genuous to others. Having hitherto, as I am sincerely persuaded we have, faithfully endeavoured to follow the guidance of this sentiment, as a rule of conduct, let us continue to endeavour always to walk according to it. Careful of the interests of Christian truth as we hold it, jealous to keep our peculiar institutions in a sound integrity, and prompt to protect and defend them against all encroachment, let us be careful no less, to know what spirit we are of; and if Christ must be wounded in the house of his friends, let us not be partakers in the guilt. They who in their social or individual religious character and conduct, exhibit the least acerbity, are the most worthy of the Christian name; while they must carry with them the most respect of the enlightened and the wise, the really pious and good."

The resolution of the general convention providing for the contingent expenses, by recommending to the several state conventions to pay at each annual meeting 75 cents for each clergyman within the diocese or state, having been communicated by letter to the convention, was agreed to.

The following amendment of the constitution was adopted, the vote being taken by churches, and passed with but one dissentient voice.

"In all matters requiring the suffrages of the convention, with the exception contained in the third article of the constitution, the members shall deliberate and vote as one body, but any two clergymen, or the delegation from any two churches, may call for a separate vote of each order, when the clergy shall vote individually, (two or more clergymen representing the same church, having one vote,) and the lay delegates by churches, (a majority of each delegation having one vote,) and a majority of both orders shall, in each case, be necessary to a decision."

The General Theological Seminary received again the same invigorating support which the diocese of South Carolina has so uniformly given. Resolutions were passed that there be collections made, and sermons preached for its benefit, in every parish; that the members of the convention pledge themselves to aid the agents of the seminary in obtaining subscriptions, and that it be recommended to the candidates of the diocese to study at the seminary, and to the congregations to which they respectively belong, to assist them, if necessary, by a loan, or other mark of pious liberality.

A long report on the subject of permanent provision for the support of the Episcopate was made, providing that the sum of 1600 dollars be raised annually by an assessment on 27 of the parishes, for the support of an assistant to the bishop, in the discharge of his parochial duties, until such time as the income of the permanent fund shall be adequate to his support.

Standing committee for the present year.-The Rev. Christopher E. Gadsden, D. D., Rev. Paul T, Gervais, Rev. Frederick Dalcho, M. D., Rev. Allston Gibbes, Rev. Christian Hanckell, of the clergy, David Alexander, Joseph Johnson, M. D., Robert J. Turnbull, Thomas Lowndes, Samuel Wragg, of the laity,

Delegates to the general convention-the same as last year, with the exception of Col. William Drayton, appointed in the room of Benjamin Huger, Esq. deceased.

THE

GOSPEL ADVOCATE.

No. 46.]

OCTOBER, 1824. [No. 10. Vol. IV.

THEOLOGICAL.

[WE have great pleasure in stating to our readers that this and the two essays in continuation of it which will hereafter be published, were written by a young gentleman who has just completed the second year of his studies at the General Theological Seminary of the Protestant Episcopal Church. They were read in a condensed form as a single dissertation, at the annual examination the 28th of last July, and were received by the bishops, clergy, and laity present with great approbation. We publish them to exhibit the practical benefits resulting from that institution, even at this early period of its existence. And should our pages meet the eye of any benevolent member of our church, to whom Divine Providence has given the ability and the will to do good, we cannot but hope that these essays will excite a desire to render still more copious the source from which incalculable benefits to the Church of God must ultimately flow.]

TO THE EDITOR OF THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE.

ON THE CHARACTER OF THE WRITINGS OF ST. PAUL. No. I.

ALTHOUGH it is indubitably true of the whole sacred volume that "it is given by inspiration from God, and is profitable for doctrine, for réproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished for all good works," yet to no portion of its contents may this commendation be more emphatically applied than to the writings of St. Paul.

