ing for sing the cause of all sighing | condition. which requires to be sup. and sorrow will be done away with. ported by miserable evasions of truthBelieve me in the best, and indeed in ful, tried, and time-honoured concluevery good sense of the word, Isions; by breaking up evident anawish you and yours a happy new year; for, although the first week is ended, and the second week commenced, still the year is in its infant state; with me the far greater proportion of the year will be happy, happy indeed, for I shall be gone over "The Bridge of Sighs," and be where there is no sighing, but singing. O the blissful, rapturous idea; as the immortal Watts says,{ "The thought of such amazing bliss Should constant joys create.' Then we shall for ever sing, not sigh. "He hath done all things well." Let my dear friend and your beloved wife take the comforts which the thought is calculated to inspire; that she will eventually be introduced into the inheritance of the saints in light, where all is light and no darkness at all. While she remains here, I feel for her, I sympathize with her, for this world is all darkness and no light to her. Oh! what a glorious exchange it will be for her. The good Lord be her guide, till that happy day arrives, then the day of sighing will be for ever, ever ended. Before I fold up this scrawl allow me to say, every good that you possibly wish or desire, believe me, with the greatest sincerity I wish for you both; and do often remind her what she already knows, but it cannot be repeated to her too often, viz., "The Lord himself will be her everlasting light," and the days of her sighing will be for ever, ever ended.

logies, and by perverting the plainest declarations, and impugning solid translations of the sacred scriptures. Precisely in this condition is the cause of free-will; and, one is almost ready to conclude that, if its volaries were not shameless, they would not attempt to advocate their cause from premises to which they have, no, not the shadow of a claim. Surely honesty would not need to be told twice, it held an article not its own. But you are it seems brought into contact with the advocates of this wretched system, and, being in a strait laudably ask aid. There is however a little darkness in your ques-tion, and you will pardon me if I suppose it should run thus: can the word translated, ordained, Acts xiii. 48, be explained so as to favour a free agency view of the passage? To this I answer,

Yours, sincerely,

C. Abbott.
Kind respects to Mr. and Mrs. A.

A REPLY TO THE REQUEST
OF JOHN P. R. PAYNE,
As stated on Page 52 of the Gospel
Herald

DEAR SIR,

That cause, in religion, must surely be in a most deplorable, yea, desperate

There is nothing in the word, nothing in the text, but which eminently exhibits the awful, holy, and reverend Jehovah in his absolute sovereignty, manifesting his eternal purpose to have mercy upon whom he would have mercy, by giving faith to the idolatrous Gentiles, through the word preached, that they might thereby lay. hold on that eternal life to which they were ordained; while the self-righteous Jews are left to stand in their covenant with death, and agreement with hell, unbelieving, contradicting, blaspheming and blind.

Nothing in the word. It is true, indeed, a silly conceit has arisen, as fantastical as it is false, that the words: may be rendered, and as many as were disposed, (that is, inwardly in their minds) unto eternal life, believed. This, as far as we can learn, arose with Socinus, who was followed by the Dutch Remonstrants, then it was taken up by Dr. Whitby, and has subse quently been received by all of th

school; but the emptiness and falsehood | may attain for himself satisfactory evidence of the truthfulness of the translation in question, let him substi tute the word disposed, or any other analogous thereto, in the placese of those words in italics in the above quotations; and in this way he will easily and at once see the fallaciousness of the arguments for free-will from hence, and what must be the true sense of the word. How idolatrously prostrated, and abandoned to prejudice are the opposers of Jehovah's sovereignty!

