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have no apprehension of danger; but that they can live without any fear, who are, in reality, surrounded by the terrors of sin, the terrors of Satan, and the terrors of Hell, can only be accounted for upon this principle, That they are insensible of their true state; and of course in darkness. Whilst Bel

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shazzar was drinking wine, and praising the gods of gold and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone, he seemed to fear nothing; but in that same hour, when the fingers of a man's hand came forth, and wrote over against the candlestick, upon the plaster of the wall of his palace, announcing his real state, then the king's "countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against anather. Such, in point of fact, is the state of every unconverted sinner, he is weighed in the balance, and is found wanting! The sinners in Zion are afraid, fearfulness hath taken hold of the hypocrite; and if grace prevent not, their fear will come as a desolation, and their destruction will come as a whirlwind; then will distress and anguish overwhelm their soul. Unconverted sinners then are, doubtless, in a state of darkness they are slaves to sin,- and this is the work of darkness; they are servants to Satan, and he is the prince of darkness; they are exposed to wrath, and this is the fruit of darkness; they are in the road of Hell, — and this is the place of darkness.

Are any of our readers in this awful state, who manifest this by the wilful indulgence of any open or secret sin? Othat the day-spring from on high, which, through the tender mercy of our God, has visited us, may give light to them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death, and inay guide their feet into the way of peace! Let them apply to the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world; and in whom, whosoever believes, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. What abundant reason have we all to be thankful for the inspired volume that testifies of Christ, and proves a light that dispels the thickest clouds of mental darkness! Let us ever rejoice in the light it imparts,-in the remedies it provides, in the consolation it contains, and in the prospects it opens. Let us also, in our different spheres of action, endeavour by every means to diffuse this glorious light. Let us fervently pray for the prosperity, and cheerfully assist in the operations of those benevolent institutions which have for their express object the circulation of Scripture-truth. The last Report of the British and Foreign Bible Society excites the liveliest sentiments of gratitude; and encourages us with the moft ardent-expectation to look forwards to a period when the Father of Lights will say unto every nation, Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.' Amen.

L. H.

WHETHER A POWER TO REPENT

BE NECESSARILY IMPLIED

IN A CALL TO REPENT.

SEVERAL ministers, of various denominations, being some time since in company together, one of them casually remarked, That he feared the doctrine of repentance was more frequently overlooked by some preachers of the gospel than most other articles, on which so much is said in the Scriptures of truth.

These ministers were of different opinions, not only respecting the most scriptural form of church government, &c. but also concerning some, at least, of the five points on which the Calvinists and Arminians are divided.

Though the person who made the preceding remark neither builds his faith upon Calvin, nor would be unwilling to acknowledge many who are called Arminians as brethren in Christ, yet he is ready to avow himself a decided Calvinist.

His observation, however, occasioning some farther discourse on the subject, a very worthy man, who takes the Arminian side of the controverted points, rejoined, That he durst say this Calvinist, as well as hunself, taught his hearers, that whenever God called sinners to repentance, he always gave them power to repent.'

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The Calvinist did not think it expedient, in that company, to introduce a long dispute upon subjects wherein it was well known that they did not agree; but he afterwards thought, that to write down a few animadversions upon this position, might possibly be of service to persons who take the. opposite sides in the Arminian Controversy.

Had he accounted it seasonable to make a reply, and give a brief statement of his own ideas, it would have been to the following effect:

"You apprehend I must allow, that God would never call any man to repentance, unless he gave him power to repent; but before I can assent to your proposition, you must let me examine its meaning; for unless you explain it differently from what I suspect to be your intention, though you may think it self-evident, yet I shall refuse my assent; for the word power seems to me, in this connection, a very vague and -ambiguous term, by which many are misled or bewildered.

'I am aware, indeed, that some, who suppose themselves to be Calvinists (but are as far from true Calvinism on the one side, as you are on the other) would readily agree with your axiom, though they would draw from it an opposite conclusion.

You say, Whenever God calls a man to repent, he cer tainly gives him power to repent; therefore, as he calls all men everywhere to repent, so doubtless all nien have power to repent; while they say, Whenever God calls men to repent, he always gives them power to repent; therefore, as men in general have not power to repent, so repentance can be the duty of none but of those that are effectually called.

Now, Sir, after considering this subject with much attention for many years, I am persuaded the axiom, in which you both agree, is a mere sophism; and that your inferences on both sides, deriving all their force from the ambiguity of the word power, are invalid..

'Yet I believe, at least as much as you do, That it is the duty of every sinner in the world, and a duty to be especially enforced on all that hear the gospel, to repent heartily, truly, universally, and in such a way as no man ever did who finally perished; and I believe, at least as much as they, That no sinner ever did or will repent, without a special and efficacious influence exerted on his heart by the Holy Ghost; as nothing else can bring the most docile sinner in the world to forsake sin and return to God, though this gracious influence can infallibly produce genuine repentance in the most obstinate sinner upon earth.

'If Joseph had been devoured by an evil beast, which had no rational capacity, and was incapable of forming any idea of God, of his law against murder, of Joseph's moral character, or of the importance of his life to society, that beast could not have been bound to repent of killing Joseph; - or, if Nebuchadnezzar, during the time that he was totally insane, had killed Daniel, though he might have been very sorry for it when he recovered his reason, yet he could not properly repent of it as sin for which he ought to condemn and abhor himself, as he was bound to do for his pride and other evils, in which he had indulged himself previous to his distraction.

