them, pay for them, and make every arrangement usually connected with such transactions? Who would employ such a man, either as a factor abroad, or an agent at home? Such a person would be wholly unworthy of confidence. The cases are similar. Our Lord has himself declared, that the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven, here or hereafter; and yet by the hypothesis we are combatting, he suffered the punishment and expiated the guilt of this very sin! He paid the whole debt of this very insolvent ; the doors of whose prison shall never be unbolted, and whose fetters of despair shall never be struck off, and for whose salvation, he who died to redeem him, will never offer even a solitary prayer! We conclude, then, that all men cannot be exempted from eternal punishment upon the ground of a vicarious atonement, because all were not embraced in its design.

4. The particularity of the atonement is evidenced by the restriction of the means of its application to sinners. John xvii. 3. It is expressly declared, "This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent;" which clearly implies, that not to know Jesus Christ, or, ignorance of him, is the opposite, viz. eternal death. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But how shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard?" While the blessed gospel of the Son of God declares to believers, "the promise is to you and unto your seed," ," it presents no consolation to the heathen, living and dying destitute of the knowledge of Christ Jesus. It pronounces them to be "without God, and without hope in the world." Such is the mysterious, yet equitable constitution, established by God, who doth according to his will in the armies of heaven, and also among the inhabitants of earth, and is obliged to

give an account of none of his matters. He tells us, that "Where there is no vision, the people perish." But had the atonement been intended for all, the means of its application would have been equally extensive.

If it be pleaded, that the means of grace revealed in the gospel are unnecessary to the salvation of the heathen world-if they can enjoy salvation without even hearing of the Saviour, or the mystery of godliness developed in his manifestation in the flesh-if they and their seed, who have no covenant claim of representative identification with believing parents, are nevertheless interested in the atonement made by the blood of the Redeemer, and shall be heirs of the eternal felicity resulting from the vicarious satisfaction of (to them) an unknown God, how superlatively useless must have been the miracles

wrought to verify the divinity of his character, and the authenticity of his mission! How vain, the admirable machinery of ordinances, missionary establishments, Bible societies, &c. &c.! How chimerical must be the solicitude of mind, the expenditure of treasures, and the countless sacrifices of personal ease and comfort, in sending the gospel to the benighted heathen! The mere fact of the existence of the atonement, whether known, or unknown, will be sufficient.*

* God is a sovereign, under no other limitation than the rectitude of his own nature and perfections, and such obligations as he has been pleased to impose upon himself. Whether it be his purpose to save any of the heathen, living and dying without any opportunity of external objective revelation, by some extraordinary subjective manifestation of himself, as a God in Christ, to them, in their last moments, is a point we can neither affirm nor deny. We know it not. cret things belong unto God: revealed things to us and our children." We dare not limit the Holy One of Israel, from extending the exuberance of his grace, to whomsoever he will, even without the

"Se

5. We shall now endeavour to obviate some of the principal objections alleged, 1st, from scripture, and, 2d, from reason, against the doctrine of a particular atonement, or, that Jesus died only for some of the human race, and that consequently only some shall be saved. Such alone shall be exempted from deserved eternal misery, on the ground of a substitutional expiation. It will be recollected, we showed, in a preceding number, the impossibility of a sinner's escaping eternal punishment, on the footing of personal expiation. The vicarious atonement, however valuable in itself, intrinsically considered, can be of no importance to those who were not embraced in its design. But it is alleged, that the scriptures contain sufficient evidence to establish the point, that an atonement was made equally for all, and consequently that all shall be saved. If the premises could be established, we should most cordially admit the conclusion. We are fully persuaded, that such is not the doctrine of the Bible. We shall now proceed to examine,

1st. Some of the supposed scriptural objections to the doctrine of a limited atonement.

(To be continued.)

S. B. W.

external means of knowledge, by the extraordinary communications of his Spirit. Yet we have no positive evidence of such extension. All we can say is, that we think it involves no contradiction to the attributes of the Divinity, or to any declaration in the sacred oracles. Philan. thropy, in all such cases, will incline to the side of mercy. The entail of the covenant of grace, embracing the parents and their seed, furnishes to believers the most consolatory hopes, respecting their children, when dying in infancy, and consequently incapable of objective revelation. That God may, independently of this entail, extend to the children of heathens, dying in infancy, similar grace, we believe, to be repugnant, neither to the scriptures, nor the reasoning here advanced.

Improvement of Aphorisms.

