beings at the head of the universe, God and fate, than which nothing can be more contradictory and absurd.At best, such an idea is a partial fatality, which has no perceivable prefer

eause of all things? To what are we to ascribe the existence of things and events? Is it to be ascribed to the decree of God? Or is fate their cause ?|| It must be one or the other of these; for no third efficient is conceivable orence to that which is total. possible. They who believe the doc- If the above reasoning be just, then trine of decrees, have no hesitancy in we may easily see the great advantaanswering, that the decrees of God are ges which the Calvinistic doctrine of the primary cause of all things; and universal decrees has over the Armithat their efficiency pervades the uni- ||nian denial. Calvinists have a God at verse, giving existence, form and issue the head of the universe, an intelligent, to all beings, and to whatsoever comes ||wise and holy Being, who has estabto pass. But to what cause will the lished a perfect plan of operation, and deniers of divine decrees ascribe the is conducting all things by his provibeing of events and things? They can- dence according to design; or as an not ascribe it to God, or to his decrees, apostle of Jesus Christ expresses it, for the existence of these they deny," worketh all things after the counsel and there being no other possible effi- of his own will," to accomplish the glocient in the universe, they must as-rious purposes of infinite wisdom and cribe all things to fate as their cause. Hence a denial of God's universal decrees, naturally and directly leads to fatalism, and therefore all such deniers are absolute fatalists. Q. E. D.

It

goodness. And thus they have a broad and solid foundation for the unceasing exercise of all the pious and holy affections required in the word of God. But Arminians, by denying the docThe writer of this does not perceive trine of decrees, subject the universe why the above reasoning is not com-to the direction of a blind undesigning plete and full demonstration of the destiny or fate, which removes all the point in hand. If the position upon foundations of piety or true religion... which it is grounded be not true, then leads to a denial of the divine governthere is an end to all safe and just rea- ment, supremacy and existence...totalsoning from cause to effect, or from an ly annihilates the moral agency and aceffect to its cause; consequently, thecountability of man, and renders our things that are made are no certain ev-immortality extremely uncertain. idence of the existence, eternal power, is painful to contemplate all the impieand godhead of the Creator; but all ties, absurdities and horrors to which things are uncertain, and nothing can a denial of divine decrees has a direct be known. If any thing can exist, or and inevitable tendency. There apevent take place, without an adequate pears to be no consistent medium beefficient cause, then it must either give tween the doctrine of universal deitself being, that is, be its own creator, crees, and absolute fatality and athewhich is absurd, or be eternal, or whatism.amounts to nearly the same thing, be resolved into an eternal and immutable series of necessary causes and effects, which excludes the being and government of God from the universe, and thus leads to atheism and fatality. If it should be said that the decrees of God give being to some things, but not to all, then those things which are not included in the decree, must be ascribed to fate as their proper cause. And thus we have two supreme efficient

-Query, Can he who, understandingly, rejects the doctrine of God's sovereign and universal decrees, be possessed of any true religion?

JOSEPHUS. [Mass. Miss. Mag.

For the Utica Christian Magazine, In the number for January last, I find several attempts to surmount the difficulties in which Rom. ix. 3, has, by many, been thought to be involved. The hypotheses contained in the pieces.

alluded to, are treated with ingenuity ;|| greater before a less good; and that

and without wishing to detract from the merit of either of them, I would request leave to suggest the result of some study upon the same passage, to which I was led to recur in some of my MSS. of past years, upon reading what was published as above. If the reasoning should be thought inconclusive, and the meaning of the text mistaken, yet some advantage may, possibly, be derived from knowing what turns different minds have taken in a labour to investigate the apostle's meaning in so interesting a text of holy scripture.

F.

the apostle, under such an influence, chose to give up his own salvation, as an individual, for the sake of the sal vation of a multitude.

This doctrine has met with many very strenuous, and with some very bitter opposers. From this circumstance, however, I should never infer that the doctrine itself is ill founded. There are other reasons, nevertheless, which I shall notice as operating a gainst the above construction, the conclusiveness of which I shall submit to every judicious and candid reader. I am not, in the mean time, at all dissat ||isfied with the idea that true christians are ready to make all possible sacrifices to the kingdom of Christ. They are willing that God should get glory to himself, by means of them, in any way which is according to his own good pleasure. But this may not imply any positive desire in them to be made victims to the eternal wrath of God, that others may escape this so dreadful an evil. The reasons against

