"The boar, out of the wood, doth waste it; and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.

"Return, we beseech thee, O God of Hosts! Look down from heaven, and behold and visit this vine;

"And the vineyard, which thy right hand hath planted; and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself!

"So will we not go back from thee: quicken us, and we shall call upon thy name.

"Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts! cause thy face to shine, and we shall yet be saved." Psalm 1xxx.

Never was description more strikingly expressive of the state our national church is at present in! Never was supplication more pertinently adapted to the lips of her genuine sons?

In vain do we lament the progress of Popery; in vain do we shut up a few private mass-houses; while our presses teem, and our pulpits ring, with the Romish doctrines of merit and free will: doctrines, whose native and inevitable tendency is, to smooth the passage for our fuller coalition with Antichrist. If we are really desirous to shun committing spiritual adultery with the mother of harlots, and abominations, we must withdraw our feet from the way that leadeth to her house.

Blessed be God, the doctrines of grace are again beginning to lift up their heads amongst us : a sign, it is to be hoped, that the Holy Spirit hath not quite forsaken us; and that our redemption,

from the the prevailing errors of the day, draweth near. Now, if ever, is the time for all who love our church and nation in sincerity, to lend an helping hand to the ark; and contribute, though ever so little, to its return.

The grand objection usually made to that important truth, which is the main subject of the ensuing sheets, proceeds on a supposition of partiality in God, should the Calvinistic doctrine be admitted. If this consequence did really follow, I see not how it would authorize man to arraign the conduct of Deity. Should an earthly friend make me a present of ten thousand pounds, would it not be unreasonable, ungrateful, and presumptuous in me, to refuse the gift, and revile the giver, only because it might not be his pleasure to confer the same favour on my next door neighbour?-In other cases, the value of a privilege or of a profession is enhanced by its scarceness. A virtuoso sets but a little esteem on a medal, a statue, or a vase, so common that every man who pleases may have one of the same kind: he prizes that alone as a rarity, which really is such; and which is not only intrinsically valuable, but which lies in few hands.-Were all men here upon earth, qualified and enabled to appear as kings, the crown, the sceptre, the robe of state, and other ensigns of majesty, would presently sink into things hardly noticeable. The distinguishing grandeurs of royalty, by ceasing to be uncommon would quickly cease to be august and striking. Upon this principle it was, that Henry

IV. of France, said on his birth-day, "I was born as on this day; and, no doubt, taking the world through, thousands were born on the same day with me yet, out of all those thousands, I am, perhaps, the only one whom God hath made a king. How signally am I indebted to the peculiar bounty of his Providence !"-Similar are the reflections and the acknowledgments of such persons as are favoured with the sense of their election in Christ to holiness and heaven.

"But what becomes of the non-elect?" You have nothing to do with such a question, if you find yourself embarrassed and distressed by the consideration of it. Bless God for his electing love, and leave him to act as he pleases by them that are without. Simply acquiesce in the plain scripture account; and wish to see no farther than revelation holds the lamp. 'Tis enough for you to know, that the Judge of the whole earth will do right. Yet will you reap much improvement from the view of predestination, in its full extent, if your eyes are able steadfastly to look at all which God hath made known concerning it. But if your spiritual sight is weak, forego the inquiry, so far as reprobation is concerned; and be content to know but in part, till death transmits you to that perfect state, where you shall know even as you are known. Say not, therefore, as the opposers of these doctrines did in St. Paul's days: "Why doth God find fault with the wicked? For who hath resisted his will? If he who only can convert them, refrains from doing it, what room

is there for blaming them that perish, seeing it is impossible to resist the will of the Almighty ?" Be satisfied with St. Paul's answer : "Nay, but who art thou, O man, that repliest against God?" The apostle hinges the matter entirely on God's absolute sovereignty. There he rests it; and there we ought to leave it.*

Were the whole of mankind equally loved of God, and promiscuously redeemed by Christ, the song which believers are directed to sing would hardly run in these admiring strains: To him that hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings

i

Some of the more considerate Heathens treated God's hidden will with an adoring reverence, which many of our modern Arminians would do well to imitate. Thus Bicn (Κλεοδ. και Μυρτ. 10.)

Κρίνειν εκ επεοικε θεηια ερσα βροτοισι.

'Tis not for man to sit in judgment on the actions of God.

So Theognis (voμ. 141, 142.)

Άνθρωποι δε μαλαια νομίζομεν, είδοξες δην.

Θεοι δε καλα σφέλερον παντα τελεσι νοον.

We men are foolish in our imagnations, and know nothing: But the gods accomplish all things according to their own mind.

And again, (Lin. 687, 688.)

Ουκ εσι θνητοις προς αθαναλες μαχέσασθαι,

σδε δίκην ειπειν, δεν τις θεμις.

'Tis not lawful for mortals to enter the lists with the gods, nor to bring in an accusation against them.

and priests unto God, &c. Rev. i. 5, 6. An hymn of praise like this, seems evidently to proceed on the hypothesis of peculiar election on the part of God, and of a limited redemption on the part of Christ; which we find still more explicitly declared, Rev. v. 9. where we have a transcript of that song, which the spirits of just men made perfect are now singing before the throne, and before the Lamb: Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us unto God by thy blood, OUT OF every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. Whence the elect are said to have been redeemed FROM AMONG men. Rev. xiv. 4.

In short, there is no such thing, as casualty, or accident, even in things of temporal concern ; much less in matters spiritual and everlasting. If the universe had a Maker, it must have a Governor, and if it has a Governor, his will and Providence must extend to all things, without exception. For my own part, I can discern no medium between absolute predestination and blank Atheism.

Mr. Rollin,* if I mistake not, has, somewhere, a fine observation to this effect: That "It is

* Since the above was written, I have met with the fine

passage to which it refers. "Providence delights to conceal its wonders under the vail of human operations." Rollin's Arts and Sciences of the Ancients, vol. 3. p. 480.

Mr. Hervey has likewise a most beautiful and judicious paragraph to the same effect; where, speaking of what is commonly termed accidental death, this admirable writer asks: "Was it then a random stroke? doubtless, the blow same from an aiming, though invisible hand. GOD presideth over the armies of heaven. GOD ruleth among the inhabi