through faith. And here, quitting his first point-the censure of the Jews, he commences his charge against all the gentile nations, that they had recklessly violated the law implanted in their nature by their Maker. And this blame of them includes a vindication of the Creator; for when he formed them, he suffered them not to live like the irrational creation, but dignified them with reason, and gave them judgment, and established in them the power of discriminating between good and evil; which position is evidenced by such as, before the coming of the Mosaic law, were illustrious for holiness and virtue, as well as by such as followed the opposite course. For so Adam, the instant he had transgressed the commandment, and eaten the forbidden fruit, attempted to hide himself, under the stings of conscience; and when called to account, neither denied what had been done, nor pretended ignorance in his defence, but threw the blame of the accusation on the woman; which plainly shows that our nature possessed the power of discerning the true character of things. And thus again Cain, having privily slain his brother, when examined, "Where is thy brother Abel?" denied it, and attempted to conceal what had been done, but when convicted, confessed that his punishment was just, and owned the equity of his judge, acknowledging that he had sinned beyond pardon; and a thousand other similar instances are to be found in the holy Scriptures: wherefore the holy apostle adds, 18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in ungodliness. For nature taught them both that God was the Maker of all things, and that they ought to avoid unrighteousness, and seek righteousness; but they used not the instructions which it gave as they ought to have done; wherefore he threatened them with future punishment.

He here puts the word revealed, in that disbelievers who hearkened not to those threats were the very persons who should experience the truth of what he said. And vengeance he calls the wrath of God; not that God punishes with any passion of mind, but that by giving it so awful a name he might alarm the gainsayer. And he says, is revealed from heaven, because our God and Saviour will appear from thence, as the Lord himself declares, (Mark xiii. 26,) "Then shall ye see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory." 19. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them: who then gave them this knowledge? for God hath showed it unto them. 20. For the invisi– ble things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead. Creation, says he, and all things made in that creation, the succession of time, the change of seasons, the alternations of day and night, the labourings of the clouds, the blasts of the winds, the fruitfulness of plants and seeds, and the various other similar phenomena, plainly point out to us, that God is both the Maker of all things, and that He wisely holds the keys of the creation; for He who framed all things of His alone lovingkindness, can never leave neglected what He hath brought into being; wherefore the holy Apostle says not the invisible thing, but invisible things; that is, His creation, His providence, His just sentence on each person, and all His various dispensations; most unpardonable then are they who, enjoying such a multitude of teachers, yet have received no

gave

improvement from so many lessons, for this he adds, so that they are without excuse, for the works of creation themselves almost cry out against them, that they have nothing to plead in arrest of the threatened evils. 21. Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful. For that they were aware of the existence of God, they themselves testify by their continual use of His adorable name, while yet rejecting all suitable sentiments concerning him. But became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened, for they followed senseless notions, and welcomed in the darkness of infidelity, 22. Professing themselves wise, they became fools. He increases their reprobation by the very name they gave themselves, in that, while calling themselves wise, they proved by their works that they were void of understanding. 23. And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like unto corruptible man. For not choosing to perceive that the Maker of all things is superior to decay, and far above all that is seen, they called the likenesses of their own bodies, gods; for indeed it was not intelligences, which are invisible, (ch. i. 23--27,) that their statuaries, sculptors, and painters, endeavoured to convey representations of, but perishable mortal bodies; nor was this impiety enough, but they must needs, moreover, worship the images of birds, beasts, and creeping things; and while they should rather have considered that some of these men eat as food, some loathe as unclean, and some avoid as noxious, in their excess of madness and folly they made the likeness of these very things-which men thus ate, loathed, or killed-into gods. 24. Wherefore God also them up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves. He puts gave them up for permitted; and he means, that, seeing them willing neither by the works of creation to be led up to the Creator, nor by the judgment of reason to choose the better and avoid the worse in practice, he deprived them of his special providence, and suffered them to be carried about like an unsteady vessel, no longer enduring to dírect those, who had fallen into the grossest impiety, productive of a lawless life. 25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. Impiety, he says, was the foundation of their iniquities, and by both they became stripped of the Divine grace. The name "God" is what he here means by the truth of God, an idol made with hands by a lie; because that when they ought to have worshipped the true God, they offered the adoration belonging to Him to the creature instead. And to the same reproach do they lie open, who call the only-begotten Son of God a creature, and yet worship Him as God; for they ought either, admitting His divinity, to rank Him not with created things, but with God who begat Him; or else, pronouncing Him a created being, not to pay adoration to Him as divine.-But let us pursue the order of our exposition. 26. For this cause, God gave them up to infamous passions, for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature. 27. And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one towards another, men with men working that which is unseemly. Iniquity walks hand in hand with impiety, so that as they had changed the truth of God into a lie, so did they in like manner exchange the proper object and exercise of the

