We have every reason to believe this to be our first stage of action; and as we are sent into the world with power or faculties of mind capable of improvement, but entirely destitute of every kind and degree of knowledge. If we therefore reason from experience, which is our surest guide, we have not even the shadow of probability to induce us to believe that the Deity will furnish us with any innate or intuitive knowledge in the next, or any subsequent stage of our existence. Every being except the Deity (whose knowledge is infinite) must be contented to gain it progressively; even the Saviour of the world made his entrance into it, like other children, and gained knowledge progressively, and was thirty years old before he became a public teacher. Now as God did not furnish him with innate or intuitive knowledge, we have no reasonable ground to expect that he will furnish our minds in this way, at any future period of our existence; which, instead of being a real blessing, would deprive us of much mental happiness, as the ingenious mind is exceedingly gratified by every new discovery made by its own operations.

But if we could, even in imagination, attend the ceremony of the introduction of one of our greatest men into the court of Heaven, in pres

ence of the great Creator and Governor of the universe, and myriads of celestial spirits, would he not feel more embarrassed, and many million times less qualified to appear there than the most ignorant savage would be to take a seat in the most learned society? Would not astonishment derange his mental faculties?.... Or would not a sense of his extreme ignorance sink him into despondency? What should we think of the conduct of a preceptor, who should transfer his pupils from the A. B. C. class, to the senior class in College? Is it not more reasonable, and more agreeable to scripture, to suppose that we shall be gradually prepared for such an astonishing scene by degrees? Christ informed his disciples, that in his Father's house there was many mansions, probably suited to the improvement made by individuals in this stage of action, and suitable provision made for their farther progress in the knowledge of future scenes, and the exercises in which they were next to be employed.

Was it for this purpose that the spirit of Christ, after his crucifixion, went and preached the gospel, that is, glad tidings to the spirits in prison, who had not heard the gospel in the flesh? And have we not the most positive pro

mise in the 31st chapter of Jeremiah, that the Lord will teach us in such an effectual manner, that all shall know him from the least to the greatest, when he will forgive our iniquity, and remember our sin no more? And in the 37th chapter of Ezekiel, we have a very particular account of the method which our gracious Creator will take to prepare the posterity of Jacob by degrees for this glorious translation; which we wish the Partialists to read with attention; for there the Lord promises, in the most unequivocal terms, that he will raise them up out of their graves, and put his spirit into them.... replace them in their own land as one nation.... and that David shall again be their king, who will be capable to instruct them in many things relative to futurity, much better than when he presided over them formerly.

It is certain that this prophesy has not yet been fulfilled, but it will be accomplished before the commencement of the millenium, when Christ himself shall preside, and be the instructor of the human race for one thousand years, at the expiration of which period it is probable that many will be much better qualified to make their appearance in Heaven, than they would be if they were to be immediately transmitted thither, from this present stage of existence.

During an intermission of two months, in which time weakness deterred me from writing, I was favoured with the perusal of a circular letter written by the Kent and Sussex Association of Baptist Churches; who profess to maintain the important doctrine of three equal persons in the divine essence....eternal and personal election to holiness here, and eternal life hereafter....the original guilt and depravity of mankind....particular redemption....free justification by the imputed righteousness of Christ alone.... efficacious grace in regeneration....and the perseverance of the saints to eternal glory. And also of a book containing the principles and doc. trines of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America. In the 60th page of which, they have undertaken to give us their doctrine or opinion of predestination, election, and reprobation. As both these schemes differ essentially from the Calvinistic hypothesis, I shall attempt to give a concise analysis of each in succession, that they may be more conveniently compared. Although much has been already said to expose the inconsistency of the Calvinistic scheme, new absurdities present themselves upon every re-examination.

Calvin defines predestination to be "the eternal decree of God, whereby he had it determin

ed with himself what he willed to become of every man; for all are not created to like estate, but some to eternal life, and some to eternal damnation is fore-appointed. Therefore, as every man is created to one or other end, so we say that he is predestinate either to life or death. This counsel, as touching the elect, we say .grounded upon his free mercy, without respect to the worthiness of man. But whom he appointeth to damnation, to them by his just, indeed, and irreprehensible, but also incompre hensible judgement, the entry of life is blocked up! Now in the elect, we set vocation to be the testimony of election, and then justification to be another sign on the manifest shewing of it, till they come to glory, wherein is the fulfilling of it. But as by vocation and election God ma. keth his elect, so by shutting out the reprobate either from the knowledge of his name, or the sanctification of his spirit, he doth, as it were, by these marks, open what judgement abideth for them." Which, according to his scheme, would be judgement contrary to the eternal principles of both justice and mercy.

Whenever a man can be prevailed upon to abandon the use of his reason so far as to believe that a just and merciful God did ever create even one human being on purpose to damn him eter