each has peculiar duties to discharge upon the great stage of life, for which a moral and mental training is necessary; and that instead of the man being susceptible of a more excellent glory than the woman, there is no discernible limit put to either, as to lofty piety and extended usefulness; but that in whatever direction the one may "follow on to know the Lord," there may the other travel likewise, a companion, an equal, an auxiliary. In the ranks of women there were many splendid examples of high intellectual eminence soon after the revival of letters, as in the case of the Isabellas of Spain, Modesta, and Cassandra of Italy, the Seymours of England, with Lady Jane Grey, and Mary Sidney; in more modern times instances have multiplied; and perhaps in that happy union of mental enlightenment with acute moral feeling, which constitutes a superior character, the other sex can supply the largest number of individual examples. This is probably more a matter of inferential reasoning, than of palpable observation, for from the very circumstances in which women are placed, they have fewer opportunities of affording any open display of mental and moral qualifications than men. It must be confessed however that until of late, in England, the general condition of the female mind, in respectable circles, both as to intellectual and moral cultivation, has been the reverse of satisfactory. For a long interval after the reformation, the civil distractions of the times, and the subsequent apathy into which Protestantism sunk, contributed to open only a contracted circle of attainment around them. But though the conviction has come late, it has arrived, to some extent, and will be entertained more vividly and widely, that it is to their character and influence that we must look, for some of the mightiest of those agencies by which society is to be improved, and the world regenerated. Before that consummation is gained, it must become the high endeavour of woman, to do something more than sit with dignity, or move with grace, amid the splendour of a drawing room; than to chat with ease and elegance to her guests, and thus throw an outward adornment over the socialities of life; she must in fact become the first, the most successful, because most influential and persuasive teacher of mental and moral philosophy, as a branch of domestic economy, an office to which she is called by Providence, incumbent therefore upon her, and far more important than superintending the physical life; and it must become also the endeavour of man, to furnish the means which will enable her to do this, before either of them fulfil the will of their common Maker, and discharge the duty which posterity has a right to demand.

I am led to make these remarks by a volume entitled "Woman's Mission," the work of an anonymous writer, but a lady known in episcopalian circles, and evidently a very thoughtful, high-minded, and warm-hearted woman. It is a book of principles, not of details, founded upon the work of M. Aimé Martin, Sur l'Education des Mères,

from which there are many passages translated. The style is perhaps a little too epigrammatic, which renders the meaning of the writer occasionally obscure; but her spirit, aim, and general sentiments are unequivocally commendable, and there are some thoughts suggested upon female education, and prevailing errors in relation to it, which to my mind, at least, are novel and important. The lady is no utilitarian in the vulgar sense of the term, but one decidedly, who deserves to be listened to, in its highest acceptation, as combining physical improvement with intellectual culture, and especially with moral influence. She has lofty notions of the capabilities of her sex, and of the regenerating power which instumentally they may bring to bear upon society, if thoroughly awakened to a sense of their duties, and wisely trained to discharge them; not a whit is she behind any of those fiery champions of womanhood, who have come to us across the Atlantic, in exalted views of its dignity and mission; but then she argues for "a more excellent way" than that which these modern social and political reformers have advocated in order that Christian women may benefit the world; in fact the way by which they may in a moral sense under God become, "vainqueurs des vainqueurs de la terre," working by influence instead of by power, indirectly instead of directly, as subordinates, not as principals. "We are born to adorn the world, rather than to command it." That was the saying of an eloquent French woman, and a more sensible saying than some American ones upon this subject, but it falls far short of woman's true mission. "We are born for neither," says the English lady; "we are born for a nobler destiny than either; we are born to serve it. We are made to captivate the imagination, chiefly that we may influence the heart of man, and the woman who does not so use her powers is guilty of a breach of trust, worse than that of the servant who hid his lord's talent in a napkin." M.

(To be continued.)

CRITICAL EXPOSITION OF HEBREWS VI. 4, 5, 6.

(Resumed from page 325.)

