to the sinful suggestion? "God forbid !" and, ascribing all to the divine immutable will, he adds-" so then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy."

Again; is there unrighteousness in God in the decree of election? It cannot be. For this is an act of mere love, of undeserved favour: it is what God could have no motive to out of himself. And where is the violation of justice in an act of pure, unmerited favour? As we have intimated before, on this branch of predestination, in allusion to human choice, Who is disposed to blame the man who voluntarily makes his election of favorites, servants, and others, to the exclusion of those, perhaps, equally deserving his regard? It cannot be an unjust act; because they who are passed by had no claim to his favour, or to familiarity with him.

And can there be unrighteousness with God in the decree of reprobation? Man came out of the hands of his Creator pure and holy. Cursed be the thought, that the author and giver of life, was, or could be, the author and inspirer of that which is eternally opposed to his incommunicable essence! In the state in which he stood on the morning of the creation, he continued, notwithstanding the decree, till by his own act he rebelled against God, and became the subject of sin,-not in consequence of the decree, but by his own inventions. If we consider man in his fallen estate, as involved in sin and misery, what obligation was there on God's part to save any of the sinful race which had destroyed themselves? There would have been no unrighteousness in God had he condemned the whole: then, can it be unjust to pass by some, while he shews mercy towards others? Let our opponents say whether it is an act of injustice to have mercy on any! Let them account to us for the mysterious dispensations of providence, by which the divine judgments and mercies are distributed (according to blind reason) in unequal proportions; and we will attend-yea, we will give credit, to their bold declarations againsts the dealings of his grace!

Sin is the cause of death in all its various scripture significations -is the cause of eternal death, which is the inheritance of those "who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of God, and from the glory of his power." Who then shall persist in saying, that God damns man irrespective of sin? or, on another view of the awful subject, that God damns man because he will not believe and obey the gospel? "Positive reprobation (says the learned GILL,) is the decree or appointment to damnation: now as God damns no man but for sin, so he has decreed to damn no man but for sin; and if it is no unrighteousness in him to damn men for sin, as to be sure it is not, so it can be no unrighteousness in him to decree to damn any for it: upon the whole it appears, that whatever shew, upon first sight, there may be for a charge of unrighteousness against such a procedure of the Divine Being, there is no real foundation for it. The objection is to be treated with abhorrence and indignation."

It is to be lamented, that the revilers of Jehovah's decrees too often take licence to continue and increase their rebellious opposition, from the irreverent manner in which some ministers expatiate thereon, particularly in their public discourses. We have heard men express themselves on these matters in the pulpit, and their disciples in private, with as little seriousness as though their attention were engaged on carnal things of the most trivial nature. The mind cannot be well grounded in the knowledge of the evil of sin, in its origin and consequences, where this is the case, however high the imagination may soar in its grasp after mysteries; and we apprehend that such conduct, in some instances, indicates a total absence of saving knowledge: nor can sin be spiritually understood by those who, under its dire infatuation, presume to cavil at the decrees of him who hath "saved his people from their sins."

Oh! that the faith of God's elect were more abundant in the churches of the present day;-that there were a firmer resting on the covenant favour and promises of Jehovah ;—that there were more of the like "exceeding growth" in grace and love, as experienced in the church of the Thessalonians;-and that there were more of the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace! Then should we more generally witness the excellent fruits produced from spiritual knowledge; and the subject we have contemplated would produce more of those happy effects, described by the compilers of the thirty-nine articles, in these words:-"The godly consideration of predestination and our election in Christ is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly persons, and such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ, mortifying the works of the flesh, and their earthly members, and drawing up their mind to high and heavenly things; as well because it doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal salvation, to be enjoyed through Christ, as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God."

Let the despisers of the truth of God, whether professor or profane, be continually warned of the perilous ground on which they stand. May the latter hear, that "it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God:" and the former, if, like Pilate, they have enquired "what is truth?" and wilfully go on in sin, may they know," there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, (than is made) but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries!" It may be that the Lord will be gracious.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF THE SPIRITUAL MAGAZINE. Sir,

It was with feelings of peculiar gratification I heard the Rev. Dr. Hawker preach three sermons at Codicote, near this place, in one of which the venerable Doctor quoted Gen. iii. 22. and remarked that "the Man" there spoken of, though generally supposed to be the

first man, Adam, was not (said he) intended to refer to the first Adam, but to the second, the Lord Jesus Christ.

On reading the concluding verses of the chapter, there appeared to me much obscurity in this view of the subject, and my mind was exceedingly oppressed at the discovery. Should this meet the Doctor's eye, many in this neighbourhood, with myself, would feel honoured by his observations, through the medium of your Publication, further explanatory of the interesting passage.

Stevenage, Herts.

Your's truly,

(For the Spiritual Magazine.)

PHILALETHES.

THOUGHTS ON PETER'S FALL AND RECOVERY.

LUKE xxii.

REDEMPTION through the blood and righteousness of the Son of God, the Saviour of sinners, has ever been a theme replete with ennobling consolations, ever since angel's sang creation's morn. In this source all blessedness centers; and though the subject is full of mystery, our adorable Jehovah has graciously been pleased to reveal something of its preciousness in the oracles of his grace, and in the experience of his saints; and countless multitudes have possessed, and numberless multitudes shall still possess safe anchorage on this immortal Rock of Ages, and eventually outride the rude tempests and stormy billows which shall assail them in their passage homewards, proving to the latest period of their contracted spheres, that he on whom their hopes are founded is faithful, unalterably faithful to his promise.

