demn it; for, with nothing but the light of nature to instruct them, they flung away these things like so much dross and ashes; but, behold-a greater than nature has been with us!

But you may say, alas! we acknowledge that it is folly-that it is madness, to set our hearts upon the poor possessions of this earth, and its wretched pleasures and amusements; we are convinced it is ruin to do so; but we are weak and sinful beings, and we find our hearts naturally wedded to this world, all alive to its pursuits, its joys and its sorrows; it is a hard thing to mix in its concerns, and to take a share in them, and yet be as though we felt it not;-to buy, to rejoice and to weep, and yet, to be as though we bought not, rejoiced not, wept not! It is a hard thing; but, the Gospel was sent to us to enable us to do hard things. The Holy Spirit of God was promised to us to enable us to do hard things. If it were easy, we should have been left to do it for ourselves. But it is because we are fallen from our original holiness and virtue; unable to do what we, at the same time, acknowledge we ought to do that a Redeemer bled upon the cross, and purchased the gift of the Spirit for all who feel that they are fallen, and wish to be restored.

How then is it, that this blessed Spirit is to give us the power of weeping as though we wept not, and rejoicing as though we rejoiced not? By no other way but giving us other business, other pleasures, and other cares, by which we are to be more occupied, and in which we may feel ourselves more deeply interested. It is folly to imagine, (let a man deceive himself as he pleases)-it is folly to imagine that his heart is not set upon this world, unless he finds it set upon something else. Let us judge for ourselves. Is it not matter of plain common sense, that our hearts and our affections cannot remain long unexercised and unemployed; that they must have something to lean upon-something to cling to-something to fasten upon? The heart of a man cannot remain long empty. If the evil spirit have departed, and no good one have succeeded into its place, the evil will return. The love of the world can be conquered only by the love of something else. We cannot but know this full well: we cannot be so ignorant of human nature as not to know it. We are too fond of striking out middle paths for ourselves; but, let us be assured, that if " our affections are not upon things above, they are upon things on the earth." It is then only, when we have attained new objects of love-new objects to excite our hopes and our fears, that we shall be able to use old ones without abusing them. We understand this in a worldly point of view. Whenever we have been pressing forward to the attainment of some great object that fills our whole mind, or to the enjoyment of our favourite pleasure or amusement; how soberly, how moderately do we then reap any inferior advantage, or partake of any inferior gratification: or, if we have been overcome by any severe calamity, how any smaller loss or misfortune sinks comparatively into insignificance. Now, here, in a worldly point of view, we understand what it is "to weep as though we wept not; to rejoice as though, we rejoiced not;" and so, when we shall have set our affections on those things, eternal in the heavens, we shall then know clearly how to use this world as though we used it not. Immortal souls must feed upon immortal food-must have immortal objects to converse with-immortal occupations to pursue-immortal pleasures to enjoy. We must enter into closer communion with God; we must become familiar with another world, and acquire a new range of objects and enjoyments. Now, in what these consist we may learn from the word of God; and, in that we have to look for the new world-with its new business, its new cares, and its new pleasures. There,

must we cultivate an acquaintance with the vast scheme of man's redemption; how it was conducted from the first melancholy fall, to the triumph. upon the cross; and, as we become more alive to this astonishing subject, the course and the fashion of this world will be forgotten. In that sacred volume may we contemplate the holy nature of God, and his righteous laws to his creatures, and there shall we find new business (enough to engage a life as long as that of the world itself,) the business of studying our own hearts; but still worse, their treachery and deceitfulness; the business of learning our own character, in particular offences of watching our favourite sins, and guarding against our besetting temptations-the business of examining, day by day, whether we have advanced or fallen back in the way of salvation, and of cultivating the growth of grace within us by humble prayer and frequent meditation. Here, in that holy book, shall we learn indeed new pleasures; we shall find a delight in the presence of God, and in the contemplation of the beloved Redeemer, who seemed to clothe himself in our nature, that he might come within the reach of our affections, that we might be able to love him as one of ourselves; we shall find delight in the contemplation of all those glorious things that he has promised to us, the company of angels and of "just men made perfect," the privilege of dwelling in his own blessed presence and in near communion with the God and Father of all through the ages of eternity, and we shall partake of that blessing in some degree even upon the earth, for "where two or three are gathered together in his name, he is in the midst of them;" we shall seek and enjoy his society even here, in the company of those who have the same business, the same studies, the same hopes, and the same Redeemer. Thus, after acquiring an interest in great and immortal things, we shall then be able to give the things of the earth their proper value. Thus, ascending, as it were, into the holy mount, and conversing with the Almighty, we shall be able to look at the earth from a distance, and view all things in their true light, and in their due proportion; and can then descend into these lower scenes and mix in the business of the world without contracting its pollutions, like the angels whom we read of in Holy Writ, who sometimes came down among the sons of men, and refused not to partake of their earthly fare.