"For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh." These words lead us to inquire concerning the apostle's exercises of mind, in relation to his synagogue brethren. And with respect to this particular, we are encompassed with a diversity of opinions, all of which, perhaps it may be said, are immersed in a greater or less degree of doubtfulness. We wish to know what it was precisely that oc-it are the following: casioned the apostle's heaviness and 1. That such a supposition implies

continual sorrow of heart, and what a known, or at least a supposed conwas the real object of that wish which nexion between the voluntary damna. he expresses under the formality of a tion of some, and the salvation of oth solemn protestation, and in terms so ers. We are not authorised to use pungent and weighty. Some have un-means, either in prayer, or desire, conderstood his meaning to be, that he had so fervent an affection and so earnest a desire for the well being of his Jewish brethren, for their conversion to the christian faith, that to bring about this event, and be an instrument of their salvation, he could even consent, yea desire to become himself an outcast from the kingdom of God, and lose all his interest in Christ, provided such a sacrifice might be accepted, and pave the way to the desired event. This has been thought to be one of the essential offices and genuine marks of real benevolence, and to be necessarily involved in that charity which seeketh not her own. The advocates of this interpretation of the text, plead that a disinterested spirit, the opposite of criminal selfishness, always places a

cerning them, or in any other way, without some evidence that they are necessary or may become subservient to the end. If St. Paul could pray, or wish, that himself might be accursed from Christ for his brethren, his kinsmen according to the flesh, it would suppose him possessed of an idea that his submitting to the evil might, possibly, at least open a door for their ob taining the good in view. So grave a man as he would not spend his time in conceiving and uttering wishes in favor of palpable impossibilities; neither would he appear so inconsiderate as to say, if he might be permitted, he would procure the salvation of others at the expense of his own, when it would be admitted, on all points, that such a thing is perfectly inadmissible and ab

surd. With as much propriety might a || much as eternal perdition in hell is man wish he had been empowered to more dreadful than temporal death or redeem the whole world from destruc- the death of the body? tion, even admitting that the greater 3. The text itself is an objection to part of them are already in hell. A the opinion against which we are now wise man never harbors nor expresses arguing. I will not deny that the transa wish which opposes the known order lators of the passage in question have, and plan of Providence, And what in the words as they stand in our Enintimation is there in providence or glish bible, given some reason to bescripture, that one man, by foregoing lieve they understood it in the sense his own salvation, may assist others in which we are now opposing. But for obtaining theirs? Paul, indeed, speaks the phrase, “I could wish," I see no to the Philippians about being offered authority in the original. It might cerupon the sacrifice and service of their||tainly have been rendered (and I think faith; but it is only in reference to the more correctly) I wished, or did wish sufferings of the present life, and these myself accursed from Christ. But will God has appointed as a means of pro-any one seriously avow the opinion, moting salvation in the souls of others. Further than this, personal sacrifices are not desirable, as they cannot be useful.

that he did actually wish himself in hell for the benefit of his kinsmen according to the flesh? I am persuaded that none will venture upon this ground. Again,

2. If St. Paul loved the Jews so well that he could even be glad of an Some think that by being accursed opportunity to save them by relin- from Christ, the apostle meant an exquishing his own salvation, I know not clusion from the christian church, and how it is to be reconciled with what all the consolations of the gospel, duhe has laid down in the 5th chapter of ||ring his natural life, or while he should this same epistle: "For scarcely for a continue in the body. Had the exrighteous man will one die; yet per-pression been such as naturally to imadventure for a good man some would ply a willingness on his part to be put even dare to die." This exhibits the to any labor or suffering which a minisgreatest effort of benevolence in man, ter of Christ might consistently have as consisting in a willingness to lay to encounter, in order that he might down his life in the cause of a righteous ||be useful to the souls of his natural person. The love of God is declared kindred, who as yet were in the gall to be still greater, and to exceed any of bitterness and bond of iniquity, I thing that is conceivable among men, should see nothing in it incongruous "in that while we were yet sinners, with the nature of things, or incomChrist died for us." But if the apos-patible with the general style of scriptle was willing, and desired not mere-ture language. A devoted apostle ly to die, but to suffer in hell forever, and a sincere christian might be very out of love to Jewish sinners and infi patient in doing and suffering to the dels, that they might be preserved utmost in the service of Christ, being from that place of torment, does he supported in them by the hope and not rise infinitely above the point, the consolations of the gospel; but to which he himself has fixed, as the imprecate a situation in which no acvery highest of all human attainments, cess could be had to such support, to and which the Saviour has himself fix-that peace, which there is in believing, ed in the words following: "Greater I am not prepared to consider as agreelove hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend." And is not the love of Paul, upon the supposition to which we now object, commended above the love of Christ, as

able to the genius and spirit of a christian, let the reasons assumed for it be what they may. I am apt to think, that to wish himself accursed from Christ, meaning by it a bereavement

of that spiritual communion which is the effect of reconciliation, is no part of the experience of a true christian, in any supposable situation in which he may be placed. He may cheerfully submit to as many natural, incidental evils as he sees may be beneficial to the cause of God and true righteousness; because he may be persuaded that nothing shall be able to separate him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. But to be separated from Christ himself is, I apprehend, what no genuine believer can acquiesce in. Again,

ed the Saviour whom I now adore and this I did not at my own motion or for my own sake merely; but at the instigation, and to subserve the caus of my nation. I abjured Christ wit blasphemous oaths and imprecations through the strong attachment I had t my own nation, and my ardent zeal to support the religion, which I professed in common with the people, amon whom I had my birth and education. On their account, and to raise myself in their esteem, I persecuted the church of Christ and wasted it. Our adoption of this gloss or construction, will per haps, depend on the degree of evi dence that can be adduced, that the terms used will apply to that opposi

Many have supposed that the text about which we are speaking, should be read so as to disconnect the phrase, "I could wish that myself were action which was made to the church of cursed from Christ," from the chain of the discourse, by including it within a parenthesis, as a circumstance introduced incidentally, or, by the bye, and as intimating a reason for his peculiar feelings, his tender compassion and sorrow of heart for his brethren, who were but the imitators and followers of his former unbelief. I know of no material objection, that could be urged against this manner of solving the difficulty supposed, provided it were certain, that the sacred penman designed the passage to be so read. The introduction of marks not handed down to us with the text itself, for the purpose of determining, or modifying the sense, may perhaps be thought an unwarrantable freedom used with sacred things; and it must be allowed, that such alternatives ought to be resorted to with much circumspection and caution.

