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seem to imagine, with a celebrated northern Doctor, that the minds of men must be prepared for the faith of the Gospel; that ministers should endeavour to lead on their hearers step by step, "raising first the blast of their trumpet against the visible iniquities which they see to be in them;" that by inducing them to forsake such practices, they may be placed in a better moral attitude for receiving the "faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation." Many, on the contrary, and I believe the greater part of evangelical ministers of the present day are of this description, maintain that the Gospel should be directly pressed upon the attention of all men; and that all men are bound to receive it. Even amongst these, however, there is considerable disparity of practice, involving, as it appears to me, considerable difference of opinion. There are many preachers, who, having given a vivid exhibition of the Gospel, tell their hearers that it is their instant duty to receive it, and that every moment of delay brings down upon them a heavier load of guilt; and there are others, who, in similar circumstances, merely exhort their hearers to pray for faith and a new heart, or who, if they do direct them to go instantly to the Saviour, direct them, at the same time, to pray that they may be enabled to go to him.

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Now, it cannot be doubted, that it is a most important matter to conduct our exhortations to the ungodly in a consistent and proper manner, and in the manner best adapted to accomplish the great object we have in view, viz. to save them from death and destruction. I frankly acknowledge my doubts whether such is the tendency of the mode of address last described; and my hope, in writing to you, is, that a statement of the nature and origin of these doubts, may draw forth

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some remarks either from you or some one of your able correspondents, adapted to set my mind more at rest upon the subject, than, I confess, it is at present. The following, then, are the sources of my hesitation, with regard to what I imagine is the prevailing mode of address in the present day.

First, Was it not the practice of the apostles, after they had given a statement of the Gospel, to command men every where to repent, and believe it? And, can a single instance be produced, in which they either satisfied themselves with merely telling their hearers to pray for faith, or even connected such exhortations with others to believe the Gospel?

Secondly, Do not mere exhortations to pray for faith, proceed on the principle, that the whole of the sinner's immediate duty is exhausted by prayer, and that it is not his immediate duty to believe? Closely connected with this is the

Third question I would ask, viz. If mere exhortations to pray for faith, do not involve a practical surrender of the important question we have all along been contending for with the high Calvinists, viz. that sinners are morally obliged, or, in other words, that it is their duty to do, what they are at the same time morally unable to do? Are not such exhortations prompted by a kind of feeling that, as sinners cannot, after all, believe, they should only be exhorted to pray that they may be enabled to believe?

Fourthly, I would ask, whether the practice now adverted to lightens the pressure of the supposed difficulty? or, in other words, whether sinners are more able to pray than they are to believe? Are they not as unable to pray properly, as they are to receive the word of God concerning his Son? And if this be the case, should not the address be an ex

hortation to pray that they may be enabled to pray, and so on, ad infinitum ?

Fifthly, I ask, if the persons to whom the exhortations are addressed should be led to attend to them, whether their prayers would be acceptable to God? Are the prayers of unbelievers ever acceptable to him? And, if not, have they any tendency to procure the supplicated blessing?

Sixthly, I ask if the kind of exhortations to which I am now referring, viz. exhortations to pray for faith, instead of to believe, do not seem to go on the principle, that there is something besides aversion of heart to the Gospel, to prevent a sinner's receiving it? In the supposed case of a sinner's being led so to desire to believe the Gospel, as to pray for faith in it, are not all the obstacles to his coming to the Saviour removed? Will not the state of mind, that by supposition leads him to the throne of grace, lead him to the cross of Christ?

Lastly, Is not the effect of this mode of addressing sinners injurious? If a sinner be in any measure alarmed, and so induced to utter a form of words before God, is he not likely to think that he has then done all his duty, and that if his prayers are not heard, the fault is not his ? Is it not the tendency of this mode of dealing with sinners, to lead them to wait at the pool of ordinances, as it is called, fancying that they desire to be converted, and to be brought to the Saviour, but that God is unwilling to bring them? Whereas, should it not be deeply impressed upon their minds that they desire no such thing; that their distance from the Saviour is a voluntary and cherished distance; and that every moment in which they continue where they are, they are adding to the burden of their guilt?

INVESTIGATOR.

REFLECTIONS ON A VISIT TO THE JEWISH SYNAGOGUE.

