tive of accumulating corruptions, with their horrid effects on the peace, morals, and happiness, of mankind. Among the various causes of deviations from the plain and simple truths of primitive christians, which have been developed, sufficient notice has not been taken, perhaps, of the peculiar, and the extensive influence of the principles introduced by barbarian converts. Their ignorant and uncultivated minds brought with them a certain set of maxims, which had never been disputed among themselves; which appeared to receive support from the occasional phraseology of scripture; were soon engrafted upon the christian code; and thus were they confounded with genuine christianity.

In all despotic governments, for example, the Will of the sovereign gave the law. His commands were absolute, peremptory, irresistible. The ignorant multitude were trained up in servile obedience, without suspecting the equity of his mandates; and reflecting minds were obliged to submit in silence. It was presumed that whatever he did was right; not from its conformity to the principles of rectitude and benevolence, in which his subjects were interested, but because absolute power constituted absolute right. This power, and this species of right, such christians transferred to the Deity also, and confounding their own dogmata, rational or irrational, with the doctrines of revelation, they enjoined it upon the human understanding implicitly to receive them.

Their irresistible Sovereigns being at perfect liberty to chuse their own favourites, without being responsible to any one; and to confer exalted honours upon whomsoever they pleased, caprice frequently made the selec

tion more than judgment; and, consequently, the most undeserving frequently obtained the preference. Has not this a striking resemblance to that theological doctrine of election, which considers personal worth rather as a disqualification than a recommmendation to the divine favour?

The minds of barbarians and savages are naturally implacable. They resent to perpetuity. They transmit revenge to their posterity as an inheritance. Nor do they consider any punishment too excruciating, or too protracted, for those who have been inimical to them. Such characters were certainly prepared to catch at every obscure passage in the gospel, and interpret it, according to their favourite maxims, into hereditary guilt, eternal revenge, and inextinguishable punishment.

Among such minds, few have been the instances where the free liberation of prisoners, or the pardon of political offenders, has been spontaneous or gratuitous. The universal custom was to demand some ransom, or some species of compensation; an entire, or a partial indemnification, for a supposed injury. They considered a free unpurchased liberation or pardon, as a species of injustice to Self, to their clan or party; as an imprudent act of lenity, which would invite insults, or be considered as a mark of timidity, in order to conciliate favour. Have not these principles given rise to those conceptions respecting the atonement of Christ, against which we have stated our objections in a former note ?

Sentiments which may thus be fairly traced to so unworthy an origin, and against which the reason of most men, in these modern times, is disposed to revolt, should

surely be admitted with the utmost caution. We must also suggest a consideration to the moderns, which is not the most flattering. These pagan converts did not conceive that they were violating any one principle of reason, by intermixing such sentiments with the christianity they had adopted. They thought them perfectly rational, because they were in conformity to undisputed principles. Incapable as they were to reason properly, they thought that they were obeying the dictates of reason in their mode of interpreting the scriptures, by principles universally received. Here they had doubtless

the advantage.

It is not to be supposed that these principles, and many other innovations, would always be implicitly received by those who began to exercise their rational faculties. But they were universally disseminated, and tenaciously supported; and when they received the sanction of civil authority, they assumed the tone of infallibility; anathemas were fulminated against the tenets which the decrees of councils and synods had pronounced to be heresy; and by uniting the terrors of the secular arm with the terrors of heaven, an unbounded empire over the human mind was obtained. A residue of this terror is still exerting its influence, upon the minds of those who apprehend, that it is possible to incur the anger of God by embracing principles most consonant with his moral excellencies, and renouncing such as the unbiassed judgment cannot authorize!

NOTE P.

After" by one hasty act of faith." Page 420. These peculiarly dangerous principles are built upon

a more slender foundation, than almost any other error which has been received into Christianity. They owe their origin to a single expression, uttered by our Saviour to the penitent malefactor on the cross. What assu

rances have we that the case of that man is parallel to those cases to which this event is so frequently made applicable? We know nothing of the habitual character or conduct of this man. His crime may have consisted in resistance to tyranny, for which he would have suffered as a malefactor by the Roman law, equally with the most atrocious criminals. He was, probably, the man accused of sedition. We know not that he was instantaneously converted on the cross. It is very manifest that the fame of Jesus might have reached his ears, while he was in prison and under condemnation ; which is a situation that would render the promise of pardon, and the expectation of future life most acceptable. The Evangelist Luke gives us the following information, " One of the malefactors, which were hanged, railed on him, saying, if thou be the Christ save thyself and us; but the other answering, rebuked him, saying, dost thou not fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation; and we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds? this man hath done nothing amiss." From this concise account, it is obvious that both the malefactors had heard that Jesus had announced himself, as the promised Messiah; that the one considered him as an impostor, and challenged him to prove the contrary; that the other considered him as perfectly innocent and unjustly condemned. These are sentiments he could not have entertained without an inward persuasion, previously

But

entertained, that he was the Messiah; and this would be confirmed by the exemplary patience, piety, and benevolence, which shone so conspicuously in the midst of his sufferings. What analogy is there between such a character and a reprobate person educated in the bosom of Christianity, who had neglected all its precepts, slighted all its invitations and threatenings, until the hour of panic was arrived?

Again, we know not what conceptions this man had formed of the Kingdom of Christ, when he desired to be remembered in it ; nor do we know what is comprehended, in the answer, "this day thou shall be with me in Paradise." What is meant by the term Paradise? Those who have made the deepest researches into its signification, are most convinced that it is not the state destined for the enjoyments of the blessed. Nor is it in the least probable that Jesus should have entered into that state, to return after so short an interval; it is equally improbable that so important a circumstance should have been concealed from his disciples after his resurrection, and during the whole of his abode with them.

But of this we are certain, that no uninspired Being is so well acquainted with the human heart, as the Saviour of man; without which no man has authority to imitate his language. He, and he alone, was able to distinguish between true penitence, and the sudden horrors of a panic-struck mind; which, upon escaping from death, has too frequently evinced to the world that its vicious propensities were only obtunded, and not eradicated by the horrors of its situation.

We pretend not to assert that sincere repentance will