Christ by Saul of Tarsus. Is it true in fact, that he did wish himself ac cursed from Christ for his brethren, his kinsmen according to the fleshWith respect to this it may be observed that the persecutors of the christians in the first ages, required those who had been accused of adhering to Christ and favouring his cause, to prove the accusation false, or to clear themselves from the charge, by abjuring or blaspheming Christ. This was the practice of Saul of Tarsus, as he confesses to king Agrippa, in presence of the Roman governor. "And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme."He probably gave an example of this kind of blasphemy, in his own con: duct; for he says to him, that he "was before a blasphemer, and persecutor, and injurious." To this blasphemy, by which persons apostatised and sep But there is another interpretation arated themselves from Christ and his still, which has appeared plausible in church, the apostle, most probably, althe eyes of some, viz. the following, ludes in the following words, "Where: that the apostle is calling up to mind fore I give you to understand, that no the Pharisaical and injurious part man speaking by the spirit of God, which he acted, when in ignorance calleth Jesus accursed." Some were and unbelief, and opposing the chris- anathematised, accursed from Christ, tians in the spirit of madness, and with or excluded from the church by their bigotted fury and zeal; as if he had own act, as when one, to avoid death, said, I recollect, and it is ever on my or other of the extremes of persecu mind, filling me with grief and remorse, tion, apostatised in the manner just how I once deprecated and blasphem-stated. Others were excluded under

curse, or anathema, by the sentence || day she is rational; and is to all apof the church, when they had sinned, pearance exactly like another person. and did not repent of the evil they had But when she goes to bed, to sleep, Hone. Now why may we not sup- owing to some change which this act pose, that Paul in the words under produces in the bodily system,her mind consideration, refers to his blasphe- becomes disordered. Her will [reason] mous reprobation of Christ, that he loses all power over her mental faculwished to be accursed from him, ac-ties, and her thoughts are uncontrolled. cording to what was required of per-Having received what is called a relisons to free them from the sword of gious education, religious associations persecution; and that he did this in and religious impressions have taken his zeal for the nation in whose cause a stronger hold of her mind and poshe was embarked? Let us be ever in-sess a more powerful influence in quisitive to find the truth, and never her imagination, than any other subbackward to embrace it.

From the N. Y. Commercial Advertiser.

MISS BAKER.

ject. Hence these are the subjects to which her thoughts are directed, and about which she is occupied in the absence of her reason. The ideas of The whole city is wondering at this madmen are almost universally consingular personage; many ignorant nected with those things with which people are disposed to believe that they were most familiar, and with she is divinely inspired, and there are respect to which they felt the greatest some well informed men who are stag- concern before their madness. The gered by the numerous confirmations principles of the sect to which she bethis opinion seems to receive. But longs, are, in general, highly tinctured for my own part, I have always sus- with enthusiasm; and it is not to be pected that this moral phenomenon,|| wondered at, that a baptist, who is acas it has been aptly called, might be customed to spend so much time in explained upon known principles; and prayer and exhortation, and in converhaving within a few days reflected up-sing about Divine things, should, in on it with a good deal of attention, I the moments of delirium, which these think that I have at length hit upon a very employments have perhaps assatisfactory solution of the case. sisted in producing, fancy himself inIt appears to me then, that it is no-spired; and should believe that he had thing more than an instance of period-been sent a chosen messenger from ical insanity, or a species of religious God. Nor is it strange, that under | madness, returning at stated intervals, and under peculiar circumstances. Its regular recurrence, and the fact that the fit always comes on in bed, are the only difficulties in the way of this supposition. These circumstances, however, may be accounted for by Madmen often evince a degree of supposing the existence of some secret sagacity, a stretch of thought, and a physical cause, analogous to others power of vivid conception, which, in which are well known. There are their sober senses, would be utterly certain diseases in which this regular-impossible. And they frequently hold ity of recurrence is remarkable, such forth with a fluency of speech, and in for instance is the common fever and a strain of eloquence, which throws ague; and there are others, such as the | asthma, which are felt only when the body is in a recumbent posture. Soinething of this kind may be the matter with Miss Baker: throughout the

the influence of this disorder, he should appear to possess powers of mind of which he was not before suspected, and should deliver himself in language which he was not known to be acquainted with.

the most splendid efforts of the professed orator far in the shade. But the language and the thoughts of Miss Baker, though quite beyond what might be expected from one of her