with their earthly members, mentioned by the apostle, the " flesh ftriving against the fpirit, and the fpirit against the flesh." This is that ftrait gate, by which all that wish to enter muft have more than human ftrength and affiftance. Here dangers prefent themselves on every fide, and however vigilant or circumfpect the Christian may be, he will find it difficult, if poffible, to efcape them. Nay, to prove victorious over any one enemy of our falvation, either the world, the flesh, or the devil, is a work of too arduous an undertaking for human ftrength alone to effect: and whereinfoever any one has happily fucceeded in this attempt, he ought to fay not unto me, O Lord, not unto me, but unto thy name give the praife." For certainly we must acknowledge it was God's grace that was fufficient for us herein, and that we endured the trial of our faith, by being comforted with the rays of his fpiritual prefence, and fupported by his almighty hand. It is true, to ftrive and watch against fin is a part man is expected to perform, but victory must be afcribed to God. Created we were by the hand of heaven, and breathed into life by the fpirit of the living God; but our falvation will only be effected by the help of the fame Spirit cooperating with our own endeavours.

The Spirit of God at firft quickened, or animated the lifelefs clay, but man being thus formed, has it in his own power to choose whether this heavenly inhabitant fhall continue with him or not. To this purpose are all the promises and exhortations of fcripture, to fhew that man is not a meer inftrument purely to be acted upon, but a creature fufceptible of different paffions, and that may be influenced by hopes and fears; coherent with this is the admonition before us, to awaken our attention to the great business of

our falvation, because many, who now esteem it a matter of little moment, will hereafter be convinced of their error at the irreparable lofs of their immortal fouls. The voice of God to man, as conveyed in his facred word, is uniformly this: "work out your own falvation," and then the Lord will shew himself gracious unto you by

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working in you to will and to do of his own good pleasure. Hence then every reasonable unprejudiced perfon may difcern, how vain it is for any to expect a refidence with God, and the blessed above, and yet never do any thing in order to obtain it. How every perfon difcovers his imbecillity, or rather manifefts his prefumption, that confides in a bare belief of Christ's perfect atonement and facrifice for fin, for pardon and acceptance with God. This, though the nobleft inftance of divine goodness ever manifested to the world, and without which we had been moft miferable, requires practice on our part to answer the purpose for which it was intended; viz. the falvation of all the fons and daughters of Adam. Forbid it that God's goodness, or Christ's love to us, in this glorious work of man's redemption, fhould afford matter either for the Antinomian prefumptiously and arrogantly to abufe, or the Socinian blafphemously to con

temn.

Rather whilft these split upon the deftructive rocks of finful-fecurity and infidelity, let us adore the riches of God's grace to us in the person of his Son, and walk as those that are redeemed by his blood. Let us, with the heavenly tribe, be astonished at this ineffable contrivance of divine wisdom; whereby man has an opportunity of becoming an heir of immortality, and a joint heir with Chrift. Let us evidence our faith in this loving Sa viour, by a steady adherence to his facred precepte, and a contant pric

tice of what he enjoins: knowing affuredly that we are then the true fervants of Chrift, and a right only to that name, as long as we continue to do whatfoever he hath commanded us. Let not any content themselves then with the name of Christianity, and at the fame time be utter ftrangers to the power of it. Neither let any rifque their falvation upon this fuppofition, that a small portion of time is fufficient to prepare ourselves for another world, and that if we feek at laft for admittance into the kingdom of heaven, God is fo merciful, we fhall not be denied. This is a delufive hope, void of any firm foundation. Devote the prefent moment then, O unthinking finner, to immortal concerns, and refufe no longer the means God ufes for thy converfion; left, if thou neglect the prefent feafon of grace, thou make one of those many that will hereafter " feek to enter in at the strait gate, but shall not be able." Reflect upon thy dying hour, as though it was at hand, and think how incapable thou mayeft then be to fecure the, happinefs of thy departing foul, and how improbable it is that God will be intreated by thee. How inexpreffibly afflicting will be thy grief to have omitted every thing that would recommend thee unto God, or give thee an intereft in his Son, and at laft to fay in bitterness of foul, Lord, Lord, open unto me, and have no other nfwer than this, depart from me thou irreclaimable finner, thou worker of iniquity.

What a heart-piercing forrow will it then be to every such an one to think, of having fo neglected the means of grace, and done defpite to the Spirit of God, that neither the one nor the other is any longer left for his recovery.

How can the lamentation of a perfon thus deferted by his God be defcribed? What conpunction of mind? what felf-condemnation,

muft he experience, when he shall fee the gates of heaven open to his view, but not for his reception! Hence then let fuch as are ftriving to get the mastery over fome particular evils, they find themfelves moft addicted to by nature, be earnestly perfuaded not to grow remifs in their Chriftian conflict, or to be at eafe in Zion, because they find it difficult to conquer them; but keep preffing forwards towards: the mark of the prize of their high calling of God in Chrift Jefus. And for their encouragement herein, God has promifed to perfect his ftrength in their weakness, and to enable them, by his power, to perform all things. Let fuch likewise as have never yet began in earnest to feek after God and divine things, now fhew themfelves zealous in his caufe; because by this means only they can both obtain that peace which paffeth all understanding, as well as be poffeffed of a fure and certain hope of enjoying that reft, which remaineth for the fervants of God. ADMONITOR.

