true knowledge of the person and atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, neither believe, nor understand the Holy Scriptures, which testify of him; and they are yet ignorant of the way, in which sinners are justified and saved.

5. Looking unto Christ for salvation implies an holy love of his character and a delight in the way of salvation through faith in his name. Dependance on Christ for salvation implies the highest degree of confidence in him. But none will place such confidence in Christ, unless they supremely love his character, and are satisfied and delighted with what he has done that sinners may be saved. Christ's friends cheer. fully forsake all things on his account. Moses esteemed "the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt." "God forbid, says Paul, that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world." Again, "What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteous. ness which is of God by faith." "Whom, says Peter, having not seen ye love; in whom though now ye see him not, but believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." As all christians love Christ sa

premely and rejoice in him, hav ing no confidence in the flesh; so none will ever look unto him for salvation, unless they sin. cerely love his character and are delighted with the way of justification through his atoning blood. 6. Looking unto Christ for salvation implies obedience and submission to his holy will. A spirit of disobedience and opposition is inconsistent with de pending on him for salvation. Whoever is willing to trust his immortal soul in the hands of Christ, cannot be unwilling to do what Christ commands, or to suffer what he appoints. They, who look to Christ for salvation are no less desirous of a deliverance from sin than from misery The Saviour is called Jesus because he saves his people from their sins. The apostle was aware that the doctrine of justification by faith without the deeds of the law, might be perverted, by the ignorant and ill disposed, to favour a continuance in sin. Hence he says "What shall we say then? shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid: how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?" Again he says, "The grace of God that bringeth sal. vation teacheth us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, right. eously, and godly in this present world." Any one, who has a good hope of salvation through Christ, purifieth himself even as Christ is pure,"

From the preceding observations there is reason to believe that many, who imagine they depend on Christ for salvation, deceive themselves. None will be saved through Christ without

looking unto him for salvation. They, who refuse to look unto him, are under the curse of the law, and will as certainly perish, as if there had been no Saviour. Yet are there not many who imagine they shall be saved, though they have never looked unto Christ for salvation?

Are there not many, who imagine they are depending on Christ for salvation, and yet have never been truly convicted of sin? have never had just views and impressions of the numerous transgressions of their lives, have never known the plague of their own hearts?

Are there not many, who have never been convinced of the justice of God in condemning and punishing sinners; and many self-righteous persons, who yet imagine they depend on Christ for salvation? Are there not many moral sinners who profess to call Christ their Saviour, while they really depend on their morality and are fearless of condemnation? and many religious sinners, who think much more highly of their religious performances and of their religious experiences, than ofChrist's atoning blood. No one ever looks to Christ for salvation until he is dead to the law and abhors himself as an unclean thing, and all his righteousnesses as filthy rags. What multitudes then are wholly self-righteous. And of those no one ever looked to Christ for salvation, Are there not many, who are ignorant of the divinity of Christ, and of his atoning sacrifice? The Rock of Ages, on which the church is founded, though it be a tried foundation, elect and precious, is yet to many a rock of offence. But they,

who have not beheld the glory of God in the face of Emanuel, and have not seen the Lord Jesus Christ to be the true God and eternal life, have never looked unto him for salvation.

Are there not many, who have no holy love of Christ, and no delight in the way of justification through his death; and many, who imagine they depend on Christ for salvation, who are disobedient to his holy commandments? They turn their backs upon his holy ordinances. And if we consider the princi. ples and practices of many, who publicly profess to be the friends of Christ, we have great reason to adopt the pathetic words of the apostle. Many walk, of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, who glory in their shame, who mind earthly things."

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Let every reader, in view of what is implied in looking unto Christ for salvation, examine himself and discover his spiritual state. For this purpose consider whether you have been truly convinced of sin? Have you seen yourself to be of such a char. acter as all mankind are declared to be in the Holy Scriptures ? Can you adopt the words of the apostle, when convinced of sin, though he had once thought himself blameless; "In me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death." Can you adopt the words of Job, of whom God said "He is a perfect and upright man. There is none like him in the earth;" "Be

hold, I am vile. I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes." Have you been convinced of the justice of God in condemning and punishing sinners? Have you been convinced that the law is holy, just, and good, and that you deserve its curse? Have you wholly despaired of salvation without an interest in the Lord Jesus Christ? When our first parents had sinned, and were driven from paradise, God placed a flaming sword, which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life. In all your attempts to put forth your hand and take of the tree of life and to eat and life for ever, have you seen the flaming sword of jus. tice, flashing the rays of divine wrath? And have you ceased from your daring and provoking attempts to obtain eternal life by the deeds of the law? Have you a truc knowledge of Jesus Christ and of the way of justification through faith in his name? If your eyes have been opened to behold the true character of Jesus Christ, and the nature and design of his atonement, you have beheld a mystery which fills all heaven with wonder and joy. His name is Wonderful. Great is the mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh. Do you indeed know that the eternal Son of God, who is one with the Father and God over all, was made flesh and dwelt on the earth and died on the cross to make an atonement for the sin of the world? If so, flesh and blood has not revealed it unto you, but your Father, who is in heaven.