THE remote antiquity of the Jewish people, "who date from beyond the Pyramids," and their subsequent dispersion among all the nations of the earth, where for ages they have existed as a distinct family, alike resisting the terrors of persecution, and the allurements of ease, must present to a philosophical observer of human nature, a phenomenon of no ordinary interest. He may, indeed, attempt to solve the problem, but it is the believer in Christianity, who can alone explain it, and he considers the peculiar circumstances of that venerable, people, as affording a more complete testimony of the truth of his religion, than sculptured granite, or lettered brass could furnish. To such a mind there

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some considerations of the deepest and most gloomy interest connected with their present circumstances, as contrasted with the past.

And when he realizes the splendour of their brightest days, in which they possessed "the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises, whose are the Father's, and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came" -he sighs at their degeneracy, and desires to view them " in their low estate," that he may more fully understand the hateful nature of that unbelief, which caused the storms of divine judgment to drive them like a gallant vessel on some dreadful shore, and then to scatter their broken fragments along the beach to testify to every passenger, how dreadful was the tempest, and how complete the wreck. I am not ashamed to say, that these have often been my feelings; and when last in the metropolis, I expressed these feelings to a friend, who lives in that part of the city of London, where the Jews principally reside; and who offered to conduct me to the public service of their chief

synagogue. I accepted his invitation, and a short walk brought us to the dark and narrow precincts of Duke's-place, where we entered a spacious edifice devoted to Jewish worship. The service for the eve of their Sabbath was began, a large congregation had assembled, even the entrance was crowded with groups of dirty, "fellows of the baser sort," whose suspicious appearance, caused my friend to hurry me forward. As we passed along the aile, the loud shrill tones of the reader, who chanted forth the evening prayer, echoed through the lofty building, and before we could reach the seat to which we were conducted, a loud response burst from a thousand voices, as if in united execrations on the heads of their Christian visitors. I took my seat somewhat startled ;-gazed on the dark physiognomies around me—and felt insulated amongst them. There was something in the keen expression of their eyes which made me uneasy; and I rejoiced that I had a Christian brother by my side. This needless feeling quickly subsided, and I listened to the service; but as it was perfectly unintelligible to me, I found myself at leisure to reflect on the novel and touching scene around me.

I was much affected to observe the almost total want, not only of reverence, but also of common propriety of behaviour. The children were trifling, their fathers were familiarly chatting, and, indeed, some were evidently transacting business: the buyers and sellers yet linger in their temple, and their house of prayer is still a "house of merchandize." The spacious galleries are elegantly fronted with brass lattice-work; and exclusively

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devoted to the accommodation of the females, who, however, appeared perfectly indifferent to the service, and only anxious to display their rich and gaudy dresses, to which they seem as much at

tached as their great grand-dames were three thousand years ago. It has been generally thought, that woman is more disposed to attend to the duties of religion than man; and travellers have often strengthened this opinion by their observations; but, alas! the fallen daughter's of Israel are more degenerate than their sisters of Samaria, who worshipped, though they "knew not what ;" and these descendants of the faithful Sarah, the prayerful Hannah, the modest Ruth, the grateful Elizabeth, and the watchful Anna, appear in the house of God to flirt and trifle! Surely, we may lament with the prophet Jeremiah, that" from the daughters of Zion all beauty is departed." Amidst this general levity of manner, I, however, observed some venerable Jews bending beneath the weight of years, who were deeply attentive to the forms of their worship. Their heads were covered with their sacred garments, and their faces were turned to the east, to worship "towards the Holy Temple." But their countenances expressed a sadness, which was affecting; and which called to my mind the touching lamentation of a noble poet, who in one of his Hebrew melodies, has with his accustomed success described their feelings of desolation and exile:

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"But we must wander witheringly
In other lands to die,

And where our father's ashes be
Our own can never lie,

The temple hath not left a stone,
And Mockery sits on Salem's throne."

The only part of the service, which appeared to arouse and interest the audience at large, was the vocal display of two young Jews, who certainly poured forth "the songs of Zion," most melodiously. While I was admiring the beautiful inflections of their voices, a bearded Israelite tapped

Called nn, Talleth, vide Allen's Modern Judaism, chap. 17.

me on my shoulder with perfect familiarity, and asked, if the performance was not fine and informed me, that these young men were employed to sing at concerts at the west end of the town. I did not reply. The devout and patriotic exclamation of their exiled ancestors rushed into my mind, "How can we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?"-and I could have wept for their degeneracy. Turning in disgust from these theatrical exhibitors, I observed a lamp suspended over the recess in which they deposit the books of the law, which reflected from its feeble, and almost expiring flame, a dim uncertain light on the sacred volumes below. Alas, thought I, how this resembles the instruction, which this deluded people derive from the expositions of their Rabbies. "The light which is in them is darkness; -how great then is that darkness."

