The Treasurer of the Trustees of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church aeknowledges the receipt of the following sum for their Theological Seminary at Princeton, N. J. during the month of September last, viz. Of Rev. Joshua T. Russell, his collections in the city of New York, for the Professorship to be endowed by the Synods of New York and New Jersey, to be credited to the Synod of New York $1060 00 He has also received for the Board of Missions, viz. Of Rev. Dr. E. S. Ely, General Agent of the Board, his own subscription and his collections $100 00 202 28 Of do. additional collections, viz. The donation of Samuel Bayard, Esq., of Princeton, N. J. of Rev. Henry R. Wilson From Captain James Robinson And from Mrs. Ann Ray $30 00 10 00 Diew of Publick Affairs. We have chosen for the present month to give a large portion of our space to Religious Intelligence, and to reserve but a small part for a review of the general state of the world-We have done this, not only because we wished to enlarge our religious communications, but because no secular news of great importance has reached us in the past month. The world indeed is almost agonized with interest and expectation, while it waits for something decisive in the tremendous conflict which is pending between the Russian and Turkish empires. But nothing which can be considered as at all decisive, or even indicative of what the event will be, has yet occurred. In the year 1810, the Russians had advanced triumphantly into Turkey, as far as they had reached in the present campaign, at the last accounts-and more than a month earlier than in the present season. Yet they were repulsed, and had to retrace their steps. It was the same Shumla (a town and fortress the name of which is spelled and written in ever so many different ways) that now stops their progress, which then arrested it effectually. It seems to be agreed on all hands, that before this place, as well as at Varna, the Russians have met with some reverses. The accounts differ widely, but we believe there is no doubt that the Russians have lost a great number of men, and yet that the loss makes but little impression on their immense numbers. The main conflict is yet to be heard of-it has probably taken place ere this-and a horrible carnage and waste of human life must be the issue-to which side soever He who rules in the armies both of heaven and earth may award the victory. If the Russians gain it, there is little doubt that Constantinople will be in their power: if they lose it, they must retreat. We had supposed that the decisive battle would be fought in the neighbourhood of Adrianople, and some of the last accounts state, that the Russian armies were marching toward Constantinople, along the coast of the Black sea, and beyond Shumla and Varna. But if these places have been reinforced to the amount of 120,000 men, or any thing like that number, as is affirmed to be the fact, the Russians cannot leave them in their rear unsubdued. The last intelligence from both Britain and France is to the first week in September. The British parliament was prorogued on the 28th of August to the 30th of October, when it is expected to be again prorogued to some day between the 18th and 26th of November, then to assemble for the despatch of business-The French expedition to Greece, consisting of about 15,000 men, has sailed from Toulon. We have seen the proclamation of the commander of the expedition, General Maison, issued at Toulon on the 15th of August, when the expedition left that place. "Your king (said he) charges you with a great and noble mission, and you are called on to put an end to the oppression of a celebrated people." It appears doubtful whether İbrahim Pacha will endeavour to retain what he holds in Greece, or leave the country-In Portugal Don Miguel is triumphant, and he and his party order every thing as they please. The Constitutionalists are rigorously persecuted and punished, and as many of them as can get away are leaving the country-In Spain, the last accounts state that new disturbances and new embarrassments have arisen. The South American republicks remain much as they were. It is said that the unhappy controversy is renewed in Central America, between the two great parties which have so long and so unhappily agitated that republick. We are however glad to see it stated that war is not likely to take place between Colombia and Peru-Every thing seems to be at the disposal of Bolivar-The last advices from Buenos Ayres represent that state as now aided efficiently by the adjoining provinces, and about to prosecute the war with Brazil, both by land and sea, with more vigour than heretofore. THE CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE. NOVEMBER, 1828. Heligious Communications. LECTURES ON THE SHORTER CATE- SEMBLY OF DIVINES-ADDRESSED LECTURE XXXVI. After speaking, in the last lecture, of the nature and design of the moral law, it may be proper to make a few remarks on the ceremonial and judicial law of the Jews; for which no other so proper an occasion will be presented in lecturing on the catechism-We cannot pretend, however, to enter far, or with any minuteness, into this subject. The ceremonial law was a system of positive precepts, relating to the external worship of God, in the Old Testament church. These were all given by particular revelation to Moses, and by him delivered to the children of Israel, sanctioned by the authority of Jehovah. During the ancient dispensation, therefore, they were as obligatory on the Israelites, as the moral law of God itself Or rather, during that dispensation, they were, in a certain sense, part of the moral law, inasmuch as that law enjoins a perfect obedience, or conformity, to all that God commands; and these ceremonial observances were, for the time being, commanded by Him. Almost all the ceremonial institutions were of a typical natureVOL. VI.