of it has been exposed again and again. Chrysostom, who, according to Dr. Ames, it must be acknowledged well understood the Greek word, interpreted it by Aphorizesthai in the place, thus; "Aphorizomenous to Theo;" which interpretation is translated by Erasmus thus; "Præfinitos à Deo;" that is, fore-appointed by God. Erasmus also paraphrased the place in question thus; "Those of the Gentiles, not all, but every one divine mercy had destined unto eternal life, believed; unto which no man attains, except chosen and Nothing in the text; as the words called by God." Dr. Ames says, "This read they bear an evident analogy to word (tatesthai) is no where through- the whole revelation of God's will and out the whole sacred scriptures, nor the operation of his power in the salvain any Greek author, so used as that tion of a sinner: invert them, (as some it can denote an internal quality; any do) and you weaken that analogy; one who is only acquainted with the alter them, and you destroy it. It is rudiments of the Greek language may worse than idle to talk about good plainly perceive a vast difference be dispositions before believing, in the tween tatesthai' and diatithesthai." scripture sense of the word; for as He says, moreover, "The usual sense unbelief is taken as the most promi of this word in the New Testament, is nent feature of the unregenerate and to note an extrinsic appointment or lost man, so faith is taken as the divine election," Leigh's Crit. Sae. in fundamental characteristic of the re verb. In which useful book there is generate and saved man, Mark xvi, 16 more to the same purpose. Now that And all before regenerate faith (so to such as Dr. Ames says, is the usual speak) is unregenerate unbelief, hardsease of the word in the New Testa-ness of heart, impenitence, pride, ment shall be demonstrated to the covetousness, rebellion, hatred of God, plain English reader by the simplest and carnal-minded enmity against process. Take the following instances God, all which operate in one way or of its occurrence with its connection: another, to a greater or less degree, ~~"Where Jesus had appointed them," and are so discovered in all men. Matt. xxviii. 16. "For I also am a "That which is born of the flesh is man set under authority,” Luke vii. 8. | flesh," and "the minding of the flesh " "They determined that Paul and Bar- is indicated by the works of the nabus," Acts xv. 2. "And there it flesh" which are plentifully set down shall be told thee of all things which by the apostle in Gal. v. 19-21; but are appointed for thee to do," Acts where is the goodness? perhaps the xxii. 10. "And when they had ap-brightest scripture example of moral pointed him a day,” Acts xxviii. 23. amiability, or goodness of disposition "The powers that be, are ordained of that can be adduced before faith (that' Gad," Rom. xiii. 1. Comparisons is, without faith), is the rich ruler in are highly useful in illustrations, and the gospels; yet he was so bloated mightily assist us in our conclusions; with pharisaic blamelessness that he and that the plainest English reader, would rather be an independent selfa without troubling himself about Greek, saviour, than a dependent saved "one,

Obituaries.

found her a help-meet indeed. Shortly after our marriage, however, she was afflicted with inflammation, but by the prompt attendance of the surgeon, attended by the blessing of God, it was soon removed. But this did not continue long; in a few weeks after this she was brought very low by affliction, insomuch that we despaired even of life; in it, however, her soul was very happy, and she was resigned to the divine will; but it pleased the Lord to raise her up again, but was soon again brought low; indeed, I may say, she was seldom long without affliction, but she ever bore it with patience and resignation-it might be said of her, "In patience she possessed her soul," and could say with the poet,

แ Since all that I meet shall work for my good

The bitter is sweet-the medicine is food;

Though painful at present, 'twill cease before long,

And then O how pleasant the conqueror's song."

Several friends

was very strong.
visiting her, she gave a good description
of the hope that was in her, with
reverence and godly fear; she could
bear this testimony, that she knew
"if the earthly house of this taberna-
cle were dissolved, she had a building
above, a house not made with hands,
Her dis-
eternal in the heavens."
order, however, seemed to defy human
skill, till all hopes of recovery was
lost, and though the struggle was hard,
I was obliged to yield her back to
God, and was waiting, as I expected,
till she should

'Escape to the mansions of light, And be lodged in the Eden of love," When attention was suddenly my arrested by hearing her break out singing, but I could not understand one word; thinking her delirious, I said, My dear, what is the matter? "Oh,' said she, "I am helping the angels to sing." And do you see angels? "Oh! yes, there are six of them, they come "These light afflictions are only for singing so beautifully, and are now at a moment.' She had now for a long my bed's feet, and my dear boy is time been united with the Methodists, among them;* each of them has a but in the latter part of the year 1842, parchment roll in their hands, but his hearing a discourse delivered upon the has writing upon it, and he is telling subject of baptism, she at once saw me to read it, but I cannot." I said, the scriptural mode, and the proper then my dear, you are happy. subjects for baptism; and, after ap- "Yes, very happy; I have no fear of pearing before the church, and giving death, death to me has lost his sting.' satisfactory evidence of a work of She continued in this happy frame of grace in her heart, was approved; and mind for some time, and, at times, on the first Lord's day, January, 1843, longed to be gone; for, she said, “I she followed her once suffering, but shall be with Jesus, which is far now exalted Lord, in the holy ordi- better." But, contrary to all expectanance of believers' baptism, and I have tion, she was raised up again, but was heard her repeatedly say, it was one of never fully able to see after her the happiest days that ever she lived. domestic concerns. Since we have Many remarked upon her serene ap-lived at Sutton she has been much pearance; and it might truly be said, afflicted. she "went on her way rejoicing." On February 27th, 1845, she was delivered of her last child, and, for the first four days, I never knew her so well, but, on the fifth day, she was seized with inflammation in the womb, and her medical attendant gave me no hopes of her recovery; but still I indulged a hope that she would recover, which, by the blessing of God, she did, after some weeks' severe affliction, but was never after to say well.

