world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. (John 3: 19, 20.) Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened......And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient. (Rom. 1: 21 --2S.) And with all deceivableness of unrightcousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, THAT THEY MIGHT BE SAVED. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned, who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thess. 2: 10--12.) But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath. (Rom. 2: 8.)

Here, also, does it not appear plain and evident, from the foregoing scriptures, that these, and these only, are hardened and reprobated who harden themselves, and are wilfully igno rant of the knowledge of God and his ways?-who love darkness rather than light ?---who will not retain God in their knowledge?-who will not receive the love of the truth and be saved, but spurn the knowledge of God and his grace from them, and persist in their obstinacy and impenitency on the road down to eternal

ruin? for, He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. (Prov. 29: 1.)

Lastly, some may yet object and say, that, according to the words of the apostle Paul, "For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure," (Phil. 2: 13,) that man can do nothing towards his soul's salvation, but that all is from the Lord whether he be saved or lost? But by the words of Paul we understand that God graciously ope rates on the minds of men, by the preaching of the word and the influence of the Holy Spirit, to produce in them a willingness, without any restraint, to come to the Saviour and seek their soul's salvation; and this seems to be intimated by the apostle in the preceding and succeeding verses, where he says, Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.......Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. (12: 16.)

But here it should be noticed, that to this willingness which is produced in the minds of men by the means of grace, as said above, the carnal mind is enmity; and upon this carnal mind, the adversary of souls operates to produce an unwillingness to obey the call and voice of the Lord, and to walk in his ways: Here man is brought into a strait, as there are now,

as it were, two opposite natures within him, namely, the inward man, and the natural man; and these are differently wrought upon, and produces a continual warfare. Of this the apostle saith, I find then a law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God, after the inward man: but I seo another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. (Rom. 7: 21-23.) Again he saith, For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other; so that you cannot do the things that you would. (Gal. 5: 17.) Hence Paul asks, Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servant ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?-(Rom. 6: 16.) And Peter saith, For of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. (2 Pet. 2: 19.) In this conflict is set before us, as Moses set before the children of Isr: el, LIFE and DEATH-blessing and cursing-therefore let us choose life. Let us fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto we are called, and thus let us give diligence to make our calling and election sure; that we may obtain the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall givo at that day, unto all them that love his appearance. (2 Tim. 4: 8.)

A FEW RETROSPECTIVE REMARKS

OF THE TRANSLATOR.

When I was called on, by my brethren, to undertake the translation of the foregoing pages, from the German language, in which that part which contains the articles of our Confession of Faith has for several centuries been in print, I thought, from a firm persuasion that many excellent passages of gospel truths were contained therein, that it might be useful, and conducive to the benefit of the church of Christ, by reflecting more light on some controverted points in holy writ. And as our creed has never fully appeared in the English language, we were often misrepresented-wrong and unfavorable ideas were taken up concerning our church-misconstructions were made by comparing us to others, whose leading principles differ materially with ours. And moreover, as we hold with adult baptism, and several pamphlets have recently been issued from the press, in our section of country, in the English language, wherein is maintained the doctrine of infant baptism, with which we cannot hold, though our mode in administering it is also by sprinkling or pouring, it was thought to be a duty incumbent upon our church, to maintain the scriptural ground of our mode and practice which is contained in

our Confession of Faith, by a publication of it in the English language.

And as this is done not with any intention of reflecting censure, or bearing on the feelings of our fellow christians of other denominations and branches of the church of Christ; I thought it to be in perfect accordance with Christian duty, to lend my feeble aid, by engaging in the translation of the work, notwithstanding my humble qualification for an undertaking of this kind; and which would require profound erudition, to bring out a fluent English translation, from so ancient a German copy as the one from which the pages of our Confession of Faith are translated; and also from the inanuscript written by our beloved pastor, whoso profession, as a writer, is but humble. Consequently the pious reader, it is hoped, will consider the difficulties under which a translator must have laboured, under these circumstances: inasmuch also, as it is an acknowledged fact, "That the best scholars have found it difficult to write with perspicuity and simplicity with a German model before them." Moreover, soveral noted errors have also escaped notice at the press; owing I presume, to the unsettled stata in which the printing establishment was during a part of the time in which this work was in press.

And farthermore, as I profess to be a member of this church, and hold with the general system of our Confession of Faith as being ge