-Ch. Adv. They were designed chiefly to typify Christ, as then to come, and to lead the Israelites to the knowledge of the way of salvation by him. "The passover, the priesthood, the temple, the altar, the sacrifices, the cities of refuge, the ark of the covenant, and the mercy seat, all were emblems of the Saviour, his offices, and the work of salvation which he accomplished. They were, as the apostle declares, 'the shadow of good things to come, but the body is of Christ. When, therefore, Christ, who was the substance, actually appeared, all these shadows, or figurative representations of him, needed no longer to be preserved and repeated. The record of them is, indeed, preserved, that we may see how he was predicted and made known to the ancient church; and that we may also see a beautiful illustration of many parts of his offices, character and work; but the ceremonial observances themselves, having answered their full design, are abolished by the Head of the church, who appointed them."* The judicial law of the ancient Israelites was that system of statutes which was given by God, for the temporal government of the Jews. It chiefly respected them as they were a nation distinct from all others, a Theocracy, in which Je 3 P • M'Ewen. hovah sustained to them, not only the relation of Creator and sovereign Lord, but that of a national head, or political chief. Some of these judicial laws, however, did not relate to the Jews as a peculiar people, but had their foundation clearly in the law of nature itself This is, by no means, of small importance to be observed: Because, although the judicial law, given by Moses, is completely abrogated, so far as it respected the peculiar constitution of the Jewish nation, yet, so far as it contains any statute founded in the law of nature, common to all nations, it is still of binding force. Let us now proceed to consider the next question and answer of the catechism. "Q. Wherein is the moral law summarily comprehended? A. The moral law is summarily comprehended in the ten commandments." It is the nature of a summary to reduce a subject to its essence. Such is the nature of the decalogue, or ten commandments. It is surprising to see that all the moral laws can, as to their essence, be brought within the compass of ten short precepts. And we shall, presently, see that when our Saviour gave a summary of this summary, (which he did by reducing all the moral laws to their principle) he shortened it still more. These laws, however, when they are dilated, ramified and explained, make the subject of a considerable part of Holy Scripture; and it is of great importance to consider them in all their expansion, and to see, in detail, the duties which they enjoin, and the sins which they forbid. Hence the propriety and importance of those questions and answers of our catechism, which show what is required, and what is forbidden, in each of these short precepts, and the reasons on which they are grounded, when such reasons are specified. The moral law, contained in the ten commandments, was given at mount Sinai, or Horeb, and was written by the finger of God, in the first instance, on two tables of stone. The record of this transaction is very remarkable. It is said that "The tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other, were they written." In this particular and repeated declaration, that the tables were written on both sides, the intimation is plainly given, that nothing was to be added to the words of the law, nor taken away from them. No room was left for addition, and who should dare to erase what the finger of God had inscribed! In the early ages of the world, the materials used at present for the making of records were not generally employed; yet the writing of these laws on stone, was probably intended to denote their perpetuity, and everlasting obligation. Two tables were employed for writing or inscribing the decalogue, both at the first, and afterwards, when Moses had destroyed the original tables for the idolatry of the people, and prepared others in their place. On one of these tables our duty to God was inscribed, and on the other our duty to man. The first four precepts, or commands, contain our duty to God, and the six following, our duty to our fellow creatures. Our duty to God is first prescribed, as first in importance; and then our duty to each other, as inseparably connected with it, and flowing from it. We are, let us remember, never to divide what God, in this manner, has joined together. They who would make the whole of religion to consist in the exemplary discharge of social and relative duties, while they render no immediate worship and service to God, ought to know and consider, that they neglect the first and most important part of duty-their duty to Him who made them. And on the other hand, they who profess and appear to be punctilious in the worship and service of God, and yet are grossly negligent of social and relative duties, ought to be made sensible, that their Maker never will accept professed homage to himself, by those who treat a part of his laws with disregard and contempt. The apostle James is explicit on this topick-" Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all"-That is, as the apostle immediately shows, he rebels against the authority of him by whom the whole law is enacted and sanctioned, and thus virtually sets the whole aside. Remember this, I repeat it, my dear youth:-Never suppose that you can lawfully separate what God has intended to be inseparable. Never attempt to divide the duties which you owe to God and man. Never expect to be accepted of him in either, unless you conscientiously endeavour to perform both. In attending to the decalogue, or ten commandments, it is obvious to remark, that some of the precepts are delivered in an affirmative, and some in a negative form. Between precepts thus delivered, casuists and expositors make this distinction-Affirmative precepts, they remark, lay down what is always