the organs by which grace is exhibited, as these are feeble or vigorous, fuch may be the manifeftation which grace makes of itself. Happily however we are furnished with many pleasing inftances in which grace manifefts itself with uncommon luftre amidst great bodily weakness and all the infirmi ties of age, as fo many illuftrations and confirmations of divine truth and fidelity. In old age they fball be fat and flourishing, to fhew that the Lord is upright and there is no unrighteoufnefs in him. The holy fcriptures affure us, that fpiritual improvement is the immediate end of those chaftife ments, of which inward trials are a very important part, which faints experience in this life. Our natural parents correct us for their pleasure, but their heavenly Father children are diminished by ficknefs in fize and ftrength, fo grace in faints may be diminished by temptations and lufts, the diftempers of the foul; to complete the objection it may be added, and the reafoning is equally conclufive, as children, by sickness, decay and die, fo grace in faints may decline and become extinct: and is not the argument from the fimilitude as direct and decifive for the total extinction, as for the diminution of grace-But ought not a conviction of the conftantly improving nature of grace to be produced in our minds by affurances fo pofitive and fimilitudes fo direct and inftructive, though no fatisfactory folution of apparent objections could be produced? One general obfervation fupported by divine testimony will obviate all the particular cafes which may be of-chaftens them for their profit, that fered under the prefent objection, viz. that the gracious conftitution which God has established with his people, proceeds in a manner or order, directly the reverse of the conftitution of nature. As it is prefumed this propofition will be illuftrated by the fubfequent remarks, no particular proof of it will be produced. If God has eftablished fuch a gracious conftitution, though children decay, by fickness, in fize and ftrength; temptations and lufts, the infirmities of the foul, tend to the improvement of grace. It may obferved in this place, though it be a partial digreffion, that fymp. toms or expreffions of weakness, through diminution of natural ftrength or mental vigor by the power of fickness, or the infirmitics of age, are no real evidence of the decay of grace. As grace does not change the conftitution, nor ftate of the body, nor the faculties of the mind, and these are they may be partakers of his holiness. And their afflictions, inward as well as outward, yield in them the peaceable fruits of righteousness. They produce this happy effect by exhibiting the vanity of earthly objects and disappointing their expectations from them, mortifying their fenfual and finful defires and appetites, fubduing their obftinate and refractory tempers, and reducing their wills to a quiet and cheerful fubmiffion to the will of their heavenly Father, and fo they learn obedience by the things they fufbefer-and by drawing the curtain of time and difclofing invifible fubjects more affectingly, impref fing them more feelingly, and exhibiting the glory to be revealed more attractively, they excite spir itual affections more ardently; and thus amidst temptations without, and trials within, though their outward man perish, yet is their inward man renewed day by day; while they look at things which 5 are not feen and are eternal. I. That the cautions and ex- 1. That fuch cautions equally imply a poffibility of falling from grace totally and finally; and if they are not a conclufive evidence for the total extinction, neither are they for the diminution of grace. But it is especially to be obferved, affiduity in walking the way of life. We may now confider the other objection, II. The experience of the godly.-They find their ftate extremely various. At times poffeffed of thofe views of divine objects which elevate their minds and fill them with holy wonder and joy-from which they decline and defcend till they become fpectacles of emptinefs, guilt and unworthinefs, a terror to themselves, and are confcious of thofe horrid atheistical thoughts, impure imaginations and acts of wickedness which produce ferious doubts and inquiries, not fo much whether they have declined in grace, as whether they ever had any grace at all-and can it be fuppofed, that they now poffefs as great a degree of grace as when in a fublime and elevated frame? To this it may be replied, 1. That many of the blafphemous and atheistical thoughts which faints experience, are not the effects of corruption; but Sa tanic injections, the fiery darts of their fpiritual enemies.Their im pure imaginations, the acts of wickedness of which they are confcious, may not be the effects of a decline in grace and the increase of corruption, but the fruit of that corruption which previously ex 2. That faints are preserved and improve in a gracious ftate by the cautions and exhortations of fcripture as a neceffary and useful mean for the purpose. It is indeed the only way in which they can be preferved as faints, or in an holy manner, as they exhibit the arguments and motives which excite that voluntary exertion, or those virtuous exercises in which holiness radically confifts. If we fhould fuppofe that faints were fupported in a gracious state without cautions