In this affliction she "suffered, being tempted," but the Lord was with her in the furnace, and she found that "around her was the everlasting arms," and, at times, her confidence in Jesus

In the autumn of 1845, she I was again afflicted with inflammation, and was brought very low, and feeling much inward depravity, attended by powerful temptations; her mind was dark, and was sometimes led to think she was only an hypocrite; this led her to her closet again, where the Lord burst the cloud, and visited her with his former loving-kindness, and she could say, come welcome death, I'd gladly go with thee. But again the Lord raised her up, and, in the spring of 1846, she again appeared at the sanctuary, for which she was very

*A child, three years of age, that had died a few months previous.

deprived of the privilege of reading, u her eyes were too weak to see the print; this she greatly lamented. She would sometimes say, "All the privilege I have is being in your company; 0 that I did not think so much of you; I do not know how to bear you out of my sight." Being at times much tempted by the enemy, and not feeling so much of the divine presence as she desired, the affliction very painful, with the thoughts of leaving the dear children all crowding upon her mind, the thoughts of death sometimes made her afraid.

A few days before she changed for the worse, I said, My dear, how is it with you now? what prospect have you for an eternity of happiness! "Well," she said, "I never made a blazing profession, as some have done, I never liked a blazing profession." I answered, No, my dear, I do not like a blazing profession; but I want to know what ground you stand upon.

have no righteousness of my own, nothing that I can trust to; it must be all of grace from first to last; Christ is the foundation of his church, all others are useless; my mind is still dark, but my hope is in him," Shortly after this the cloud broke, and she could say,

thankful; but this did not last long, | for, on September 12th, same year, her complaint returned; medical aid was resorted to, and some relief obtained, but it was only temporary, for she was kept a prisoner at home until May 23rd, 1847, when she again appeared at the house of God; I shall not forget her thankfulness on that occasion, while at the chapel, and after she returned home; she said, "The word is sweet to my taste, sweeter than honey or the honey comb." "I am glad," she said, "to see the congregation continue so large; oh! that it would please the Lord to pour out his Holy Spirit upon sinners, this would gladden my heart, but his time is best." She still continuing very weak, it was thought a change of air might be of service; and, in August, I took her into Essex, to see her friends; and, after staying a short time, she appeared to gain strength, and came home expressing her thanks that she had had the pleasure once more seeing her relations" Well, not upon my own merits, I in the flesh; and I myself was encouraged to hope that she was getting strength; but, alas! my hopes were vain, for on September 12th, the same month and the same day of the month that she was taken last year, she was again seized with inflammation; the surgeon was again called in, and some relief obtained, and I was led to hope surely the bitterness of death is past. But "God's ways are not our ways, nor his thoughts our thoughts." My dear wife did not think as I did, but, from the first, said, “I think this affliction is unto death; oh! that I might be ready when the Bridegroom cometh; I do not know that I have any particular desire to live, but for you and my poor babes; I hope the Lord will spare me a little longer for their sakes, but his will be done." Finding that she grew weaker, I frequently asked her the state of her mind, and, all the first part of the time, never before knew her to be so dark; she would say, "my way seems hedged up; I know not what the Lord is about to do with me; the disease seems altogether different to what I have had before, and my poor body is so weak, I think I cannot live long, but still I hope I can say that God is my rock, and the high God my salvation. Should the Lord take me, do you take care of my poor babes, a this affliction she was

"Fearless of hell and ghastly death,

I'd break through every foe;
The wings of love, and arms of faith
Would bear me conqueror through."

(To be continued.)

MRS. KETURAH MARTIN.

At Wetherden, Suffolk, February 1st, 1848, died in the joy and hope of the gospel, in her 20th year, Mrs. Keturah Martin, On Lord's day after noon, the 13th, a funeral discourse was delivered at the chapel, founded on Prov. viii, 17, "I love them that love me, and those that seek me early shall find me.” The congregation was large, attentive, and many were deeply affected. It is expected that the sermon, in the more acceptable shape of an essay, with a memoir of the de ceased, will shortly be published in a neat and cheap form.

R

WA