The next phrase is, γευσαμένους τε τῆς δωρεᾶς τῆς ἐπουρανίου. In determining the meaning of these words there is much difficulty. They appear to be indefinite; and hence the variety of opinions that have been entertained respecting their precise import. Poole has collected no less than seven different interpretations, but he gives no key by which we might arrive at the true explanation. He states varying evidence; but he does not sift it for our use. He leaves us to decide for ourselves, amid the confused mass of meanings he has exhibited. Such is his usual manner. In a case of great perplexity, like the present, we are called upon to exercise the utmost caution, and to avoid all conjectural

hypotheses. We must proceed with leisure step and slow, examining every circumstance that may shed any light on our path, and leaving nothing unexplored, which has even a slight reference to the point before us. And if, after all our diligence and research, we miss the true explanation, it becomes us to be the more humble, and to hope, by perseverance and prayer, to arrive, hereafter, at a satisfactory solution.

I shall endeavour, in the first place, to ascertain the meaning of τῆς δωρεᾶς τῆς ἐπουρανίου, after which, the import of the verb or participle yevσauévous, will be easier of apprehension. This is the natural and true order of proceeding, instead of beginning with yevoraμévovs, as almost all critics and commentators have done. The signification of the verb is modified by that of the noun; and it is, consequently, proper to determine the latter, before attempting the former. What, then, is meant by the heavenly gift? Chrysostom thought that it was remission of sins. Grotius, again, supposed it to refer to the peace of conscience succeeding the pardon of iniquities; and quoted Romans v. 1, "Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ;" Philippians iv. 7, "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." These passages certainly speak of peace of mind, but they do not identify it with the gift mentioned in the text before us. Some, on the other hand, think, that the gift means faith, because it is stated in Ephesians ii. 8, "it is the gift of God," where, however, salvation by grace is rather meant. I admit that faith is the gift of God; but that it is the very gift here specified, remains to be proved. Another interpretation is, eternal life, because in Romans, vi. 23, eternal life is denominated the gift of God. But this is insufficient to demonstrate, that the gift here mentioned signifies the same thing; for on the same principle it might be proved, that faith is eternal life; because each is said to be the gift of God. The pious and eminent Bengelius thought, that by tasting of the heavenly gift we are to understand, partaking of the Lord's supper. For such a supposition, however, he has furnished no proof.

These are some of the multitudinous opinions that have been entertained relative to the true meaning of dopeà in this place. It is manifest that they are nothing but conjectures, possessed of a vagueness and uncertainty, that discard them from the approbation of all inquiring expositors.

To Mr. Stuart's view of the words, which deserves attention as proceeding from so distinguished a critic, I object, because it is not sufficiently definite. After proving that yevouai means to enjoy fully; and after affirming that the dopeà, in John iv. 10, cannot with certainty be referred to Christ himself, he concludes; "For these reasons, I prefer the interpretation, which makes dwpeâs érovpavíov, the same here as kλýσews éπovpavíov, in iii. 1, i.e., the proffered blessings or privileges

