SECTION 5. I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God." Whether ye eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."-Whatever you do in word, or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God, even the Father, by him."

For

SECTION 6. "Godliness with contentment is great gain. we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. Having, then, food and raiment, let us be therewith content. For they that will be rich fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil; which, while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life.||-For the grace of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we shold live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking forward for that blessed hope [of eternal life; see chap. iii. 7] and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."§

SECTION 7. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that you look for such things, be diligent, that you may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless.T-Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust therefore; he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.**-Wherefore, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”††

but

SECTION 8. "To him that overcometh, will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.-Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have a right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.-Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry, and you gave me meat; I was

thirsty, and you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in; naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to me.*-He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches."t

The all-important intention of the above collection of Scripture. testimony, for the development of Christian character, has been occasioned by a deep and painful conviction of the sad and almost universal deficiency, in this respect, every where manifestly evident, though apparently little noticed. When we consider the peculiar distinguishing attributes of Christian character;-the heavenly origin and high destiny of Christians;-the indispensable necessity of the most unlimited self-denial, even in order to the commencement of the Christian course;-the formative principles of Christianity; namely, the faith and the love above described; also, the laws by which the Christian must be guided ;—we are ready to exclaim, What is become of Christianity!!! Where is the Christian to be found!!! But we are anticipated in relation to this dismal state of things. It was foreseen and predicted from the beginning-that "in the last days, perilous times should come :"--that professors "should be self-lovers, money-lovers, &c. &c.-lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." Having thus lost the real living exhibition of Christianity, we have infinite reason to bless God for the genuine, lively, authentic description, with which he has favoured and furnished us; by the due consideration of which, we may attain to a certain and satisfactory apprehension of genuine Christianity-of true Christian character. And, we humbly presume, we may find in the above extracts, the grand comprehensive items of such a character. For this purpose, though they are so mixed as not to admit of a logical division, yet for convenience we have divided them into eight sections, as above.

Now, in section 1st, we have seven distinct attributes of personal character, and two of a relative nature. Of the former, the first is "poor in spirit;" not outwardly, in their external condition; but inwardly, in the state of their minds :—that is, humble, lowly, not aspiring, not puffed up, proud, self-conceited. The second is, "they that mourn;" not at their temporal lot-but on account of sin: see Ezck. ix. 4, 6. The third is, "the meek." The fourth is, "they that hunger and thirst after righteousness." The fifth is, "the merciful." The sixth is, the pure in heart;" that is-hate all manner of sin. The seventh is, "the peacemakers."-Now the perfection and utility of those personal attributes are eminently displayed in the preservative and splendid utility of their relative

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* Matt. xxv. 34-36. + Rev. iii. 22.

epithets The salt of the earth;" "The light of the world." Alas! what a dreary loathsome world would this be, without light and salt!!

But here a question of radical importance occurs. Who are these that shine so bright, and smell so sweet? and whence came they? Surely, not of this dark loathsome world,—for they light and preserve it. No! They are from above-born of God. Of his own will begat he them by the word of truth, that they might be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. THOMAS CAMPBELL.

(To be continued.)

TYNDALE'S TRANSLATION AND BAPTISM. EVERY translator of the Bible, or parts of it, into the English language, has been a reformer: and every successful reformer has been a translator. Every reformation of abuses in the Christian profession, on radical principles, has been signalized by a new translation. All this, while it evinces the love of the translators for the Word of God, shows equally, that the naked Word of God is the great instrument of spiritual enlightenment, and the unfailing subverter of false religion :—that religion-the Bible is its own defence. If other proof of this truth were wanting, one fact sustains it:-no persecutions conducted by the Papists have been more virulent, than those of which translators have been the subjects. They have always hated the Bible in the vernacular of the people, with the same deadly hate with which they have regarded the most monstrous errors. David praised the unglossed testimonies of God, and they have been the meat and the drink of every pious reformer. But the parties in power, sated with corruption, have always nauseated at the truth.

Tyndale gave, generally, an unvarnished rendering of the original; but his copyists, the King's translators, fettered by the royal prejudices, have put their corn measure over much of his light, as will be seen by a perusal of the subjoined extracts. True, Tyndale himself led the way, by disguising the vital institution of Christianity, in the adoption of the Greek word instead of translating it. His "baptim" is as unintelligible to the illiterate, as the Greek baptisma. But he, just emerging from the smoke of Babylonish corruption, could not discern at once, all of the beautiful system which he attempted to rescue from the pollutions of antichrist; or perhaps he feared to make too direct an attack upon the ecclesiastical customs of the dominant church. In many places, his translation shows that he understood, that baptism was believer's immersion, designed for the formal conveyance of spiritual benefit. These must have been his

sentiments, or, what is more confirmatory of the truth, his translation compels him reluctantly, though candidly, into their illustration and defence.

