Christ; through whose infinitely satisfying propitiation all manner of sin, barbarity, and blas phemy, are freely forgiven unto men.

What a grand and majestic dome is the sky! Where are the pillars which support the stately concave? What art, most exactly true, balances the pressure! what props, of insuperable strength, sustain the weight! How is that immeasurable arch upheld, unshaken and unimpaired, while so many generations of busy mortals have sunk and disappeared as bubbles upon the stream?-If those stars are of such an amazing bulk, how are they also fastened in their lofty situation? By what miracle in mechanics are so many thousands of ponderous orbs kept from falling upon our heads; kept from dashing, both the world to pieces, and its inhabitants to death? Are they hung in golden or adamantine chains? Rest they their enormous load on rocks of marble, or columns of brass?No; they are pendulous in fluid æther; yet are more immovably fixed, than if the everlasting mountains lent their forests for an axletree, or their ridges for a basis. The almighty Architect stretches out the north, and its whole starry train, over the empty place: he hangs the earth and all the etherial globes upon nothing; yet are their foundations laid so sure, that they can "never be moved at any time."

No unfit representation, to the sincere Christian, of his final perseverancet; such as points out the

Job xxvi. 7.

+ With regard to the final perseverance of the true believer, I am sensible this point is not a little controverted. -The sentiments, which follow, are my stedfast belief. It is by no means proper, in a work of this nature, to enter upon a discussion of this subject. Neither have I room, so much as to hint, what might be urged for its support. Let my reader observe, that I am far from delivering it as essential to Christianity, or necessary to salvation. Millions, of the very contrary conviction, are, I doubt not, high in the favour of God; and in a growing meetness for

cause, which effects it, and constitutes the pledge which ascertains it.-His nature is all enfeebled; he is not able, of himself, to think a good thought: he has no visible safeguard, nor any sufficiency of his own: and yet whole legions of formidable enemies are in a confederacy to compass his ruin. The world lays unnumbered snares for his feet; the devil is incessantly urging the siege by a multitude of fiery darts or wily temptations; the flesh, like a perfidious inmate, under colour of friendship, and a specious pretence of pleasure, is al

his heavenly kingdom. As I blame none for rejecting, none, I hope, will be offended with me for espousing, this particular doctrine.-To be of different opinions, at least in some inferior instances, seems an unavoidable conse quence of our present state: where ignorance, in part, cleaves to the wisest minds; and prejudice easily besets the most impartial judgments. This may turn to our com mon advantage; and afford room for the display and exercise of those healing virtues,-moderation, meekness, and forbearance.-Let me only be permitted to ask, whe ther this tenet does not evidently tend to establish the comfort of the Christian, and to magnify the fidelity of God our Saviour? Whether, far from countenancing sloth, or encouraging remissness, to know that our labour shall not be in vain, is not the most prevailing in lucement to abound in the work of the Lord? 1 Cor. xv. 58.

Dor

Is any one inclined to examine the reasons, which made the author a proselyte to this persuasion? He may find them displayed in the memorial, delivered by several select and eminent divines of the church of England, at the renowned Synod of Dordt.-(See Acta Synod. drech. Par. II. page 246, of the Latin edition, published in a single quarto volume.)-Those, who have no opportunity of consulting the memoirs of that venerable assembly, I would refer to the works of the indefatigable and very learned Turretin, or to those of the candid and elegant Witsius.--Turret. Tom. II. Q. xvi. Wits. Econ. Lib. III. chap. xiii.

The latest and fullest view of the point, which I ever remember to have met with, in any of our English writers, is in the Lime-street Lectures: which are a defence of se veral most important doctrines of the gospel, and contained in two octavo volumes; the united labours of nine modern divines; most of whom are well known to the world by their other evangelical and useful writings. In those lectures, the final perseverance of the saints is very particularly stated; and, to my apprehension at least, most satisfactorily proved: the arguments usually urged against it, are impartially considered, and I cannot but

ways forward to betray his integrity.-But, amidst all these threatening circumstances of personal weakness and imminent danger, an invisible aid is his defence. "I will uphold thee, says the blessed God, "with the right hand of my righteousness. Comfortable truth! the arm, which fixes the stars in their orders, and guides the planets in their course, is stretched out to preserve the heirs of salvation." My sheep, adds the great Redeemer,

are mine, and they shall never perish, neither shall

any pluck them out of my handt." What words are these! And did they come from Him, who hath all power in heaven and on earth? And were they spoke to the weakest of the flock, to every unfeigned follower of the great Shepherd? Then Omnipotence itself must be vanquished before they can be destroyed, either by the seduc tions of fraud or the assaults of violence.