A PARAPHRASE ON THE FIRT ARTICLE ON THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

Itaque pro hac fide, at viros decet zelo Dei accenfos, fortiter decertemus; inque ipfe ad extremum ufque vitæ halitum contanter perfeveremus. Quod faxit Deus. Let us therefore bravely contend for this faith (viz. the Nicene) as it becomes men inflamed with an koly zeal for God; and let us conftantly perfevere in it to the end of our lives, God grant we may.-Bishop Bull's Defenfio Fidei Nicænæ, ad finem,

OF FAITH

IN THE HOLY TRINITY.

T

TH

HERE is but one living and true God (when confider'd in

7

A

Unity, Mark 12, 32. 1 Cor. 8, 4. 1 Theff. 1, 9. From (everlafting to everlasting.) P. 90, 2.) Without body, parts or paffions, (or to speak pofitively, a pure and perfect Spirit. Joba 4, 24) of infinite power, wifdom, and goodness. Matt. 19, 26. P. 147, 4. PS 52, 1. the maker and preferver (or Juftainer) of all things both visible and invifible I. 44, 24. Neb. 9, 6. Heb. 1, 3. And in the unity of this Godhead (or divine nature) there be three perfons (Hypoftates or fubfiftances, Heb. 1, 3.) of the fame effence, power, and eternity, i John 5, 7. fdiftinguished in fcripture by the names and perfonal characters of) the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft: Matt. 28, 19. † (and by the different offices of Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier) Gen. 1, 27. Ij. 64, 8. Gal. 3, 13. Rev. 5, 9. Rom. 15, 16. 2 Theff. 2, 13. 1. Pet. 1, 2)

The above are first truths, and the real foundation of the Christian religion: And the firft error we are confequently expofed to, is that of holding the Unity of God in fuch a manner as to exclude all perfonality; that of speaking and reafoning of him, not as he has revealed himfelf, but according to our private and partial conceptions.

An Unity and Trinity is a mystery as to the manner of it, which is not revealed, probably to try our faith and fubmiffion; poffibly because above our prefent comprehenfion: notwithstanding which it is fufficiently clear in both the doctrine and the duty, and that is as far, I apprehend, as we are at prefent con

* When we confider God in Unity he is a'na'itios and pana'itios, the original of all, himfelf without original.

When we confider God in Perfonality, we may fafely allow, that the Son of God was eternally begotten by the eternal incomprehenfible power and will of the Father; and that the holy Spirit was likewife eternally derived from the Father, by or through the Son, according to the eternal incomprehenfiale will of the Father.

cerned :-For fecret things belong unta the Lord our God, but the things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever. Deut. 29, 29.

The doctrine is no more than this plain affirmation-That in the divine nature there is unity and dif tinction: The Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: Thefe three are one. The duty from thence arifing is,

First, That we worship God in unity And fecondly, that we worship him in diftinction, or apply to him as Father, in office or divine œconomy, fupreme confervator and governor. Son, in office or divine economy, prophet, prieft, and king. Holy Spirit, in office or divine economy, Lord and giver of life, the affifter and fanctifier of the mind.

The humble man will ever feek God in the way or method of his own appointing: And the fcriptures inform us, that we have ac cefs to God, through Chrift, and by the Spirit. Eph. 2, 18. The Spirit (by which) dwells in and affifts the faithful; and Chrift (through whom) is our advocate with the Father; who (as fupreme governor) is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity.

N. B. As to the real diftinguithing effence of God, we certainly can have no idea of it; nor indeed of the effence of any other being or fubftance, whether material or fpiritual; and I think, this equal and perfect unity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghoft, may be beft conveyed to the mind and illuftrated by the unity arifing from their thoughts and purposes. (Comp. John 17, 21, 22, 23. And Acts 4, 32. For as thefe three infinite perfons must be actuated by the fame one infin e mind; confequently they may be confidered and worshiped as one in effence (or in that which diftinguishes and confitutes Deity, however incomprehenfible to us) and yet as three in agency.

JOHN WEDDRED. Shen, Leicesterihire, June 16.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE NEW CHRISTIAN'S MAGAZINE.