passions for that which was abominable. And receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. For infamy is the severest penalty of such affections. And thus, what not even a victorious enemy had ever attempted to inflict on them, they themselves willingly ran into; and punishment thereby, heavier than that which any judge would impose, do they voluntarily bring on themselves. And what then was the cause of all these evils? 28. 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. For if they had been willing to know Him, they would have followed the Divine laws; but now, choosing to deny their Maker, they were altogether stripped of his protecting care, whereby they wrecklessly ventured on every kind of wickedness. 29. Being filled with all unrighteousness. By unrighteousness he means that (disposition) which is diametrically opposed to righteousness, for from this springs every kind of reprehensible conduct. And he proceeds to detail its natural fruits. Fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30. Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31. Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, faithless, unmerciful. By fornication he signifies intercourse independent of marriage. By wickedness, a savage disposition. By covetousness, the desire of getting more and more, and the carrying off of what does not belong to oneself. By maliciousness, the bent of the mind to evil, and the planning of injury to a neighbour. Full of envy. Bitter is the passion, and unable to bear the prosperity of a neighbour. It is the parent of murder, and conceives deceit. Wounded by envy, and calling in deceit as an helpmate, Cain led his brother forth into the field, and feared not to slay him. By malignant, he means such as exercise their thoughts in laying snares, and designing mischief to those around them. By whisperers, such as privily murmur into the ear abuse of others standing by. By backbiters, such as recklessly indulge in the scandal of the absent. By haters of God, such as are inimically disposed towards him. By despiteful, such as are given to petulance and insolence. By proud, such as are overmuch elevated by every superiority they possess. By boasters, such as are vainly puffed up, while having no just cause for so exalted selfcomplacency. By inventors of evil things, such as not only fearlessly run through all existing ordinary evil, but devise yet further means of ill-doing in addition. Disobedient to parents; and baseness indeed is this, of the grossest kind, nature herself condemning it. Without understanding; for they who have fallen upon so lawless a life have lost all marks of reason. Covenant breakers; such as have embraced an unsocial and depraved state. Without natural affection; such as will not learn the laws of friendship. Faithless; such as fearlessly break through all engagements. Unmerciful; such as imitate the ferocity of the brute creation. 32. Who, knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in those that do them. We have shown how nature teaches us to choose good, and avoid evil; but these, says he, nevertheless, think it not enough to commit such things, unless they also commend such as do so likewise: which is the last excess

of wickedness, seeing that they ought not only to hate the transgressions of others, but with loathing to reprobate even their own.

(To be continued.)

THE CHURCH OF SWEDEN.

SIR, SOME few months back, a writer in the REMEMBRANCER, in an article on 66 The Apostolical Succession," asserted that the churches of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, had a canonically-ordained priesthood. Subsequently, a correspondent denied this, but still maintained that the church of Sweden had such a body of Clergy. Circumstances have lately enabled me to inquire into the subject; and I am sorry to say that I am bound to come to the conclusion, that the church of Sweden is as destitute of a canonically-ordained priesthood as the English Dissenters are. I submit to your readers the results of my inquiries.