Maxims, which involve in a brief phraseology the deductions of reason, the compressed treasures of experience, and the results of observation upon men and manners, form an acknowledged good mode of communicating instruction. If formed with ingenuity, they have a captivating influence over the mind; and, especially for the youth, they possess a charm which is almost magical. The human mind is naturally indolent, and averse from the labour and research which must necessarily be encountered in the pursuit of general knowledge; but it is seldom too indolent to seize with eagerness, and to remember with fidelity, the pithy apothegm. Among the illiterate and unenlightened,maxims prevail and have a considerable influence upon their conduct, and are often regarded with a strictness which borders on superstition. This fact shows that the instrument has power, and that it may become exceedingly beneficial when judiciously managed. The ancients were aware of this, and have handed down to posterity much of the wisdom of their sages, in this dress; and who knows not, that in the Proverbs of Solomon is embodied a greater mass of wisdom than has ever appeared in the same compass. We have a vast multitude of maxims which are either original in our language, or have been transplanted there, which afford many valuable hints for the regulation of our temper and conduct; but inasmuch as they are valuable only so far as they accord with gospel morality, the Christian has a peculiar property in them, and should improve them to his spiritual interests.

It is our design to present a few brief specimens of the manner in. which a Christian may profitably enlarge upon maxims, by reflections of a spiritual cast; and, indeed, they who are candidates for immortality, should thus improve every thing

which they hear, observe, know or feel.

1." In whatever profession a man is, he should study to be eminent. Mediocrity is below a brave soulaut Caesar, aut nullus.*

Christians wear the badge of an exalted profession: their's is not the pursuit of fame, or worldly wealth, or perishing honours, if they properly appreciate the spirit of their station; but rising above objects of such transient existence, they esteem this life a pilgrimage; they claim the honour of adoption into the family of God, and fix their gaze upon a crown of blissful immortality.

Their principal object is to promote God's glory, and to secure their own salvation; they profess views, feelings and prospects peculiar to themselves; they lay claim to a spiritual regeneration, which gives them a marked pre-eminence over the world which lieth in wickedness.

-The divine life in which they are initiated, has its commencementvarious intermediate grades of perfection and its final consummation. In religion there is no stopping place; we must be either advancing or retrograding; falling below the elevation which we have already attained, or soaring above it. Our conduct has a constant tendency to weaken or strengthen the tone of our Christian graces. The divine admonition is, "to leave the things which are behind, and to press onward towards the things which are before:" we are under sacred obligations to make progress; to add to our faith, virtue, and the remainder of Christian graces in the bright catalogue. The greater our acquisitions, the greater is the tribute of honour which we pay to the gospel; the more we grow in grace, the more we adorn our profession. There are some who think it sufficient to become Christians without

* Either Cæsar or nobody.

becoming eminent; but, in the language of the maxim, "mediocrity is below a brave soul:” our aim should be noble, our souls should be touched by celestial fire, we should bound on the course, we should pant and struggle after the highest grade of immortality. The Christian who does not absolutely aim to secure the loftiest attainments which the

gospel offers, is characterized by a grovelling spirit, which does no honour to his profession.

We should not set before us Moses or Paul as the standards of the perfection to which we would at

tain:

: we should not be content with the prayer, "give me a seat at thy saints' feet," but we should imitate no less a personage than JESUS CHRIST, exerting ourselves to become like him as far as the circumstances of the case will permit: we should strive for the nearest seat to the Eternal: we should exert ourselves for the crown which sparkles with the richest gems: we should desire to be among the foremost and most skilful who shout "allelujah! the Lord God omnipotent reigneth!" Such noble and elevated views have no alliance with human pride, but are the natural result of graces which have flourished and become invigorated by attentive culture.

The master requires his followers to become eminent in their profession, to be strong in, faith, abounding in love, lively in hope, to be richly furnished by grace and godliness, cherished in the heart and rendered visible in the life, for the eternal enjoyment of his presence. This be the believer's motto, I count not myself as having already attained, but in the buoyancy of hope, I press towards the mark.

2. " If men defame us, we should live in such a manner, that nobody will believe them."

Such was the method by which Plato repelled the calumnies which were liberally heaped upon him by his enemies; and Christians would

not dishonour their profession by imitating his noble example. Life is a scene of struggle; we are momentarily exposed to difficulty and danger, but never do we feel more acutely than when our dearest reputation is made the sport of merciless calumny. "Touch my honour, you touch my life," is the violent maxim of nature unsubdued by grace; and even the Christian finds it difficult to curb the stern spirit which so readily rebels when character is called into question. The fire which burns through the veins of the duellist, is with difficulty kept in check by the man of God; and if he possesses not more than ordinary grace, he will at seasons, feel the lurking desire to resist, retaliate, and take revenge, when labouring under unjust reproach. Character should be dear to us, but it is not to be supported by violent measures. We cannot enrich ourselves by injuring our calumniators; we may prosecute them with rancorous violence, but we cannot thereby effectually establish our own credit. If men arraign our motives, misrepresent our words, and traduce our conduct, and thereby render us objects of public odíum, we are to avenge the wrong and expose the calumny, by a virtuous and blameless life. Our actions should be so unimpeachably holy, that the report of the traducer will not be credited. The Christian is frequently placed in circumstances, where this mild maxim may be brought into operation; he is often the mark of unjust reproach-nay, he rests under the weight of a wo, when all men speak well of him: but if amidst such trials, he would relieve his own character, and honour the gospel, he should remember and practise the benevolent rule by which the "chiefest apostle" regulated himself, "Be

