between the infinite sufferings of our blessed Lord, and those of a finite creature, especially where those of the latter are to exceed (D. R. N. says, "if possible,") even the intensity and ignominy, and depth of the former, I do not at present concern myself; I confine my remarks to the mere verbal interpretation of the passage. Can then the Greek preposition ano, as found in Rom. ix. 3, be rendered by the English word, "above"? I have no hesitation in expressing a very decided opinion, that it cannot be so rendered, with propriety, in that passage. What I before observed, in substance, concerning the proposed version of ano in 2 Tim. i. 3, that as part of a phrase, and by impliIcation, it may convey the idea of that which it can never literally, and by itself, signify; I would repeat of the same preposition, in reference to the interpretation now proposed. In respect to the idea meant to be conveyed by any particular passage in which it is found, it may answer, in some sense or measure, to our word "above;" but never, as I conceive, was the English term "above" a literal translation of it. The meaning of the original Hebrew in Gen. iii. 14. when literally translated is, if I mistake not," Cursed art thou among all cattle." So Poole in his Synopsis renders it, "inter;" and so Le Clerc translates it in his Latin version of the Book of Genesis. And the idea intended to be conveyed, I presume, is this; that among all creatures, who were now to be subjected to a curse by Adam's sin, none should be so cursed as the serpent, in whose form the tempter had prevailed. Upon what grounds, then, did the Seventy use do when translating Gen. iii. 14? They strictly preserved the sense of the passage, but conveyed the meaning of it under a somewhat different form. "Cursed art thou apart from all cattle," is the literal interpretation of the Greek words;

that is, Not only shalt thou be separated from their society, be looked upon with dislike, and avoided by them all, but thou shalt also be separated, or distinguished from them in the measure of that curse which shall henceforth attach to thee. If this be, as I believe it is, plainly and literally the sense of the passage, it will be sufficiently obvious, on what grounds translators, who did not always adhere very closely to the letter of the original, were induced to use the word alluded to.

There are, however, other passages in the Septuagint, (Deut. xiv. 2, and xvii. 20; Judges v. 24; 2 Kings xxi. 11, and Psalm xviii. 48,) where the word dro occurs in the same signification; but to every one of them, if I mistake not, similar observations to those just made will be found applicable. The same idea of separation, either in a good or a bad sense, pervades them all: this I take to be the only ground upon which dro is ever rendered "above;" and such an idea, I think, D. R. N. will readily allow would by no means suit Rom. ix. 3, the passage under review. In consulting the passages in the Septuagint just referred to, I have remarked, (and perhaps it is worth noticing,) that dro in all these cases is joined with nouns in the plural number. There is not one instance, so far as I can discover, where such a signification as that suggested by D. R. N., is attached to it, when joined to the singular number of a noun; and perhaps this form of expression is better calculated to express the clear preeminence, whether in a good or a bad point of view, of some one above all others, (as in the case of the serpent, Gen. iii. 14; and of Jael, Judges v. 24), than that which can be ascertained only by a nicer comparison of two individual things or persons with each other. I need not point out the bearing which this observation has on the present question.

I will only add, that the prepo

As to the real meaning of dro TOV XPLOTOV in Rom. ix. 3, the most plausible opinion on the subject that I have ever met with, is that of the learned Dr. Zachary Pearce, (formerly Bishop of Rochester), in a note found in his Commentary on 1 Cor. xii. 3:-" In the Greek version of the Seventy," says the Bishop, "dvabɛua is often used to signify that which had been offered to God, and devoted to his service; for so, in Levit. xxvii. 29, we read παν ὁ εαν ἀνατεθη άπο των ανθρωπων, ου λυτρώσεται, αλλα θανατῳ θανατωOnoɛral, and the thing thus devot. ed is called dvalɛμa, in ver. 28. From hence it appears that, when St. Paul, in Rom. ix. 3, wishes he was αναθεμα απο του χριστου for his brethren, he wishes not that he was dvaleμa from Christ, but devoted by Christ to death for them, and means that he was ready to lay down his life for their service." The same idea seems, (as I find from Poole's Synopsis, Rom. ix. 3.) to have occurred to two divines of no less reputation than Gomarus and Estius; and Mr. Parkhurst in his Lexicon, on the word dvaleua, adopts the rendering just spoken of, though without any reference to the opinions of others; and under the word do he supports it by many citations from the New Testament, and some from classical authors. To these last very many might be added; and Schleusner's Lexicon, on the word do, may be profitably consulted on the point.