In this spiritualized frame of mind, with our eye fixed upon better things, we shall know how to assign to the good things of this world, their proper rank in our affection. We shall not "be slothful in business," knowing that," if any work not, neither should be eat," and we shall work with double cheerfulness, from the sense, that the blessing of God is upon our labours. And then, we shall feel, that what we earn, is not our own; that it is a trust from Almighty God, to be used as he pleases, and not according to our own caprice: we shall recollect, that every thing we acquire brings its duty along with it; and thus, indeed, shall we "buy as though we bought not ;"-we shall use our talent according to the will of our heavenly Father, in relieving the necessities of our poor brethren, and in educating all who have been entrusted to us by Providence, in the good ways of the Lord, and the knowledge of his word. This will also make us honest in the acquisition; for what would be the use of attaining any thing against God's will, that, after all, is worth nothing, unless it be used according to it?

Thus "shall we make friends to ourselves of the unrighteous Mammon," and render even the perishable things of this life immortal, by turning them to immortal purposes; and then we shall " rejoice as though we rejoiced not." As for sensuality, that sinks a man into a brute; or as for wild wantonness,

and rage, and revenge, that turn him into a devil-they would "not be so much as once named amongst us"-they would be sorrow and grief to our souls they would have "no beauty in then. that we should desire them." It would not be necessary to think of the punishments denounced against them who do such things, and of the tribulation and wrath which is treasured up for the children of disobedience; but the thought of the pure pleasures of another world, and the holy delights of God's presence, would be sweeter than all the wild enjoyments of the sensualist and the profligate. Then the innocent comforts and enjoyments of life would be taken in their due proportion. They would be taken as refreshments by the way: and, even then the Good Being, from whom cometh every perfect gift, would not be forgotten, but the sense, that it came from his hand, would make the gift doubly valuable, and would sanctify the enjoyment.

But then there are the kind relations of life-of husband and wife-of parent and child-of brother, or, of dear friend! Ah! there is the difficulty: how to rejoice here, as though we rejoice not-there is the diffi culty: how to look upon an object of affection, in whom our soul rejoices, and yet to be as though we rejoiced not-there is the difficulty: and then, too, when it is said, "If ye love father, or mother, or brethren, more than me, ye are not worthy of me." What are we to do ?what will become of us? Are we to turn our backs upon them, and forget that they were dear to us? God forbid for it is the will of God that we should love them. Nay, we are to love them as our own souls, as our immortal souls. If we look upon them as beings destined for happiness or misery hereafter; if we take as great an interest in their immortal welfare, as in their bodily health, or the ease of their circumstances; if we look upon them as beings for whom a Redeemer bled, and who are to be brought into his fold-our love will hardly be misplaced. And a father need not be afraid that the Lord frowns upon his affections, if it be his daily work to lead his child to the throne of grace-to show him a gracious Redeemer to teach him the good path in which he should go, and to lead him in the way to the glories of a future world.

Thus shall he know how to weep, as though he wept not, and to rejoice, as though he rejoiced not; nay, perhaps, the moments in which his spirit will most rejoice, will be those which look darkest in the eye of the world. At such moments as these, the man of the world neither can, nor dares, apply to himself the consolations of religion. For him, in such an hour, the Gospel has no music, no voice of love. It needs a great change in a man's soul, to give him a right to any consolation of the Gospel, or to make him capable of it; for, "if any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creature."

But those who have already acquainted themselves with God, through the only Mediator-who have felt the value of such an advocate, and have experienced the gracious influences of his Holy Spirit-they, indeed, can understand what it is to 66 weep, as though they wept not, and to rejoice, as though they rejoiced not;" for they know that their present sorrows, and their present joys, shall issue in eternal joy-" a joy unspeakable and full of glory."

C. WOLFE.

ON THE MAN OF SIN.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE CHRISTIAN EXAMINER.

It is this

SIR-IF I am opposed to the errors of the millenarians, I am, if possible, still more opposed to the errors of the Romanists, and, therefore, whenever I have seen both these parties forming a junction, and striving together for the establishing of some principle that may be necessary for both their systems alike, I feel unable to hold my peace, or restrain my pen. which must plead my apology for addressing to you this paper on the subject of Popery-a subject which seems almost to have faded from your pages; for 1 have seen, with unmixed regret, that J. D. S., in order to parry an argument of mine in a paper on the millennium, has adopted the notable expedient of pronouncing it as his opinion, that "the man of sin” is not identical with the papacy; and knowing, as he does, that, in this, he is linking himself to the chain of Romish theologians, and setting himself in opposition to the stream of our old Protestant divines, he has formally announced the fact in these words:-" For my own part, I have long entertained the opinion, that this prediction is misconstrued by PROTESTANT divines!" Now, as the common Protestants' exposition of this Scripture, which applies it to the papacy, appears to me so clear and certain as to be, in my creed, little less than an article of the faith, I shall endeavour to set down the reasons on which I formed that exposition, by a short commentary on each portion of this prediction.