I am not sure that some feelings of conscious superiority were not growing upon me as I looked around, when I felt myself admonished and humbled, on remembering the language of St. Paul: "Boast not against the branches -because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high minded but fear for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee." My friend had become weary, and rose to retire; and as every object in the surrounding scene excited melancholy feelings in my bosom, I cheerfully followed through a side door to the street again, when, in a few minutes, I found myself at the hospitable dwelling of my friendly companion.

The conversation of the evening turned on the melancholy spectacle we had witnessed, and the duties which Christians owe to this unhappy people. My host would not hear of societies for their conversion. He said, those who were acquainted with the secret history

of some attempts of that sort, knew enough to deter them from making the experiment again. He would only consent to the circulation of their own Scriptures amongst them, and the judicious distribution of books demonstrative of the Messiahship of Jesus. He admitted the necessity of earnest and united prayer for their conversion, and regretted that their peculiar situation is not more frequently remembered in public and social prayer. And, indeed, he suggested the necessity of some hint on this subject in our religious periodicals. I have, therefore, written to you this brief account of our visit; and I trust, if any of those who lead the devotions of others should favour it with a perusal, they will not fail to remember "the seed of Abraham." Whilst we contend for the advantages of free prayer, I trust they will be exhibited in the comprehensive supplications of our ministers, who should not forget, that "Jews, Turks, and Infidels"-are daily remembered in the petitions of the National Church.

O, that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad."

AMICUS RUSTICUS. B

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A STATEMENT OF THE PRINCIPAL EVIDENCES OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION.

THE object which this paper has in view, is to show, that the establishment of Christianity has been effected by such means as prove it to be of divine original. To attain this object, we shall investigate the history of the Christian religion, by distributing it into three periods: the first, that which preceded the coming of Christ; the second, that in which Christ and his apostles exercised their ministry; and the third, that which has subsequently transpired down to the present time.

This mode of discussion is chosen, not merely for the advantages of its arrangement, but equally for its agreement with the nature of Christianity, and the manner in which it has been communicated to the world. For the Christian religion is not a naked exposition of opinions or maxims unconnected with facts or events, nor is it founded on an insulated system of occur rences, detached from the general history of the human race, but on an assemblage of facts, commencing with the earliest, and extending through the subsequent ages of mankind: it is inseparably interwoven with the history of man; and is in possession of innumerable testimonies and monuments distributed through every age, and nearly every country of the world, to which it appeals for its truth, and by which it authenticates its claims.

I. We begin with the period which preceded the coming of Christ.

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The object which we have here in view, is to shew, that by a variety of means, extending through this whole period, God was making preparation for the establishment of Christianity, by giving indications of its approach, and affixing to it numerous characters which should distinguish it from all the impostures by which enthusiasm or hypocrisy have imposed upon the superstition or credulity of mankind. To accomplish this purpose, a frequent reference must be made to the writings of the Old Testament. These books exhibit connected series of history, reaching from the commencement of this period nearly to its termination, and afford numerous instances of divine interposition in the regu lation of human affairs. But as these books, equally with the rest of the inspired volume, are assailed by the shafts of infidelity, a brief inquiry into their truth and authenticity becomes necessary to our

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purpose.

The Old Testament: grounds its claim on reasons which it possesses in common with all the approved historical documents of ancient times, and on others which are peculiar to itself.

First, the Old Testament history possesses, in common with other histories, arguments by which its authenticity is supported. The historical compositions of profane writers are authenticated by argu ments drawn from the characters of their authors; their general re ception in the times when they were published, and in successive ages; the consistency of their parts. one with another, and with other historical writings: together with their manifest relation to the pre- › sent state of mankind, and their coincidence with the various monui ments of antiquity still in exist ence. By such criteria are the testimonies of profane history ren dered credible; and on these and similar grounds the relations of Herodotus, Thucydides, Livy, and Tacitus are supported; nor can any sufficient reasons be assigned why the writings of Moses, Samuel, Nehemiah, Ezra, and other contributors to the volume of the Old Testament should be deemed unworthy of similar acceptance on similar grounds, apart from all considerations of supernatural sug gestion.

Secondly, the Old Testament history supports its credibility by / reasons peculiar to itself. This history is associated with the exist ence of the Jewish nation; a people rendered by their religious rites, their civil polity, and their exclusive character, the most ex traordinary of the families of man kind. No account of these people i can be admitted which does not identify itself with their history detailed in the books of the Old Testament, and confirmed by numberless unexceptionable testimonies of the most ancient and credible

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