The gospels, containing the history of our Redeemer's actions and the faithful record of his words, are in themselves of inestimable price as being the deed of the new covenant, the charter by which we hold our right of inheritance to a heavenly kingdom. Yet even these are rendered doubly valuable by the inspired explanations, illustrations, and enforcements, contained in the epistles of St. Paul. Without the latter, we should indeed be possessed of the history of the establishment of the gospel dispensation, and of as much of its outline as was necessary to the Jews and disciples previous to its grand completion; but how slight would be our knowledge of its most important doctrines, of its sublimest characteristics, and of its most interesting relations with former dispensations, when compared with that which may be derived from a comparison of the gospels with the writings of their most strenuous advocate and propagator, the apostle of the Gentiles. The prejudices of the Jews, and even of his own 38 GOSPEL ADVOCATE, VOL. IV.

disciples, were such as to render a full development of the peculiar doctrines of the gospel by our Lord himself, previous to his ascension, impossible. They had been taught from their earliest hours to expect a Messiah, invested with the robes of temporal dignity and splendour, a conqueror, who should subject the Gentiles to their dominion, forcibly proselyte the nations to their laws, and place their feet upon the necks of their enemies. How then could they bear the doctrine of a kingdom purely spiritual, the subjects of which should be involved in the greatest perils and persecutions, and not unfrequently called on to testify their allegiance by the voluntary surrender of their bodies to the most cruel sufferings? How could they endure the doctrine of an atonement through the blood of a crucified redeemer through the ignominious death of him on whom were built their hopes of worldly power and glory? They looked upon the Gentiles almost as upon beings of an inferior order, they despised them as outcasts from the divine covenant, they abhorred them as contemners and transgressors of their most revered ceremonial ordinances and laws. With what disgust then must they have heard of a dispensation extending its benefits equally to all, to the Jew first, and then to the Gentile; a dispensation by which the promises peculiar to the Abrahamick seed should be annulled, and Israel the first born of God, in a great measure stripped of his primogeniture and the dignities and privileges consequent thereon? They regarded their law, moral and ceremonial, as the summit of perfection, the indispensable rule of life, and the infallible means of justification. With what horrour, then, must they not have rejected the doctrine of justification by faith alone, of the inefficacy of the works of the law, and of the deletion of the handwriting of ordinances by the crucifixion? These, the most distinguishing features of Christianity, could not have been fully displayed to the Jews, without previous preparation by the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Christ, and by the descent of the Holy Spirit. Then when vast numbers of the Jews had embraced the Christian revelation, these doctrines were gradually revealed, the despised Gentiles received into the church of God, and the prejudices of the Jews combated and removed by the inspired apostles. For a full exposition of these branches of the Christian system, recourse must be had to the epistles, which were principally written in their maintenance and defence. Nor is their value, as supplementary to the gospels, confined to doctrinal points. As practical comments on the histories and discourses of the gospels, they are invaluable. We might, it is true, without them, be possessed of the means of obtaining eternal life, but of how many assistances and encouragements, of how many exhortations and excitements should we be destitute!

The Acts of the Apostles, containing a history of the first propagation of our holy religion, and of the transactions of its primitive preachers, are, on that account, interesting and useful in the highest degree to every member of the Church of Christ. But how much are they illustrated and confirmed by the epistles of St. Paul, written

while engaged in the very labours which they describe, and to the very churches the foundation and growth of which they narrate. The speedy propagation of the Christian faith, which they record, is confirmed beyond all contradiction by innumerable passages in these epistles; and the miraculous gifts which they ascribe to the apostles, are appealed to in these writings as undeniable evidence of the divine mission of their author." Viewed in this light, the utility of these epistles has been ably exhibited by Paley in his comparison of the Acts and the Epistles, entitled "Hora Paulinæ "*

The other epistles contained in the New Testament are either of so general a nature as unavoidably to omit, or, at most, cursorily touch on, some of the important doctrines of Christianity, in order to give a more striking summary of the whole; or they are confined to the discussion of a single topick † But while none of the epistles of St. Paul are of the general nature of those of the first class, (being all addressed to particular churches or individuals, and either professedly discussing certain subjects, or recommending certain articles of faith and practice,) their number, and the various circumstances of those to whom they were addressed, render it next to impossible that any important article of Christian faith should be omitted.

Thus, while these epistles are superseded by none other of the sacred writings, there are also none which may not derive advantage and illustration from a comparison with them.

