meetings, but found no pleasure in them; but awful hardness of heart, and vile thoughts would continually possess me. I thought there never was so hardened and yet stupid creature, as I was, which made me conclude the Lord had given me up; that I had so grieved the Holy Spirit that he would no longer strive with me; and that I had sinned the unpardonable sin, and there could be no mercy for me. Now I ceased to pray, for I believed that the Lord would strike me dead, if I dared to call upon him. I therefore looked for his judgments to follow me; and hardly dared to close my eyes in sleep, fearing I should awake in hell. I would dream I was there blaspheming, and awake in horror, but dared not ask to be saved from it: and now, as I feared I should become a scandal to my parents and family, I resolved to keep alone, or to go to places of worship only to keep out of the way of temptation; not daring to hope ever to have a word of encouragement spoken to me again. But I worked hard at my trade, to divert my mind, which I found was my best way. I said little to any one, and told no one of my dismal fears and horrors. I did once ask my father what he believed the unpardonable sin to be, without telling him my apprehension of my having committed it; and his explanation seemed to confirm my belief that it was really my case. I still went to places of worship, and when any encouragement was presented to distressed souls, I would think there now, I might have some relief, if I had not sinned that sin, which is unto death, and cannot be forgiven. But one Sabbath evening, going to the Baptist meeting, a stranger of the name of Sutton preached, and remarked that some were tempted to believe that they had sinned the unpardonable sin, and were greatly distressed about it; which he declared was an evidence that it was not their case, or they would be hardened and careless.

This coming from one who I believed knew nothing about me, I did believe the Lord had directed it for me, and it greatly relieved my mind. I then resolved I would again betake myself to prayer, and if I perished, it should be at the throne of grace with the publican, crying as he did for mercy, and I was enabled to continue so to do, until at last, when just sinking, I was relieved; which was in the following way.

I frequently had a word of encouragement in sermons from my precious friend Dr. Sproat, and from dear Mr. Robert Smith of Pequea, who pointed out my convictions to be those of the Spirit of the Lord, which were commonly followed with manifestations of divine favour: also from several pious people, with whom I had now become acquainted, who were much interested in my case, and were, I believe, much engaged in prayer for me. But still my mind was overpowered with unbelief, until one Sabbath morning, about the break of day. I was then thinking about my miserable state of soul-guilty, filthy, wretched and helpless, and that a Saviour was appointed, and Jesus was inviting me to come to him, and if I did, Ĭ should obtain relief. I found the hindrance was in myself, and that none but the Lord could remove it. I then fell on my knees, crying to him to undertake for me. I tried to present all my wants to him, and besought him that whatever it was that hindered my closing with Jesus, he would remove it out of the way; and that he would be pleased to work true faith in me, that I might believe. And while I was thus pouring out my heart to the Lord for his grace, that blessed counsel of the precious Saviour was powerfully impressed on my mind, contained in the third chapter of the Revelations and 18th verse-"I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayest be rich, and white raiment that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy naked

ness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve that thou mayest see." Now a perfect suitableness appeared in this blessed provision to answer all my wants; for I knew I was truly poor, and deep in debt to divine justice, and had nothing of my own to pay. But the white raiment was what I stood in particular need of, for I had often been filled with horror at the thought of appearing a guilty, vile, filthy, spirit, before the bar of a holy and just God; but if arrayed in this glorious white raiment I might appear there to divine acceptance, and all my filthy garments be cast away. The enlightening of the mind with this eye salve of the Holy Spirit, was what I was likewise deeply sensible I greatly needed; so that before I was aware of a change in my mind, my soul cried out-O Lord! I accept this gracious counsel, and do bless thee for it. My heart was filled with comfort, and I could now call the Lord my dear Father, and felt my very soul going out to him in love, whom before I had so much dreaded as my awful judge. I know not that any creature heard me, in all or any of my private exercises, or how long I continued in this; but when I came down to my father's family, with whom I then boarded, my father saw such a change in my countenance, that he directly desired me to lead in family worship, which I felt a willingness to do. But I did not mention any thing to any one of my joy, but went to meeting with great pleasure; when Mr. Caldwell from Elizabethtown, preached from the 73d Psalm, first part of the 28th verse-" But it is good for me to draw nigh to God." He showed that no one could draw nigh to God, in the sense of that text, without having experienced a change of heart, and a true heartlove to him; and then described how the soul was delighted with a sense of his gracious presence and fatherly love; and how it could call him my Father. I was fully satis

fied that such had been the exercise of my soul that happy morning, and therefore did relate to my father what had passed in my mind. He then went with me to see Mr. Sproat, and desired me to relate the same to him, which I did, at their request. He inquired if I thought the Lord had shown me this favour for any goodness of my own; which I protested I did not, but only of his pure undeserved mercy. He then encouraged me to believe it was a work of divine grace, and now invited me to join in the communion of the Church, which I never dared to do before, although often desired to do it.

