what LUTHER would have us consider as the doctrine of perseverance render this less necessary, than it would be, if the doctrine were not true? The Arminian says, “If there is in myself nothing of holiness, I am in a state of condemnation." The Calvinist says the same. Whereas the doctrine in question asserts, that David, when absolutely destitute of holiness, was, nevertheless, in the covenant of grace; and, of course, that a person's finding in himself, at present, no exertion nor principle of piety, proves nothing against his being in the covenant of grace, nothing against his being an heir of glory. The Calvinist tells a professor, "If you entirely lose holiness, you are lost." The abetter of the new doctrine tells him, or may tell

him, consistently with his principles, "Every believer frequently becomes divested of all his holiness; and therefore your finding yourself destitute of holiness, at present, is no proof of your being unregenerate." The one makes perseverance in well doing necessary to salvation; the other does not.*

The writer assures the public, that the above remarks are by no means intended directly or indirectly to operate against the doctrine of saints' perseverance, but against an attempt to defend that doctrine on grounds, that he cannot but consider as unscriptural. J. C.

"It has been often suggested, that the Reformers themselves were at variance on the most important doctrines of the gospel; and that Luther and Calvin differed greatly in the fundamental articles of their creed. Whereas, except in the matter of Christ's presence in the Eucharist, all the eminent men among the reformers of that day, concurred in the same fundamental truths. As I have been charmed myself (says Dr. Hawis) with the plainness and sim

plicity of the testimony of Luther, exhibited in the following extract, I have produced it as the most conclusive proof of the sentiments of this great reformer.

"It is among our deepest miseries, and the proof of our sad declensions, that we, of latter times, have departed from "the faith once delivered unto the saints;" revived in that day in all its primitive glory and, thanks be to God, after long obscurity, again rising in its bright

ness in the present generation. May its great Revealer manifest his own almighty influence, and cause the word of truth to run and have free course, and be glorified throughout the world, "Erasmus had attacked Lu ther on the doctrines of predestination and grace; and according to the present cant of objectors, he urged, "What can be more useless than to publish this paradox to the world? namely, that whatever we do, is done, not by virtue of our own free will, but in a way of necessity, &c. What a wide gap does the publication of this tenet open among men, for the commission of all ungodliness? What wicked person will reform his life? Who will dare to believe himself a favourite of Heaven? Who will fight against his own corrupt inclinations? Therefore, where is either the need or the utility of spreading these notions from whence so many evils seem to flow?"

"To this Luther triumphantly replies, "If, my Erasmus, you consider these paradoxes (as you term them) to be no more than the inventions of men, why are you so extraordinarily heated on the occasion? In that case your arguments affect not me; for there is no person now living in the world, who is a more avowed enemy to the doctrines of men than myself.

But, if you believe the doctrines in debate between us to be, (as indeed they are) the doctrines of God; you must have bid adieu to all sense of shame and decency, thus to oppose them. I will not ask, whither is the modesty of Erasmus fled? but, which is much more important, where,

alas! are your fear and reverence of the Deity, when you roundly declare, that this branch of truth, which he has revealed from heaven, is at best useless, and unnecessary to be known? What shall the glorious Creator be taught by you his creature, what is fit to be preached, and what to be suppressed? Is the adorable God so very defective in wisdom, and prudence, as not to know, till you instruct him, what would be useful and what pernicious? Or could not Hɛ, whose understanding is infinite, foresee, previous to his revelation of this doctrine, what would be the consequences of his revealing it, till those consequences were pointed out by you? You cannot, you dare not, say this. If then it was the divine pleasure to make known these things in his word; and to bid his messengers publish them abroad, and to leave the consequences of their so doing to the wisdom and providence of him in whose name they speak, and whose messages they declare; who art thou, O Erasmus, that thou shouldest reply against God, and say to the Almighty, what doest thou? St. Paul, discoursing of God, declared peremptorily, whom he will he hardeneth: and again, God willing to shew his wrath, &c. And the apostle did not write this to have it stifled among a few persons, and buried in a corner; but wrote it to the Christians at Rome: which was, in effect, bringing this doctrine upon the stage of the whole world; stamping an universal imprimatur upon it: and publishing it to believers at large, throughout the earth. What can sound harsher in the un

circumcised ears of carnal men, than those words of Christ, many are called, but few are chosen? and elsewhere, I know whom I have chosen. Now these, and similar assertions of Christ and his apostles, are the very posi tions which you, O Erasmus, brand as useless and hurtful. You object, if these things are so, who will amend his life? I answer, without the Holy Ghost no man can amend his life to purpose. Reformation is but var nished hypocrisy, unless it proceed from grace. The elect and truly pious are amended by the Spirit of God: and those of mankind, who are not amended by him, will perish. You ask moreover, who will dare to believe himself a favourite of Heaven? I answer, it is not in a man's own power to believe himself such, upon just grounds, till he is enabled from above. But the elect shall be so enabled: they shall be enabled to believe themselves to be what indeed they are. As for the rest, who are not endued with faith, they shall perish; raging and blaspheming, as you do now. But, say you, these doctrines open a door to ungodliness? I answer, whatever door they may open to the impious and profane, yet they open a door of righteousness to the elect and holy, and shew them the way to heaven, and the path of access unto God. Yet you would have us abstain from the mention of these grand doctrines, and leave our people in the dark, as to their election of God. The consequence of which would be, that every man would bolster himself up with a delusive hope of a share in that salvation, which is supposed to