Gentlemen,

To endeavour to refcue the memory of the illuftrious dead from the poisoned arrows of envious livers, is a tribute due to individuals, and a juft debt to the community. In your laft Number, under the life of the late worthy Dr. Pearce, bishop of Rochefter, you have obferved, that, as his lordfhip's ftrange defire, of refignation, could not be traced from avarice, it was attributed by fome to vanity : and he was fufpected of afpiring to the antiquated praife, if fuch a thing can happen, of contempt of wealth, in folitary retirement. I am very happy to do juftice to fo venerable a character, by producing a letter under his own hand, a proof to the contrary-an inconteftible one, fince it was wrote to one, who was a perfect ftranger to him, and therefore muft convey his genuine fentiments upon this head, as there was not the leaft probability of its being made public; efpecially as he prefaces it with that folemn declaration, that as every clergyman ought, he had all his life long made thofe facred writings. the chief object of his ftudies. The natural conclufion therefore, is, that his wish for refignation, was from a defire of continuing to make them the chief object of his ftudies, as well knowing them to be the crown of his hoary age; but, I haften to transcribe the letter, and conclude myfelf, with great respect,

Your conftant reader,

and well-wisher, EUSEBIUS.

July 30th, 1783.

I

Bromley in Kent, July 17, 1764. Rverend Sir,

Received your letter of the 9th inftant, and wish that I could answer it more to your fatisfaction. The Newspapers have, indeed, taken great liberties, upon very little grounds, of mentioning my name at different times, for fome months paft, and particularly have faid, that I am engaged in writing notes upon the holy fcriptures. It is true, that as every clergyman ought, I have all my life long made thofe facred writings the chief object of my studies, and have prepared fome things which may be of ufe towards the better understand. ing of the four Gofpels, and the Acts of the Apoftles: But, when I fay this, I do not mean that it is fo prepared as to be fit for the press. To do this, requires more leisure than I can poffibly find in the stations wherein I am placed, and from both which, I have humbly requested of his majesty, that I might be difmiffed, upon account of my age and infirmities, and fpend the short remains of that life, which it shall please God to continue to me, in a state of retirement, fupported only by my own private fortune. This request, however, has not been complied with, and I fubmit to whatever my fuperiors think proper.

As for a commentary on the Bible, it seems too great a work for one man, at leaft, for a man fo far advanced, beyond 70 years, as I am. If you, Sir, in your studies have been fo fuccefsful, by the

blefing

bleffing of God, as to have dif covered in the holy fcriptures, what may be of the utmost confequence towards the defence of Christianity, particularly by dif covering fuch a period of time, for the continuance of the defolation of the Jews, &c. I heartily with, that the discovery may be attended with all the advantages of every fort, which may be reaped from it, by you, and the rest of mankind.

I have never made the prophecy of Daniel, concerning the 70 weeks, any particular object of my ftudy; knowing nothing hitherto, on that important point, but what the most eminent among the learned have advanced.

Your gratitude to heaven for the great deliverance which you formerly had from the fire, is very commendable; and I heartily pray to Almighty God to bless all your ftudies with fuccefs :

I am, Reverend Sir,
Your very refpectful
and humble fervant,
ZY. ROCH'.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE NEW CHRISTIAN'S MAGAZINË.

Gentlemen,

Obferving in your Magazine for May laft, a quere propofed, "Whether there be Ordination in Marriage." I have taken the liberty of fending you my thoughts on that fubject, which if thought worthy a place in your truly inftructive and beneficial Magazine, they are offered with all the deference that youth can fuggeft, and by inferting them you may, perhaps, oblige others of your Subscribers, as well as

Your most humble Servant,
W. M.
Salisbury, Aug. 4, 1783.

THAT marriage is honourable,

well pleafing and acceptable in the fight of God, is what 1 preVOL. II. No. 13.

fume few will deny, feeing it was firft inftituted by him at the creation of man, fanctioned by Chrift, whilft in the flesh, and confirmed as good by most of the apostles: Yet from this for many to take occafion to fay, that God does preordain who fhall marry, and with whom they fhall marry, and confequently they will or can marry no other, is oppofite to fcripture and right reafon. For this doctrine (beldes deftroying the free will of man) unavoidably lays us under a neceffity of conceiving God as preordaining the means and end of the union and marriage of every perfon; and thereby often pre-ordaining fin; for if we but a moment turn our eyes to conjugal focieties, and take a tranfient view of the many unhappy matches this Ifland of Great Britain abounds with, we fhall there fee, I am afraid, mifery and unhappiness ftrongly ftampt in many families, fufficient to convince us, that God never ordained their union. In this view how many fhall we see taking matrimony as a cloak for crimes, while others by jarring difcontent, quarrellings, and broils, too often plainly diftinguish the first year, from the firft week after marriage; and, ind.ed, if we turn our eyes from this fcene of woe, to one more pleafing, though not lefs finful, and fee the means which bring many of thofe unhappy. wretches to the, altar; there we may obferve a natural third after riches, honour, or pleafufe, leads fome, whilft a blind mistaken paffion, the will of parents, or the confequences of a preceding crime, which by marrying, they intend to hide; force others to join hands with thofe whom God never intended they fhould marry, and, perhaps, many themfelves never wished to have, married. Can we fuppofe, therefore, that a pure, holy, and happy Being, fhould

S