ful interpofition of Providence, before they come to full maturity, inevitable ruin must be the confequence. Already do the prefages of fuch a fatal iffue begin to exhibit themselves. In fome of the most populous districts of Scotland, where the middling and lower ranks of the people were, fome years ago, exemplary in the difcharge of their religious duties, not occafional neglect only, but a conftant derifion, and an avowed contempt of these duties, have now taken place. The rites and ordinances of the gospel are expofed to every fpecies of fcorn and ridicule. Children are wilfully withheld from the "laver of regeneration:" and men and women" count the blood of the covenant, where"with they are fanctified, an unholy thing, in pure defpite of the spirit of grace."

The attainment of fuperior wisdom has been the boaft of the free-thinking tribe in every age, and in every nation; and much mifchief has been done to the cause of Christianity by the fophifms of schoolmen, and the introduction of that false philofophy and vain deceit, the offspring of metaphyfical fubtilty, through which fo many in the higher ranks of life, have been completely "spoiled and "led away after the rudiments of the world, and "not after Chrift." Yet comparatively fmall was the injury, fo long as the poor had the gospel preached unto them; fo long as the mafs of fociety was uncontaminated, and the great body of the people esteemed themfelves happy in enjoying the comforts

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comforts of religion, and "counted all things but ❝lofs, for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift

Jefus their Lord." The partition-wall however between learned and unlearned is now in this refpect broken down. The adepts of the new philofophy have availed themselves of the facility, with which the lower claffes of the people may be tempted to get rid of this diftinction; and, if we may borrow the figurative language of the Pfalmift, "the boar out of the wood doth now waste it, and "the wild beast of the field doth devour," and tear in pieces, the gofpel of that "God of hosts," who proclaimed himself" the true vine;" even the "Shep"herd of Ifrael," of whom the fame Pfalmist declares, that he is our God, and we are the people ❝of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand."-What a pity it is, that the grievous wolves of atheism and apoftacy fhould be allowed to enter in among us, clothed as they are in the lambskin dress of fraternal benevolence, and univerfal philanthropy; under which guife, speaking perverse things to draw away difciples after them," they spare not the flock of Chrift, but are daily carrying off unstable fouls to the deftruction that awaits them! To whom, but to that fame mighty Shepherd of Ifrael, who neither slumbereth nor fleepeth, can we look for such aid and protection as are neceffary to defend us from thefe enemies of our peace?

But, while we fly to him for fhelter, earnestly praying that he would take us under "the shadow

of

"of his wings, until these calamities be overpast," we must be equally careful to beware of the modern "falfe prophets," and not liften to the pretenfions of fuch as are ever seeking to exalt themselves, by going about and faying, "Lo here is Chrift, or "lo there;" for Christ himself hath left this warning with us" Not every one that faith unto me, "Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of hea"ven; but he that doth the will of my Father " which is in heaven."* Now this heavenly Father being the God of order, not of confufion, his will must in every thing accord with his work; and we are to discover what his will is, from what he has done for the purpose of revealing it to us. His doings, no doubt, may be often "marvellous in our eyes;" but no man, who is not actuated by the moft palpable prefumption and felf-confidence, will dare to infringe, or pretend to alter, the order of God's works, whether they refer to his operations in the economy of nature, or of grace. Bold and affuming as the naturalift too often is, he never has attempted to invert the feafons; to make the fun rule by night, and the moon by day; to oppose the stars in their courses; to bring the winds out of their treasures, or to allay the fury of the tempest by his unavailing "peace, be ftill." How then should any one pretend to alter the fyftem of things fpiritual;to change the economy of grace ;-to disjoint the whole

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* St. Matthew, vü. 21.

whole frame of religion, by oppofing the revealed will of God, and setting afide the laws and inftitations of his divine appointment? Yet all this may be juftly laid to the charge of those wild enthusiasts, who full of the affurance of faith, and the inward experience of a felf-confident mind, enroll themfelves among the elect of God; and certain, as they suppose, of being faved themfelves, look down with contemptuous difdain on thofe humble Chriftians, who are yet content to work out their own falva“tion," in the way that God has prefcribed," with "fear and trembling."-A doctrine, which thus tears away from the human heart every folid motive to a holy and religious life; which tells us, in language as plain as these people can poffibly make use of, that if we are in the number of the elect, there is no fear, and if we are not, there is no hope: Such a doctrine, the abettors of it, no doubt, juftly fuppofe, would require to be fupported, not by human authority, but by an immediate teftimony from heaven; and therefore the modern preachers of this new gofpel, defpifing the commiffion which our Lord gave his apoftles, to be handed down by regular fucceffion, have all at once affumed to themselves a title, by which they would make the world believe, that they have now the only miffion from heaven, that exists upon this earth, the peculiar privilege of preaching what they are pleased to call the Gofpel, in oppofition to all that the church of God has hitherto received under that venerable name.

How

How long this delufion, which is now fpreading fo wide through every part of the kingdom, may prevail, it is not easy to fay; as the power of delu fion is ftrong, both when it would appear to be on the fide of religion, and when it operates in a contrary direction. Attempts have been made, by fomething like ecclefiaftical authority, to ftop the progrefs of this growing evil, and to adminifter a remedy to those who are infected by this miffionary phrenfy; a fort of poffeffion more worthy of one who has his " dwelling among the tombs," than of those who refide in the habitations of men! But they, who prefcribe the remedy, ought to underftand well the nature of the difeafe, and be able to trace the malady to its proper fource. People, who admonish others to beware of falling into any dangerous error in matters of religion, ought themfelves to be exempt from the mifchief, against which their admonition is directed. Such warnings come with an ill grace, and therefore with no great probability of doing much good, from thofe, who, perhaps it will be faid, derive their own ministry from the fame contempt of a regular apostolic miffion, of which they now fee fuch alarming consequences, as have at laft produced a wish to prevent their farther increase.

In the midft of all this confufion, this melancholy departure from PRIMITIVE TRUTH AND ORDER, we of the Episcopal Communion have the credit and comfort of reflecting, that nothing has been faid or

done