'unto life?' for God makes a conditional offer of sal⚫vation through the merits of Christ, to all men, who ' are favoured with the gospel.' But I may fairly leave this part of the article to plead its own cause, and our's also. I wish not to make any comment upon it; or to give one clause which it contains, in my own words. For me to say, on any part, That is, &c.' would be sure in some measure to darken the clear light, in which, as it appears to me, it now exhibits the doctrine of Scripture. It speaks my sentiments, and the sentiments of my brethren; and let it speak them without a comment. I am conscious that I could not; and I do not believe that any of them, so much as think they could; so fully, so simply, so unexceptionably, express our sentiments, as this article does. I shall only add, that it supposes all, who are predestinated to life, "called "according to God's purpose by his Spirit, working "in due season, &c." actually persevere to the end, and at length by God's mercy attain eternal life.' It is manifest, that the compilers kept in view the statement of St. Paul in the eighth of Romans, throughout the whole.*

P. cclxvi. 1. 27. This godly, &c.' As the godly 'consideration of predestination, and of our election in Christ, is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable ' comfort to godly persons; and such as feel in them'selves the working of the Spirit of Christ, mortifying

• Rom. viii. 28-31.

†The godly consideration of predestination, and our election in Christ, is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly persons,' 'because, from a consciousness of their own obedience and religious walking in good works, their faith of eternal salvation is greatly established and 'confirmed,' and they are supported under all the distresses and calamities ' of this mortal life, by looking forward to the prize of their high calling in 'Christ Such are the predestination and election which our church mains 'tains, and recommends to its members as replete with comfort.'

'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, as, because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God: so for carnal and curious persons, lacking the Spirit of Christ, to have 'continually before their eyes, the sentence of God's predestination, is a most dangerous downfall; whereby the devil doth thrust them down, either into despera. tion, or into wretchlessness of most unclean living, no 'less perilous than desperation,' (in æque perniciosam impurissimæ vite securitatem.)-Before I enter on the subsequent part of his Lordship's exposition of this article, I must intreat the reader, to peruse repeatedly the whole passage which I have quoted from it; so as to make himself fully satisfied as to the import of it: observing only, that two, and but two, descriptions of persons, are noticed, viz, Godly persons, and such as ⚫ feel in themselves, the working of the Spirit of Christ, &c;' and curious and carnal persons, lacking the Spirit of Christ;' and that the effect of the same doctrine on each of them when fully considered, is stated and contrasted. His Lordship has seen good, to sub: stitute, instead of the language of the article, because

from a consciousness of their own obedience, and re'ligious walking in good works, their faith of eternal salvation is greatly established and confirmed; and they are supported under all the distresses of this mortal life, by looking forward" to the prize of their high calling in Christ." Now let this be compared with the article itself; and let the reader ask himself, whether a new article be not, in fact, substituted. The effect of the godly consideration of predestination, and our election in Christ; the character of those, to whom this is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable

' comfort,' and other things are greatly altered: but the clause, as because it doth fervently kindle their love ⚫ towards God,' which is a special, distinguishing effect, of the consideration of personal election to eternal life, in such persons, as are described in the article, is wholly omitted: and another proposition, true indeed, but not hinted at in the article, is substituted for it. And then it is added, Such are the predestination and election, < which our church maintains, and recommends to all its members as replete with comfort.' Here, by the way, it should be observed, what energy there is in unqualified confident assertion, especially when supported by reputation, learning, and authority; and in favour of those sentiments, which are most popular, and most agreeable to the human heart; especially, if it tends to expose to odium, those who are generally disliked. This figure of speech is equally powerful among churchmen and dissenters, Calvinists or Anticalvinists; or men of any party, in church or state, in politicks, nay, in philosophy. If a superior man, without hesitation, boldly assert any thing; multitudes give him credit, that he could prove it, if he chose, though he has not done it. Thus men follow their different leaders, implicitly, from the members of a methodist society, through all gradations, to the immense multitudes, who profoundly reverence the ipse dixit of the Pope, or of the conclave of Cardinals. In the mean while, argument however conclusive, produces no effect; nay, can gain no attention; except among a despised, and very small, minority. All must allow, that hypocrites and enthusiasts have, in this way, amazingly succeeded: therefore men of enlarged mind, liberal education, and superior endowments, should be careful how they sanct tion it by their example.