But my first comfort was of short duration. I soon began to fear I was deceiving myself with false hopes; and that it had been but a mere imagination of my own. Here I was much cast down, and feared I never should have a solid hope: and the loss of that comfort I had enjoyed for the short time I felt it, left upon me for a few days a most distressing sensation. I told my friends my distress, but could find no relief. I tried to pray that the Lord would satisfy me whether it was his work or not; and the cry of my heart was constantly through the day-O for faith! O for faith! when I did again experience a sweet confirmation that it was the Lord's work, and that he would bless me; and from time to time I had similar changes. I was very attentive to secret duty, and rose every morning before day, to read and pray alone, before I went to my work. At this time the Methodists came, and held worship before day, and in the evenings. I often attended both seasons, and was pleased to have so many opportunities. But one evening the minister spoke against the doctrine of the saints' perseverance, from those words in the 10th chapter of 1st Corinthians, 4th and 5th verses," And did all drink the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed

them, and that rock was Christ: but with many of them God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness." From which he undertook to prove that a person might be united to the Saviour and partake of his grace, and yet after this finally fall away. I thought there appeared great reason from his text, and what he said upon it, to fear it might be so; and therefore I was greatly discouraged, for I knew what a poor helpless creature I was, and my enemies were too powerful for me to withstand, if left to myself. I lodged at my father's, and went home distressed; his family Bible was on the table, I immediately opened it, and the first passage Ï saw was the eighth chapter of Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews, at the 9th verse-"Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord: For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts, and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people." Here I stopped with joy, and was filled with delight in that blessed covenant, well ordered in all things and sure. I saw that the Lord not only engaged to be all in all to his people, but resolved that they should be his people, and that he would accomplish his work in them, and bring them through. This I believe is the sealing of the holy Spirit of promise; and now my mind felt such a confidence in the unchanging love of God through Jesus Christ, in whom the promises are all "yea and amen," that I thought if all the ministers in the world would unite in speaking against the perseverance of those who are united to Jesus, they could not shake my comfortable hope. I now no longer depend

ed upon my frames and feeling for my hope of eternal happiness, but upon the unchangeable covenant of grace, wherein the Lord has promised never to leave nor forsake his people, and that he will put his fear in their hearts, and they shall not depart from him; that sin shall not have dominion over them," being "not under the law but under grace;" and that where the Lord begins a good work, he will carry it on to perfection. Now for a long time I went on my way rejoicing, and was encouraged to unite with others in religious societies, and began one weekly in my father's house, led in prayer, and read sermons to the people, who filled the house every time. And when I could get ministers to come I did, and was much encouraged to go on. Mr. Robert Smith, the minister at Pequea, who kept a grammar school, and was earnestly engaged to promote the cause of his blessed Master, sent me an invitation to come to his institution; promising to assist me in every way to obtain a classical education. I did earnestly entreat the Lord to direct me, and having a desire to be useful to my fellow mortals, and hoping this was an opening, and the way to be more so than in private life, I immediately gave up my business and went. Now I thought no exertions could be too great to accomplish this object, and did study night and day, until I became so unwell that the most noted physician we had told me, if I did not quit my studies, and go to active business again, I would soon die. This was like a dagger to my heart; but I had good reason to believe it was so; and therefore had to give up, and attend to my business again; and now concluded I would attend religious societies, and do all I could in a private way."

Here Mr. Eastburn's narrative ends abruptly. He probably intended to continue it, but for some reason, which cannot now be disco

vered, he never resumed his pen. His subsequent life, however, was so fully known to some still living, and for the greater part of the time, to the writer of this memoir, that there is no lack of the information necessary for continuing his biography.

(To be continued.)

TRANSLATION OF MARCK'S MEDULLA.

(Continued from p. 54.)

XIII. Acquired natural Theology is that which is obtained from observing the works of Creation; and this in a threefold manner, that is, in reference to Causality, Eminence, and Negation. Many passages of Scripture speak of some knowledge of God acquired in this manner. Ps. xix. 1, 2, 3-"The heavens declare the glory of God: and the firmament sheweth his handy work. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard." Acts xiv. 17-"Nevertheless, he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." Acts xvii. 2527-"Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing; seeing he giveth to all, life, and breath, and all things; and hath made of one blood all nations of men, for to dwell on all the face of the earth; and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us." Rom. i. 20"For the invisible 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: so that they are without excuse."

