in the most undisguised and public manner. Hs died in 1609. His followers, the Remonstrants, or Arminians, have in general gone much farther than he did in their sentiments on the Five Controverted Points; and few of them have imitated the modest, serious, and candid spirit which breathes in his writings. It is worthy of observation, that Arminius strenuously insisted that his doctrine was agreeable to the Confessions of the Protestant Churches (among which he particularizes the English); and that the doctrine of Calvin, Zanchius, Gomarus, &c. was inconsistent with those Confessions. These assertions, in my humble opinion, he completely failed to substantiate. I hope your correspondont B. L., will forgive me, if I' inform him that every sentence (except the reference to Luther on the Galatians) in his short letter contains some erroneous assertion, or inaccurate statement. A person who writes for the public eye, especially in a work whose circulation is so extensive, should feel it a duty, previously to become acquainted with his subject. I am, dear Sir, &c. S. THOUGHTS ON GOOD WORKS The Christian who is zealous of good works, will delight in the law of the Lord, after the inward man. It will be his meat and his drink to do the will of his heavenly Father. O! How I love thy Law!" will be the frequent breathing of his devout mind; it is my meditation all the day!' The concern of his heart about making progress in practical religion, will be as sincere and steady as if his justification before God, and his title to life eternal, absolutely depended on that progress. I count not myself to have apprehended, said the holy apostle, after the most eminent attainments; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Cæsar's maxim, That there was nothing done while there remained any thing to be done, is a dangerous maxim in a mind like his, ambitious of power and possessed of splendid military talents. But it is a safe and invigorating principle in a renewed heart, and bears the mind onward, and onward still, in the hallowed career of mortifying, through the Spirit, the deeds of the body; of doing justly, of loving mercy, and of walking humbly with our God. Wherever this pure zeal inflames the soul, it will discover its strength in the corresponding activity of useful life. The mind will not be satisfied with cherishing holy and benevolent feelings, and suggesting plans of goodness. Neither tender sensibilities, nor the tears of sympathy, nor purposes of heart, will clothe the naked, nor feed the hungry. They are only suitable preparations for deeds of substantial kindness. What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath zeal and feeling,-and have not works? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you, under the impulse of the tenderest meltings of sympathy, and in accents soft as the descending dew on a fleece of wool, taking him with a brother's affectionate grasp by the hand, whisper in his ear, Depart in peace, be warmed, be filled ;-notwithstanding you gave him not, though in the power of your hand to do it, those things which are needful to the body, that doth it profit? It is, therefore, to deeds of ripened goodness that we are to look for scriptural and satisfying evidence of the existence and vigour of this holy zeal in the heart. This heavenly principle will also enable him to meet, manfully to oppose, and finally to overcome, difficulties in the performance of his duty. The authority of God and the love of his Saviour will constrain him, when his enemy hungers, to feed him; when he thirsts, to give him drink; and thus to melt down with coals of fire from heaven the sullen stubborn corruptions of his heart. This zeal will induce him to deny to himself many of the comforts of life, and to shut up every unnecessary sluice of expenditure, that he may swell the little rivulet of beneficence to the widow and orphan. He will labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. The ingratitude of others will not damp his ardour. He looks for his reward to a higher source than the human heart; and commits not his encouragement in doing good to man, for he knows what is in man. Like the tree planted by the rivers of water, his soul, a tree of righteousness planted on the margin of that river, Redeeming Love, the streams whereof make glad the city of God, bringeth forth his fruit in his season, regardless of the hand that plucks it.-What difficulties are to be overcome in reconciling enemies,-in pleading the poor man's cause before affluent pride and covetousness,-in preserving a pure conscience and clean garments in the midst of a polluting world, - in these exercises which our Lord denominates the plucking out of right eyes, and the cutting off of right hands, they only know who have made the experiment; and they only will overcome who are zealous of good works. In a word, this man will consider the great end of living as lost, while he lives not to God by obeying his holy laws. For this end, he knows that he was created; for this end, that he was redeemed; for this end, that he was renewed by the Holy Ghost; for this end, that the ordinances of religion were instituted, and have been preserved in the church; and that for this end are set before our minds the exceeding great and precious promises of future glory and blessedness. Should this end not be gained, he will consider his life as a blank, barren of improvement and blotted with guilt. If this object, therefore, on which his renewed heart is so passionately and steadily fixed, be not in the largest possible measure gained, life will lose its value, and what chiefly endeared it to his soul. Let us cherish in our bosom this sacred principle of zeal for primitive sanctity. The Pharisees were a popular body of professors in the Jewish church, and distinguished for their zeal. But our Lord hath assured us, that except our righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, in purity of motive, and in zeal for the weighty matters of the law, we shall in no case enter into the kingdom of Heaven. The authority of God our Creator and Redeemer lies upon us; and his law, which is holy, just, and good, requires that we love and serve him with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind. This is the hallowed ardour which will inspire evangelical obedience,-obedience which is universal, reaching to every statute of the divine law, and engaging every faculty of the human mind; combining, regulating, and sustaining all their energies.