. II.

IN these days of missionary exertion, and particularly at the present season, when the Christian public have just been celebrating in this vast metropolis the triumphs of the Cross of Christ over heathen ignorance, superstition, and immorality, as displayed in the proceedings of so many of our charitable institutions, it may not be uninteresting to your readers to learn the sentiments entertained in the sixteenth century, respecting the duty and necessity of Missions, by that elegant and illustrious scholar, Erasmus; who, whatever were his feelings, exhibited a zeal for the extension of Christianity which does honour to his name, and tacitly rebukes the supine unconcern with which too many among us regard our Saviour's precept, "Go ye, and teach all nations." I therefore request your insertion of the following translation of an important passage in the “Ecclesiastes sive Concionator Evangelicus," of that eminent writer, with a fervent prayer that his earnest appeal may be instrumental in exciting a greater feeling of compas. sion for a perishing world among every class of your readers, and more particularly among the pious undergraduates of our universities, from whose ranks the church may expect her ablest and most devoted missionaries. If the length of the passage seem to need an apology, it will, I think, be found not only in its intrinsic value, but also in its literary merit, and the force and spirit of its composition.

S. E. H.

We are daily hearing the complaints of those who lament the depressed state of Christianity, and the circumscribed limits of a power which once embraced the world. If then their sorrow is genuine, their duty is plainly this, to wrestle with their Lord in fervent and continual prayer, that he would send

forth labourers into his harvest: or rather that he would commission the sower to go forth into his field, to scatter the precious seed of the word. Eternal God! what boundless regions are there where the Gospel seed has never fallen, or at most so sparingly that they are now over-run with tares! Christian Europe is the smallest division of the globe. Greece and Asia Minor, countries to which, in early times, the word of the Lord sounded out with power from Judea, are they not now groaning beneath the yoke of Mohammedan superstition, or sunk in the errors of a Church which has apostatized from the Catholic Faith? And in that immeasurable tract of country, peopled by different tongues and nations, from the shores of the Mediterranean eastward to the North Pacific Ocean, where do we see the banner of the Cross unfurled? Alas! is not Palestine itself, whence the light of the Gospel first shone out on a benighted world, trodden under foot of strangers, and oppressed by those who hate the name of Christ, and deny the Lord that bought them? What converts have we made among the swarthy tribes of Africa? Surely, in a world of

We live in a period which Erasmus would have rejoiced to see. When he penned this animated appeal on behalf of Christian Missions, Bible and Missionary and Jews' Societies had not arisen; the religion and literature of the

Greek and Oriental Churches had not engaged the attention of the Christian world; Eastern and Western India had not heard the glad tidings of a Saviour; and the sons of Western Africa had not listened to the preaching of Christ crucified, in fourteen missionary stations. Much has indeed been effected; but infinitely more remains undone. We must not lay down our arms, as if vic

torious, when we have but entered on the war. The God of this world is not to be so easily subdued; and though we trust that his kingdom shall fall, the armies of the living God must gain many a hard-fought field, and many a self-de. voted martyr be offered upon the sacri

such extent as this, there must be many a simple hearted, though rude and uncivilized, people, among whom it would not be difficult to win souls to Christ, if missionaries would come forward, and sow bountifully among them the incorruptible seed of the word of God! What shall we say, when daily discoveries are making of lands before unknown, and others are reported to exist, untrodden as yet by the foot of our countrymen ? not to mention those multitudes of the children of Abraham, whom the Lord has scattered among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other;-not to mention the vast numbers of those who name the name of Christ, but depart not from iniquity; and the scarcely less numerous hosts of schismatics, infidels, and heretics? Oh! what a full accomplishment would attend that prophecy, "He must increase," if wise and faithful masterbuilders would go forth to raise new temples for the living God, and to cast down every one that has not its foundation on the Rock of ages: if "workmen who need not be ashamed," would go forth to sow the good seed, and to plant the tree of life, plucking up the tares, and rooting out every plant which their heavenly Father bath not planted. Doubtless, a glorious harvest would ultimately follow;-a harvest, not their own, but Christ's;-a harvest, not of wealth to themselves, but of souls to their Lord!

When our Saviour directed his followers to pray the Lord of the Harvest that he would send forth labourers into his harvest, the harvest truly was plenteous, but the labourers were few. Nor is this prayer less needful in the present day, while the fields of missionary exertion are so ample in their exfice and service of the Church's faith, ere at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that he is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.