to the investigation, and piety equal to his talents. A performance on fuch a fubject, written by a truly philofophical fpirit; by a mind that can penetrate into principles, as well as cite authorities; by an author, thoroughly acquainted with the nature of vital Chriftianity, and filled with the deepest reverence of all the natural and moral perfections of Deity; evidently poffeffing a due fense of the limited powers of man, a firm perfuafion of the infpiration of the Scriptures, a perfect willingness to abide by its decifions, a devout feeling of the difficulty attending fome queftions on which the difcuffion must impinge, a fortitude that rendered him equally fearless of an opprobrious name from the world, or of not being confidered orthodox by the religious, and a Chriftian tenderness that made him careful never to fhock or wound thofe who differed from him:-a performance from fuch a writer, it may be worth our while to perufe. As for thofe productions which go not to the bottom of the queftion, embrace not the whole breadth of it, advert not to its bearings on infinitely important points; which, with a profeffed appeal to the Scriptures, only overwhelm us with quotations felected with a partial hand; which are evidently the produce of a weak, or wayward mind; of men, who either cannot grafp the fubject, or are determined to have their own way in the debate:--it is but lofing time, to read them.

Till fomething appear which fhall meet the main difficulties on the Calviniftic queftion, in a way fatisfactory to thofe, who regard with equal reverence every part of holy writ, (a defideratum which many devout minds on either fide would rejoice to fee produced) we must be content to fee men take different views of the subject; and think we have as much as can reasonably be expected in this imperfect state, if we perceive, fome on either side endeavouring in their respective ways to check the progrefs of evil.

And even if we be ftrongly perfuaded, that the fyftem of those who differ from us is wrong, let us not haftily condemn the labours of every one who holds it; but enquire, whether it operate alike in all of them. And if we perceive, that there are fome, who though they hold that system, yet act in fuch a way as to fhow, that it has no hurtful influence on them in those acts in which the public good is concerned, let us beware of accufing them of doing harm. This is the cafe of that clergyman, who though holding the Calvinistic opinion. refpecting the divine decrees, never brings that opinion into his public inftructions; never neglects to enforce good works; never fails either to warn finners of their danger, or to exhort them to turn to God. For though it may be his opinion, that his exhortations will never produce an effectual change on any, but thofe whom God has pre

viously chosen to eternal life; yet if he confider this as a matter he is to leave to God, and that it is his duty to use all the means of recovering men to God, just as if no fuch decree had paffed the counfels of Heaven; not one duty incumbent on a Christian inftructor is there omitted by him; not one means of improving the morals of society is there neglected; not one individual less is there turned to God, through the Calvinifm of fuch a man or for want of any endeavour on his part, which his being of an oppofite opinion would have led him to make.

SECTION III.

On the Sentiments of the Clergy in question, reSpecting the Doctrine of Juftification.

THE obfervations I have to offer on this point, apply equally to thofe perfons called Evangelical Clergymen who think with Calvin on the subject of the divine decrees, and fuch of them as differ from him on that queftion. The doctrine of juftification by faith, is not an appropriate part of Calvinifin. It has been fo reprefented indeed, by

fome modern controvertists: but it is to be hoped, that on this, and fome other questions, the admonition of a lately departed prelate will not be forgotten. Let the paffage be remembered as the dying words of a man of confummate learning in his profeffion, who grieved to fee with what "little knowledge of the fubject fome adventured to "write against Calvinifm."-" Take efpecial care, "before you aim your fhafts at Calvinism, that

you know what is Calvinifm, and what is not : "that in that mafs of doctrine, which it is of late "become the fashion to abufe under the name of

Calvinifm, you can diftinguish with certainty "between that part of it, which is nothing better "than Calvinism, and that which belongs to our

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common Chriftianity, and the general faith of the "reformed churches; left when you mean only to

fall foul of Calvinifm, you should unwarily "attack fomething more facred and of higher "origin"."

That the doctrine now before us is not a peculiarity of Calvin's fchool, there needs no other proof than this, that Calvin's great opponent has left it on record, that on this point he was perfectly agreed with him. The words of Arminius are thefe : "Quoniam vero Deus juftitiam Chrifti "nemini imputat nifi fidelibus, ftatuo hoc fenfu

* Bishop Horsley's last charge,

"bene et proprie dici fidem homini credenti, in juftitiam ex gratia imputari: Quatenus Deus "Jefum Chriftum Filium fuum propofuit tribunal gratis, five propitiationem per fidem in fanguine ipfius. Sed quicquid hic fit, mea fententia Calvini, quem tamen nemo noftrum reprehendit atque male in hac re fentientem, quin paratus "effem manus meæ fubnotatione subscribere illis, " quæ in tertio Inftitutionum fuarum libro de hac re dicit, iifque calculum meum adjicere." It fhall be left to the reader's judgment to determine, whether we fhould write in the margin of this paffage, "The Calvinism of Arminius," or entitle the third book of Calvin's Inftitutes, The Arminianifm of Calvin.

To return to the perfons of whom we are to give an account. It has unhappily been converted into an objection against them, that the doctrine of juftification is a frequent topic of inftruction with them thus (as their accufers exprefs themfelves) perplexing their hearers with abftrufe fpeculations, inftead of employing themselves in inculcating the neceflity of a good life. The objection goes on the fuppofition, that the point in queftion is of little moment in the concerns of

* See the paffage in that part of the works of Arminius entilled," Declaratio fententiæ D. Jac. Arminii, de juftifi "catione hominis coram Deo."