If you ask, therefore, what security we have of enduring to the end, and continuing faithful unto death-the very same that establishes the heavens, and settles the ordinances of the universe. Can these be thrown into confusion? then may the true believer draw back unto perdition. Can the sun be dislodged from his sphere, and rush lawlessly through the sky? then, and then only, can the faith of God's elect be finally overthrown.-Be of good courage then, my soul; rely on those divine succours, which are so solemnly stipulated, so faithfully promised. Though thy grace be languid as the glimmering spark, though the

think (with all due deference to the judgment of others) unanswerably confuted.

And here (not to swell this note any farther) I shall only just hint, that the judicious Hooker (an authority, perhaps, as weighty and unexceptionable as any that can well be produced) gives a solemn attestation to this tenet, in a short Discourse on the Perpetuity of Faith, subjoined to his Ecclesiastical Polity, fol. edit. Jer. xxxi. 35, 36

Isai, xli, 10. + John x. 28,

|| Tit. i. 2.

overflowings of corruption threaten it with total extinction; yet, since the great Jehovah has undertaken to cherish the dim principle, 66 many "waters cannot quench it, nor all floods drown "it." Nay, though it were feeble as the smoking flax, goodness and faithfulness stand engaged to augment the heat, to raise the fire, and feed the flame, till it beam forth, a lamp of immortal glory, in the heavens.

As to the faithfulness of a covenanting God, this may be emblematically seen, in the stability of the heavenly bodies, and the perpetuity of their motionst.-Those that are fixed or stationary, continue unalterable in their grand elevations. No injurious shocks, no violence of conflicting elements are able to displace those everlasting hinges, on which dependent worlds revolve. Through the whole flight of time, they recede not so much as a hair's breadth, from the precise central point of their respective systems.While the erratic, or planetary, perform their prodigious stages, with

The tenderness and faithfulness of God to his people are finely pictured by the prophet Isaiah, chap. xlii. ver. 3. which passage, because of its rich consolation, and uncommon beauty, is deservedly adopted by St. Matthew, and ingrafted into the system of evangelical truths.-He will not himself break, nor suffer to be broken by any other, the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax. Was it possible to have chosen two more delicate and expressive repre sentations -Could any image be more significant of a very infirm and enfeebled faith, than the flexile reed, that beuds before every wind? which, besides its natural weakness, is made abundantly weaker by being bruised; and so is ready to fall in pieces of itself. Or conld any thing, with a more pathetical exactness, describe the extreme imbecility of that other principle of the divine life, love? The state of the flax, just beginning to burn, is liable to be put out by the least blast: more liable stili is the wick of the lamp, when it is not so much as kindled into a glimmering flame, but only breathing smoke, and uncertain whether it shall take fire or no.-Yet true faith, and hea venly love, though subsisting amidst such pitiable infirmi ties, will not be abandoned by their great Author; shall not be extinguished by any temptations; but be main taiped, invigorated, and made finally triumphant, Matt.

xii, 20.

↑ Psal, exix, 89, 90.

out any intermission, or the least embarrassment, How soon, and how easily, is the most finished piece of human machinery disconcerted! But all the celestial movements are so nicely adjusted, all their operations so critically proportioned, and their mutual dependencies so strongly connected, that they prolong their beneficial courses through. out all ages.-While mighty cities are overwhelmed with ruin, and their very names lost in oblivion while vast empires are swept from their foundations, and leave not so much as a shadowy trace of their ancient magnificence: while all terrestrial things are subject to vicissitude, and fluctuating in uncertainty: these are permanent in their duration: these are invariable in their functions. "Not one faileth."-Who doubts the constant succession of day and night, or the regular returns of summer and winter? And why, O! why shall we doubt the veracity of God, or distrust the accomplishment of his holy word? Can the ordinances of heaven depart? Then only can God forget to be gracious, or neglect the performance of his promise.-Nay, our Lord gives us yet firmer ground of affiance: He affords us a surer bottom for our faith, than the fundamental laws of the universe. Heaven and Earth, he says, shall pass away; but my words shall not, in a single instance, or in one tittle of their import, pass away. No: His sacred word, whatever may obstruct it, whoever may oppose it, shall be fulfilled to the very

uttermost.

O powerful word! How astonishing is its effi cacy! When this word was issued forth, a thou sand worlds emerged out of nothing. Should the mighty orders be repeated, a thousand more would spring into existence. By this word, the vast system of created things is upheld in constant and immutable perfection. Should it give command, or cease to exert its energy; the universal frame would be dissolved, and all nature revert to her