Have you a holy love of Christ, and an holy delight in the

way of salvation through his atonement. Is Christ precious unto you, as he is unto all who believe? Is he supremely glo. rious and amiable? Is he the chiefest among ten thousands→→ the altogether lovely? Are you obedient and submissive to Christ? Do you call upon his name daily in secret devotion? Is the Lord's day a delight; the holy of the Lord honorable? Do you honor Christ on his own day, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words? Is his word holy and precious to you, more precious than gold, yea, than much fine gold? Is it sweeter also than the honey and the honeycomb? Do you delight to commemorate the death of Christ at his table? Do you hunger and thirst after righteousness? Do you ardently desire to be holy as God is holy, and pure even as Christ is pure? This one thing are you doing, forgetting the things that are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before, do you press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus? In a word, are you looking unto Christ for salvation? If not-" Behold now is the accepted time; behold, now, is the day of salvation! To-day, even while it is called to-day, if you will hear his voice harden not your heart." But if you are now looking unto Christ for salvation, you shall soon be with him, where he is, to behold his glory. Run, then, with patience the race set before you looking unto Jesus.

SERAIAH.

Messrs. Editors.

THE usual communication, between this country and Europe, having been so long suspended, and the probability being so great that it will still continue to be so, it is time for those who are wishing to purchase good libraries, to cast about them, and see by what means valuable books may be procured. I am happy to see such a spirit of en. terprize, as already appears among several of our booksellers, in putting to the press some very valuable books, which are just beginning to be known to the American public, and which cannot now be procured from the old world. Since books, printed in this country, can be afforded much cheaper, than imported books, it is highly desirable, with respect to economy, as well as for the sake of promoting our literary independence, that American editions of valuable books, should receive every encouragement, which can with propriety be given.

My design in sending you this communication is, to call the attention of the religious public to the subject of encouraging the printing of a Polyglot Bible. By a Polyglot Bible, I do not intend, that it shall equal in bulk, or variety of languages, either Walton's celebrated Polyglot, or those printed on the Eastern Continent. These works are too large and expensive for the generality of private libraries, and too difficult of execution, to be undertaken in the

present state of the art of printing in our country.

The Bible, which I have in view, is a Tetraglot, or Bible of four languages, viz. the Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and English. The importance of the Hebrew language, as it is the original language of the Old Testament, I need not insist upon. The Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures, or as it is commonly called, the Septuagint, is the most ancient, and authentic translation now extant. It was made in the time of Ptolemy Philadelphus, king of Egypt, nearly three centuries before the birth of Christ. It is sufficient to say that from this translation, our blessed Saviour and his apostles make their scriptural quotations. As phraseology, Hebraisms, and other peculiari ties are so far followed by the writers of the New Testament, that the study of it, beside the knowledge which it affords of the ancient revelation, is a key to the new.

The Vulgate, or Latin translation of the Hebrew Bible, has been the authentic version of the catholic churches in the West, ever since the days of Jerome, early in the beginning of the fifth century. The ancient Vulgate, or old Italic version, was prob ably made, sometime in the second century. This was a translation of the Septuagint. Jerome was so dissatisfied with its inaccuracies, that he made a new translation, from the original Hebrew. This being disapprov

ed by some of the bishops and learned men of that age, on the ground of innovation, a com. promise was made in a new edition, in which the old Italic version of the Psalms, and some other books of the Old Testament, was retained, and Jerome's second version of all the rest was adopted, with his corrected translation of the New Testa

ment. This version, thus modelled, is what has been known in the church by the name of the Vulgate.

The extensive reputation, which this translation has obtained, and its long standing, would be my reasons for having it inserted in the Tetraglot.

To these I would add our common English translation, because of its obvious utility to the reader of the other three languages, and of its standing and authenticity.

There may be some difference of opinion, among the religious public respecting the copies, or editions, of the different languages, from which the New Tetraglot should be printed. I would merely suggest a few things on this part of the subject.

Kennicott's Hebrew Bible will be allowed by all to be the most labored, and probably, the most correct edition of the Hebrew scriptures. It ought however to be remarked, that the text of Kennicott is simply the text of Van der Hooght; but this is generally reckoned one of the most correct ever printed.

The edition of the Septuagint commenced by Dr. Holmes will be generally preferred to all others, so far as he has gone. It is to be lamented, that death cut short his labors, long before he

had accomplished the whole of his design. His design will be pursued, and the work accomplished by others. If a copy of this continuation cannot be obtained, Mills' or Grabe's Sep. tuagint, can be taken for a copy. The latter is generally preferred in Europe, as it is a copy of the famous Alexandrian Manuscript.

With respect to the Vulgate, it may be a matter of some difficulty to make a correct choice of a copy. Pope Clement VIII. in 1592, made corrections and alterations in the Vulgate; and his edition is now the standard throughout all the Romish churches, no alterations having

But

since his time been made. it is a heavy charge against this copy of Clement, that he has added some new texts, and altered many old ones, to counte nance and confirm the catholic doctrines.

The edition of R. Stephens, of 1540, or 1545; or that of the Doctors of the Louvain, who revised the editions of Stephens, and added various readings, will generally perhaps be judged preferable. Of the Louvain editions, that by Francis Lucas of Bruges, with critical notes, is said

to be the best.

With respect to the various readings, in each of the three languages, already mentioned, it will be easily perceived, that the variations of the Hebrew are the most important. To print all the manuscript variations, from Kennicott, would far exceed what I have in view. Let the variations of important words and passages only be selected, and printed at the end of each chapter. Very few Latin or