P. cclxvii. 1. 11. 'But in, &c.'* I must here again intreat the reader to peruse carefully the article itself, and then to decide, whether two distinct doctrines are stated, one in the acticle, and another to be fetched from

But in the same article it tells us, that 'for curious and carnal persons, lacking the Spirit of Christ, to have continually before their eyes the sen'tence of God's predestination, is a most dangerous downfall, whereby the 'devil doth thrust them either into desperation, or into wretchlessness of ⚫ most unclean living, no less perilous than desperation.' What is this sen'tence of God's predestination? It cannot be the sentence of predestination 'we have been considering, by which God purposed and decreed to save all 'who shall believe and obey the Gospel; this merciful and consolatory doc. trine cannot be the suggestion of the great enemy of mankind; it cannot drive men to " desperation," because it says to every one, Repent, and you 'shall be saved; it cannot lead men to " wretchlessness of most unclean liv. "ing," because it says, that without good works no man can be saved; and a 'real' everlasting purpose of God' cannot be a "dangerous downfall" to any part of his rational creatures. Where then are we to find this supposed 'sentence of God's predestination,' which is attended with so much mischief ' and danger?-In the works of Calvin. We there read, predestination we 'call the eternal decree of God, by which he has determined with himself, 'what he willed to be done concerning every man. For all men are not ⚫ created in an equal condition, but eternal life is pre-ordained to some, eter'nal damnation to others.-That therefore which the Scripture clearly 'shows, we affirm, that God, by an eternal and immutable counsel, once ap'pointed those whom he should hereafter will to take into salvation, those ⚫ moreover whom he should will to devote to destruction. We assert, that this counsel with respect to the elect was founded in his gratuitous mercy, without any respect to human worth; but that the approach to life is pre'cluded to those whom he assigns to damnation by his, just indeed and ir' reprehensible, but incomprehensible, judgment.' (Translation by author of Refutation.) Here it is maintained, that God has eternally fixed the future destiny of every individual of the human race; that he has irrevocably decreed to bestow everlasting happiness upon some, and to consign 'others to eternal misery, without any regard to their merit or demerit. Those who believe this doctrine, who have this sentence continually be'fore their eyes, will either be in danger of falling into despair; from a con. 'viction that it is impossible for them to be saved, that they must inevitably 'suffer everlasting torment; or they will be apt to practise every vice to ' which they feel any temptation from a persuasion that they belong to the 'chosen few, who must necessarily be saved, whatever may be their conduct. It appears, then, that the Calvinistic doctrines of election and reprobation are not only not maintained in this article, but that they are disclaimed and condemned in the strongest terms.'

Calvin's works. No intimation, not even the most distant, is given of this. Calvin is no more considered in the article, than if he had never existed; much less, is there any reference made to his works. The same doctrine is indisputably spoken of from the beginning to the end of the article. What is this sentence of God's 'predestination? It cannot be the sentence of predes'tination, which we have been considering, by which 'God purposed and decreed to save all, who shall believe and obey the gospel, &c.' Certainly it cannot be the doctrine of his Lordship's comment: but it can be and undoubtedly is, the doctrine stated in the preeeding part of the article. His Lordship having, in fact, substituted another article, in the place of the seventeenth, by his comments on it, reasons from his own article, as if it were that of our church; and, as far as his comment is concerned, he reasons plausibly, if not conclusively. This merciful and consolatory doctrine 'cannot be the suggestion of the great enemy of man

kind.' Does the article then affirm, that the doctrine of predestination is 'the suggestion of the great enemy ' of mankind?' The great enemy of mankind knows well how to suggest false, but plausible, inferences from the doctrines of revelation in general, and from this in particular: but the doctrines themselves are not his suggestions. "Even as our beloved brother Paul also, ac"cording to the wisdom, given unto him, hath written "unto you; as also in all his epistles, speaking in them "of these things, in which are some things hard to be “understood, which they that are unlearned and unsta"ble, wrest, as they do the other Scriptures, to their "own destruction."* The doctrine may be scriptural, wholesome, nutrimental, nay, essential: yet an unstable

2 Pet. iii. 15, 16.