The three establishments above named are, perhaps, the most purely Lutheran in existence; but the principles of the great Reformers have been admitted to such an extent, as to destroy any claim to the Apostolical Succession. My informant, himself a Swedish clergyman, quite repudiated the notion. The distinction between the higher and inferior ranks of the priesthood has been so completely lost sight of, that only one ordination is thought necessary. If, when a man is appointed to what they call a bishopric, he wishes for a special ordination to the office, he is ordained a second time; but this is quite optional with the individual himself, as his original ordination is thought sufficient for any ministerial functions to which the state may appoint him, however high. The principle of that church is evidently Erastian, and supposes that the appointment of the civil magistrate is all that is required. This, of course, at once negatives the claims to the Apostolical Succession.

The same ultra-spirit of liberalism is shown in regard to the rites of public worship. They use a Liturgy, of which, I believe, no translation exists in any other language, and which, from the description of my informant, I conclude to bear a very near resemblance to that of the first book of King Edward VI.; but although many of the Clergy officiate in peculiar ecclesiastical vestments, similar to those of the Romish Church, yet this is again quite optional; and the ordinary costume, which is worn on all occasions universally by the Clergy, is all that is required by law. The same latitude is allowed with respect to the use of images. A crucifix is placed over the altar in some churches, whence it probably has never been removed from the time of the Reformation, but its presence is entirely discretionary. They practice kneeling at the Communion; and the Clergy perform the most important parts of the service with their face to the altar, and their back to the people, according to the order of the first book of Edward VI. About the year 1780, Confirmation, which had previously been quite neglected, was revived, and is now very generally practised, although it is by no means obligatory. The rite is administered only by the prelates of the Church.

In each diocese the Bishop, with the more dignified Clergy, form a consistory. The patronage of the livings is chiefly divided between. those consistories and the crown. Three clergymen are sent down by the patrons, out of which the people are allowed to select one; but the ultimate appointment rests with the patrons, although they usually respect the choice of the parishioners. In the case, however, of clergymen holding high appointments, such as court-chaplains, or those appointed to foreign embassies, the king does not usually consult the people at all. There are also a few livings in private patronage, where, of course, such consultation of the popular will is never thought of. There is not, I believe, any synod, or general assembly of the church; but the consistory of each diocese acts immediately under the royal authority; neither is there any union between the churches of Sweden and Norway, though both are under the same sovereign, and perfectly similar. The most singular, feature of the country is, the complete absence of that bane of England-Dissent; with the exception of a few missions of the Moravians, who can hardly be said to differ in any essential point from the established religion. It would be an interesting subject of inquiry, how far this result may be attributed to the liberalism or latitudinarianism of the establishment, or to the strong arm of the civil power ? It would be strange, indeed, for a phlegmatic and contented population to seek a relief from the more than easy terms of communion above noticed in the vagaries of Dissent. I am inclined to suppose that it arises more from the last-named cause than any other. It would, probably, be somewhat dangerous to preach Dissent from an establishment like that of Sweden, which is so much the mere creature of the State.

X.

MILLENARIANISM.

SIR, MILLENARIANISM is a word which in the minds of many persons is synonymous with almost every fanatical absurdity; but this I think is more justly to be attributed to the wild notions which have been engrafted upon it, than to the doctrine itself.

That a millennium, in some sense or other, has been believed in by many very illustrious divines of ancient and modern days, is evident from their writings. Separated from the mass of absurdity with which it has too often been overlaid, it seems simply to amount to this-viz. that Infidelity, Popery, Mohammedism, and all false religions being destroyed, pure religion shall become for the most part universal for the space of a thousand years; and that, the ancient people of God being converted to the faith of Christ, and acknowledging him as their true Messiah, (see Romans xi.) and being also perhaps restored to their own country," the earth shall thus be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." For my own part I can see nothing objectionable in this view of the subject: on the contrary it seems to set before our eyes a glorious and encouraging hope for the religious improvement and welfare of the human race; and I will here