lie open to all: and thus genuine humility, and the practical fear of God, would be kicked out of doors. This would be a pretty way indeed of stopping up the gap Erasmus complains of! Instead of closing up the door of licentiousness, as is falsely pretended, it would be in fact opening a gulph into the nethermost hell. Still you urge, where is either the necessity or utility of preaching predestination? God himself teaches it, and commands us to teach it: and that is answer enough. We are not to arraign the Deity, and bring the motives of his will to the test of human scrutiny, but simply to revere both him and it. He who alone is all-wise and alljust, can in reality (however things appear us) do wrong to. no man; neither can he do any thing unwisely or rashly. And this consideration will suffice to silence all objections of truly religious persons. However, let us, for argument's sake, go a step farther. I will venture to assign, over and above, two very important reasons why these doctrines should be publicly taught: 1st. For the humiliation of our pride, and the manifestation of divine grace. God hath assuredly promised his favours to the truly humble. By the truly humble, I mean those who are endued with repentance, and despair of saving themselves: for a man can never be said to be truly penitent and humble, till he is made to know that his salvation is not suspended, in any measure whatever, on his own strength, machinations, endeavours, free will, or works: but entirely depends on the free pleasure, purpose, determina-

tion, and efficiency of another, even of God alone. Whilst a man is persuaded that he has it in his own power to contribute any thing, be it ever so little, to his own salvation, he remains in carnal confidence: he is not a self despairer, and therefore he is not duly humbled before God; so far from it, that he hopes some favourable juncture or opportunity will offer, when he may be able to lend an helping hand to the business of his salvation. On the contrary, whoever is truly convinced that the whole work depends singly and absolutely on the will of God, who alone is the author and finisher of salvation, such a person despairs of self-assistance: he renounces his own will and his own strength: he waits and prays for the operation of God: nor waits and prays in vain. For the elect's sake therefore these doctrines are to be preached: that the chosen of God, being humbled by the knowledge of his truths; self emptied and sunk into nothing as it were in his presence, may be saved in Christ, with eternal glory. This then is one inducement to the publication of the doctrine; that the penitent may be made acquainted with the promise of grace, and plead it in prayer to God, and receive it as their own. 2d. The nature of the Christian faith requires it. Faith has to do with things not seen. And this is one of the highest degrees of faith, stedfastly to believe that God is infinitely merciful, though he saves (comparatively) but few, and condemns so many; and that he is strictly just, though of his own will he makes uch numbers of mankind neces

sarily liable to damnation. Now these are some of the unseen things whereof faith is the evidence.

Whereas, was it in my power to comprehend them, or clearly to make out how God is both inviolably just, and infinitely merciful, notwithstanding the display of wrath, and seeming inequality in his dispensations, respecting the reprobate, faith would have little or nothing to do. But now since these matters cannot be adequately comprehended by us, in the present state of imperfection, there is room for the exercise of faith. The truths, therefore, respecting predestination in all its branches should be taught and published. They, no less than the other mysteries of Christian doctrine, being proper objects of faith, on the part of God's people."

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM DR. DODDRIDGE, TO MR. PEARSALL, OF TAUNTON, CONTAINING A REMARKABLE RELATION.

"THERE was a German, who laid himself out for the conversion of the Jews, lately in London, one of the most surprising linguists in the world: he formed a resolution, when but five years of age, of learning the languages in use amongst the Jews, without any reason that could be assigned; so that the pure Hebrew, the Rabbinical, the lingua Judaica, which differs from both, and almost all the modern languages of the then European nations, were as familiar to him as his own native tongue. With this furniture,

and with great knowledge of God and love to Christ, and zeal for the salvation of souls, he had spent twelve of the thirty-six years of his life in preaching Christ in the synagogues, in the most apostolic manner, warning the Jews of their enmity to God; of their misery, as rejected by him; of the only hope that remains for them, by returning to their own Messiah; and by seeking from him righteousness of life, and placing their souls under the sprinkling of the blood of that great sacrifice. God blessed his labours in many places! In Germany, Poland, Holland, Lithuania, Hungary, and other parts through which he had travelled, more than 600 souls owned their conversion to his ministry, many of whom expressed their great concern to bring others of their brethren to the knowledge of that great and blessed Redeemer; and besought him to instruct their children, that they might preach Christ also.

Dr. Doddridge adds, that he heard one of his sermons, as he repeated it in Latin: that he could not hear it without many tears; and that he told him that sermon converted a Rabbi, who was master of a synagogue.

Evan. Mag.

ANECDOTES,

A NOTORIOUS swearer, who was a sawyer, being employed in cutting coffin-boards, and finding one of the pieces of timber out of which they are cut harder than usual, said to his companien, "This is a d-d hard piece

it will make somebody a d-d good coffin." He had no sooner uttered these words, than he fell backward, and expired immediately. It is remarkable that his own coffin was made from that very piece of wood of which he had been speaking.

Serious matters, like death, should never be spoken of in a light and jocose, much less in a profane manner.

THE INSOLENCE OF INFIDELITY SILENCED BY THE TESTIMONY OF TRUTH.

A SCOFFING infidel of considerable abilities, being once in the company of a person of weak intellects, but a real Christian, and supposing, no doubt, that he should obtain an easy triumph, and display his ungodly wit, put the following question to him :"I understand, Sir, that you expect to go to heaven when you die: Can you tell me what sort of a place heaven is?" "Yes, Sir, replied the Christian, Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people; and if your soul is not prepared for it, with all your boasted wisdom you will never enter there."

For vain applause transgress not scripture rules;

A witty sinner is the worst of fools."

YOUTHFUL BENEVOLENCE.

In the institution of Saint Catherine at Petersburgh, under the direction of Madam Bredhoff, an elderly lady of distinguished talents and sweetness of disposition, the following little circumstance occurred :-In this institution, which is supported by the Empress dowager, a limited number of young ladies are admitted, free of expense, by