and encouragements, there would be no more holinefs in it, than in the prefervation of the earth or fea; as it would be an effect of mere divine power, with-ifted, drawn into exercise by the out any intellectual, moral exercife whatever. But the addrefs of fuch motives, of evil to be avoided, and of good to be attained, exhibit objects and furnish opportunity for voluntary exercises, and continually ftimulate to holy exertions: the fear of experiencing the fatal effects of declenfion or apoftacy, and the hope of obtaining the bleffed reward of progreffive perfevering grace, exciting the exercife of holy vigilance and exhibition of an enticing object. Even these indirealy promote their growth in grace, by difclofing the fountain of wickedness in their hearts, giving occafion for the renewed exercise of repentance and humility, riveting thofe tempers more deeply in them, teaching them more effectually their entire dependence upon the grace of God to preferve them from fin ning and falling-the worth of pardoning mercy, and, remember ignorant of the artifices of Satan, the deceitfulness of fin, of the blindness, pride, obftinacy and rebellion of their hearts; would poffefs much greater degrees of felf fufficiency and vain confidence, more forward and zealous like Pe ing the wormwood and the gall, inculcating leffons of diffidence, circumfpection and prayerfulness, which have an habitual influence aver them all their days-Not only hath most important and ufeful inftruction been derived to the people of God, and effential ben-ter, more exposed to the influence efit arifen to individuals, by the terrible falls of David, Solomon and Peter, but from thefe falls the overruling wifdom and grace of God took occafion to make them more excellent faints on earth, and more happy in heaven than they would have been, if they had never fallen victims to temptation. If any from this fay, Let us fin that grace may abound, and do evil that good may come, it is fufficient, as a prefervative from fuch an abuse of the truth, to suggest the observation of the Apoftle, the damnation of fuch is just. of temptation, and to dishonor God and religion through it.— But whom the Lord loves he chaftens, as well by spiritual de. fertions and inward conflicts, as by outward trials and afflictions— and the direct exercifes of grace must be fufpended--they must defcend into the dark caverns, and be conducted through the various apartments of a corrupt and depraved heart, and infpect the wicked and foul fpirits which inhabit them, for their humiliation and abhorrence; to bring them to loathe thefelves for their manifold abominations, mortify their pride and independent fpirit, and compel them to confide alone in God and grace. Thefe humiliating fcenes purify and refine them. By these grace takes root down, ward and bears fruit upward, in the greater purity and fervor of their holy affections, and the refinement of their joy and comfort, thofe peaceable fruits of righteoufnefs which proceed from them. PEREGRINUS. 2. The feelings of faints are not the teft by which their state, or degree of grace is to be refolved. If they feel at fome times more empty and vile, than at others, it is no certain evidence, nor real fymptom of the decay, or diminution of grace in them. These mortifying fcenes may really be high excrcifes of grace; not to wards its direct and proper objects, God, or Chrift, or heaven; but indirectly towards themselves, in repentance, felf abhorrence and On want of conformity to the will of abafement of foul before God; when they will, they must be empty, vile and devoid of grace, in their own efteem. God. Meffrs. EDITORS, AS your ufeful Magazine is very popular, it is read by many who have not as yet been particu of a certain defcription of people, 3. These scenes of humiliation are really neceflary and highly ufeful. Were the gracious at all times to be fupported in an ele-larly addreffed. The following vated frame, they would continue thoughts are fubmitted for their to be like new converts, like the benefit. Ifraelites at the Red Sea, in a HERE are many people, of glow of affection, but extremely faber manners, and decent TH lives and converfation, regular on the fabbath, and conftant at the fanctuary, that are confcious to themselves, that they are not united to Chrift by faving faith, or conformed to God by fpiritual obedience. It is common for fuch people to think too well of themfelves. They too generally conceive, that they are not exceed ingly vile at heart, nor worthy of enduring the wrath of God forever. There is indeed a difference between them, and the openly immoral and profane, but it is important that they should know their own characters, and be convinced that a God of infinite purity cannot look upon them but with abhorrence. Let us examine whether it be not great wickednefs to live without obedience to the holy law of God, and with out faith in Jefus Chrift, and whether fuch a course does not render men deferving of the wrath of God, however decent they may be, in their outward deportment. Let us first confider in what manner the Most High regards the want of obedience and faith: He has fully taught us this in his word. By far the most numerous complaints and charges, which he mentions against mankind, are the want of obedience, faith, fubmiffion and holiness. One of the moft terrible threatnings to be found in the new teftament, is grounded, not upon grofs and no torious immoralities, but upon not knowing God, and not obeying the gospel of our Lord Jefus Chrift. 