The sacred subject of redeeming love shines throughout the blessed pages of holy writ, as written with a sun-beam, so that he that runs (in the Lord's ways) may read it. Its rays are bright and dazzling; and, when they are emitted into the soul with their delightful effulgence and renovating influence, a heavenly peace ensues which constrains its possessor to exclaim in the language of David, "bless the Lord, O my soul, who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies."

The profoundest wisdom of man can never sound the depths, or measure the bounds of this all-impenetrable mystery of mysteries. And, after the most minute researches, however enlarged be the discoveries made to the soul by the illuminations of God the Holy Ghost, the grand topic remains still beclouded in mystery beyond the creature's power to scan; and the most favoured of the Lord will be constrained to join in unison with Job, and to say, that "none by searching can find out the Almighty to perfection."

Nothing can be known of our covenant Jehovah, and his immutable perfections, but what is revealed to faith in the word of inspiration, and accompanied by the supernatural and truly reviving influences of

God the eternal Spirit; who is the instructor of the heirs of glory. Other teachings are of no avail in the grand matter of salvation, because they are unprofitable and cheerless; yet, after all the light received from above-after all the enjoyments produced in the soul by this Almighty Agent, may it not be said, and truly, that "we.see but in part, we know but in part," comparatively, of what is to be revealed in the day of final consummation? Human wisdom in its utmost attainment must ever bow in subservience to the heaven-born principle of faith; or, as it is commonly repeated, where reason terminates, faith begins. It were a poor reason to adduce for the renunciation of a generally received and avowed truth, because it cannot be mathematically demonstrated so as to meet the shallow views of sense, it must therefore be rejected as unworthy credence. If it be impossible to comprehend the complicated laws of our Creator, and to fathom the astonishing power and wisdom he hath displayed in creating, sustaining, and maturing to their fulness of growth, the blades of grass on which we tread, (and that it obviously is) how can a subject involving so glorious an event as the incarnation and atoning sacrifice of Jesus, be comprehended in its fullest import? Yet the event is nevertheless true. It is, for example, by the exercise of faith the disciples of the cross know that God exists in a Trinity of Persons in one divine and indivisible essence; but the real nature and manner of this existence must ever remain concealed; nor is it important for us to know it. Secret things belong unto God. It has been his pleasure to veil in impenetrable shades what is not essential for his creatures to know. The purposes of love are infinite, infrustrable, and eternal in their origin, nature, and design. The most consummate skill hath devised them to a certain end, worthy of the grand cause. Let the enemies of the cross remember this, that though they may scoff at the saints for a season; and, inspired with wild malevolent rancour of the lowest extraction, they may watch for their halting in their heavenly career; the reflection that they have been but as scaffolding to rear the building, or instruments in the hands of satan of inflicting what they had supposed would be for evil, but which the Lord had overruled for good-let such also remember that the reflection that they have been instruments of usefulness to the saints (though they had contrariwise intended it) will hereafter sting them with the most bitter remorse and anguish; and that the manifestly exalted stations of the persecuted, will be a sad ingredient in their woeful cup, the contents of which they will be ever drinking throughout eternity. Ah! it is a fearful thing to tread on the thick bosses of Jehovah's buckler-it is awful daring to touch the apple of his eye!

So truly amazing is the extent of covenant love, that no event shall transpire but what shall be sanctified in so gracious a way, as in the end to be productive of real good to the saints, and to the glory of God.

(To be continued in our next.)

REVIEW.

Letters to a Friend, containing the Writer's Objections to his former Work, entitled, Dialogues on Important Subjects, published in 1819; together with his Reasons for Believing in the Proper Deity of the Son of God, and the Divine Personality of the Holy Ghost. By James Harrington Evans. Nisbet.

THE "riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ," are among the higher attainments of the Lord's people, which few, comparatively, arrive at in their wilderness state." Greater blessings cannot be desired by, nor conferred on the subjects of grace, than this ample supply of divine knowledge, with its blissful concomitants. Here are expressed all that the soul can experience of divine communications; and that which keeps the believer stedfast in the faith, and honest in the sight of God and before men. But, alas! where shall we search, with success, for the church of whom it may be said that "these things are in them and abound?" And how small is the number of those ministers who, with the great apostle in his address to the Colossians, are exercised with "great conflict" that these privileges should be experienced!

In proof of the grievous inroad doctrinal error has made within these few years, we have an instance before us in the acknowledgment of Mr. Evans. This gentleman having for certain reasons broken connection with the established church, came forth as a minister in the dissenting interest; when, proceeding from error to error, he in the course of a short time ran into the mazes of sabellianism. It appears by the retractation, now published, that he has renounced the "indwelling scheme," and become an advocate of the great doctrine of three divine persons in the one living and true God.

Mr. Evans's present views, and his detail of the circumstances which conduced to a return from his former errors, are not fully satisfactory to us; neither do we consider his statements of the particular subject of his Letters to be in strict accordance with scripture language. Having examined the volume very closely, we are under the necessity of repeating, that there is lacking through the whole, what must ever appear to us indispensable, to a well-grounded, spiritual acknowledgment of the fundamental article of the christian faith. That according to the correct reasoning of this writer, the human mind may be brought to a belief in the doctrine of the Trinity, we must allow; and that it is highly to be commended when persons do as he has done, compare spiritual things with spiritual, and by this means form more correct notions of revealed truth than they have hitherto had, we most readily grant;-but this may be, and in innumerable instances we fear is done, where the personal agency and efficacious operations of God the Holy Ghost are not really known.

VOL. III.No. 31.

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