an effectual Mediator, we stedfastly believe. However we do not think the mere human nature, considered abstractly, and separate from the divine, would be sufficient to execute effectually the office of mediator, though we should suppose him to know all the wants and desires of men. It is the person, who is God and man, through whom we have access to God. This we think sufficient in reply to so slight an objection. I have now proceeded, as far as was intended, in defence of the divinity of our blessed Savior. I have not aimed to adduce all the arguments which might be improved in support of this great article of our holy faith. But I have endeavored to exhibit as plain. y, succinctly, and fairly as I could the main scriptural grounds of this doctrine. Though all the objections to this doctrine have not been considered, yet I can say with truth, that none have been passed over because they seemed too hard to be an. -swered. How much weight and pertinency there is in what is here offered, every one, who will take the trouble to peruse and consider it, will judge for himself, and may the Lord give us to understand all things. If we duly attend to the Scriptures of truth, with a good and honest heart, holding fast the form of sound words therein delivered, with faith and love, humbly seek ing of God that wisdom which is the principal thing, he will, I trust, lead and guide us into all truth, so far as the knowledge of it is needful for us. If through weakness or inadvertency we should for a while, be bewilder. ed in the crooked ways of error, we shall either at length find our way out, or the grace of God working on our hearts by means of those truths, which we hold will, as an antidote, check the malignant influence of those errors into which we have incautiously fallen, so that they shall not prove fatal. A scorner seeketh wisdom and findeth it not. But the Lord will guide the meek in judgment, and teach the meek his way. A Christian of the Old School. A LETTER TO A LADY IN HIGH LIFE, FROM A CHRISTIAN FRIEND. A fragment of a real correspondence. MY AMIABLE FRIEND, YESTERDAY I had the pleasure of receiving your last letter, for which I sincerely thank you. Much I feared, that my freedom and plainuess would give you offence, and that you would deign me no reply. Often have I thought of writing to you, and often have I desired an undisturbed interview, most affection. ately to pour out all my heart. Now am I ready to tell you all my hopes, all my doubts and fears. But what will it avail? I am not insensible, that without God's blessing all my en. deavors will prove fruitless. However weighty and judicious my words might be, before the passions of the heart they would resemble feathers in the wind. If deluded, you are building your hope on the sandy foun. dation of self righteousness, I know it is not in my power to undermine you. The Searcher of hearts, alone, can do it; yet he may be pleased to use me as a humble instrument. Considering the acquaintance I have been providentially led to cultivate with you, and with which you have been pleased to favor me, I have deemed it my duty to address some thoughts to you, upon this all important subject. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, taking the infallible standard of the divine word for our rule, there is no danger of being too critical in self examination. If our hope be, indeed, founded upon the Rock of Ages, the more evidence we can obtain of the fact, the greater will be our spiritual satisfaction. Should it be founded on the sand, truly it is important, that we know it; for delusive hopes prevent our obtaining the one thing need. ful;" and therefore, notwith. standing the partial and temporary pleasure they may afford, should be immediately renounc ed, as fatal to our happiness. 66 "But why so much ado about religion?" And why, especial ly, do I address so many search. ing inquiries to one of an amia. ble, unblemished moral charac. ter? My dear friend, if ever we should be so happy, as to arrive at the heavenly world, do you not imagine, that we shall there judge it an object, which was worthy of most diligent pursuit? Should we fail of eternal life, (awful thought!) and sink down to the pit, shall we not then lament, but to no purpose, our negligence in this deeply interesting business? In religion, we have to transact with a God, great and glorious, who is jeal. ous of his honor, and will not give his glory to another. As Christians are bought with a price of infinite value, so they are no longer their own. If we have the Spirit of Christ, with out which he will not acknowl. edge us to be his friends, we shall feel it our privilege and delight, unreservedly to devote ourselves to his service. We shall feel an interest in his interest, and our. selves honored in the advancement of his glory. Permit me to offer, as other reasons for making religion the great busi. ness of life, the rapidly evanescent state of our probation, and the eternal, unalterable condition of our future