of the Gospel. The sense is then plain and facile." The force of this argumentation I am unable to perceive. To say for these reasons, when he has given none whatever, as far as I am able to discover, is surely a precipitate mode of arriving at a conclusion. Suppose yevoμaι does mean to enjoy, or experience in the fullest sense; what does that prove concerning the gift? And if it be also granted, that the gift of God in John iv. 10, does not refer to Jesus; we are not thereby necessitated to conclude that depeà, in Hebrews vi. 4, signifies the blessings of the Gospel. These are not sufficient reasons for the inference, that the "heavenly gift" is synonymous with the "heavenly calling ;" and that each represents the blessings of the Gospel. The interpretation itself is vague. If it be correct, one might ask, what blessings are meant? Does it include all the privileges and blessings of the Gospel? If so, what becomes of the enlightenment, the partaking of the Holy Ghost, the tasting the good word of God? Were not all these privileges or gifts peculiar to the Gospel? Are they all comprehended under this one phrase, dopeà éñovρávios? If so, the general phrase should be placed first, that the enumeration of the several particulars embraced by it, might naturally follow. The exposition, therefore, given by Professor Stuart is vague and ambiguous. In interpreting the phrase, I profess to be guided by a principle, which will be admitted by every rightminded theologian. The gift must mean, some particular gift of which the apostle had often spoken, and with which the persons to whom the epistle was addressed, must have been familiar. The adjective novpavíov, in addition to the article prefixed, serves to mark, with greater definiteness, what the writer intended to point out. The early Christians were, doubtless, familiar with dopeà ETоvрávios; and because we are in circumstances so different, the determination of its import perplexes our minds. Owing to the great diversity of habits and times, it is now difficult to be ascertained; though to the primitive, and especially to the Hebrew Christians, it presented no obscurity. If the apostle did not know, that those, to whom he directed his epistle, would understand, at the very mention of the phrase, what it signified, the charge of obscurity or designed ambiguity lies against him. In the whole passage under examination, it is the writer's purpose to state certain obvious characteristics of apostates, by which they might at once distinguish their own condition, and be readily discovered by others. In enumerating unequivocal marks of apostacy, it cannot, therefore, be supposed that an ambiguous expression should be introduced. The early Christians, it is highly probable, referred the phrase dwpeà érovρávos to some definite person or thing, often mentioned in Scripture as a gift, or as given. If it were not intended to express some thing with which they were familiar, and which they could at once identify with its appellation, the distinguishing features enumerated here possess not that obvious and undoubted simplicity, which would have

ye

led the apostates to have discovered, without delusion, their own characters. In a case so hopeless, to which the inspired writer applies language at once awful and forcible, it was of the utmost importance, that the plainness of the characteristics should point at once to the persons intended. The compass of the discussion is thus made narrower. The view is now limited to a definite object, that may be minutely surveyed. There are only two interpretations worth considering; and to them I shall now refer. According to the one, the gift means the Holy Ghost. The other interprets it of Christ. Dr. Owen advocates the former at considerable length. His direct proofs of it are, Acts ii. 38, "And shall receive the gift (rηv dwpeàv) of the Holy Ghost;" Acts viii. 20, "Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God (v dwpear) may be purchased with money; " Acts x. 45, "Because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift (ʼn dwpeà) of the Holy Ghost;" Acts xi. 17, " Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift, as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?" According to the same commentator, the Holy Ghost is called "heavenly," principally as "regards his mission by Christ after his ascension into heaven, Acts ii. 23. . . . . . When he came upon the Lord Christ to anoint him for his work, the heavens were opened, and he came from above, Matthew iii. 16, as Acts ii. 2. At his first coming on the apostles, there came a sound from heaven. Hence he is said to be ἐπισταλθείς ἀπ' ουρανοῦ, i.e. to be n dwрeà тоû Deοû în érovρávios, sent from heaven,' 1 Peter i. 12. Wherefore, although he may be said to be heavenly on other accounts also, which, therefore, are not absolutely to be excluded, yet his being sent from heaven by Christ, after his ascension thither, and exaltation there, is principally here regarded." But, to this view, it has been objected, that the Holy Ghost is expressly mentioned in the next clause; so that there would be a kind of tautology. To this, Owen replies in the following manner :

"1st. It is ordinary to have the same thing twice expressed in various words, to quicken the sense of them; and it is necessary it should be so, when there are diverse respects to the same thing, as there are in this place.

"2nd. The following clause may be exegetical of this, declaring more fully and plainly what is here intended, which is usual also in the Scriptures; so that nothing is cogent from this consideration, to disprove an interpretation so suited to the sense of the place, and which the constant use of the word makes necessary to be embraced.

"3rd. The Holy Ghost is here mentioned as the great gift of the Gospel times, as coming down from heaven not absolutely, not as to his person, but with respect to an especial work, viz., the change of the whole state of religious worship in the church of God; whereas, we shall see in the next words, he is spoken of only with respect to external actual operations."