To angry provoking words. The courteous man is slow to anger, slow to wrath: he opens his mouth with wisdom; and on his tongue is the law of kindness: he is meek and gentle : he is a stranger to furious and resentful expressions: the storm of wrath gathers not on his brow, the thunder of execration proceeds not from his lips; but his words drop as the rain, and distil as the dew. There is something in his air and manner so sweet and conciliating, something in the mode of communicating his thoughts and sentiments so mild and insinuating, that, instead of exciting or aiding strife, he manifestly tends to stop the progress, and to destroy the power of anger in the breast of that man who has been provoked. With a soft answer he turns away wrath.

Courteousness includes gentle conduct. The conduct of the courteous man stands exposed to rudeness, to sullenness, to severity, to insolence

To rudeness. He will not willingly give another pain. He is not like those who are alive to every thing which grazes, in the slightest degree, on their own feelings, but can, without remorse, wound the feelings of others. He suffers long, and is kind; bears all things, endures all things..

To sullenness. Instead of those sullen locks which characterize the peevish and the obstinate, and which, like a dark and dismal cloud, threatening a dreadful storm, cast a gloom of sadness and infelicity over every company into which they enter, the courteous man comes forward with a frank, open, 'cheerful, pleasant countenance, as the light of the morning when the sun riseth, a morning without clouds, as the tender. grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain; his looks of undissembled kindness diffuse the light of joy and happiness throughout every society adorned with his presence.

To severity. Courteousness is opposed to that severity which magnifies every trivial fault into a heinous crime, fills those exposed to its operation with terror, and causes them approach 'these under its influence with trembling. The courteous man, in so far as is consistent with the rights of justice, and with the duty he owes to his own character, forgives the highest affronts offered, and the greatest injuries done to himself: he is easy of access to all: he is not overcome of evil, but overcomes evil with good. By repeated acts of kindness, he softens the obdurate heart of his adversary, and gradually melts it into sympathy and love.

To insolence. The courteous man will not behave towards those beneath him in society, as if they were creatures of an order inferior to his own. He knows, that of one blood God hath made all nations of men to dwell on the face of the whole earth; that, accordingly, all men are brethren. He knows that all have a natural right to civil, humane, and respectel

treatment: he is fully persuaded, that to display insolence toward any man, and particularly toward those who are inferior in nothing, but in the dignity of rank, and the splendor of riches, is contrary to propriety, to eternal justice, and to the revealed will of God. "Honour all men," is a sacred injunc tion, which all men are bound to observe; and which the courteous man labours conspicuously to exemplify in every part of his conduct, both in private and in public life. Kilmarnock.

R. J.

REMARKS ON GALATIANS III. 20. Now, a Mediator is not a Mediator of one; but God is one. (Translated from the French of P. Du Bosc.)

As the principal obstacle in explaining this passage, is in the word one, which the apostle repeats twice, it will be neces sary to enquire particularly to what it really refers. By consulting ver. 16, we find it thus introduced: "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made; he saith not unto seeds, as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ."; by which it is evident, that the promises were made to Abraham and his seed, in the singular, and not to seeds, in the plural. St Paul's design is to shew, that not some, but all believers, whatsoever, whether Jews or Gentiles, without regard to birth, state, or condition, in whatever part of the world they reside, were included in the blessing of Abraham, the father of all believers. This is clear from verse 28," There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus:" thereby intending, that there was not one blessing and one promise for Jews and another for Gentiles, but that both were alike heirs of the same grace of faith; and therefore, as to the blessing, Abraham had not many seeds, but one, inasmuch as all believers, both Jews and Gentiles, are united and made one by faith in Christ," and to thy seed, which is Christ ;" that is, not simply the person of Christ, but his church and people, who are one in him, and are called by his name, as the Jews were called Jacob and Israel, on account of their descent from that patriarch.

It is, therefore, to that one sced that the apostle alludes, when he says, " Now, a Mediator is not a Mediator of one.”— This idea will be still more confirmed, by a slight change in the translation of the text; and if, instead of saying a Mediator, we substitute the word this, an alteration by no means considerable, and which the genius of the Greek language fully authorizes (for the article, joined with the particle à, frequently signifies this) our subject will then become clear

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and perspicuous; for St. Paul, having said that the law was "ordained by angels, in the hand of a Mediator," that he might not confound the mediator of the law and grace together, adds, Now, this mediator is not of that one seed to which the promise of salvation was made, and which unites in it all the nations of the universe; for Moses was the mediator of a particular nation, which was separated from all others by the nature of its covenant; a people who dwelt alone, and whose laws, religion, &c. were altogether peculiar; consequently he could not be the mediator of that one seed in which Jews and Gentiles were but one.'

