However, we know that faith in the justice of God comes first, spiritual convictions next, faith in an imputed righteousness is then felt; pardon and peace appear as the fruits or effects of it; the sanctifying and comforting influences of the Holy Ghost sweetly operate on the soul; and then evangelical repentance flows in to bring up the rear. "I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: From all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers: and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses; and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you. And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more réproach of famine among the heathen." And now comes in gospel repentance. "Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loath yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and for your abominations." And now all boasting is excluded.

"Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel," Ezekiel

xxxvi. 24-32.

If they talk of patience, it is only patience in suffering, to establish their own righteousness; it is not the patience of Christ, for that is exercised under suffering for the sake of a righteousness already received; not to get one, or establish one of our own, but to hold fast one freely given. Patience under suffering for the truth is the patience of Christ; but patience to bear up under just and godly rebuke, for persevering in the work of error, is the patience of Satan, and is exercised in his cause; and he has wretched ends to answer in it.

If they talk of love, it is not that love which delights in the excellent of the earth, and in such as excel in virtue; but a love that is warm only for rebels and traitors, and hates the elect of God. Surely he that hateth his brother, because he holds the truth of God's election, is a murderer; and no murderer hath any part in the kingdom of God and of Christ. This Universal Charity is not of God, but of the world, because it hates the elect and loves the world; and, if the elect were of the world, Universal Charity would, with the world, love her own. God forbid that a friend of the world should ever love me; because the friendship of the world is enmity with God; he that is a friend of the world is the enemy of God, James iv. 4.

If one possessed of universal charity mentions, or pretends to, humility, it is not that humility with which God clothes a soul. A saint in true humility has the eye of faith fixed on a reconciled God in the person of Christ; and at the same time feels the benefits of the cross flowing in on the heart, and the testimony of God's Spirit witnessing with his that he is a child of God. This makes him rejoice with a joy never to be described by mortals; and reflecting on Moses's rigorous brow, Sinai's awful storm, perdition's yawning jaws, wrath's envenomed arrows, and Tophet's endless flame; this makes a soul tremble, though under a sense of pardon signed and sealed; yea, tremble to think and see how nigh he was to everlasting burnings when mercy helped him up. This is rejoicing with trembling, and a man always does this work in a robe of true humility.

But Arminian humility is quite another thing; it consists of a gloomy countenance, and dejected look filled with dismay; inwardly fretting, because Moses will not accept of imperfect obedience, nor lessen the tale of bricks which they are making to build their mystical Babel; in which they shall have no better success than their ancient brethren had, who became a butt for laughter; and so shall these. All that behold them shall begin to mock, saying, These men began to build, but were not able to finish, Luke xiv. 29: and the reason is, because they be gan at their own expense, instead of drawing from the infinite fulness of the Saviour.

Such feigned humility was found in Ahab, when the artillery of heaven rattled in his ears for stealing his neighbour's vineyard; and such humility is a mask put on to deceive the souls of the simple, who think a fallen countenance, a gloomy visage, affected speech, a plain suit of apparel, and words smoother than oil, though at war with God in the heart, is the humble garb of a redeemed sheep; when at the same time all their grief is because their self-righteous spirits cannot make the Almighty stoop to allow of their boasting. This is the foolishness of him who perverteth his way, and whose heart fretteth against the Lord, Prov. xix. 3.

A rebellious spirit, at war with God's decrees, under a sense of the venom of guilt, and the wrath of God revealed and felt in the conscience, is the root that produces all this feigned humility. But the humility of a saint, who is under the influence of everlasting love, is filled with self-loathing, and stands astonished at the lot of eternal election falling into his lap, Prov. xvi. 33. This humility makes the face to shine, fills the heart with consolation, as a bottle that has no vent, while the secret flame of everlasting love makes the soul melt like wax, till the second Adam's image appears in all his features on such a happy soul; and all his words come forth seasoned with grace, and drop like dew, while he ascribes righteousness to his Maker.

A true virgin soul carries the law of kindness on her tongue, but casts not her pearls before swine;

loves the Saviour with all her affections, but shews no pity to devils, nor contends with her royal Head in the behalf of traitors; and leaves the potsherds to strive with the potsherds of the earth, but escapes the wo due to them who strive with their Maker, Isaiah xlv. 9.

The hope of Arminianism seems to me to differ; much from the hope of the gospel, because it allows that Christ died for all men. But Christ declares that the gates which lead to destruction receive the greatest number, Mat. vii. 13. If this be true, some are in hell for whom Christ died; in which case there must have been a deficiency in the price the Surety paid, or else it reflects on his wisdom, and supposes him outwitted by the serpent, who, through his subtlety, has got legions in his possession, which were the Saviour's own by purchase. It does not reflect on his wisdom only, but on his power also, who could not hold them that were committed unto him; because the gates of hell have prevailed, and many are plucked out of his hand, John x, 28.

It seems likewise to reflect cruelty on the justice, of God, who drew his sword, and sheathed it in the great Shepherd, Zech, xiii. 7; and spared him not in the least, nor abated one mite of the debt, Rom. viii. 32. And it is plain that Justice promised, by the blood of his covenant, to send forth the pri soners out of the pit in which there was no water, Zech, ix. 11, and further, to be faithful and just to