We observe the sinner glorying in his shame, and working all uncleanness with greediness; he fearlessly persists in habits of iniquity and dares the majesty of Heaven, but when the finger of God touches him, his boasted fortitude forsakes him. Being destitute of a virtuous principle of heart, he is ignorant of the secret of suffering patiently; he may assume the apathy of the stoic, but the coward lurks within ; disease to him is a messenger of terror, and the apprehensions of hell torture his soul.

But the reverse of this maxim is true. The Christian who fears to do evil, is not afraid to suffer it. We do not pretend to assert that every believer is exempted from the fear of suffering; but that the natural tendency of grace is to inspire the soul with fortitude. How often has it been illustrated! The early Christians, whose lives were eminently holy, feared not reproach, scourgings, persecutions and martyrdom; and now the disciples of Jesus, when rightly influenced by the principles which they profess, can calmly contemplate their reverses of fortune, the painful diseases which rack mortality, and the irresistible approach of the last formidable enemy.

That fortitude is unshaken which is founded on a principle of genuine piety.

4. " If we be not as happy as we desire, it is well we are not so miserable as we deserve."

Whatever may be our allotment in the present world, we may find much cause for thankfulness; and a ground of gratitude may be observed in our very miseries, because they are not as great as we deserve. None of us are as happy as we desire, since our desires are directed towards an eternal, unal

3. "He that fears not to do evil, is always afraid to suffer evil.”

ness proportioned to our desert, we should be involved in all the miseries of hell.

Let the Christian compare his

enjoyments with his deserts, and he will find that he is much, very much the debtor of sovereign grace; for it is a miracle of grace that any are out of hell. Blessed be God, who judges not according to the rule of man's judgment, but who tempers even his wrath with mercy. Here is a wretch bloated and staggering with disease, the effect of his vices; here a miserable object so devoted to damning lusts, that his prospects for heaven are dissipated; here a trembling criminal, led to the scaffold, with every mark of dishonour, to satisfy the demands of insulted, violated law,-yet such miseries, the best have deserved, and to grace alone is to be attributed our distinction above others.

"Aut sumus, aut fuimus, aut possumus esse quod hic est."*

If the Christian suffers under affliction, he should comfort himself by the reflection, that God chastens him with tenderness, and that his punishment is lighter than his sin.

W. M. E.

Heligious Biography. Extract from a Sermon delivered in the Third Presbyterian Church in the city of Philadelphia, on the 14th of January, A. D. 1821, at the funeral of Mr. James Martin. By E. S. Ely.

The subject of discourse, on this occasion, may be found in 2 Chron. xxvi. 5. As long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.

The words relate to Uzziah, king of Judah. He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah did. And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God. The text then follows. The preacher considered it, as expressive of the general doctrine, that those who honour God, shall be honoured by

We either are, or have been, or might have been what he is.

him, in the dispensations of providence and grace. This general doctrine he applied, first, to nations in their national capacity; and evinced, that, in proportion to the conformity of our national constitution, general government, and public conduct to the divine law, we may expect prosperity as a nation. He imputed it, to the piety of our ancestors, and to the regard which they paid, in founding our earliest institutions, to the rights of conscience, and the dictates of the sacred oracles, that the American nation has been more specially favoured of God than any that ever existed, with the exception of the Hebrew people, whose government was a theocracy.

Secondly, the preacher applied his general doctrine to inferior associations, to each of the United States, to particular denominations of Christians, to the civil polity of the society of Friends, and to distinct congregations of Christians.

Thirdly, he applied the general doctrine to all the temporal and spiritual concerns of individuals; and here, as a special illustration, he proceeded, contrary to his ordinary practice in preaching, to read the following MEMOIR.

JAMES MARTIN was born in the

parish of West Caldar, in the shire of Lenleithgou, near the city of Edinburgh, in Scotland, some time in January, A. D. 1732. The day of his birth he was unable to state to me, when, nearly a year ago, he made me acquainted with his history; because he lost his family Bible and all his papers, during the American revolution. But the memory of his youthful days was more perfect, in his old than that of any age, other portion of his life. During his whole pilgrimage, until visited by his last sickness, he was in the habit of arising from his bed before the morning sun, and of retiring to rest early in the evening. This he was confident had contributed to his health, worldly prosperity and happiness. This habit, with most others,