our duty, but yet what we are not at all times to be engaged in the performance of. Thus it is always our duty to worship God; but we cannot, at all times, be engaged in his worship. On the other hand, precepts delivered in the negative or prohibitory form, are binding, not only always but at all times. It is, for example, at all times sinful to be profane, or to utter wilful falsehood. As the moral law of God is (as was shown in the last lecture) perfectly reasonable, holy, just and good, it admits of no infraction or violation, even of the slightest kind -As our larger catechism states "It binds every one to full conformity in the whole man, unto the righteousness thereof, and to entire obedience, forever; so as to require the utmost perfection in every duty, and to forbid the least degree of every sin." In considering the nature of this law, we are also to remember that it is spiritual, reaching to the thoughts and motions of the heart, as well as to the words and actions of the life. Our Saviour was particular in inculcating this-He taught that causeless anger was a breach of the sixth commandment, and impure desire a violation of the seventh. "The law of God, (says the Psalmist,) is exceeding broad." Hence, where a duty is commanded, we are to consider the contrary sin as forbidden; and where a sin is forbidden, the contrary duty as commanded. In like manner, when any duty is commanded, all the causes and means of its performance are commanded likewise; and when any sin is forbidden, all occasions of committing it, and all voluntary temptations to it, are also forbidden. (To be continued.) FOR THE CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE. ON A DOUBLE SENSE IN THE SORIPTURES. Essay I. As the sacred volume contains the portion of divine wisdom, which God has thought proper to communicate to man, it claims the most attentive consideration. Every part bears the impress of its divine origin, and comprises its peculiar portion of heavenly truth. All is important-all is full of meaning. Christian edification and spiritual improvement much depend on ascertaining this meaning, and applying it to its appropriate purposes. If we overlook a single sentiment or hint, we lose so much of divine truth, rob ourselves, and perhaps others, of so much of this inestimable treasure; and probably leave some related truth in darkness, or less perceptibly apparent. If we attach a meaning to any word or phrase, not intended by the inspiring Spirit, we substitute our own conjecture in the place of God's truth, and thus deceive ourselves and all who adopt our interpretation. The essential facts and principles of revealed truth, it is generally admitted, are so prominent, and so perspicuously expressed, that none, however untaught or unaccustomed to the investigation of this truth, can seriously err, unless perverted by indulged depravity, or blinded by deep rooted prejudice. The sacred volume employs all the modes of instruction best adapted to produce effect on the minds and characters of men. Its histories spread before our eyes "the map of time," and exhibit for our instruction the wisdom and the folly, the piety and the wickedness, the divine leadings and the human wanderings, of ancient ages. Its doctrinal discussions and statements urge upon our attention all the precious truths and facts, which God has revealed for the foundation and establishment of faith. Its exhibitions of the divine attributes and perfections, especially as portrayed in the character of the Lord Jesus Christ, are admirably adapted to produce and perpetuate the most salutary impressions on the human mind; while its animated strains of poetry, its devotional effusions, its numerous prophecies, attested by unquestionable fulfilment, its precepts and promises adapted to all the varying circumstances of life, in every age and country, its admonitions and threatenings, its proverbs and parables and dark sayings, occupy their appropriate places, and, when fully received, in the docility of pious affection, enrich the mind with the illuminations of heaven, and dif fuse over the whole character and life an ennobling influence. There is no deficiency-there is no superfluity. To render the man of God perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works, every part is important, however obscure its meaning or difficult its application. No part can be neglected without loss-no part can be left in obscurity, without injury to the perfection of Christian faith, and to the symmetry of the Christian character. The unity and consistency of the various parts is not perceived, and the animating spirit of the whole is not fully imbibed, when the attention is confined merely to detached portions, and to the more prominent and perspicuous parts. But in the connected study of the whole, or even of any one entire book, difficulties and obscurities enough will meet the careful inquirer to employ the utmost rigour of thought, the highest literary acquisitions, and the most penetrating reach of critical acumen. These difficulties arise from various sources. The antiquity of the books themselves-the latest of which was written more than 1700 years ago, and the earliest upwards of 3000-must necessarily throw a deep shade of obscurity over many passages; especially as they were written in languages materially different from ours in style, idrom, character and genius, abounding in bold figures, abrupt transitions, and concise allusions to foreign and unknown objects. They were prepared for the immediate use, and adapted to the peculiar character of a people differing most essentially from us in their customs, manners, habits of thinking, and modes of expression. In almost every book we meet with unexplained references to the history of the Jews, or of the surrounding nations, to the various forms of government and modes of administering justice or oppression, to the idolatrous principles or practices of the heathen, |