here is a silent antithesis, and that water and spirit, as the subtler elements, are opposed to the grosser earthly elements; and that Christ meant to say, Ye must be spiritual, like air and water, which seek to ascend. Both explanations appear to me to be foreign to the intention of Christ. In accordance with Chrysostom, most have referred the water to the act of baptism; and from this expression have concluded the absolute necessity of baptism to salvation. Granting now, that Christ did in reality speak of baptism, he would not certainly have limited salvation to the external sign. The mention of baptism appears to me, however, not appropriate to this place. The object of Christ was only to call the attention of Nicodemus to the fact, that he, as long as he was inwardly unrenewed, could not understand the gospel. As therefore, in another place, mention is made of the baptism with fire and the Spirit, where one designates figuratively what the other does literally, so I understand it here. The copula stands here, as often, epexegetically; and then afterwards the discourse is merely respecting the baptism of the Spirit, and not of water: aqua nihil aliud est, quam interior Spiritus Sancti purgatio et vegetatio."

Verse 6." Christ takes for granted the maxim, that only the spiritually-minded can be citizens of the kingdom of God. Is this decided? then we do not belong by nature to the kingdom of God. As Christ here speaks of the necessity of a new birth, it is obvious from the very contrast, that flesh here denotes the whole natural man. Insulse papista theologastri ad partem quam vocant sensualem restringunt. The notion of being born teaches expressly an origin from something altogether new." Here follows the answer of two doctrinal doubts, viz., (1.) Whether it does not follow from this, that the human soul is propagated with the body? (2.) As in this degenerate and vitiated nature there is some remnant of the gifts of God, how can it be said that the whole man is corrupt?

Verses 7, 8.-" According to some, the sense of the words

is Thou and those like thee cannot indeed understand what is meant by regeneration, since ye are so contracted in your views, that ye are unable to understand even the objects of the material world. Others ingeniously, though unnaturally, make the following the point of comparison : The wind is the image of free power; the children of God are those who are truly free, who move where and as they please; therefore it is with regeneration as with the blowing of the wind. Chrysostom and Cyril have made the point of comparison with more justice, as follows: As in the wind the power is felt, though its origin is unknown, so it is with regeneration. This explanation I prefer, but will attempt to state it more plainly, with its reasons. I proceed on the supposition, that Christ borrows a comparison from the natural order of things. He wished to shew, that even in the material world there are wonderful exertions of divine power, whose cause is concealed. All inhale from the air the spirit of life; its motion every one feels; but how it originates, and where it goes, no one understands. After this example of our Saviour, the Apostle reasons, 1 Cor. xv. 36. To the opponents of the doctrine of the resurrection, it appears incredible that new life should be called up from the dust. The Apostle alludes to the corn of wheat, which must decay in order that the seed may spring up. How limited, therefore, are the views of those who refuse to be led even by the common course of nature to anything higher, so as to recognise in the spiritual kingdom of Christ the far more powerful hand of God! When Christ says, 'Marvel not at this,' he does not of course forbid pious admiration, but that doubting wonder which considers the thing as a fable. Now, as to the particular point of comparison, a will is ascribed to the wind, not in a literal sense, but because its motion does not appear to be regulated by any fixed laws. Were its motion as regular as that of the water, its unrestrained freedom would be less conspicuous. In the same way is the working of a higher than human, yea, of a divine Spirit, visible in man, while the manner in which it operates its internal rule or law-is not capable of being known."

Verse 9." What hinders Nicodemus from believing is plain. It is because he cannot see the how of this divine operation. We may properly, indeed, inquire with modesty into the how and the wherefore of the divine operations; but wo unto us if we would measure the infinity of the divine power by the standard of our own reason!"

Verse 10." Christ greatly humbles the proud scribe, by objecting against him the very thing in which he supposed he had given the greatest proof of his sagacity. The emphasis lies upon Taûra. Exactly that which is the foundation of all true religion, and which the Scriptures insist upon times without number, thou knowest not."

This connected extract will serve the purpose of giving to those who have never met with Calvin an idea of his method, and especially of that psychology, founded upon religious experience, without which no one can be a good interpreter of Scripture.

Let, then, this great teacher of a true and profound knowledge of the Scriptures, go forth anew into an age to which he had become in a great measure a stranger. We know with certainty he will find hundreds and thousands of friends; and only one consideration could make us at all solicitous respecting this new circulation of his Commentaries. This is the recollection, that his view of predestination appears in all its sternness wherever an opportunity occurs. With an observation on this subject, we shall bring our remarks to a close. We believe that even this part of Calvin's Commentaries will do more good than hurt. As one extreme often serves to restrain and limit the other, so we think it will turn out here. A profound truth lies at the foundation of Calvinism; and that very aspect of the Divine Being and of human nature which our age is most inclined to overlook, is made prominent in this system. it be so, that our age has been accustomed to set up man, with numberless claims on God, as a Prometheus, in opposition to the Supreme Being, and that this mode of thinking has in any degree affected the views even of evangelical theologians; it may be, that the inexorable severity with which Calvin takes everything from man, and gives every

If

thing to God, will exert a salutary influence upon many; while the strong current of the age, diametrically opposed as it is, to this mode of thinking, may prove a sufficient security against the Calvinistic extreme. Should not this, however, be the case; should the consistency of Calvinism compel from one and another an unconditional surrender,—so be it; there is always something more noble and majestic in the power, inherent in the iron view of Calvinism, than in the weakness of a carnal Pelagianism.

We feel the same composure with regard to the new edition of Calvin's Institutes, which has been undertaken in Würtemberg. With joy we bid it welcome. And even if its tendency should be to establish many theologians in the partial views of Calvinism, it will not fail, at the same time, to promote that unconquerable and fixed power of faith, which has always been peculiar to strict Calvinism, and which, more than anything else, is so necessary to our languid age.

OPINIONS AND TESTIMONIES

RESPECTING THE

WRITINGS OF JOHN CALVIN.

MARTIN BUCER.

(A.D. 1491-1551.)

CALVINUS vere doctus mireque facundus vir, purioris Christianismi instaurator eximius.

Calvin is a truly learned and singularly eloquent man, an illustrious restorer of a purer Christianity.

MARTIN LUTHER,

In a Letter to Bucer, 14th October 1539.

Saluta mihi Sturmium et Calvinum reverenter, quorum libellos singulari cum voluptate legi.

Present my respectful salutations to Sturmius and Calvin, whose books I have perused with singular pleasure.

PAPIRE MASSON,

A Roman Catholic.

(A.D. 1544-1611.)

Ingenio sanè et acuto erat, et ad questiones explicandas difficiles natus, quas et citò et penitùs complectebatur.Scripsit nec pauciora nec minus bene quam segregum quisquam, si numerum, si acumen, si dictionem, si brevitatem, si aculeos, si emphasin spectare volumus.