'But it was no excuse for Joseph's brethren that they hated him so, that they were not able to speak peaceably to him (Lo jaclu dabero leshalom); and if they actually repented of it after a godly sort, when they met with him in Egypt, they certainly would not dare to say, "Well, it is right to repent now; but it was not our duty to repent before, because God did not give us power to repent any sooner."

"We need not attempt exactly to explain the expressions used in Exodus concerning Pharaoh's heart being hardened; it is sufficient here to observe, that they are the strongest that ever are used, on such a subject, in the word of God; and yet this man was not at all excuseaole in his impenitence, on account of God's not giving him power to repent; for thus said Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews, to hiin, "How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me?" Exodus x. 3.

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'Moses did not mean to excuse the Israelites when he told them*, "The Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day." Though he plainly suggested that God could have done this without violating any established law of Nature, or rendering their virtue of no worth; yet he evidently considered their external advantages as more than sufficient to render them inexcusable. 'When the prophet Jeremiah said, respecting some of his cotemporaries," Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken (Lo jukelu lehakshib); nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush+," he seems to have had no suspicion that they could ever turn this reproof into an excuse for their impenitence, and ask in return, 'Why then does he expect us to hear him? or, why does he call upon us to repent and be ashamed?'

The Arminian idea of an impenitent sinner's having a power given him to do what he still neglects to do, and even hates to perform (without which power they suppose God would never call upon him to repent) has no foundation in the Bible; and the notion of the Pseudo-Calvinists, that unless men possess this self-determining power, nothing truly good can be the duty of a sinner, but all the commands, exhortations, and invitations of Scripture must be explained away, or be supposed to signify nothing more than what sinners can perform, without special grace, is equally unscriptural.

The terms natural and moral ability, or inability, which have been used by judicious divines on this subject, seem to me well adapted to express a most useful and necessary distinction; but whether men will call it by these names or not, the distinction itself certainly exists in the nature of things, and is plainly observed in the word of God.'

* Deut. xxix. 4.

+ Jer. vi. 10, 15.

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HUMAN LEARNING SUBSERVIENT TO RELIGION.

On this subject extremes are common. The disciples of Mr. Hume consider religion as a sort of national thunderbolt, useful only to terrify "the mob" into submission; while many valuable and well-meaning Christians, misled by education, prejudice, or a total want of taste and judgment, view learning as almost incompatible with true religion; and, when connected with the gospel ministry, as a base and dangerous alloy, which sinks the dignity, lessens the value, and hinders the progress of divine truth. Let us endeavour to answer the usual objections against human learning when united with religion.

XVIII.

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1. It feeds human pride. Many disgusting instances in this way doubtless occur; but surely they must not be ascribed to solid learning as such. Shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,' and swell the breast; but substantial acquirements have a contrary effect. It was wisely said by Lord Bacon, to the following purport: A smattering in philosophy may leave a man an Atheist; but a proper acquaintance with it will humble him at the footstool of Almighty God.' Great gifts and grace are often occasions of arrogance and vainglory; yet who calls them useless, insignificant, or dangerous to religion? A mortal worm, swoln with conceit and selfimportance, displays not the bad effects of learning, but the want of it, and of common sense too. A fop and a well-bred man, though wearing a similar dress, are characters essentially different; so are a pedant and a man of sense.

2. It deadens our spirituality. There is some force in this objection; but we need only reflect, that it is the abuse and misapplication of learning, not the thing itself, that produces such consequences. If a man have no companions in his study but natural philosophers, his heart may well be cold in religion; but that extensive learning and great spirituality are not incompatible, appears from the lives of Witsius, Owen, Doddridge, Watts, Hervey, and many others. A multiplicity of worldly cares deadens the mind, as a touch of the torpedo does the nerves; yet it is not considered as unlawful, or unsuitable for a holy man to engage therein.

3. It has introduced and prolonged many unprofitable, dangerous, and shameful controversies. This is true only in part. it has served as an instrument of inflaming human passions; but has it not also settled many disputed and essential points? Has it not made Infidelity ashamed, and Impiety blush? It is not learning itself that is blameable, but the fiery tempers of those who have used, or rather abused it. In case of murder, we blame not the weapons, but the furious hands which wield them. It is the want of learning that gives birth to controversy; for as genuine knowledge advances, mankind will 'dwell together in unity.'

4. The fishermen of Galilee had it not. They had as much as enabled them to compose histories and epistles, which all the world admires for simplicity and acute reasoning; but they were inspired." This very much favours the connexion between learning and religion; for, surely, the Holy Spirit would not give its sanction to any thing which was inimical to the gospel. If the fishermen' were originally unlearned, Moses, Solomon, David, Elijah, Elisha, Daniel, and others, were not so. Solomon, as a preacher, sought out able words,' which every sensible man knows to be so very portant, and no easy part of human learning.

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5. The Scriptures rate it very low, and the plain Bible is best. Surely, this objection is weak. They justly place it beneath

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