We proceed now to the other expression, " but God is one." The apostle's meaning is, that Jehovah is God of all; so that all are one in him, agreeably to Rom. iii. 28, 29. "Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also; seeing it is one God who shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith." In the legal covenant, God was not one; his grace not regarding a seed which extended to all people; but under the economy of faith, God is one towards all; for in his Son Jesus, there is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free; but all are one in him. The Ethiopic version favours this sense of the pas sage; for, instead of the words "God is one," it is "There is one Lord only of both;" that is, of the circumcision and uncircumcision.- Ecumenius also, in his Commentary, which is a synopsis of different authors, quotes one, who, noticing these words, expresses himself thus: There is one God of all nations.*

This exposition appears perfectly harmonious with the apostle's general design, in opposing the law to faith as well as to the interrogation which follows, "Is the law against the promises of God?" for Moses, not being the mediator of that one seed which unites all nations,-God, on the contrary, who had given the promises to Abraham, being the God of all, it would seem that the law, which was confined to a particular people, was contrary to that promise of divine grace which regarded all nations universally, and united them in Christ Jesus.

We conclude, then, with this short paraphrase of the text: "The apostle having said that the law was given by the hand of a Mediator, adds, Now this mediator of the law is not of that seed which we have called one, and which unites all nations; for the office of that first mediator regarded the Jews only; but God, who gave the promises to Abraham, and to his seed, is one God of all, his grace making no distinction between believers; and his Son having abolished, in his flesh, the enmity, even the law of commandments, contained in ordinances, in order to make in himself of twain (i. e. Jews and Gentiles) one new man; so making peace.' ICDALIA.

XI.

* Επειδα και παίων εθνών εις Θεος.
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THOUGHTS ON PSALM LV. 19.

Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.

AMONG the various proofs of the depravity of man's heart, none is more conclusive than his abusing the long-suffering and forbearance of God, connected with the displays of his goodness in providence, into an occasion of insulting his name, disbelieving his threatenings, and casting off his fear. Because some mens' affairs in life appear to glide on very prosperously, without any sudden or alarining changes, be cause the course of the natural world from year to year is the same, "all things continue as they were, except that the fathers are fallen asleep." They therefore vainly imagine, either that God has abandoned the government of the world in which we dwell, and left it to the operation of certain natural laws (concerning which laws these men can tell us very little); or else they do not so fear the wrath of God as to flee from it, but suppose that their character and conduct are approved by God, and will assuredly merit his favour. This corrupt disposition was evident both in the men of the old world, and in the inhabitants of the cities of the plain.

Noah preached 120 years. Men were forewarned; his example corresponded with his preaching; he was moved with fear but there was not any change in outward circumstances; and they, therefore, were so far from fearing God, that they derided both Noah and his message. The sun arose in Sodom the very morning of its overthrow: there was not the least appearance of any such judgment as Lot predicted; and they, walking only by sight, slighted the warning till the wrath came upon them to the uttermost: and men will continue thus to think and act while under the power of a carnal mind, and destitute of that faith, which looks "not as things seen and temporal, but at things unseen and eternal,”

How inexpressibly awful must be the last change to the prosperous sinner! He leaves a world where he has been honoured, feared, courted, and had all his evil passions gratified, for a world where there is "no respect of persons ;" and where his former prosperity will but give the keener edge to his sent misery and this last-important transition is much nearer many of such a character than they imagine, -- O that men were wise! that they understood this! that they would con

sider!

Many have had cause to bless God for those changes in their lot, which were not agreeable to nature at the time. Surely, a season of adversity and affliction, is often rendered salutary to the children of men. It was a great change to

Manasseh, from a throne to a prison; but when he was in the thorns, then he knew that the Lord he is God."

Let us therefore make a true estimate of things, and judge' neither by appearances, nor by our present feelings: not say with Job"Changes are against me;" for if they increase our fear of God, and detach our affections from sublunary good, they are blessings in disguise. "Now no chastening for the prescat seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless, afterward, it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby."

Westminster.

S

LETTER FROM THE LATE REV. DR. CONYERS
TO ONE OF HIS SPIRITUAL CHILDREN.

My dear Lad,

NEVER was food more grateful to the stomach, nor water to the panting thirsty soul, than was your gracious letter (which I received last Friday) to him who thinks himself honoured in the spiritual relation which he is permitted to bear to his beloved lad. May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that God whom you serve continually, still vouchsafe to bless you, and give you an abundant increase of all wisdom and knowledge in his dear Son! Yes; that Jesus, whom you love, and who loves you, shall appear to give you everlasting consolation!" He that is mighty has done for you great things; holy is his name:" and hath he not done great things for me likewise? Yes, even for me, unworthy me! sinful me! - O my child, what have I to be thankful for! I am a brand plucked out of the fire! a sinner, and yet redeemed! I am lost in astonishment! I look at Jesus, and see him, as his name is, Wonderful! I see in him apparent contradictions reconciled, and seeming impossibilities performed, by the Spirit of our God, and by the power of his Christ. Methinks I could take up the words of the holy woman above, and cry out, from the very bottom of my soul," Holy is his name!" I remain yours affectionately, R. CONYERS,

ANECDOTES.

A VERY sensible gentleman, always a member of the church of England, and much prejudiced against those who went to hear what they called the Gospel, was not a little displeased to find his sister an attendant on Lady Huntingdon's chapel. One day, enquiring for a prayer-book, his sister gave

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