existence. To be indeed born again, to be translated out of darkness into God's marvellous light, to be delivered from the dominion of sin and Satan, and brought into the liberty of the children of God; to be united to the adorable Im. manuel, by a living faith, to have his Spirit dwelling within us, and thus to be made alive from the dead; is a blessed attainment, but perhaps, not so easy, as you suppose. This is "the pearl of great price;" "the treasure hid in the field;" the "one thing need. ful;" the " "good part, which shall never be taken away." Those who are thus made new creatures, evince their change of heart, by supreme love to God, for his own sake; by a pecul. iar affection for all who bear his spiritual image; by a regard to the divine law, in its spirituality, purity, and extent; by an acqui. escence and delight in the gospel method of salvation; by taking pleasure in the service of God, and placing a great value upon divine ordinances; by renounc ing the world with its vanities, and making the kingdom of God the great object of pursuit. By these evidences, upon which I might largely expatiate, prove yourself and know your own heart. You speak of satisfaction and delight in religion. Examine the nature of these emotions; and decide for yourself, whether they arise from self righteousness, or from evangelical humility. giving the supreme place in your affections, to the Chief among ten thousands, you must delight in making all your worldly happiness subservient to his will, and promotive of his declarative glory. Do you indeed love Jesus, is the great question; for in him is manifest all the fulness of the eternal godhead. If you love him, you will not place supreme delight in those things, on which he poured contempt. Can one in an elevated station, surround. ed by all worldly allurements, be a meek and lowly follower of a crucified Savior? With God, it is possible. Such instances have been exhibited; but alas, how rare! may you, my friend, exhibit, in a conspicuous manner, such an example. Let your light shine. Undoubtedly, many who have never felt their need of the physician of souls, experience a self righteous felicity in the perform ance of religious duties. There is, indeed, a genuine satisfaction, arising from a sense of the superlative excellence of religion, in itself considered, which can no where else be found. When we are savingly enlightened, we necessarily abhor ourselves, as did the pious Job. I hope your consolation from religion is of a substantial, scriptural nature; but remember, it is one thing to have complacency in the holy character of Jehovah; and a widely different thing, to rejoice in a character falsely attributed to him. I hope you possess a holy taste and if you are thus highly blessed, the pleasures of time and sense, will become comparatively insipid. As your spiritual taste, or relish for holy Next to closet devotion and things prevails, so in a propor- communion with your own heart, tionate degree, will your sensual let me recommend a lively inter. taste for thevanities of life subside. course with the Lord's people. If you place your affections on If you are alive, this will afford things above, you must necessa- you pleasure. They will know rily be taken off from things be- you, and you will experience low. If you are suitably engaged with them a secret union of heart. in the pursuit of holiness, all Remember the choice of Moses, that does not in some manner ad. and the account of Ruth's cleav. vance your eternal interests, willing to Naomi. David commends become contemptible. No man the society of the excellent of can serve two masters. Your heart must not be divided between God and the world; but Before I conclude, I will briefly suggest another rule of trial. Such as have tasted that the Lord is gracious, are never satisfied with present attainments. If you have once tasted, you will hunger and thirst after righteousness. One glimpse of divine glory will make you beseech God, like Moses, to manifest himself clearly. the earth, and declares all his delight to be in them. Will you once more be pleas ed to reply with freedom, and let me know whether you can patiently peruse what I write. May our gracious God have you continually in his holy keeping, From your affectionate friend, 2. A SECOND LETTER TO A LADY IN HIGH LIFE. MY DEAR FRIEND, I thought I would forbear; and had almost promised myself, that I would give you no farther trouble: but I know not how to forbear. Your soul is precious, and I fear you are still out of Christ. Might I be instrumental in bringing you to a saving acquaintance with HIM, how ex. ceedingly would it rejoice my heart, and what mutual endear. ments would it occasion for ever. You will think me uncharitable, and contracted in my sentiments; but I beseech you, hear me, consider what I say, and compare it with the infallible rule of the Scriptures. And may the good Spirit of God, enlighten your mind, and communicate a humble, penitent disposition. Then you will not