XIV. In acquiring this kind of Theology, we ought not to comVOL. VI.-Ch. Ad.

mence with universal scepticism, so as to doubt even the existence of God; for however this method of proceeding may be palliated, it is useless, impossible, and impious; because it abstracts us for a time from the worship of God, and eventually proves very dangerous; since after a man has been accustomed to reason in this way, he will not easily perceive the force, nor admit the conclusiveness of the arguments, which establish the existence of a Deity or the being of God.

XV. If by the Idea of God, be meant that innate faculty by which, in whatever manner, we come to perceive that there is a God, the expression is admissible. But if it is intended to express an actual and adequate representation of God to the mind, even from infancy, it is to be utterly rejected. The argument, moreover, from the universal dictate of conscience in mankind, while it is sound proof for the existence of God, can scarcely be said to arise from any distinct perception, or definite idea, that any individual may possess; for the mind can imagine a variety of things, which have no existence, and may often attribute properties to things, which do not properly belong to them.

Note to Sect. XIII.

This distinction is usually ascribed to Dionysius the Areopagite, the same, who when in Egypt, saw an eclipse of the sun contrary to nature, at the period when the Saviour of the world was suffering on the cross, and remarked, "Aut Deus na

turæ patitur, aut mundi machina dissolvetur." "Either the God of Nature is suf fering, or the machinery of the world will be destroyed."

The process is thus: Whenever I think of any thing as dependent (so all crea tures are dependent on the Creator) the principle of Causality next determines me to think that no perfection can exist in the dependent effect, which did not before exist in the independent cause. I then observe that there is no perfection of the creature with which there are not mingled many imperfections; but these can 0

never enter into the character of the independent Creator. I therefore deny these of Him. This is Negation. Every imperfection being removed, nothing but perfection is left. Whatever perfection then in God I can conceive of, I endeavour to amplify with all the powers of my mind, and ascribe it in the highest degree to God. This is Eminence, or Amplification-For example,

I observe that creatures have in them a principle of Duration. The Creator must therefore be enduring in his nature. But the duration of creatures is dependent, finite, and contingent. By Negation I judge that these qualities do not belong to the independent Creator. By Eminence therefore I infer that God must endure in an infinitely perfect manner, i. e. forever. Thus I establish the divine attribute of Eternity. Examples via Causalitatis may be found, Ps. xciv. 9-"He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?" Acts xvii. 28, 29-"For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device." Via Negationes, Num. xxiii. 19 "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" Via Eminentia, Matt. vii. 11-"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" Isaiah Iv, 8, 9-"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." 1 Tim. vi. 15-" Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords." The Via Causalitatis is indeed only another name for the argumentum a posteriori of theologians, contained substantially in the passages quoted in the section. Thus: marks of intelligence, wisdom, and design, abound in the visible creation. But every effect must have a cause, The visible creation must therefore have an intelligent, wise, and designing First Cause, See Paley's Natural Theology.

(Note to Sect. XIV.)

Des Cartes, not satisfied with the arguments commonly alleged for the existence

of God, invented a new mode of demonstration, the first step of which was perfect scepticism. "Should any one," says he, "propose to himself to doubt about God, with the intention of persisting in his doubts, he commits a great sin, so long as he desires to remain in doubt on so momentous a subject. But if any choose to doubt in order to prepare the way for arriving at a clearer knowledge of the truth, he does nothing inconsistent either with piety or honesty, for no one can will an end without willing also the means for attaining it. That man does not sin, who with this object in view removes temporarily from his mind all his knowledge of God," &c.

But such a mode of reasoning is 1. Useless, because doubting as such, suggests no manner of proof of a Deity, and doubt as long as we will, we do not thereby help ourselves to more or better arguments than we already had from the various sources of Conscience, the Senses, Reason, and Universal Consent; while the force and value of these arguments can be better estimated, if we first suppose that God exists.

2. Impossible, because the belief of the existence of God is an innate, radical principle, which can be destroyed only with the mind itself. By its very nature it precludes the possibility of doubtingReal atheism, if such there be, is partial insanity.

3. Impious, because for the time being, the sceptick must be a practical atheist. "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God." To doubt the existence of God is to be practically "without God," and of course "without hope" of salvation. Our dependence on God and obligations to him, bind us to love, honour, fear, worship, and obey him continually ; but this mode of preparing for argumentation sunders at a single stroke all these ties, and makes us the most wicked of beings. It is of no avail to say the end is good; we must not do evil that good may

come.

4. It is very dangerous, for if we doubt of this fundamental truth, for the same reason and with equal right we may doubt of all other innate, fundamental truths; though so clear that nothing clearer can be brought to prove them. We should thus give the whole vantage ground to atheists and scepticks. They would erect on it an impregnable fortress, and fight us with the weapons which we have ignominiously surrendered.

Des Cartes himself, after perplexing himself with doubt for nine years, declared his fear that his undertaking was so arduous as to forbid to most men the expedi ency of imitation.