But, omitting, at present, to prove the inspiration of these epistles, as hoping that no reader of these pages will be disposed to deny it, and as knowing that it has already been so frequently and copiously treated as to admit no novelty of argument nor any additional illustration, let us consider more fully their intrinsick value, in the order suggested by the passage first cited, as an estimate of the worth of scrip

ture.

For doctrine, the epistles of St. Paul are without a rival in the display of the Christian religion. As well for the confutation of the Jewish prejudices, as for the instruction of the Gentile converts, they are full and luminous.

The incorporeal nature of the future inheritance of christians is constantly asserted, the apostle teaching that the kingdom of God, which the righteous shall inherit, is not to be obtained by flesh and blood, since corruption cannot inherit incorruption; but on the contrary, before the spiritual blessings with which God hath blessed us in heavenly places can be enjoyed, this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal immortality

*Comp. also Butler. Anal. of Nat. E. Rev. Rel. Pt. II. c. vii. 1. 2. (p. 239. ed. 1st.) and Paley's Evidences of Christianity, Pt. II. c. vii (p. 225, 5. ed. N. York, 1817) also, Pt. I. c. iii. (p. 29,) and c. iv. (p. 41.) Evidence of the same nature respecting the authenticity of the gospels is afforded by these epistles constantly referring to the facts recorded in them as well known or as certainly confirmed by the testimony of eye witnesses.

+Of the first class are the 1st Ep. general of St John, the 1st Ep. general of St. Peter, and the general Epistle of St. James. Of the second are the 2d and 3d epistles of St. John, the 2d epistle of St. Peter and the epistle of St. Jude. 1 Cor. vi. 9. xv. 50. Eph. i. 3. 1 Cor. xv. 53.

The spiritual nature of Christ's dominion is also taught. Jesus Christ crucified is represented as the only object of Christian instruction; and, accordingly, he is represented as triumphing over principalities and powers by the cross, and, having made peace through the blood of his cross, as uniting all things under him, whether things in earth, or things in heaven, and as being highly exalted by God (even to be the object of the worship and adoration of all created beings) on account of his obedience unto the death of the cross.*

The calling of the Gentiles to a participation in the privileges of the gospel dispensation, the mystery which in other ages was not known unto the sons of men, that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs with the Jews, of the same body, and partakers of the same promise in Christ by the gospel, is clearly revealed and fearlessly proclaimed, in the epistles to the Romans and Ephesians †

The insufficiency of the works of the law, (by which no flesh shall be justified in the sight of God, since by the law is the knowledge of sin,) and justification by faith in the blood of Christ, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation for the remission of sins.‡ form the principal subject of the epistles to the Romans and Galatians; in which last, the utter uselessness of the ceremonial ordinances, since their abrogation by the death of Christ, is strongly asserted.

The unity of the Church, wherein all things are made one in Christ, (there being one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and all being called in one hope of their calling,) is repeatedly asserted and illustrated.

The kingly and priestly offices of Christ, are lucidly set forth, and compared with the types in the Jewish dispensation, in the epistle to the Hebrews.

Lastly, from whence do we derive more conclusive arguments for the divinity of Christ, the atoning efficacy of his death, and the universality of his consequent mediatorial dominion, than from the writings of our apostle? or whither shall we resort for proof of the resurrection and future judgment, if not to his admirable demonstration of the former in the first epistle to the Corinthians, and his astonishing description of the latter in second Thessalonians?

For reproof, the epistles of St. Paul are inimitably adapted. The awful majesty mingled with the utmost urbanity;-the severe dignity, tempered with the most perfect meekness;-and upon occasion, the solemn denunciation of future punishment and divine displeasure ;-which are found in these writings, are such as can rarely find an equal, never a superior. The delicate method of conveying reproof by reference to his own character and conduct, that is remarkably displayed in the epistles to the Corinthians and in that to the Galatians, may, without hazard, be said to be peculiar to St. Paul, and without a parallel, sacred or profane. The repeatedly recurrent reproof of those who as

*1 Cor. ii. 2. Col. ii. 15. i. 20. Phil. ii. 8.

+Rom. ix. x. Eph. iii.

Rom. iii. 20. 25.