I shall omit any critique on the phrase "the man of sin," as all parties are agreed that it is applicable to a series of individuals as much as to a single individual, and that it may be applied very aptly to the Roman pontiffs; and Lshall, therefore, confine myself to those particulars which characterise and, as notes and distinguishing marks, point out to us this man

of sin.

I. ["Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God."] It has been imagined from this passage, that the man of sin is to be known by his exalting himself above the Godhead, and some persons have thence been indisposed to regard the papacy as this man of sin, inasmuch as it has never formally exalted itself above the Godhead; this seems to be the principle on which J. D. S. has formed his opinion; but it is a palpable mistake to suppose that the Apostle speaks of the Godhead itself, or any of the persons of the Godhead, in this passage; he is speaking of the rulers, and princes, and magistrates of the earth, who were anciently called gods. Even Moses uses this mode of expression in Exod. xxii. 28, and David also in Ps. lxxxii. 1 and 6. And our Lord, alluding to the use of it by David, adopts it himself, saying, "Is it not written in your law, I said ye are gods? if he called them gods unto whom the word of God came," &c.-John x. 34. Here our Lord reminds the Jews that even in their own law the name of God was applied to those who were signalized by some extraordinary gift; he says, "ye call them gods," implying that they were not truly such, but only called so in the language of the times. The Apostle Paul alludes to the same mode of speech, saying, "Although there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or earth, as there be gods many, and lords many, but to us there is but one God," &c.-1 Cor. viii. 5. Here he plainly shows, that, while there is but one true God, yet there are many called so; they were not truly such, but only so styled in the language of the age-all princes and rulers having been so styled at that time. Now, it is to these called gods that the Apostle is alluding in this description of the man of sin, saying, that he will" exalt himself above all

who are CALLED God," not truly such, but only called so. His words in 1 Cor. viii. 5, are λeyoμEvoL Oεot, and here, in this prediction, Xeyoμevov Osov, manifestly the very same as "nominal gods," or "gods by name;" and thus the Apostle says, not that the man of sin will exalt himself above the Godhead, or any persons of the Godhead, but only above those persons who, as rulers, and princes, and authorities, were anciently "called gods," —λεγόμενοι θεοι.

It is wonderful how any other view of the Apostle's words could ever have been adopted, as it would lead to an impossible absurdity, as if the man of sin could think of doing that which even the devil himself hath never attempted, for, though he has opposed the will of God, he has never attempted to exalt himself above God! Yet this is what some would tell us that St. Paul teaches of the man of sin, that he would do that which even Satan himself hath never attempted! and in which, were he to attempt it, he must certainly fail, and yet the man of sin is to succeed! The language of the Apostle does not at all require this impossible and self-evident absurdity, but a very different construction, and one which applies with wonderful accuracy to the papacy, which has ever been opposing, and for centuries did exalt itself so far above all those temporal authorities who, in the language of Moses, of David, of our Lord, of Paul, and many heathens, were anciently called gods, as even to usurp the rights of deposing and conferring crowns, and to demand and exact a homage at the hands of the kings of the nations of Europe. There are two remarks, however, of a critical nature, required to establish this view in its full strength, First, the Greek is, éñɩ navтa Xeyoμevov Oɛov, which should be translated, "above every person who is called a god," or "above every nominal god;" but these words can never bear the rendering of our common version-" above all that is called God," which would be very correct if the reading were εTI TAV, but very incorrect when the reading is εTɩ Tavτa, which must be rendered "every person," or "every one." Second-The word Oor is without the occurs to article, and so, as all parties are agreed, may signify a god, without allusion to the one true God; and though I am not disposed to place much reliance on the articles in general, yet here when the one true God is unquestionably alluded to in the next verse, it is preceded by the article εT YoY TO BE. These two notes do strongly support the view already given of the Apostle's words; they do not altogether establish it.

Al Man

V...VI. 24

II. ["Or that is worshipped."]-This addition is what gives, at first sight, the greatest apparent difficulty to the foregoing interpretation, but will, on closely examining it, prove its happiest illustration. It seems to imply that the true "God" is to be understood in its strict and proper signification, as being that only which is worshipped; but these words are a most unhappy translation, for there is nothing of worship in the original. The Greek word Zeßarros, which answers to the Latin, Augustus, was the style and title assumed by the Cesars, and adopted by the emperors of Rome in general; and the Greek word Zeßaoua was that which very naturally expressed the imperial dignity, the purple, the throne of the Cesars. Now, this is the very word introduced by St. Paul in this prediction of the man of sin, who was to oppose and exalt himself above all those powers and dignities who were anciently "called gods," and was even to exalt himself above the Zeẞaoua, that is, the imperial dignity itself! Now it requires but little learning to discover how accurately this characteristic applies to the papacy, to the usurping pretensions of that power which has exalted the Roman pontiff above the Roman emperor, and the papal chair above the imperial throne! Exbarpa miners used. Leer W1s to XIV. 20. XV. 17. Where it is m Ball ~ Dragon 2), of oslow adore long before Augustam age. . see also Acts

Σεβασμα

In Jins