2 Theff. i. 7, 8. "The Lord Jefus fhall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gofpel of our Lord Jefus Christ." When a man who depends merely on a decent exteVOL. IV. No. 11. rior reads of Chrift's coming in fuch vengeance, he is ready to conclude that it is to punish a Cain, that murdered his brother, a Manaffeh, that filled Jerufalem with innocent blood, or a Judas; and is furprised to find that this is a reprefentation of what will be inflicted upon fuch as merely know not God, and obey not the gofpel of our Lord Jefus Chrift. If we turn back to the old teftament, we fhall find in the first chapter of the proverbs, a threatning equally dreadful against men of the fame character. Because I have called, and ye have refused, I have ftretched out my hand, and no man regarded; but ye have fet at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: which is true even of the most decent unbelievers: I alfo will laugh at your ca. lamity, I will mock when your fear cometh: When your fear cometh as defolation, and your deftru&ioncometh as a whirlwind, when diftrefs and anguish cometh upon you. Then fball they call upon me, but I will not hear; they fall feek me early, but they fhall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord. They would none of my counfel, they defpifed all my reproof: Therefore fball they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. Un believers, who think the best of themselves, are guilty of all the neglect, difregard and want of obedience to God, on account of which, these awful curses are denounced. It is the general tenor of the fcriptures, to reprove men for not obeying the voice of the Lord, for unbelief, which is not believing on Chrift, for unrighteoufnefs, which is the want of righteousness, for iniquity, which is the want of equity, for unfaithfulness, and in Fff thing he commands them, or to regard his counfels and admonitions. He calls but they do not answer, he ftretches out his hand but they do not regard, he bids one do this, and another that, but every one is too busy in his own diverfions, to pay any attention to his authority or interefts. Would a parent in these circumftances receive it as a fufficient excufe, if they fhould plead thus, Fa a word, for the want of thofe things, which God requires of his people. Jefus has faid, He that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. The crime on account of which the Ifraelites were condemned to perish in the wilderness, was their not believing and not obeying the Lord. The Jews were broken from their own olive by unbelief. The wicked ther, we have done no mischief, we are destroyed for the fame crime. He that believeth not fhall be damned. Sin confifts not only in the tranfgreffion of the prohibitions of the divine law, but also in want of conformity to it. To fuch as neglect duty the Lord will fay, Thou wicked and flothful fervant, and of fuch, caft ye the unprofitable fervant into outer darknefs, there fhall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. : Befides our Lord in the representation he has given us of the decifions at the day of general judgment, has told us that judgment will be given against thofe on the left, because they neglected to give him meat and drink and clothing and hofpitable lodging, and to vifit him in fickness and prifon. It is on this ground that he will declare them accurfed, and fentence them to depart into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. By these confiderations it is evident, that we have to deal with one, who confiders inattention to him, and to his gofpel, exceed ingly criminal, and deferving of his wrath, and will punish it with everlasting deftruction. That the wickedness of neglecting our duty may appear in its true light, let it be illuftrated by the following fimilitude. Suppose a father, at the head of a numerous family; feveral of his children utterly neglect to do any have not beat you, nor called you ill names, nor killed your cattle, nor faid a word to perfuade the other children to do evil; you cannot pretend to blame us for any thing but negligence, and furely fo long as we have done no mischief, mere negligence can be but a venial fault, and ought not to be noticed? Would he not reply and tell them, that they were in rebellion, dishonoring him with their contempt, ruining the family, and themselves? And fhould we not juftify the father in difinheriting them forever? Or if, inftead of a father, we fuppofe the commander of an army, and his troops perfifted in paying no attention to his directions, would not such an army be overcome by a very defpicable force? And does not this show, that want of conformity to the will of God is a fearful crime? Befides: If we should candidly contemplate the law of God, which requires us to love him with all our hearts and our neighbor as ourselves, we must be convinced of its reafonablenefs, and importance in itfelf, and that neglecting this principle of impartial love, tends to the fubverfion of general happiness, and must be viewed as a crime. So alfo neglecting to believe on Jefus Chrift, is very ungrateful to him, who laid down his life for |