be offended with me, for my freedom. That you have a considerable share of religion, of a certain kind, I am fully persuaded; and perhaps it is as good as it can be, without partaking of an evangelical nature. Do not misunderstand me. I do not determine absolutely, that yours is not of the right kind. I only express my fears. This I would do with the most tender solicitude for your immortal welfare. I fear then, you have never been slain by the law, brought off from self dependance, and been made to realize that you were a poor, perishing sinner, dependant entirely upon the sov ereign mercy of God in Christ. I fear your education is your religion, and that you have never experienced that change of heart, figuratively expressed by the new birth, without which it is in the nature of things impossible to enter the kingdom of heaven. I fear that instead of renouncing your own righteousness, and depending wholly on the righteousness of Christ, you only look to him, to supply your deficiences. But you must know, my dear friend, that Christ will be a whole SAVIOR, or no SAVIOR. He will have none, or all the glory of your salvation. One spark of religion, of the genuine kind, will secure to you eternal life. But should you possess as much as Saul of Tarsus, before Jesus appeared to him on his way to Damascus, and of as good a qual ity, you would still remain in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity. The love of Jesus must enkindle in your breast a hallowed flame, and then you will not be ashamed of the cross of Christ. But did you ever see Jesus? Is he precious to you, as he is to all who believe? Is he the chief among ten thousands, and altogether lovely? He is not except you have felt yourself a perishing sinner. I have not the least expectation of doing you good, unless God operate by the influences of his Spirit; and should he be propitious, we shall both be prepared to give HIм the glory. Love God, and be not of- Z. THE SOCINIAN SCHEME OF DIVINITY. Messrs. Editors, THERE are many readers of the Panoplist to whom it is a matter of surprise, that so many of its pages are occupied with ar. guments in favor of the proper Deity of Christ, or remarks tending to repel attacks upon this doctrine. The Socinian and Arian controversies are of recent date in this country; and well informed people in many parts of New England, have yet to learn, that in the midst of them a plan is concerted to silence the tongues, which are singing halleluias to the Redeemer. Chris. tians who have never been conversant with books of religious controversy, and who are unsul. lied by the touch of modern philosophical divinity, when informed that the Deity and atonement of Christ is deemed by any, who profess to regulate their opinions by the Scriptures, have manifest ed their astonishment at the possibility of such a thing. Many are anxious to know something of this new sect, who treat the opinions of our forefathers and the principal reformers, with so much disrespect. I conceive it may be proper and useful, to gratify them. The Socinians of the present day look up to Dr. Priestley, as a kind of doctrinal father, and the principal intrument of bring ing their sect into credit, in Great Britain, and this country. This pre-eminence he enjoyed until his death, which happened Feb. 6th 1800. Thomas Belsham of London was a disciple and intimate friend of Dr. Priestley, and preached a funeral sermon, on the occasion of his death, in which he has expressed his warmest Mr. emotions of attachment. Belsham is now generally regarded as the champion of his party, and as sitting in the chair of Dr. Priestley. Some time since, this gentleman published a volume of letters addressed to a lady, pur. porting to be an answer to Wil. berforce's Practical View of Christianity. In his second letter he has given us an abridge. ment of his system of divinity. I shall transcribe his own account word for word. The public will not then complain, that the subject is presented before them in a false, or partial light by an adversary, who misunderstands or misrepresents his opponent. In the first letter, Mr. Belsham professes to have given a summary of Mr. Wilberforce's religious system. The beginning of the second letter is occupied with stating his "strong suspicions," that if Mr. Wilberforce should cast his eye upon the portrait just drawn "he would deny the resemblance, and think it impossible that he should patronize a theory, the prominent features of which are so odious and disgusting. After making some remarks on Mr. Wilberforce's want of comprehension, in not discerning the consequences of his own system, he thus proceeds: "I shall now proceed to exhibit a concise view of rational christianity in its connexion with natural religion. "Of rational religion, the first and fundamental principle is, that the Maker of the universe is infinitely powerful, wise, and good, and that it is impossible for him to act in contradiction to his essential attributes. "GOD IS LOVE. Infinite be |