-The matchless love of God our Saviour in our redemption, should warm our hearts with zealous attachment to his holy commandments. Standing before his cross, and while we muse on his love, the fire will burn within us, and in David's impassioned words we shall exclaim O Lord, truly, we are thy servants, thou hast loosed our bonds.'-The honour of God and the credit of our holy religion are closely connected with our zealous promotion of true holiness. Herein, said Jesus, is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is Heaven.A slothful and lukewarm spirit is very offensive to God. Thou wicked and slothful servant'-wicked because slothful. The sentence of the Saviour against the church at Laodicea, strongly marks the loathsome nature of a dull and listless mind in his service. The recollection of the zeal and activity by which we were hurried on in the way of folly and sin, should arouse our minds to fill up the few years, if years yet remain, with works of faith and labours of love.-And let the near prospect, which every day brings nearer, of the rich, the free, the lasting reward, support, enliven, and purify the soul in her glorious career of goodness. What a heaven of felicity will these words convey and secure! Well done! good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord!'-Light is sown for the righteous, gladness for the upright in heart. Let us therefore be steadfast and immoveable, always abonndiug in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as we know that our labour is not in vain in the Lord, THE BENEFIT OF FEMALE PENITENTIARIES A Letter from J. Campbell Esquire, Dear Sir, Edinburgh, January 31, 1809. I AM Sorry to observe, by your letter received this morning, that any attempt should be made to prejudice the public against an Institution so evidently conducive to the well-being of the unfortunate objects of its protection and of society at large, as the Penitentiary. I cannot persuade myself that the attempt can prove successful, excepting with those who are looking about for an excuse to withhold their charity. The Institution here, under the blessing of Gon, has, I am certain, been productive of much individual happiness; and I do not think I trespass against charity when I express my belief that the proportion of those reformed by means of the Magdalene Asylum, to those who do not profit by the religious instruction there afforded them, will at least equal the proportion of the truly pious, to the careless and indifferent in general congregations professing Christianity. Supposing this to be accomplished, will it be accounted a small matter to have brought back a portion of the community who had been cast off and shunned like a contagious malady, and to have restored them to an equality, at least in point of worth, with Christians in general? My belief is, that serious impreessions are made on a greater proportion of the objects of this Institution than on people in general; but I would. plead the case high, and contend, that if the proportions are equal, the Institution must be most salutary. The General Statement of Admissions into and Discharges from the Edinburgh Asylum is as follows: 103 33 70 Deducting the number dismissed, there remain, as the proper objects of Charity Of these there are at present in the house Of these twenty-six, the great proportion have returned to vicious habits; but as none are entered here as behaving well who are not at present known to the master of the house, there may probably be several who have been reformed, though, from distant ́residence, no communication is preserved with them. One important point as to such has been proved, viz. That the instructions received in the Asylum, tho' forgotten by some for a time, do, in some instances, withdraw them ultimately from vice, and lead them to true penitence. A girl who went to service sometime ago, was induced to return to her vicious habits; but her constitution failing, and her mind being allowed to recoil upon itself, through the grace of God, a state of penitence and comfort followed; which satisfied the Minister who attended her, that, like Mary Magdalene, her sins were forgiven her. The number who have joined in communion cannot be stated, as few are encouraged to join till their sincerity has been tried by their conduct after returning to society. I have no doubt that the greatest number of the forty-one before mentioned, are now members of different churches. One of those who died was a member of the Tabernacle; and so much satisfied were the congregation of her sincere piety, that they defrayed the expence of her funeral. Of the twenty-eight now in service, I has been Eleven Years. 5 4 -- Nine I hope these statements will be satisfactory as to the good effects of the Institution. May I turn your attention to the small expence at which this good is obtained? The industry of the women produces from 127. to 147. each, on an average, per annum; being very nearly equal to the expenditure for their maintenance. The only expence, of course, which falls on the public, is, that of the Establishment. Even in a political view, where could these poor creatures be so economically maintained? Instead of living on the wages of sin, they live on the wages of Industry; and this adds to the amount of the wealth of the country. But, in a religious point of view, I know of no Charitable Institution so nearly assimilated to the mercy of God. It provides both for temporal comfort and eternal peace; and no argument, I apprehend, can be brought to bear against the principle of a Penitenitary House, that will not with equal force assail the mercy of Jehovah. I am, dear Sir, yours sincerely, JOHN CAMPBELL, |