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Mark xvi. 16.-Whosoever beleveth, and is baptised, shall be safe."

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Acts iii.-Repent ye therefore and turne that youre synnes may be done awaye.

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Eph. v. 25, 26.-Christ loved the congregacion, and gave himsilfe for it to sanctifie it, and clensed it in the fountayne of water thoroue the word, ete.

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Titus iii. 5-............he saved vs by the fountayne of the newe birth, and the renewynge of the Holy goost.

"1 Pet. iii. 20, 21.-Whill the arcke was a preparynge, wherein feawe (that is viii.) souls were saved by water, which signfieth baptim, that nowe saveth vs, not the puttynge awaye of the filth of the flesshe, but in that a good conscience consenteth to God, by the ressureccion of Jesu Christ."

These selections are enough to show that if our views of the gospel of Christ are singular to this generation of professors, it is not because we have departed from the Scriptures in the original and in all translations, nor from the early reformers, the glory of the church. D. S. BURNET.

CONVERSION OF THE EUNUCH.*

THE Ethiopian was one of that class of men which is usually about the persons of the great, under eastern despotisms. He was in high consideration with the queen of a venerable and powerful kingdom. He also occupied a very important and responsible office. But what was more interesting than either of these facts, he was a pious man. Having by some means, become acquainted with the Jewish religion, he had traversed an immense tract of country, and a distance of two thousand miles, to worship in the temple of Jehovah at Jerusalem.

Nothing is ever lost by being in the path of duty. The Eunuch knew the will of God imperfectly, but he practiced what he knew, and our heavenly Father gave him to know more. He enjoyed a special visit from an inspired teacher, who communicated to him the saving truth. The singular favour bestowed upon him and upon the centurion, (Acts x.) is an eternal reproof to the immoral opinion, that it matters not whether men do well or ill, while they are uncon-. verted or before they know the whole truth. This man knew in part, and thirsted to know more; and God graciously gave him the privilege. How different the case of the Jewish priests and rulers! They, the keepers and doctors of knowledge, lived and died in ignorance of the saving truth. What Paul said of the Gentiles was true of them. "When they knew God, they glorified him not as God, but their foolish heart was darkened."

But we must use some discrimination here. While sincere error is preferable to unimproved knowledge—our remarks must not be construed into a license to contentment with limited information concerning the truth. The Eunuch earnestly sought to know more. He was reading, when Philip met him. He was inquiring and searching. * This article will form the subject of "Tracts for the People," No. I.

"Of whom speaketh the Prophet this?" He was inquiring in a right spirit, for as soon as the question of knowledge was satisfactorily resolved, he proposed the question of duty, "What hindereth me?" &c. He was morally honest. Honest in practicing what he knew and in striving to know more, that he might have more to practice.

GOD PROPOSES THE EUNUCH'S CONVERSION.

Jehovah seeks the salvation of all who may be made to hear the Gospel, as may be ascertained by reading John iii. 16; Rom. i. 5; 1 Tim. i. 15; ii. 1-8, &c. Having sent the Gospel with the Holy Spirit down from heaven; having commissioned Apostles to bear it to all nations; having given it in charge with the church for safe keeping and universal dissemination; God has given the highest possible guaranty that it is the primary intention of Christianity To SAVE EVERY MAN. Paul says, "Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily." Col. i. 28, 29. But this " general provision," and these "general invitations," (for so these explicit and special Scriptures are sometimes called,) are too indefinite for some, who must have a direct act of God, as palpable as the hand which guides my pen, to make a conversion canonical. The history of the Eunuch furnishes one instance against which the most scrupulous partialist cannot object. God proposed the conversion, and expressly instituted every measure accessory to the result. Some have thought that Philip was sent to evangelize the Eunuch, because the latter was himself in turn to become the honoured agent of casting the light of God upon darkened Ethiopia; and it is generally said, that he converted Candace and founded the Abyssinian church, which, to this day, is the established religion of a large empire south of Egypt. Whatever was done in this way by the Eunuch, it is certain that more was accomplished during the fourth century than had been effected before. But it is interesting to inquire how this special conversion was conducted. An angel was employed.

THE WORK OF THE ANGEL.

"And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship," verse 26, 27. The angel spoke to Philip. And suffer me to inquire why he did not speak to the Eunuch? The answer is upon the face of the passage:-He intended that Philip should do that, and therefore he told him to do it. The Saviour himself refused to answer the first question of the convicted sinner, when proposed by Saul of Tarsus. Go," said the Divine Redeemer, "into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do!" I repeat it. The Son of God, who came from heaven to make Saul an Apostle, would not preach to him the remission of