AN APPENDIX, &e.

AN objection is often urged against the Episcopal clergy in this country, which is thought to be a formidable one, and therefore it is very often repeated. It is, that the cler. gy of the Church here do not preach conformably to their own Articles. The Articles are claimed to be Calvinistic; whereas the clergy, in their preaching and in their writings, constantly oppose the Calvinistic doctrines. Let me expect the reader's attention to some brief observations upon this subject.

By Calvinistic doctrines, I shall take for granted, is to be understood, the doctrines of fore-ordination, unconditional election and reprobation, and those which are necessarily connected with them, namely, a partial atonement, irresistible grace, final perseverance, &c. When it is claimed that these doctrines are contained in the Articles of the Church, a particular reference is undoubtedly had to

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the 17th Article. It has often been shown by writers of the Church, that this Article does not necessarily imply or inculcate the doctrine of unconditional election and reprobation, without regard to foreseen obedience or disobedience. Indeed, there is not a word in the Article concerning an irreversible decree of reprobation, or of fore-ordination to everlasting death. All that has any bearing upon this point, is contained in five lines towards the latter part of the Article, and is as follows: "So, for curious and carnal persons, lacking the Spirit of Christ, to have continually before their eyes the sentence of God's predestination, is a most dangerous downfall, whereby the devil doth thrust them either into desperation, or into wretchlessness of most unclean living, no less perilous than desperation." The sense of this sentence is certainly somewhat obscure. Let us, however, examine it carefully, and see if we cannot discover its general meaning. "So, for curious and carnal persons, lacking the Spirit of Christ" that is, for wicked persons, destitute of an upright and gracious principle, cu

riously inquiring into secret mysteries, whilst they neglect their duty as plainly revealed : for such persons "to have continually before their eyes the sentence of God's predestination." Here we may observe, that it is supposed these persons may have the sentence of God's predestination continually before their eyes; consequently this sentence cannot be any secret decree, or determination, with respect to them; for if it were a secret decree or sentence, they could not have it thus before their eyes. What, then, must be understood by this sentence of predestination, which wicked persons may have continually before their eyes? I can rationally understand by it nothing more nor less, than that sentence of condemnation pronounced in the scriptures upon all wicked and ungodly persons; that divine decree, so often declared in the word of God, that the wicked shall forever perish ; that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God; "and that such as know not God, and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord,

and from the glory of his power." This is that general sentence of predestination, or condemnation, passed upon the ungodly in the holy scriptures. But this sentence, as it respects any individual, is not irreversible. For thus saith the Lord, "When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.” Now, for curious and carnal persons, lacking the Spirit of Christ; having no evidence, no reason to think, that they are in the favour of God, or that they are such as God has predestinated unto life, or determined to deliver from curse and damnation; for such persons to have the above mentioned sentence continually before their eyes, is to be in a most awful and dangerous condition; and of which the devil may take the advantage to thrust them into desperation, to induce them, from a view of their present sinful and dangerous state, to despair of God's mercy; or else to throw off all restraint, and presumptuously go on in their wickedness, which is "no less perilous than desperation."